To the poorly furnished apartment of the Gavrilovs, Ivanov, the cohabitant of the thirty-eight-year-old Grani, returns from prison. He says that he wants to see his newly born daughter, Galya, and to live a quiet family life. The Gavrilovs do not believe him. Especially implacably opposed to the drunkard Ivanov is the eldest daughter of Grani, eighteen-year-old Nina. She was forced to leave school, now works in a grocery store and nurses little Galya. Despite the discontent of Nina and the exhortations of the curious neighbor Anna Stepanovna, Grania decides to let Ivanov go.
The only son Nikolai returns to the apartment of the prosperous neighbors of the Kozlovs from the army. Parents are happy to return their son. The father demands that his son play something on the piano, and complains that he never finished music school, despite all the efforts of his parents, who spared nothing for him. The joy is overshadowed by the fact that Nikolai brought Nadia with him, which causes open hostility among his father Fyodor Ivanovich and his grandmother. Mother, Taisiya Petrovna, keeps herself with emphasized courtesy. Nadia works as a house painter, lives in a hostel. She smokes, drinks wine, remains to spend the night in Nikolai’s room, keeps herself independent and does not try to please the groom’s parents. The Kozlovs are sure that Nadia claims to their living space. The next day, Nadia leaves without saying goodbye. Nikolai rushes after her to the hostel, but she declares that he does not suit her.
Nina does not want to live in the same apartment with the drunkard Ivanov. All day she stands on the street at the entrance. Here she is seen by Nikolai, who was once teased by her fiancé. Nikolai is indifferent to Nina. Hoping to discourage her son from Nadia, Taisia Petrovna invites Nina to visit and offers to stay. Nina is glad of the opportunity not to return home. Grana Kozlova, who came after her daughter, explains that their girlfriend will feel better, and asks not to come again.
Three months later, Grania reappears in the Kozlovs' apartment: she needs to go to the hospital for an abortion, but there is no one to leave little Galya with. Ivanov is drinking. Grania leaves the child to Nina. By this time, the Kozlovs had already realized that Nikolai was living with Nina out of boredom. They want to get rid of Nina, reproach her with their good deeds. Seeing Galya, the Kozlovs finally decide to send Nina home. But at this moment Nadia appears. You can hardly recognize her: she is pregnant and looks very bad. Having orientated instantly, Taisiya Petrovna announces to Nadia that Nikolai has already married, and presents Galya as his child. Nadia leaves. Nina hears this conversation.
Frightened by the unexpected appearance of Nadia, the Kozlovs demand that Nikolai urgently marry Nina. It turns out that he knows about the pregnancy of Nadia and that she tried to poison herself. Nikolai refuses to marry Nina, but his parents are not far behind. They persuade Nina, explain to her: it is important to take a man on a leash, give birth to a child, and then he will get used to the place and will not go anywhere - football will watch on TV, occasionally drink beer or play dominoes. After listening to all this, Nina goes home, leaving the things presented to her by the Kozlovs. Parents are afraid that now Nicholas will marry Nadia. But the son brings clarity: earlier, maybe he would have married Nadia, but now the relationship with her was too serious and he does not want to "get along with this matter." Calmed down, the Kozlovs sit down to watch hockey. Grandma goes to live with another daughter.
Above the darkened scene, a swing is swinging, on which Nina and Nadia are sitting. "If you do not pay attention to them, they will lag behind," Taisia Petrovna animatedly advises. Nikolai kicks off the swinging swing.
