 For assistance to murder Catherine Berger (Catherine Deneuve) is sentenced to 20 years  imprisonment. There she gives birth to a son, Simon (Jean-Jaques Briot). After her release Catherine wants to make up for the lost years and tries to built up a close relationship to her already grown-up son. Despite some tensions when she finds out that Simon has a love affair with her best girl-friend Catherine s efforts work out and in the "happy" end they become a real family when she finds the perfect lover - Simon s teacher.