Laura, a resident of Miguel Street, is known for having many children with different fathers. The narrator is curious about her repeated pregnancies and her resilient, cheerful spirit.

The story underscores the contrast between Laura, who struggles to support her children, and Mary, who is more economically fortunate. Laura's children's fathers offer no support, only whistling for her attention as they cycle past her house, leaving the narrator intrigued but without answers.

...to compare Laura, the mother of eight, with Mary the Chinese, also mother of eight, doesn’t seem fair. Because Mary took really good care of her children and never spoke harshly to them. But Mary, mark you, had a husband who owned a shop, and Mary could afford to be polite and nice to her children. ...But who could Laura look to for money to keep her children?

Nathaniel, a newcomer in Laura's life, boasts about his violent activities and shows contempt for women. Laura, however, becomes assertive and physically abusive towards him. Despite the abuse, he stays on Miguel Street.

When Laura becomes pregnant with Nathaniel's child, residents expect him to leave, but he stays. As tensions rise, Laura threatens to call the police to remove him, leading Nathaniel to depart. Laura becomes pregnant once more.

Laura's eldest daughter, Lorna, who has been attending typing lessons and working as a servant, announces her pregnancy, causing Laura to have an emotional breakdown. The neighborhood is filled with sadness, and Laura's house falls silent. Tragically, Lorna drowns shortly after, presumably committing suicide. The story concludes with Laura expressing that her daughter's death may be for the best:

And when the police came to tell Laura about it [Lorna's death], she had said very little.

Laura said, It good. ‘It good. It better that way.’

Laura's sorrow, a departure from her usual cheerfulness, leaves the neighborhood bewildered, and the cause remains undisclosed. This ambiguity serves Naipaul's purpose, highlighting that characters and their behaviors, like real people, often defy others' perceptions and expectations.