In Eagle Pass, Texas a teenage girl named Lupita observes her mother (whom she refers to as Mami) as she watches her favorite telenovela. The girl sees her opportunity to sneak into Mami’s closet to look through the official documents of birth and citizenship. The teenager is looking for evidence of a secret she knows her mother is keeping from her. When Mami finds her daughter looking at her umbilical cord, Mami explains that it’s the symbol of her first love: the love for her daughter.

Lupita was born in Mexico and moved to Texas with her growing family when she was six years old. In Texas, her parents lovingly grow their garden, literally and figuratively. More siblings are born, making Lupita the oldest of eight. Their garden grows beautifully until a thorny and stubborn mesquite emerges, perturbing Mami.

It’s Springtime, and Lupita notices that her mother grows more forlorn. The family routines of school, church, and community continue, yet Mami seems withdrawn, tired. Lupita sees other adults comforting Mami. One night, Lupita can hear her mother covering her cries.