Peter crosses O'Connell Bridge on a Monday evening, eager to tell Sylvia about a legal victory — a judicial review judgement criticizing a Minister's "concatenation of careless errors." He also reflects on a message from Ivan apologizing for missing their Sunday lunch and proposing dinner on Thursday, which Peter accepts warmly. Sylvia had previously remarked that Ivan is starting to resemble Peter and looks handsome, leading Peter to wonder who Ivan's mystery girl might be.

The chapter reveals that Peter and Sylvia have settled into an unspoken domestic arrangement since the previous week, when Peter accompanied her to a medical procedure at the hospital. Since then, he has been spending evenings at her apartment — eating dinner, discussing work and philosophy, and sleeping chastely beside her. This arrangement has given Peter peace and stability: he is sleeping better, eating regularly, and reducing his Xanax use. Meanwhile, he has had no contact with Naomi, and their mutual silence suits him, though he harbors jealousy about a man he saw in her room.

Peter attends a university book launch where Sylvia is presenting. They perform an effortless, charming duet for her students, radiating mutual admiration. Afterward, they walk home together, Peter sharing his legal triumph. At her apartment they eat dinner, talk about the news, and get ready for bed. Their conversation turns intimate: Peter touches Sylvia's arm and belly, and she admits she finds it pleasurable. They discuss her chronic pain condition, which makes penetrative sex impossible. Sylvia reveals she has never told anyone else about this, and that she struggles to accept this part of her life is over. She admits Peter's touch arouses her.

The moment of closeness collapses when Sylvia begins to cry, saying she wants Peter to remember her "the way I was." She becomes angry, accusing Peter of always wanting the one thing she cannot give, and suggesting he is trying to make her suffer. Peter apologizes quietly and the evening ends in mutual hurt. He takes tablets from his wallet and eventually falls into medicated sleep. In the morning, Sylvia has already left. Peter agonizes over whether the confrontation was inevitable, replaying her words and his own failures.

While getting ready to leave Sylvia's apartment, Peter receives an urgent text from Janine, Naomi's friend, informing him that Naomi's squat was violently evicted that morning — security trashed the place, guards arrived, and Naomi was arrested. She is believed to be at Kevin Street Garda station without her phone. Peter recalls a letter he was asked to read but never did, presumably related to the eviction. Janine asks him not to tell Naomi she contacted him, saying he's the only lawyer she knows. Peter hurriedly dresses and prepares to go to Kevin Street, cursing aloud.