Two months into dating Tom, Sydney reflects during a Sunday diner brunch on the habits and patterns she has begun to notice. She sees many qualities she likes in him: he is generous, funny, considerate in her apartment, unfazed by her bleeding episodes, and excellent in bed. At the same time, Sydney remains unsettled by his work as a pathologist and by the fact that he often comes to see her after spending the day cutting into corpses.

When a small child runs past their table, Sydney notices a tender, sad expression in Tom’s face. She has previously tried to ask how he feels about children and fatherhood, but Tom has always avoided the subject. Instead of opening up emotionally, Tom shifts into one of his factual explanations, telling Sydney why veins look blue as he traces the veins on her hand.

The mood changes when Tom mentions that his mother is visiting and that he plans to have dinner with her. Sydney casually asks if she can come, and Tom reacts with obvious alarm, reminding her that they have only been dating for a few months. His sharp response embarrasses Sydney and reinforces her sense that Tom is deeply uncomfortable with commitment and with integrating her into his personal life.

Trying to move past the awkward moment, Sydney helps Tom remember the name of a Middle Eastern restaurant by texting him the link. When Tom’s phone does not react, he first pretends he received the text, then backtracks under questioning. After Sydney presses him, Tom claims the phone he always carries is only his work phone and that his personal phone is at home. Sydney does not believe him, realizes the number she has for him is not really his main number, and ends the scene convinced that Tom is hiding the truth from her.