The chapter opens at Martha’s breakfast table as she spots that Al is not wearing his wedding ring. When Martha asks where it is, Al says he thinks he left it in the changing rooms at the hotel gym, adding that he has already called and is waiting for a manager to check.

Martha, holding baby Nala while Troy and Jonah get ready for school, feels a rush of frustration that Al had time for the gym and a haircut but not to call or reply to her messages during his trip. She places Nala in her high chair and presses him about what he will do if the ring is not found.

Al suggests he will replace the ring or that insurance might cover it, apologizing and expressing a hopeful belief that it will turn up. Martha notes the expense and seems unconvinced, but she softens as he smiles and apologizes.

As Martha loads the dishwasher, she looks out at the winter-stripped garden and sees the first snowflakes begin to fall. She calls Al and the boys to the window as the snowfall intensifies, turning the moment into a shared family experience.

Al lifts Nala to the window, and the five of them watch the snow together. The scene calms Martha, and for a moment she lets go of her concerns about the lost weekend in Normandy, the missing ring, and Al’s haircut, feeling reassured by Al’s presence and gentleness with their child.