The chapter opens by marking a year since Paddy Swann died, noting missed family milestones and how life has continued without him. Ash is in the kitchen when Nina rushes in, dressed up and flustered, preparing for Nick Radcliffe’s arrival. Nina admits Nick was supposed to arrive half an hour earlier and hurriedly chills a bottle of Paddy’s wine in the freezer, underscoring how recently Paddy’s presence still lingers in the home.

As the doorbell rings, Ash reflects that a year feels too soon for Nina to be with someone new, though she feels unable to object because she is still living at home at twenty-six. Nina welcomes Nick, who brings flowers and champagne. Ash notices the contrasts between Nick and Paddy—height, looks, grooming, style—and also the one shared trait: their restaurant-trade polish.

Nick greets Ash warmly and opens the champagne with professional ease, using small flourishes reminiscent of Paddy. The narrative recalls that Nina and Nick began messaging after he sent Paddy’s Zippo lighter six months earlier; Ash was unaware until a month ago when Nina revealed she planned to meet him for a drink.

Nick asks Ash about her job search, specifically a literary agency application. Ash lies that she has not heard back, though she has in fact received a rejection that praised her but declined to proceed. Nick offers encouragement, and they briefly confirm she still works at the boutique.

When Nina joins them, Ash observes that Nina visibly brightens around Nick, regaining a vitality that had vanished after Paddy’s death. Seeing Nick focus his attention on Nina, Ash finishes her champagne, forces a smile, and withdraws to give them time alone, even as she struggles to genuinely want this new relationship for her mother.