For her birthday dinner, Eve dresses carefully in a red dress and expensive heels, but Nate barely notices. When Eve suggests a nicer, more expensive restaurant, Nate dismisses the idea as too far and too costly, so they settle on a nearby cheap Italian place instead. During the drive, their conversation is strained and shallow, which makes Eve reflect on how far their marriage has declined from the affectionate, poetic relationship they once had.

Because the evening feels so empty, Eve starts blaming herself for some of the distance between them. She remembers how Nate used to read poetry to her and decides that, starting the next day, she will try harder to reconnect with him. Eve also concludes that if she truly wants to save her marriage, she needs to end her affair with Jay.

At the restaurant, the tension continues. Eve and Nate argue over his habit of parking far from the entrance, and Nate makes a suspicious comment about Eve's shoes and the credit card bill, reminding Eve how little financial independence she has in the marriage. Inside, Eve blurts out that it is her birthday, hoping for some acknowledgment, but the moment changes nothing and only heightens her disappointment.

The evening shifts when Nate notices Addie Severson in the restaurant and tells Eve that Addie is in his last-period class. Nate praises Addie's talent for poetry and notes that Addie shares his admiration for Edgar Allan Poe, which immediately unsettles Eve. Eve warns Nate that Addie is troubled and could become overly attached to him, citing Arthur Tuttle's scandal as a cautionary example. Nate angrily rejects Eve's defense of Arthur and calls him a creep, and after a flirtatious waitress interrupts, Eve repeats her warning. By the end of the meal, Nate's mood has soured further, and Eve is left feeling that her attempt to move closer to him has only exposed more distance.