The protagonist, Maddie, has a conversation with Penny in her office, where Penny suggests Maddie see an in-house counselor due to her recent changes in behavior.
Penny observes that Maddie has been arriving early and staying late at work, being quieter than usual, and appears to be not entirely herself since her return.
Maddie feels defensive and embarrassed, considering herself to be seen as the "Girl Who Clearly Can’t Cope," but reflects on the importance of getting help.
Penny introduces the counselor, who specializes in bereavement and happens to be available for Maddie to meet right away.
Maddie reluctantly goes to the HR room to meet the counselor, experiencing feelings of being in trouble and second-guessing the need for therapy.
The counselor, named Angelina, is a Black woman who Maddie meets for a counseling session and they discuss Maddie's feelings toward her return to work and how others respond to her grief.
Angelina notices Maddie's concern for how her actions and reactions affect others and questions her about the personal significance of her nickname, "Maame".
Maddie confesses discomfort with the name "Maame", recognizing how it has contributed to her taking on responsibilities and feeling lonely from an early age.
After leaving the HR room, Maddie encounters her mother with a man named Kwaku, whom Maddie identifies as her mother's boyfriend, in a coffee shop near Tottenham Court Road.
Maddie struggles with seeing her mother receive affection from someone who is not her late father, she feels betrayed but also notices her mother appears vulnerable and cared for.
As Maddie is noticed by her mother and Kwaku, she flees the scene and plans to go to Thornton Heath to wait for her mother and confront the situation.