Summary

In Chapter 4, after work on Thursday, Margaret visits her coworker and friend Anna’s house. Margaret interrupts Anna’s remarks about “genetically modified mosquitoes” to bring up the recent chess match (83). Anna’s husband Luke returns home before Margaret can tell Anna about Ivan. She decides to leave, glad she did not mention him after all. On the way home, she imagines how her friends and family would respond if they found out about Ivan. She eats dinner alone, thinking about the dishwasher she will buy for her mother Bridget, about Ivan, and about her ex, Ricky Fitzpatrick.

Meanwhile, Ivan researches foster homes for his dog Alexei at his Dublin flat. He wishes he could take Alexei but is not allowed to have pets at his apartment. Christine keeps texting him about collecting Alexei because she, her husband Frank, and his sons...