The novel flashes back to Eddie’s flight. Florida watches Manhattan fade as she thinks back on her previous lives and marriages. Mark, the businessman, reminisces about time with his ex-girlfriend, who turned him down at a club the night before. He tries to make conversation with Jane, but she focuses on editing her screenplay. As she writes, she thinks about a recent call with Lacey in which “the exchange fogged up with bruised feelings and their long history of poking and prodding each other” (45). This difficult history will become relevant to Eddie’s relationship with Lacey.

Linda sneaks a pregnancy test into the bathroom after waiting in line next to Jordan. Crispin, meanwhile, thinks about his ex-wives as he becomes increasingly bitter toward his nurse. In the plane bathroom, Linda remembers many of her poor past decisions before meeting her current boyfriend, who she is moving to California to be with. Linda’s test reveals she is pregnant.

Eddie, now going by Edward, learns that he will be staying in the unused nursery at Lacey and John’s house. Lacey has suffered several miscarriages, and Edward’s discomfort causes him to sleep on the couch. His physical pain starts to get worse, as does a clicking sound that he hears at seemingly random times.