Chapter 17: Harriet Sloane

Summary

- Elizabeth is struggling as a new mother to baby Madeline, who cries incessantly and refuses to follow any schedule. - At two a.m., Elizabeth is pacing with the baby, her home is messy, creating stress and a sense of inadequacy. - Despite prior feeding difficulties, Elizabeth manages to get Madeline to feed. - Elizabeth compares motherhood to a relentless and exhausting cycle of chores and responsibilities with no end in sight. - Overwhelmed by work and lacking sleep, Elizabeth manages a moment's peace when the baby falls asleep, only for the baby to wake again minutes later. - Early in the morning, Dr. Boryweitz visits Elizabeth to congratulate her on the baby and to discuss work matters. He gives her a gift and pays her a small amount to talk about work despite her exhaustion. - Elizabeth falls asleep out of sheer tiredness after attempting to return to her lab work. - Elizabeth dreams about reading with her former partner, Calvin, and her robot, Six-Thirty, before being awoken by a persistent tapping. - Mrs. Sloane, Elizabeth's neighbor, enters the lab worried about Elizabeth's well-being after seeing her on the floor and hearing the baby cry. - Mrs. Sloane takes charge, changing the baby and discussing Elizabeth's situation, expressing sympathy for her loss of Calvin. - The story reveals that Elizabeth's home is unconventional; her kitchen has been transformed into a chemistry lab. - Elizabeth makes coffee using a lab setup, impressing Mrs. Sloane with its quality despite the complexity. - Mrs. Sloane criticizes Dr. Spock's book, joking about the possibility that his wife may have actually written it due to its authority with a man's name. - Six-Thirty is familiar with Mrs. Sloane, and there's a mention of a leash law, which upsets the baby again. - Mrs. Sloane shares a story about threatening to give away her own child to a burglar, relating to the overwhelming nature of motherhood. - Elizabeth fears she is a terrible mother and admits she almost gave her child away, but Mrs. Sloane reassures her that such feelings are not uncommon. - The two women share a deeper moment as they reveal their first names to each other, Elizabeth and Harriet. - Harriet gives Elizabeth advice to take a moment for herself every day to remember who she is aside from her roles as mother and scientist. - Harriet contemplates the love she desires as she leaves, and, almost predictably, baby Madeline begins to cry.