Chapter Two

Summary

• The protagonist takes a morning walk to work along the River Thames for the benefits of daylight exposure and personal joy.
• Works at Covent Garden Theatre (CGT) as PA to the Director of Marketing and Publicity, Katherine Fellingham; the building is a maze-like Brutalist structure.
• Her morning routine includes cleaning up after office parties and arranging Katherine's overbooked schedule, including during lunch hours.
• Katherine suffers from depression and is pressured to hide it to maintain her position among male-dominated senior management.
• The protagonist feels disconnected from her colleagues, noticing a lack of diversity, and deals with subtle office racism.
• Is considering leaving her job due to a lack of fulfillment, despite having a savings safety net and managing familial financial responsibilities.
• She reflects on her mother's view of work, which contrasts sharply with her own desire to find joy in her profession, acknowledging parental hardship and immigrant struggles.
• During a lunchtime walk with her friend Avi, they discuss personal life choices with Avi encouraging her to seek more independence and excitement.
• The protagonist is faced with her own insecurities and uncertainties about her living situation, romantic experiences, and career path.
• Her evening involves caring for her father with Parkinson's, indicating a deep sense of responsibility and family love, but also personal sacrifice.
• She struggles with her physical health, experiencing back pain from supporting her father.
• Has a strained conversation with her brother James, who is financially undependable and focused on his music-related career.
• Discovers implications of her mother's infidelity but feels unable to judge her harshly, choosing to maintain the family's secrets.