Chapter Four

Summary

• Ben has not reached out to the protagonist, and she feels both relief and disappointment.
• The protagonist is searching for a flat to rent in London with a budget of 800 pounds a month including bills.
• After attending numerous viewings, she finds a potentially perfect flat with a room available.
• The flat is located in Wandsworth and the room is offered by Jo Bowen (Joseph) and her flatmate Cam.
• Jo works in the charity sector and Cam is a primary school teacher's assistant.
• The flat is an old maisonette bought by Jo's mother, Winnie, in the seventies and includes a small garden.
• The rent for the room is higher than the protagonist hoped but has advantages like space and inviting flatmates.
• Previous flats viewed had issues, including bad hygiene from one flatmate and awkward interactions with others.
• The protagonist enjoys a positive interaction with Jo and Cam, discussing life and getting to know each other.
• They talk about work, books, and their social lives, creating a comfortable atmosphere unlike previous interviews.
• The protagonist contemplates her own attractiveness in comparison to Jo, concluding that she has no reason to feel threatened as she has no partner to 'protect' from other women's beauty.
• Jo and Cam decide the protagonist can have the room if she wants it, but they need someone to move in as soon as possible.
• The protagonist's mother informs her of a single man, hinting at matchmaking.
• The protagonist immediately sends Jo the deposit, making the decision to move into the flat without hesitation.
• Despite back pain, the protagonist decides to care for her father, cooking him lasagna and handling his dinner routine.
• She announces to her father her plans to move out, seeking his approval in her own way, but he is unresponsive due to his condition.
• The protagonist reassures her father, and herself, that she will visit often after she moves out.
• Emotional undercurrents are evident as she considers her father's illness and her upcoming independence.