In the present day, Lily is moved by her entries and sympathetic to her mother because Lily “hasn’t really thought about everything [her mother] had to go through before [her] father died” (119). Ryle comes to see her that evening. Tired from his surgery, he falls asleep. When he wakes up, they have sex for the first time and Ryle tells her he’s addicted to her.

Lily finds out that Allysa is working as a distraction from the fact that she can’t get conceive. Ryle continues to lavish attention on Lily through more flowers and, to Lily’s delight, invites himself to a dinner with Lily and her mother. At the restaurant, while her mother and Ryle are getting to know each other, Lily finds the waiter familiar and realizes it’s Atlas, whom she hasn’t seen for years. She excuses herself from the table and goes to talk to him, finding out he’s been in the military. She tells him about her flower shop before returning to the table and finishing her meal. After the dinner, Ryle leaves and Lily speaks to Atlas again, finding out he has a girlfriend. Atlas tells her he wishes he had met up with her a year ago.