How It All Goes Down
- So one year after their road trip to see the boat, Kathy becomes Tommy's carer. This means she spends a lot of time with him in his room at Kingsfield. Tommy needs rest because he's recently given his third donation. But they spend their time talking or reading together.
- They also find another way to pass the time: sex. This might not seem like the ideal post-operation activity, but apparently it works for them.
- There's just one thing that puts a damper on their sex life, and that's the awareness that they could have been together for much longer if things had been different. This is a sad thought that's hard for both of them to shake.
- One day they wile away the time looking at Tommy's animal drawings. He's still been working on them since the Cottages. When he asks for Kathy's honest opinion about the drawings, she takes it as a sign that they can put that churchyard chat (the one where Ruth said even Kathy thought Tommy's pictures were ridiculous) behind them. It only took nearly a decade, but things are finally getting patched up, which is great.
- What's not so great is the fact that Kathy thinks Tommy's drawing skills aren't quite what they used to be. We're thinking he can't be blamed, since he's now down three vital organs. But the change in his artwork has Kathy worried. She can't help but realize that they aren't young and hip and with all their organs anymore, so maybe it's too late for them.
- Eventually, the lovebirds can't avoid the topic of deferrals any longer. Inevitably, Tommy will get a notice for his fourth donation. So it's time to start planning their trip to visit Madame.
- Before they go, Kathy does some detective work. She goes to the address Ruth gave them and does some surveillance on Madame's supposed house in Littlehampton. Eventually, Madame shows up and looks exactly like she used to, right down to the same clothes.
- With the site confirmed, Tommy and Kathy hatch a plan. Next week, when Kathy signs Tommy out to get some labs done, they'll stop at Littlehampton on the way home. They'll bring some animal drawings and, with a little luck, maybe they'll get a deferral.