A Family Matter

Maggie goes through her early routine, interacting with her husband and children at breakfast and then taking the train to work. At the office in London, she takes part in a meeting with her colleagues. That evening, she and Conor have a “date night,” in which Conor cooks dinner and they watch a new TV series together. They instituted the date night after Maggie said she was bored in their marriage.

After school, Tom visits his grandfather Heron, who cooks him a simple meal. Tom then watches Heron work in the garden. Over tea and biscuits, Tom asks him whether he ever worried about the state of the world when he was Tom’s age. Heron answers obliquely, admitting there is plenty to worry about.

Heron cannot bring himself to tell his daughter or grandchildren that he is ill, although he contemplates telling Maggie by giving her a simple Post-it Note. He keeps busy in the garden and at the gym, but he is unable to sleep. As he lies awake, he reproaches himself for not having done more with his life; he should have met more people and traveled more.