Sipsworth

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness.

Helen falls asleep on the couch. When she wakes up on Saturday morning, Sipsworth is experiencing more breathing difficulties. She puts him in the oxygen chamber, and after 12 minutes, Sipsworth stops gasping. He crawls into her outstretched hand, and she kisses him. Then, she administers medicine on her finger. After telling him not to worry about his appearance, which reminds her of how she looked after being pulled out of the disused well, she puts him to bed. She pictures asking Cecil to help her clear the garden, so she and “Sips” can sit on the patio in nice weather, perhaps with Dr. Jamal and Cecil as visitors. In another reverie, she considers joining a mouse enthusiasts’ group and helping sick mice with her oxygen chamber.

Helen calls the library to ask for some books on rodents and mycoplasma, explaining that she is a cardiac surgeon. The librarian asks if she would talk to Dominic, who is interested in anatomical models, and Helen agrees. Cecil calls for an update. He says he has been reading up on catch-and-release traps. Helen thinks about calling Dr. Jamal and perhaps buying him a Rolex watch.