much rather read her book. She eventually forces herself to go downstairs where she decides to make a cake for Dan's birthday which Richie will help her make. "He makes her think sometimes of a mouse singing amorous ballads under the window of a giantess." —Laura reflecting on her son's transparent love for her. p. 44, 1999, 4th Estate paperback edition. "...the triumph and the jingle and the strange high singing of some airplane overhead were what she loved; life; London; this moment of June." —Laura remembering a quote from Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, p. 48, 1999, 4th Estate paperback edition. Mrs. Dalloway The novel returns to Clarissa Vaughan who, having left the flower shop with an armload of flowers, decides to stop by Richard's apartment. On her way to Richard's she pauses at the site of a film shoot, hoping to catch a glimpse of a movie star. Eventually, she leaves, having not seen the star, embarrassed at her trivial impulses. Clarissa enters the neighborhood she and Richard frequented as young adults. It is revealed Richard and Clarissa once had a failed experimental romantic relationship together despite it being obvious Richard's "deepest longings" were for Louis with whom he was already in a relationship. Clarissa still wonders what her life might have been if they had tried to stay together. Clarissa enters Richard's apartment building, which she finds squalid. She seems to associate Richard's apartment building with a sense of decay and death. She enters Richard's apartment. Richard welcomes Clarissa, calling her "Mrs D" a reference to Mrs Dalloway. He calls her this because of the shared first name (Clarissa Vaughan, Clarissa Dalloway) but also because of a sense of shared destiny. As Richard's closest friend, Clarissa has taken on the role of a caregiver through Richard's illness. Richard is struggling with what appears to Clarissa to be mental illness, brought about by his AIDS, and with Clarissa he discusses hearing voices. While Clarissa still enjoys everyday life, it seems Richard's illness has sapped his energy for life and the cleanliness of his apartment is subsequently suffering. As Clarissa fusses about, paying attention to the details of Richard's life that he has neglected, Richard seems resigned. He does not seem to be looking forward to the party Clarissa is organizing for him nearly as much as Clarissa is. Finally, Clarissa leaves promising to return in the afternoon to help him