That night, the heat in Offred’s room grows oppressive, even with the fan. The searchlights are off. Dressed once more in her obligatory red habit and makeup-free face, she awaits Serena, who arrives at midnight to escort Offred through the kitchen and point the way to Nick’s quarters. Inside his door, a spartan scene confronts Offred. The denuded walls and barracks-like atmosphere preface a silent, unromantic coupling. Fantasizing, Offred, starved for sexual contact with a man her own age and a social equal, comes alive with passion.
In reality, Offred is unsure of herself and hurries Nick, who makes a crude joke about a passionless act of artificial insemination.
Their seemingly harmless banter—”Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder”—causes Offred to cry for all she has lost, “an echo of an echo.” Nick caresses her and leads her to the unadorned bed, where he turns down an army-issue blanket. In retrospect, Offred is shamed by her enjoyment of their perfunctory, clandestine intercourse and suffers guilt for betraying Luke.
