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.
