It is morning, and Offred is woken up by screams, and a loud crash. Offred had fallen asleep in the closet and had startled Cora so much that she dropped the breakfast tray. In an attempt to cover up the situation, Offred begs Cora not to say anything alluding that strange behavior like that may be an indicator of a pregnancy, something that excites Cora a great deal. Cora even runs the risk of being found to be dishonest about how the tray fell, but her excitement about a possible pregnancy seems to be all that’s important. Later on, we are informed that Offred continues to meet the Commander during late nights in the study room. They maintain a unique communication style using signals, often relayed by Nick which Serena cannot decode. The Commander does not force himself onto Offred, but instead, it reaches a point where he allows her to read through a copy of Vogue magazine, something that excites Offred, due to its illegality but also how it is the antithesis of the modest clothes they wear every day. Offred even goes so far as to ask for body lotion, informing the Commander about the butter she had bene using, something that amuses the Commander greatly.