Anna

Anna is Tom’s girlfriend, revealed when Queenie Jenkins returns to their former apartment hoping to revisit their relationship. Though she appears only briefly, her presence makes plain that Tom has moved on and that Queenie’s understanding of their separation differs sharply from his.

Introduction and Appearance

When Queenie arrives at the old building, drenched by the rain, a petite blonde woman opens the door. Queenie thinks she may be a neighbor she saw during her short time living there. The woman wears a black T-shirt that reaches her knees; Queenie notices her exposed figure and crosses her arms over her own chest. The scene establishes Anna first through Queenie’s uncertain, self-conscious perspective, before her connection to Tom is known.

The Doorway Revelation

After Queenie tells Tom that she thought they had agreed to reconsider their relationship after three months, Anna comes out of the flat and apologizes for interrupting. She asks Tom whether he is coming back in and puts a hand on his waist. Tom addresses her by name and says he is saying goodbye to Queenie. When Queenie asks who she is, Tom hesitates before telling her that Anna is his girlfriend and has been for a while. Anna does not explain the relationship herself; her familiar gesture toward Tom and his disclosure establish it.

Role in Queenie and Tom’s Separation

Anna’s arrival changes the meaning of Queenie’s visit. Queenie had taken Tom’s New Year’s message as evidence that they might find their way back to one another, while Tom says he had not understood their three-month arrangement as a promise to resume the relationship. Anna’s presence confirms that, during their separation, Tom began a relationship with someone else. She is not shown discussing the past or confronting Queenie; the scene’s emotional weight comes from her ordinary, intimate familiarity with Tom and the contrast between Queenie’s expectation and the reality she encounters.