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burst into tears.
    â€œI know. Me too. Every time I hear it, I think of Clara,” Felix admitted. “Come behind the counter.”
    I obeyed, putting up no resistance. The smell of coffee mingled with the odor of books hit me. I took a deep breath, in spite of myself. My hand slid along the wooden bar; it was sticky. I picked up a cup; it was dirty; I took another one but that wasn’t very clean either.
    â€œFelix, you’re fussier about my apartment than you are about Happy People. This is really disgusting.”
    â€œIt’s because I’ve got too much to do—no time to play housewife,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders.
    â€œIt’s true that it’s swarming with people, just like the huge crowds we used to get on our busiest days.”
    He turned around to help his only customer, with whom he seemed on more than intimate terms, given the way they were ogling each other. The guy finished his drink and left with a book under his arm without bothering to pay.
    â€œSo, you’re coming back to work?” Felix asked, pouring himself a drink.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œYou’ve come here because you want to get back to work, right?”
    â€œNo, as you know very well. I just want to take some books with me.”
    â€œSo you’re really going? But you’ve got time, no rush.”
    â€œYou haven’t listened to a thing I’ve said. I’m leaving in a week; I’ve already signed and returned the lease agreement.”
    â€œWhat lease agreement?”
    â€œThe one for the cottage I’m going to live in for the next few months.”
    â€œAre you sure that isn’t risky?”
    â€œI’m not sure of anything; I’ll see when I get there.”
    We kept staring at each other.
    â€œDiane, you can’t leave me all alone here.”
    â€œYou’ve been working away without me for more than a year, and I’m not exactly well known for being efficient. Come on, suggest some books for me.”
    With no enthusiasm whatsoever, he recommended the books he liked; I agreed without even stopping to think; I couldn’t care less. I had already heard of one of them: Tales of the City . To my best friend, Armistead Maupin had the power to solve any problem. I knew nothing about it; I’d never read it. Felix piled the books one on top of the other on the counter. He couldn’t look at me.
    â€œI’ll bring them to your place; they’re heavy.”
    â€œThanks. I’ll go now; I’ve got a lot to do.”
    I glanced over at a little recess behind the bar. I was curious, so I walked towards it. In it stood framed photos of Colin, Clara, Felix, and me. It had been done with great care. I looked back at Felix.
    â€œGo home now,” he said softly.
    He was standing near the door; I stopped beside him, gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek, and left.
    â€œDiane! I won’t be coming over tonight.”
    â€œOK. See you tomorrow.”
    â€œColin!”
    My heart was racing. I was sweating and feeling all around the bed. My only reply was the cold emptiness where he should have been. And yet Colin was with me, he was kissing me, his lips were nibbling at the skin on my neck and had worked their way down from behind my ear to my shoulder. His breath at the back of my neck, the words he whispered, our legs intertwined. I pushed back the sheets and stood barefoot on the parquet floor. The lights of the city lit up the apartment. The sound of the wooden floor creaking as I walked reminded me of Clara’s little feet running towards the front door when she heard Colin’s keys in the lock.
    Every night the same ritual was repeated. We were snuggled up against each other on the sofa. Clara in her nightdress and me eager to see my husband again. I would go into the entrance hall and Colin would have just enough time to put his files down on the table before his little one would jump into