За разломом орла

           Gretafinishedherorangejuiceandthentookacornerofmycroissantforherself,withoutasking. "Iheardyougotmarried." 

           "Yes." 

           "Well?Aren’tyougoingtotellmeabouther?" 

           Idranksomeofmycoffee."Hername’sKaterina." 

           "Nicename." 

           "SheworksinthedepartmentofbioremediationonKagawa." 

           "Kids?"Gretaasked. 

           "Notyet.Itwouldn’tbeeasy,theamountoftimewebothspendawayfromhome." 

           "Mm."Shehadamouthfulofcroissant."Butonedayyoumightthinkaboutit." 

           "Nothing’sruledout,"Isaid. AsflatteredasIwasthatshewastakingsuchaninterestinme, thesurgicalprecisionofherquestionsleftmeslightlyuncomfortable. Therewasnothrustandparry;nofishingforinformation. Thatkindofdirectnessunnerved. Butatleastitallowedmetoaskthesamequestions. "Whataboutyou,then?" 

           "Nothingveryexciting. IgotmarriedayearorsoafterIlastsawyou. AmancalledMarcel." 

           "Marcel,"Isaid,ruminatively,asifthenamehadcosmicsignificance. "Well,I’mhappyforyou.Itakeithe’shere,too?" 

           "No.Ourworktookusindifferentdirections.We’restillmarried,but…" Gretaleftthesentencehanging. 

           "Itcan’tbeeasy,"Isaid. 

           "Ifitwasmeanttowork,we’dhavefoundaway. Anyway,don’tfeeltoosorryforeitherofus. We’vebothgotourwork. Iwouldn’tsayIwasanylesshappythanthelasttimewemet." 

           "Well,that’sgood,"Isaid. 

           Gretaleanedoverandtouchedmyhand. Herfingernailsweremidnightblackwithabluesheen.