За разломом орла

           Shehadsoftenedmeupwitharomanticmeal,hertrapalreadysprung. 

           Exceptallthatwasself-justifyingbullshit,wasn’tit? Ifmyownmarriagewasinsuchgreatshape,whyhadIfailedtomentionGretawhenIcalledhome? Atthetime,I’djustifiedthatomissionasanactofkindnesstowardmywife. Katerinadidn’tknowthatGretaandIhadeverbeenacouple. ButwhyworryKaterinabymentioninganotherwoman,evenifIpretendedthatwe’dnevermetbefore? 

           Except—now—IcouldseethatI’dfailedtomentionGretaforanotherreasonentirely. Becauseinthebackofmymind,eventhen,therehadbeenthepossibilitythatwemightendupsleepingtogether. 

           IwasalreadycoveringmyselfwhenIcalledKaterina. Alreadymakingsuretherewouldn’tbeanyawkwardquestionswhenIgothome. AsifInotonlyknewwhatwasgoingtohappenbutsecretlyyearnedforit. 

           TheonlyproblemwasthatGretahadsomethingelseinmind. 

           *** 

           "Thom,"Gretasaid,nudgingmetowardwakefulness. Shewaslyingnakednexttome,leaningononeelbow,withthesheetscrumpleddownaroundherhips. Thelightinherroomturnedherintoanabstractionofmilkybluecurvesanddeepvioletshadows. Withoneblack-nailedfingershetracedalinedownmychestandsaid: "There’ssomethingyouneedtoknow." 

           "What?"Iasked. 

           "Ilied.Koldinglied.Wealllied." 

           Iwastoodrowsyforherwordstohavemuchmorethanavaguelytroublingeffect. AllIcouldsay,again,was: "What?" 

           "You’renotinSaumlakiStation. You’renotinSchedarsector."