CHAPTER 165

STRANGE CONVERSATION

Clara turned her eyes away from the TV and looked at him. Where did that come from now?

“ I'd rather stay home today, Octavio?” She smiled at him, and even though he didn't look into her eyes, she knew he saw her.

“ But you want to go, don't you?” He asked in a low voice.

“ I would, but only if it didn't bother you.”

And he remained silent for many minutes. She had turned off the TV and waited. She was more used to his silences, he was thinking or building up the courage to formulate something else, and the thing to do was to wait.

“ It's not fair that I don't like to go out, go to parties, and you don't get to do that.”

Boy, had it taken him a long time to say just that? She thought.

“ Your mother who told you this?”

“ No. I know it's not fair, you don't need anyone to tell me that. “

“ Okay.”

“ Don't stop going to the party because of me," he said.

Clara took a long time to speak this time too.

“ Octavio, it's a party that Janio invited us to.”

“ I see.”

“Jâni