Fifteen minute break

Dajana made no attempt to hide her anger. She kept her distance from all three men.

The three men climbed upward in silence through the dark, stifling stairwell. As always when he came to Timothy’s place, a wave of disgust rose in Noud.

“Feel free to head over to the pool—there’s plenty to eat.”

Only then did Bernard notice the round tables set up in the courtyard and the serving table covered with long white cloths.

“Surprise!” the twenty-five guests shouted at once.

Bernard froze, then instinctively forced a wide smile onto his face. He jerked his head from side to side in the crowded living room, trying to figure out what was happening.

“It’s not that hard to start a new life,” Bernard said gently. “It’s just really scary.”

“Until you’re actually in it, you can’t really know if it is or not…” Pauline replied.

Pauline shivered as the cool night wind picked up. She glanced toward the house but didn’t want to go inside yet. She pulled the zipper of her sweatshirt higher at her neck and pressed herself deeper into the sun lounger, hoping the rain wouldn’t start before she finally went in.

Ludmilla stormed away from Ted in a huff. She crossed the courtyard at a brisk pace and didn’t stop until she reached María José’s house.

“Ted,” Noud patted the Coke-bottle-glasses man on the shoulder. “Finally back among us!”

Ted raised an eyebrow.

“I can imagine how much you missed me,” he said sarcastically. “Especially you two.”

Carlos adjusted the thin red sausages on the grill to make room for the king prawns. He glanced sideways at Ted, who was sitting wrapped in a blanket in his own armchair. For a fleeting moment, it crossed his mind how pathetic the usually quarrelsome, angry man looked like this.

Pablo stood with his hands on his hips, surveying the artificial tree with satisfaction. Then he climbed the ladder once more and checked the branches again to make sure they were properly secured. He glanced down at the string of lights lying on the stone floor and sighed. Looks like he’d be going up and down all over again.