Jesse watched the street evolve into darkness as the last of the sunlight seeped away. This was his entertainment now, for they no longer owned a television set, sold it years ago. They didn’t miss it. They didn’t want to watch the programmes it showed, the music that was aired, suspicious of the powers that controlled it, powers that would block him being on television in a heartbeat. Jesse wondered about the other men and women he might have known and loved if their careers hadn’t been swallowed up by a disapproving state. How many artists, musicians, writers, painters, had been lost to fear? He wished he could bring them together, these lost souls, sit them round his table, pour them a drink, hear their stories, listen to their troubles and delight in their talents.

Anna was dressed for work. She was on a late shift, working for a restaurant that stayed open twenty-four hours a day. Nine at night to nine in the morning was a shift that not even the younger waitresses volunteered for. Anna claimed to prefer it, saying the heavy night-time drinkers always tipped better than the daytime diners and they never sent any of the food back. She stood by the door, ready to go. Jesse got down from the window ledge, taking her hands. She asked:

—Have you decided?

—I don’t know. I just don’t know. Standing on the sidewalk outside the United Nations, giving a speech? I’m not proud, Anna, but it’s not like an invitation to perform at Madison Square Garden. It’s not what I had in mind for us. I don’t know how I feel about it all.

—Jesse, I can’t take tonight off, not at this late notice, I’ve got to work.

—I don’t even know if I’m going, so there’s no point you waiting around.

She was uneasy.

—I don’t want you to think that I’m against it, should you choose to go.

—I know that.

—I’d never ask you not to do something when you believed in it, when you thought it was the right thing to do.

—Anna, what’s wrong?

She looked like she was about to cry. It was only for a moment, a ripple of emotion across her face, and then she recovered her composure. Anna never cried.

—I’m late, that’s all.

—Then don’t waste any more time worrying about me.

Anna kissed him on the check, but instead of pulling away, she remained close by his face, whispering:

—I love you.

Those three words were too much for him to bear right now. Jesse looked down at the floorboards, his voice faltering.

—I’m sorry, Anna. For all this trouble, for all this…

She smiled.

—Jesse Austin, don’t you ever apologize to me, not for what they’ve done, not for something that was never your fault.

She kissed him again.