To my surprise your face remained relaxed, unconcerned.

You took another bite from the cake. “Is that your problem?” You said this with your mouth full. It disgusted me, and I realized then that your power over me went so unthinkingly far beyond the physical. You swallowed and looked at me. “Yes, she is. So?”

“So?” I looked you over, braced myself to continue, trying not to leave the path of confrontation I had chosen. “She’s in love with you, Janusz. Clearly so. And you’re leading her on.”

“Keep your voice down, will you?” There was urgency in your tone, and you put the half-finished piece of cake back onto the napkin with an irritated look. “Stop being so dramatic. Aren’t we having fun? Just enjoy. Enjoy it, Ludwik.”

“Enjoy?” I was stunned, confused, searched your face for an explanation that would give all this some meaning. “Do you think this is fun for me, watching you two dancing together like lovers?”

You surveyed the room with one quick look and leaned into me, your mouth by my ear.

“I told you I can take care of things for us. Don’t you trust me?”

I moved away from you, from your words. “You think you’re doing me a favor with this? I can do without that sort of help.” I made to get up, but you held me back.

“Oh yeah? You’d rather let Pani Kolecka cough herself to death?” You looked at me challengingly then. “Everyone is leading someone on,” you continued, your eyes narrowed. “Isn’t that what you say? That the country is mismanaged, that everything is unfair? So what’s wrong with taking things into your own hands and not letting yourself go under? Huh?”

My untouched piece of cake had soaked through the napkin, lying sticky and heavy in my hand. I looked at you, your previously familiar features, and it seemed as if your face had transformed before my eyes. There was a tightness around your eyes and lips that I had never seen before. Out on the dance floor, Hania swayed softly in the arms of the blond guy with the sunglasses. She looked serene. The boy’s face was immobile, only his mouth opened to smile from time to time, revealing a set of perfect white teeth.

“There must be other ways,” I said quietly.

You looked weary. “Oh yeah? Which ones? Tell me.”

“I don’t know. Going away, for example.”

“You mean running away?” You looked at me imploringly. “Trust me. I am not promising her anything. I am not hurting her.”

“Not yet,” I said.

“I can handle it,” you insisted. “There is no harm in this. And it needs to be done.”

“Why? Tell me. There is nothing we need from them anymore. Pani Kolecka is healthy again. We’re fine now.”