Am r\u0103mas nemi\u0219cat\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Nu \u0219tiam ce m\u0103 durea mai tare: faptul c\u0103 p\u0103rea vinovat sau faptul c\u0103 p\u0103rea speriat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u201eAtunci explic\u0103\u201d, am spus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Andrei \u0219i-a trecut m\u00e2inile peste fa\u021b\u0103 \u0219i s-a a\u0219ezat \u00eencet la mas\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Pentru c\u00e2teva secunde nu a spus nimic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apoi a ridicat privirea spre mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eNu exist\u0103 alt\u0103 femeie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu era r\u0103spunsul la care m\u0103 a\u0219teptam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eNici nu am spus c\u0103 exist\u0103 una.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDar asta ai crezut.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu l-am contrazis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pentru c\u0103 era adev\u0103rat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A tras ad\u00e2nc aer \u00een piept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eAcum aproape un an am primit un telefon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDe la cine?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDe la sora mea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Am clipit surprins\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sora lui, Elena, locuia \u00eentr-un ora\u0219 din sudul \u021b\u0103rii. Nu erau foarte apropia\u021bi. Vorbeau rar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eCe leg\u0103tur\u0103 are asta cu banii?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrei a cobor\u00e2t privirea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eFiul ei.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mi-am amintit imediat de Vlad, nepotul lui.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Avea pu\u021bin peste dou\u0103zeci de ani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu-l mai v\u0103zusem de c\u00e2\u021biva ani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eCe s-a \u00eent\u00e2mplat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eA r\u0103mas singur.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vocea lui s-a fr\u00e2nt u\u0219or.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eElena a murit anul trecut.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Am sim\u021bit cum mi se str\u00e2nge pieptul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0218tiam c\u0103 fusese bolnav\u0103, dar Andrei \u00eemi spusese c\u0103 se recupereaz\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDe ce nu mi-ai spus?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201ePentru c\u0103 mi-a fost ru\u0219ine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
R\u0103spunsul m-a luat complet prin surprindere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eRu\u0219ine de ce?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201ePentru c\u0103 dup\u0103 \u00eenmorm\u00e2ntare, Vlad a \u00eenceput s\u0103 o ia razna. A pierdut locul de munc\u0103. A r\u0103mas f\u0103r\u0103 bani. A dormit prin g\u0103ri \u0219i prin ad\u0103posturi. C\u00e2nd m-a sunat, nu mai avea pe nimeni.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Am t\u0103cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrei continua s\u0103 vorbeasc\u0103, ca \u0219i cum dup\u0103 luni \u00eentregi nu mai putea opri cuvintele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eLa \u00eenceput \u00eei trimiteam bani din salariul meu. Dup\u0103 aceea nu au mai fost suficien\u021bi. \u00cei pl\u0103team o camer\u0103 ieftin\u0103. \u00cei cump\u0103ram m\u00e2ncare. \u00cencercam s\u0103-l \u021bin pe linia de plutire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201e\u0218i ai luat din fondul Marei.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A \u00eenchis ochii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Camera a r\u0103mas \u00een lini\u0219te.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pentru prima dat\u0103 de c\u00e2nd g\u0103sisem bonul, furia \u00eencepea s\u0103 se amestece cu altceva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDe ce nu mi-ai spus?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201ePentru c\u0103 banii erau pentru Mara. \u0218i pentru c\u0103 de fiecare dat\u0103 \u00eemi spuneam c\u0103 o s\u0103-i pun \u00eenapoi luna urm\u0103toare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDar nu ai f\u0103cut-o.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eNu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lacrimile \u00eei ap\u0103ruser\u0103 \u00een col\u021bul ochilor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cen dou\u0103zeci de ani de c\u0103snicie \u00eel v\u0103zusem pl\u00e2ng\u00e2nd de foarte pu\u021bine ori.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eUnde \u00eel hr\u0103ne\u0219ti?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Un z\u00e2mbet trist i-a trecut peste fa\u021b\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eLa cafenea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Am \u00een\u021beles imediat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mirela \u00eel v\u0103zuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eVine aproape \u00een fiecare sear\u0103. M\u00e2nc\u0103m \u00eempreun\u0103. \u00cencerc s\u0103-l conving s\u0103-\u0219i refac\u0103 via\u021ba.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cen acel moment s-a auzit cheia \u00een u\u0219\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mara se \u00eentorsese de la medita\u021bii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
S-a uitat la noi \u0219i a observat imediat tensiunea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eCe s-a \u00eent\u00e2mplat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eu \u0219i Andrei ne-am privit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apoi el a spus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eCred c\u0103 e timpul s\u0103 afli \u0219i tu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ne-am a\u0219ezat to\u021bi trei la mas\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A durat aproape o or\u0103 s\u0103 povestim totul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despre Vlad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despre banii lua\u021bi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despre minciuni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despre team\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mara a ascultat f\u0103r\u0103 s\u0103 \u00eentrerup\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
La final s-a uitat lung la tat\u0103l ei.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eAi gre\u0219it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201e\u0218tiu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eFoarte tare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201e\u0218tiu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apoi, spre surprinderea mea, s-a ridicat \u0219i l-a \u00eembr\u0103\u021bi\u0219at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrei a izbucnit \u00een pl\u00e2ns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cen weekend am mers \u00eempreun\u0103 s\u0103-l \u00eent\u00e2lnim pe Vlad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu mai era omul pe care \u00eel \u021bineam minte.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P\u0103rea obosit \u0219i pierdut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar era politicos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ru\u0219inat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recunosc\u0103tor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cen urm\u0103toarele luni, lucrurile s-au schimbat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrei a luat un al doilea proiect la serviciu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eu am acceptat c\u00e2teva colabor\u0103ri suplimentare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vlad \u0219i-a g\u0103sit un loc de munc\u0103 la un depozit \u0219i a \u00eenceput s\u0103 se pun\u0103 pe picioare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iar fiecare leu luat din fondul Marei a fost returnat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cu dob\u00e2nd\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00centr-o sear\u0103, aproape un an mai t\u00e2rziu, am revenit la aceea\u0219i cafenea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mirela ne-a recunoscut imediat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eM\u0103 bucur c\u0103 nu m-ai ur\u00e2t pentru biletul acela\u201d, mi-a spus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Am z\u00e2mbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eLa \u00eenceput am crezut c\u0103 mi-ai distrus familia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201e\u0218i acum?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
M-am uitat la Andrei \u0219i la Mara, care r\u00e2deau la o mas\u0103 din apropiere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eAcum cred c\u0103 ne-ai obligat s\u0103 spunem adev\u0103rul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mirela a dat din cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uneori, adev\u0103rul doare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar minciuna care se prelunge\u0219te luni de zile doare \u0219i mai tare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cen drum spre cas\u0103, Andrei mi-a luat m\u00e2na.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201e\u00cemi pare r\u0103u.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201e\u0218tiu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eM\u0103 ier\u021bi?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
L-am privit c\u00e2teva clipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu pentru c\u0103 uitasem ce f\u0103cuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ci pentru c\u0103 v\u0103zusem tot ce f\u0103cuse dup\u0103 aceea ca s\u0103 repare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201eDa\u201d, am spus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0218i pentru prima dat\u0103 dup\u0103 foarte mult timp, cuv\u00e2ntul acela a venit f\u0103r\u0103 ezitare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu pentru c\u0103 \u00eencrederea se \u00eentorsese peste noapte.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ci pentru c\u0103, \u00een sf\u00e2r\u0219it, \u00eentre noi nu mai exista nimic ascuns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n