Clara a ie\u0219it atunci din buc\u0103t\u0103rie, \u0219terg\u00e2ndu-\u0219i m\u00e2inile de \u0219or\u021b. Ochii ei, limpezi ca apa unui r\u00e2u de munte, nu tr\u0103dau nicio emo\u021bie. A\u0219ezat\u0103 \u00een fa\u021ba lui, p\u0103rea o icoan\u0103 de lini\u0219te, dar vocea i se \u00een\u0103sprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Dragul meu, crezi c\u0103 nu am \u0219tiut? \u00cen satul meu se spunea mereu c\u0103 \u201ece face omul noaptea, afl\u0103 \u0219i c\u00e2inele de la poart\u0103\u201d. Eu am \u0219tiut de la \u00eenceput.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Ram\u00edrez o privi uluit, sim\u021bindu-se mic, aproape copil\u0103resc. El, b\u0103rbatul care se credea st\u0103p\u00e2n pe situa\u021bie, era dezarmat de o femeie care nici m\u0103car nu ridicase tonul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 \u0218i totu\u0219i, Clara, de ce ai t\u0103cut? De ce ai suportat?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ea z\u00e2mbi amar, amintindu-\u0219i de vorbele mamei: \u201eFemeia r\u0103bd\u0103toare nu e slab\u0103, ci puternic\u0103. \u00ce\u0219i las\u0103 b\u0103rbatul s\u0103-\u0219i sape singur groapa\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2014 Am t\u0103cut pentru c\u0103 nu merita s\u0103 stric lini\u0219tea casei cu scandal. Am g\u0103tit, am sp\u0103lat, am crescut tot ce am avut de crescut. Tu \u021bi-ai f\u0103cut de cap, eu mi-am v\u0103zut de gospod\u0103rie. Dar acum, uite, e\u0219ti tu cel care vrea s\u0103 plece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ram\u00edrez se cl\u0103tin\u0103. \u00cei venea s\u0103 strige, s\u0103 pl\u00e2ng\u0103, s\u0103 cear\u0103 iertare. Dar m\u00e2ndria \u00eel \u021binea \u00een loc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Eu\u2026 eu o iubesc, Clara. Nu \u00een\u021belegi? Cu ea e pasiune, e foc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clara se apropie de el, aproape \u0219optindu-i la ureche.
\u2014 Focul, dragul meu, arde repede \u0219i las\u0103 cenu\u0219\u0103. Dar casa se \u021bine cu temelie, nu cu sc\u00e2ntei.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Cuvintele ei i-au intrat ad\u00e2nc \u00een suflet. \u00centr-o clip\u0103 \u0219i-a amintit de to\u021bi anii tr\u0103i\u021bi \u00eempreun\u0103: mesele \u00een familie, s\u0103rb\u0103torile de Pa\u0219te c\u00e2nd vopseau ou\u0103le \u00eempreun\u0103, Cr\u0103ciunul c\u00e2nd ea f\u0103cea cozonac, iar el \u00eempodobea bradul cu copiii din vecini. Toate acele amintiri \u00eel loveau acum mai tare dec\u00e2t orice ceart\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 \u0218i\u2026 dac\u0103 a\u0219 r\u0103m\u00e2ne? \u2014\u00eendr\u0103zni el.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clara ridic\u0103 din umeri, calm\u0103.
\u2014 R\u0103m\u00e2i, dar s\u0103 \u0219tii c\u0103 eu nu mai sunt aceea\u0219i. Nu mai e\u0219ti centrul lumii mele, Ram\u00edrez. Am \u00eenv\u0103\u021bat s\u0103 fiu singur\u0103, chiar dac\u0103 eram l\u00e2ng\u0103 tine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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O t\u0103cere grea s-a a\u0219ternut. De afar\u0103, din strad\u0103, se auzea un acordeon vechi c\u00e2nt\u00e2nd \u201eCiob\u0103na\u0219 cu trei sute de oi\u201d. O b\u0103tr\u00e2n\u0103 vindea flori la col\u021b, iar mirosul de crini p\u0103trundea pe fereastr\u0103. Era ca \u0219i cum lumea \u00eentreag\u0103 \u00eei ar\u0103ta lui Ram\u00edrez ce pierdea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Clara, eu\u2026 eu am gre\u0219it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ea nu r\u0103spunse imediat. \u00ce\u0219i lu\u0103 \u0219or\u021bul, \u00eel ag\u0103\u021b\u0103 pe cuier \u0219i se a\u0219ez\u0103 la mas\u0103. \u00ce\u0219i turn\u0103 un pahar cu ap\u0103, apoi, cu o lini\u0219te t\u0103ioas\u0103, spuse:
\u2014 Gre\u0219elile se spal\u0103 cu timp, nu cu lacrimi. Dac\u0103 vrei s\u0103 r\u0103m\u00e2i, vei munci pentru iertare. Dac\u0103 vrei s\u0103 pleci, du-te acum, dar s\u0103 nu te mai \u00eentorci.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ram\u00edrez sim\u021bea cum totul se pr\u0103bu\u0219e\u0219te \u00een jurul lui. Amanta, Lorena, \u00eei p\u0103rea acum o umbr\u0103 palid\u0103, f\u0103r\u0103 consisten\u021b\u0103. Clara, cu toat\u0103 r\u0103ceala ei, era femeia care \u00eei \u021binuse via\u021ba laolalt\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A f\u0103cut un pas spre u\u0219\u0103, apoi altul spre mas\u0103. Ezita \u00eentre dou\u0103 lumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Clara\u2026 d\u0103-mi o \u0219ans\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pentru prima dat\u0103, ochii ei se umezir\u0103 u\u0219or. Nu pl\u00e2ngea, dar \u00een privirea ei se citea o oboseal\u0103 ad\u00e2nc\u0103, ca dup\u0103 o via\u021b\u0103 \u00eentreag\u0103 de r\u0103bdare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 \u00ce\u021bi dau o singur\u0103 \u0219ans\u0103, Ram\u00edrez. Dar s\u0103 \u0219tii: nu pentru tine. Pentru mine. Eu vreau lini\u0219te, vreau demnitate. Dac\u0103 po\u021bi s\u0103 fii un b\u0103rbat adev\u0103rat, r\u0103m\u00e2i. Dac\u0103 nu, ie\u0219i pe u\u0219\u0103 \u0219i las\u0103-m\u0103 \u00een pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
El c\u0103zu \u00een genunchi, lu\u00e2ndu-i m\u00e2na. Pentru prima dat\u0103 \u00een via\u021ba lui, nu se mai sim\u021bea st\u0103p\u00e2n, ci un simplu om care cer\u0219ea iertare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clara \u00eel privi, t\u0103cut\u0103. Timpul p\u0103rea oprit. \u0218i, \u00een acea lini\u0219te, Ram\u00edrez a \u00een\u021beles adev\u0103rul simplu, vechi de c\u00e2nd lumea: dragostea nu \u00eenseamn\u0103 focuri scurte \u0219i pasionale, ci r\u0103bdare, demnitate \u0219i respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iar \u0219ni\u021belele, l\u0103sate \u00een tigaie, sf\u00e2r\u00e2iau molcom, umpl\u00e2nd casa cu miros de acas\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n