She noticed Shirin’s make up, as she had on several occasions during the last few days.

Even at home you don’t forget your makeup. You look like fractured porcelain. An aching for warmth; a naked love calling out from under that tired skin. What we’ve been deprived of, convinced us that it’s all so sinful.

She gulped deeply, filling her lungs, letting out the burnt air in a sigh. I looked at her listless eyes. I’d seen this woman somewhere. She hadn’t asked once about my life during the last 2 days.

- “How’s your job? You wanted to transfer to another hospital, didn’t you?”

- “No, it’s not that easy. They shifted me to another department a couple of months ago. I’m not involved with elderly or handicapped patients any more. It was really tiring. I’m better now. It’s difficult to get a job, you know, especially when you are not educated in Germany. I was lucky. This hospital is close to where I live and the people are nice.”

- “What happened to that, about-to-become-a-doctor?!”

Shahla was expecting the question. Nevertheless, she felt the blood rushing to her face. She forced a smile.

- “Wolfgang, is that right?” Shirin asked.

Shahla, back in control, nodded.

- “What an odd ugly name!”

She thought she had annoyed me and apologized with a trite laugh.

Shahla smiled, trying to give the impression that she had nothing against talking about him.

- “He’s around. I see him almost every day… at work.”

She was still thinking that I’m annoyed and tried to comfort me. She wanted to show me that she is still confident of herself. Like she did in her school days, she changed her voice, and smiled:

- “Is he still asking? …” she giggled mischievously.

I was happy that she is finally smiling and seemed a bit happy.

- “In a way,” I answered. “He wanted to come with us… he may call at some point…”

With the same voice, and smiling, she continued:

- “Then, there must be progress!”

Her laugh was like a big man’s laugh has suddenly fallen in front of some children.

- “… you little sneak, you didn’t tell me. When is the wedding ceremony?”

That was too much. I said:

- “No, it hasn’t gone that far… “

She paused for a while.

- “… I don’t know. Pegah gets on really well with him, … but somehow I’m not sure …”

A pang of fear moved inside her; she wanted to show sympathy: