"INSIDE PARIS" "No mistake." "This is an apostrophe." "I'm speaking to you, dear viewer." "But, like you, I..." "I'm aware of the intolerably embarrassing odour of someone who dares speak directly to the audience." "But I'll do it to begin this story with an introduction." "What I have in mind isn't just verbose and pedantic beyond my wildest dreams..." "Without spoiling anything, it's also horribly personal." "Back to the introduction..." "Despite the evidence, I'm not this story's hero." "So I'll give myself the right to be the narrator." "Besides, that suits well my characteristic omniscience." "Despite the doubts confessed to you by some of the young girls I know," "those little lovelies have no idea." "But I can be everywhere at once." "Like here, in the middle of France." "A potato-shaped region." "A year ago, my brother Paul..." "You saw him earlier in my bed..." "He left the city to move there." "He didn't go alone, but with Anna and Loup." "He's Anna's son." "To justify leaving, he lamely assured me that life would be easier in the countryside than Paris." "Without a smile, he argued he needed distance between him and us." "I never mentioned his confession." "I should have." "I should have stopped him." "I never should have let Paul go without begging him to stay." "If I had stopped him, the rest wouldn't have happened." "I'll shut up now." "This is an intro, not a guided tour." "I'll turn back into a character who doesn't know you nor the plot." "That small privilege is my right." "Just one last question..." "Maybe your viewing experience outdoes what I've already lived." "Is it really possible for a love story to make us jump off a bridge?" "Wow!" "Looks like a serious event." "Not really." "White shirt!" "What's with your new craze?" "Showering immediately after?" "Anna, I don't have time to fight." "Sorry." "Did I hurt you?" "Leave me alone, asshole." "Get dressed." "I'll tell you why you shower." "Three reasons." "First, so I see it tires you out." "You only fuck me for nostalgia's sake." "Your twisted way of being faithful." "To what, I don't know." "That's all I am in your eyes, an old memory." " Second reason." " Shut up." "Get dressed." "Second reason." "You don't want to offend me, contradict me." "Coward!" "You'd rather fuck me than admit you don't want me." "Love me too much to hurt me, is that it?" "Your love is more about loyalty to the past." "The idea of hurting me terrorises you." "Are you listening?" "It terrorises you!" "Third reason." "You shower because you hope I will." "You don't dare tell me I stink, my odours disgust you." "You run to the shower, praying I'll follow you, praying I'll lather up." "Seriously, Anna, I have to go." "I'm speaking seriously." "I've never been more serious." "What are you after?" "I'm after a reason for your inelegance." "Despite your nice white shirts with their impeccably ironed collars, you're about as elegant as a pile of shit, sweetheart." "It's cruel to act like you made a mistake." "Like you can't stay in bed." "Like you must shower." "Like "What have I done?"" "Like "Sorry I ever fucked you."" "What are you saying?" "You're forcing yourself, Paul." "I won't hear this right now." "But you will." "You expect me to speak for you, to destroy everything, then leave." "Well, fine." "I'm ready to destroy everything." "No need to get out." "I'll say goodbye here." " I'll call you from Paris." " When are you back?" "Three, four days." "By Saturday, for sure." "I could drive you and sleep at Dad's." "And Loup?" "I'd rather you stay with him." "Fuck you." "Bye, Loup!" "I'll be back." "So we're out of love?" "Yes, Paul." "We are." ""I don't know what's happening." ""I don't trust myself when I'm in love." ""I get nervous." "I say the wrong things." ""Or I start examining, evaluating, calculating what I say." ""I say 'Think it will rain?" "' She responds 'I don't know.'" ""Then I wonder if she's even interested." ""It all scares me to death!"" "Wait!" ""Yes, scared to death!" ""A friend once told me" ""having a fuck buddy is better than falling in love." ""I think he's right." ""Rain makes flowers grow and snails happy." ""That's a fact, but..." ""But if a girl loves me, and she starts acting strangely..." ""Like asking me funny questions," ""and pouting when I snap at her." ""Or saying things like 'Think it will rain?" "'" ""And I say 'I have no idea'" ""and she says 'oh'" ""and gets all sad looking up at the California-blue sky." ""That makes me thank God it's you, darling." ""This time it's your turn."" "How are you?" "You look good." "You seem happy." "For me?" "I don't know." "Yes, they're for me." "Thanks, darling." "Eight at the audition." "The guys from the ad agency, the clients, the salesmen..." "They all seemed enthusiastic." "Don't lie about your lovers." "An exclusive deal would set me up for a year." "Don't lie about your lovers!" "I was at Cecile's." "I forgot my phone charger." "Call her and check." "I'm going to bed." "Don't stay up too late." "Get in!" "We can't stay here all day." "Get in!" "Listen to this:" ""How nice to wake up alone in the morning" ""without having to tell anyone you love them..." ""when you don't any more!"" ""How nice to wake up alone in the morning" ""without having to tell anyone you love them" ""when you don't any more!"" "What are..." "Is that what you want?" "Is that it?" "Proud of yourself?" "Are you proud?" "That's what you wanted, right?" " Right?" " You're drunk!" "I'm not drunk." "Believe I'm drunk, if you want." "But I can drink litres and not get drunk." "For us, I won't be drunk." " I have all my wits about me." " Good for you!" "I know it, I do." "You know nothing!" "You've always been strong." "Proud to not fuck the woman who loves you?" "You love me?" "Being loved doesn't mean everything's fine." "That doesn't mean you're mine and I'm yours." "What are you saying?" "Yes!" "A baby?" "That's so stupid!" "You didn't care enough." "Loving someone doesn't mean giving them a baby." "You didn't care enough." "How mean to bring that up!" "It's not about a baby." "You didn't care enough." "Loup was enough for you." "You can't say that!" "You never brought it up." "And you?" "Don't you have a mouth?" "You couldn't ask me to have a baby?" "It was beyond you to say "Have my baby."" "I love you." "I know." "I know you love me." "That's the difference between us." "How can you know I love you?" "How can you be sure?" "In the beginning, before I followed you into this hole..." "Our first days, I lulled myself to sleep repeating "Paul loves me"." "I said it out loud, hundreds of times, like a prayer." "Meaningless words." "We hardly knew each other." "But something came about, something was established." "I believed you loved me." "I had faith in your love." "This belief never left me." "We can pray to be loved by only one person." "It's not the worst way to save the soul." "You never prayed for me to love you." "You never needed my love." "Dad, what are you doing?" "It's already 8, son." "Want some coffee?" "I'm sleeping." "Don't wake me." "Healthy, refreshing sleep happens before midnight." "Know what time you went to bed?" "No, please!" "I can't stand that." "Can't stand what?" "I hope you don't stay up counting the minutes till I get home!" "No one's counting minutes." "Smart-ass!" "Dad!" " You're staying?" " Just ignore me." "But you're in my bed!" "Where am I supposed to watch TV?" "This can't be!" "I had to give up my bedroom." "The living room is my space!" " We'll put the TV in your room." " Don't move it." "Dad!" "Did you speak to your brother today?" "How?" "You're talking crazy!" "Lower your voice." "I couldn't possibly have talked to him." "I got home late, as you know." "You promised me you'd talk to him." "Don't be selfish, Jonathan." "I hate that attitude." "I couldn't talk to him!" "I just told you." "Paul doesn't even want to talk to us." "Come on, Dad." "I want to sleep." "I'm asking you nicely to go away." "You'll set the bed on fire!" "Go away!" " Do you have class today?" " Yes." " What time?" " At noon." "Then you'll help me with grocery shopping." "Tomorrow's Saturday." "Too many people." "Yeah, we'll see." "Now I'm sleeping." "I called your mother when I woke up." "Always the same!" "Not even an answering machine!" "I can never reach her in such moments." "How is Paul such a moment?" "You're stupid!" "You want coffee or not?" "Drink it before it gets cold." " You want it or not?" " Yeah, coffee!" "Thanks, Dad!" "You know me so well." "How can you always grant my every wish?" "Thanks, Dad!" "Your breath stinks." "I'd better call the dentist for you." "Must be something stuck in there." "Let me see." "Open your mouth." "Open!" "Go away!" "Leave me alone!" "Go away, go!" "I'll go only when you tell me what you'll do for your brother?" "I'm going to let him live out his depression in peace." "Very funny." "I'll fight to stop you from ruining everything." "You're incapable of feeling the slightest pity for anyone." "Not even your brother." "You want me to pity Paul?" " I didn't say that." " Yes, you did!" "You said it." "That's enough!" "Enough aggravation for one day!" "Good one!" "Very impressive." "Look at you!" "Sleeping naked in winter!" "Wear a t-shirt if not pyjamas." "Already up?" "You've been yelling." "Not my fault." "Tell it to Dad." "Did you sleep well?" "Have you ever slept on that couch from hell?" "It has fleas." "I got bit!" "That's called getting fat!" "And that's called needing a haircut!" "What's wrong, Paul?" "Nothing." " Do you feel sick?" " Jo, I'm on the toilet." "Sorry." "Shit!" "That's cold!" "That's bitter cold." "Sleep well, dear?" "You weren't too hot?" "Those idiots put the heat all the way up." "I was dying." "I had to turn it off in my room." "We can here too, if you want." "No, that's OK." "What do you want for lunch?" "I don't know." "I'm not hungry." "Don't worry about me." "I'm going shopping with your brother." "They do fish downstairs now." "I'll get some sole." "You still like that?" "Yes, but forget it." "I'm really not hungry." "I'll make chicken soup." "I wanted to make some yesterday, but I didn't have the little cubes." "I'll make you a pot." "You can have it when you like." "Have you seen my underwear?" "What a mood!" "Chicken soup is really good when you're sick." "Your brother is an idiot!" "It's nourishing and makes you sweat." "Refuse it." "Our childhood was traumatised by chicken soup." "Don't eat it any more!" "Go ahead and complain!" "Both of you." "Dad, I'm not sick." "You haven't eaten in two days." "I'm just not hungry." "Got it?" "I'm going." " You guys have a lot to talk about." " That's it." "Bon appétit!" "I told you he gets delirious." "You don't know." "But I do." "He was always a pain." "But he can't control his mood." "And he forgets things." "I'll be careful." "Get dressed!" "No." "That's even further." "Bon Marché is only 20 minutes away." " Don't play with me." " Listen, you don't know." "A year away from Paris and you forgot distances." "A half-hour max." "Make it to Bon Marché in a half-hour, and I swear I'll go meet you." "Swear?" "Yes, but you can't do it." "I can and I will." "It's 9:36." "I'll be there at 10:06." "Right, if you take the Metro." "Yeah, right." "I walk!" "I'll call you and send photos." " Does your phone receive photos?" " Stop being stupid." "It's 9:36." "I'll be there at 10:06." "You'll have to meet me." "Go!" "Stay here." "Let it be clear it's out of the question for you to die today." "Where are you going?" "I'm waiting on you to go shopping." "I didn't slam the door like that!" "It wasn't that hard." "Where are you going?" "I need you for the groceries." "That's better." "From the day I understood the value of different coins," "I was entrusted with the coat of arms with this embroidered motto:" ""Take time to ignore the sadness of your family."" "Every lineage has its great quality." "Ours is detachment." "It's also our handicap." "You'll note that limping is how I got down the street that morning." "Hi!" "Hi!" "No kidding, I'm already at Beaugrenelle." "I'm at the bridge." "I'm hopping on one foot." "I'll get there early." "Hurry!" "Get dressed, man." "I'm waiting." "Your brother is really messing up." "He had a class at noon." "He took nothing with him." "I'm in love with Anna." "I'm in love with Anna." "FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23" "Move!" "I have the right of way!" "Hello, are you Paul?" "I'm calling on behalf of Jonathan." "He says stop the clock." " He has been kidnapped." " Paul, I'll call later." "He said he'll call later." " He hung up." " That's normal, he's depressed." "I swear, I'm next to Dad's." "I just left her place." "I won't look back." "She must be watching." "You want details?" "Man, it's clear I already hit the high point of my day." "Limited time rushed me." "Good direction of operations, stripping on command, mischievous little pose, a little slap on the derriere, and sword straight up." "Very nice to unveil herl" "After, she didn't stop talking." "Said she's married." "She has a little girl." "She told me I was really cute." "That's what she said." "Of course, I'll make it." "Great marathon runners sprint till the end." "Don't tell Dad, OK?" "He'll bitch me out for weeks." "Call you later." "Shit!" " What are you doing here?" " I came to kiss you." "Which one do you want?" "Whatever." "Big, small." "Take 5 minutes to help me carry it." "I can't do it alone." "No, I can't help you." "The little ones are too little." "Stingy for Christmas." "Who cares about your tree!" "No one can count on you!" "Sorry." "Paul?" "Come help me." "Paul, come help me!" "Paul, it's Jo." "I ran into a girlfriend." "I'm in deep shit, man." "I'll call you later." "I'm taking a little break." "Don't go to sleep!" "I swear you'll see the windows." "Big kiss." "OK?" "Glad to see you!" "Don't make me laugh." "You ran away from me." "No!" "Things aren't always as they seem." "Yeah, right." "Can I explain?" "Don't bother." "Then, weren't we together?" "That means I had to support you?" "We can't talk if you use that tone." "I don't want to talk to you!" "I just want my money." "If I hadn't broken up, you'd never ask me for the money." "I broke it off." "It was my decision." "And it wasn't about money." "Then why?" "Because you stink." "You're dirty." "You fuck dirty." "You always smell of sweat or piss." "Kissing you is hellish." " You're joking." " No." "So why stay with me for six months?" " I was in love with you." " Despite everything!" "Despite everything." "We can fall in love with pigs." "Listen to yourself!" "I won't stop till I get my money." "I don't have 3000 euros." "I don't care." "Go get it." "I don't have an ATM card." "Call your father." " Are you crazy?" " Find a way." "I wasn't not going to pay you back." "Just not today." "Yes, today!" "OK!" "What do you want me to do?" "Rob a store?" "Or dream on the scene, jelly bean, in a limousine like Jimmy Dean?" " Come on!" " Leave me alone." "What's this new role about?" ""Leave me alone!"" "Come on!" "I won't touch you." "I'll just hug you." "See?" "That's not so bad." "Why get all upset?" "Don't we deserve better?" "Invite me to lunch?" "Idiot!" " Don't let me go." " Out of the question." "No, not here." "Why not?" "No one's here." "Everyone's working." "Hello, Missl How are you?" "Why not?" "Here, I really can't." "See?" " Then let's go to your place." " My mother would kill you." "What did you tell your mother?" "The truth." "You're really tough." "Yeah, right." "Really tough." " What are you doing?" " Let's not stay here." "I'll buy you lunch." " You dress like me." " What?" "The scarf." "You're not the only Parisian with a scarf." "How mad you getl" "Paul!" "Time to eat!" "Time to eat!" "It's ready, son." "Are you coming?" "I told you I wasn't hungry." "But I got you a sole." "Stop bugging me." "Enough, Paul!" "Come and eat!" "Staying in bed isn't healthy." "I don't want to eat." "I'm not hungry." "Don't be ridiculous." "I just cooked it." "It'll get cold." "I won't eat your sole." "You eat it." "I can bring it to you." "Be nice, leave me in peace!" "Around the holidays, sole is expensive." "Make me happy." "Come and eat." "Then you can go back to bed." "Shit!" "What's wrong?" "What's wrong with you, son?" "What's wrong with you?" "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing." "Don't worry." "It's nothing." "I'm just tired." "I'll come eat." "I'll come eat." "Remember our first time here?" "No?" "After we went out for crepes." "You said you always eat crepes after making love." "We walked a long time in the rain before finding a creperie." "We were soaking wet, but we walked slowly, I remember." "I talked to you about love." "You talked about umbrellas." "Yes, yes." "I remember very well." "I don't want to go back to you." "It's OK." "I know you're not in love with me." "I don't know what to say, Alice." "I have to call my brother." "Plus, your mother's coming home." "As soon as you leave, things will be shitty again." "Why shitty?" " My shitty life." " Stop pressuring me!" "You're not the only shit in my life." "Just a small part." "You're right!" "Just don't say it!" "Don't start." "I'm not in the mood." "Sorry." "When will I see you again?" "Your decision, princess." "You want to see me again?" "Sincerely?" "If you assure me it's good for you, OK." "OK." "But here is too complicated." "I don't want my mother to know." "We'll go to my house." "Sure?" "It's you who won't come to my neighbourhood!" "I'll come." "Alice, it's 4." "I have to go." "I'll come, hear me?" " What?" " I'll come!" "Yes, you'll come." "You'll be most welcome." "I believe you." "Do what you want." "No need to explain." "It's 4:40." "It took you seven hours to go to Bon Marché!" "That's good!" "Very good." "Yeah, if you want." "OK, in 15 minutes." "Your brother missed class today?" "That's the last time I pay his tuition." "Next year, he's on his own." "I won't be taken for a fool." "He'll have to ask his mother to pay for his studies." "Don't stay out in bare feet." "You'll catch a chill." "Come in, Paul." "We'll decorate the tree." "It's been a long time since we've had a tree." "Not since Claire died." "You're right." "12 years." "I don't keep track of such anniversaries." "Sorry." "It's not forbidden to talk about your sister." "I never forbid anyone." "I knew your father was exaggerating." "You don't look like you're dying." "I'm happy to see you, sweetie." "How handsome you are!" "More and more handsome." "You got a tree!" "The three of us together for Christmas." "A way of telling me I'm not invited." "Your father's as elegant as ever." "So, tell me." "You gave up on the provinces?" "I don't know yet." "For now, I'm here." "Didn't I warn you it turns you mad?" "You wanted to prove God knows what." "But country life isn't for us." "Don't be silly." "Want some coffee?" "I'm not silly." "Playing farmer like that!" "I didn't go to become a farmer." "I know." "So?" "Tell me." "You have heartaches?" "No." "Your dad told me she left." "Don't lie." "I don't want to talk to you about this." "Nothing to say?" "Then I'm here for nothing." "Bravo!" "Really!" "Perfect!" "It's easy not to answer!" "I made it, I'm here." "The lights are beautiful!" "Come on, I'm waiting for you." "Put on your cap and mittens." "OK, brother?" "Big kiss." "Oh, it's you." "Where are you?" "No, I can't pass him to you." "No, Jonathan!" "I said no." "We're fine, just fine." "Idiots!" "Can I possibly kiss you?" "It's a question of life or death." "Go on." "That's nifty." "Nifty?" "No one says nifty any more." "What should I say?" "I don't know." "For nifty?" "You could say cool, good, hot, kick-ass, the bomb." "Or even groovy." " Did he tell you anything?" " No." "I tried hard, though." "He wouldn't tell me anything either." "He doesn't want to talk to us." "He said that?" "He said the only person he wants to talk to is Claire." "Want to eat?" "No, I should go back." "That's a big tree." "Earlier, I thought he would jump off the balcony." "Don't exaggerate." "I'm not." "Is it normal your son wants to talk to his dead sister?" "He said nothing to Jonathan?" "Jonathan should question him first." "He's getting more and more selfish." "That kid's getting worse and worse." "Complain about your son." "Go on." "You only see him once a month." "Easy for you!" "Must we argue, Mirko?" "You really want to fight?" "No, I don't!" "Here's your coffee, dear." "I think he should see someone." "Maybe start on meds." "You want to drug him." "That's it." "Exactly." "I want to drug my son." "There are other ways to get well besides tranquilizers." "Happiness can be found not only through pills." "I want to call Anna." "That's the last thing you should do." "Paul's heart is too fragile." "He's like his father." "Oh Mirko, please!" "Think what you want, but it's true." "I think your heart's healthy." "I'm worried about your brain." "Did you see the neurologist again?" "I'm sure Anna has the answer." "Maybe something bad happened." "The answer to what?" "It's just you're all so closed." "None of you listen to the questions!" "Paul acts like his father." "He thinks no one can help." "I don't need a neurologist." "And Paul doesn't need your help to get better!" "See how stupid that sounds?" "Fine!" "Don't make yourself sick." "You're not the worst of fathers." "What's for dinner?" "Chicken soup." "How festive!" "I'll have some with you." "If your invitation still stands?" "Money problems at the moment?" "Why do you ask?" "I don't know." "Because of the chicken soup." "I'm fine." "We can help, you know." "I'm sure you can't hold out long." "All three of you on your pension." "Your guy already supports you." "Must he pay for your ex-husband, too?" "Brilliant!" "You brought up money." "You brought it up!" "I brought it up because you're in the shithouse." "Don't say shit so much!" "That's not very elegant." "You're so stupid!" "Really stupid." "Mum!" "Forty Gun on cable?" "Yeah, sure." "You know, I didn't want to jump off the balcony earlier." "I saw you thought I wanted to, but I didn't." "I was looking at my phone that fell." "Listen to me and don't interrupt." "Can you do that?" " Do what?" " Keeping quiet." "Say what you have to say!" "Last night, at around 4 in the morning, I got up and left the apartment." " What?" " Dad!" "So I went out." "I was wearing Jonathan's clothes." "And his shoes too." "PARIS STUDENT ID" "I don't know how I got back." "Or how long it took." "I suddenly saw the building, then the apartment door." "I undressed in the bathroom." "Then I ran the hot water." "Did you tell your brother?" "Did you tell your brother?" "Are you under the influence of alcohol?" "What?" "What is it, Paul?" "What is it?" "Paul, what's wrong?" "What are you looking at?" "What is it?" "What is it?" "Look at me!" "But did you tell him?" "Yes, of course." "He was there." "I couldn't not tell him." "What did he say?" "He said if I do that again, he'll punch me out." "For once, I agree with him." "What is it?" "Remember me?" "I'm Alice." " Jonathan told me to drop by." " He's not back yet." "When will he be back?" "Lmpossible to know." "He asked me to..." "Then come in!" "Wait in here." "This way." "Have a seat on the couch." "Watch TV." "Excuse me." "What the hell are you doing?" "Hungry?" "There's chicken soup." " Is this a joke?" " I'm going to bed." "Sit on the couch!" "Wait, wait!" "Hitting me wasn't very nice." "You're crazy!" "Don't leave me with her." "Who is she?" "Ask your brother." "Good night." "Good night!" "Is my brother an asshole?" "I see." "We can talk bad about him, so you'll feel better." "Or talk nicely?" "No?" "Not talk about him at all?" "Keep quiet?" "Not that either?" "What should we talk about?" "I'm not the best conversationalist these past few days." "However..." "It's coming back some." "But barely an hour ago." "Above all..." "I won't hold out long alone." "In this house, it's rare to not be interrupted." "I lost the habit." "Jon surely told you about our sister Claire." "No?" "Don't be mad at him." "Certain silences can be wise." "Anyway, we had a sister, Claire." "I remember, once or twice a month she spent the whole day sobbing, her nose in a tissue." "Nothing could draw her away from heartache." "Not the best jokes, nor the biggest confessions." "Attempts to distract her were in vain." "That's because she cried for absolutely no reason." "She said it herself." "A very old sorrow, so old she probably felt it the first time in a previous life..." "In the Middle Ages or in the times of idle kings." "Ever since, you see this sadness kept coming back regularly." "Impossible for Claire to escape it." "Useless." "She called them the blubbering days." "She welcomed with laughter, like cousins." "Her eyes stayed moist." "I could have strangled her those days, not being able to help her." "I felt so humiliated." "Then Claire killed herself when she was 17." "Everyone was so surprised." "I swear..." "Before heartache, astonishment reigned in our home." "My sister was beautiful and happy." "Everything with her happened in communion..." "Know what I mean?" "She shared everything." "Yes, her blubbering days..." "I think those very old sorrows killed her." "I think we grossly underestimate our sorrow, in general." "We always die of sadness, actually." "You..." "You mean sadness is put inside us at birth?" "Yes." "Like eye colour?" "Exactly." "That's why it needs our care." "But others can do nothing." "No one can do anything about eye colour." "Also, I think it would be fair to let you take care of your sorrow alone." "Will you wait all night for my brother?" "Yes." "I think." "Excuse me, I'm taking the phone." "I broke my mobile." "Good night." "Did you know, my darling" "The most brilliant loves tarnish" "The day's dirty sun in the day" "Subjects them to torment" "I have an irrefutable idea" "To avoid the unbearable" "Before the hatred Before the blows" "Of hissing or lashing" "Before the sorrow And the disgust" "Let's break up now, please" "No." "I kiss you and it passes" "You can see" "You can't brush me off like that" "You thought you'd be able to" "By leaving me hanging" "From the mighty love which must die" "But you see I prefer" "The inescapable storms" "To your measly little idea" "Before the hatred" "Before the blows" "Of hissing or lashing" "Before the sorrow" "And the disgust" "Let's break up now, you say" "But you kiss me and it passes" "I can see" "You're not brushed off like that" "I could avoid you at the worst" "But the best is yet to come" "Before the hatred" "Before the blows" "Of hissing and lashing" "Before the sorrow" "Before the disgust" "Let's break up now, please" "No." "I kiss you and it passes" "You can see" "Before the hatred" "Before the blows" "Of hissing and lashing" "Before the sorrow" "And the disgust" "Let's break up now, you say" "But you kiss me and it passes" "I can see" "You're not brushed off like that" "You can't brush me off like that" "Kiss Loup!" "You're a pain, Paul!" "Pick up!" "Answer!" "Here, you'll catch cold." "Thanks." "Sharing a bed is a nice and sensible family tradition." "Mum stopped by." "Oh, yeah?" "Did she put gifts in our stockings?" "Idiot." "She slammed the door on her way out." "I've never seen Mum leave without slamming the door." "I hadn't seen that in two years." "She slammed the door after finding out about December 23?" "I didn't talk to her." "But Dad knows." "You want to overwhelm him?" "He left me no choice." "So what did the old man say?" ""Moscow doesn't believe in tears"?" "No, not even." "It was like it wasn't important." "How can you remember that?" "You were so little." " Mum told you?" " I don't remember." "He stopped saying it." "Who knows where he picked it up." "The last time I heard Dad say that was when Mum ran off with that Canadian lumberjack." " What?" " Her Canadian lumberjack." "I can still hear his voice." ""Moscow doesn't believe in tears."" "He said we mustn't hold it against our Saint Whore-of-a-Mother." "No life is definitive." "On the contrary..." "Nice idea to remake your life." "An idea that demands great courage." "About that, he was right." "Will you have the courage to remake your life?" "Have mercy." "Don't beat up on me." "Not now." "Coming back here wasn't the best plan." "Where to go?" "If I were you, anywhere but here." "But I'm not you." "No." " My life's not yours." " No." "And yours isn't mine." "Too bad." "Can I have some of your cheese?" "Go ahead!" "Seeing her again took up a good part of my afternoon." "If I'm loyal to you..." "We agree tonight's about honesty..." "Then I have to admit my afternoon was not too bad." "Then, since I committed to doing it for you this morning," "I ran to the Bon Marché." "I called you to celebrate my victory, and you had the nerve to not answer." "I got scared, I admit it." "Scared you'd take another dive." "Suddenly, I don't know how, but I fell into a hospitable girl's arms." "Very nice breasts." "For the third time of the day, I got kissed nicely." "Three times" "I prayed for you today." "I shared those girls with you." "I prayed they'd save your soul." "Pig!" "You fuck and pretend it's for my soul." "Stop, I'm not finished!" "Three times." "I believed... that I was keeping my brother alive." "Don't panic." "A night of honesty ends at daybreak." "Anna prayed to be sure I loved her." "She repeated "Paul loves me" so that I would." "It was prayer, not acquisition." "Meaning when she said it, she wasn't sure I loved her." "But by merely repeating it, this truth came to be." "She experienced its real presence in her heart." "Did you have prayers for her?" "No, never." "Although... a few these last days, but not in a disciplined manner." "I don't believe in her, nor her love." "I'm not like you two." "I don't feel capable of saving a soul." "Do you think if she could," "Claire would move her ass up there to save our souls?" "Yours, without a doubt." "Very clever." "Dumbass!" "So, what do we do now?" "Hug and say we love each other?" "I noticed you have no books, nor CDs." "Yes, I have books..." "Yeah, right!" "Some classics of Mum's, things you read in school, period." ""I regretfully saw you in that dreadful state" ""Ready to follow the deplorable Oreste everywhere" ""Always interrupting the flow of my madness" ""And finally saving myself everyday."" "You gave it to me for Christmas." "Read it to me." " You know it by heart!" " Read it to me." "I've read it to you a hundred times." "You're going to giggle." "No!" "There was once a rabbit, Tom, who had never met a wolf." "Young wolf, Loulou, had never met a rabbit." "Tom and Loulou became good friends." "Loulou grew and Tom taught him how to play marbles, to read, and to fish for eating." "Loulou taught Tom to run very fast, faster than the other rabbits." "Loulou also taught Tom fear." "Sometimes they played fear-the-wolf, sometimes they played fear-the-rabbit." "One day, Loulou scared Tom so much that Tom ran into his burrow and decided never to come out." "Tom dreamt the wolf was huge, black and red, and that he ate him." "Loulou thought their friendship was over." "He went sadly into the mountains." "One night, wolves attacked Loulou, mistaking him for a rabbit." "That night, Loulou learned fear-the-wolf." "Loulou went to Tom." "He told him that he understood." "He would never scare him again." "And Tom came out of his burrow." "Want a hut?" "Come inside the hut!"