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whispered in his ear, “I’m going to answer ‘yes’ because I want to. And because
I want to
stop you looking like an idiot in front of the whole restaurant. But when you get back in your chair, I’ll tell you the one condition I’m setting for our marriage. The ‘yes’ I’m going to say out loud now will remain provisional for the next few minutes, all right?”
    “Okay,” Andrew murmured back.
    Valerie planted a kiss on his lips and said yes for all to hear. The other diners in the restaurant, who had been holding their breath, applauded enthusiastically.
    The owner of the trattoria came out from behind the bar to congratulate his loyal customers. He took Andrew in his arms, squeezed him tight and, in his thick New York Italian accent, said softly into his ear: “I hope you know what you’ve just done!”
    Then he took Valerie’s hand and kissed it.
    “I’m allowed to kiss you now that you’ll be a Mrs.! I’ll get some champagne brought over to you to celebrate. On the house. Yes, yes, I insist!”
    Maurizio returned to the bar and signaled to his only waiter to serve them immediately.
    “I’m all ears,” Andrew said quietly as the champagne cork popped.
    The waiter filled their glasses and Maurizio came over with his own glass to drink to the future married couple.
    “Just give us a second please, Maurizio,” Andrew said, holding his arm.
    “You want me to set out my condition in front of him?” Valerie asked, surprised.
    “He’s an old friend. We have no secrets,” Andrew answered dryly.
    “Fine! So, Mr. Stilman, you can take me to become your lawfully wedded wife if you give your word of honor never to lie, be unfaithful to me or intentionally make me suffer. If one day you don’t love me anyone, I want to be the first to know. I’ve had my fill of affairs that end in nights of sorrow. If you can make me this promise, then yes, I will marry you.”
    “I swear, Valerie Ramsay-Stilman.”
    “On your life?”
    “On my life!”
    “If you betray me, I’ll kill you!”
    Maurizio glanced at Andrew and crossed himself.
    “Can we drink to you now?” inquired the restaurant owner. “I do have other customers . . . ”
    They made love all night long, stopping every so often to watch old black and white shows on the TV at the end of the bed. In the early hours of the morning, they crossed the city and went and sat on a bench overlooking the East River to watch daybreak.
    “You must remember this night forever,” Andrew whispered in Valerie’s ear.
     
     

4.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    A ndrew spent the first ten days of June in Buenos Aires. On his return from this second trip to Argentina, he found Valerie more radiant than ever. A dinner together with their maid of honor, Valerie’s old friend Colette, and best man turned out to be one of the more pleasant evenings he’d ever spent. Colette thought Andrew was very charming.
    In the weeks before the wedding, which was planned for the end of the month, Andrew spent every day and many evenings fine-tuning his article, fantasizing from time to time that he’d win the Pulitzer Prize for it.
    The air-conditioning in his apartment had finally given up the ghost and the couple moved into Valerie’s one-bedroom in the East Village. Some nights, Andrew would stay at the paper until the early hours, on others he’d work at Valerie’s, keeping her awake with the sound of his typing.
    The heat in the city was unbearable. Violent storms struck Manhattan almost daily. Andrew heard them described as “apocalyptic.” Little did he realize that his own life was about to take an apocalyptic turn of its own.
     
    * * *
     
    He’d sworn to Valerie that there’d be no strip joint or nightclub full of bachelorettes; just an evening with friends.
    For his stag night, Simon invited Andrew to a trendy new restaurant. In New York, trendy restaurants open and close as fast as the seasons change.
    “Are you sure about your decision?” Simon asked,