A couple of days later, I received a note from Katherine asking how I was doing, and saying she had to go out of the country for a few days on private business.
In the meantime, Ralf called me to say goodbye. He had completed his mission and was leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina for a new assignment in Croatia.
Then, one day, several weeks later, I was surprised to receive a letter:
Renato,
How have you been? Would you like to get together for a coffee one evening?
Fondly,
Katherine.
I couldn't believe my eyes. What had happened? Was Katherine playing with me again? Would I walk into another love-trap? Was she serious, or flirting, or bored and lonely without Ralf?
An invitation from my friend, Eduardo, to a tartuffo weekend in Piemonte had been lying in my drawer for two weeks. I had not dared to invite Katherine to join me. After receiving her letter, I changed my mind and telephoned her. To my great surprise, without much hesitation, she accepted.