In winter, the days were short and the nights were long. At 6 p.m., it was already completely dark. I arrived at the café before 6:30 p.m., and I met Charles there.

I walked over to him and asked, straight to the point. “What you said at the hospital today, is that true?”

Charles raised his chin slightly. “Will you sit down?”

“You asked me to come, and here I am. Let's go straight to the point.”

I protested but I sat down as he suggested.

The ...