French Exit

by Patrick deWitt

She shook her head. “You get older and you don’t even want love. Not the love we believed in when we were young. Who has the energy for that? I mean, when I think of the way we used to carry on about it.” “I know.” “Men and women throwing themselves out of windows.” She paused. “What you want is to know someone’s there; you also want them to leave you alone. I’ve got that with Don. But, I was shocked because I suddenly understood that the heart takes care of itself. We allow ourselves contentment; our heart brings us ease in its good time.”

but do you know what a cliché is? It’s a story so fine and thrilling that it’s grown old in its hopeful retelling.”