Charlie refused, at first, to believe he couldn’t make her change her mind but as she had that night in the rooftop restaurant with its view of Moscow Natalia refused even to let him explain, demanding – with increasing anger – that he shouldn’t make things any more difficult for her than they already were. Evenings and days which had been relaxed and easy became tense and then hostile. They made love like strangers, mechanically, and then they stopped doing that, more and more becoming strangers. Charlie considered missing the Thursday meeting but it was only two days from the initial confrontation with Natalia and Charlie’s professionalism didn’t allow him. It was as pointless as every other one had been but this time he concentrated, looking to see if Natalia would check. He didn’t detect her but then he hadn’t on the other occasions. He didn’t ask her and she didn’t volunteer the information. It finally convinced Charlie that there was no further purpose in him going again.
