第22部分(第5/7 頁)

h　had　e　from　hard…working；　upwardly　mobile

families　that　helped　them　financially　until　they　were　on　their　own　feet。

But　money　hadn't　mattered；　even　when　Jeff　became　a　successful　investment

consultant。　What　mattered　had　always　been　Jeff　and　Anne；　Anne　and　Jeff。

Then；　abruptly；　it　was　Anne；　alone。

When　the　stupor　finally　began　to　wear　off；　she　took　stock　of　her　assets。

She　had　a　home…a　spacious；　well…furnished；　stylishly　decorated　condo。

She　had　money　enough　to　live　in　it　fortably；　with　leftover　to　invest。

She　had　friends。　She　had　family。　She　had　her　own　car；　one　not　as　sporty

as　Jeff's　Audi；　but　small；　reliable；　and　gas　efficient。　And　she　had　her

work。

Fluent　in　French　and　Spanish；　Anne　worked　as　a　freelance　interpreter

through　most　of　her　marriage。　At　first　they　had　needed　the　money；　later

not　so；　but　she　enjoyed　her　work；　and　with　nothing　to　keep　her　at　home；

it　filled　the　hours　when　Jeff　was　at　the　office。　When　they　planned　a

trip；　she　took　on　less　work。　When　Jeff　had　a　business　trip；　she　took　on

more　and　was　busy　until　he　returned。

More　than　once　during　those　long；　morbid　months；　she　had　wondered　what

would　have　been　if　she　had　been　with　him　on　that　last；　fateful　trip。

They　might　have　been　together　still。

But　they　weren't。　She　was　alone。

Gradually　she　took　on　more　work；　branching　off　into　textbook　translation

for　local　universities。　As　opposed　to　interpreting；　where　she　had　to　be

personally　on　the　spot　at　a　given　time　on　a　given　day；　there　was　more

flexibility　in　translation。　Once　the　material　had　been　picked　up；　she

could　tackle　the　job　on　her　own　schedule；　in　the　fort　and　privacy　of

her