From beginning to end, not a single word was spoken.
Perhaps not even a gaze was exchanged.
Jane stood there, looking at the sliding door that had closed again, feeling as if her heart had sunk to the bottom of a valley.
A James Black who ignored her was even more terrifying than a James Black who incessantly scolded and criticized her.
She would rather he yelled at her a few times.
After pushing Jane back inside the house, James extinguished the cigarette he had only smoked halfway and tossed it into the trash can. He stood on the balcony for a few more minutes, waiting until the smell of smoke on the balcony and on his clothes had dissipated, then he pushed open the door again.
When James returned to the living room, he thought Jane would be back at the dinner table, continuing her meal, but in fact, there was no sign of anyone beside the dining table.
