"'Now, you've played cards with so many people, but only once, a long time ago, have you played with me, écarté. Isn't écarté the name of that game you taught me? Let's play a game.' Xavier started laughing."
So says Dona Paula to her husband Xavier before they start playing a card game for neither money nor points.
Translated from Portuguese (Brazil) by Juan LePuen
Genre: short story
Length: 6,200 words