Autumn.
New York.
That day the weather was very bad and all the day long there was a rain.
The autumn is heavy time in such a huge city.
The drop of a rain which all our history began from promptly flied to the ground, overtaking its brothers-twins. Having fallen on road of the big motorway, it has instantly been crushed by the huge "Volvo" trailer, transporting automobiles - same wet from a strong downpour, as well as all other cars on a motorway. Visibility on road was zero, and people, overtaking each other, tried to get home or in office as soon as possible.
Veronica, like everyone else, was carried on a motorway on her dark green "Buick", dexterously overtaking slow lorries and trailers.
Veronica Heartward was the attractive woman of average years and today on her was the business suit of light chocolate color. Veronica hastened. This day was very important for her - the large computer company in which she held a post of the main programmer, concluded today the large transaction. Veronica should represent the company on negotiations and could not be late in any way.
Veronica was solvent woman enough who was given out all for career. It may be said that her «American dream» has come true - she had almost everything. Almost. Except one. Veronica was lonely. The price for well-being and career appeared high - she never loved and has not been loved. Still being young and poor girl, she has preferred career, having rejected thus the love and thinking, that it will never be late for it. But years passed... And the more strongly she was given to the work, the less time remained on private life. At work there were neither time, nor suitable men, and she came back home too late. And now, sitting at a rudder of the car and looking at drops of a rain flowing down on a windshield, Veronica suddenly has distinctly recollected all that has happened last night.
* * *
She has come back home late, as usual. Sitting before the TV, she again reflected that has probably made in the life an incorrect choice and that is necessary to change something while still was the sense in it and it became valid not too late. And into this moment the voice of the leader informing on news of day has rushed in a turn of her sad ideas from the TV screen.
As usual there was nothing interesting in them, however it was already late - easy web of ideas has interrupted. Veronica has risen, switched off the TV and rubbed tired eyes. Only now she has suddenly understood, how strongly has got tired today. Every evening, before going to sleep she took a bath, in order to relax at least a bit. Yesterday’s evening was not an exception. She has come in bathroom, opened the crane and filled a bath with water. Then has taken off clothes and risen under shower. Warm water has poured down on her. Drops of water for a share of second have reached and touched her face, have slipped on cheeks to a chin, and have continued the way further, completely washing off collected weariness and giving her feeling of freedom. Veronica has collected in lungs as much air as could and has plunged into a bath with a head. Heart was hammered frequently. Too frequently. Her consciousness was captured with excitement and the feeling has appeared that
everything will end soon; that soon there will come the end to her tortures. A strange feeling... Whence it has appeared? Veronica did not want to know the answer to this question. All she wanted now is to take pleasure from this suddenly appeared feeling. She drove ideas away. But the supply of air has ended and with an obvious regret she has come up from a warm bath. The sensation of unusual freedom gradually disappeared. And together with last drops of water which Veronica has carelessly erased from the body, it was erased finally. However she could not get rid of memory of it any way. Ideas about it continuously flashed in her head. As if in a trance she has reached a bedroom and has lain in bed. Having covered by a warm down blanket and hardly catching aroma of