Life cannot be planned or prepared for in advance. A novel in short stories by Petra Soukupová.
Alice and Richard, seventeen years of their life together, two children, Kaja and Lola. Kajo is thirteen and getting fed up with his parents, Lola is about to turn eleven and most of all she wants a dog. Nothing much happens to anyone, the stereotype covers everything like a soft blanket.
It's probably not happiness, but it's something to live with. Until someone new comes along. And with that, the feeling that until now, it wasn't really love. But they're a family, and whatever happens to one will affect all of them. And suddenly Kája and Lola have to deal with what the children never want to deal with. But is this family even worth saving?
Excerpt from the book:
Alice shakes her head. Only now does Richard notice that the table is festively set, there's even a lit candle (why, in this heat, why) and the wine glasses and napkins are festive. Richard panicked for a moment, celebrating something, and he doesn't know what, Oh, my God, he forgot something, No, Not Alice's birthday, not even an anniversary, they're due sometime in the fall, so what's going on?
"What's wrong?"
"Well, I wanted to have a nice evening with you."
"Yeah? Just like that?"
Alice smiles, Richard can't tell if it's mysterious or sad or simply what the smile means.
"I made a salad with arugula and nuts and I'm going to make steaks. And I bought that white wine we had last time and you said it was great."
