" Isn’t it funny,” she said, stroking with an inky finger the beads of condensation on her glass of white wine, “that year was such an unhappy one, for me. Remember poor Reza? And Skandar away so much—and that weather. Do you remember, Nora? I’ve never had a harder time.” (Except, she said “time-e.”) “I guess I didn’t realize it was "

― Claire Messud , The Woman Upstairs