Miranda Wolf and Daniel Hoffmann were once married and are now meeting again after fourteen years. They sit outside in a café on Munich's main square, Marienplatz, which has been the heart of Munich since around 1158, for a conversation. One can only describe the panorama as majestic; gothic architecture adorns the scene where exciting tournaments took place in the Middle Ages. The city's most important markets have been held on Marienplatz for centuries. Today, there are many elegant cafes and expensive boutiques, and some of the most traditional markets, including the Christmas market, continue to offer products and services.

Daniel fidgets and holds the ring that adorns his right hand with his left fingers. It is a thick, heavy piece of platinum jewelry with a seamlessly embedded two-karat diamond, an exquisite work of art from one of the city's finest jewelers. He already wore this ring before their wedding. Daniel swats a fluff from his blue jacket tailored to measure. Miranda's body language is the opposite; she is calm and settled, and her presence feels like a deep, still lake, aware of its fluctuations. She wears a silk blouse, the color of the thick Bavarian Forest. The Fabric exudes a glamorous shine. A stainless steel watch with details in yellow-gold adorns her left wrist.

[She takes a sip of her cappuccino.]  

Miranda: Nobody cares, Daniel, and the ones who do are vain.

[confused, he responds]    

Daniel: Nobody cares about what?

Miranda: No one cares about the vanities or pleasures that fill your life or mine. Becoming too attached to things makes one perceive the world through a thick pair of glasses prescribed with self-imposed grandiosity.

[curious]

Daniel: Now, this is a bit harsh. Don't you think so?

Miranda: No, I don't think so. It's just proper thinking. I love the beauty of material things, but I'm not attached to them in a way that defines me. It is dangerous to fly too close to the sun.

Daniel: Ah... the Greek myth of Icarus, okay. 

[He begins fidgeting again, tapping his coffee cup with his right fingers.]

Daniel: Miranda, tell me, why did you leave?

[she looks at him and responds with earnestness]

Miranda: I left because I was a fool. Too young and too immature.

Daniel: You have no idea how heartbreaking and embarrassing the entire circumstance was for me. How could you? It was a tremendous betrayal of trust.

Miranda: I am sure it was difficult for you. It has been for me, too, all along.

[a moment of silence]

Miranda: What we had was a dream in real life. The sunrise sailing, the walks in the forest near our home, the drives from Munich to Austria, and our friends were remarkable - I have never been able to recreate that, nor have I met anyone like you, and I never will. I may have achieved what I wanted, but nothing compares to the art of good companionship. I failed as a wife, but I was only 18 then, and we had only been married for two years. I wish I had the wisdom I now own.

Daniel: You were young, and I thought the trips, presents, sailing, and soirées would satisfy your interests.

Miranda: Well, you thought wrong, and so did I. It turns out I'm not superficial, and turning away from who I am makes everything worse. I also had to learn how hard it was to have everything we had. I quickly reached the point of always having everything and wanted to learn how to navigate the real world.

Daniel: Miranda, why didn't you talk to me about this instead of leaving abruptly?

Miranda: You would not have understood because I could not conceptualize my feelings in words. I was too young to bring into context what I knew deep within but could not yet explain. I dared to leave because I was terrible at pretending I could make you happy back then. You showed very little interest in who I wanted to become, and I tried to be what you wanted me to be for years, but I needed to become whole out of self-respect.

Daniel: Did you achieve what you wanted?

Miranda: Yes, I have. It wasn't easy, but it was enriching. What about you?

Daniel: I remarried to Karla, an Italian woman. We have two daughters, Lucia and Violetta.

[She takes a sip of her cappuccino. It's hot.]

Miranda: That is darling. I am happy for you.

Daniel: Do you have any kids?

Miranda: No, but I am beginning to consider marriage again. Marriage and children are big decisions. I am impressed at your ability to enter such ventures.

[They laugh in sincerely]

Daniel: Some of us are more inclined to do so than others.

Miranda: Absolutely. I miss you. Sometimes, I wish I could turn back time and make everything right, but there is no greater lesson than when one's own intrinsic ignorance destroys what one once loved most.