The Open Secret

3

As luck would have it, before they can talk, Rob finds himself whisked away on a dreadful teambuilding retreat at an estate in Hilversum with Sigrid, Rutte, and several representatives from their would-be coalition partners. Sigrid is hopeful something about the change of scenery and escape from the city will lead to a breakthrough in negotiations.

He is less optimistic but goes along without protest. In all honesty, he feels like he could use an escape from the city for reasons of his own.

The wooded estate is gorgeous, built in the style of an English country home with red brick, large bay windows, and stately chimneys rising over the top of the roof. He's been here before for cabinet talks, but never in the fall, and he must admit it looks like something out of a painting, the forest around them a tapestry of reds, golds, and oranges. It loses its luster, however, as soon as talks begin, and he's confronted by the reality of the people he's there with: the Christian Democrats, Christian Union, and Mark Rutte.

It's not the most lively bunch. In fact, it's quite a miserable bunch, and soon enough, he's miserable too.

Negotiations are set to last three days, but by the second, Rob has already gone a bit stir crazy. Sensing this, Sigrid insists on a walk before dinner that evening, and the two of them set off down a trail through the woods, admiring the scenery around them. For a while, the only sound to be heard is the sound of leaves crunching beneath their boots, and then, at last, Sigrid gazes over at him.

"Are you all right?" she asks without preamble, eyeing him closely.

He zips his coat and tucks his hands into his pockets. "Wonderful. There's nothing I love more than being trapped in the middle of nowhere with two parties that don't believe I have the right to exist."

"I know. I know it must be hard for you," Sigrid sighs in frustration as she slips on her gloves. "This isn't how I wanted things to go either, but we're here now. We have to make the best of it."

Rob doesn't answer. He only continues strolling along at her side and shivers when a cold wind whips through, rustling the trees above them. He wishes Jesse were here more than anything - not only because it would mean seeing him, but because it would mean there would still be a chance of their parties working together. Instead, he's found himself forced to spend hours on end sitting across from people he has to pretend he doesn't hate and who have to pretend they don't hate him simply because they've reconciled themselves to this horrible misalliance.

The Christian parties have always opposed same-sex marriage, even if they're less vocal about it now. Opposed his entire existence, really. He's been able to remove his personal feelings from the situation thus far, but the longer they're here, the more it weighs on him, and the more he notices the subtle slights, like how they avoid him outside of negotiations and don't attempt to make small talk over lunch. He pretends not to notice the barely-concealed scorn on some of their faces.

He sees it and rises above. He has no other choice.

Rob loses himself in his thoughts, and Sigrid, always one to be irritatingly observant, notices.

"You've been distracted lately. What's going on?"

"Have I?" he wonders aloud, his mind still roaming elsewhere. He must not be as discreet with his daydreaming as he thinks.

"Yes. Is everything all right at home? How's your partner?"

"He's fine. He works abroad, and I'm always busy, so we don't see each other as much as we'd like."

Sigrid continues tramping through the woods, and he has to pick up his pace to keep up with her. "That must be difficult."

"Not really," he mutters, picturing another face that doesn't belong to his partner: thick curls and teasing eyes and knowing half-smirks. He shakes his head in an attempt to cast away the image, but it remains. "I mean, uh, you know. We make it work."