Veiled Affection

Chapter Sixteen

The next morning I woke up with Gregory by my side. There was this moment in which last night's thoughts slowly recollected itself, trying to recall last night, and as everything came to mind again, I wish it hadn't. I covered my face with both of my hands and Gregory stirred next to me, to end up awake. He yawned, then smiled.

''Good morning.'' He said. ''I got home last night and you were already in bed. You slept so peacefully.''

I didn't at all feel like it. I shifted the focus onto him by asking how his day was yesterday, and as he freely started talking, my mind wandered off:

Did he see all the empty bottles lying around in the study? Surely he hadn't, for he wouldn't talk so casually just now if he had. Or is this his way of keeping it a secret, to end up mentioning it later in the day? What would he even have against it if he had seen it? It were just a couple of empty wine bottles...

My spiraling thoughts of Cate were up next, but he mentioned her before I had the chance to do so:

''I saw the door of the guestroom closed.'' He stated, in wait of a confirmation from my side, and I just gave it to him.

''Cate stayed over. Is staying over, I mean. She's probably still asleep.'' I said, and will be for the entire day if I don't wake her, I thought. I know I could have, had I drank so much.

''You had fun?''

''Sure,'' I responded, and it might have been too fast. A flicker of doubt may have been noticeable in the way I said it. That is why, when I spoke, I promptly followed it up with something else:

''I'm going to check if she is already awake. You stay here.''

I got up, threw on my nightrobe and went out the door, to end up not going right, towards the guestroom, but to go left, towards the study. What had been the damage, is all I wanted to know. And as I opened the door, I found what I had expected: empty bottles and wineglasses. But then, unfortunately, I also found something more. Drunk-me had managed to drag Cate to the guestroom to not let her sleep on the couch, but hadn't thought about picking up her shirt that lay there in the middle of the room.

How my thoughts went wild in that moment. I immediately assumed he must know. As he looked down and saw the shirt, the same way that I did now, he would know everything there is to know.

I wouldn't say I hyperventilated, but I sure came close. But then I soon managed to bring some sense into my overanalyzing brain, and tried to come up with alternatives. There could have been many reasons why her shirt lay there on the ground. Perhaps she thought it felt uncomfortable after a while; maybe it was stained by her drink; or just the simple fact that all that wine made her temperature rise, which resulted in her taking off her shirt. I mean, alcohol does that to you. Yes. Surely that must have been his thought at the sight of it. That is to say if he even saw it at all. Perhaps he didn't even bother to take a look, and went straight to bed once he got home.

How completely disoriented I was when I stood there in the doorway, looking down at her shirt. It was when I remembered that I had to take care of a hangover Cate, too, that I retrieved back to my room to get dressed.

''And?'' Gregory said as I walked in.

''Hm?''

''She's still asleep?''

''Oh, right,'' I muttered, and felt stupid. ''She is, yes.''

I put on my clothes and decided to go downstairs. What use would it be now to wake Cate up, to then drag her tired body across the halls above when Gregory might as well get up himself? No. I had decided, no more uncertain moves being made that day.

Before I descended the stairs however, I made a short detour towards the study. There I picked up the bottles and glasses (and this time didn't forget her shirt) and I brought it all downstairs to clean it up and store it well. I made myself some breakfast, read a few pages and after a while watched Gregory come downstairs.

And then came the moment that I went to Cate after that, to me, notable evening.

I walked over to the guestroom - shirt in hand - and stood in front of the door for a moment. At breakfast I had the time to recall what had happened, but I hadn't the least idea in what kind of matter I should approach her. There was still some displeasure caused by the things that she said, but then I also felt understanding, paired with a good amount of worriment. Eventually, I just opened the door gently and walked up to her gradually.

She must have stirred a lot in her sleep, for the sheets lay all the way down to her feet. She looked like I remembered her last night, wearing the same clothes, having the same messy hair, yet now asleep, it all looked more peaceful; she looked more peaceful. And as I watched her chest rise and fall, I smiled again for the first time since things got turbulent last evening. It occurred to me then how silly I was making all these internal problems. And for what? Some careless comments she happened to blare out? It happens to the best of us I suppose, let alone high on alcohol.

I lay the shirt away and thus woke her kindly by sitting down on the bedside and stirring her lightly.

She opened her eyes, and I was once again surprised at the sight of that striking blueness. She looked at me and there came a smile for a second. And then her smile faded, as that similar moment of recollection came over her.

''Oh no,'' She said. ''Oh God, June. I'm so sorry.''

She got up at once and took my hand, but was fast to then lay her other hand on her forehead.

''God, I feel terrible.''

I couldn't help but smile a little.

''It's okay,'' I softly said, and in that moment my words were truly genuine. The apologizing words she has already said a second after waking up had already scurried last night's irritations away.

''No, how can you possibly say that. - How could I have possibly said all of that? Let alone act so foolishly!''

I smiled. ''You know you're funny when you're wasted.''

''Stop lying.'' She said, and indeed I was lying. But I just wanted to stop her distress.

She came closer and gave me a kiss on the cheek, to then keep her mouth close to the side of my face.

''Let me make it up to you.'' She whispered.

I leaned back and met her eyes, and it didn't take long for her to lean back in and press her lips on mine. It was a fine kiss. A common kiss for us, unlike the somewhat sloppiness of last evening. And when she pulled back and looked at me, I smiled.

''Nothing like the scent of liquor early in the morning.''

''Shut up,'' She laughed and pressed my shoulder. ''I guess I'll go shower then.''

Slowly but surely, with a few moans and grunts, she got up.

''Go ahead and laugh. It is much deserved.'' She said as she tried to keep herself straight and held her hands on her stomach and forehead.

I grabbed her top from the nightstand and held it out to her. ''Don't forget your shirt.''

She looked down at me and smiled, snickered even, before she grabbed it out of my hand and turned to the door. I watched her walk out the room, a beam on my face, unaware of all that was to come in the following weeks.