Veiled Affection

Chapter Twenty four

I woke up that following morning and was surprised to find Cate still asleep. She lay with her face towards me, and I stayed very still looking at her, focusing on every breath she took. A smile arose to my face when I thought not only of last night's moment when we fell asleep for the first time, but also of the moment that happened prior to the second time we dozed off.

I woke up from my first slumber by the gentle sound of her voice.

''June,'' She whispered. ''Darling...''

My eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the dim light of the bedside table lamp. I met her eyes and she smiled.

''What time is it?'' I moaned.

''Too late,'' She remarked. ''But I didn't quite finish what I started.''

I knew what she meant, and by realizing that fact, my weariness disappeared.

''You didn't even start at all.'' I smiled.

''How dare I...'' She stroked her fingertips over my shoulder, down to my arm and I shivered. ''I will have to make up twice now.'' She said, and she did. In thirty minutes time she made me scream out her name twice.

Now I looked at her with that same internal feeling of delight I had right before we fell asleep again. A feeling that was accompanied with contentment and bliss and felicity and then, nausea.

It happened at once, a queasy feeling that made me flinch out of surprise, and I didn't know how fast I had to get up. I jolted out of bed, tumbled towards the bathroom, leaned over the toilet and threw up.

''June?'' I heard from the bedroom. I heard her footstep come up to me. ''Darling, are you all right?''

''Don't come near,'' I said, my head still above the toilet. ''I threw up.''

''Oh June,'' I felt her hand on my back despite my comment. ''What happened, you don't feel well?'' She said. ''Was I that bad?''

''That must be it.'' I smiled and flushed the toilet. ''I don't know, maybe it is last night's food.''

''Are you sure? I feel fine.''

''Give it some time.'' I got up and walked over to the washbasin. ''I ate a few hours earlier anyway.''

''Which I made up to you fair and square. So don't go on about it.''

I rinsed my mouth and looked at her smiling through the mirror, which made me smile as well. I turned around and walked up to her.

''What do you want to do today?'' I asked. I grabbed hold of her waist and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

''I was thinking of going somewhere.''

''To where?''

''Anywhere, really. Going on a walk, going for a ride, whatever you want.''

''How about both?'' I said, and she smiled.

We took a shower together (this time I was the one who made her sigh aloud) and got dressed. It was right after breakfast, and we were getting ready to head out the door, when a sudden downpour caught the grounds outside.

''You are kidding...'' I muttered.

Now I don't mind a little rain, and neither does she, but to check and see it would hold up for at least a couple more hours made us reevaluate our plans.

''Any preference for genre?'' Cate asked as we sat on the couch. She managed to persuade me into watching a movie and was scrolling through the options on the screen.

''Care to look at yourself?''

''I would rather not...''

''Well then since you are the expert, you choose.''

''Do you think you can manage horror?''

''In broad daylight with you by my side? Sure.''

She smiled. ''Perfect.''

And so we watched a movie that I have already forgotten the name of. Something with a hotel and creepy twins and a man with an ax. It was quite good. A few times during the film I would look sideways and see her eyes plastered on the screen, fully devoted. It was adorable.

After the movie she turned to me.

''And?'' She said. ''How is that for a cinematic masterpiece?''

I smiled at her eagerness.

''I have to admit, I liked it.''

''Good. I have more to come.''

''I can't wait.'' I said, perhaps somewhat sarcastic, but she smiled nonetheless.

''Tell me, June, what else has this day in store for us?''

''I get to choose now?''

''Unless you want to watch another?'' She said, bopping her head to the TV.

''No I'm good, I will choose.''

A little later we were upstairs in the study. Cate sat on the sofa and I lay on the other side, my legs resting upon hers. She caressed my leg with one hand whilst holding a book in the other. I listened to the sound of the rain outside and her calm voice as she read through the book:

''Alone, I often fall down into nothingness. I must push my foot stealthily lest I should fall off the edge of the world into nothingness. I have to bang my head against some hard door to call myself back to the body.''

Cate lowered the book.

''Goodness,'' She said. ''She knew what she was doing.''

''Tell me...''

A pause, before she brought the book back up and continued. My eyes lingered on her side profile and I smiled, beautiful as she was, before I closed my eyes, focusing on every resonant note her voice made.

I woke up with a blanket draped over me. She sat on the armchair next to the sofa, quietly reading a book. I laughed at the thought of falling asleep and she looked up, initially smiling herself.

''What time is it?'' I asked slightly disorientated.

She looked down on her watch.

''You slept for a good hour.''

''You should have woken me up.''

''Why would I? You look adorable sleeping.''

I looked at her for a moment and smiled. I then came up and looked outside.

''Still raining?'' I said, slightly disappointed.

''It is... I tell you what, though,'' She said. ''I don't like this weather much. All dreary in spring. Feels like something is going to happen. Something bad.''

About that she was right. The bad thing happened a week later. That was when I found out I was pregnant.