Veiled Affection

Chapter Forty one

It was rather straightforward, her proposition. A fully thought out tactic that we would use to, slowly but surely, let everybody know about us being together.

The evening before I took pictures of her in the windowsill; I danced with her, and she looked so calm then. I couldn't possibly have known that in that moment she already had her plan well formed in her head. And that moment also - us dancing in the middle of the living room - seemed so different than what I now experienced.

She had woken up that morning some time before me, and when I came downstairs, I saw her standing at the bottom of the stairs, a broad smile on her face.

''Good morning to you,'' She said. I walked into her arms, she held me close, and when I leaned back her smile never faltered. My eyes narrowed.

''What is it?'' I asked.

''What is what?''

''Why are you smiling like that?''

''Like what? You don't like my smile?''

''Too peppy.''

She laughed. ''Excuse me if I am happy to see you.''

My smile broadened but my expression showed more apprehension.

''Come with me.'' She said and grabbed my hand. I knew it. She led me into the living room. ''Sit down.''

I sat down. She walked over to one of the cabinets in the room and grabbed a A4-sized notepad.

''Are you going to give a presentation?'' I asked.

She was shuffling through some of the pages. ''I am,''

I laughed. ''Honey I was only kidding,''

She went and stood a few paces before me. ''I am not.''

She cleared her throat, and then it all came. The best way, according to her, we could make our relationship known to outsiders. Minutes long I didn't say a word. I only listened.

And when I asked her how long she had this all planned out, she estimated it must have been a week or two.

''I came up how to go about it,'' She said. ''I made some changes along the way, and I have been thinking it over for a while now. It is solid. Trust me.''

So, her plan. I must admit, it did sound solid. I find it unnecessary to go in-depth on the matter, considering I remember only half of what she said during her ten-minute pitch, and I figure a rough sketch will be enough to understand the structure of the whole.

The rough sketch consists into two factors - the first being who do we tell and in what order? She thought as following, very briefly stated: family, close friends, close colleagues, the rest of the world. I must add that the order mattered also. It would be foolish of us to make our relationship known to any outsiders before, say, our family would be in on it. So as stated, so it was said.

Now secondly, perhaps most importantly: what will we tell them and in what way?

''Straightforward and honest,'' She said when I asked the question. She then explained that she, indeed, intended to go straight in on the fact that she and I had a thing going for some time now.

''Define 'some time'.'' I said.

''Starting a month ago?''

''That is far from honest, Cate.''

''Only straightforward then. And credible.''

''Exactly what in your eyes counts as credible?''

''I think it is safe to tell we have only just started to gain some feelings for each other.''