Dreams Can Come True

39. Julie

The next morning, we slowly emerged from our deep slumber, greeted by the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, welcoming us to a new day. I opened my eyes and noticed Bill still deeply asleep, his face relaxed in the tranquility of the morning. With a gentle sigh, I pushed myself upright and stretched, ready to start the day.
"Bill, it's time to get up," I whispered as I gently shook him. He mumbled something incoherent and rolled onto his side, burying his face in the pillow. I chuckled softly and reminded him of our appointment with Julie, the real estate agent who would show us some apartments.
But Bill grumbled first about wanting to stay in bed and redoing last night. I rolled my eyes and teased him, "You'll have to earn that first, Bill." He grunted and pulled the duvet over his head, but I knew he would eventually give in.
Eventually, I managed to drag him out of bed, and together we walked to the living room. There, Andreas lay sound asleep on the couch, snoring loudly like a bear. We both chuckled at his peaceful face as he slept like a log. Bill and I exchanged a glance and suppressed a laugh.
I gestured towards the coffee maker, but Bill shook his head. "We'll get coffee on the way," he whispered, nodding towards Andreas. "We don't want to wake him up." I nodded understandingly and grabbed my coat from the coat rack, ready to start the day.

Together, we walked out the door, greeted by the fresh morning air with open arms. The streets of Berlin were quiet at this early hour, only a few people hurrying to work as the city slowly woke up.
We took a short walk to the nearest coffee shop, where we ordered our usual coffee and a couple of croissants to get us through the morning. As we waited for our order, we discussed our plans for the day and looked forward to viewing the apartments with Julie.
Bill took a sip of his cappuccino and looked at me with a playful glint in his eye. "So, do you think we'll find the right apartment with a real estate agent?" he asked with a smile.
I paused for a moment and replied, "I hope so, yes." Bill nodded in agreement and added, "I especially hope for a place where you can truly feel at home, together with me."
In the cozy atmosphere of the coffee shop, we whispered softly, knowing that our words had to be carefully chosen. Bill was wearing a discreet outfit, but there was always a chance he could be recognized. As we enjoyed our coffee, we engaged in a silent conversation about the delicate balance we had to maintain in our relationship, especially in public.
"I think we need to be careful not to show too much affection," I whispered to Bill, my voice barely audible above the buzz of the coffee shop. "We don't want it to be too obvious."
Bill sighed deeply, a furrow of concern appearing on his face. "I know," he whispered back. "But it's so hard to restrain myself when I'm with you."
A smile played on my lips at his words, knowing that we both struggled with the same issue. "I understand, but we have to stick to the plan," I replied, my voice tinged with a hint of humor. "We can't afford to make mistakes."
Bill nodded in agreement, his gaze momentarily thoughtful as he pondered our situation. "I'll do my best to stay away from you for a few hours," he finally said with a soft smile.

The building we arrived at stood like an old sentinel along the street, its weathered facade marked by the ravages of time. It was a majestic structure, but the years had taken their toll, with cracks in the masonry and crumbling ornaments reminiscent of bygone glory. A young woman stood waiting at the entrance, her figure elegant and her demeanor confident. Her long, straight brown hair cascaded like a waterfall down her shoulders, while her red lips formed an inviting smile that seemed to light up the entire street.
As we approached, she extended her hand in a gesture of greeting, her palm gently upturned as a sign of welcome. Her breath seemed to catch as she realized who stood before her, her eyes widening with surprise and admiration. With a calm smile, I took the lead and introduced myself as Elise, extending a hand to her. I could feel the excitement in the air as I looked at Bill, who stood beside me, and introduced him as my best friend, Bill. The young woman seemed momentarily speechless, her words stuttering as she expressed her disbelief that Bill had come personally to inspect the apartments.
I smiled at her, understanding of her surprise. "Yes, it's quite a surprise," I said with a soft laugh. "But we're very interested in the apartments and wanted to come personally to see them." My voice sounded calm and confident, although my heart still skipped a beat at Bill's presence.
It was clear that she was impressed by his presence, and I couldn't blame her. Bill had always had a charismatic presence that immediately drew people in, and his presence always seemed to bring a certain magic with it. I smiled reassuringly at her as I gave Bill a look that couldn't hide his excitement over her reaction.
Bill reached out his hand to Julie, a friendly smile on his face as he tried to reassure her. "Could you tell us a bit more about this place?" he asked in a calm tone, his voice full of warmth and interest.
Julie quickly recovered from her surprise and assumed a professional posture again. However, her eyes occasionally wandered to Bill, as if she struggled to fully focus her attention on her explanation. She began with a description of the building and the surroundings, her voice clear and confident as she outlined the main features and amenities.
As Julie spoke, I noticed the subtle glances she cast towards Bill. Her eyes couldn't stay away from him, as if she were enchanted by his presence. I could see that Bill was unaware of her glances, as he continued to politely and attentively listen to her explanation, without drawing too much attention to himself.