That night changed everything. They were no longer able to deny the
feelings they had tried so hard to suppress. Both were wary, though, of
fully admitting the extent of feelings to the other, in the fear that,
despite what happened that night, the other did wholly reciprocate.
Difficult too, was concealing their fledgling relationship from those
around them. Neither set of parents (or parent in her case) would approve
of their progenies choice. For him, she was not really one of "them" and in
her case it was because he was one of "them".
He did not really mind not telling his family, as they had never really
been all that close, but for her the secrecy was taking its toll. Her
mother knew there was something she was not saying, but knew that this was
not one of those times where she would pressure her daughter for answers.
Notwithstanding these somewhat minor difficulties, the two were contented
with their relationship. She found a particular joy in finding him next to
her each morning. He found a distinct pleasure in the sound of his name
tumbling off her lips as they made love each night. Each discovered
happiness in small gestures such as these.
For several months their relationship continued in that manner. While each
had yet to admit their feelings, what they felt continued to grow both
stronger and deeper. Both wanted to tell the other, but feared rejection,
amongst other reactions.
For thanksgiving, he was being forced to come home. He was unhappy at the prospect of spending an entire weekend under the same roof as his parents, but knew that he could not get out of this particular obligation. As he packed his bags, she sensed his despair. Silently she walked up behind him, slowly kissing his neck. He turned around, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him on the lips. He began to stroke her back, and she leaned into him. He kissed her, and lifted her off the ground, carried her to the bed. His kisses became more urgent as desire swept over his body. She responded and matched the intensity of his kiss. He began to undress her, and softly kissed and nipped at each part of her exposed flesh. Her hands began to wander, caressing his body. The phone rang. The chauffer his mother had hired for him had arrived and was calling for him. He cursed under his breath and began to dress. She kissed him goodbye, then wandered into the bathroom, intent on taking a shower. For the entire ride home, he was plagued with various images of her beneath a stream of hot water.
As the car pulled into his driveway, he looked at his childhood home and he shuddered inwardly. He did not even think it deserved the title of home. Home was supposed to be somewhere warm, happy, and full of love. This place had none of that. To him it was merely the place he happened to grow up, and where his parents still resided. A butler opened the door before he had a chance to knock. He promptly took his bags and directed him to where he could find his parents. He went to his mother first, who was entertaining some of her friends. He gave her the perfunctory kiss, and then a polite greeting to each of the women present. He then excused himself and went to his fathers study. He knocked twice on the door and was answered with a quick "enter". He opened the door and said hello to his father. His father did not respond for a few seconds, then looked up from the papers he was working on, saying that dinner was at seven and immediately looked back down at his papers, wordlessly dismissing his son. He was used to that kind of behaviour, which was typical of his father. The coldness no longer bothered him, as it had in his earlier years. He went upstairs and saw his bags already neatly unpacked, and put away. He lay down on his bed, looking at the room which looked the same as it had when he moved out almost eight years before. Being in his room brought on a flood of memories, particularly ones involving his bed (and his floor, desk, bathroom, and just about anywhere in that massive room he had once called his, if he was going to be honest with himself). He smiled and wondered what she would think of that. She would probably smack the side of his head and scold him for the arrogant jerk he had once been. He allowed himself to laugh again, knowing it was probably the last time he would smile, let alone laugh, for the rest of the weekend. Dinner was informal that evening and was therefore a quiet event, being himself and his parents. They sat around the table, in complete silence, with only the maid clearing the dished each course making any noise. His father sat there reading a paper, his mother looking over some notes about the next evening's dinner party, and he just stared off into space, wishing he could be anywhere else. The next night was a bit different. His parents put on the show of being the happy married couple, talking laughing, smiling. He didn't know why they bothered. Everyone knew the truth; almost all of the other couples were doing the same thing too. He spent most of the night pushing his food around his plate, answering any questions directed towards him. He excused himself as early as possible, going to the outside terrace, despite the cold. He grabbed a bottle of wine and sat there thinking about nothing and everything. He realized he had lost track of the time when he looked at his watch as saw he had been sitting out there for almost four hours. He let himself back inside and headed towards the stairs. He stopped in front of his fathers study when he heard his parents shouting and the sounds of glass hitting a wall. He shrugged, used to this by now, and continued towards the stairs. As he lay in bed he thought about his parents, their fighting. In his twenty four years he had grown accustomed to his parents' behaviour, be it the cold glares, full of loathing, or the screaming matches. He used to wonder why they didn't divorce if they hated each other so much. As he got older he learned the reasons why; it simply didn't suit either of their lifestyles to bother with a divorce. His mother enjoyed the status and style with which her marriage provided her, and his father saw no reason to bother with a divorce, seeing as his wife provided the necessary so-called trophy wife, while pretending (usually) to not know about his extra-marital affairs. Lying there he promised himself he would never let his marriage get to be like that of his parents. As he was packing his bags, the butler came in telling him his father required his presence before he departed. He went down to his fathers study and gave to required two knocks before being permitted to enter. His father didn't even bother to look up. He skipped any pleasantries anyone else might have started with and instead opted to simply say what he wanted. "The DAR is having a gala dinner on New Years Eve, a charity function supporting something or another.. I will have my secretary mail you information about the location and time. You are expected to be there by both your mother and myself. That is all."
"Bad news kido" her mother said, "we're both being requested to attend a DAR gala dinner on New Years Eve, by your grandmother." "And by request she means we have no choice." "You've got it." They both hated that they could not be together on New Years Eve. Both were looking forward to a nice romantic night, sans family obligations. She had decided that it was best not to attend the gala together, deeming it an inappropriate time to announce them as being together. He would have like nothing better, but respected her wishes. They had fought enough times about the need for secrecy, but he decided that this time was just not worth the fight. If she was mad at him that night, she wouldn't be willing to meet up for a tryst later. She had left earlier that afternoon, intending to arrive with her mother. He drove to his parent's house a few hours later and got ready there.
She didn't want to have to go. As if spending the night in the company of people she at best barely tolerated wasn't enough, seeing the countless women throw themselves at her boyfriend (albeit secret one) all night did the trick. When she and her mother arrived they walked over to her grandparents to say hello. Once that was over with she went to get a drink, intending to make excellent use of the open bar. She wandered around, champagne glass in hand, saying hello to random acquaintances. She went back to her mother and grandparents. She saw him walk in with his parents. He was immediately swarmed with a hoard of people all trying to say hello. She watched as several women greeted him in a manner which was altogether too friendly in her opinion. He shook hands with a few more people, before joining his parents in their rounds. She didn't even notice him coming her way until her mother commented on the cute guy, heading in their direction. She looked up and saw him walking towards her, and she froze. Then she saw that he was still making rounds with his parents, who were friends of her grandparents. He was introduced by her grandmother to both herself and her mother. He kissed each of their hands, but he lingered on hers for just a second longer than necessary, looking her in the eye, his dancing with mischief. She groaned inwardly, knowing he was going to enjoy making her uncomfortable to whole night
For thanksgiving, he was being forced to come home. He was unhappy at the prospect of spending an entire weekend under the same roof as his parents, but knew that he could not get out of this particular obligation. As he packed his bags, she sensed his despair. Silently she walked up behind him, slowly kissing his neck. He turned around, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him on the lips. He began to stroke her back, and she leaned into him. He kissed her, and lifted her off the ground, carried her to the bed. His kisses became more urgent as desire swept over his body. She responded and matched the intensity of his kiss. He began to undress her, and softly kissed and nipped at each part of her exposed flesh. Her hands began to wander, caressing his body. The phone rang. The chauffer his mother had hired for him had arrived and was calling for him. He cursed under his breath and began to dress. She kissed him goodbye, then wandered into the bathroom, intent on taking a shower. For the entire ride home, he was plagued with various images of her beneath a stream of hot water.
As the car pulled into his driveway, he looked at his childhood home and he shuddered inwardly. He did not even think it deserved the title of home. Home was supposed to be somewhere warm, happy, and full of love. This place had none of that. To him it was merely the place he happened to grow up, and where his parents still resided. A butler opened the door before he had a chance to knock. He promptly took his bags and directed him to where he could find his parents. He went to his mother first, who was entertaining some of her friends. He gave her the perfunctory kiss, and then a polite greeting to each of the women present. He then excused himself and went to his fathers study. He knocked twice on the door and was answered with a quick "enter". He opened the door and said hello to his father. His father did not respond for a few seconds, then looked up from the papers he was working on, saying that dinner was at seven and immediately looked back down at his papers, wordlessly dismissing his son. He was used to that kind of behaviour, which was typical of his father. The coldness no longer bothered him, as it had in his earlier years. He went upstairs and saw his bags already neatly unpacked, and put away. He lay down on his bed, looking at the room which looked the same as it had when he moved out almost eight years before. Being in his room brought on a flood of memories, particularly ones involving his bed (and his floor, desk, bathroom, and just about anywhere in that massive room he had once called his, if he was going to be honest with himself). He smiled and wondered what she would think of that. She would probably smack the side of his head and scold him for the arrogant jerk he had once been. He allowed himself to laugh again, knowing it was probably the last time he would smile, let alone laugh, for the rest of the weekend. Dinner was informal that evening and was therefore a quiet event, being himself and his parents. They sat around the table, in complete silence, with only the maid clearing the dished each course making any noise. His father sat there reading a paper, his mother looking over some notes about the next evening's dinner party, and he just stared off into space, wishing he could be anywhere else. The next night was a bit different. His parents put on the show of being the happy married couple, talking laughing, smiling. He didn't know why they bothered. Everyone knew the truth; almost all of the other couples were doing the same thing too. He spent most of the night pushing his food around his plate, answering any questions directed towards him. He excused himself as early as possible, going to the outside terrace, despite the cold. He grabbed a bottle of wine and sat there thinking about nothing and everything. He realized he had lost track of the time when he looked at his watch as saw he had been sitting out there for almost four hours. He let himself back inside and headed towards the stairs. He stopped in front of his fathers study when he heard his parents shouting and the sounds of glass hitting a wall. He shrugged, used to this by now, and continued towards the stairs. As he lay in bed he thought about his parents, their fighting. In his twenty four years he had grown accustomed to his parents' behaviour, be it the cold glares, full of loathing, or the screaming matches. He used to wonder why they didn't divorce if they hated each other so much. As he got older he learned the reasons why; it simply didn't suit either of their lifestyles to bother with a divorce. His mother enjoyed the status and style with which her marriage provided her, and his father saw no reason to bother with a divorce, seeing as his wife provided the necessary so-called trophy wife, while pretending (usually) to not know about his extra-marital affairs. Lying there he promised himself he would never let his marriage get to be like that of his parents. As he was packing his bags, the butler came in telling him his father required his presence before he departed. He went down to his fathers study and gave to required two knocks before being permitted to enter. His father didn't even bother to look up. He skipped any pleasantries anyone else might have started with and instead opted to simply say what he wanted. "The DAR is having a gala dinner on New Years Eve, a charity function supporting something or another.. I will have my secretary mail you information about the location and time. You are expected to be there by both your mother and myself. That is all."
"Bad news kido" her mother said, "we're both being requested to attend a DAR gala dinner on New Years Eve, by your grandmother." "And by request she means we have no choice." "You've got it." They both hated that they could not be together on New Years Eve. Both were looking forward to a nice romantic night, sans family obligations. She had decided that it was best not to attend the gala together, deeming it an inappropriate time to announce them as being together. He would have like nothing better, but respected her wishes. They had fought enough times about the need for secrecy, but he decided that this time was just not worth the fight. If she was mad at him that night, she wouldn't be willing to meet up for a tryst later. She had left earlier that afternoon, intending to arrive with her mother. He drove to his parent's house a few hours later and got ready there.
She didn't want to have to go. As if spending the night in the company of people she at best barely tolerated wasn't enough, seeing the countless women throw themselves at her boyfriend (albeit secret one) all night did the trick. When she and her mother arrived they walked over to her grandparents to say hello. Once that was over with she went to get a drink, intending to make excellent use of the open bar. She wandered around, champagne glass in hand, saying hello to random acquaintances. She went back to her mother and grandparents. She saw him walk in with his parents. He was immediately swarmed with a hoard of people all trying to say hello. She watched as several women greeted him in a manner which was altogether too friendly in her opinion. He shook hands with a few more people, before joining his parents in their rounds. She didn't even notice him coming her way until her mother commented on the cute guy, heading in their direction. She looked up and saw him walking towards her, and she froze. Then she saw that he was still making rounds with his parents, who were friends of her grandparents. He was introduced by her grandmother to both herself and her mother. He kissed each of their hands, but he lingered on hers for just a second longer than necessary, looking her in the eye, his dancing with mischief. She groaned inwardly, knowing he was going to enjoy making her uncomfortable to whole night