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IF THE PAST TWENTY minutes were the most painfully embarrassing in her entire marriage, it was worth it for this. This sense of comfort, this intimacy she’d been craving.
The lunch dishes remained on the table, the leftover soup cooling in the pan on the stovetop, but she and Greg were together, enjoying each other’s presence, relishing the fact that things had finally slowed down enough that they could take this Sunday afternoon nap together.
Or afternoon cuddle, to be more accurate.
She’d told him about Miles. Not everything. Certainly not about the dream, but about how she was starting to feel uncomfortable spending so much time with him. She started off saying she wasn’t sure how appropriate it would be for them to meet in the school now that all the students were on Christmas break and there wouldn’t be anyone else around.
At first, Greg had shrugged off her arguments. “You’re both adults,” he’d said, “and you know you have my full trust.”
She decided to take it from a slightly different angle. “Yeah, but don’t you think it could potentially make things weird with certain people at the church? If they saw us meeting together every day in an empty school?”
“I guess you’re right.” That’s when he’d leaned over and kissed her. “Have I told you lately that I’m the luckiest man in the world? Thank you for being so honest with me.”
The words had sent a twinge of guilt pulsing through her chest. Yes, she’d been honest, but not about everything. She hadn’t mentioned Miles stopping over last night while she was practicing at the church, and she hadn’t been able to find the words to explain to Greg the emotional connection she’d felt when he helped her discover her voice. But it was a start. Every step forward had to begin with just that. A single step. At least this time, they were moving in the right direction.
She hadn’t known what to expect when she opened up to Greg. Her mom had spent so many months doing her best to convince Katrina that she was marrying a jealous, maniacal control freak, one who wouldn’t let her have any relationships outside of their marriage, who would throw a temper tantrum any time Katrina tried to do something remotely independent.
Well, her mom had been wrong. Greg wasn’t doing anything to keep Katrina locked up. As she lay next to her husband, feeling closer to him and more relaxed than she had in months, she was certain she’d done the right thing by telling Greg what she had.
“What are you thinking about, Mouse?” He asked as he stroked the top of her head.
“Just trying to figure out how to put the lessons on hold without it coming across as awkward.”
Greg rolled onto his side and faced her. “You know, I’ve been thinking. Since you’re not comfortable meeting him at the school, why don’t you have your lessons over at the church?”
“Really? You think that would be ok?”
“Yeah. Since you’re worried about keeping up proper appearances, I’ll just make sure that I don’t have any meetings or visits scheduled anywhere else so I can be sure to be there while you meet.”
“I guess that could work out pretty well,” she said, testing the idea out.
She was glad when he changed subjects.
“So I hear that Mrs. Porter volunteered to take over the pageant.”
There was so much that could be said in response. She could tell her husband about the overheard conversation in the bathroom, about how she felt equally relieved and dismissed to no longer be in charge of the Christmas pageant. How she wished the people in their church would understand she had no leadership abilities whatsoever. Instead she just rested against his shoulder, so close she could hear his heartbeat. The warmth of their bodies pressed together and covered by the heavy quilts on the bed made her feel cozy and warm in a house that was usually as frigid as Vivaldi’s Winter. While there certainly was a time and place for brutally honest and deep, heartfelt conversations, there was also a time for silent togetherness, basking in one another’s nearness.
Katrina didn’t want to break the spell the silence cast over them, and soon she was asleep.