I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Sixty-Two

'Not when I have to do an entire country in a week.' I shrugged, 'I'd rather remain at the house anyway. Alex is the adventurer.'

'Is she?' The corners of her thin lips curled a bit, she reminded me of a cat.

'Absolutely. For her last birthday she bought us tickets for a hot air balloon ride.'

This time she gave me a proper smile, 'Really?' She glanced in Alex's direction and then back to me, 'Just the two of you?'

'Yes.'

'It's nearly always just the two of you, isn't it?'

She seemed to be pleased by that and I smiled warily. 'Yes. It is now at any rate.'

She lowered her voice, 'Is that so?'

I matched her tone, 'Yes, she broke it off with her boyfriend just before term began.'

There was a moment where I knew Cass had got it. Then she nodded and smiled, 'Well, well.' I couldn't help grinning and looking at my lap, which only amused her further and she asked,

'What do you know?'

I met her eyes again, 'We haven't...'

'Told anyone?' That wasn't what I meant, but it was true so I nodded and she said, 'I feel rather honoured, then. Alexandra has always been a very kind sort.'

I nodded, 'Yes, she is. So...you know...' I shook my head to indicate I wanted her to keep it to herself and she nodded.

'Don't worry. I know all about discretion.'

I exhaled, glad to have someone else know. and looked at Alex who smiled back and caught Cass's grin. Alex coloured a bit and returned to her conversation with Professor Louden and Sir Charles. I hoped she wouldn't be upset with me for telling someone.

Cass leaned a bit closer to me, 'I must know...when...?'

'About three weeks ago.'

She was smiling broadly by then. 'Is that so?' I had never seen her so happy about something. It was nice to know someone else was as thrilled for us as we were.

I nodded, 'Yes...It's...great.'

We chatted in low tones until Kenneth ambled over in his goofy way, 'What're you two nattering on about over here?'

Cass resumed her typical demeanour like one of those time lapse films of a pond freezing over and said, 'Girl things you wouldn't find interesting.'

He held up his hands in a surrender gesture, 'Oh, don't let me interrupt you, then.' Then he sat on the arm of the sofa so Cass and I went on to talk about what was going on over in the States.

In the car on the drive home Alex asked, 'What were you and Dr MacBeth talking about so covertly over there, as if I didn't know.'

I giggled, 'Um...football. Yeah, we were talking about Manchester United's chances for the World Cup.'

'Riiiiight.'

I laughed, 'Is it all right, really? She won't go blabbing it to everyone and she seemed happy for us.'

'It's all right, though we should be...'

'Discreet?'

She nodded, 'Yes', and breathed out. 'I know this is a great thing and it's exciting and new and everything, but...it's more new to me than you might be able to understand.'

'Because you've always been straight and are used to people being all right with that. You've never had to deal with people perhaps not liking you because of the person you were involved with.'