Secrets Revealed

Chapter 1

 ©2012 Neroli Laverack

  

"Every family has a story...welcome to ours"

CHAPTER 1

 

 

A knock on the wall outside my office stirred me from my stupor, this time I was staring at a stain on my white bland wall; I snapped my eyes to see a well-dressed man with two cups of steaming coffee. I gave him a welcoming wave inside.

"Dave! Fancy seeing you here on this dreary Tuesday morning, huh?" I gave a slight chuckle.

"Ha-ha, well it is a dreary one, hence the coffee! I just wanted to see if you had that file for Lillian? I need it to send to one of her colleagues," He said while flicking his rusty brown locks out of his eyes. Dave was a well presented man; he took a step into my office. I noticed his shoes, black and extremely shiny, very Dave. My eyes then travelled upward noticing his very well off grey suit pants and a subtle mauve dress shirt with a silk striped vest. Anyone who didn't know him would think he wasn't straight. I guess that is what I love about him; he never tried to correct them, even when he got asked out by countless men. He was very secure in his masculinity.

Not intentionally ignoring his question I blurted out, "Mate, once again your style is crazy good!"

He hands me a steaming cup of coffee. "Well, I aim to please." Whilst blowing his curls out of his eyes showing a cheesy grin.

I closed my eyes as I smelt the rich cinnamon and coffee blend. I opened them to find Dave looking at me expectantly. Placing my coffee cup on my desk, I furrowed my brow.

 "Oh, ah, right...what file Dave?" I seemed quite blasé, I guess the smell of coffee really was intoxicating my senses.   

Dave rolled his eyes again. "You know the file with the list of manuscripts that Lillian is thinking of getting published? She needs it in her meeting and she told me to get it from you before, seeing as you're her secretary or assistant and everything, I'd figured you'd have it on the desk for me to take straight away."

The mention of manuscripts and a meeting jolted my memory. "Oh, those, they're here somewhere. Let me just look for you."

Not bothering to get out of my chair I swung it around and dove into my very structured filing cabinet, I looked around through the many folders for the manuscript list that was needed, as I was looking for it, Dave decided to ask the all too familiar question that has been resurfacing at any chance it can.

"So Louise, I was just wondering how your family is going from Down Under?" he said in one breath knowing I would interrupt if he didn't.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"They're fine and..." I stared into his eyes and discontinued, trailing off.

Dave looked pointedly, wanting to know more. "I haven't been in much contact over a couple of months, all I know is that they miss me and they want me to visit soon. I guess they're fine, you know very well I've been busy and... well I haven't been able to contact them." Wanting to shift the topic away from my family I changed the subject. "And why do you insist on calling it Down Under?" I put forward a fake smile, hoping Dave would buy it. Dave gave a small laugh and plopped on my desk, his legs hanging over the side.

"I don't know? It sounds better. Australia's just a mouthful, and to answer your first question, because I'm genuinely interested in how you and your family are going?"