Retro: Behind Closed Doors

Sometimes even an author is not allowed behind the closed doors of her characters when they are going through something. I know Eliza has been talking a lot with Oscar, but Cleo has been a little more elusive…

This is a retro post from last year—what a difference a year makes! 

Rafe smirked at Eliza, and she stuck her tongue out at him. Her focus was on setting the table for their intimate dinner party.

She and Oscar had talked shortly after seeing each other in the cafe. He needed to know that she did not judge him, and she needed to know that they were still friends. Their conversation was extensive, and to show good faith she invited him and Chloe over to have dinner with her and Rafe.

“Everything looks lovely, Liza,” Rafe said, pulling her close to him.

He still held her close when they let in Oscar and Chloe. Oscar held Chloe’s hand protectively, and Chloe smiled shyly as a greeting.

Oscar told Eliza that he had told Chloe about them, and Eliza wanted Chloe to know that she was not a threat. When Chloe sat down, it was clear that Sally or someone had raised a very elegant young woman. Chloe had perfect table manners, and though she did not touch Oscar, but her feelings for him were clear. She avoided looking at Eliza and Rafe, which troubled Eliza.

By dessert, Chloe leaned close to Oscar and he caressed her bare arm absently.

When Chloe got up to go to the bathroom, Eliza followed her. Chloe looked stricken when she saw Eliza’s reflection in the mirror.

“Hi,” Eliza said, making eye contact with the younger woman in the mirror.

Chloe smiled back at her reflection, before she walked past Eliza. Unlike with her Chloe’s mother when she came to her apartment, Eliza took Chloe’s arm,

“I am not the enemy.”

Chloe nodded, and Eliza was not sure that she believed her.

Apparently she did, because that was the first of many couples’ dinners that the four of them had. Chloe began to open up more and more, which made Eliza happy. She even started to talk to Rafe. Chloe’s conversations with Rafe were such that she spent more time with him almost than she did with the rest of them.

Eliza did not mind, she knew her husband was sexy, and she knew he liked the attention as well.

“Are you okay?” Oscar asked her, and she was aware that they were staring at their partners with each other.

Eliza nodded, and Oscar took her hand.

“I know that women are atrracted to my husband, that nothing is wrong with a little flirting.”

“You think they are flirting?” he questioned.

“What do you think?”

Eliza was not sure what to think herself, but looking at Chloe and her husband she was not sure what kind of complication that this would make…

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