Julie wandered into the outer office. She had been to an exhibition downtown and decided to pop in on her dad on the way back. Maybe even get a lift home if he was finishing at a normal time today.
She saw his door was closed and he was talking to Jess Devlin, so she pulled up a chair at one of the empty desks and sat down to wait. Pulling out her notes, she figured she might as well get some work done while she waited, but she found herself watching her father and Jess instead. Something about them drew her attention, but she couldn't put her finger on what it might be.
Jess was relaxed in her chair, looking up at Sebastian, who was leaning against his desk legs stretched out in front of him next to Jess. She was smiling softly, as he expounded on whatever subject, with great emphasis and gesturing, ending with them both in fits of laughter. When they had calmed, Jess took up the thread of conversation and Sebastian, looking down at her still with a small smile on his face, interjected a comment from time to time.
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you interrupted him. I don't think they are working." Raina's comment surprised her, she had been so focussed on her observations that she hadn't realized anyone had come in.
"Uh, no, I don't mind waiting. I mean, I was just …", what was she just doing?, oh yes, watching her father and Jess, trying to figure out why things seemed different, "… I guess I was just watching them. They seem so … comfortable together." That's when it suddenly struck her what the difference was. Her father wasn't working the angles, trying to get something out of the situation, he was just relaxed and enjoying the company. Something she hadn't seen in him for ages, if ever. Not in the last years of her parents marriage at any rate, and she couldn't say with certainty before that. And not with any of the women she had seen him with since, whether for one date or three.
He looked up at that moment, and his face split in a wide grin of welcome as he met her gaze. He waved for her to come in, as he said something to Jess, who started preparing to leave. He reached out to help her up in an unconscious gesture, his eyes shining softly, and she smiled, resting her hand briefly on his shoulder.
Julie turned to Raina, shocked at the sudden realisation.
"He has no idea, does he?"
"Not a clue." Raina chuckled quietly. "Don't worry though, I don't think anyone else has seen it either. There aren't that many quiet moments around here."
"Does she know, do you think?"
Raina looked over at the pair in the office briefly, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I'm not sure, but I think probably not."
"So?"
"So, we let them discover this on their own."
