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Chapter 20.

A week before christmas

Will was in the kitchen cooking dinner when Karen and Jack entered his apartment.
"What's for dinner William?" Jack asked.
"What do you want?" Will asked.
"What? I was just asking what's for dinner?"
"You used my full name, you never do that unless you want something. Now what is it you want?"
"Karen needs someone to go with her and I can't 'cause I got a hot date."
"Go where?"
"To some ball or something. It's in Rockefeller Center."
"Karen, is this true? You need someone to go with you?" Grace asked, coming out of the bathroom where she just had had a shower.
"Yes, it is" Karen answered and looked down at the floor.
"I'm sure Will can go with you" Grace said and winked at Will when no one was looking. She also mouthed: 'This is your chance, take it.'
Will cleared his throat and said:
"Alright, I'll go with you if that's what you want Karen."
She looked up and at him, smiling unsurely.
"Are you sure? This is a ball where you are required to have a tux and be really fancy."
"Yes, I am sure. If you want I will go with you."
"Thank you Will" she said and smiled at him.
His heart skipped a beat as he smiled back.
"When is it?" he asked.
"On Christmas Eve" she answered.
"Really? OK" he said.
"I'm sorry, did you have plans?" she asked.
"No, not really" he said.
His mind was going 100 miles a minute now. Was that the right time to tell her?
"Dinner is served" he exlaimed five minutes later.
The four sat down to eat and talked. Will smiled to himself, this was probably a perfect opportunity for him to tell her, but he had to make her feel comfortable with him first and right now it didn't seem like she quite did yet.

Next day

Next morning Will woke up early, but couldn't go back to sleep so he got up instead. He made coffee, poured himself a cup and stood in front of his balcony door and looked outside. It was going to be a beautiful day. It was cold but clear out. The frost was shimmering everywhere, no snow yet but he had heard that it was coming.

He needed some fresh air so he put on some warm clothes and went out for a walk. This time he ended up in front of the door to Karen's mansion. He hesitantly raised his hand to knock, but didn't and turned around and started walking away, but changed his mind again and went and knocked on the door.
It was answered by one of the maids.
"Yes?"
"I need to speak to mrs Walker."
He was let inside as the maid showed him the way to Karen's library. He sat down in the loveseat to wait for Karen to appear.

She came a minute later, a martini as usual in her hand and wearing her red satin nightgown and a matching robe, causing him to swallow hard trying to control himself.

"What do you want Wilma?"
"Sorry that I woke you up."
"Don't be silly, I've not been to bed yet."
"Just wondered if you wanted to do something today with me."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I just feel that we don't know each other very well and if we're going to that dance it would be a good thing if we did know each other and not fight with each other all the time."
"You may have a point there Wilma. Besides it wouldn't be good if they saw me fight with you after telling them that you're my ... well don't take this the wrong way now, but I told them you are my whore."
"You what?" Will blurted out.
"Yeah I did, I'm sorry but I had to say something and if they know I'm there with a gay man, well they would have no end to their insults and speaking behind my back."
"Alright" Will sighed. "I can accept that." Inside he was a little irritated though.
Karen looked at him questioningly. She had never in a million years believed that he would accept it. She thought he would change his mind in that instant.
"You what?" she asked, confusion in her voice.
"I don't approve of you calling me your whore but if that's what it takes for them to stop talking bad well, then I'm there."
"What's this? Who are you? What's going on Wilma?" Karen asked, looking confused.
"Nothing."
"You are up to something Wilma, I can sense it."
"No, I'm not. I just want to get to know you."
She didn't ask anything else, but she looked at him with suspicion in her eyes. He sighed when he saw that.
"So, do you want to hang out today or not?" he asked.
"Yeah, sure. What do you have in mind?" she asked, a little less confused now.
"You wanna go for a walk? A movie later? Or a movie now? I like your movie collection."
"Yeah? Well I like it too. I love old movies" she said and put her martini down on a small table next to the loveseat and sat down next to him.
"How about a movieday today?" Will asked.
"Sounds good Wilma."

They walked together to the mediaroom and Will sat down in the same couch he had been in last time.
"What movie should we start with?" Karen asked.
"You pick this time" Will answered.
"OK" she answered and picked one.
"What did you start with?" Will asked.
"Wait and see" she answered and pressed the playbutton.
It was an old movie, a classic called "The shop around the corner" starring among others James Stewart and is about a man and a woman being penfriends, romancing each other in letters and in real life they hate each other. Will saw so many similarities in the movie and in real life with him and Karen that it was almost unbearable.

Two movies later, Will had fallen asleep with his head leaned back. Karen smiled when she saw him sleep. 'He was is cute when he's sleeping', she thought. 'Why are all the best and cutest guys gay?'

"Will?" she said softly and shook his arm lightly.
He stirred a little but didn't wake up.
"Will?" she said again this time a little louder and now she shook his shoulder.
"Hi" he mumbled as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Hi" she said and smiled.
"Sorry, did I fall I asleep?"
"Yes honey you did."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

He was now fully awake.

"That's OK. Why don't we take a break and go and get you some coffee or something?"
"Sounds like a plan."

They got up from the couch and went to the library and called for Rosario to bring them something to eat and some coffee.

Half an hour later they had eaten and had some coffee and were once again ready for a movie more so they went back to the mediaroom.

"You pick a movie this time Will" Karen said and sat down in the couch.

He let his fingertips run across the titles. He didn't know what movie to pick.