-1948 -

He usually noticed her presence immediately, and now it was her not being present he noticed immediately.

" Morning Gertie. Miss Street not in yet? "

" Good morning, Mr. Mason. No, she phoned early this morning, she asked to request you for a day off. "

" A day off? Is she all right? "

" Well,… I ...it's not up to me to tell you, Mr. Mason, but she was quite upset. "

" About what ? "

" I… I can't tell you…" Gertie blushed and looked away from Mason.

" I'm sorry…" he raised a hand to her for reassurance. " I only asked because I want to know if there is something we can do for her…"

" I don't know, I don't think so, Mr. Mason. But she said she was going to call again at nine to ask your permission for a day off, and maybe tomorrow as well. "

At exactly nine, the phone rang, and he picked it up himself immediately.

" Perry Mason Attorney at Law…" he couldn't suppress a smile when he heard her hesitation. " Hello? "

" Oh, Mr. Mason. Goodmorning, I expected Gertie, I'm sorry…" she sounded like she was having a cold.

" That's okay. How are you, Della? "

" I would like a day off today, if you don't mind. I will be there again tomorrow. "

" That will be fine, but that was not what I asked. I asked how you were. "

" What did Gertie tell you? " She was suspicious.

" Nothing. She only said that you were upset about something, and that you had requested for a day off. Maybe tomorrow also. "

" Tomorrow will not be necessary, today will do. Thank you."

" You might want to reconsider that. Maybe you should take your time to think about things…"

There was a silence on the other side of the line.

" What exactly did Gertie tell you, Mr. Mason? "

" Nothing, Della. I just know that sometimes time can be a good medicine to the heart and mind. And I know you don't lightly take time off at such short notice like now. Something must be bothering you. "

" I'll be there tomorrow at eight again, Mr. Mason. "

" You don't have to, Della. "

" I know, but I want to. I could use some distraction. "

The next morning, he made sure he came in before her. He wanted to see if she was really all right. He didn't believe it. And he was curious. And he felt weird. He knew the feeling, it was familiair, but he denied it. With every fibre in his mind he denied it. Yet his body, his heart was telling him a different story.

" Hi. " Her demure smile wasn't quite reassuring.

" Hi. " And he sounded shy. " How are you? "

" I have been better. " She looked at her hands and removed a plush that wasn't there from her skirt.

" What did you do yesterday? "

" Well, after I phoned you, and you told me it was all right to take the day off, I went to the beach, took a long stroll along the waterline, and I had some lunch there. It was nice actually. "

" Alone? " Wrong tone, Mason...

" Yes, alone…"

" Do you feel better ? " he asked. He was very aware he didn't make it sound as if he was questioning her.

" Yes. " But she didn't. He saw it, and she knew he saw it.

The silence that followed was awkward between them. She didn't watch him. She felt uncomfortable, not at ease with his direct attention, though it was genuine and meant well, she could tell. She didn't like that it felt as if he was looking right through her. As if she couldn't hide. This must be what it felt like if he questioned someone at the stand, she thought.

" Is there anything I can do for you? " he finally asked.

" No. Well, you can start going through your mail, and then we set the agenda for this week and next week? "

" Okay, back to work…" he stood up from her desk to walk to his office, and turned around. " But then at least let me make you some coffee? "

" Sure. If you want to…" She smiled a radiant smile to him.

Her smile grew even bigger when his head came around the kitchendoor. " Ehm… you're going to have to help me with that, please? "

She walked to the kitchen and helped him with the perculator. She glanced sidewards to him. " You seriously don't know how to make coffee? "

" Yeah, well I know actually, but your coffee is better. I missed your coffee yesterday. Made it myself. It was ehm… well, … let's say it was very clearly not yours. "

" Henry taught me how to make good coffee…" she tried to sound businesslike, but had a hard time in maintaining her pose, standing next to a criminal lawyer who was very used to see people hiding true emotions. And was even more used to reveal them. She felt the blue eyes piercing her posture.

He played along with her. " Who? "

" Henry. My boyfriend. My fiancee." She swallowed. " Well, he was. We broke up the day before yesterday. He did."

" I'm very sorry, Della. " So that was it. He dared to ask " Why? "

She turned from him, and opened the closet above her head to take two cups out. He watched her closely from behind and waited patiently. She put the cups down on the counter too hard. She murmured " ...because I can't have children. "

" Sorry, what did you say? " he wanted to pull it out of her, he wanted to get the barrier down, and if necessary, the hard way. She needed to calm down, and she couldn't do that if she didn't get this of her chest.

" He turned me down because I can't have children…" She turned around, and leaned back to the counter. Her hands were on her face, unsuccesfully whiping away her tears.

Mason forced himself not to react immediately. Henry is a bloody fool.

" I'm sorry…I thought I didn't have to cry anymore..." she sobbed.

" Della…" Gently he reached out to hold her shoulders, and she took a step in his direction. Her shoulders were shaking against his hands, and he tugged her closer, hesitating, not sure if this reaction was the right one for her. To him it was a natural one. He hesitated before stroking her back slowly, while he told himself he was just a friend comforting a friend. In the back of his mind another thought came up, but he refused it. Ignored it firmly.

It took her a few minutes to calm down. She slowly started to speak again, and sniffed. " It's al right actually. "

No, it's not, Della.

" They said this would happen, and that I'd better get used to it. They said …"

" They said what? " He wanted to know so much more. Who said what? When?

" It's not important anyway. " Yes, it is, Della. " I was making you coffee." She returned her attention to the perculator, and stepped past him to fill their cups.

He watched her closely when she handed him his cup. Her teary eyes smiled at him. " We are still going to have dinner tonight? " it was more like a statement than a question.

" If that's what you want, yes. I would like to. " He nodded and returned her smile.

######

- 1948, six weeks later -

The morningnewspapers all reported about the father who was arrested for killing the attacker of his young teenage daughter. At lunchtime, Paul and Perry frantically discussed if he should have the deathpenalty. Paul didn't notice Della didn't join the discussion, she just had her lunch and read the paper without looking up. Or pretended she was reading the paper.

It made Perry wonder. When Paul had left, he decided to ask her about it. " What's up, Della? Why were you so silent ? Are you all right? "

" Did you ever see someone assault someone else? " she asked while clearing their dishes. " I mean, apart from during the war? "

" No, not really. I've seen people taking a swing at eachother, or swearing at eachother, arguing. Never really saw an assault. Did you? "

" Yes, I did…"

" Did you see it? " he pretended to be reading, as if he wasn't really paying attention. " Or , eh… were you involved in it? "

" I ehm… I kind of wanted to prevent it from happening..." she sat down and clasped her hands in front of her on the table.

" I see…" He sat back, and said nothing. He sensed she was going to tell him something serious.

" I saw ehm… I saw a friend being assaulted once, by a man, he was beating her up and she couldn't defend herself. So I went up to them and helped her. I pulled Angelina, my friend, away from him, but then he started to hit me and kick me, until Angelina stabbed him. He was badly wounded, but got the knife from her and stabbed back at her…. hurting her face and her eyes. She's been blind ever since… "

He blew out some air. " That must have been quite something, Della. "

" It was… We were young, I mean, she was fourteen, I was seventeen. It was the first time I experienced someone could hurt another person deliberately. " She swallowed. " You know, Perry, today's story reminded me about Angelina's father, Manuelo Domenico. He was so angry, he went to the hospital to find our attacker, and if noone had stopped him, he probably would have killed him. And I honestly don't think I would have blamed him. I think the whole village wouldn't have blamed him. " She watched Perry thoughtfully. " Though I know it's wrong, and I know people shouldn't be their own judge. I just wanted to say I understand. "

Perry shifted in his chair. " You know, I understand him too, I do. But, that's not the discussion. The discussion is if, and if yes, how, to punish someone who's so driven by grief or any other strong emotion, he kills someone else. "

"' I know. I think there should be lesser punishment maybe. "

" And we still should prevent these things from happening. "

" Yes. "

" So, we agree. " He smiled at her softly.

" Were you wounded? " he asked after a short silence.

" Well, I...I… " she obviously struggled to tell him.

" You don't have to tell me…. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. "

" No, it's all right. I...He had kicked me so hard, I lost my ovaries. That's why I …"

" … can't have children. " He nodded.

" Yes, and, well, that's why…"

" ...Henry turned you down. " Idiot. " I'm sorry, Della…"

" When I was just told I could never have children , they told me this was likely to happen. That it might be hard for me to find a husband. It just never hit me this hard. " She sighed. " I could have been married though…" she laughed a genuine chuckle. " Angelina's father was so grateful I helped his daughter, he asked his son Michael to marry me when I was eightteen. We were actually engaged for a while. "

" But you broke up? "

" Oh, we were very good friends, he made me laugh, we had a good time. But we weren't in love. It wouldn't have worked. He obviously wanted to see more of the world, more girls that is, and I didn't want to be married to someone because of some sort of gratitude. Or guilt. You know...as if his father had said, oh, she saved our Angelina, and now she can't have children anymore, so we provide her with our son. I didn't want to be dependent like that. "

" Is that why you moved here? "

" Part of it, yes. I wanted to decide about my future myself, and I thought I couldn't do that if I stayed around there. Our parents were devastated when we broke off the engagement. My mother was furious that I let go of the opportunity to marry Michael. Sometimes she still reminds me of it, you know. When she says I could have had a marriage. Or when she says it's hard to find a husband that doesn't want children. Or when she says I'll end up being an old spinster. " She laughed out loud.

" Your mother forgets that you were brave enough to save a child's life. "

" She does. I think about that a lot. Angelina lives in a special home now, for blind people. I visit her there sometimes. Last time I was there she told me, she's in love. I'm just happy she's happy. "

" You are something special, Della. " he squeezed her hand. Not knowing exactly when he had caught it, he stroked her fingers softly and then let go." But I already knew that. " He wasn't sure if he had said that out loud.

" Thanks, Perry. " She gave him a radiant smile. His eyes captured hers for a few seconds, and she returned the stare. He saw strength and humor in her lively hazel eyes. And so much more. How easy would it be to love her. How could someone think she would be alone for long? He knew if things were his way, it wouldn't be long. He knew how to interpret the warmth he felt for this remarkable woman.

Of course he knew about her story, because he had her backgrounds checked thoroughly before she started working for him as his confidential secretary. It was the way she didn't share it with just everybody, the silent and proud way she carried this burden, that made him weak. From the moment they started working together, he had admired her strength, her class, her beauty of course, her working skills, but now he had seen her weakness, and how she dealt with herself and life.

There was no point in denying it anymore. What he felt for her was pure and it was love. There was no other way to put it.

One of these days he was going to tell her. His addiction and devotion to the truth promised him it was right.

####

- 1948 - another six weeks later

Closing up the office, he looked forward to a long relaxing weekend. He would sleep late tomorrow, have a leisuring lunch somewhere, catch a movie somewhere, and then sleep some more until Sunday and pick up Della to go to the beach. Maybe tell her how he felt.

It was the way she walked into his office now, that made him stop breathing for two seconds.

" You' re not gone for the weekend yet, Della? "

" I...ehm… I still wanted to say 'thank you'. "

" Thank you too. I should say that every day you perform your miracles here."

" No, that's just my job…. I've been meaning to thank you for what you did when I broke up with Henry. Without any other intention than to just comfort me. You made me feel better. You make me feel better. "

" I wasn't really. "

" Really what? "

" Without intentions…"

" You weren't? "

" It was genuine, but I was…." he paused.

" What? "

" Honestly? "

" Yes, honestly…"

He swallowed hard, when he turned his gaze from her. " I'm not sure I can tell you…"

" Oh, come on, you know just about everything there is to know about me. You can tell me. "

" I was relieved. "

" Relieved? "

" Yeah. " he extinguished his cigarette. " I felt relieved, because it meant you were free. "

He didn't know if he should feel encouraged or disencouraged by the amazing big eyes that were staring at him in surprise and curiosity.

" Actually, all I could think about afterwards…" he turned around and swallowed.

" Yes...? "

" All I could think of was what it would feel like if I'd kiss you. " He didn't want to face her, he damned his insecurity. What if she took this the wrong way? " I'm sorry, Della, I do know it's highly unprofessional, and I … "

" What if you did? " her voice startled him. He paused there. It wasn't her voice that startled him. It was her tone of voice that startled him.

" Did what? " He turned to her again.

She looked down, and whiped the carpet with her foot. " What if you kissed me? "

" I don't know…what if I did? "

She tilted her head, and narrowed her eyes. " I don't know either. "

" Would you mind? "

" I don't know. Why don't you find out? "

For one short moment, time stood still. The office was silent, no sounds reached his ears, dusk slowy polished the hard edges of the truth that could hold disillusion. He decided to take a change. He stepped closer to her and brought his hands to her face. Her skin was as soft and smooth to his hands as he had imagined. Her hazel eyes watched him as he watched her, questioning, seeking for an answer, to see if this was the right thing to do, knowing it was because it felt too good to be wrong. He brushed his lips to hers, while they both held their breath. His hands cupped her face, and he moved closer. Her hands took the lapels of his suitjacket as he continued, slowly moving his thumbs across her cheeks, sultry tasting her lips, soft, sweet, real. Then he pulled back from the bewitching connection to gauge her reaction.

" I don't. " she said softly, and opened her eyes to him.

" Don't what? "

" Don't mind. "

" Oh. "

" Though it is highly unprofessional. " The small twinkle in her eyes puzzled him.

" Uh? "

" Well, that's what my boss said. "

He gathered himself together quickly. " Oh, your boss? Yes. Well, I know for a fact your boss can be a fool sometimes. And maybe he just doesn't know how to kiss properly…" he pulled her to him and sat down on his desk, not losing her eyes for one moment.

" Maybe he needs some practical lessons…" she lingered her arms around his neck, while his hands moved to her waist, to the small of her back. She fit to him like a glove. This could not be wrong.

" Maybe... " He felt and tasted her kiss in advance and already enjoyed it, and his look into her eyes was a sultry smiling one. He drew her head to him again, and kissed her again, less hesitating this time. Her soft moan sent a shock through his body. He realised she liked it as much as he did. He felt the tickling touch of her fingers at the back of his neck and in his hair, and the shiver it caused reached his groin. He held her back.

" Della…"

" Perry…? "

" What is happening here? "

" What do you mean, what is happening? This is called 'kissing', chief. It's should be a nice experience, exchanged by two grown-ups, who like eachother, and…"

" ...and…? " he marveled at her pursing lips and her beautiful eyes. She was even prettier now that he could watch her closely.

" ...like to kiss…" She tilted her head just a little, to give them room to deepen their kiss.

" Do we like eachother? " he asked, letting go of her lips, exhaling audibly.

She smiled at him. " Don't you like me? "

" Like you? " he smiled a little smile and watched her beautiful, blushing face. " I think I just confessed to you I am in love with you…"

" I think it's mutual…" her tone was serious.

" You think…? "

" Really, my boss? "

" Could we forget about the boss-secretary thing for a moment. I mean: could it be ' just you and me' for now? "

" Mmm-mmm, ' just you and me'. That would be fine. " She trailed his lips with her index finger.

" Sounds good, doesn't it. Just you and me. Where do 'just you and me' want to go now? And, from here? "

" Maybe we can pick up some take-away, and have it at my place? And talk about it ? "

" We have some serious talking to do, Della. "

" Yes, we do… I know... " She wrapped her arms around his neck and he returned her embrace. " You and me."

" Yes, just you and me."