Chapter 16

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By the time Alan got to work the discomfort that had come from his breakfast conversation with his parents had dissipated. Once again his recollections of Tom and their meeting the night before pushed aside the temporary hesitancy he had felt that morning when he had realized a relationship with a man wasn’t going to be easy to explain. When Alan sat at his desk and started to organize his work schedule, he was smiling and humming as the resurgence of positive feelings about his new approach to life took control once more.

Halfway through the morning Elise, stopped by his desk. “Someone’s in a very good mood this morning,” she observed.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Alan responded, still smiling.

“And the reason for that is?”

Alan hesitated, remembering the conversation with his parents that morning. He didn’t want a repeat of having to fabricate reasons for his good spirits based on half-truths. So he just said, “Things seem to be looking up for me is all.”