Chapter 4 Dance of Secrets

Katy's Point of View.

"You know as we're touring, it's only normal that the both of us talk a little right?" Morris asked. I had no idea what changed Adelaide's mind but I was glad she wasn't the one giving me the tour anymore. At least Morris wouldn't sweetly threaten me. I searched my mind for a comeback.

"We're talking, are we not?"

"Yeah, well. But we've been talking about how beautiful the Lily bushes are for thirty minutes straight. And you're not even into the conversation. You look like you're trying so hard to focus. Homesick?"

The agency was my home, I guess I did miss being myself. I had to start wearing funny wears now. No fun talk. No loud makeup. That was a lot to take in all at once. "Yeah, I guess."

He nodded slowly and then smiled sympathetically. "Give it a week or two, you'll start getting used to this place. It is secluded but trust me when I say it is fun."

I chuckled. "Is that what you tell yourself?"

He paused, then chuckled too. "Yeah. But it does work. To just sit."

"If you say so, I will try it." We fell into a comfortable silence. Or maybe I did. I could feel his eyes on me. I turned to him. "When did you start working here?"

He thought the question over. "Well, if you do want me to get into details..."

"I do." I immediately agreed. This could be helpful to the agency. Even though my mind felt it was going to be great, my heart was wounded for Morris's sake. He looked like a good guy and there was every possibility that he was going to be arrested once Carson was. Sometimes, I detested this job, really.

"Okay, well, I had enlisted into the military. I went to boot camp, but didn't get in. I guess I was just looking for a place to fit in, I didn't really want to commit. Anyway, long story short, I didn't get in and I lost a little bit of the arrogant confidence I had."

"That's sad. But I mean, if it opened you up to giving up a little bit of pride then it was good, huh?"

"Yeah. I suppose I can see it that way now, but then really, I didn't really see it like that. It was just all about the thing on everybody's lips. My family was angry. Not at me, at the US government for rejecting me mostly." I chuckled softly.

"Awwnn, that's so kind of them. I know a bunch of people who are furious with their children for not cutting through. It's crazy."

"I totally understand that too. My sister was like mad at me for not passing. She'd already told all her friends that I was in the Military."

"Oh, no."

"Yup. It took her a month to get over it all." I liked his laugh. It sounded genuine. Not a lot of that existed at the agency.

"Anyway, what happened then? How'd you end up here?"

"Well, I started researching a lot. I already knew I wanted to be in the whole combat stuff, but I didn't know where I was going to fit in." He gestured towards the right direction, where an array of red rose bushes sat. This place was beautiful.

"So you found here through researching?" That was oddly simple.

"Nope. I... Well, I met Mr Cooper at a casino game. There was a fight. He said I impressed him and at that point, seriously I had no idea who he was. Three months later I'm called by an unknown number and it's him. I was offered this job without any extra training. It was a miracle."

Or something far from it. That was odd. So odd. If he was as dangerous and clever as people rumored, then maybe I would make a better mafia boss than a spy. Morris wouldn't have gotten the job unless the blue-eyed man wasn't up to something.

"So you have been working for him ever since?"

"Yes. We once did better with little to no help, but Mr Cooper insisted that this period we needed extra help."

"Hence, I'm here."

"Something like that." I wanted to poke a little bit more. I wanted more answers from him. Something more clear. But I knew that Morris wasn't a fool. I could only get so far before he started following my every move and ruined the entire mission. Then Johnson would laugh.

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"How'd you know housekeeping was your thing."

I didn't. I just found out a week ago I would be going into the dilemma. That was what was at the tip of my tongue. "Well, it was more of a circumstance thing. I wouldn't say it was planned."

"Oh, I get it. You found yourself in it and knew this had to be it?"

"Yeah. Something like that." Seriously, if I kept saying that I was going to get caught.

"I like that for you. I mean as long we're all having that small adventure, it's all good, right?"

I mean I wasn't exactly shooting guns and calling for arrests. But I wasn't making coffee either, so I guess where there's a win, here, there's a loss too. I realized he was looking at me, waiting for an answer. "You get it." He smiled at that.

We enjoyed the chirping of birds and whispers from the trees before he broke the blessing. "How do you like Adelaide?"

What was I supposed to say to that? I mean Morris seemed like a nice guy and all that but I knew, this was a planned thing. Or maybe I was just simply watching a lot of crime TV. "I think she's great."

He nodded slowly, almost as though he didn't quite believe it but at the same time was choosing to simply respect my response. "Okay, you're thinking something," I said and he chuckled.

"No, I'm not."

"You are. It's written all over your face. Seriously, if you have something to share, you could."

"I just find it a little bit hard to believe."

"Find what a little bit hard to believe?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, that is beastly. Don't leave me on the sidelines. Tell me."

"Okay, okay. She does have a small passion for the boss."

I knew what he meant but I decided to play a little bit clueless. "As I presume you do too, right?"

The way Morris's eyebrows furrowed at that made me chuckle. "Not the way she does. I don't want the boss to die. I don't want him in trouble that I cannot help with. I want to be able to talk to him even though I'm not entitled." He said earnestly. I sensed a 'but' before he even uttered the word. "But I don't find myself in continual... Awe to stare into his eyes or bat my lashes at him."

"Ah, so that's the kind of passion she has for him?" Hmm, I was good at this acting thing.

"You didn't notice?"

"Um... Well, I wouldn't say I noticed. I thought it was just her being kind to her employer."

"She is nice to everyone. She would offer to take a shift if she could. She's sweet. But it's like she's a different person whenever it has anything to do with Mr. Carson. It's like she's this tiger in a cage or something." He said. He seemed worked up about it. Wait... Was he... "I'm not really trying to be a gossip or anything, I just want you to not take it to heart when she switches up on you because of the boss. She's not a bad person. She's just... In love, I guess."

Oh, and so was he. Oh, boy, I thought this was going to be a tough work environment. So far, it has been annoying, repetitive questions from the boss. And a messy love triangle. Was I even supposed to call it that? I mean obviously none of them realized the other person's affection. Okay, I doubted that Mr. Carson knew nothing. With the way she batted her lashes at him, the man probably knew already. He was just trying to save her the continuous embarrassment that the awkwardness would bring between them when he got to tell her that he didn't feel the way she did. And as an employee, did she even have that kind of right? It would be violating employment rules.

With the way Morris's head hung, I knew it weighed in him. He would smile a little bit whenever I glanced at him and even though I had already known him for a few hours, it hurt to see.

"Have you ever been?"

"Been what?"

"In love?" His face turned bright red at the question. He stared at me like I had asked a completely crazy question. I guess, it was crazy in its own right.

When he realized that I was not backing down, he sighed softly. "Twice."

"Did you ever hear the words back?"

"Well, no." He chuckled. He was shy. I could tell by the way he continuously rubbed his neck. "That's because I never said them."

"I find that hard to believe. Seriously, you're giving me Mr Darcy vibes."

He paused. "Mr who again?"

"Mr Darcy from a movie." I clarified and he smiled a little. "You seem like one of those people who do not back down easily from a challenge."

"Well, the two people I've ever been in love seemed more difficult than Elizabeth."

I laughed. He joined in. "You didn't tell me you had fallen in love with your platoon officers."

He laughed again. This time a little bit loudly. He wiped the tears the excessive laughter had brought about. "Okay, now you're just being mean to me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm the sweetest girl you could ever talk to." I smiled innocently to match the false statement.

"You are so funny. Do you ever hear that?"

"Not always. Not really, truly. I'm told that I'm a bit loquacious. Some say I'm too honest. I find myself not speaking too much because of it. I seriously would hate to want to make a joke to lighten the room and I end up making the person angry or sad. It's a struggle, really."

"Oh, it's not that bad, is it?"

"It is. One time I made my cousin cry on her wedding day for simply pointing out to her that she'd been carrying icing between her teeth for about two hours." I said and he laughed again. This time around his hands flew to his stomach.

"You didn't." He said when he could finally utter a word without his laughing fest beginning again and again.

"I did. My mother was not happy about it. I offered to wash the dishes for the reception which earned me a little bit of forgiveness."

"Oh, your family must be lacking in boring moments."

"We love each other most times. Sometimes it's a struggle to stay together and not throw our fists in the air in disagreement about something. But altogether, I miss home."

"I get that feeling." He said and for a while we both said nothing. We just simply enjoyed the minutes as they passed by.

"Have you ever been?"

"Been what?" I already knew what he was asking but for some reason, I wanted to delay the question. It was always a struggle to talk about feelings, not alone the chief of feelings itself.

"Love. Have you ever been in love?"

"Must you ask me the same question I ask you?" He chuckled.

"I just want to know. And hey, you started it." I had quite forgotten how small talk had a way of coming back at you. "So, have you ever been in love?"

"No." It was true and sometimes, when others weren't paying attention, I hated that it was true.

Morris smiled at me. "well, good for you. No headaches."

"Yeah, or something like it."