December 2017

1 December 2017. Why did Christo keep Neo a secret for so long? Why did he keep it quiet all these months and months?

Mind you, I think I understand. Christo needed to keep his private life private. He came into a new work environment, surrounded by strangers. He had to take his time. He had to protect himself. He had to be sure what kind of people we were, what kind of attitudes we held, how accepting we were.

But now he knows we are the kind of people who will welcome him and Neo with open arms and open hearts. From the Headmistress all the way down to Angie. Although Angie is still a little heartbroken, poor girl.

Still, it would have saved Jonas and me a lot of trauma if we’d realised the truth about Christo from the start …

Yes, Jonas is back home with me. He came home that very same day we met Christo and Neo at the restaurant. Well, after the four of us had shared a meal together.

It was a good time round that table. Lots of fun. All the tension and trauma between me and my husband disappeared like clouds before the midday sun!

For sure, Neo is a lovely man. He is much quieter and shyer than Christo, but very funny in his own gentle way. They make a heart-warming couple.

And when Jonas and I got home, things were even better. It was like our honeymoon fortnight all wrapped into one glorious afternoon. We weren’t even thinking about making babies. All we wanted was to feel close to each other, to feel totally connected in every way.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives,” Jonas quoted from the Psalms. And I believe he is right!

But every now and then, Jonas shook his head in amazement. “How was I so blind? How was I so ridiculous, letting myself get eaten alive with jealousy for Christo? How didn’t I realise? I could kick myself for being so stupid.”

Together my husband and I went to the fertility clinic. The kind, compassionate woman counselled us. She showed us ways to keep our communication honest and clear.

But I have a feeling, a funny feeling, that we might not be going back to the clinic.

8 December 2017. Nantze is throwing a big end-of-term staff party at her house. Christo is bringing Neo along to meet everyone. But he’s nervous. I can understand that. All the teachers accept the relationship between him and Neo. But what about their partners? Will some of them be mean?

Jonas and I promised Christo that we will stay close to Neo, just to make sure he feels secure and comfortable with all those new people around him.

And I STILL have this funny feeling Jonas and I won’t need to go back to the fertility clinic!!!!!!!

In the end, Neo didn’t need us fussing around him and checking he was okay. He and the librarian’s husband got into a deep and intense discussion about colic and teething and dummies. It turned out that Neo’s sister had just had a baby too.

And then the Headmistress and her husband wanted to know all about Neo’s job at the film studio. I suspect she is planning to film the Grade 7 play next year!

25 December 2017. Christmas morning! And Jonas gave me the loveliest present ever: a 2018 diary!!!!! It’s a beautiful thing – with my name embossed in gold on the cover. In fact I’m writing in it right now – here on the inside of the cover since 2018 hasn’t started.

And guess what present I’m going to give Jonas? He’s going to go crazy with joy. I hope he doesn’t get any ideas about taking it along to his mother’s family gathering to show everyone there! That would be too embarrassing.

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Tell us: Was Christo sensible to keep his private life private, until he knew the other teachers better? If so, why?