shelf. She touched it and found that it was still faintly damp. The wetness of it on her fingers made her involuntarily draw in her breath. She carefully softly brushed it over her own cheek; it had been on his face.
There was a new tablet of soap on the basin she leaned forward taking care to keep her hair clear of the taps and inhaled deeply. The whole room was male, musk sensuous. Utterly different from the mixture of fragrances which pervaded the bathroom she and her mother shared. Her hands damp, she quickly dried them on the guest towel lying on the basin.
She picked up her pen grasped it firmly and looked in the mirror to see if any of her inner turmoil was evident, it wasn’t, her cheeks looked just a tad pinker. She straightened her shoulders and prepared to complete her check list.
As Julia walked around the rooms, she admired Ryan’s taste in décor. It was minimalist functional. He was obviously a reader. His book cases contained many diverse books; Balanchine’s Festival of Ballet, Time Life books on ancient cultures, poetry books, crime stories, Shakespeare, Dickens. These were editions that had obviously been read and loved she noticed pieces of paper, place markers protruding from between the pages.
In his bedroom one wall was covered with objects d’art from the theatre beautiful tragedy and comedy masks. There was a tasteful bronze replica of the dancer’s statue outside the Victorian College of the Arts. She had seen it before, Simon Brady’s two entwined dancers, beautifully balanced, and epitomizing the strength and gracefulness of a pas de dux. On an adjoining wall hung two prints; one was Auguste Renoir’s The Dancer and the other Four Dancers by Edgar Degas.
Julia was surprised to see these lovely pieces confined to Ryan’s bedroom where they would not often be viewed.
She slowly toured the rooms, noting areas where a distinctive pot or cushion could make an improvement. The patio furniture was modern and more than adequate. It was actually quite functional, though masculine. She envisaged some tasteful pots containing palms would soften the overall look. The area boasted a well maintained gas barbecue. She noted that an additional cupboard there for cooking utensils, dishes etc could be useful. Julia carefully made another addition to her notes that a sturdy Chinese or Japanese screen to hide the cooking area, when it was not in use, could cleverly be placed there.
She pictured herself reclining on one of the chaise lounge chairs with another one pulled up next to it. Ryan in shorts leaning over her looking into her eyes his face inches from hers. Ryan holding a frosted glass towards her their fingers touching, the icy drops from the glass, dropping, tingling on her arm or better still on her neck, and Ryan licking them off, and smiling, that crazy intimate smile on his lips.
She sat down on the chair closing her eyes, leaned her head back and let her thoughts take her where they would. The early summer sun had warmed the seat and it was tempting to completely relax.
Julia lay there for a few moments. Then smiled at her daydreaming and carefully filed her notes and comments into presentation mode.
She retraced her steps to the area where Ryan was bent over his computer. He was so absorbed she was tempted to run her hand gently over his shoulder blades. However he swung around to talk to her.
“Are you all through out there?” He smiled, quirking his eyebrow at her.
“Do I need to start over again from scratch with my place?” He spoke slowly and carefully keeping eye contact.
“Would it help if I write my questions down?”
He was quite unprepared for the look of dismay on Julia’s face.
Chapter 5
Julia looked down to hide the hurt in her eyes. She’d thought he’d understood but it seems he was like a lot of people she met. They simply didn’t realise how competent she was at lip reading and how she detested any special treatment.
“Ryan,” she said as calmly as she could. “I am profoundly deaf and have been since I was a small child.”
She took a deep breath to steady her voice. “However I am very skilled at lip reading. I rarely have to have things written down. I did understand what you said.” She clutched her sketch book and notes tightly to her chest as if she needed to use them for support.
Ryan jumped to his feet utterly appalled at her obvious distress.
“I’m really sorry!” He burst out. “That was stupid of me!” He put his hands on her shoulders and then quickly removed them. “Please, forgive me, I wasn’t thinking. I just want to communicate with you the best way I can.” His voice low and intense, his face flushed with emotion.
He went on, “Julia I want us to be friends.”
There was a pause before Julia moved nearer to him, her initial anger and disappointment receding before his obvious sincerity.
“I would like to be friends too, but you have to treat me in the same way that you treat everyone else.” She continued her voice calming.
“I’m deaf, that’s all. I feel, laugh, cry, and get angry the same as everyone else.”
She straightened up and gazed into his eyes. “If I do not understand what you say I will ask you to repeat it.”
She smiled, “It sometimes takes a little while for my friends to fall into the pattern, but it works well.”
Ryan smiled down at her, thankful for her nearness for her forgiveness at his mistake. Julia laid a gentle hand on his arm. The warmth of her touch sent a shaft of tenderness through his entire body.
“Well new friend, what do I have to do to get a cup of coffee around here?”
Ryan smiled and wished he could wrap his arms around her, touch her, kiss her. Instead he led the way into the kitchen. Whilst he busied himself making the coffee, setting out two crazy mugs with twisted pottery handles. Julia spread out her notes.
He had hoped the mugs would be something to talk about if the conversation lapsed. He need not have worried. They chatted back and forth across the bench top in the kitchen nibbling biscuits and refilling the coffee pot.
They discussed improvements that could be made to his apartment. Ryan used the opportunity to ask her to go to the shops with him to choose what was needed.
“Just in case I don’t match the textures correctly,” he suggested. “It would be much easier if you were actually with me.”
They made an appointment for the following Saturday, Ryan felt it was a lifetime away.“If you have time Julia, perhaps we could go tomorrow?” He rushed on, “I know most shops are open.”
He sensed a hesitation and was immediately aware that his heart had plummeted earthwards. He continued.
“Of course I don’t want to intrude on your time, perhaps you have something else on?” He knew he was babbling but seemed unable to stop.
Julia smiled up at him, “Actually I do have something else on. One Sunday a month I take the kindergarten class at my church.” She continued as she gathered her notes together.“I really look forward to seeing the children and we are working on a bible project about Noah’s Ark.”
Ryan accompanied her to his front door and was conscious of the closeness of their bodies as she walked past
