Outing the Relationship

Summer in Ottawa has officially come to an end. The leaves are changing colours and are dropping from their branches, and there's a constant coolness in the air now. I'm heading into my first real winter since 2005/2006, and it's going to be a challenge for me to get back into that lifestyle. As the season changes, I reflect now on where life has taken me.

I am now settled into a relationship with one man. He doesn't like being "out there" much, mostly because he values his privacy, but he's been mentioned here before, so I think it's fair to at least name him here, even if I don't discuss him a lot. Without much surprise, it's Etienne.

He surprised me by dropping in to my disorganized apartment very, very early on a Sunday morning to let me know in no uncertain terms that he wanted to be with me. To say I was surprised by his admission would be an understatement; you could have literally knocked me over with a feather. Etienne and I have had a strange relationship that included many months of believing he was completely indifferent to me. I was vehement when asked about him that there was no possibility of a relationship...and here he was, asking for one.

A complicated summer has turned into a quiet autumn. I don't know what the future holds for this relationship, but for now, I'm happy to let it unfold.