Turning, I hand one glass to Giles and then I take a big drink from the other. With my backside resting against the sink behind me, I finally look at Mamma again.
“Giles is my boyfriend,” I tell her. “We’re together. In love.”
Mamma’s eyes widen and the shock she feels is evident on her face. But only for one, maybe two seconds. Because a beat later, a smile has overtaken every single one of her features.
“You’re in love?” She looks at me and then at Giles.
He nods. “We are.” His moustache practically dances with his grin. Then he puts his glass down, steps back and stands next to me, his hand finding mine.
“Amore mio!” she squeals and then she steps up to me and kisses both of my cheeks while squeezing my face so hard it aches a little. She then does the same to Giles who blinks in shock but then smiles just as much as I am. “Finalmente!”
I laugh. “Alright, Mamma. I’m not exactly ancient.”
“No, you’re not, but Kris was such a long time ago and I’ve been waiting for you to meet somebody,” she says in English and I realise then that she’s holding Giles’ hand and he’s staring down at it like he doesn’t know what it means.
“Well, I have now.” I lean over and kiss Giles’ cheek.
“So you are gay now, yes?” Mamma asks with something like an odd eagerness in her eyes.
“No, Mamma, I’m bisexual. I still like girls too,” I say with a light chuckle.
“Oh, okay,” she says but I get the impression she doesn’t fully understand. That’s okay. She doesn’t have to immediately. She just needs to know that I’m with Giles now and I’m very happy about that fact.
“And I’m pansexual, which is like bisexual but not quite the same,” Giles says and predictably, Mamma’s frown deepens.
“But don’t worry about all that.” I take her hand that isn’t clasped with Giles’. “The main thing is that I have a boyfriend now, a partner. And it was very important for me that you know that.”
“But of course.” Mamma then seems to notice what we’re both wearing. “When did this all start?Howdid it start?”
I daren’t look at Giles or I am convinced I’ll erupt into giggles. “It’s a long story,” I say.
“We began as training partners but became more along the way,” Giles summarises with a calmness I am definitely not capable of. I pray my mother never finds out that we fell in love because I asked him to teach me all about queer sex.
“Oh, Idon’t care how it happened. I’m just so pleased it did happen. And with such a lovely young man,” she lifts Giles hand up and squeezes it with a strength I know will surprise even him.
“I’m pleased it happened too,” Giles says.
“And all because of that triathlon you really didn’t want to do,” Mamma teases me before looking back at Giles. “I was so pleased when he said you’d help him train. Although I never expected this.”
“Neither did we,” I say.
“I was just pleased he had you to keep him motivated,” Mamma is talking like I’m not in the room which I sort of don’t mind at all. “He needs help with that, you know.
Giles clears his throat and his eyes dip down for a second. “Well, I need help with stuff that Marcello helps me with.”
“Oh?” Mamma sounds curious.
“I have OCD,” Giles says. “My brain doesn’t always know when to… chill out. Specifically when to stop counting or cleaning, or both.”
“That sounds very difficult,” Mamma says, and I know she’s squeezing his hand again. I just know it.
“It is,” Giles admits and his Adam’s apple bobs. “But I am going to get help for it.”
I try to school my surprise. Giles has never said that before, not even in the few conversations we’ve had this week where he seemed slightly more comfortable talking about having OCD. And it’s not that I think he absolutely needs to get professional help, more that I want him to decipher that for himself.
“Well, you both need to talk to each other. Be honest. Have good communication. That’s how Marcello’s father and I lasted so long. We talked. Even about the difficult things.” Mamma’s eyes glaze over and I wonder if she’s thinking about Lorenzo or about some other challenging time. I don’t talk to her about him. Maybe I should.
“That’s good advice,” Giles says and his voice sounds a little dry.
