“Perhaps not.” He glances at Mateo. “I look forward to seeing much more of you in the future.”
“They’ve only known each other for six weeks, Papa,” Annika says. “Florian does not even remember him!”
I stiffen. Mateo stiffens.
Mateo is not supposed to feel tense in my arms. I glower.
“I cannot help that,” I say finally. “I have a head injury.”
I look at Mateo. “You know I would remember you if I could?”
Mateo nods, but his cheeks are pinker than before. Annika’s comment has unsettled him.
“You can find a hotel,” I tell my family. “Mateo will take care of me.”
“Or I could go!” Mateo suggests. “And your family could watch you.”
“I can stay,” Annika offers.
“No, no,” Mama says. “Florian needs his boyfriend. They are in love, Annika. That is serious.”
Annika hesitates, then nods. “Okay. But you can call us if you change your mind, Florian.”
I blink, but she’s still looking at me, so I nod back. “Very well.”
She turns to Mateo. “Watch him carefully.”
“O-okay,” Mateo promises.
My nostrils flare. Was that a stammer? Is Annika making my boyfriend stammer?
Mama lifts her head up from her phone. “I booked us two suites at a nearby hotel. Mateo, what’s your phone number?” She glances at me. “That one looks like he’s about to fall asleep. I want to get in touch with you.”
Mateo dutifully gives everyone his phone number. My parents, my sister, all enter it into their phones, then they call him.
I knew, theoretically, that they would be okay if I was with a man.
I was always protecting myself for my work, not them.
Maybe, if I’d met someone, if someone had truly been important to me, like Mateo is important to me, things would have been different.
But I never did.
My family waves goodbye, then they hurry out.
The door clicks shut.
Mateo and I are alone.
I smile.
Mateo draws back. He is much shorter than me. Most people are, but not the ones I hang out with.
“It must be good to be out of the hospital,” Mateo says.
For some reason, his voice is oddly formal.
“Yes.” I wrap an arm around his waist. “You are the best surprise I could have imagined. One moment, I was in Mannheim, being unhappy, being solemn, and the next moment I wake up and I am in Boston with you.”
