“Well, not all night. I know you two will want privacy.” She giggles.
I nod solemnly. Gina is very considerate.
“What brings you to Boston?” Papa asks.
“I’m getting a PhD in neuroscience at MIT,” Gina says.
Papa beams. “I have a PhD! So does my wife.”
Mama and Papa squeeze hands.
“We met in graduate school,” Mama explains.
“Annika is writing her master’s thesis now,” Papa says proudly. “She’s studying microbes at Heidelberg University.”
“I’m good at evaluating tiny things that are inconsistent,” Annika says.
Mateo’s throat moves. “You are all very smart.”
“Everyone here is smart,” Gina says. “Mateo needs to know where all the muscles are in the body. He caught someone who had cancer in his back because his pain was not consistent with normal pain patterns.”
“You saved someone’s life!” I exclaim. “Mateo, that is incredible.”
“Well.” Mateo’s cheeks pinken. Mateo’s cheeks are beautiful when they pinken. The highlighter on his face sparkles extra hard. I love him so much. “I told someone to go to the doctor, then a team of doctors and nurses saved his life.”
“But none of it would have happened without you.” I kiss Mateo’s cheek.
Mateo doesn’t want us to kiss on the lips until I regain my memory. It is sad that my memory is being so slow, but part of me is grateful too. I do not remember howto kiss Mateo. French kissing always looks intimidating when I watch movies, even though the people seem to really enjoy it.
I have never enjoyed being French kissed, but since that was only with women, and I am definitely, definitely very, very gay, I am sure it will be different when I kiss someone for real.
I will wait until I remember the skills I must have picked up when Mateo and I had our highly sexual relationship that involved almost no talking. It is impossible to talk when one is French kissing. That much I am certain of.
“You are so happy,” Papa says. “It is so nice to see.”
“I know,” I say.
I should be sad because I have lost my memory. What if I never recover it? Will I never play again?
But all I can feel is giddiness, because now I have Mateo.
“I will be happier when I can remember,” I say.
Papa turns to Gina. “You study neuroscience. Perhaps you can offer some advice for how Florian can heal.”
“Well…” Gina hesitates.
“The doctor said my memory will come back if I am triggered by the right thing,” I say.
“That is hopeful.”
“I already remembered where the remote control for the thermostat is!” I exclaim. “And that I used to call Mateo ‘mi amor’!”
“How excellent,” Mama exclaims.
“You remembered the remote control?” Annika frowns.
She doesn’t finish the rest of the sentence.
