That Fake Love: English version

Chapter fifteen

My mother parked our car in front of our house, it didn't really have something special... A small villa with a tiled roof, large windows (two on the roof, two on the left and right side, four in front and back of the house; two by floor) and a large garden. The only «special» things in our house were the mouldings on the ceiling of each room and a huge wooden staircase worked in the same style as the moldings. We all went back to the house together, my mother first, followed closely by my brother who was already running inside the house, then by Jim, and finally me. The first thing Jim did was to admire my house. Yes, you read it right. There were no other words to describe the way he looked at the place I lived in. He was watching everything around him with a glow in his eyes... It started from a grain of dust that was under a closet to finish in by ceiling. When he saw it, he smiled and whispered:

- Wow... your house...

- I know it's not much... Don't pay attention to the mess please...

- You're kidding I hope? These mouldings are incredible! Ma'am! When date these mouldings? The XVIIIth century?

He talked about the mouldings for half an hour... HALF AN HOUR! Can you imagine?! I felt he was more interested in my ceiling than me... But well, I saw that he was happy to have the opportunity to talk freely about it so I listened with a lot pof attention, as if it were the most exciting topic in the world and I say to myself afterwards, that I should go and get some architecture books from the library starting from tomorrow morning.

- I think we should change the subject... I don't want to be rude...

-No, no, not at all! That's great!

I smiled at him looking into his eyes. He smiled back and looked me in the eyes for a long time... Then he broke eye contact and turned to my mother.

-Ma'am, may I ask how long have you been living in this house?

-For twenty years, when my husband and I got married...

- And, does your husband often come home late?

My mother sighed and smiled sadly before answering:

- It's been thirteen years since my ex-husband and I have seen each other...

- Ah... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to-

- Don't worry Jim, it's fine, I know it didn't come from a bad intention...

After that, we did not speak for around ten minutes before my mother started the discussion again.

- By the way, Jim, what do you like to do?

- What do I like to do?

-Yes, your hobbits, your passions, things like that...

- Well... To  I love doing different types of sports like taekwondo, basketball, running, archery,... A little bit of everything.

- Wow, that's fantastic! A healthy body in a healthy mind! That's fine, I'm proud of you Jim!

He was shocked a few seconds after what my mother had just said. He seemed very moved. His eyes shone with a somewhat peculiar glow, as if... As if my mother had just made a compliment to her own son... He smiled at her as a child would have done when they had just offered chocolate.

- Thank you, ma'am...

- What else do you like?

- Reading, literature, music... Besides I even play guitar and I have already composed songs and lyrics for these...

- By any chance, you're not cooking at the same time?

My mother laughed. She said that as a joke, of course, but Jim's answer left us speechless.

- Of course I cook! And I love it!

After a few moments my mother whispered:

- A man to marry...

Jim laughed blushing, a little awkward but also delighted that my mother thinks this of him.

- Rose loves literature too. Maybe after dinner you could go to her room. What do you think?

I looked at my mother in amazement, as if she had just done something extremely rude. Then I turned to Jim, looking at him and begging him to say no. But of course, the only thing he did was smile at my mother and say:

- I would be very glad to. I look forward for it.