It was the first time I visited Miriam's room, where she was born and raised. I have to admit... it was a bit messy. The little girl was standing, drying my hair while I was sitting on the bed, humming a cheerful song. Meanwhile, I continued to observe the room, until Miriam, who seemed to be defending herself, spoke.
"It's not usually this messy, don't mind. What matters is that the room we're in is clean, open and livable."
"That's because you're the one who cleans it." I said.
"Don't fight with me!" She replied.
"You're so annoying!"
Miriam growled and pulled my hair with the towel, telling me to stop teasing.
I laughed softly and then pulled the little girl into a hug, burying my face in her belly, playfully.
"It feels so good to be with you like this. Even if your room was a pile of trash, I would still want to be with you."
"A pile of trash?" I asked.
"Okay, fine, less than a pile of trash."
She admitted.
"Come on, you really don't love me."
I teased.
I continued to hug Miriam, letting her dry my hair as we talked.
"So, does this mean our story has a happy ending? Have you found someone you think is good?"
I tilted my head, smiling at her.
"From now on, there should be no obstacles, right?"
"Once you remember, what obstacles could there be?"
"What do you think your family will say about us getting married?" I asked.
"They won't mind. My mother is open-minded."
Miriam replied confidently.
.
.
"Nonsense!"
Miriam's mother shouted at the dinner table, where everyone was gathered: her mother, her sister Renu, her younger brother Ong, Jao-Jom, Miriam, and I.
"Just accepting that you two love each other is hard enough. Now you want to get married? Who will accept that?"
"What do you mean, Mom? People who love each other should get married. I want to marry Got. Same-sex marriages are quite common these days," Miriam said.
"That's someone else's family. We have a reputation to uphold. Your older sister also has a girlfriend..."
The mother hesitated a bit, feeling she was treading carefully with Ms. Renu, and lowered her voice so as not to sound too shocked.
"Now the second daughter also has a girlfriend. Aren't we going to have children or grandchildren for this family? Should we have heirs?"
"Well, Ong is still here!"
Miriam quickly shifted the burden to her younger brother.
"Ong, go make some babies now!
"Are you crazy, sis? How old am I? Besides... I just broke up with my girlfriend."
"What? You broke up? Why?"
Miss Renu looked at him, seemingly confused, while the mother looked at her son, also unsure, but didn't ask anything else.
"Don't tell me you have a boyfriend too,"
Mom said suspiciously.
"I don't!"
