Undercover (Phan)

Chapter 17

Phil's POV

The past few days have been like a dream.

I can already feel myself getting closer with my mum like we were before everything with my dad happened. I feel more confident. I've fixed things with Cosette. My friends know who I really am now. Everything is okay and normal and happy and I feel like the weight of the entire universe has lifted itself off of my shoulders. I'm sleeping better, I'm focusing better in class, I'm more energized; granted, it's only been a couple of days, but I'm still feeling fantastic.

I come home from school to find my mum cleaning around the house; something I haven't really seen her do in quite a while. She'd clean something if it absolutely needed, but this appeared to be full on spring cleaning in November. She even has music playing and is singing along to it as she dusts. Half a dozen containers of cleaners are set out on the kitchen counter along with an array of rags and dusters. My mum turns around at seeing me and smiles. She shuts off the music, then turns to face me.

"Hi, sweetie. How was school today?"

"Really good, actually."

"Did you tell your friends?"

"Yup. Louise is already trying to set me up with guys she knows."

Mum quirks an eyebrow at me, "Anyone you're interested in?"

"Mum!"

"What? It's just a question!"

"I'm not looking to date anyone at the moment, no."

"Any particular reason?"

"I actually think I'm going to try and see if there's any gay guys at work once I start. It'd just make things easier, you know?"

She nods, understanding, "Yeah, I could see that. Ooh, speaking of which, did you fix things with Cosette?"

"I did. I just sort of straight up told her what the deal was. She seemed to understand and I'm pretty sure we're okay."

"Good, she's a nice girl; wouldn't want to hurt her."

"No, of course not. I really do think that everything's okay."

"Good. Any homework?"

"Only a little bit."

"Well, go up and do it, then come back down and help me. I've got bathrooms that need scrubbed."

"Actually, I have a lot of homework."

"Mhm, sure. Go on, then."

I chuckle, then head up to my room, actually content with helping my mother scrub down the house for once.

x

The next morning my alarm goes off, waking me from a happily dreamless sleep. I'm ready for the day though. I shut off my alarm, push the covers off and swing my legs over my bed, setting my feet on my floor that for once doesn't have T-shirts scattered all over it. I yawn and stretch, then grab my uniform and have it set out before going to get into the shower.

After helping my mum clean yesterday, we had dinner and I texted Martyn to ask him when he would available to chat. I've been meaning to catch up with him for quite some time now, but have just never gotten around to it. I'll be seeing him in just a few weeks for Christmas, but I think I'd like to tell him that I'm gay and about Mum's progress before then. It'd be quite a Christmas surprise for him though. Merry Christmas, your mum is suddenly happy again and your little brother is gay!

He said that he would be able to talk tonight if I wanted, so I'm planning on Skyping him after dinner. I'm not nearly as nervous to tell him as I was to tell mum. There's probably going to be more jokes, but I know he'll also be supportive and happy to know that I'm managing to find myself and find happiness after all that's happened, and he'll be happy that Mum has been doing better. I definitely want to assure him that there's nothing to worry about because I know that he's been worried while he's gone. He almost didn't even go to University after Dad died because he didn't think Mum and I would be able to make it on our own. We told him he had to and eventually convinced him to keep going, but it was definitely hard on all of us...