Where Do We Go from Here?

v.

"Naomi, I'm gay," 

     Two days after Cobi's confession, I am still hung over from it. I tried to make Cobi tell me more about it, about him, about how it must have been hard for him but he told he will tell me today instead. I guess with how heavy the mood last Friday was, he didn't want to take it further. 

     I carefully close my bedroom door, pull my skirt down and walk straight into our living room, where our kitchen is also visible. 

     The 7 o'clock sun rays are beaming into our house making it look bigger than it usually is. I can smell nostalgia as Theo cooked our favorite childhood breakfast; Corned Beef from the can.

     "Yeah, I got nominated as the best student president in the southern region, yeah, something like that," Theo says as he throws something into the pan. Probably salt. 

     "Well, of course, you have been doing really great, wouldn't be surprised if you bagged it," A hoarse smokey voice replies. The same voice that sang me lullabies when I was a kid. The same voice that has nagged me for all these years and in her background you can hear a different language, a few roosters are crowing and a motor engine is running.

     "Mom!" I blurt out as I run to see her tiny face on the screen. "How are you?" She has obviously lost a lot of weight.

     "Good morning little one," she greets, "I'm good, there's currently an epidemic here so it's been tight, hectic to be honest,"

     I lean my upper body on the counter top where the phone is placed, "Well, make sure to keep yourself safe. How can you save them if you're sick."

     "Yes, ma'am," she raises her hand right above her right brow, forming a 45 degree angle with her arm, "How about you, what have you been up to?"

     "Failing," I whisper and I sense Theo's head turning so I met his eyes, they are concerned. 

     "I think Nam's got a boyfriend," Theo rats out as he turns the stove off. 

     "Who? Cobi?" Mom asks and Theo catches a cough.

     "No, Mom, Theodore's just being delusional," I explain as I pat Theo's back, hard. I give him a suspicious look. 

     Does he know?

     "Ouch," he swat my hand away from him, "It's true though, there's this transfer student she's been flirting with," he adds as he points me to our dish cabinet. 

     "Am not!" I cry before I get our plates and utensils and place them on our dining table. The least I can do is be Theo's little helper, as I have always been. Although, I remember I was more enthusiastic about it when I was younger, more effective even.

     "Well, honey, there's nothing wrong, you're single," Mom assures. 

     "But Mom, there is, if it's not true," I say as I transfer the food from the pan to a bowl. Theo takes the bowl from me and places it on the table. 

     I take the phone and gently position mom where she can see us both on the dining table. 

     "I don't like him though, seems cocky to me," Theo grunts. 

     If he doesn't like Rocky then why is he bringing this up here? 

     "Cocky? If there's an election of the cockiest person on earth, you would win." I glare at him. 

     "As I always do," he smirks and takes a sit in the dining table. 

     "You just proved my point, loser," I say as I throw myself into the chair.