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MATT
The weekend with Jourdanne and Leandro gone was boring. It rained the first day they were gone, and by the second day things were muggy and hot. Of course, I was happy for Jourdanne. She was away from the tireless job she worked and was able to experience a luxurious vacation. I knew that Leandro would not put her in a situation where she felt uncomfortable or that she wouldn’t have a choice, but I also knew how badly she wanted to get into Yale. Jourdanne was prepared to do anything to see her dreams become a reality.
Leandro and I had started out that way. We enjoyed each other’s company for the first year we were together without holding back. He showed me so much love and attention that it almost seemed surreal. And because he worked through his charity to help other people I knew that he had a good heart, just the way that Jourdanne did. Leandro changed as his company grew. He became more distant, and I believed it was out of the fear that people would judge him for the lifestyle he’d chosen. In today’s world, it was hard to believe that someone could be apprehensive about showing their love, but traditional values ran deep and were hard to escape.
I thought about these things as I cleaned up the study. In the kitchen, I poured a glass of tea and stared out the window. Not a minute later, the phone rang.
Most of the time, people would reach Leandro and I on our cell phones, but we still had a house phone for other matters that involved the business or the estate. I was surprised to hear it ringing, but I went into the study and picked it up, hoping that it would distract me from my boredom.
I could not have been more wrong.
Immediately, a loud voice began rambling off in Italian. I knew right away that it was Leandro’s mother, and that I didn’t want to talk to her.
“Hello?” I responded, and after a second, she paused and started speaking English. She asked about Leandro and where he was, saying she couldn’t get through to his cell phone and had questions about his new girlfriend.
I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling her off for the way she behaved the other night. Jourdanne should not have felt so terrible for agreeing to something that she was offered. She wasn’t a gold digger by any means, she was a hard-working woman who was trying to make her life better.
“Yes, he’s out of town this weekend. I can pass on a message if you’d like.” I tried to reason with her, but she began rambling in Italian once again. It was obvious she had been trying to reach him for a while, and I was guessing that Leandro chose not to answer her calls on purpose.
“Who are you?” The woman asked me in plain English. The silence on the phone was deafening. What could I say to her question? It wasn’t my place to tell her about me and Leandro, even though I wanted to more than anything. I had to be patient and wait for him to return before we could discuss the issue more. While I thought about these things, Leandro’s mother asked again. “Who are you?”
“I am… I…” It was ridiculous how I couldn’t even say the words. I didn’t even know if I should say my name. I kept wondering what Leandro would want me to do in this situation, but all I could think about was how he’d probably change the subject and avoid the real question at hand.
“Why are you in Leandro’s house?” This time the woman spoke loudly and firmly. She was getting even more angry, and that’s when I knew I had to disguise myself to prevent Leandro any trouble.
“My name is Mike, and I’m here for repairs.” It was a complete lie, but one I had to tell. “Leandro leaves me the key sometimes so I can work while he’s gone.”
The woman uttered a soft, “Oh,” then there was silence again on the phone. After a breath, she thanked me for helping her son take care of the home and then asked if I could let him know that she called.
After we both hung up, I stood there for a moment letting it all sink in. That was the first interaction I had ever had with Leandro’s mother. Our relationship was going strong for years, and I still had yet to formally meet his parents. It was upsetting to realize this, and to know that the person I loved with all my heart wasn’t able to introduce me to his mother for who I was. Instead I had to make up a fake name and lie to her so she wouldn’t be suspicious.
