Brian knew he hadn’t been fair to Nick. Oh, it certainly wasn’t a voluntary act keeping from him secrets about his past and Brian knew that it was only an automatic and natural mechanism. Above all, he had always been a shy person, possessive about his history and past and sort of afraid to let someone else inside, in fear that he could end up with more hurt and pain. Still, he never needed to talk about himself because the few people still around him already knew about his past so he had learned to never talk about himself, only adding some words here and then about what he liked, loved or hated. 

Nick had changed everything. 

Brian drank every little words Nick had said about his life and years before meeting him: he listened to him as he talked for hours and hours, imaging a smaller and childish version of him as he ran on the beach searching for turtles or shells. Most of all, he adored watching all that myriad of expressions floating on his face as he told him about the time his father taught him to play soccer or the first time he put foot inside a museum. Those images were things and fragments of a life Brian never had the chance to feel. That was part of the reason why he never talked about it: not because he was embarrassed or ashamed about his family. He just wanted to avoid those words full of pity and sentences filled to the brim with fake commiseration.  

Once Nick had asked about his childhood but at the first sign of an awkward change of subject, he never mentioned it again or pushed for more. He just waited for the right time, that moment when he would be able and comfortable to share that past.

And that moment had come.

Brian had chosen that particular day for his confession since that night would be special itself: their sixth month anniversary.

*********

The only adjective Nick could think to use to describe that night could be perfect. Yes, that night had been perfect, just like those six months they’ve just celebrated first in a small and secluded Italian restaurant and now as they were walking in the starry night going back to Brian’s apartment.

“Do you mind if we stopped for a moment at the cafeteria? I have... well, I need to show you something.”

Nick didn’t mind, of course; he didn’t care where they would go just as long as they would be together. Though, Brian’s words were teasing his own curiosity especially since they’ve already exchanged their gifts: his had been a portrait of Brian made during one of those endlessly afternoons spent together at the cafeteria while Brian’s had been a photo album full of pictures about them and their days together.

Darkness enveloped the bar but Brian didn’t bother to switch on the lights, knowing his way perfectly: he led Nick behind the counter and into the little room that he used as his office: it was a small room, with only a desk, a bookshelf that took up an entire wall and an old dark green couch situated next to the window. Nick sat there, watching as Brian reached in a drawer and retrieve that something he was looking for.

Curiosity peaked up as Brian sat then near Nick, placing an old photography between his hands.

“You know that I don’t like talking about my family but... if you like, I can talk about her. – Brian said while pointing at the woman smiling in the picture, resembling so much the man Nick had come to love. – I want you to meet my mom.”