Chapter 128 - The Crisis In The Śliwiński Family

Dominik's confession, his story, came as a shock to his mother. Andrzej also felt a painful twinge in his heart, but he saw how Dominik suffered then, he tried to help him, when Mrs. Śliwińska heard about it for the first time.

"If you called, if you came ... Sonny ..."

"I couldn't," he shook his head. "I couldn't even move. I wanted to go away…"

"My God!"

"Andrzej found me. Despite the fact that we argued, he was worried about me. He found me and made me breathe. He pulled me out of this despair with his patience and kind heart. He was by my side, brought me food, distracted me from my problems, and demanded nothing in return."

They looked at each other and smiled at each other without saying a word. They didn't need them. They guessed their emotions from the warmth of their hands.

"So how are you two ...?"

"It was me," replied Dominik. "Andrzej never thought about it. He knew I was gay, but he didn't expect me to fall in love with him. However, I fell in love. Since that happened, I began to harass him and do everything to seduce him ..."

"Okay, that's enough" Mrs. Śliwińska was clearly unable to listen anymore.

"Mom, I wasn't kidding when I said that I love Andrzej. He brought me back to life in every aspect. Even the fact that I visited you after seven years is his merit."

Mrs. Śliwińska shook her head.

"Forgive me," she said. There were tears in her eyes again. "I'm sorry, but I can't, I just can't accept it. This is too serious a sin."

"More serious than suicide?"

"I do not know. I really don't know. I'm sorry, but I'll go."

"Are you sure? You don't look very well," Dominik worried. "Maybe you will stay?"

"I have to go to work anyway," said Andrzej, getting up and taking his hand from his lover's grip. The actor looked at him without understanding, but Nowicki gave him a gentle sign not to ask about anything now. "I guess you are very difficult and I am sorry..."

"Mr. Nowicki," she suddenly turned to him, looking him tensely in his eyes, "what do you think about that? How are you feeling?"

"If you ask if I love your son, the answer is yes. I did not expect it, I did not look for it and to be honest it was difficult for me to accept it at first. I am not religious, yet the standards embedded in society were deeply embedded in me, and I myself thought that it was abnormal, sick and wrong. Now I only agree that it's not entirely normal. I've thought about it a lot. I know that it is against nature, customs and religion, but... being with Dominik gives me a feeling of closeness, warmth and love, something that I have not experienced with anyone else and I cannot even imagine that it is wrong. Nor can I imagine why others would see it that way. We are not hurting anyone. We are there for each other when we need each other and this is probably the most important thing. I don't know how God views it, but I don't think anyone knows."

"Thank you" Mrs. Śliwińska got up. "Sorry, but I'll really be going."

"Goodbye, Mom."

When the door closed behind her, Andrzej turned to Dominik, still sitting on the couch:

"How are you?"

"Hard to say. Oddly. And you?"

"Same as you, I guess," he sat down next to him.

"Sorry about the mother."

"No need. And so she reacted gently."

"Your cheek ... hurts?"

"Not really. And your?"

"Not either."

"He's flushed."

"Yours too."

"Listen, what did you say about Marek ...?"

"That he hit me harder? Only then, you know."

"Oh. That's good. You think your mom will calm down a little?"

"Yes. I told her a little too much ..."

"You weren't lying."

"Yes, but ... Thank you for stopping me before I said more. Why did you let go of my hand?"

"I thought the sight might be too much for her, and she looked shocked, and you didn't need any more support."

"But I always like your touch" Dominik extended his hand to him and placed it on Andrzej's fingers. "I didn't know you were planning to go to work today."

"I didn't plan. I just thought this was a good excuse to get out of your mother's eyes."

"I'm sorry you have to go through this."

"No need. By the way, I wonder where did she get the information about us from? Marczak did not write anything to me..."

Nowicki felt his lover's hand shake.

"Something happened?" He asked.

"No, nothing, but it's really weird that she suspected us." Maybe Olek will know something? I'll call him. "He jumped up and headed for the stairs. "Be right back!"

When he left, Andrzej gasped. The visit and attack of Mrs. Śliwińska surprised him, but Dominik standing up for him was something absolutely unexpected. Nowicki saw his lover nervous and agitated, but never so much. In fact, it was also the first opportunity for him to stand up for someone he loved, as he often said himself. So Dominik could be decisive and brave, but he never did when it was just about him. Why? Did he not care what happened to him?

No, it's not like that, he thought. Perhaps it is human nature to put the good of those we love before our own. Mothers cover their children with their own bodies, men protect their wives and female lover...

Andrzej smiled. Not that he considered himself Dominik's female lover, but this was the first time anyone had stood up for him. Well, maybe a second...

"... how will you explain it personally in a moment?" Dominik was coming down the stairs, already talking on the phone. "What? Really? Okay, we are waiting."

Nowicki looked at him questioningly. Śliwiński stood on the third step from the bottom.

"Olek called," the actor explained. "Even a few times. He wanted to inform me that my mother figured out the truth and is on the way."

"On time."

"It's not his fault I missed his calls. He said he would be there in half an hour."

"Do you want to greet him in this outfit?"

"What? Oh, a bathrobe. It's just my brother, but…" He stood there for a moment, then turned and ran upstairs again.

It got a little mixed up, Andrzej thought, and went to the kitchen to see if they had any cookies for the guests.

It was even a little more than a little mixed up.

So Dominik's mother knows about them. As might be expected, she did not take the fact that her eldest son sleeps with guys. Probably no normal mother would be pleased with a gay son at first. And how many of them would accept it over time?

Andrzej remembered his. She died when he was twenty, having been ill for a long time before. At first she was angry that he did not follow in his father's footsteps and became a banker, but she quickly accepted his decision. She believed that a freelance profession would not give him good money, so he told her about the studio that he assumed would be taking ID and occasional photos. Colored a little so as not to upset her more. After all, he loved her. She urged him to find a nice girl and settle down. She was worried that his relationships weren't based on anything deeper than sex. He would always tell her that he did not want to marry if he did not fall in love. And Paulina? - she pointed. Paulina was the exception and it was she who opened his eyes that marriage for the sake of marriage is not an option.

She wanted him to have a wife, children. She thought that would make him happy. What would she say if she found out that he had come to love a man?

She wouldn't be angry. Probably disappointed and sad at first. Would she ask him a thousand times if he was sure of it? Then she probably would like to meet Dominik. She would scrutinize him harshly and say eventually that she needed to think about it. Then she would take Dominik for a serious conversation and ask if he would be able to bring happiness to her son? It would depend on his answer whether or not to come to terms with their relationship.

Or at least Andrzej thought she would have acted that way. He will never have a chance to find out what it really is.

"Mom, I love a man and I'm happy with him," he said softly, as if on trial.

There was no thunder from heaven. Nowicki felt a bit sad that he hadn't heard any answer ...

"What are you muttering under your breath?"

Andrzej started in surprise. It was Dominik who entered the kitchen.

"No, nothing" Nowicki responded warmly.