Chapter 177 - Mother

"Please, don't say anything," Dominik really asked. "Otherwise, I won't be able to get these thoughts out of my head and I'd rather not be too rude when facing my mother."

This argument definitely had something to it, especially since they were just approaching the place where Dominik grew up.

The gate was open and Andrzej knew that he could enter the Śliwiński property.

Nowicki glanced at Dominik, who, despite his earlier assurances that everything would be fine, was now trembling with uncertainty like aspen leaves. You can boldly stand on a movie set and pretend to be a tough guy, but when a man has to face a natural mother who does not accept the fact that her son is gay and even tried to beat her son's beloved man...

"If you feel uncomfortable," Nowicki gently took Dominik's trembling hand, "we can leave at any time."

"Yes, I know, I know…"

"It's your family," added Andrzej. "You can argue, you can shout at each other, but you are family. And we have Christmas."

Dominik just nodded and summoned all his courage to open the car door. Andrzej was really proud of him.

***

They came exactly at the indicated time, so Mrs. Helena Śliwińska served dinner right away. It was nothing fancy, the usual typical dinner of chicken soup and roast chicken with boiled potatoes. It was such a typical and so ordinary dinner that probably all average families in Poland were hosted on the tables. It was this lack of refinement that proved that the Śliwiński family did not host a guest, but meet in a family circle.

Dominik saw that his mother was trying and saw that it was not easy for her. Whether her husband admonished her to behave well, or whether she wanted to repair the relationship between her and the prodigal son, Dominik did not know, but he clearly saw that his mother was trying. So, after dinner, he offered to help her with the washing up dishes.

"Thank you," said Śliwiński quietly, taking a washing-up sponge in his hand. "I know it's hard for you, so thank you for trying."

Helena Śliwińska sighed.

"What else can I do? I lost you for seven years. If I stand between him and you, I'll lose you for the next few years."

"Mom, it's not his fault. I know that I have not grown up to be the man you would like to see me..."

His mother sniffed, indicating that she was crying.

"Mom..."

"I don't know what kind of man you grew up to be because I neglected your upbringing and was away when you needed me. You had both parents and you were like an orphan. It's not your fault, it's ours. I should have either not sent you at all or I should have gone with you..."

"You had two other children," said Dominik. "You couldn't give them up. Olek was still quite a child."

"But you were not yet an adult. So whatever has happened to you since then, it was your parents' fault."

"Mom ..."

Dominik wanted to console her, say that it was not so, but he would be lying. Dominik did not run away from home, his mother entrusted him to the care of Marek Marczak, whom she trusted, and this trust brought such and not other results.

It's not that Dominik blamed his parents, but he was aware of their responsibility.

At that moment, something occurred to Dominik.

"Mom," he said in a strong, determined voice looking at the woman. "Look into my eyes, please. Please, do it."

As he insisted, his mother wiped her tears and granted his request.

"Mom" Dominik brought back in his heart all the most beautiful memories and emotions related to Andrzej. "I am absolutely happy at this point in my life. I had some very difficult moments, but since Andrzej appeared in my life, I regained peace, balance and… happiness. The only tears that appear in my eyes now are tears of emotion and joy. Andrzej drove all the bad and sad thoughts away from me. I am really happy now. Do you believe me?"

The woman looked into his eyes. From the room where everyone else was gathered, came to them Dominik's father loud laughter. Before dinner, Zygmunt opened a bottle of good vodka and started offering his "son-in-law". Andrzej did not like to drink much, but he was prepared for it. Dominik's father really accepted him and that was enough for him.

Of course, it would be ideal if Dominik's mother would also accept him.

"I believe you" sighed Helena Śliwińska. "I don't understand how it's possible for a man to give you happiness, but I believe you."

"I don't know that either, Mom," admitted Dominik. "To tell you the truth, I don't really care. All I know is that he makes me want to work, develop, act, laugh and be among people, and I haven't had it for many years. He makes me want to be more than I am, not for other people, for myself. So mom, Andrzej is really the best thing that could happen to me at this point in my life."

His mother stroked his cheek.

"Hate sin, not a sinner, said our parish priest," said Helena Śliwińska, not surprising Dominik. "But he also said something else. He said that God loves every human being, and if He made some people love differently, He clearly had a purpose in it."

His mother surprised him completely. She did not say that his sexual orientation was the work of Satan, who wants to destroy the perfect order created by God. Has the world started to change so much that even religion made some concessions? Or maybe not religion itself, but only some interpretations of ancient scriptures? Dominik remembered the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and what influence it had on the later development of certain prejudices.

Dominik absolutely did not want to go into it, but he was very grateful that the parish priest told his mother words that would certainly make it easier for her to accept her son's difference.

The young actor was so happy with this fact that his eyes lit up. Helena noticed this, and she smiled in delight.

"My little boy, you really love this man!" she exclaimed in surprise, as if only now beginning to discover this truth.

"Yes mom. I love him. He is... my breath."

Śliwińska shook her head. She had tears in her eyes.

"I'll try to get used to it," she announced. "I promise. I will try to accept your choice. It will not be easy for me, but Nowicki is at least a decent person. At least that's what Zygmunt and Olek say."

"Dad seems to like him," Dominik remarked.

"Zygmunt usually doesn't say much, but when he returned from Warsaw, he announced that Nowicki is a decent man and that I should not make any difficulties for you. Apparently he helped you more than we imagined."

"It's true," admitted her son. "Andrzej really appeared when I needed him the most. He and his adoptive family accepted me knowing that I was gay and they helped me find the courage to come back to you."

"His foster family?" Dominik's mother asked.

"Ah, I don't think I told you yet. His parents died a year apart while Andrzej was in college. Since then, he has to take care of himself. He also helps his high school friend, who is a single mother, and as her daughter's godfather, helps raise her daughter. Martynka is very sweet. She is nine years old and she is a wonderful little princess ... "

Dominik's tongue loosened and a lot of words about Andrzej and the Kowalczyk family flowed out of his mouth. They forgot about the dishes they were supposed to wash with his mother and they sat down at the kitchen table, and Dominik was just talking. He spoke about the courage of Paulina, who preferred to raise her child alone rather than be associated with brutality of her partner and he spoke about the good heart of her mother, who wished them both happiness together during the Christmas Eve dinner. He also mentioned that Andrzej proposed to Paulina that she would not have to bear the burden of a single mother.

"Really?" Helena wondered and looked towards the room where her husband was drinking vodka with her son's lover.

Dominik laughed.

"Really," he admitted. "Andrzej is very decent, very righteous. Sometimes so much it irritates, but at least I know I can always count on him. He is very solid and determined. He knows when to let me do what I want and when to make me do something..."

"Make you do something?"

The indignation in his mother's voice pleased Dominik, who immediately calmed her down.

"I'm still very stubborn and I don't like doctors, and he made me do a full medical examination. Remember when I was at home the last time I was taking medication."

"Yes. You also looked very haggard. You look so much better now" Dominik's mother noticed. Her eyes expressed love and concern.