PART III - SOFIA

I put my arm around her shoulder as we were strolling down the school's hallway.

"Would you like to come with me today? Mom and Santi are cooking a post-Thanksgiving dinner tonight and asked if you'd like to come."

"You're telling me this now?" She asked, looking down at her – naturally – flawless outfit.

"You look really nice today – well, every day actually but also today, and they know you. You don't have to worry." I stopped and tucked at her trench coat's collar.

She stared straight ahead at my throat. "They don't know me as your girlfriend."

I chuckled and pulled her into an embrace.

"I've never asked," her voice muffled against my scarf, "are they okay with you being gay? I don't mean to be prejudiced but aren't Mexicans extremely catholic?"

I sighed. "They are. But my mom finds the part about "loving thy neighbor" more important than the whole "gays are going to hell"-bit."

She still wouldn't look at me, so I pressed a kiss to her temple. I didn't know why she was suddenly so self-conscious.

"Don't worry. They're not gonna hate you for turning me gay."

"I didn't."

"That's what I'm saying. Okay?"

I could feel her nod against my shoulder. "Okay."

"Hey, love birds!" Baker's voice made me take a step back. With a grin, he added, "About time you stopped tip-toeing around."

"Helen, so nice to see you again."

Helen smiled her publicity smile. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Gutiérrez," she said.

"None of that nonsense! I told you before to call me Chio. Come on, into the kitchen, Santiago is cooking."

Mom gave me a short side hug and a kiss on my hair and shoved me in the direction of the kitchen.

"It smells wonderful," Helen said.

The topics at the dinner table were lighthearted. We talked about school and work and the play, about my weekend at the grandparents'. Helen told us about her Thanksgiving with her close family.

When we were cleaning the table, I heard my mom quietly say to Helen, "I'm happy you found each other."

I cringed at that expression but when I heard Helen's chuckle, I felt the same way. For a moment, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. My eyes followed her into the kitchen until Santiago held a stack of plates in front of me. Mom ruffled through my hair when we met each other at the doorway. Then, Helen and I were alone.

"Your mom is really okay with us, isn't she?"

I frowned, "Yeah, I told you she is." I put the plates down on the counter and turned to her. "What is it? Talk to me."

Helen sighed but didn't stop putting the dishes into the dishwasher. When there was nothing else to do, she came towards me and put her arms around my body. I hugged her back as hard as I could.

"My dad doesn't understand."

"Mh?"

"My dad doesn't understand how I can be gay now when my last relationship was with a boy."

"You can't be blamed, the paperwork takes some time."

"It's not funny, Sofia."

"Of course not, Lenny."

We stood there silently for a moment.

"Let's arrange dinner for both our families. My mom didn't study communication for nothing."

I couldn't see Helen's face but I had a feeling that she was smiling. I pushed her away from me to see her face.

"Okay?"

She nodded and I placed a kiss on her lips.

"Would you," I hesitated, "would you like to stay over?"

I could feel her shift uncomfortably in my arms.

"I don't mean stay-over stay over! I don't wanna do anything that you don't wanna do. I was thinking about a movie and maybe some making-out."

Helen nodded slowly, then said. "Can we do that at mine? I would prefer that."

"Of course, Lenny."