A Wall Between

Chapter 43

When the five of them stepped through the front door of the house and immediately saw Cooper's mum fussing over the decorating in the foyer, they quickly split off into two groups with Cooper and Mason intercepting her while Abra and Ellie led Sasha upstairs.

"There are my boys!" Cooper's mum said, holding her arms wide. "You remembered to bring your suits, didn't you?"

"Yes, mum," Cooper said. "I have mine upstairs. I'll get changed in a minute."

Her hands rubbed Cooper's arms. "Do you need me to iron it for you?"

"It's fine, mum," Cooper said. "Thanks, though."

"Okay. Give me a hug."

She hugged Cooper and Cooper hugged her back. He wished things could just always be like this, only without this heaviness in his chest every time she said anything to him as he waited to see whether it would turn into a jab of some kind.

They pulled apart and Cooper's mum turned to Mason. "Now, will you let me give you a hug?"

"Hm," Mason said. "If you can do it without crushing my kitten, sure."

"Why do you have a kitten?" Cooper's mum asked. "I don't think it's appropriate to bring a pet with you here."

"I mean it's literally Bianca's kitten that I'm looking after for her so that she can focus on getting married, but go off I guess."

Cooper's mum let out a deep sigh. "I apologise, then. You'll put it away for the wedding, though, yes?"

"After I went to all the trouble of getting him a tiny bowtie? No way."

"Mason..."

"Mum," Cooper murmured. "Come on."

Cooper's mum made a tutting sound. "Okay, I'll pick my battles."

"Uh huh," Mason said, waving to her over his shoulder as he walked away.

Cooper's mum shook her head. "He's always had the most attitude out of the three of you, but he's so mouthy these days. I don't know what to do about it. Telling him off doesn't seem to help."

"Try being nice to him?"

"I offered him a hug. How is that not nice?"

Cooper shrugged. If she didn't get it, he wasn't going to waste his time trying to explain it. "Listen, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay," Cooper's mum said, a slight edge of apprehension in her voice.

"Did you see the young man who came in with us?" Cooper asked. "The one wearing the same tuxedo combination as Abra?"

"I did notice him before your roommates whisked him away, yes."

"That's Sasha. He's... well, my boyfriend."

"Oh!" Cooper's mum said. "You're dating a boy?"

Cooper would have corrected her and said that Sasha was a man, not a boy, but honestly even Sasha was a little uncomfortable with thinking of himself as a man. Hell, Cooper didn't really feel like one himself, either.

"Yeah," Cooper said.

"Cooper... are you gay? It's okay if you are, I just..."

"I'm bisexual," Cooper said. "I've told you that before."

"Well, yes, but there's a difference between maybe having thoughts about other boys from time to time and actually acting on it, Cooper. I'm just a little surprised."