~11~

'Hey, baby,' Kate said on the phone.

'Why are you calling me?' Louise groaned.

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing. I am tired.'

'Ah! Sorry baby. What time did you get back?'

'Two.'

'Two—did they not go according to what you sent?'

'No, two of the workers called off. I gave them a hand. You know how punctual that client is," Louise said. 'So, why do you call me this early? Is there something you're craving? Want me to cook for you?'

'I want chicken and brown rice. But that isn't why I called.' Kate said.

'Then what?" Louise asked, laying back down.

'Cyrus hasn't come out of his room since Friday. There's nobody home except Marie. Would you mind checking on him?'

'Mmh, okay.' Louise said.

'Thanks, Cherie. Oh, you can cook for me at home. I love you.'

'I love you too.' Louise said and hung up.

~~~

Cyrus wasn't sick or anything. That Thursday night, he, his siblings, and Peter played video games and rested late the following morning. Friday, he woke up unusually late, ate the food Marie prepared after she left, and went back to sleep.

He heard Kate calling him early today. However, he felt so sluggish and tired that he couldn't get up to open the door or even replied to her.

Cyrus had a habit of locking his door before going to sleep since Tara wouldn't let him sleep in peace.

"Ms. Louise. I am glad you are here," Marie said, sighing in relief once she saw Louise. "Sir hasn't come out of his room since yesterday."

"Hello, Marie," Louise greeted first, "Is he sick?"

"I am not sure. The food I cooked for sir is gone, but he hasn't come out."

"Where's his room?"

"Upstairs. The second room on the right," Marie said.

"May I?" Louise asked.

"Sure, go ahead."

"I'll go take a look. Don't worry, okay."

~~~

"Cyrus!" Louise knocked on the door. "It's me. Open the door!"

"Come in," he said lowly but loud enough for her to hear. "The door's unlocked."

"Are you sick? Louise asked. "Why the hell your room is this dark? Where are you?"

"I am over here. I am not sick."

"I am going to turn on the blinds. I can't see," Louise said, walking toward the window but kept bumping into stuff. Damn it! "Why haven't you come out of your room if you aren't sick?"

"So bright," Cyrus muttered once the sunlight hit his face. "Why are you here this early?"

"Came to check on you," Louise said and laid next to him as she was still feeling sleepy. "Your family and Marie worried about you."

"I was playing video games with Peter and my brothers."

"Since when?"

"Thursday night."

"Til?"

"Late Friday—"

Louise's eyes shot open. "Good for you. That's why you didn't reply to my texts," Louise said, turning her back to Cyrus.

"I am sorry," he said, poking her side.

"Let's talk about it later," she mumbled, instantly falling asleep.

~~~

"You must be exhausted," Cyrus said, "You are such a nice woman," he said, pushing a few strands of hair out of her face.

"I don't understand you," he continued. "Why would you like me? I have so much going on in my life. No one has spent that much effort on me. I like you, I am sure of that, but I am not sure if I am ready to love someone else yet."

Will it be okay to return her love? Won't Cahir leave too?" He closed his eyes and snuggled closer to her.

~~~

"Cahir," Cyrus called when he didn't see Louise next to him.

"Why are you shouting?" Louise asked, sitting in the armchair by the window. "What's wrong?"

"You're still here," he smiled. "That's good. I am hungry."

"Who told you to play until late?" She scowled.

"Are you still mad?"

Louise crossed her legs and ignored him.

"Hehe, it wasn't intentional."

"Go shower so you can eat." Cyrus nodded and got out of bed.

"Are my brothers still asleep?"

"You're the only cat around here." He laughed. "Why do you insist on staying up so late when you are like this?"

"Ah! are you worried about me?" He smiled.

"I am still mad!"

"I am sorry," Cyrus pouted.

A smile crept on her lips. "You are not cute. I'm going out."

Dazzling! "Wait!" She has no idea!

"What is it?" Louise asked. "You're not feeling well?"

"You should smile more often."

"I smile every time I see you," Louise said. "Isn't that enough?"

"People will misunderstand you," Cyrus reasoned.

"As long as it isn't you."

Ah, why did I even try? "forget it!"

"Uh, hurry up, and come down."

~~~

"Tell me something from what I've already known," Cyrus said after he and Louise finished washing the dishes.

"Like?"

"I don't know. There's so much I don't know about you."

"Well, I moved to France when I was in eighth grade. And—," Louise bit her lips.

"What?"

"My parents kept me a secret when I was born," Louise said.

"Why?"

"Well—they couldn't tell if I was a boy or a girl."

"Oh," was all he said.

"I was born with both female and male anatomy."

"What did your parents do?" He asked, holding her hand as they were walking in the garden. "It must have been hard on them."

"My dad's father kept pressuring him to pick a gender. But, my parents didn't want to do anything that they would regret. My dad named me Louise because he wanted a daughter, and my mom called me Cahir."

"So, how did you choose—you know."

"I started thinking that I was a boy. I wasn't growing breasts or anything. Girls usually show those around eight to twelve, and I wasn't getting any."

"But, when I was sixteen, I started having cramps."Louise continued.

Cyrus touched her face, listening to Louise attentively. He didn't say anything and let her talk. It wasn't something she loved talking about, but Louise felt like it was a part of her he needed to know.

"I didn't think of anything. I started to grow breasts at eighteen. It was kind of scary that I suddenly had those in my chest. And my voice changed. That's when I decided to have the surgery."

"My friends were—they were supportive. I don't know if it was because they were guys that they didn't care much."

"How did your family react?" Cyrus asked.

"Nothing. My dad was glad. He wanted to have a daughter. My grandparents on my mother's side didn't have much to say. But my dad's father was—unbearable. We don't have a good relationship."

"Some of my mother's friends would ask my grandparents things like, 'Didn't you have a grandson? Was he always a woman?' They didn't care. My grandparents would ignore them."

"I am so glad that you had supportive parents and friends," Cyrus said, "Not many people know about it. And there are people out there that can't even have the surgery. I don't know much about these matters. But it's good that you had people there for you. And your dad being supportive and all."

"But I am glad that you feel comfortable enough to tell me. You usually don't say more than three sentences."

"Mmh, thanks for listening," Louise smiled. "That's a change, I guess."

"It's okay. It's a touchy subject; I know it's not pleasant talking about it."

"What about you?" She asked. "There must be something I don't know about you."

"Well, I am from South Africa."

"South—aren't you from Australia?"

Cyrus laughed, "I don't have an Australian accent. People usually assume England. That's a first."

"Well, anything else? Come on, and I am sure there are a lot of interesting things about you."

"Well, my birth name is Helian."

"Helian! Why do you go by Cyrus then?"

"I don't know the story. I know that I had a brother named Cyrus, who died when we were five years old. Later on, my parents changed my first name to Cyrus; Helian is my middle name."

"Helian is a nice name, " Louise complimented. "You don't remember anything about him?"

"Not really. I wish I did."

"I am sorry."

"Why are you?"

"I don't know how to comfort you, " said Louise, who's eyes never left Cyrus.

"Why?"

"Because I want to see you smile."

"What?"

"That's all came to mind," Louise laughed.

"Why do you love me?" Asked Cyrus.

"Do I need to have a reason to love you?" Louise answered.

"I don't know," Cyrus shrugged. "Most people say things like, 'I love you because I am comfortable with you because you make me happy."

"Did you want me to say those things? That's not how love works. I love you because I want to make you happy. If you're happy, then there's not going to be a reason for me to be troubled."

"It's like a contagious virus. When the person you love is smiling, you can't help but smile too because the person you love is happy, not because they make you smile," Louise stopped walking and stared at him.

"What!"

"It seems like I still have a long way to go, but that's fine," she pulled him to her as she caressed his face. "Can I?"

"What?"

"Kiss you!"

"Who asks for things like that?" Cyrus said, biting his lips.

"You're right," said Louise, brushing his hair with her hand. She lowered herself to his height and kissed his lips. It was more of a peck on the lips.

"That's it?" Cyrus opened his eyes.

"What did you expect? Your dirty mind."

'What is she saying?'

"I love you. I don't want to possess you. I don't have a reason. I just want to love you, seeing you well and happy. That's all I want. Don't misunderstand!"

"Have I ever told you that you are beautiful?" Cyrus asked, his eyes tenderly rested on Louise. "Well, you are beautiful. I like Cahir. It doesn't matter intersex or not. I like you."

But you don't love me.

"Thank you."

~~~

"Are you leaving now?"

"Yeah! I have some projects to finish," Louise said.

"Be careful on the road, okay," Cyrus hugged her.

"I will."

"Thank you for coming to check on me."

"Stop thanking me already."

"Okay, bye-bye."

"Go inside."

"You leave first."

"I am leaving, then, "Louise said, but Cyrus held her hand back. "What's wrong?"

"One more time!"

"What?"

"Let me hug you, stay still."

"Are you done?" Louise asked, looking at her watch; ten minutes have passed.

"Uh," Cyrus pulled away. "Thank you!"

"You're okay, right? I can't leave if you're not alright," Louise said, her eyes softened.

"I am fine. You leave first."

"I am leaving, then," Louise said, placing a kiss on his cheek. "I love you."

'Do you care for me that much, and that look in your eyes, how could you expect me not to fall in love?'