The day after they were back, Piero called Carla at her home, hoping to find her there. She didn't answer. He continued calling, until finally, there was an answer. "Oh, hello, Piero! Everything OK?"
"Yes..." he said hesitantly, "but I would like to see you soon. I have to talk with you."
"Sure," she said eagerly. "Tonight? I have a lot of things to tell you too. I've had a very wonderful holiday. And yours?"
"I too did. See you soon, then."
They met that evening. Piero went to Carla's house. There was just she and the baby, because Beppe had to go to Naples for his work. So, after they had dinner and chatted of this and that, Piero decided to face the subject he had in his heart, "Carla... I believe I'm in love."
"Great!" was his friend's cheerful comment.
"But... I promised you that you'd meet him, but... I don't know if..."
"Who's he? Tell me about him..."
"It's difficult... I don't know where to start..."
"He is... Akim, right?" Carla asked him, gently.
Piero looked at her, stupefied, but nodded yes. Then he asked her, "How could you guess?"
"It wasn't difficult. The last day I gave lessons to Akim, I gave him the address of the teacher that was going to teach him in our absence. I told him that our colleague was expecting him at his place the following morning at ten o'clock.
He gave me back the note, without even looking at it, and said, "No, professor. I won't go to that one's place. I want to go to professor Gribaudo's place. Give me his address, please."
I told him, "No," that he had to do what had been decided.
But he was stubborn, and told me that if he wasn't going to study with you, he would abandon his studies. At first, I didn't believe him, so I just retorted, "So much the worse for you!"
And he insisted, and I too... until I had the impression Akim was on the edge of tears. To be honest, this troubled me, but anyway, it was not enough to make me change my mind. Again, I refused to give him your address and repeated that, if he did stop his studies, it was just the worst for him. I couldn't help any more. Then, Akim, looking straight into my eyes as he does when he is very sincere, said to me, "But, I, Professor Testa, I'm in love with Professor Gribaudo. It is only for him that I'm studying. Not for the other people."
I said, "In love? We don't say that in Italian for two people of the same sex. We say I like him, or something similar."
But he, never lowering his eyes, told me, "I'm really in love with him! I know what I want, because for years I have liked men and have only had sex with men and I enjoy that. And I've been in love with the professor, for many months."
So I said. "All right, I see that you are in love. But to your teacher you cannot be anything but a pupil. And, if you make him understand your love, he will have to refuse it. He will have to send you away, don't you understand that?"
And he replied, "Yes, I know that very well. But I'll never tell him of my love, I'll never made him aware of it because I don't want to make him feel ill at ease. It will be enough for me to be near him, to be able to look at him and to study. To study for him. In all these months nobody has noticed my love for him; but my heart. And I miss him so very badly."
So I, in a last attempt to dissuade him, said, "But, what would your father say? And what about the money for the trip, and money to live on while you are there? Do you not see that it is impossible?"
But he gave me an answer that... well, almost upset me. "My father," he said very seriously, "my father understands everything about me, he always knew everything, even about my previous lovers. And he said that he will give me some money for the journey, even if it is a big sacrifice for him."
"He knows everything? And he says nothing?" I ask him, unbelieving.
Akim said, "My father, when I was a boy, tried to explain me that he would have preferred if I desired girls, but then he accepted it, when he understood that I'm not that way. He understands those are things that happen and that one cannot choose, decide. So, this time, he advised me to be very prudent, not to bother the professor, who is so good with me, with my feelings. He told me to be careful not to let the professor understand that I'm in love with him. But that, if I had decided so, he will help me as he can, and so he gave me some money..."
At that point I made my final argument, I told him my last objection, "Do you realize that if it becomes known that you are in love with the professor and that you are with him, he could be in serious trouble? He can be accused of corruption of minors and he will lose his job?"
Akim, always serious as usual, said, "I know that, Professor Testa. But there is no danger, nobody will ever know."
So I said, "Nobody? You told your father, you told me... It isn't that already too many?"
And Akim said, "But would you betray your friend?"
"No, surely not!" I said.
And he said, "And, my father will never betray me or the professor who is doing so much for me. You see that there is no problem? Give me Professor Gribaudo's address, please!"
So, at last, I gave him your address. Because, Piero, honestly, I realized a long time ago that to you Akim was lot more than a simple student. I have known for some time that you were falling in love with him, and I thought that, who knows, possibly, you were made for each other, after all. Akim is a splendid boy, a mature young man. And you are a splendid person... And it seems to me, now, that I didn't make a mistake, right?"
Piero had listened to the long explanation, absorbed it. "You realized that I was falling in love? But I just realized it in those last few days!" he retorted at the end.
"Well, I've known you quite a while. And you didn't realize it before because of your conscience, it was unthinkable, your principles kept you far away from your student, demanded to you not even consider him as to a possible partner."
"But now... Now can not the others also perceive that we are in love? don't you think so?"
"No way! You are both adults, no longer kids. It will be enough if you are both prudent."
"But Akim is a minor..."
"For our laws, that is true. But only for a little more than a year, and it will pass very fast. There is no way that he is going to report you to the police; not his father, nor I, so... Akim did not just take a fancy to you, he is in love with you. This is not the classic romantic crush of a student for his or her teacher, but an adult love, able to accept sacrifice. A love, which asks for nothing and gives everything, cannot be dangerous. Akim needs you... and I believe you need him."
"Yes, I think you're right. And I know that I'm terribly in love with him, in love as I never have been before. Even if I haven't told him, in so many words, of my love for him. But, I think I will tell him tomorrow, when he comes to study at my place... and to be near me."
Carla smiled and nodded, "Piero, I love you and I wish you a world of happiness. To you both."
"Thank you Carla. Talking with you has helped me a lot."
Piero went back home serene. Sure, there would be problems, but now his life was really smiling on him. Akim repeated his two exams and passed both, with a six in science and a seven in classical Greek. And when the final marks were posted, all the teachers were unanimous in saying that boy had done "miracles" and that he was worth helping with his studies.
"If he continues as he has been doing," the professor of Greek affirmed, "he will become one of our best students and will surpass many of the others. He is something else from a wanna buy!"
Piero was overjoyed, even if he didn't show it. Madam Cerulli was instead radiant with joy, "And if the boy asks questions, you can now see that it is worthwhile to give him some of your time?" she said throwing her anonymous taunt.
The new school year started and Akim, during his lessons, was never a problem. He behaved as usual (apart from the fact that now he was a little brighter and lively with his class mates) and behaved with Piero as any other student behaved with his teacher. And even Piero realized that it was not difficult for him to treat Akim like any of the other students, when they were in school. Akim continued to come to his home to study, even though he seldom needed help any longer. At times, although not very often, he also stopped by to sleep with Piero, but in the morning he always left early and arrived at the school alone, making a detour so that he did arrive from his usual direction. Piero met Akim father at the teachers - parents meeting and felt a little nervous. But the man behaved as always, as if he did know anything at all, without the slightest hint. This pleased Piero; but on the other hand, increased his embarrassment. So he decided to ask Akim's father for a private meeting.
They met on a Sunday morning in Carlo Felice Square. Walking, they talked. "Mister Fawzi, I'm sure that you know the true relationship between your son and myself..."
"Yes, mister professor. My son says always all to his father. He is a good son."
"Sure. And you... what do you think about that? Sincerely?"
The man looked straight in Piero's eyes, "I had more preferred that my son love... a woman. But God decided different and then, if man it has to be, I'm happy that is mister professor. Because is a man honest, good, intelligent. I know that my son is in very good hands and that suffices to me. Yes. I can just be a grateful father to mister professor for the good he does and he gives to my son. And I see Akim now happy and also this thing is thank to mister professor. And then I pray that God helps all you two." The man finished his statement and then held out his hand and they shook hands vigorously, almost as to seal an agreement, an alliance.
Then, when the man was about to leave, said to the teacher, "Excuse me, professor?"
"Yes?"
"If the son is not good, now that he is yours, you can beat him, you have right."
"I don't really think I will need to do that... Did you ever need to beat him, up to now?"
"No, never. But this is sentence that is to be said. I have no more right on son, professor has. This is sentence in our land we say... that in our place says father, when gives his daughter..." Piero smiled, and understood, this was a ritual sanction very close to that of marriage. Therefore he nodded. And again they shook hands. In fact, Akim, after the meeting of Piero with his father, told him, "My father has entrusted me to you. Now everything is settled, everything is in order. Now I really belong to you."
"Yes, Akim, but I also belong to you. Here in Italy we also have a custom. A relationship must be always between peers, or at least it should be."
The boy smiled and answered, "Yes, I know that now you too belong to me. You are the most precious thing in my life, or rather, you are more precious than my life."
"Akim... I haven't yet told you that I love you..."
"Yes, you've told me, in every way except saying it. You've told with everything that is yourself. And I too love you. That's why we are happy. A man happiness is love, isn't it so?"
"My happiness is you, Akim. I love you." Piero told him, very moved.
Akim ended his third year and passed with an average grade of seven on a scale of ten, so he also received a scholarship. Piero suggested to Akim that he should give the scholarship money to his father in order to help him pay his other sons studies. "Anyway, I can provide everything for you." Piero said.
Akim accepted, with simplicity, as with simplicity he accepted the clothes Piero bought him, and the books and other things. He was a neat boy, meticulous, a lover of cleanliness. He loved, most of all being able to shower every day, and he loved to do that with Piero. And now Piero's little flat was extremely tidy. When Akim started his fourth year at school, Piero wanted to give him the apartment keys.
"But what would your neighbors say, seeing a Moroccan, a wanna buy having your house keys?" Akim objected.
"Well, what about it?" Piero answered, "You could be mistaken for a Sicilian, especially now that your Italian is almost perfect even with the accent. And then... who cares about neighbors!"
"No, Piero. Wait until I'm an adult. It can be your present for my eighteenth birthday."
"Just two more months..."
"I know, you want me to feel at home, but to me, wherever you are, will be my home. I don't need the keys."
"It is like... a symbol."
"Yes, I understand. That's why, if you want to, you'll give them to me in two months. It will be like telling me, 'Here, you now are a man'."
"But, you're already a man. My man."
"Man or boy, who cares, as long as I'm yours!" Akim concluded with a sweet smile.
And November eighth came and they celebrated Akim's coming of age. Carla offered them a lunch at the Cambio. Then they gave Akim their presents. Carla gave him an electronic pocket notebook. Piero gave him a formal suit and a small box with the house keys. Akim was moved.
They celebrated again that same night, in Piero's bed, until it was dawn. In fact the ninth was a Saturday and neither had any classes. Days were passing by very rapidly, and the two were more and more in love with each other. Piero recalled Gianni and Luca. Both relationships, after all, even if they had failed, had prepared him for his relationship with Akim, and so had been precious. Then he recalled his dream... and just then he heard the key turning in the lock. He stood up and went into the corridor.
The boy was there, standing in front of him, and he silently smiled.
Now he knew his name, and he knew that he was there for him. Each time it was as if it was the first time he saw him, but now really they knew each other forever. They knew that they had been created for each other. The boy wore a wide shirt and soft trousers hiding his shape, and yet he knew, that they hid a perfect body, of a yet ripe virility, ready to be picked. And he would again taste the fruit, he would be the only one having the right to savor it. And he would enter an always new world with the boy with always new and marvelous pleasures, that would make them real men.
He slowly lifted his hands toward the boy, looking upon his beauty. A perfect face, framed by thick black hair, soft and curly. He looked at his black eyes bright as stars, deep as wells and saw a rainbow of emotions pass in those eyes, anticipation, desire, complete willingness to give himself.
His hands reached the boy and the boy quivered and his own quivers responded in turn, wrapping him like a warm and sweet wave. Quietly, his feverish fingers started to unbutton the boy's shirt and all the universe seemed to hold its breath. Together, they both, in absolute and deafening silence, waited for the miracle to happen. Now, just those two black deep eyes existed that seemed to attract him like magnets. His fingertips lightly brushed the fresh skin of the boy and that made him vibrate like harp strings. The shudder reverberated in the boy's body as in a sound box and the sun shone more brightly and with more warmth.
He heard his voice murmur to the boy, warm and sensually, "Come... nobody will disturb us. Come love..."
And no threatening doorbell rang this time. Nothing clouded their love meeting this time, like all the previous ones. They knew all their meetings would be like this. Forever.