What is love?

What is love?

Hello there, Its another one From #Xtreme

I came out to my mom today.

“So,” I said. “I have a date tomorrow.”

She smiled.

“I want details!”

My head felt woozy. I wasn’t sure what to say or how to say it or if I should say anything so I pulled up my date’s Bumble profile and handed her my phone.

My mom propped her glasses on the tip of her nose and eyed the screen.

She frowned.

Her lips moved, silently reading my date’s profile.

She looked at the phone.

She looked at me.

She looked at the phone again.

“I don’t get it.”

“I, er…”

“She’s a woman,” my mom said.

“Yes.”

“Your date is a woman?” She stared at me over the top of her glasses.

“… Yes.”

“Oh!” She let out a laugh. “I get it. I thought this girl set you up with someone, so I was reading to figure out who. But she’s your date!”

I let out a sigh.

“Yes, Mom,” I told her. “She’s the date.”

She spent the next hour plying me with questions — When did you know? Did you ever think it was a phase or did you just know? Why didn’t you tell me?

Age 12.

Just knew.

Never needed to.

At the end of our chat, she looked at my feet.

“If you’re going on a date, you need your toes done. Come over tomorrow and I’ll do them. That is just embarrassing.”

And as I was leaving, she added—

“I won’t text you all throughout the date, but you better call me afterwards so I can hear all about it!”

She gave me a hug.

I think about those who came out and suddenly didn’t have a home.

Who lost their relationship with their family.

Who were beaten. Who were murdered.

Who lost everything to be themselves.

Today I came out as bisexual and my mom’s biggest problem was that my nails weren’t done.

What else is love but that?