Rita is afraid her son is gay
but she can’t talk to her son about it
for fear of hearing the truth
so she speaks to her niece
in confidence
in a darkened room
with no one else in the house.
She admits
what she suspects
and does her best
to hold back tears
worried how she might break down
discussing this awful possibility.
She tries not
to think about how dangerous
it will be for her son
if she is right
and he likes his own sex
with his own gender.
She tells tales out of school
while her son
is in class
with boys
who her son
may secretly desire.
She wishes it were different
and begs her niece
to keep quiet
about her suspicions
which Rita prays are wrong.
She pleads with the heavens
to never know
for sure
that her youngest is gay.
She never discusses this
with her son
and he never discusses it
with her.