In Over Her Head by Elsie Russell - Parnasse.com

passwords, and seemed just a little too fatalistic about everything.
Paranoia seemed appropriate under the circumstances. The Madonna
looked down over her book to the laptop and Alessandro. With the
little bird hovering above her head she wasn't worried at all.
He turned to her with his deep soft eyes.
"The painting reminds me of you."
She stiffened. "Hey, I'm not religious, and I'm not a virgin."
"No, no. She resembles you when you are thinking, like now."
"Thanks, I guess, but she's just a kid."
"So are you! She has your forehead, and the little nose, like your
photo."
That webcam portrait where I look like a beluga whale?
Penny couldn't stop blushing now.
"Yeah, I sorta have a big forehead. I like to think it's to hold my
frontal lobes, but that's just vanity. Was this painting your brother's,
too?"
"It has been in my family for many years. When I decide to
become a nomad, at first I think I keep it, but I put it away because it is
so fragile."
"So that's what you were looking for in that room."
His turn to blush.
"And you just put this up here the day before yesterday?"
He turned away from her to the painting.
"She was above my desk before."
"What was here?"
"My brother's crucifix, by Giambologna. This and the Pavlova
where his favorite things,"
"But he was religious?"
"Yes, very, but you know, after we go to the Jesuits this became
complicated because of his, em, gender diaspora. Well, the guilt is a big
part of what they teach us, especially with the sexuality, you
understand."
"Not really, but that's the word, I hear. You still say, your
'brother', does that mean you didn't buy into it?"
"But I did buy it! I wanted him to be happy!"
"Yeah? Okay, um, whatever. So, what about you, you don't
seem so by the book yourself, you know?"
"Eh, scusi?" He recoiled, catching his breath.
"Strictly religious."
He chortled relief.
126