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Xolani's POV "Lala! Mommy Daddy, Lala is here!" My little cousin Angela jumped excitedly wrapping her small limbs around my waist. I leaned down kissing her forehead lovingly. "Hi Angel, I kissed you so much" I lifted her up in my arms and design her on my hip as I walked further inside the house closing the door behind me. Entering the living room, I saw Uncle and Aunty sitting down on the couch cuddled up together watching the Sunday afternoon FIFA game. "Hello family" I waved my hand while pushing up Angela on my waist. My aunt was first to notice me, she jumped on her feet rushing to hug me. "Lani! My sweet girl, how much I've missed you" Aunt Katy wrapped her arms around Angela and I kissing me all over my face making me giggle. "Hey, step away woman it's my turn" I heard Uncle Pietro say from behind pushing my aunt to the side then engulfed me in a tight hug. Aunty sucked her teeth glaring at her husband before smacking him upside me head causing him to shriek at the sharp contact. Uncle fixed his polo shirt collar pushing his lips out chuckling evilly then began chasing my Aunt around the living room. From the corner of my eye, I saw Angela rolling her eyes while playing my messy bun. She squirmed signaling for me to let her down. "Lala, let's go Daddy and Mommy are being stupid again" I laughed petting her straight blonde hair. Angela took my hand that was on her head using it to drag me along to her room upstairs. Looking over my shoulder at the playful couple I sighed inwardly. I just wish I had what they have. A loving, healthy relationship with my soulmate. When we reached my little cousin's room I almost cringed at how bright it was, the whole room was painted yellow with a few animated posters of her favorite Disney and Pixar characters. Each time Angela gets bored of the paint coated walls of her bedroom she asks her parents to change it for her. Since she's the only child, this little human gets whatever she wants. Angela is spoiled rotten but at least she's humble about it. The things she doesn't need gets donated to the charity my aunt is part of the committee. Last year, when we went to the Poconos in Pennsylvania for our annual family vacation. We had breakfast at this diner. After we finished eating this girl gave her last dollar to a homeless man and begged her parents to buy him some food and I gave the man a $100 bill before we left. He prayed and bid us a safe journey, it's just something about helping other people in need that lifts up your spirits. I sat on her bed crossing my legs, I watched as she began setting up for our usual tea party with Miss. Piggy, Elmo, and a cream colored bear she got when I took her to Build-A-Bear Workshop for her 7th birthday 2 months ago. "Lala, come sit we're ready?" Angela pulled out a fun pink-colored chair and waited for me to sit. With a little effort she managed to slightly push in the chair. She walked around the rounded table to sit in her little throne shaped chair. "Here, have some tea" I lifted the plastic cup as she poured the intangible liquid inside. Raising the cup to my mouth, I made sure my lips didn't touch as I took a fake sip of the invisible content. "Careful, Lala it's hot" She scolded while chewing on a butter biscuit handing one to me. I thanked her before taking it and eating the delicious snack. "So, how's school going, Angel?" I asked picking up the cup pretending to take another sip. At my age, I still loved acting like a kid. "Agh, I hate it. The headmaster told Mommy and Daddy to put me in a new class because I'm smart, I miss my friends from my other class." Aww, I felt bad for my little Angel. She rarely makes friends unless she's impressed or intrigued by the person. "Girls, we're having a barbecue!" My aunt shouted form downstairs making both Angela and I ran out her room because who the hell turns down a barbecue? Bruno's POV "Mamma, how many time will I tell you I don't want to have a blind date" I groaned into my phone pinching my nose bridge. "But, my grandson needs a motherly figure in his life apart from me" She said in a clipped tone. He has one already and I plan on making her my wife. "Frankly, I'm not interested in any of the the females in your circle. No offense, Mamma" I told her taking a seat on the sofa sinking into the plushy furniture. "Besides, I already have a woman" "Is that so, who is she? What does she do? and how does she look?" My mother Bruna Salerno is the most meddlesome person I've ever seen. She always wants to know what I'm doing, who I'm with and where I am. So damn overprotective. I'm a grown ass man for God sake but Italian mothers are built to function that way. "Xolani is Mario's kindergarten teacher, she's also an established a song writer and she's mixed." I said smiling to myself thinking about that gorgeous little woman. "Is that her name? It sounds weird I don't like it. People of her kind don't mix well with us. What if she wants you for torn money and success. Bruno, I think it's best for your to leave her and I'll introduce you to a good Italian lady" My brewing anger rose up because how ignorant and insensitive my mother sounded. "That's racist and I don't care that you don't like her name, you never even met her and you already started judging. By the way, those gold diggers you want me to get with are not coming anywhere close to me or my son. Goodbye Mamma" I gritted hanging up the call before she could even get another word out. I heard Mario small feet patting against the wooden floors. "Daddy, I wanna go to the park" I smiled tightly standing up. He handed me the baseball and held onto the glove. I ruffled his head, grabbing my keys then lead out the house to my Jeep. As I began, driving to the park. I thought back to my mother's words. If my mother is going to be a racist, I think we need to have a serious discussion before I start bringing Xolani around. She must feel comfortable around me and my surroundings not hostility because I might have a racially prejudiced woman as my mother.
