CHAPTER ELEVEN
The tiny house was jam-packed with people, just as the front of the house was lined with all kinds of vehicles—a couple of cars (that included Iggy’s; Tyler probably rode with his mom), Caleb’s pickup and an SUV. In the living room, Nana, Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Wesley were occupying the only couch there, deeply immersed in their conversation about the latest episode on Oprah, and in front of them sat little Colin, Akayla and Shaniqua on the round purple rug on the floor, their eyes glued to the television screen.
Mr. Reynolds was flipping barbeques on the grill and Mr. Laureano was helping him out as the two men chatted about baseball. Mr. Wesley stood in the far corner of the yard with his back against us, a cellphone pressed against his ear.
Juniper, whose right arm was wound in a cast, was seated on one of the stairs on the front porch, looking bored, and Tyler, Iggy and Caleb had suspiciously disappeared (and so had Iggy’s car) just when Nana had instructed us to set the table. That left me, Zerrah, and her mother, dutifully carrying Nana’s good dishes, silverware, and glasses from the kitchen cupboard out to the backyard and set them down on the wooden table, which was right next to the grill.
“So, you’re Caleb’s little sister?” Mrs. Laureano smiled at me as she set down the plates on the picnic table. “You look so much like each other.”
Oh, if only she knew. “Thanks, Mrs. Laureano.”
“Call me Tita Luz.” She offered.
“Tita?” I echoed, bewildered.
“Oh, Tita’s Filipino for ‘auntie’.” She explained. “I’m half Filipina.”
“Oh. Um…” A Filipina?
“The Philippines a tiny scatter of islands located in Southeast Asia.” She smiled at my blank face.
I flushed in embarrassment. “Sorry.”
“Oh, don’t be sorry.”
“You must think I’m pretty stupid and ignorant now.” I sighed. “Geography was never my favorite subject.”
“I don’t think that, and I’m not mad at you or anything.” She gave me another smile and a gentle pat on the shoulder.
Zerrah laughed. “Do you know mama’s real name?”
I shook my head no.
“My full name is Marites Rosalie Luzviminda Cañete-Laureano.” Mrs. Laureano said, her smile widening. Wow, that was long. “But when I migrated to the States, I had to shorten my name to just the last three.”
“Luzvi-what?” I blurted out, then cursed my stupidity again. “Sorry.”
She laughed. “It’s quite a mouthful, isn’t it? It’s a combination of the three major islands in the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.”
“Oh. Luzviminda.” I nodded, finally getting it. “Pretty… unique.”
“I’ll say.” Zerrah agreed. “She named me and June after her best friends—Sarah and Jennifer.”
“So, that makes you, what?” I turned to Zerrah. “One-fourth Filipino?”
“And one-fourth Latina—since mama’s papa was Latino—with a little bit of Hawaiian and Taiwanese in me, from papa’s side.” Zerrah shot me a grin. “And I’m damn proud of my heritage.”
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Beautiful Disaster (Ongoing & on Hiatus)
RomantizmEver since her mother died, Natalie has been the glue that desperately tries to keep the remains of her broken family intact. And when Caleb, her older melancholic brother, runs away from home, she comes to a moot point in her life---go after him...
