Crossing Boundaries: A Nigerian-Italian Romance"

Chapter twenty six

Nkem was nervous when Marco told her his parents wanted to meet her. She had never met them before and didn't know what to expect. She had heard stories about how Italian families could be very traditional and conservative, and she wasn't sure how they would react to her being a Nigerian woman.

As she waited for Marco to arrive at her apartment, she couldn't help but think about what she would wear and how she would present herself. She wanted to make a good impression, but at the same time, she didn't want to compromise her identity or culture.

When Marco arrived, he could sense her unease and immediately took her in his arms. "Don't worry, everything will be fine," he reassured her. "My parents are going to love you."

Nkem forced a smile and followed Marco to his car. During the drive to his parents' house, Marco kept making small talk, trying to ease her nerves, but it wasn't helping much. She was too worried about how his parents would perceive her.

When they arrived, Marco's mother greeted them warmly and led them to the living room. Nkem could feel the tension in the air as Marco's father, Carlos, sat in an armchair, his eyes fixed on the TV screen.

"Welcome, welcome," Marco's mother said, giving Nkem a warm hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

Nkem smiled nervously and said, "Thank you so much for having me. It's an honor to meet you."

Marco's mother led them to the dining room, where a delicious aroma filled the air. Nkem's mouth watered as she saw the spread of Italian food on the table.

As they sat down to eat, Carlos remained silent, his eyes still fixed on the TV screen. Nkem could feel his disapproval, and it made her feel uncomfortable. She tried to make small talk with Marco's mother, but it was clear that Carlos was not interested in talking to her.

After dinner, Marco's mother suggested they go for a walk in the garden. Nkem was happy to oblige, as she wanted to get away from the tense atmosphere in the dining room.

As they walked, Marco's mother opened up to Nkem. She talked about how happy she was that Marco had found someone like her, how intelligent and beautiful she was. Nkem felt a warm feeling in her chest as she listened to the older woman's words.

However, as they walked back into the house, they were met with a shouting match between Marco and his father.

"You cannot bring a black woman into this family, Marco!" Carlos yelled. "You are tainting our bloodline!"

Nkem felt her heart drop as she heard those words. She had heard about racism before, but she had never experienced it so directly. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she tried to stay strong.

"I love her, dad," Marco said firmly. "And that's all that matters to me."

Carlos shook his head. "I cannot accept this, Marco. I'm sorry."

With that, he stormed out of the room, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

Nkem felt like she couldn't breathe. She had never felt so hurt and rejected in her life. Marco put his arm around her, trying to comfort her, but she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know he was going to react like that."

Nkem shook her head. "It's not your fault. I just... I can't believe this is happening."

They stayed there in silence for a while, Marco holding her tightly as she cried. Eventually, they got up and left the house, saying their goodbyes to Marco's mother.

As they drove back to their apartment, Nkem couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. She had always known that racism existed, but she had never felt it so acutely before.