I find that there's nobody at home. I place the bottle of perfume that I bought for Mom on the counter in her bedroom. My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten dinner. Luckily, my Mum completed her big shopping spree yesterday so I have a whole load of options to choose from.
Checking the time, I calculate I have enough time to cook a mini feast for Mamma and I by the time she returns home. In the freezer, there's half a packet of garlic bread which I pop into the oven. There's one red pepper, a can of sweetcorn, jars of turmeric and cumin, an onion, a sack of rice and a bag of frozen peas. I decide to cook traffic light rice and I'm satisfied with the result because of the smell, look and a taste a teaspoon of it. Looking on Pinterest, I find and follow a simple chocolate mousse recipe and yet again, I act as the taste-tester.
Let's hope dinner will be a success! As I'm thinking this, I hear the clank in the keyhole as Mom opens the door. She looks transformed: she's smiling and comments," Che sorprosa! Una cena deliziosa per tornare a casa(What a surprise! A lovely dinner to come home to)!"
After kicking off her canvas, she threw herself on a chair at the table.
"Ooh! Che coincidenza! Avevo voglia di pane all'aglio e la mia adorabile figlia me ne cucina in po 'per cominciare(What a coincidence! I was craving garlic bread and my lovely daughter cooks me some for starters)," my Mum compliments, stuffing slices of garlic bread into her mouth.
"Hey! Leave some for me!" I warn her jokily.
"I admit that I sometimes add snippets of food in my mouth at the restaurant but I wouldn't eat all the slices of garlic bread, especially because you cooked it for me."
I tackle my fair share of the starters and serve my successful traffic light rice.
"Questo e cosi bello! Devo migliorare il mio gioco( This is so good! I have to up my game)," Mamma comments.
It was so tempting to have more than a second portion of the rice! After resisting the temptation of having a third portion of rice, I brought out my homemade chocolate mousse.
"Da dove l'hai comprato(Where did you buy this from)?" Mom asks, licking the chocolate off her spoon.
"I didn't buy it, Mamma," I laugh proudly," I made it."
"Smetti di mentire, Luna(Stop lying, Luna)."
"I'm not! I promise!"
"Guardami negli occhi(Look into my eyes)."
I look into her eyes.
"I promise that I made the chocolate mousse."
"Wow!"
We finish the chocolate mousse together until there's not a trace left on our bowls.
"Che cena(What a dinner)!" my Mum remarks.
After clearing up, we watch a hilarious comedy that makes me laugh so hard, that I go to bed with a stitch.
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The next morning, I sleep in until 11 o'clock and my slumber is interrupted because of Mamma.
"Luna! Luna! Wake up!" Mom says, shaking me vigorously.
"Leave me alone! You're interrupting my beauty sleep!" I tell her sleepily.
"You have a visitor!"
"Who?"
"Lara."
"Tell her I'll be down there in a min. Give me time to not look like a mess."
"Ok," I hear my Mum says, her the sound of her footsteps fading as she climbs downstairs.
I brush my teeth, tie my hair into a neater ponytail and grab on the nearest top and jogging bottoms. I did well to look more presentable because...it's not Lara downstairs.
It's Logan.
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"Uh, hi, Luna!" Logan greets me, shifting from one foot to the other.
"Hi, Logan. I was just going to look for you today. That is when I had woken up, of course," I add.
Logan laughs, a hint of unease.
"I wanted to talk to you about..."
"Yesterday?"
"Yep."
"Me too."
A silence hangs over us.
"At the party, I eavesdropped on your chat with Lara and I found out..."
"That I have a crush on you?" Logan finishes my sentence.
"Yeah."
"And you don't feel the same way?"
"I'd prefer if we stayed friends."
"No problem. Your friendship means more to me than you'll ever know."
YOU ARE READING
The Immigrant Who Played Basketball
General FictionShe was and Italian Mixed Race Girl, with a black mom. She was looked down on and insulted by the residents of her town, who said she couldn't do anything. But she never listened when it came to playing basketball, the sport that transported her awa...
