Jet lag finally caught up to Dominic’s family, so he and Lia got some time alone during the early evening hours.

“So you’re sister-in-law is quite the bitch”, Lia said after they’d settled down on the sofa.  She cuddled up closer to him and leaned into his chest.

“Yeah...I’m sorry about that, sweetheart.  She could alway be a bit bitchy, but that was...actually I don’t know what the hell that was”.  He said, rubbing the back of his neck.  “I hope Donal speaks to her about her rude behavior.  If he doesn’t I’ll have to sick Nessa on her and no one wants that”.

Lia smiled.  “I really like Nessa.  She’s sweet and funny.  And not at all afraid to speak her mind”.

“Yeah, she’s a little spitfire”, Dom said laughing.

“So, I know your parent’s are being civil, but when are we all going to deal with the huge elephant that’s in the room whenever we’re all together?  Do we just pretend that they don’t want you to be with me because I’m black?”

Dominic dropped his head and sighed.  “A conversation should definitely take place, but I think it’s one I should have with them...alone”.

“I suppose you’re right.  I think I’d end up being too angry to be of any help”,  Lia shook her head at the situation.  “I don’t need them to love me, I just want them to respect me.  I want them to respect our relationship.  We are going to be married and have children together.  Are they going to have a problem loving their grandchildren because they’re biracial?”

“Sweetheart, I don’t want you to get worked up over this.  I will talk to them and if they don’t come around they don’t come around.  We’ll still have the fantastic Mariani family to love us, make us laugh and drive us crazy.  And more importantly, they accept us exactly as we are”.

Nessa had been walking out of her room to head for the kitchen for a drink of water when she heard Lia and Dominic talking.  Her narrow-minded parents were going to drive Dominic away forever if they didn’t come to their senses.  And she loved her brother too much to let that happen.

**********************************

Lia and the MacCleod’s arrived at Mariani’s at 6pm on the dot.  As was her way, Giulia greeted them warmly like the wonderful hostess she was, despite the fact that she knew that the parents were bigoted morons.

“Welcome to our restaurant.  We’re so glad you’re here.  Come sit, dinner will be served shortly”.

“Thank you for your hospitality”, Dominic’s mother said politely. “Dominic has told us a lot about you all”.

“Yes...Lia has told us a lot about you, too”,  her aunt Anetta said dryly.

“Zia Anetta”, Lia warned.

If the MacCleod’s picked up on her mother’s meaning, they ignored it.  This was going to be a long night.

*******************************************

Dinner was a sumptuous affair.  Lia’s father and the kitchen staff really pulled out all the stops.  The food was served family style and the table was laden with pastas, antipasti, fish and assorted meats.  Nessa was having a great time chatting and laughing with Mimi and Gio, even Dom’s parents were loosening up and engaging in the conversations around the table.  Even Donal was more relaxed, deep in conversation with her cousin Antony.  They were both lawyers and were talking shop.  The only one not making any effort was Irene.  If anyone tried to engage her she would give one word answers.  But for the most part, she sat in her chair with a look of mild disgust on her face.

Lia’s sister-in-law, Tira noticed that Irene had barely put anything on her plate and what she did put there, she just push around.  “Irene, are you alright?” Tira asked.  “You’ve barely touched your food, would you like something else?  I’m sure my father-in-law wouldn’t mind whipping something else for you”.  Tira was always sweet and tried to make everyone feel comfortable.  She didn’t realize she was fighting a losing battle with Irene.

“No, I don’t want anything else”, she snapped. “I just don’t like italian food”.

“Since when??”  Nessa exclaimed.  “At home you suck down italian food like a vacuum cleaner”.

Mimi, who had been taking a sip of wine nearly choked on the liquid in her mouth.

“NESSA!”  Donal yelled.  “Apologize. Right now”.

“Fine.  Irene, I’m sorry you’re such a miserable witch with horrible manners.  And I’m sorry that I’m not sorry about calling you on your crap every chance I get”.

Gio, Mimi and Gianni all lowered their heads, but it was clear by their bouncing shoulders that they were laughing.  Tira elbowed Gianni and he stopped with great effort.

“Nessa, I am tired of your big mouth.  I don’t know why you are so intent on kissing the arses of these people, but I find it disgusting?”

‘Ha detto ‘queste persone’ come se fossimo sotto la sua scarpa? Mi chiedo come lei vorrebbe avere il suo viso sotto la mia scarpa!” (Did she just say ‘these people’ like we were beneath her shoe? I wonder how she’d like having her face beneath my shoe) Aunt Anetta said venomously.

“Explain what you mean by “these people” please”,  Giulia said patiently.

Not expecting to be put on the spot, Irene just sat glaring.

“That is okay, I know what you meant.  I just wanted to give you the opportunity to be a woman and come out with it.  No matter.  How ever, I think we SHOULD address the elephant in the room.  William, Aileen, Lia has told me about your feelings regarding Dominic being involved with my daughter”,   She gave them a pointed look before continuing.  “The only reason you are in this restaurant is because Lia begged.  I would normally NEVER let anyone who hurt any one of my children to darken my doorstep.  She wanted to give you a chance, because she believes everyone deserves the opportunity to redeem themselves.  For me, once you cause physical or emotional damage to my babies, you are less than a ghost to me.  But she asked us to treat you like family because Dominic loves you, and if he loves you she was willing to give you a chance”.

“Mamma, please”, Lia implored.  Things had been going so well.  She had hoped everyone would have just ignored Irene’s attitude and continued to enjoy the evening.

“No bambino, this needs to be said”, Giulia turned back to William and Aileen. “Why do you think my daughter is not good enough for your son?  Why does the color of her skin matter?  You see my family, we are everything; many colors, many ethnicities.  You see white, black, asian and hispanic at this table. Does it matter to us? No, because love doesn’t have a color or an ethnicity, it’s just love.  This is what your son feels for my daughter and what she feels for him.  You would mar that with your bigotry?  Will you hold on to your old ideas when the grandchildren come? Will you hold yourself back from the grandchildren because they are biracial?  What a shame THAT would be.  Your whole attitude is shameful”.  

Giulia then turned her attention to Irene.  “And YOU!  You are a vile woman!  You think you are above us because we are not lily white?  Well...screw YOU!”

Everyone gasped at Giulia’s last words.  Paolo threw his head back and laughed loudly until Anetta pinched him hard on his cheek.  Giulia was never one to use coarse language, even when she was really upset.

“If you don’t want to be here, there’s the door. You can leave whenever you want.  What do the kids say?  Oh yes...don’t kill my vibe”.

The kids at the table began laughing, but were quickly shushed by their parents.

William stood up and threw his napkin on the table and stalked towards the door.  “Aileen, Donal, Irene, Nessa, we’re going.  Dominic, call us a cab so we can go back to the hotel, we’ll speak when you get back”.

“I’m not going anywhere, Da.  I’m staying right here”, Nessa said, looking at her father defiantly.  “You don’t want to stay because you know what Mrs. Mariani says is the truth”.

Aileen looked at Giulia.  “It’s not that we don’t think that Lia’s a nice girl, it’s just that their lives will be difficult.  People don’t accept interracial couples”.

Gianni spoke up.  “With all due respect Mrs. MacCleod, you have no idea what you are talking about.  My wife and I have been married for over 10 years.  Have we encountered narrow-minded people?  Sure, but no one is chasing us with pitchforks or burning crosses on our lawns.  We aren’t living in a post-racial society...not by a long shot, but you can marry outside of your race and not be pariahs”.

Aileen got up, shaking her head.  “I just don’t like it.  I’m sorry, I don’t believe in interracial marriage”.  She walked out of the restaurant to join her husband, son and daughter-in-law.

There was a deafening silence at the table.  Lia was afraid to look at Dominic.  She knew this had broken his heart.  His mother said  ‘I don’t believe in interracial marriage’.  Those 5 words fractured his relationship with his parents.  Lia didn’t understand how parents could turn their backs on a child.  She didn’t know if Dominic’s relationship with his parents could be repaired.

Lia reached for Dominic’s hand and grasped it.  He turned towards her with tears threatening to spill out of his eyes.  She grabbed his hand and led him to the hallway between the mens and womens bathrooms.  She reached up, put her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her.  He wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in the crook of her neck.  Lia felt his tears on her neck and held him tighter.  

“It’s going to be okay, baby.  Shh...it’s going to be okay”.  She ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp.  “We’re going to get through this, sweetie.  Remember what you said?  We still have the funny, crazy, loving Mariani’s who love us just as we are.  And we have Nessa.  We’re going to be okay.  And who knows?  Maybe they’ll come around”.

Lia desperately wanted to believe that was true...for Dominic’s sake.