Mariana was seated on a little swing bench, talking to Leilani, as she sipped on some rosé champagne. There were vines of sprouting flowers growing around the tall bushes which guarded them from the front of the house.

They watched Elisa and Axel play with Mateo as they kicked a ball to one another. They had chocolate popsicles in their hand since the day was quite hot.

"So, have you got any plans for later?" Leilani asked.

"Well, Micah and I are going to buy food to make something together." She bounced up from her seat in her excitement. When her and Micah made something together, it was so much fun and as it was something they both loved doing.

"Aw that sounds like fun. Miguel and I should do something like that actually," she contemplated, "well I hope you guys have fun, what are you going to make?"

"Well we were just searching up recipes, while having this great idea of combining our countries' foods so we found this dish called Dominican spaghetti. So we're gonna make that and Micah suggest we make a little picnic and then eat it on the beach."

"Ah that's sounds so cool! Send me a picture and let me know how it goes."

"I will!" Mariana chuckled and sipped more of her champagne so it was halfway. "Are you doing anything later yourself?"

"Meh, not really, just going to relax, and maybe Miguel and me will go for a walk with Mateo."

Just then, Micah's car pulled up at their driveway. Mariana noticed this and hastily finished her drink.

"Anyways, Leilani, I'll see you later, Micah's here now to pick us home." She got up and placed her glass down. Her hand wiped her mouth as she let put a big gasp of satisfaction.

"Okay I'll talk to you later Mariana!" Leilani started waving as Mariana approached the kids who were too consumed in their play.

"Elisa, Axel, come on. We are going now," she said and started gathering all their things.

"What..." Elisa froze as she looked speechless, and Axel ran away into the various puddles. He jumped into them and rolled around while giggling.

"Yes come on, daddy is here and we need to buy some things." She quickly picked up Elisa and then chased after Axel who ran away from her. He laughed as his hair sprung around his adorable face.

"Come here Axel!" Mariana exclaimed as she started getting tired.

"Wanna play puddle!" He squealed and jumped into another one.

Mariana groaned as her muscles got pulled with Elisa's weight dragging her down. She was getting more worn out until she had to stop and take a break.

"Micah, come help me out," she called in desperation and puffed like an exhausted cloud.

Micah came out of the car and then helped strap both of them in their car seats. Elisa cried and kicked the chair but her protests were futile as Micah got back into the drivers seat.

He drove as Elisa and Axel were both crying inconsolably in the backseat of the car.

"Do you want your bubble mixer Elisa? You can share it with Axel," Mariana suggested as she turned around. She didn't want a trip to the grocery store to become burdensome because it was one of their favorite things to do.

Elisa wiped her soggy nose and slowly nodded. She shifted uncomfortably as her throat tightened from all the crying.

Mariana brought it out from her handbag and gave it to her. She muttered a tiny 'thank you' and opened it up. Soon enough, bubbled floated to the roof of the car and encroached its way to the front seats.

"Do you want Axel?" Elisa offered him the bubble mixer.

"Tanks Elisa." Axel took it but pumped the stick hard down the tube as if he was drilling something.

"Axel, blow like this," Elisa demonstrated with her hands and Axel copied and produced bubbles with trapped rainbows.

"It work!" Axel rejoiced and tried catching some. Mariana hummed to herself and patted her lap. Her hair was winded a scrunchy bun as the radio played and they heard the song Dinero blast through the speakers.

Ya si quieres dinero,
(If you want my money).

Lo siento no tengo...
(I'm sorry, but I don't have any).

She take my dinero,
(She takes my money).

Take my dinero.
(Takes my money).

Micah sang along and poked Mariana in the shoulder. He started laughing, and when he was at a red light, he turned back and high-fived his kids. It was like they were having an inside joke.

Mariana folded her arms as she wasn't amused. It certainly wasn't true she spent all his money.

Sometimes.

"Mama nomore money," Elisa said, her face finally brightened as she started laughing.

"So you don't want me to spend any money?" Mariana asked her.

"But buy star drink."

Mariana burst out cackling with laughter. How does Elisa tell her not to spend money, but in the same breath want her to buy something from Starbucks.

"So you want me to spend money only on you and not myself?"

"Yeah!" Elisa answered with confidence.

Mariana chuckled and then looked further ahead, shaking her head.

"Sounds just like her mother..." Micah muttered before he started laughing again.

Mariana punched his arm and then folded them while grumbling in her seat.

When they got to Walmart, they parked in the parking lot and got out. Micah cleaned Axel's face with some baby wipes while Mariana carried Elisa so she won't run off.

"Okay so I prepared a shopping list of what we need..." Mariana said as she pulled out a paper from her pocket. "Should I rip it, and we get half of the things of the list?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan."

Mariana gave him part of the list, and they got some shopping carts. She put Elisa in the seat, and they headed off into different directions.

Mariana walked down one of the aisles, humming to herself as her shoes clack against the cold tiles. She looked down at Elisa who looked so cute right now. Her hair was in a high puff, with a yellow headband tied and curled edges peaking out from under.

Mariana provided her with a box of strawberries to keep her occupied while she collected some ingredients; garlic, onions, peppers were some of the things she dumped into the cart.

"Excuse me."

Mariana jumped in fright and dropped the tin of tomatoes she had. She quickly turned around and found a random lady was behind her.

"Um yeah?" She replied, slightly confused if she was the one being addressed.

"I just wanted to ask is that girl yours?" the lady asked, pointing to Elisa in the cart.

"Yeah she is."

"Aw, she looks so cute. Is she mixed?"

"Thanks, and yeah she is."

"Ah, that's very nice, she looks really exotic so that's why I asked." The lady smiled and then took out her phone. "Do you mind if I take a picture with her?"

"What? No!" Mariana exclaimed, feeling very unsettled by that request. The lady look stunned at her response but Mariana quickly put her tin in the cart and moved Elisa away. She shivered at the thought of some random stranger wanting to get a picture of her kid and how creepy it was.

"Mommy," Elisa said sweetly.

"Yes my dear?"

"Can I have chocolate?" She smiled hopefully.

"Not today hun. You already had some at Aunty Leilani's house, so I'm not giving you anymore."

"Aw." She started to sulk and her head started to sink.

"I don't want you having too much sugar okay? I don't want my baby getting sick." Mariana kissed the tip of her nose.

"Oh..." Elisa seemed disappointed, but Mariana hoped she got the point.

When they passed the frozen meat section, she witnessed Micah holding Axel in his arms as they pointed at something. He also kissed him on the cheek as Axel sucked on a pacifier. It caused Mariana's heart to warm up seeing them bond like they just discovered something together.

She remembered when Axel was born; Micah held him in his blanket and confessed that he was nervous about having a son; in case he would repeat what his father did to him/ But so far, everything was fine.

When she had got everything, she was on her way to the checkout and Elisa caught sight of the sweets aisle and wanted to be freed.

"Chocolate!" she cried out, "I want chocolate!"

"Baby girl, you have your strawberries, why do you also want chocolate?"

"I just want! Pwease!" she wailed and began crying. Some people turned their heads round and stared at the troubled toddler. Mariana could feel their burning glares on her back like hot rays.

She pulled out of the line and went further away from those nosy, wide eyes into a more quieter aisle. Even though it gave her the creeps that they were more alone, she took Elisa out and settled her down.

"*Elisa, hold my hands and try and calm down." Mariana said in Italian. She maintained her warmness under her voice even though her head pounded from the stress and her cries. But Elisa gave her mamma her little palms.

"*Come, take a deep breath with me." Mariana began breathing while stroking Elisa's hand. She tried breathing too while her eyes were red hot.

She continued crying and even Mariana was at the brink of crying at this point. Her ears rang like alarms, and she felt nauseous of being in this lone space, except an old man who glared at them from down the aisle.

He stared at disgust and muttered, "dirty mud sharks, no self-respect for themselves, running round with their little niggers."

Mariana's eyes turned to him and scowled with rage. Her chest flamed with anger at his insulting, racist, vile words. Her cheeks blazed, going deep crimson, and her eyes started twitching as well as her fingers. She wanted to scream back at him but knew that's the reaction he wanted and will only make matters worse.

So she slowly got up, picked Elisa off the floor and grabbed her cart. Her body shook as if she was cold, and her curls hung loosely along her sweating face and her eyes that were ready to cut through anything.

"At least I have some respect that I wouldn't say such disgusting words to a baby," she said and muttered back, "figlio di puttana bastardo," (Son of a bitch bastard).

Elisa's cries resumed and eventually Mariana couldn't take it anymore as she suddenly shouted out:

"*Be quiet Elisa!"

Elisa gasped out loud and suddenly froze at the harshness of her voice. She started shaking as her sobs died down but her salty tears still ran down her cheek.

Mariana sighed and looked down at her. Before she felt like passing out, she grabbed her hand and then hurried to the checkout.

A/N: Hey I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Only thing that I would not like to deal with being a parent is tantrums in public. 😭😭😭Shiz embarrassing.