Hello! Happy Tuesday! I hope all of you are all doingwell. New chapter today as always. Almost to twenty chapters! The next chapter will be posted this Thursday so don't forget it. Enjoy :)

Chapter 16

Emily is in the kitchen in order to finish preparing dinner while Dani and Elizabeth are in the living room talking.

"So, dear. How have you been settling here in DC?" asked Elizabeth.

"I've adjusted pretty well," replied Dani. "I grew up near DC so it wasn't hard to adjust."

"But you have never been in this part of the city. You were located in the more… developing areas."

"That is true," Dani said politely. "But, whenever I would have the chance I explored areas around here."

"That sounds reasonable," Elizabeth said. "After all, you did live in a rather bad area. I mean, the poverty and violence in those areas. How did you ever manage?"

"Adapt and overcome, I suppose," replied the teen, sounding rather uncomfortable.

"Due to the circumstances you would live in, I suppose it makes you struggle academically."

"Not really. According to test scores, I have the same academic level as the rest of my peers."

"That's impressive with your type," Elizabeth said with a nod.

"My type?" questioned Dani with a brow raised.

"I mean, statistically foster kids have a tendency of having lower academic scores than the rest of their counterparts," the Ambassador states. "Especially with your Hispanic ethnicity."

Dani looks at her and nods. "I guess I am an outlier of those statistics," she said, forcing a smile. She has dealt with these types of people before. Normally by now, she would have told off that prejudiced person. But this was Emily's mother. She couldn't do that. Dani just swallows her pride for Emily's sake.

"Dinner is ready," Emily called out from the kitchen. Dani felt relieved when she heard Emily say that. At least she wouldn't have to continue talking with Elizabeth. Dani and Elizabeth walked inside the dining room where Emily served the plates. Emily and Dani sit next to each other while Elizabeth sits right across from them. They all begin eating.

"Emily, dear. Are you dating anyone lately?" the Ambassador asked while cutting her lasagna.

Dani glances at Emily wondering what her response would be. Ever since Dani met Emily, she hardly ever saw her going out with someone. Yes, she did date one or two people but neither winded up on a serious note. The teen knew that the reason the agent hardly went out with a man was not that no one was interested in her. The agent has her standards at a high bar which automatically debunks a large majority of possible candidates. It looked like Emily had her priorities straight, with Dani and her work set first. Dating wasn't very high on the list. When Dani asked her how come she wasn't in a relationship, the agent's excuse would be to work. Dani believed she would use the same excuse for her mother.

"No, I haven't been dating anyone," the agent replied. "My work schedule keeps me very busy. You out of all people should know that, mother."

Dani let out a small smirk knowing she was right.

"Why yes, I do know," said the Ambassador with a nod. "But you must take out time and start your personal life. To build a family of your own."

"I am perfectly fine with the family I have now," said Emily, placing a hand over Dani's shoulder. Dani takes a drink out of her cup, trying to calm down her nerves with this conversation.

"Dani is a foster child, dear. They only remain for a temporary amount of time," said Elizabeth looking at Emily. "Did your social worker tell you how long you were going to stay Dani?"

Dani looks up and clears her throat. "It all depends on the system believing this is a good place to stay," Dani replies. "It also depends on the foster parent."

"By me, Dani can stay here all she wants for as long as she wants," Emily said with confidence. "This is her home as it is mine."

"Wouldn't your parents want your custody back?" the Ambassador asked with a brow raised.

Dani shakes her head. "That won't be possible. Both of my parents are gone."

"Why? Did they get deported?"

Emily and Dani frown in confusion. They both wondered why Elizabeth jumped into that conclusion.

"No, mother. Her parents were not deported. Where did you get that idea from?" asked Emily with annoyance and confusion.

"I just assumed," said Elizabeth defensively. "Seriously Emily. You should find a partner and have kids of your own so you can love them fully. I mean, you are taking care of Dani but she isn't your legitimate child."

Emily feels like she just got punched in the stomach with her mother's words. Dani just bites her lip feeling extremely awkward. Luckily her phone rings, saving her from all this tension. She clears her throat. "Excuse me," said Dani politely. "I have to take this call," she stands up, pushes her chair in, and leaves, heading towards her room.

Emily watches as Dani leaves and looks straight at her mother. "Can you tell me what the hell has gotten into you?" She says in a low, angry tone.

"What do you mean?" Asked her mother.

"Why are you treating Dani so unfairly? What did she do to you?" Emily said while crossing her arms against her chest.

"I am not treating her unfairly," the ambassador responded with an offended look.

"Oh yeah? Because it looks like you take any opportunity you have in order to demean her," the agent says, raising her voice. "And don't get me started with your racial comments."

"You are overreacting, Emily," said Elizabeth. "All I said that you should start creating a family of your own. How is that bad?"

"It is bad when you are degrading Dani. Whether you like or not, Dani is my family. She is my daughter," Emily said sternly. "Even if she doesn't have my blood does not mean she isn't my daughter. Since the moment I met her, I gave her everything she needed because I love her. She is a part of me and I wouldn't want it any other way," Emily pauses and takes a breath. "If your closed-minded brain won't allow you to accept this, I think the best thing is for you to go."

Elizabeth looks at Emily and nods. "I do believe I should get going," she says, standing up. "But the reason I am leaving is in order for the waters to calm down. It was never my intention to offend you or Daniela."

"I hope you change your mind, mother," Emily said. She stands up and leads her mother out the door. Before Emily closes the door, Elizabeth stops her and says "I hope we can have dinner with better amends."

"I hope so too," Emily replied and closed the door.

Emily walks to the living room and sits on the couch. She hears Dani talking to someone on the phone in her room. Part of Emily wanted to go and check on the teen, but another part of her felt too embarrassed to face her. She didn't want Dani to think that she had the same ideologies her mother has. She just hoped that this dinner didn't change the way Dani viewed her.

Emily just takes a deep breath and rubs her face. She has mixed emotions of tiredness and frustration. Emily questioned herself why she accepted in having this dinner to begin with. Each time she would talk to her mother they would always end in an argument. They were both really stubborn and refused to back down during an argument. Why did she think this time was going to end differently?

She hears footsteps descending the stairs. She turns around and sees Dani standing on the last step looking around. Dani sees Emily sitting on the couch and approaches her with a small smile.

"I guess dessert plans are canceled, huh?"