Isa's pov
Growing up in Italy, finding any specific hair care product was rather difficult, as African people were a minority, the business directed in such a specific ethnicity, or minorities if you wish, would just not be profitable enough after paying the taxes, bills, despite that in every city you could find a ethnic shop, which were very small shops, that served combined to the needs of basically the whole African and some part of Asia needs of cosmetics, hair products, foods, spices, specialities, and foods.
My mother always kept it simple when treating mine and my sister's hair, she just shampooed them, rinsed, put some lotion on them, and braided them, adding some extension every time.
It was a shock, when arrived in America seeing how many things African or afro- American people put in the hair. Having my hair health analysed, I found out they were healthy after all, then decided to just stick to the basics, I was extremely sensitive about products I put on my hair, because when I was two I lost all my hair because of eczema, I feared that such events would repeat itself, even if totally unrelated, so whatever products people put on their hair I would always and no matter what do what I used to do with them.
If you are even a small percentage of ethnicity of African or simply have friends of African ancestry, depending on the hair type, you know our hair takes time and effort, therefore that cloudy early morning I was glad I had the day off, since I was never sick anyway, usually I would always use my day off, as I had developed a certain, intolerance for missing days at school or work for things such hair braiding. My mother was the only one that did mine, and my siblings' hair, nobody else was allowed to style our hair, as they were never as gentle and patient.
Whenever I went for the majority of my school life I was the only girl of African descendants in my grade, everyone was always fascinated by my hair, sometimes ending up in crossing my border, as the kids' hands and the teachers lunged for my hair, as if a doll.
Rajiv woke up first, washed up and silently got changed, he wasn't going anywhere as well, the kids would be at home, hence I would need all the help possible to make it work.
Adaline's foot over my hip, for the 100 th time, was what got me to wake up, we were still trying to get Adaline to sleep in her bed for the rest of the three hours of the early morning, "I made you coffee" Rajiv smiled keeping his voice down, once the kids would be up, it would be game time, in all senses, so we used that brief hours to prepare for the day.
I washed up, got in the kitchen getting ready the kids' snacks, and Ezra first and second bottle for the day, as well as the meals, Rajiv hugged my waist from behind scaring the soul out of my body as I was listening to some music.
"Sorry" his puppy eyes made me regret being scared instantly, I turned around putting his arms on my shoulders so that I was comfortable, "Good morning" he moved his lips, his nose caressing my cheek, my hand went to his dishevelled hair, "Good morning" I greeted him, he smiled again, as I hugged his body tight, he kissed my forehead, my cheeks and chin.
After ten minutes Ezra came down holding his favourite blanket, he asked to be picked up and Rajiv granted his wish, in the meantime I warmed his bottle, "Hai dormito bene?" (Did you sleep well?) Rajiv kissed his no longer chubby cheeks, Ezra merely nodded: his eyes were on the bottle, the moment it was ready, he was off, walking around like a drunk man.
When I finished prepping, I went my room, followed by Rajiv, tidied up a bit, and started to take out my braids, one by one, I am a 4c type, or so I think, hence my hair were not particularly long, and it had a amazing tendency to shrink, I made it, in no time as I had started the previous night, then arrived time to shower and shampoo and conditioned my hair, before Adaline woke up as well.
I used the vacuum to clean up as we went on, as it would have been better than waiting to be done and cleaning up a total mess, by 9:00 we were having breakfast with the kids, my hairstylist would have arrived at 11:00, therefore I had time.
I did my bed, and played with the kids, I took out my hair ties and tied both the children's hair, I read some Italian stories , to the kids, Adaline was able to read already but she enjoyed having someone to read to her.
We blew bubbles, and played hide and seek and tried colouring, but Ezra kept confusing everything as drawing paper so, we had to stop.
When my hair stylist had finally come I sat on the chair I had prepared, and let her do her job, Rajiv in the mean time attended Adaline as she did the homework I had given her, he had been with me long enough to hear me talk in Italian to be almost confident in it, or so I like to think, "Io ho, it goes with the h" (I have has a h) he corrected her reading what she had written, "Do you know why?" Addy nodded eagerly, "It means having".
In Italian for the infinite verb to have, we write "avere" but when conjugated it can either have h or not, in front of it...
"Good, job. High five. Shall we have a break?" He proposed after a hour of writing and reading, she deserved a break, so she washed her hands and ate the snacks I had prepared.
Ezra who was more than happy to play alone at any time, had come looking for me as he had gotten sleepy, "Hi, bubba. Vieni qui, sei stanco?" (Come here, you tired?) he quickened his little baby steps to be embraced, he made me laugh in so many ways, in occasions like this he did not need his pacifier, which for me was better, the process of whining kids from them, could truly be a grieving process.
My hairstylist was quick, and exceptionally good, that's why I had sticked with her since studying in med school, in four hour she was done.
After being finally able to stand and go eat something other than just water, the first thing I heard was Adaline "Mamma, I'm done pooping!" with such a vigour.
Once I was done, I picked her up, "I like your hair mommy" she commented, "Thank you, I am feeling gorgeous". Since Ezra was sleeping the ideal would have been for Adaline to also go down for a nap, but as kids often do from three to six years old, she would try to fight it, then get cranky.
So I had decided to implement a quiet time for her, she was to stay in her room, or wherever she found comfort, she could sleep, or read, or just stare at the ceiling, as long as she was resting.
Quite pleasantly she asked for the time to be spent with me and Rajiv, in what I would like to claim back as my bed.
Adaline climbed on top of me, she liked it being patted till she fell asleep but just wouldn't, again that wasn't her goal but mine, as long as we did not label it as nap time it was all good.
"Is she out yet?" Rajiv putting down the book he was reading, "I think so" I checked trying to call her softly, but to no response.
I laughed silently, the joys of parenthood, Rajiv went to place her on her bedroom.
"Hi, beautiful" he smooth talked, scooting himself closer to me he accidentally stomped on my braids with his body and I groaned in pain.
I am a tender headed woman, especially after doing my hair, he looked over at me mortified, which made me inexplicably uneasy, "Sorry" he muttered studying my expression immediately, "It's fine, just be careful of how you move" I consoled him taking off my glasses, "Is it okay if I do this?" Rajiv kissed my shoulder soon arriving to my neck, he then moved on top of me, our lips moving in synchronism, "You need to stop" I moaned biting my lower lip, my hands tough had yet to let go of him.
"Mamma" I heard probably Ezra calling, in the midst of that situation me and Rajiv bursted out laughing.