Everyone In The Family Is Expected To Perform

"Well that's a start, here's the thing. You have never been to the Christmas festival before and if I know the boys they haven't told you anything about it, so here is the condensed version. When the sun sets, there will be the official lighting of the tree and a small round of fireworks for the small children. That is followed by a children's concert where they all get up on stage and sing the songs they have learned at school in groups usually because there are a lot of them," she seemed to stop and think but went on quickly.

"Then at about seven-thirty there is a big countdown to Santa leaving the North Pole to start his journey around the world. We put it up on the big screen, and the kids love it!" she said enthusiastically and seemed to be talking even faster. "There is a small break for food and for nannies and the locals to settle the children in for the night or head home before the adult concert starts. Everyone in the family is expected to perform. Wang has a great voice did you know that? It doesn't matter you will find out later anyway. The whole thing is hosted by my husband, Angelo. Are you with me so far?"

"I think so," Changying nodded feeling better about having an idea of what was going to happen at this festival.

"Here's the thing, and I don't want you to get offended or upset because I am about to be very blunt. No one expected you to be still here. Ben did, but he's a romantic, and we don't trust his opinion on things like this. He won a lot of money from his brothers betting that you would stay after talking with Joseph." She stopped to check Changying's reaction.

"I know girls like me aren't likely to stay, it's a bit bizarre to tell you the truth, but I love Wang. I love him enough to accept the bizarreness of the whole situation," Changying said honestly.

"Well that makes this easier then," Rosanna said with a smile. "Normally no one would expect you to perform but you my dear are a rare creature, and they intend to test your commitment to being part of the family. So when Baozhai's song comes up on the playlist, they intend to cajole you into either performing by saying it is expected of anyone wanting to be part of the family or they will make it hard for you to say no."

"Oh gosh no, I can't, not Baozhai's song you have to help me." Changying's eyes widened in panic.

"I am helping you, sweetheart. I am giving you some warning and preparation time. No one can stop it happening, and if you tell Wang, there will be hell to pay for ruining their fun, especially for Antonia and me. The best we can do is give you the words to look over and let you listen to it on your phone quickly," she took a deep breath. "Please understand, it's a different world here, and women do as they are told."

"Yeah I am becoming more aware of that all the time," Changying gave a half-hearted laugh and looked at the words Rosanna had handed her on a small sheet of paper. It was one of Chunhua's favourites, so she didn't need to look it up. "If it's like Karaoke will I have words for the performance?" she asked.

"I don't know," she said sadly. "Listen no one knows except Angelo and Carlo, so act very surprised when they call you up. The best thing you could do is embrace it, sing your heart out and make their joke backfire on them."

Changying took a deep breath and considered the woman standing in front of her. "You're right. I have done a lot of things in the last few months I never thought possible why not this," she said in a voice that was anything but confident. "I won't say a word or let on that you told me anything. Thank you, Rosanna, this could have gone very badly for me, I'm still not sure it won't, but at least, I know what's coming."

"Good Luck," Rosanna hugged her. "Now let's go and meld into the crowd."

"There she is," a child's voice rang out as soon as the two women had walked a few steps from the tent. Changying watched as a herd of children began to run towards her.

"Stop!" Rosanna roared and held up her hand. The children came to a halt a few feet away. "What's this about? We don't treat our new friends like this." She surveyed the faces.

"Papa said whoever found Zio Wang's Christmas angel would get a prize, and I saw her first," a young boy of about ten stepped forward.

"Who called out that they saw her? I know it wasn't you, Christo," Rosanna frowned at her son. "It doesn't matter anyway because I found her first anyway."

"Fine, it was Vinnie," Christo said grudgingly pushing his younger brother forward.

"Good choice," she smiled. "Where is your Papa?"

"Checking fireworks with Zio because Nana was worried someone touched them," Christo said as the other children began to melt back into the crowd of people eating small plates of food from various booths.

"The food smells so good, do you think you can show me where the best food is?" Changying had crouched down to ask the smaller child, Vinnie.

"I guess," he agreed.

"We can see if we can find your Papa before Mama so you can get your prize," she whispered with a smile. He smiled back and took her hand leading her into the makeshift food court. Changying wandered about holding the little boys hand and sampling some of the finger foods available. They ran into Dante, who frowned at Vinnie.

"Got yourself a date I see," Dante said seriously. "Your gonna have to give back your boys only club key if you've got a girlfriend." He pulled a face at the little boy and looked up at Changying.

"She's not my girlfriend," he quickly dropped Changying's hand.

"Angelo sent him to find me," Changying said coming to the boy's defence. "You haven't seen him, or Wang have you?"

"They'll be over at the tree, we're about to light it up," Dante informed them. "Do you want me to look after Changying now?"

"Papa said I could have a prize if I found her," Vinnie seemed torn between wanting to go and see the lights and taking Changying to his father.

"Well we better go and find him then," Dante picked up Vinnie and took Changying's hand walking toward the tree.