Thank you for beta'ing, MsSchneeheide! Happy May! Warm days are coming (well...in real life, at least...hehe) :-)

It's about nine in the morning when Maritza stretches and yawns as she rolls over and faces Flaca. They're between Cat and Elena, and everyone has their eyes closed. Maritza sits up and rubs her eyes free of sleep. Cat's mother Valerie Velez must still be snoring away.

"I'm super hungry..." she mumbles. Her stomach growls to prove her point and she nudges Flaca softly. Her best friend stirs and groans as she shifts away. "Hey...despierta..." Maritza whispers, combing her fingers through Flaca's hair. It's so smooth and silky.

wake up

"No, Mami, five more minutes, por favor." Flaca must still be dreaming, but on the verge of waking up. She finally does so, and narrows her tired eyes at Maritza. "Yo, why'd you do that? Chiquita, estaba durmiendo..."

Girl, I was sleeping...

"Lo sé, lo siento, pero tengo hambre...y I feel awkward waking up Cat's mom for food 'cause I barely know her, and Cat's probably still pissed at me from last night...and I weigh ninety pounds and I gotta eat right away before I pass out from starvation...and I figure you know the fridge and pantry and everything and she won't mind if you take something..."

I know, I'm sorry, but I'm hungry...

Flaca exhales loudly. "Ay, you so dramatic. There's probably some yogurt and fruit. Come on." She stands up and gestures for Maritza to do the same. She extends a hand and Maritza takes it.

"Gracias for helping me up."

"De nada."

After washing their faces and doing their business, they stroll into the kitchen and Flaca opens the refrigerator door and takes out a small container of strawberry yogurt. Maritza plucks a banana out of the fruit bowl and starts peeling it. Flaca plops the yogurt and a spoon in front of Maritza and they both sit down. Maritza gives her an appreciative look and begins eating. "Ain't you gonna get somethin' for yourself?"

"Nah, I gotta save my appetite for the special breakfast we havin'. Do you want some orange juice?"

"Sure, just a little."

Flaca starts to stand up, but Maritza stops her. She swallows her bite. "I'll get it this time."

"You don't look like the type of girl who would feel weak if she skipped a meal."

Maritza shrugs and pours herself a small glass of orange juice. "I don't know why I'm like that."

"You got diabetes or something?" Flaca sounds concerned. "Or...bulimia?"

"Nah, don't worry about it, no tengo ninguno de esos."

I don't have either of those.

Flaca seems to relax. "Bien, es bueno saberlo."

Okay, good to know.

"How do you look so good in the morning? Like, your hair's perfect instead of a tangled mess."

"Gracias, so is yours." They smile at each other. "Um...I guess because I usually put my face in ice so it can stay youthful, even when I get old. My mami says that after twenty-nine, you start losing your hotness, and I can't risk it happening to me."

"Do you really believe that?" Maritza asks in a panicked voice. "Mami still looks fantastic, so Raiza will age gracefully, too, but since I'm not related to them by blood, I dunno..."

"Well, it depends on how good you take care of yourself. Like, don't smoke too much and shit. There was once these loca sisters who used to work in the kitchen, they looked about fifty, and they were actually thirty-something! They'd been on drugs and stuffing cigarettes in their mouths since they were in high school. They were also creepy sons of bitches, so nobody felt bad for 'em."

"Ugh!" Maritza wrinkles her nose. "I wanted to try pot, which doesn't sound as horrible..."

"You can, just don't do it very often. I only do it después de una novela sexy."

after a sexy novella.

"Oh, okay!"

Valerie comes in just then. "Hola, chicas," she greets them and Flaca gives her a hug. "I'm about to start making breakfast and then I'll wake up the rest of the girls. ¿Queréis ayudarme?"

Do you want to help me?

"Sure!" they say in unison.

"Oye, buenos días, mi reina," Diablo murmurs as he notices his girlfriend starting to wake up.

"Mmm..." Blanca scoots closer to him and kisses his cheek lazily. She stares up at him, her expression guilty. "Lo siento for the way I acted last night..."

He locks eyes with the captivating woman in front of him. "Baby, por favor, you don't need to keep apologizing. ¿Cómo es que sigues disculpándote, hm?" He caresses her hair and cups her chin. His hand then goes to her shoulder and runs down the length of her arm, ending at her waist.

How come you keep apologizing?

Blanca averts her gaze. "No lo sé...I just feel bad for ruining your sleep."

I don't know

"You didn't, I had plenty of rest," he assures her. "Lo siento that you had a nightmare. ¿Cómo dormiste después?"

How did you sleep afterwards?

"Better. Gracias for asking."

Diablo just grins at her, taking in her ethereal beauty. He knows that Dean is probably the reason she's so insecure, and he damns that bastard to the deepest pit of hell for screwing up his girl like this. "You look so pretty, you really do."

Blanca hides her face while blushing with embarrassment. "Ew, stop it, no, I don't, not even close!"

"You're stunning, your eyes are beautiful," Diablo continues. "Can I please see you?"

Blanca slowly removes her hands from her face. "I look so bad en la mañana..."

"You do not!" Diablo gently brushes his lips against hers. "Dios mío, I love you so much, Blanca Flores."

She beams. "Yo también te amo, Diablo Zuniga. I...I was even gonna name my son after you. Little Dario." Blanca's smile fades. "Pero...I miscarried. I've hated myself ever since."

I love you too.

He gazes at her sadly. "No tienes la culpa de eso."

You're not to blame for that.

"I never gave Dean a son. So..." Blanca shrugs her hands. "I think he's had some resentment."

"Well, that just makes him an asshole if he got angry at you for something so out of your control." He holds her hands like they're delicate and presses his lips to them.

"I'm the one who lost Dario. I had to bury the urn holding mi bebé," she says, her eyes glistening. "Can you come with me to visit him today after my driving lessons?"

"Of course I will, mi amor."

Blanca gives him a touched look. "Gracias."

"De nada."

"Y también podemos visitar a tu esposa, if you want?"

and we can also visit your wife

"¡Sí!" His eyes widen when he sees a scar on her palm while tracing it with his finger. "Hey...¿de que es esto?"

"It's from pulling out the hot oven rack one time. The heat was on too high and went right through my oven mitt."

Diablo pouts slightly and pecks the mark. "Oh, sweetie, lo siento."

"It's okay..."

He runs his thumb along her fingers and feels an indent where her ring must've been. The pieces of her past are slowly starting to connect in his head. He'd been married to a woman who was raped and she'd flinch, have nightmares, serious low-self-esteem issues, and injuries on her body that never went away, just like Blanca. He also remembered his suspicions back in high school, that Dean was abusive and caused Blanca many hospital trips. He's thankful that she and her daughters escaped before any of them were killed, but he regrets not saving her himself. He now knows some cops who could've been useful. Diablo holds Blanca against him, his desire to protect her overwhelming.

"Baby, lo siento mucho."

She stares at him confusedly. "¿Para qué?"

For what?

"I didn't tell Charles or Officer Donaldson about what Dean was doing to you, they would've arrested him! I never even told your mamá...I promise you, though, querida, if I ever see that monster, I'll kill him. Or at least punch his lights out and call the good police."

"You had no proof to show them. I refused to admit anything, y no sabías el número de mi madre. Pero, no te preocupes, el es ya muerto."

and you didn't know my mom's number. But don't worry, he's already dead.

"Oh, that's good!" He brushes his knuckles down her cheek. "I'll make you some breakfast in bed, okay? I know you love chilaquiles."

Blanca nods with a smile. "Sure, gracias."

"No prob!"

"So, lo siento for being a little snappy," Cat starts out when her mom isn't in the room. They're all having waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. She touches Maritza's shoulder fondly. "I didn't realize how much that particular flick would upset you."

"Lo siento for talking over it," Maritza replies. "Gracias for your apology. You know, I've seen Lea Thompson in other películas, like Back to the Future y Stolen Babies. I can see why you like her so much, her voice makes me feel like everything's gonna be okay."

Flaca grins. "I know, right? It's hella calming."

"Mm-hm," the others agree.

"Daya, how was the spa day with your mom?" Elena wants to know.

"It was a great seventeenth birthday gift for me! We had fun and I was happy...because my mom and I actually got along. The hot pool with all those bubbles was so serene to sit in. We also got pedicures and secretly laughed at this woman who was flaunting her huge mole. She told us to stop staring, but we couldn't help it!" Daya grins and lets out a series of giggles, and the others join in. "Aleida thinks I only liked spending time with her because Cesar gave her tons of cash so she was able to use it on treating me...but really, it was the way she acted toward me, all sweet and stuff."

"That makes sense," Ceci murmurs, and the rest of them agree with her.

"Who are you gonna spend Christmas with, Leon like on Thanksgiving, or Cesar?" Maritza asks. "Just had to ask..."

"Oh, I hope my mom picks Leon."

"Are y'all going to Eddy's New Years' Eve party?" Maria asks.

"For sure, girl!" Flaca and Maritza squeal in unison.

"Yeah. that sounds fun!" Daisy says and Ceci nods in concurrence.

"I talked to my parents about it the other night, they said it was cool." The girls just stare at Daya incredulously. "What? I had to let 'em know since I can't go anyplace without them making sure it's safe. You remember, the whole mess I got into with the drugs and Daddy...and becoming a teen mom."

"You called them your parents...but Leon's not even your stepdad yet!" Elena points out.

"It feels like he is," Daya insists. "My mom better wise up and pick him before he gets sick of her constantly swinging between him and Cesar. The little ones and I are getting pretty attached to him. I can deal with change, but I don't think they can."

"That's kinda like me and Raiza with Diablo dating our mom," Maritza pipes up. "I'm just glad she's sticking with him since we like him and shit and he's good to her."

"Me, too," her friends murmur in unison.

"Plus, singing in his band was such an awesome experience!"

"Oh, ¡qué divertido!" Flaca exclaims. "I'm glad you had fun."

The girls just beam and Maritza sighs in happiness.

At the gravesite, Diablo is talking to his wife while Blanca speaks to her mother and baby. He's just saying that he misses Keighlyn, she would've been a good mom to Laronne, and he's done what she'd asked, which is move on with Blanca. He also tells her what Laronne is up to and things about his jobs and that he and Blanca are co-workers at old Millie's house.

Blanca sits against Trina's gravestone and places flowers between it and the spot her son was buried. "Mami, I know why you let me be with that monster, you wanted me to learn from my own mistakes, well guess what? It cost you your life anyway, almost cost me mine, but ahora, I'm free...y sé que hiciste tu mejor esfuerzo para enseñarme, pero no quise escucharte..." She blinks back tears as she watches clouds float across the unusually clear blue sky. "Y Dario...te amo mucho, bebé. Mi angelito, lo siento mucho that I lost you," she continues, picking at blades of grass that are peeking out through the snow. "Te hubiera enseñado todo lo que hay que saber sobre la vida, el amor y el respeto a las mujeres." She spreads her gloved hand over the patch of snow where he's six feet under and then traces the letters on the gray slab. In everlasting memory, Trina Flores, born 1950, died 1992. A loving mother, wife, sister, cousin, and friend. Nothing about Dario had been mentioned, because Dean didn't want to pay for another concrete headstone honoring their son. He refused to have any form of Diablo's name engraved in it.

and I know you tried your best to teach me, but I just wouldn't listen...and Dario, I love you so much, baby. My little angel, I'm so sorry...I would've taught you everything there is to know about life and love and respecting women.

Blanca sniffles and brushes away some tears that have crept out of her eyes. She senses Diablo behind her, and she leans into him, practically crawling in his lap. He pulls her close to his chest, his massive arms holding her in a secure embrace. She covers her eyes and cries against him as he strokes her hair comfortingly. "Te amo, querida," he keeps repeating. He presses a soft kiss to her brow and then her lips when she glances at him. "My special girl." Looking down at the ground, he adds, "Dario...lo siento that you never got a chance on this earth. You would've had such a wonderful mother. I wish I'd met you and was able to teach you all kinds of things sobre la vida y el romance like tu mamá said, y te hubiera enseñado a andar en bicicleta, practicar deportes, usar la cantidad adecuada de colonia. I'm sure you would've loved to hear my band playing and dance to the music!" His attention switches to Trina's place of rest. "Y Trina, has criado a una niña tan increíble. I'm so blessed to have her in my life. She's truly amazing."

and I would have taught you how to ride a bike, play sports, wear the right amount of cologne. You raised such an awesome kid.

Blanca grins at all of what he's told her lost loved ones. "¡Gracias por hablar con mi hijo y mi madre! ¿Puedo hablar con tu esposa ahora?"

Thank you for speaking to my son and my mom! Can I speak to your wife now?

"¡De nada, por supuesto que puedes!"

You're welcome, of course you can!

So, he assists her to a standing position and takes her to where a gravestone is marked with the words Keighlyn Zuniga, December 30th, 1975-January 23rd, 1998. The fact that she was so young when she passed, breaks Blanca's heart. They were born in the same year, apparently. "Hola...I know you wanted us back together when you left this world, and now here we are! I hope I can do you proud with him, and I'd love it if you joined my son and my mother, wherever y'all are. You'd probably say Heaven...Diablo's told me you were Christian." Blanca chuckles lowly to herself. She doesn't want to say it out loud, but her boyfriend and Keighlyn are an unlikely match and she couldn't imagine them lasting if Keighlyn were still here. He's even said before, that she was more a sister or a good friend to him, rather than a wife, and she only married him because she needed a man to help her raise her son. "Diablo and Laronne are doing well too, and they've accepted me and my daughters into their little family. Umm..." Her eyes travel to Diablo's. "Lo siento, no sé qué más decir," she states softly. "¿Podemos irse?"

I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say. Can we leave?

"Está bien, mi amor." Diablo nods. "Sure."

"The first time Arturo hit me, he needed help opening a jar and I offered. He said women can't do shit and then lo hice, using all my strength."

I did it

"Such an insecure dumbass." Blanca takes a swig of beer and clinks her bottle with Gloria's. "I'm glad he's muerto!"

"Me too, sister!" Karla murmurs and hi-fives Gloria.

"Yeah, when I got the call from Lourdes that he was found dead in her bodega, I let out the biggest sigh of relief...I can breathe easier now, go anywhere I want, do whatever I feel like...without panicking that he'll find us. I wish Dean suffered the same fate, B..."

"Sí...being burned alive just como Arturo would've been a good way for him to go!"

like Arturo was

"Or pushed off a cliff like Norma did to her asshole cult leader husband," Gloria mutters.

Blanca and Karla both giggle together. "How do you know that, Glo?" Karla asks.

"I tell her some secrets...and she spills some of hers in return, on a notepad, of course. It helps to have silent friends!"

"Quiet fire, wow!" Blanca whispers to herself in amazement. "Yeah, well...too bad I didn't push him in front of a bus or an eighteen-wheeler. Maritza and I always wanted him to get run over by a heavy vehicle."

Gloria smirks. "Maybe you could try wishing for that with my Santería. As soon as Norma and I did Santería together, Arturo was dead."

"I don't have a picture of him," Blanca mumbles.

"How about one with you and the girls, ¿y podría desear que tú y tus chicas tengan buena suerte?"

I could just wish that you and your girls have good luck?

Blanca nods. "¡Sí, gracias!" She takes one off of her wall and gives it to Gloria, who pockets it.

At the movies after they've eaten delicious pizza together, Flaca and Maritza give each other a Christmas gift at the same time. "¡Felíz Navidad!" they say simultaneously, and then giggle. It's still light in the theater, so they take the opportunity to open their presents. "¡Ay dios mío!" Flaca practically shrieks, fanning herself with a hot pink notebook that reads World's #1 Fan of Salma Hayek on the front in gold lettering. "This is even better than the massage coupon my mom got us! Plus, I can draw all kinds of stuff!" She holds up the blossom perfume. "Eeeee, yay!" she squeals. "You get me. I like to smell good."

"Well, I knew you had every Salma Hayek DVD and goth lipstick known to man, so..." Maritza gestures towards it. "Once I saw it, I thought of you immediately."

"¡Gracias, chiquita!"

"De nada." Maritza beams widely at what Flaca has gotten for her, which is an eyeshadow palette and a jewelry hanger so she can organize all of her necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. "¡Aw, gracias! You totally nailed it! Just what I needed..."

"No prob!" The girls hug each other tightly and share smiles.

They don't have a set of stairs they can run down, nor do they have a large tree adorned with a gold star or colorful, shiny ornaments or piles of neatly-wrapped presents topped with pretty bows and ribbons, but Blanca, Maritza, and Raiza are so happy and excited on Christmas morning. They're in their pajamas with wintery designs and their hair is tangled since they've just woken up. All they've done is eaten some strawberry yogurt and a banana and wash their faces. Raiza wears a matching green and red plaid top and bottom, while Maritza is in a light blue shirt that has silver snowflakes on the front and gray sweatpants. Blanca has on black pants with a white polka dot pattern and a red shirt with gold stars and the moon embroidered on it. They'd left out homemade chocolate chip cookies for Santa the night before and Blanca enjoyed them tremendously. She'd set out her two gifts for each of her daughters under the table that held her fake Christmas tree she'd gotten for sale at Target and Maritza had done the same with hers and Raiza's presents. They sit on the floor and get to ripping and tearing, not even bothering to put the pull-out-couch back together.

"Maritza..." Blanca holds up the pair of dark brown UGG boots that she's just opened. "How did you have the money to afford this?" She's astonished and close to tears.

"Tu novio y tu mejor amiga chipped in, of course! Apparently, they were eighty bucks, pero Diablo y Karla me ayudaron con treinta dólares y yo pagué el resto. Fifteen bucks...they said I don't owe 'em dinero."

Diablo and Karla each helped me out with thirty bucks and I paid for the rest.

"Ohhh..." Blanca hugs Maritza tightly and kisses the top of her head. "¡Gracias, mi querida!" She slips her feet inside the warm boots and sighs at the comfort they bring her. "My size and everything..."

"De nada."

"Here, Mommy!" Raiza announces and hands her a gift. She opens it and gasps, pleasantly surprised. It's a framed photo of her holding her youngest baby close to her chest. She remembers Karla taking it one day at the Córdova home. "Mister D made the frame and Mrs. K let me paint it in class, but she helped me so I wouldn't get an owie on the sharp corners. She said I could add the pink heart stickers and glue purple stars on it, too. Then, Mister D put it aaaall together!"

"Oh, Raiza, my little love! Gracias, bebé..." Blanca pulls Raiza into her lap as her eyes fill with tears. She hugs her tiny girl and kisses her cheek. "¡Las amo a las dos, gracias!"

I love them both, thank you!

She wishes she'd done the same thing for her daughters, just asked others to help with the cost of more expensive items she's always wanted to buy them, but she didn't want to put that on anyone she cared about. She prefers to pay for her daughters' gifts herself, so she'd saved up some money.

Blanca puts a few presents in front of Raiza. "Adelante, ábrelos. From both of us."

Go ahead, open them.

Raiza excitedly does so, but Blanca and Maritza have to help her. "Yay!" she cheers when she pulls a pack of pink, purple, and yellow barrettes out of one gift bag. In the other, she finds a new box of crayons and a Hunchback of Notre Dame coloring book. Those are both from Blanca, and then she'd received a blue toy guitar and plastic gold microphone, courtesy of Maritza. "Gracias, Mami, thank you, sissy!" She hugs them and kisses them on their cheeks, and they return the gestures.

It's Maritza's turn next. She finds a small pink lava lamp and the newest Beyoncé album from Blanca, B'Day. "¡Oh, gracias, Mami!" she squeals, putting her hand to her chest. Her eyes sparkle like the sun and she beams. "Now I got more tunes to listen to and a brand new light!" She and Blanca share a tearful embrace, and then she goes onto what Raiza had gotten her, which was a light blue mug that reads Mari in pink paint and a piece of paper with You're my favorite big sissy ever! in messy purple handwriting, accompanied by a smiley face. "¡Aw, mi hermanita, gracias!" She gathers Raiza into her arms and gives her a loving squeeze while pecking her baby sister's hair. "¡Las quiero mucho a las dos!"

I love you both so much!

"De nada, mija," Blanca murmurs, touching Maritza's cheek fondly.

"You're welcome!" Raiza adds.

The doorbell rings and Blanca gets up to answer it. As she peers through the peephole, she wishes she'd brushed her teeth and put on some makeup, but then again, Diablo has smelled her morning breath and seen her without lipstick and eyeliner once before. He looks so good as Ol' Saint Nick. Blanca gasps in exaggerated surprise as she opens the door. "Ay dios mío, it's Santa Claus! ¡Mira, Raiza!" Laronne, dressed as his pointy-eared assistant, runs past them with a huge black bag inside a green wagon. "There's his elf, see?"

Raiza's jaw drops. "No way!"

"Yeah, chica, I told you he wasn't white!" Maritza exclaims. "You know who was wrong."

"Ho, ho, ho! ¡Felíz Navidad!" Diablo announces with a wave. Blanca giggles softly at his overly-deep voice.

"¡Felíz Navidad!" the Floreses echo him. "Are all those toys for us, mister?" Raiza wonders aloud.

"Sí, little girl! I know you and your family have all been good this year, and I read your letters right when they were delivered to the North Pole! I was very happy to give you exactly what you wanted!" Blanca meets his gaze and her eyes instantly well up.

"Wow, gracias, man!" Maritza says, delighted.

"Yeah, thank you!" Raiza chirps politely.

"¡De nada!"

"Te ves tan guapo en rojo," Blanca murmurs as Diablo leans down to capture her lips with his own. She closes her eyes and hums, bliss filling her entire body.

You look so handsome in red

"Gracias, mi amor," he tells her, cupping her face in his gloved hands.

"Oooooh! Mommy's kissing Santa Claus like the song, Mari!" Raiza points out, and the moment is broken. They pull apart, laughing together. "Don't worry, I won't say anything to Mister D!"

"Gracias," they tell her in unison while grinning.

"Hey...I thought you hafta come down the chimney to give us our pwesents!" Raiza continues.

"You don't have one, lo siento, kiddo!" Diablo grins at her apologetically, kneels down, and opens his giant bag. "¡Oyyyyye! Would you look at that? Ho, ho, ho!"

"Yaaaaay!" Raiza scrambles for it and tries to pick something up. "It's heavy!"

"Ay, cuidado, nena," Blanca murmurs, and she, Maritza, Laronne, and Diablo help Raiza take everything from the sack. While Raiza is fawning over all the gifts coming out, Blanca notices the roof of a wooden dollhouse that Diablo had said he was making for Raiza. A lump grows in her throat at the thought of how overjoyed her daughter will be about this.

"No way, a bike in my favorite color?!" Maritza practically shrieks. "¡Un montón de ropa nueva y botas elegantes!" Her eyes scan over a card. "Muchas gracias, Diablo y Laronne."

and a bunch of new clothes and stylish boots!

"De nada, Maritza," he says kindly.

"Yeah, you're welcome!" Laronne adds.

"A pink tricycle! I can't wait to ride it!" Raiza squeals. "Oooh, and a Barbie motorhome and more dollies! You musta been the mall Santa I talked to."

"Looks like you hit the jackpot with 'em, as well as me," Blanca comments. She turns to her smallest girl, raising her brow expectantly. "Raiza, ¿qué dices?"

Raiza, what do you say?

"¡Gracias, Señor Diablo y Laronne!" she recites.

"That's my chica!"

Diablo gives her a friendly salute.

Blanca opens a black box with a fancy gold charm bracelet inside. She beams up at Diablo. "¡Gracias, cariño!"

"De nada, baby," he murmurs and kisses her softly. She melts.

Blanca hums as she unwraps a few more presents from him. "Aw, and you got me so many Spanish rock albums...y canciones de Selena...y an álbum by your band! You're the sweetest, Diablo! Hold on...let me get my gifts for you and Laronne." She reaches under the bed she shares with her babies and retrieves them, just as Diablo is telling Raiza to close her eyes as he places the two-story pink and purple dollhouse at Raiza's side. It's been sanded down and everything, so she won't get splinters.

songs by Selena

"Ay, you're gonna love this," Maritza says, rubbing her hands together in excitement. Laronne gives his dad a proud grin.

"Okay, ¡abre tus ojos!" Diablo announces, and Raiza does so. She gasps in amazement and hugs her new toy as best she can. It's complete with tiny furniture and minuscule dolls.

Okay, open your eyes!

"Hooray!" she cheers. "Now I can play house! Thank you, mister!" She wraps her arms around his neck and he embraces her.

"Anytime, princesita," he replies with a gentle smile.

"Here's mine for you and Laronne!" Raiza plucks a piece of paper from beneath the bed and hands it to Diablo. He lets Blanca, Maritza, and Laronne see it, too. Raiza had drawn a picture of their blended family, and Blanca's heart is mush by now as if it wasn't already.

"Aww, how cute!" Blanca and Maritza say in unison.

"¡Muchas gracias, Raiza!" Diablo tells her.

"Yeah, thanks!" Laronne chimes in happily.

"This is from me, babe!" Blanca gives Diablo a present and then turns to Laronne. She presents him with his gift, and they both unwrap what they'd gotten. "Lo siento it's not much..."

"Well, you've made me feel like a million bucks! ¡Gracias, mi amor!" Diablo exclaims, sliding the bling over his head, slipping his arms through his Back to the Future jacket sleeves while staring at the mixtape of Honduran music that Blanca had made for him. "I'm so grateful!" He takes another glance and his smile gets wider. "Banda Blanca, hm?"

She winks at him with a smirk.

"Awesome!" Laronne holds up a groovy Fresh Prince of Bel-Air T-shirt and the book, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. "¡Gracias, Blanca!"

She tousles his hair. "De nada, you guys!"

"Mami, that's not all you got 'em!" Maritza reminds her, bringing over another present. "This is from us Flores chicas, to you Zuniga dudes. We had to split the cost between us y I got some help from Karla, pero...aquí." She puts it in the middle of Diablo and his son. "Open it at the same time!"

So they do, and they're delighted when they find the star projector. It would shine a lit-up galaxy on the ceiling of their home. "Whoa, neat!" Diablo comments.

"Wow, cool!" Laronne puts in.

Their grins haven't left their faces.

Laronne hands Blanca something and she opens it, revealing a copy of Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. "I like how we both have a love of reading in common! My daddy said you enjoyed that book, so we got it for you!"

"¡Aw, gracias, a los dos!" Blanca gives each of them a warm hug.

Aw, thanks, you two!

"Yo...speaking of things Mami y tu hijo have in common, Diablo, I just wanted to say that I appreciate the fact that we've bonded over our passion for performing onstage! Thanks for letting me participate in your concert! It was fun!" Maritza tells him.

Mom and your son:

He beams at her. "You're very welcome, it was a delight to have you singing with us! You're a natural, niña."

Maritza just smiles proudly, as does Blanca.

Later in the day, Karla, Ramón, Gloria, and their sons visit and the cheerful gift exchanging happens all over again. The Floreses are excited new owners of a karaoke machine complete with an actual working microphone, different colored beanies, nail polish, and a disco ball that Maritza plans to use for her seventeenth birthday party.

At the New Year's Eve fiesta, it's just Blanca and Raiza going to Fahri's with Diablo and Laronne. Blanca can understand why Maritza had skipped this one; she has her own party that she and her friends are attending already. Blanca can only hope it doesn't get out of hand. She's having a blast with Diablo and their group, dancing under the mistletoe in her dark green evening gown, her hair in a fancy half-pony. It's like she's at a high school reunion since her group is all grown up now with children. After a well-dressed Diablo twirls her around a few times and dips her to the ground, she spins Raiza, who's looking cute in a red velvet dress with white tights, black Mary Jane shoes, and a big, gold bow in her midnight colored locks.

The other pairs look jolly together, too, as they sway until the final countdown to two-thousand seven. Aleida doesn't even look that pissed off about Cesar's twenty-five-year-old side girl Margarita being there, but Blanca knows that's just because Leon is a big brother figure to Margarita's slightly younger boyfriend RJ, and Aleida's keeping her cool for Leon's sake.

When the ball drops, the kids all clap and cheer with glee while passionate kisses are exchanged between Blanca and Diablo, Karla and Ramón, Alison and Hassan, Diane and Charles, Aleida and Leon, Red and Pavel, Vasily and Lida, and their new couple friends Margarita and RJ. Gloria gives Fahri a quick peck on his cheek, and he beams, Theresa takes a large gulp of wine on the couch where she's sitting close to Yuri before she clinks his glass with her own and leans into him, and Red nudges Vasily, who quickly gets down on one knee in front of Lida.

"Don't tell me you're tying your shoe," she mutters, but then she gasps in shock when he holds out a ring. Her eyes widen in disbelief. "Are you seriously..."

Vasily nods. "Yes, my love. I need to marry you. Will you-"

"Yes!" she interrupts him. They start making out and everyone toasts them while hollering their congratulations in enthusiasm. Blanca chuckles while slapping palms with her friends-including Red, and Diablo.

"Finally, right?" Red asks.

Blanca nods. "¡Sí! Felicidades, you're the mamá of the groom now!"

"I have so much to plan with Nadezhda!" Red comments jovially, referring to her best friend and Lida's mother. "I also heard you'll be Karla's maid of honor, and your girls are in svad'ba, too?"

the wedding

"Mm-hm!"

"That's splendid! So many weddings!"

"It's gonna be a great year!" Blanca predicts.

Between her and Diablo, there's more smile than actual kiss. Diablo holds mistletoe above their heads while Blanca rolls her eyes, but pulls Diablo down by the collar of his dark suit for a heated kiss. Diablo takes Blanca by the waist and walks forward until they are around the corner, away from the prying eyes and hoots of the rest of their friends and family.

"¡Felíz Año Nuevo!" the little ones shout, jumping up and down, and the adults echo them.

No this is not the end ;)

Thank you for reading and reviewing, Juliette45, A Star in My Universe, MsSchneeheide, and VeraRose19! A very special congratulations to Caitlin and Amy for catching up and binging so many chapters :-)