Happy New Year everyone (a week later). Fingers crossed that this year is better than 2020.
"Mommy, Daddy, can I stay up until midnight tonight?" asked nine year old Carlos.
"No," Lim answered and shook her head.
"Why not? Mei-Li gets to stay up late!" Carlos asked perturbed.
"You're too young to stay up that late, mijo. Mei-Li is older," said Melendez.
"But that's not fair!" Carlos shouted.
"I know and we're going to have so much fun without you," thirteen year Mei-Li teased her younger brother.
"Mei-Li Esmeralda," Lim scolded her daughter.
"What?" asked Mei-Li innocently.
"That's enough, Mei-Li," warned Melendez. He looked at his watch and said, "I have to get going if I want to be at work on time. I'll see you all later tonight. Te amo," he kissed Mei-Li and Carlos.
"Have a good day at work, Dad," said Mei-Li.
"I really love you, Daddy," said Carlos.
"You're still not staying up tonight, mijo," said Melendez. He kissed Lim and said, "Love you."
"Have a good day, Neil," said Lim and Melendez left. Lim began to gather some of her things and turned to Mei-Li, "Sweetheart, I have to run to the grocery store and get some things for tonight. Would you watch your brother until I get home?"
"Do I have a choice?" asked Mei-Li.
Lim took a deep breath. Mei-Li was a good kid most of the time, but she had certainly developed the typical teenage attitude, "No. I'll see you in about an hour," Lim grabbed her helmet, keys, and bag, "I love you," Lim called.
"Love you too," Mei-Li called after her and watched Lim speed off down the street. Mei-Li shook her head and whispered to herself, "I can't figure out how Mom can be a trauma surgeon, yet still ride that death machine," Mei-Li turned to face her brother, who was currently sitting on the couch, arms crossed over his chest, pouting in anger and disappointment, "So you want to be able to stay up until midnight tonight?"
"More than anything!" said Carlos.
Mei-Li sat down on the sofa and Carlos eagerly scooted toward her. Mei-Li smiled and said, "I can help you make sure you're up until midnight."
"How?" asked Carlos.
"Carlos, we'll have at least thirty people here. I think I can sneak upstairs a few times to wake you up if you fall asleep. Just play your PSP or your Nintendo DS until midnight, and then sneak downstairs when I come get you a few minutes before midnight. I'm sure no one will notice as long as you're quiet."
"I won't have to kiss anybody or watch Mommy and Daddy kiss each other at midnight, right?" Carlos scrunched his nose in disgust.
"Carlos, we're Mexican. We're too busy shoving twelve grapes in our mouths to worry about kissing anyone at midnight," said Mei-Li.
"Oh okay," said Carlos.
Mei-Li said, "I'll have Izzy or Manny help me hide you. But you have to be quiet upstairs and not come down until I come get you. Deal?"
"Deal!" said Carlos excitedly.
Later that night, after Carlos "went to bed," the party began. Everyone was having a good time, anxiously waiting for midnight. The TV in the living room had Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve playing, there were food and drinks in the kitchen, and plenty of people scurrying around talking, laughing, and laying bets on how long their New Year's resolutions would last, "I promised I'd study more to get my algebra grade higher, but I doubt that'll last," Manny said jokingly.
"I'm hoping my New Year's resolution of getting into William & Mary's education program comes true," said Isabella.
"I still can't believe you might be going to college in Virginia. You're already far enough away in Texas and I rarely get to see you other than a few major holidays," said Mei-Li sadly.
"It won't be much different. We get breaks in between semesters you know?" Isabella teased, "I'll just be living my own life on the east coast."
"Don't remind me," Elena came into the room and teased jokingly, "Now come get your uvas, it's almost midnight."
"Oh crap," Mei-Li ran toward the stairs, "I promised Carlos I'd wake him up before midnight."
"Isn't he too young to stay up?" asked Isabella.
"According to Mom and Dad, yes. That's why we're going to hide him amongst us so la familia doesn't notice," said Mei-Li. Mei-Li ran upstairs and knocked on Carlos's bedroom door to signal her entrance. Somehow, Carlos was still up, "Hey," she smiled.
"Is it midnight yet?" asked Carlos excitedly.
"Almost, everyone's gathering in the kitchen now," said Mei-Li, "Come on, I'll make sure no one notices you. Izzy, Manny, and Eddie are going to help."
Carlos climbed out of bed, put on his SpongeBob slippers, and followed his older sister down the stairs, his cousins ready to surround him in the kitchen, "Here, don't choke on them," Eddie said amusingly as he handed Carlos a cup with twelve grapes in it.
"Alright, it's almost the big countdown," said Lim, looking over at the TV, "We'll see if anyone can beat Neil with his big mouth."
"Love you too, honey," said Melendez sarcastically.
"Everyone ready: on your mark, get set, Go!" shouted Elena.
The family shoved the grapes into their mouths as the countdown occurred in New York City, "Done!" Miguel shouted once he had chewed and swallowed everything.
"Feliz Año Nuevo, Tío Miguel," said Carlos.
"Carlos," said Mei-Li through gritted teeth.
"Oops," said Carlos.
The adults glanced toward the source of the noise and noticed Carlos hiding amongst his sister and cousins. He sheepishly smiled through a mouthful of grapes he had since stuffed into his mouth. "Mijo, do you want to explain why you're up?" asked Melendez.
"Mei-Li helped me," Carlos pointed to his sister.
"Mei-Li, you know he's too young to stay up this late," said Lim.
"Why? It's not like we have school tomorrow, err, today," said Mei-Li.
"Still," said Lim.
"If I can interject here before you punish my niece and nephew, remember the time I helped you stay up for Lunar New Year when Mom and Dad said no when you were seven?" said Josh.
Melendez and Lim sighed, "Fine, we'll let it slip this one time, but the next time you misbehave, you both will be punished," said Lim.
"Yes Mom," Mei-Li and Carlos responded simultaneously.
"Well, there are drinks, there are tamales, there are dumplings, and there's music playing. Feliz Año Nuevo everyone!"
"Feliz Año Nuevo," they chorused and the couples kissed.
"Mei-Li, you promised me I wouldn't have to watch people kissing!" said Carlos in disgust.
Mei-Li giggled and said, "Sorry. I forgot that this family really loves each other."
"I can't believe I stayed up late for this," Carlos groaned.
