Posadas of Joy

S: Chris makes some time to take part to family traditions.

Christmas has always been a great deal for the Alonso family. Perhaps, Chris used to think, it was because the oldest ones were Catholic to the core and teaching the new generations to follow their example—which the majority of them gladly did—or maybe it was just because traditionally, Christmas is a family holiday, and the Alonsos were indeed a huge and tight family.

Last year, she broke the tradition by spending the majority of her vacations—something she rarely ever had—in New York with Ty and Kira. Doing that, Chris had broken aunt Helena's heart a little, too. That had been a wonderful week, Chris had to admit it, but thinking back at it now that the throuple experiment had proven a fiasco was rather painful.

This year, Chris had promised uncle Sarzo she would make amends and help him to give aunt Helena one of the best Christmases ever. Of course, she couldn't have Christmas day free—it was 50-David's turn to have it—but the Holiday Latino style wasn't just a day nor even just a mood.

"Will you be home in time?" aunt Helena had asked, hope in her eyes, when Chris was leaving from work the night before.

"I'll do my best," she'd said, kissing her on the cheek.

It was almost midday on December 23rd—the penultimate day of Posadas. Chris had just had a never-ending shift and a case which had seriously risked not ending well at all. In all truth, the last thing she wanted now was to go home and help her family cooking and arranging the house for the late party. But she had made a promise, and Chris always fulfilled her promises. Her aunt had raised her like that.

Aunt Helena welcomed her with the biggest smile. "All good, Chrissy?"

Chris smiled back through the layer of tiredness. "All set and ready, tia."

"You can help Tomas with the pinatas then." As Chris was about to get off to work, aunt Helena called her back. "It's so good to have you here, mija." She added. A single comment that made exhaustion wear off Chris at once.

It was almost sunset when everything was ready for the celebration. After seven days in a row of candle-lighted processions, prayers, and discussions on the traditional themes, there should have been nothing new. Nor exciting, Chris was sure, except for food—a lot of food—but trepidation wafted through the air all the same, carried by the flower's scent.

Tonight, since the afterparty was hosted by the Alonso family, every detail counted for Chris's family, and everything seemed to carry with it loads of memories for Chris herself. She looked around at all those friends and family while trying not to extinguish her candle's flame. It didn't seem all that long since she was forced to be the one dressed as Holy Mary for the procession—this year it was April's turn—but already twenty years had passed.

Since she started working as a police officer, Chris had not had many occasions to attend the traditional Posadas. Not as frequently as this year at least, but now she was here. She was with the people who had always taken care of her no matter what. With the people who had always had her back, always loved her unconditionally.

Children laughed in the distance, attacking the pinatas and anchoring Chris to the present. The broad smiles that had been stamped on aunt Helena and uncle Sarzo's faces all night had been the fuel that had kept Chris stay up for 30 hours straight now—that, black hot coffee, and tamales.

A smirk couldn't leave Chris's own face; it was not hard to believe tonight's feast's theme was joy. And it was a kind of warm comfort and pure bliss she'd not allowed herself to wholly experience in years. Christmas was not just a children's thing after all.

"Thank you, Chrissy," aunt Helena whispered to Chris's ear, barely audible through the happy chats all around.

"No, tia. Thank you." Chris paused, trying to fix that sensation in her heart. "Thanks for always being so patient with me."

"That's my job." Aunt Helena looked up with glinting eyes. "And I know you can't be with us for the celebrations on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but having you here now it's the best present of all."

"But she'll be here all the same," uncle Sarzo popped up from the crowd. "Always here with us," he patted his chest, then as casually as he arrived, he disappeared again.

Despite she was exhausted from working all the previous day and night, Chris wished that magic moment to never end. She smiled for herself only and then marched in the direction of the bunuelos before the kids wiped the slate clean.