Title: Ponche Navideño (Christmas Punch) Author: Adalisa Email: marioz@spin.com.mx Feedback: I love it. It’s inspiring... and let’s face it, it’s the only real reason to keep writing. Distribution: Anyone who wants it can have it, just tell me where, so I can visit the site : ) Website: http://members.tripod.com/luxshine/ Summary: Third in the Mexican Night series. A very Mexican Christmas. Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Everyone here is property of Alliance, and I believe, TNT. I’m not writing this to get any money. Really. Content: RV/BF, RK/RT Spoilers: Some, very slight, for the full series. Notes: I’m sorry it took so long to finish it. December 10. Fraser woke up alone in his apartment, much to his dismay. He missed his lover, and the feeling of being with him as the sunlight awaken them both. But, Ray had to spend the nights at his house, with his family, to avoid any suspicion towards their relationship, as they had agreed when they became lovers… And usually, they had time for a little foreplay before going on their daily carpool. As he began to dress himself, Mr. Mustafi called and told him that he had a call from Ray. He couldn’t make it to pick him up because an urgent case had come up early that morning… maybe Fraser could meet him at the Precinct later on?. Fraser sighed and told his lover that he would be there, not daring to say anything else, as Mr. Mustafi wasn’t aware that they were lovers… In days like this, when it appeared that he and Ray wouldn’t had any moment to themselves until tthe night, Fraser wished they could tell everybody that they were in love with each other, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask that to Ray… So far, the few people that knew, Mrs. Gúzman, Mrs. Garcia, Stan, Turnbull… even their Father’s ghosts, had taken it well… And Inspector Thatcher still hadn’t said anything, which could be either a good sign or a very bad one. But that wasn’t enough to make them get the courage to come out in front of everybody. He was leaving the building, gray thoughts clouding his mind, when Mrs. Guzman stopped him, carrying a big clay bowl in her hands. “Contestable, please… Give this to your friend, el Detective… It was the biggest Olla I could find.” She said, smiling her usual cryptic smile, leaving before Fraser could ask anything. The small Mexican woman seemed to do everything too quick for everybody else. The empty clay bowl was a very unusual object for Fraser. Since the memorable hang-over they got in November, Mrs. Guzman and Mrs. Garcia had started to swap recipes with Ray, who gladly passed them to his mother, but an empty bowl hadn’t been in any of those, and his lover hadn’t told him anything about it… Why would Ray want a big empty clay bowl? December 11 Fraser and Turnbull had spend the morning in front of the computer, as they tried to find any information available about Big Clay bowls in Mexican culture. “Didn’t det. Vecchio told you why he needed that bowl?” Asked Trunbull, picking an ancient Aztec’s tradition book. Fraser just shook his head no, as he read the proper way to prepare atole. The day before, when he had given the strange gift to his lover, Ray had simply thanked for it, and closed the subject. All of Fraser’s attempts to find out why he wanted a clay bowl were ignored. And Fraser’s curiosity was killing him, so he asked for Turnbull’s help, and both had read more about clay bowls that they had ever believed possible. Most were cooking recipes, but there were a few disturbing images too. “Det. Vecchio isn’t angry anymore with Stan for the Riviera, is he?” Turnbull asked, as he turned the pages to find a rather grizzly ceremonial burial of one’s enemies. “Oh… Ah… Ray wouldn’t do that… I hope…” In that moment, the phone rang, and Fraser hastened to answer. “Hi, Benny” Ray didn’t sound too happy. “Ray! I was expecting you to come for lunch…” “Sorry, Ben… I was calling to tell you I can’t pick you up now, and that I won’t be able to see you until tomorrow afternoon… Something important came up, and I cannot fail to do it.” Fraser closed his eyes, and Turnbull looked at him with worry. It was not usual to see Contestable Fraser in a sad mood when talking to his lover. “I see Ray… Will we have dinner tomorrow?” “Sure Benny. See ya” The connection was over, and Fraser hung the phone. It was the first time Ray hadn’t told him why he wasn’t coming, and that hurt him. But he tried not to show it, and continued his research, hoping that the clay bowl was a clue to his lover’s plans. December. 12 Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. The sound of hurried steps outside his door woke Fraser at the unlikely time of 4:00 a.m. In the time between dream and reality, he thought he heard Ray’s voice, and, without thinking about the various reasons why Ray couldn’t be there, he looked trough the window. Mrs. García, Mrs. Gomez and their children were all downstairs, dressed with their best clothes and carrying big flower pots. They looked at the street, as if waiting for something, and Mrs. Garcia looked worried. Fraser dressed and, followed by a half-sleep wolf, walked downstairs. If Ray wasn’t going to pick him up, he would need to walk earlier to the Consulate… And since he was awake, he might as well help his neighbors. The flowerpots looked very heavy. “Good Morning, Mrs. García… Do you need…” his words were stopped short when he saw the shocked surprise in the faces of the children and Mrs. Gomez’s family. But before he could say anything, Mrs. Garcia walked towards him and shoved him inside the building. “Contestable, you must not be out here when he comes.” She said, as Fraser took the flowerpot from her hands. “He? Mrs. Garcia, I’m afraid I don’t understand…” “Shh… He must not hear you talking…” Mrs. Garcia looked around, still looking worried, when Fraser caught sight of a very familiar figure in Armani walking towards the children. “Hey! Is everybody ready?” Ray was asking, as the children greeted him with smiles and greetings in Spanish. Fraser felt his heart stop… Why Ray hadn’t told him about this? What was going on? “We wait until they leave, and then we go to church. Understand, Contestable?” Mrs. Garcia’s eyes were very stern, and Fraser nodded. “Detective Vecchio must not see you there, so we sit in the back.” * * * It was a long walk to the church, since Mrs. Garcia refused to take a taxi or the bus. She and Fraser walked to St.Michael without talking, as the Mexican woman was praying, carrying the heavy pot that Fraser had took from her earlier. By the time they arrived, dawn had begun, and the Mountie still had no clue as to why he couldn’t see Ray. * * * The church was full of flowers and lit candles, from the door to the altar. It was one of the most impressive sights Fraser had ever seen, as the whole building looked like a giant garden. In one of the first rows, he could see Ray’s back, as his lover was kneeling in front of the shrine, praying with Mrs. Garcia and Mrs. Gomez’s sons and daughters. It was then when he saw that the figure in the main shrine was not the Crucified Christ he had seen the times when he and Ray had visited Father Benham. This time, the figure was a Holy Mary… but one as Fraser had never seen. Her dress was white and gold, covered with a blue veil, full of stars. At her feet, a Cherubim held her, and over his wings, he could see the colors of the Mexican flag: Green, White and Red. But what called Fraser attention was her skin, which wasn’t white as most of the images he had seen of her. She was brown-skinned and had dark hair. “She’s Maria, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe” Mrs. Garcia whispered to him, as Father Benham walked to the pulpit. “She’s the mother of all Mexicans. And she loves all her children, in Mexico and in the entire world, because she’s the Mother of God. “ Then, she turned her attention to the front, leaving Fraser with his thoughts. The ceremony was beautiful, and Fraser learned more about the holy image in the center of the shrine. She was the Saint Patron of the natives of America, and she was brown-skinned because, as Mrs. Garcia explained, she had been sad that her children were shunned because of their color. And, according to the legend, she had appeared in front of a poor man, a Mexican Indian named Juan Diego, later, as the priests wouldn’t believe him, Maria asked Juan Diego to pick up a thousand flowers in his pinafore. When the Priests had called him, the flowers had transformed into the image that adorned the shrine now. As people began to leave, he saw by the corner of his eye that Ray was still kneeling. Mrs. Garcia saw him, and pulled his arm. “Come out now, Contestable. Your friend is fulfilling a promise to Nuestra Madre. He told us that his sacrifice would be not seeing you for this day. You must respect him that.” * * * “Madre, thank you for fulfilling my small request so many years ago. As you see, I am here again. I’ll never finish thanking you for saving Fraser’s life four years ago, because without him I wouldn’t want to live. He still has my bullet in his back, but he’s alive. This year, I have something else to thank you for… Fraser loves me, and I love him. And I know our love is not a sin because You interceded for his life, and if my love had been wrong, he would have died. Thank you, Mamma… and happy birthday.” Ray Vecchio rose from his seat, crossed himself in front of the Holy figure, and left the building smiling. This Christmas, his first Christmas as Fraser lover, was going to be perfect… If he could learn to make paste. December 13 “Rennie… This is the seventh candy store we visit… Do you think this will take much longer?” Stan Kowalski leaned on the glass counter while his lover, Renfield Turnbull tried unsuccessfully to call the attention of the clerk. “I was hoping that we could have a nice dinner tonight at my place…” Turnbull turned to see the American cop, blushinng a little. He hadn’t expect that such a simple errand as buying candies would take much time, but he still wasn’t ready to tell his lover the truth for their delay. “I… I am sorry, Stan… I don’t think it will be much longer… Det. Vecchio said that I could find what he needed without much trouble…” “That’s another thing… Why couldn’t Vecchio buy this… What are we going to buy anyway?” As he talked, Stan looked at the store’s counter and racks. Chocolates in all imaginable shapes candy canes, lollipops, bubble gum, and mints. A children’s paradise. But Turnbull didn’t seem to recognize anything around. “I don’t know…” Turnbull voice was so low, that Stan almost missed it. “What?! Rennie… Are you telling me that we have just spend all day looking candy-stores and you don’t know what we’re supposed to buy?!” “Well… Technically I do, but there is a slight problem, Stan… Det. Vecchio asked me to buy some ‘candysnacks’, so I know that I have to buy ‘candysnacks’ but…” “But you don’t know what kind of candysnack, right?” Stan rolled his eyes. Mounties. In that sense, both Fraser and Turnbull were the same… Always literal, always proper. “Why didn’t you ask Ray exactly what he wanted?” “He said that I would know as soon as I saw them… And I think they have something to do with the clay bowl Mrs. Garcia sent him a couple of days ago.” “You mean the big brown bowl? Everybody is wondering about that… He said that we had to wait until the Precinct Party to know.” He turned his eyes to the counter again, and saw that the clerk was still busy, talking to the phone. A snack could be anything… How were they supposed to recognize them? “Det. Kowalski! Contestable Turnbull!” The deep voice made both men turn, to find themselves face to face with Manuel Hernandez, the Mariachi they had meet in September, when they got drunk with Tequila. “This is a good surprise! We haven’t seen each other since the Grito! What brings you here?” “We’re looking for some candysnacks.” Explained Stan, shrugging. He still felt a little embarrassed about the events of that night. “Oh! Getting ready for Christmas? Good. My family is doing the same now. I’m here to buy some Colación.” “Colación?” Turnbull tried to make some sense of the word, which, as far as he knew meant ‘to bring up something’. “Sure! For the Posadas… Hey, you should come too.. The first one is this 15, at the embassy! We’ll sing together again!” As Stan tried to find any excuse not to go, the clerk finally decided to acknowledge their presence in the store, so Manuel ignored the cop attempts. In a few minutes, the clerk was handing a big bag full of white colored little balls. Upon seeing them, Turnbull’s faces lighten up, and he turned to see the clerk. “Excuse me… What are those candies called in English?” “Oh? The Colación? They’re Candysnacks… Want some?” December 14 “China Paper, Cardboard, Crepe Paper, Cord, Candysnacks, Canes, Oranges, Peanuts, Nuts, Almonds, Guavas, Bananas, Mint candies, Hay, Moss, Wood… Am I missing something, Mrs. Garcia?” Asked Ray Vecchio to his cell phone, while driving towards the Consulate to pick Fraser up. “Yes, Detective… you need candles and flares… and Lemon and Limes too… Do you know where to find the Guavas?” “I’m working on that, Mrs. Garcia, but I would appreciate a clue…” “My Mariana will buy some for tomorrow… I’ll ask her to buy you a couple of pounds, and I’ll give them and the saints to you tomorrow.” “Thanks, Mrs. Garcia… Have to go. And remember, don’t tell Benny about it.” Ray hung up the phone as he reached the new consulate and grinned. Everything in his plan was working so far. December 15 Fraser arrived to the Vecchio’s house at noon,, since Ray had called to the Consulate asking him to be there. He was very nervous, as he usually felt when visiting his lover’s family. No one there knew about their relationship, and Fraser felt as if every word he said could be a written confession. As he rang the bell, Francesca opened, grinning, and Dief took the opportunity, and went straight to the kitchen. “Fraser! Ray was starting to think you wouldn’t come! What took you so long?” Fraser looked at her, puzzled. Her Civilian Aide uniform, usually clean, seemed covered with… moss. That was very unusual. “Come inside before my brother has a fit… We’re almost done!” After a very similar greeting from Ma Vecchio, Fraser was led to the living room, where Maria was trying to keep a crystal ball’s box away from the kids, Tony was fidgeting with an electric light’s cord, and the children were delighted at how the Tree was almost finished, almost screaming at who would get most toys from Santa Claus this year. In the other corner of the room, Ray was standing in front of a table covered with moss and Grey hay, and at his side, apparently deciding on where to put a little clay shepherd, was Stan Kowalski. “Hey, Rays! Look who finally arrived!” Francesca dragged Fraser to the place where the other men stood. “Benny! What happened? I was getting worried.” “Worried… Sure. If you had took another minute, he would have reported you as missing.” Said Stan, finally placing the small shepherd near an aluminum foil river. “We couldn’t finish this without you, Benny. “ Continued Ray, without paying attention to Kowalski. “So… What do you think?” He asked, waving towards the table. Covered with the hay and moss, the table seemed like a little Pastoral landscape, a small hill, near a river made of foil, where some clay fish swim, near a clay swan and a clay bridge. In the green moss, some sheep and shepherds walked, some praying, some others looking at the top of the hill/table with adoring eyes. There were other animals too, some ducks, a few frogs. On the top of the hill there was some sort of makeshift stable, made of wood where a cow and a donkey rested. Inside, there was an empty manger. And on the top of the stable, there was a small star, behind of which stood an angel. “It’s beautiful, Ray… What is it?” “It’s the Vecchio’s Nativity.” Ma Vecchio explained from behind. “We put one each year, with our tree... And every family member puts a figure in it. It’s our tradition…See that shepherd near the edge? That’s Ray’s. And the little Gypsy with the broken arm? That’s Frannie’s.” “It was Ray who broke her!” Yelled Frannie from the Tree, where she was helping to put candy cranes. “It’s a very beautiful tradition, Mrs. Vecchio” Fraser looked at the image before him, and sighed inwardly. He never had a family who spend the holidays with him, and seeing Ray’s family celebrating always made him feel a little out of place. “That’s why you and Stan are here.” Ray’s voice interrupted his sad thoughts. “I could have never survived undercover if Stan hadn’t pretended to be me… And since he was me during a year, he is part of the family. And you Benny… you’re my best friend. You are part of my family to.” Ray’s green eyes told Fraser what he really meant, and, while the Mountie was still speechless, he put another clay figure in his hands. “This is for you.” It was another shepherd, this one smiling at the side of a white dog, who looked a lot like Dief. “Thank you kindly, Ray.” And with those words, Fraser put the figure, near the edge, almost side by side of Ray’s Shepherd. December 16 The first posada. “Naranjas y limas, limas y limones Más linda la virgen que todas las flores La virgen lavaba, San José tendía Los ricos pañales que el niño tenía.” Fraser sighed in his bed. It was the tenth time that the Garcia’s sang the same song. It was probably another Mexican party, which made him feel glad that he hadn’t been invited. Whatever it was that they were celebrating, it was too loud for his tastes. At least, it was only for one night… December 17 The second posada. “Tienes unos ojos niño, que solo con mirar matan. Tienes unos ojos niño, que solo con mirar matan… Pero con tal que me mires, matame niño del alma. Pero con tal que me mires, matame niño del alma…” Ray stopped at his lover’s apartment’ door, hearing the voices from down the hall and smiled. Although he was not versed in Spanish, Mariana Garcia had taught him a few carols from their country, and he still found it funny that most of the words weren’t really solemn, even when all deal with Jesus’ birth. Mexico had a strange way of showing devotion. As the second stanza began, Ray had to suppress a laugh… That day, Fraser had come close to complain about the noisy party of his neighbors… How was he going to explain to Benny that he still had seven more days to go? “Que suenen con alegría los cánticos de mi tierra, Que suenen con alegría los cánticos de mi tierra, Y viva el niño de Dios, que nació en la Noche Buena. Y viva el niño de Dios, que nació en la Noche Buena.” December 18 The third Posada. “No, Rennie… we’re not going.” Stan Kowalski was sitting on the edge of the bed he shared with Renfield Turnbull. They had spent their free day together in Stan’s apartment, away from troubles, Christmas shopping and any other crazed Mountie… until Turnbull had remembered Hernandez’ invitation. “But… Stan… he invited us, it would be rude…” “Not to go… I know… We have done that before, remember? With the Tequila? And the Pulque?” Since Turnbull remembered all too well the terrible headache that the pulque had caused, he decided to drop the subject, and let himself be carried into a kiss. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of party a Posada was. December 19 The Fourth Posada. “Excuse me… Sir?” Turnbull’s voice sounded unusually worried, and Fraser had to make an effort to keep his eyes open. “Yes, Turnbull? Can I help you with something?” “Well… Is just that… the inspector wants the files you were reviewing…” The young Contestable trailed on, as he could see that all the files were still in the IN tray. Following his gaze, Fraser suppressed a sigh. “I will finish them soon.” Turnbull looked as if he wanted to say something else, but as Fraser seemed to be terribly tired, he simply nodded and walked away. When the door on his office closed, Fraser let his head fall to his hands. Four nights of almost not sleeping were interfering with his work. If he didn’t do something soon, he would snap. December 20 The Fifth Posada. “O.K. Vecchio, spill it! What are you planning?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Kowalski.” Ray Vecchio was sitting on his desk, smiling as he folded a red piece of china paper. “First, Fraser brings you a big clay bowl, then you send Turnbull to search for Mexican candies… And I know you told Welsh you and your sister would take care of this year’s Christmas Party. So I want to know what you’re up to.” The blond cop moved from his desk to the visitor’s chair that Fraser usually occupied. “I’m not telling *you*” Another fold, and then, Ray pulled out a pair of scissors and began cutting long lines of paper. “I can keep a secret, and you know it, Vecchio.” Stan looked a little hurt, so Ray gave up. He looked both directions before scribbling a few words in a paper. When Kowalski read them, his eyes snap open with surprise. “That’s going to be fun” he said, and laughed. “If you need anything else, just ask.” December 21 The Sixth Posada. “Dief… don’t!” Ray barely managed to snatch the hot bowl away from the wolf’s inquisitive nose, at the same time he tried to maintain balance between the recently glued cone of paper and the clay bowl at his feet. The wolf, however, didn’t seemed impressed, and tried to find a new way to get the bowl of hand-made paste in the cop’s hands, since it smell strongly like donuts. Ray sighed. He knew it had been a bad idea to accept to wolf-sit Dief while Fraser was working late in the Consulate when he had to finish his secret Christmas project, but, as usual, he hadn’t been able to deny anything to his lover. He managed to glue the second cone of paper to the newspaper-wrapped clay bowl and smiled. Maybe it wasn’t going to be that difficult to finish this before Dief could get his nose in the paste… * * * Two hours later, Ray was very pleased with himself. He had managed to glue the seven paper cones to the clay bowl, which now actually resembled a star, so he walked to the table to prepare the aluminum-foil paper. He had silver and red paper for the decoration, and Mrs. Garcia gave him blue frost… The day before, Stan had actually help him to finish cutting the tails for the star, so everything was ready. It couldn’t be hard to wrap the finished star with them, and then hide it for two more days. But as he was pulled out of those thoughts when a loud crash came from the room. The sight that awaited him there was funny enough that he forgot to yell. Dief was sitting in the room, completely covered with the remains of the hand-made paste, which was dripping to the floor of the Vecchio’s kitchen. The wolf whined pitifully, as the floor mixed with water wasn’t the treat that the smell promised. “That’s what happens to bad wolves who can’t live without junk food, Dief.” Ray managed to say, trying to control his voice and not to laugh. “Come here… I think we can take all that glue before it dries… but you’ll have to get a bath.” December 22 The Seventh Posada. Ray Vecchio opened the door of his house, to find Fraser and his wolf, both looking sleepy. Fraser had big dark lines under his eyes, and looked as if he hadn’t sleep in at least five days. “Benny?” He asked, a little worried. “Please Ray… you have to let me sleep here… The Garcia and the Guzman have had seven parties in a row… and they last all night… I haven’t been able to…” “Raymondo? Who is it?” Mrs. Vecchio’s voice interrupted the plea, as she appeared in the hall. “Benton! You look terrible! Is there a trouble?” “There have been some works near his apartment, Ma.” Ray lied, knowing that Fraser wouldn’t like to complain about his neighbors when they were only celebrating a tradition.” I’ll take him to a hotel.” “Two days before Christmas?” Mrs. Vecchio didn’t let Ray think of a good answer, as she walked to the door, and patted Dief on the head. “They can stay here… Your aunt is staying on the guest room, but I’m sure you and Benton can sleep in your room.” Both Ray and Fraser were suddenly very glad of the fact that Mrs. Vecchio was paying attention to Dief, and that the light wasn’t very good, since their faces turned red when they hear her words. “Thank you kindly, Mrs. Vecchio.” Fraser managed to say, amazed that his voice still worked. Ray just smiled. It was simply impossible that his mother knew what was going on between them, much less approved it. As she saw her son and friend walk to the stairs, Mrs. Vecchio smiled, and shook her head. December 23 The eight posada. When Fraser and Turnbull arrived to the 27th Precinct, a jiggling Francesca greeted them. Before they could ask anything, she gave them a couple of candles, and pulled them inside the bullpen. “You don’t want to miss this…” She said simply, as they hurried down the hall. Nothing would have prepared them to the picture they saw when they got there. Huey, Ray, Elaine, Suzanne Chaplin, and some other officers were standing outside Welsh’s office, carrying lit candles… and singing, badly, in Spanish. Inside Welsh’s office, the lieutenant, Louise St. Laurence, Dewey, Stan and the rest of the workers, carrying candles too, were singing the answering stanzas… Upon seeing the Mounties, Ray signaled Fraser to share the mangled paper with the words. As they reached the last stanza, when Welsh and the others opened the door, laughing, Fraser recognized the song… He had heard it the past seven nights at his apartment, during the Garcia’s parties. “What is going on, Ray?” Fraser asked, after greeting everyone. “It was Frannie’s idea” The American cop explained, while trying to reach the table with the food and the drinks. “She said that if we had an Inuit celebration for my last birthday, we could have a Mexican party too.” “Punch, Fraser?” As her brother finished the explanation, Frannie handed them two cups full of a hot beverage. “I made it myself.” She added, her voice full of pride. Fraser looked at his drink, a little suspicious. It didn’t smell like punch at all. “It’s a Mexican recipe.” Ray poured another cup for him, since he had handed the other one to Huey. “Cane, Apple, Guava… Some other fruits… but no alcohol. I was watching when she prepared it.“ While Fraser tried a little sip from the hot cup, Stan was busy, trying to find a good spot to hang a long rope. “What is it for, Stan?” Asked Turnbull, curiously “Ask Vecchio. All this is his plan. I only helped with the songs… Do you think this is high enough, Rennie?” The place that the detective was signaling was at least three meters high, since he was standing on top of Ray’s desk. “High enough for what?” Before Stan could answer, Frannie put a baseball bat on Turnbull’s hands. “You’ll find out soon enough, Turnbull… You’re the first on the line.” In seconds, Frannie organized the whole Precinct in a single line, while her brother disappeared for a moment. “But… but…” Turnbull tried to protest, when Francesca blindfolded him, and carried it to the center of the office. “Here. Can you touch that?” Francesca guided the mountie’s hands so he felt as hitting something hard with the bat. “The idea is to break that thing… After I whirl you a little” Without much more warning, Francesca made Turnbull twirl on his heels, until the mountie was dizzy. He tried to remember where he had felt resistance to the bat, but whatever it was, it seemed to be moving. After three unsuccessful tries, and at least one time in which the hard thing had hit his head, Francesca was at his side again, and the blindfold was removed. It was then when Turnbull saw his mysterious opponent. A gorgeous Piñata, hand made, with the colors of the American Flag in the body, but only Red and White in the tails. It hang from a long rope that crossed the Precint, one end tied to the spot that Stan had been signaling earlier, the other in the hands of a smiling det. Vecchio. “Good try, Turnbull! You almost got it in the last swing!” The American said, and Turnbull couldn’t stop himself from smiling back. He had feel a little ridiculous while blindfolded, but now he saw that it was only for fun. After him, it was Stan’s turn, and he almost managed to hit the piñata, which was moved by Ray in such way that it was almost impossible to guess where it was or how to hit it to break it. Lt. Welsh managed to give it a good hit, but it held it’s place… And Francesca muttered that maybe his brother had used too much glue for it. Huey managed to rip one of the paper cones with a straight hit in the joint, but the main body stayed still... And Dewey almost ripped Ray’s head when he lost the grip on the bat, sending it flying in the detective’s directions. By the time it was Elaine’s turn, the last in the line, all the paper cones were thorn off, and almost the whole decoration had fallen too, but the main clay body still held together. So far, the most successful blow had been Fraser’s, who had almost broken one of the hidden lids. Among the jokes of everyone around, except for the polite Mounties who were still wondering if it was possible to break the clay Piñata, Elaine let Francesca spin her around, trying to keep her balance. Her first blow was far off from her target, and Huey, Dewey, and Lt. Welsh had to duck to avoid serious injuries. The second one was a little more fortuitous, managing to hit the body of the piñata, making a small hole in the bottom, causing a short shower of candies, fruit and confetti over her head. Seeing this made Ray down his attention to the Piñata, and thus, Elaine’s third going with the bat was right in the center of the bowl, with enough strength to break it. As the confetti flew in all directions, covering cops, Civilian Aides, Attorneys, and Mounties alike, Ray beamed. He could see Fraser’s smile to him, as he offered him a cane. Everything had gone off perfectly. December 24 The ninth Posada. Noche buena. "Happy Noche Buena, Benny." Ray Vecchio handed Fraser a small box, wrapped up in green paper. "Good Night, Ray?" Fraser looked at his lover with some surprise, lifting an eyebrow. They were together at his apartment, as they had agreed on spending the day before Christmas together, before going to the Vecchio's house for the Christmas dinner. It had been a peaceful day, not like the rest of the holidays when Fraser had come to be very familiar with the Mexican traditions. For the first time in weeks, he could relax in his lover's arms. "Holy Night. Mrs. Garcia told me that in Latin America they also celebrate this day, the night before Christmas..." Ray chuckled, kissing him softly on his cheek. "Aren't you going to open your gift?" With a kiss, Fraser got up and went to his closet, only to pull out another small box. "Only if you open yours." Ray smiled, and his green eyes lit with joy. The Italian cop waited until his lover was once again at his side to open the carefully wrapped gift, to reveal a small golden cross. Very simple in it's design, but that just helped to magnify its beauty. And on its back, he found engraved two words. "Yours forever." He whispered, and looked up to see his lover. "I love you, Benny." "I love you, Ray." Fraser sat down again, embracing Ray before opening his own gift. Inside the box, the mountie found a small snow globe, that had a beautiful winter landscape, complete with a log cabin. In its base, there was just a small plaque that read 'Home is where our heart is. Home is where we are together. My Home, is where You are.' "Ray... I..." "Don't say anything, Benny." Ray said, kissing him. "Maybe next year we can go back to your father's cabin and rebuild it, without any terrorist interrupting us." "Maybe, Ray..." Fraser smiled too, answering the kiss. They didn't had much time for themselves, since Ray had to return to his family because they didn't had a very good excuse to spend the night together. But even if it was short, they were not going to waste it. December 25 Christmas Dinner at the Vecchio’s house had been wonderful. For the first time in the four years since Fraser had been a guest, Francesca didn't try to get on him, making him feel like if he was part of the family instead of a possible romance. That alone was enough to make the whole night much better. But what made it memorable, was Mrs. Vecchio. She had always been like a second mother to Fraser, adopting him as part of the family from the first day that Ray took him home. And that night, she gave them both the best gift she could give to any of her children. When dinner was over, Ray got ready to give Fraser a ride home. It was the usual routine, after Ray got Fraser to his apartment, they would spend a little time together before Ray had to go back, and they would miss each other until the morning. Neither of them wanted to be away of the other, but it was the only way they could keep their relationship secret, since neither wanted to hurt their friends and family. Neither knew what to expect when Mrs. Vecchio followed them to the Riv, looking at them expectantly. "Ma?" Ray asked, somewhat puzzled. "Do you want something else?" Whatever his mother want, he knew he couldn't deny her, even if that meant that he would have less time alone with Benny. "No, mio caro." Mrs. Vecchio face softened, and she lifted one hand to her son's cheek, and the other to Fraser's. "I just want to wish you both all the happiness in the world." "Ma... you... you know?" Ray's voice sounded strange, as the meaning of his mother's words finally dawned on him. Fraser couldn't do anything but blink. For the first time since Ray knew him, he was truly speechless. "I know you have been truly happy this last months... happier than I've ever seen you since you came back." Smiling, she turned to see Fraser. "Benton... since my Raymundo brought you home that first time, I knew that you would become a very dear part of my family... Even when I never expected it to be this way. Take care of my son, caro mio." "With my life." As soon as Fraser's words left his mouth, Mrs. Vecchio hugged him tightly. Then she kissed his cheek, her eyes shining with joy. "Now, you two go. And I don't want to see either of you until tomorrow. There's a lot of food for tomorrow, and I cannot believe how skinny you two have gotten." With that, and a last kiss to her son, Mrs. Vecchio saw the two drive away. She knew that now, her son would be less and less at home. But it was all right. After all, he had had his own apartment when he married, and this was no different. It had taken some time to get used to the idea, but she had had time. More than what her son belived. Because she had seen that light in her Raymundo's eyes when she had brought the Mountie home for the first time, and Benton's expression when Raymundo had been hurt and in the hospital. Then she had prayed for those feelings to disappear. Now, four years later, she knew better. And what better time to tell them that, than in the time to celebrate love on Earth? Because no one could doubt the love between those two. No one. The end. -Christmas Punch. Notes: 1) Yes, the Aztecs had this not so nice form of burying their enemies, by cutting their heads, cutting them in half, and then burying them in clay bowls. Not a pretty image, if you imagine that. 2) Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe, is Mexico’s saint Patron. According to the legend, when the Spanish men came, the Indians did not wanted to go to the church, because the white men treated them like animals, saying they had no souls. And then, the Virgin appeared to one of the Indians, named Juan Diego. When he went to the Monks, they demanded a proof, and so, he went back to the mountain where She had appeared, and She told him to gather roses on his shirt, all the ones he could, and then show that to the Monks. When he did so, the Roses had transformed into an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She not only is the mother of all Mexicans, but also of all those who have been turned down by their families, by other cultures, or by being different. This year, Juan Diego was proposed to be a Saint, although some say he can’t be one, because the story is just a legend. 3) The Posadas are Nine Parties that we do in Mexico, remembering the time when Joseph and Mary were looking for a place to stay in Belem. They’re really fun, and there are a lot of Traditional Carols around them. Here I only mentioned a few. La Rama (The Branch) which is from Veracruz and says “Oranges and Limes, Limes and Lemons, The Virgin is more cute than all teh flowers. The Virgin washed, Saint Joseph Hang, the nice diapers that the boy had.” I know it sounds weird, but it’s a nice song. It has more than 25 stanzas (This is the Chorus) and in Veracruz, people sing it from house to house. Tradition says that one has to be ready to compose a new stanza when they come to your house. The other Carol I mention sung by the Garcia is Dime niño, de quien eres (Tell me boy, from who you are?) And the Stanzas I mention say: “You have such eyes boy, that only by looking you kill. You have such eyes boy, that only by looking you kill. But just so you look at me, kill me boy of my soul. But just so you look at me, kill me boy of my soul. May the songs of my land sound with joy, may the songs of my land sound with joy. And life to the child of God who was born on Holy Night, and life to the child of God who was born on Holy Night.” If any one wants to know the full song, please, e- mail me. There’s one particular carol that is sang in every posada, the Posada. It consists of Twelve stanzas, Six to Ask for a place to sleep, Six to answer, that symbolizes the way in which Joseph asked for housing in Belen. The first stanza could be translated like this “In the Name of Heaven, I ask you for a roof, Because she cannot walk, my beloved Wife.” The answering one goes: “This is not a motel, Please keep going ahead, I cannot open to you, You might be some truant.” And so on, until the housekeeper lets them in by singing “Enter, Holy Pilgrims, Holy Pilgrims. Please receive this corner. Even if it’s a poor house, I offer it to you from my Heart.” If anyone wants the full song, I can also send it in Spanish and in English.