Wish you

[Ignacio Morales]

Christmas meant something more in the Morales family home than it did in the homes of others. For them it was more a showing of solidarity in the face of adversity, confirmation that they could remain a close, honest, and loving family in spite of the hardship of their father's disappearance. Among everything else Christmas stood for, it was a way for the family to get together and put any troubles they currently faced on the back burner for one day. Ignacio was more than happy to do as such, and felt significantly less exhausted as he woke up early that morning, tip toeing out of the bedroom he shared with his brothers so he could retrieve the presents hidden underneath a few of the living room floorboards. He attempted to keep silent as he retrieved the presents one by one, putting them safely underneath the Christmas tree while he waited for Valentina to join him so they could hang festive banners and set the table for breakfast before the rest of the family woke from their respective slumbers to the joy of Christmas morning. ​

 

[Valentina Morales]

Christmas was not exactly a joyous occasion the last few years due to the burial of their missing father so to make up for the morose feeling the family had, Valentina was determined to make this holiday the best that it could be. She adored her family so she and Ignacio had agreed to wake up even before sunrise. It wasn't her favourite thing to do but priority was her family. First with allowing her beautiful, hard-working mother to get the sleep she would need as she'd worked hard on Christmas Eve to get extra wages and second because her little brothers deserved it. She just wanted the best for them and would be damned if a little exhaustion would prevent her from giving them all she could. So slumping down from hers and Pia's room, careful not to wake her, she walked down to the living room here she and Ignacio had hidden the few gifts that they could afford. It wasn't much but it would make this Christmas the best they had in many years. Certainly better than Marcos or Flavio could remember as the debt had begun so early in their lives. She looked over at her big brother and smiled. They'd become such a team over the years and although Ignacio seemed to be hardened to outsiders she greeted him with a big hug. She was not the type of woman to speak about her feelings, ever, but Ignacio could tell how difficult this holiday was for her because mostly she just missed her dad. She'd give up all the Christmas presents in the world to have him here and see how she was doing, how Ignacio had stepped up, how strong Pia was and mostly to get to know little Flavio and Marcos who had barely gotten to know him before he had disappeared. However, they had to get to work so the kids wouldn't loose faith in Santa Claus.

Valentina let Ignacio free from the hug and got to work on the floor boards, handing him the presents as she got them so they could be put under the tree perfectly. She also knew they would have to put a dent in the gifts that were left for Santa and the reindeer. She didn't know if Flavio knew the truth but she hoped her little duck would stay young forever and this was certainly part of it. She loved Pia but she knew the magic of the holidays were lost just a little bit. She could only assume a boy as young as Marcos would never know so she dreaded that day as well. For now she just wanted to enjoy her big family as together as they could be. It didn't take long before all the presents, few as they were, were laid under the tree. While she waited for the little ones to wake up she worked on a piece that was meant to be in by the end of the evening as an expose on a politicians Christmas expenses in relation to travel allowances. While writing she picked up a cookie and nibbled away, although most days she would feel it was too early for such treats it was a holiday; ergo, calories didn't count.

 

[Marcos Morales]

Christmas for most children was one of the most exciting times of the year, the most anticipated of the holidays, and for young Marcos it was no different. Despite the lack of a father he barely remembered, and whom he recognised only from the photographs the family had left of him, it was a time the family spent together as the most parts of a whole - a puzzle picture that still made sense, even with a piece of it missing. There were presents and food to be had, just enough for the family to forget about the troubles they endured, troubles Marcos didn't comprehend as fully as his siblings, but understood better than most other, more privileged boys his age.

The youngest Morales barely stirred as his elder brother crept out of the bedroom - it wasn't until the sun had risen, it's light beaming through his window, that the boy finally sat up in bed. He blinked his eyes a few times, rubbing the flecks of sleep from the corners, before he realised just exactly what day it was. With a grin, he leaped from his bed with a start, moving to rouse his other sleeping siblings awake. "Wake up! Wake up!" He shouted, eager for everyone to get out of bed and start opening presents. There wasn't a lot a nine year old had to give, but he'd tried hard this year to make things everyone might like.​

 

[Flavio Morales-Tipene]

The 'magic' of Christmas that involved Santa Claus and Reindeer delivering presents to all the children around the world in the space of a night had gradually become more lost to Flavio over the years, and more so since he started school. But that didn't mean he wasn't happy to spend time with his family and revel in joy of spending the day with them, exchanging gifts and laughing over too many servings of food. So when the sun beamed through the window that morning and Marcos' voice urged him to wake up, Flavio sat up in his bed and smiled as he rubbed one of his eyes. He then jumped out of his covers and ran with his younger brother to Pia's room to wake her up, eventually making his way to the living room where the Christmas tree stood, decorated to perfection with presents dotted on the floor around it.

He took in the sight of the tree momentarily then kicked himself into action, greeting both Ignacio and Valentina with a hug, later giving his mother one that was much tighter before he knelt down near the small pile of presents and slowly sifted through them, handing gifts to everyone as patiently as he could. When he got to his own set of presents he sat down on the floor, opening them one by one and looking up to smile at each of his siblings as he did so. Christmas was still a joyous, memorable and exciting holiday for the family despite what Flavio knew about the struggles of his older siblings regarding their father and despite one of Flavio's only memories of the man being a memory of a happy Christmas. It showed that they were still a bonded and close family and although Flavio was both too young and too naive to understand half of the things the rest of the family had sacrificed for him and Marcos, he was glad to be able to have a Christmas and feel happy on a holiday that would otherwise bring up feelings of affliction.
​

 

[Pia Morales]

Pia was metaphorically dead to the world when her head hit her pillow the previous night so she wasn't keen to be woken up at the crack of dawn. Especially not by the screaming of her younger brothers but regardless of that the teenager put on a cheerful, smiling face for her siblings so nothing ruined that all important Christmas morning. She got out of bed, promising the two boys she would be following close behind them as she stretched her arms and yawned. She quickly threw on a cardigan, and walked into the living room as she tied her red hair into a messy bun. Hoping she didn't look like she was half asleep, she smiled at her two older siblings, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek before she situated herself next to Ignacio, leaning her head comfortably on his shoulder as she watched Flavio hand out everyone's presents.

She said thank you as a present was handed to her and refrained from opening the gift immediately as she wanted to make the most of the sight of Flavio and Marcos opening their presents. When the two boys were done she opened her own gift and was left speechless when she realized it was a jacket that Valentina saw her eyeing up on one of the brightstone weekends when they had lunch together. She smiled and looked at Valentina before walking to the sofa to hug her, saying thank you yet again for the present because it was all she could have asked for, buttons and all. ​

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[Valentina Morales]

Valentina was working away when she started to hear their old house creek under the footsteps of her younger siblings at which point she put it all away so she could wake her mother. She hated to have to do this but it was Christmas Day and she wanted everyone together on this day above all others. To rouse her mother she gently pet her hair and gave her a kiss before she said, "The kids are awake." The Chilean walked back down with her mother at her side, wishing she could do more to make her life easier but she worked so hard for this resemblance of peace already. It was difficult and no where near perfect but Val really did try to make everyone happy. Even Ignacio who worked harder than she did with his two jobs. As the kids came down she revelled in their affection, wishing them a Happy Christmas. As happy as she would be to have Flavio and Marcos cuddle up close to her for the rest of the day, Valentina watched as presents were given out.

The woman smiled at the reactions of the gifts from 'Santa Claus' and agreed that they had all been so good that year to have gotten such wonderful gifts. That didn't mean that some gifts Valentina and Ignacio said were from them because she wanted everyone to know for sure that Valentina hadn't forgotten about them. So as Pia came up to hug her the witch pet her red hair affectionately and said, "You're welcome, baby." Despite only being a few years older than Pia, Val sometimes had a hard time imagining her entirely as someone who was about to be an adult. She was going to graduate soon and would hardly be a baby but that had never stopped Val from calling her baby before. A little tease too because there had been a year when Val would purposely call Pia this because it had bugged her because she had wanted to be seen as older despite having been so young. Releasing the girl who was hardly a baby these days, Valentina hoped that this would make them all happy because that was really all she wanted out of the holidays.