Mia's never had a family.
Granted she had a mother, though the woman never acted like it, and she had an aunt who insisted on being called 'Madame' instead of 'auntie'.
Basically, she'd always been alone.
So when her mother died, and she found he...
" in one kiss, you'll know all I haven't said." -Pablo Neruda
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Mia followed Schneider into the Alvarez home, rolling her eyes as he dramatically gasped, "Oh, Tía Ophelia! What a tragedy. We danced all night at Elena's quinces. She had scarlet fever as a child and lost her right eye."
The girl chuckled, wrapping her arms around Alex' back, having to go on her tip-toes in order to perch her chin on his shoulder as usual. As he held her hands tenderly, Elena cried, "Ophelia was the tía with the eye patch!"
"Tía Jack Sparrow!" Finished Alex happily.
The three turned to Pen, who joked, "Aha! I called her Tía Blackbeard, but then that got confusing because we have another tía with an actual black beard." The group all laughed, until Lydia came up to them, tapping on the table sternly, causing them all to make the sign of cross.
Well, everyone apart from Mia and Schneider, seeing as they still didn't know how.
"Sorry. At least we'll get to see the family at the funeral. Everybody will be there. Mimi, Maruchi, Rosita, Tío Juanito, Baby Juanito, and now his baby Gordito Juanito." Finished the curly-haired mother happily.
Lydia nodded, "Aah! It'll be good to see everybody. Except, of course, La Diabla." She finished, making two horn signs.
Alex rolled his eyes, perching himself on the arm of their sofa, Mia between his legs, as Schneider's eyes widened, "Ooh, there is a Tía Diabla? Sounds hot."
Elena shook her head, smiling, "She's Abuelita's little sister, Mirtha."
"Who Mami has been mad at for 20 years because of a stupid mantilla. Mami, Mirtha said she doesn't have it." Finished Pen from her spot behind the counter.
"That's because..." began Alex, only to be cut off by his grandmother, who level a warning glare at him as she said, "She's a liar."
Mia opened her mouth, "But didn't you..."
"Rightfully accuse her of having it all these years? Because she does." Lydia finished, before adding, "Go comb your hair."
Alex ran his hand carefully over his head, saying, "I don't have to."
From between his legs, Mia rolled her eyes, reaching with her hand and softly messing up the dark locks, only to erupt into giggles when he screeched, and dragged her into his room with him.
They could hear Pen and Schneider warning them to keep the door open, and Mia chuckled as she watched boy, who was glaring at her reflection in the mirror.
Carefully approaching him, she raised her hand, asking, "May I?"
"Depends," he grumbled, pouting, "Are you gonna ruin it again?"
