looked longingly at the clock on her classroom wall. The holiday party was in full swing to “Jingle Bell Rock” and her students were on a sugar high. In addition to Christmas cookies, many of the students had also brought candy canes and chocolates to share.
Still, Ms. Chin smiled as she looked over the pile of presents on her desk to see, Geneva and Tiffany dancing, Taylor handing out Christmas cards, and Duncan adding last minute touches to his paper mache star. She was also grateful to Ben’s mother who had come to help with the party.
“I love party food!” Kazu exclaimed.
“Yeah, for Hanukkah we have latkes and applesauce,” Ben said.
“What’s latkes?” Kazu asked.
“Potato pancakes,” Ben’s mother told Kazu. “Would you and your family would like to join us next Tuesday for the first night of Hanukkah?”
“Sure!” Kazu agreed and Ben jumped up, sharing in the enthusiasm.
“Great! I’ll call you mother this weekend.”
In Gustavo’s class, Mr. Ashbury was disturbing goodie bags, filled with pencils, erasers, stickers, and granola bars. The kindergarteners were gathering up their holiday decorations to take home.
Gustavo was trying to wrap the orange and clove pomander he’d made for his mother. Seraphina, who sat next to him, watched, noticing his frustration.
“Gustavo,” she said softly. “Do you want me to help you? I wrap good.”
Gustavo sighed with relief. “Thanks!”
Seraphina, who also went to Gustavo’s church, was a small girl with thin, brown hair. She often wore old clothes and some of the kids made fun of her. It was known that her family stayed in places for people without homes and often she was late for school because they had spent the night across town. Gustavo’s parents had told him that it wasn’t polite to ask her about such things.
“It’s for my mother,” Gustavo told her as he watched her wrap the ball in tissue paper and somehow attach a ribbon. “My brother made her an angel. I wish I could give her angel. She loves them.”
“She’ll like this,” she reassured him, adding, “It smells good.”
At work, Julio was also considering Dina’s Christmas present. He and Ralph were in a deep discussion over lunch.
“So, have you been casing Dina to find out what she’d like?” Ralph asked.
Julio shook his head. “And, I’ve been trying to pay attention. It’s like her interests are me, Kaz, Gus, and her parents.”
“What about books?” Ralph asked.
“These days she’s mostly reading kids’ books to the boys.”
“Clothes?”
“Lingerie?” Julio brightened.
“No,” Ralph said, “That’d be for you.”
“Make up?”
Julio frowned. “I don’t think she wears much. She doesn’t need to. Dina’s beautiful.”
“I’m sure she is,” Ralph nodded and went on, “How about jewelry?”
“She wears earrings. Sometimes rings.”
“Then, let’s go to the flea market. They have great jewelry!”
Julio looked doubtful. “You sure?”
“Yes,” Ralph reassured him. “You’ll love it! And the winter solstice is tomorrow. There’s power in that!”
To be continued December 17...
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Kazu’s teacher, Ms. Chin,