> My favorite part of the year is the holidays because that's when Santa Claus comes and drops off presents. No, I don't mean down the chimney to little kids. Forget those bogarts, they don't even work for a living. I'm talking about all the drunk tourists that stumble into my poker table around Christmas and New Year's. Ho ho ho!

Joey inhaled the aroma of the baked calamari like a bloodhound. Looking around the Christmas table, every single thing made his mouth water: roasted capitone eel, baccalà cod, sides of spaghettini, and more. Following Italian tradition, there were seven types of fish! Joey even bought a lobster although he almost cried when he handed over the cash for it.

His hands traced the smooth metal of the fork, almost unable to stop himself from stabbing it into the food like a desperate lover committing a crime of passion.

"Ow!" Joey's hand was slapped by his blue-haired handler sitting to his right. Ellie was already instructed by Joey's mother, Caroline. Under no circumstance, should she allow this glutton to disturb the sacred space of the dinner table until everything was prepared.

Joey's eyes watered and became as big as the plates below as he stared at Ellie like a dog begging for scraps at a family meal. Ellie snorted. She wouldn't break the solemn code of the mother in law's dinner table, but she also loved puppy dogs, so she reached into her jacket and took out a piece of candy, arching it with a toss and watching it land in Joey's open mouth.

*Chew* *Chew*

The dog is also part of the family.

Now that the daily sacrifice of chocolate was made to the evil god Joey, Ellie knew he would be satiated for a short while, sparing the village.

The dark lord was indeed satisfied with her offering.

Joey walked over to the kitchen to check if his mother needed any help. "Mom, is it done yet? I'll bring it to the table."

Caroline turned and smiled. "It's almo—."

Before she could finish, her eyes lost focus and she stumbled, gripping onto the kitchen counter. Joey panicked and grabbed her. "Mom! What's wrong?!? Are you ok?!?"

Shaking her head, Caroline answered, "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy spell."

"...Mom, that's plenty. There's enough food to feed us three times over, so come to the table already."

Caroline nodded. "Ok dear, you're right." She finished the last dish as Joey helped carry everything. The three of them sat around the table appreciating everything in front of them, a warm meal with the people closest to them—a thing often taken for granted, only to realize many years later how priceless it was.

It was almost time to dig in, but at Caroline's table, there was a custom to say grace at these occasions. Everyone closed their eyes and bowed their heads. "Lord, thank you for providing us with this wonderful meal, and this wonderful company. Things haven't always been easy, but you've always given us the strength to carry on. Amen."

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"Amen."

"Amen."

Caroline wasn't very religious. She even lacked the time to go to church on Sundays because of work. That said, there were moments in her life when she was drowning, and even though no one ever came to rescue her, she somehow always found the courage to swim, to break through the violent current.

She didn't know if there was a higher force at work, or if God would even care about an insignificant woman like her. Still, she did the meager things she could to get his attention, because if the tide sucked her in again, she doubted she'd have the strength to swim to shore next time.

Caroline didn't ask much of God. She didn't need him to be all-knowing, all-powerful, or to save the world. She only needed him to save her son.

'He's changed so much this year.' Caroline smiled as she looked at Joey, who ate while teasing Ellie. He seemed so cheerful and carefree, a far cry from when he was a loner with eyes that only saw the past, and a heart that had been buried there. Caroline hoped the rest of the year could continue like this for him, but their lives had a tragic way of overturning in the gutter. After all, she also had the same hope last Christmas…

***

Joey and Caroline had been in high spirits that week. He'd gotten his SAT scores back and the results were excellent, shocking even the teachers and school staff. It was a cause for celebration, not to mention it was Christmas Eve! The two of them chatted about recent events and Joey's future. With scores like that, he could apply for a scholarship to an excellent school! Caroline couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Joey show such an excited smile. His eyes were full of life!

*BANG*

The front door downstairs slammed open, letting in a biting cold gale that blew through the apartment uninvited, swallowing the warmth from their holiday meal.

"Go! Upstairs!" a voice roared.

Caroline and Joey shot up out of their seats as they listened to the heavy footsteps of many men climbing their staircase. When the first of them reached the top, they discovered the identity of the intruder. It was him!

He walked into the living room, dressed in all black like the grim reaper, yet with a cordial smile on his face. Like death, he came without invitation but there was no keeping him out when he decided to visit. "Sorry I'm late. Did you save a plate for me?" It was Dominic, Joey's father.

He walked to the dinner table and drew a deep inhale of the rich feast that Caroline slaved over the entire day. "It looks delicious," he said before sighing. Raising his arm, he swiped all the food off the table with one swing!

Caroline's face was aghast, tears filling up her eyes. Joey clenched his fists and his eyes emitted a cold fury.

"AHH!" Two men wearing black came up the staircase carrying a third between them.

"Get him on the table!" Dominic yelled. The two men hauled the screaming man over and laid him down on it. Blood soaked the hollering man's left leg. It was clear he'd been shot.

"Joey! Go to your room!" Caroline shouted.

"No! He needs to learn how this is dealt with. Caroline, you be quiet," Dominic overruled.

Caroline looked over at Joey to see his eyes were dead, devoid of all emotion. He stood there observing the men as they performed first aid, with a distant casual attitude like he was watching a documentary.

Caroline started shaking and held her face as tears poured down her fingers. She fell back against the kitchen counter, the place where she prepared a meal to bring her family together, now the place where she witnessed her family fall apart.

Dominic took something out of his pocket, glanced at it, and threw it to Joey indifferently. It was a Rolex. "Here Joey boy, merry Christmas."

***

Caroline watched Joey as he chatted and laughed with Ellie at the dinner table, the one that's stood there for many years. Joey was changing but everything else was the same. Would he be able to resist the tide from pulling him in?

Suddenly, like back then, Caroline couldn't hold back the tears.