The Distance Between Us

After Mago’s party, Reyna and her siblings’ relationship with Mami improves. Their weekly visits with her become less awkward, and Mami often treats them to trips to the town center and crushed ice and churros. On these trips, though, Reyna notices her mother looking longingly at all the couples around, and fears that her mother will once again leave them for a man. 

A few months later, during celebrations in the days leading up to Christmas, Reyna, Mago, and Carlos travel to the wealthy part of town and receive gifts from their far-away neighbors there. On Christmas day, Crece brings in a tree branch to use as a makeshift Christmas tree, and the children decorate the branch with eggshells. They sweep the floors and dust the furniture, anticipating Mami’s arrival and hoping that this Christmas will be special. They all secretly want to convince her to return to Abuelita Chinta’s house and live with them again.

That evening, though, Mami shows up to Abuelita Chinta’s house with a guest: a man named Rey. He is fourteen years younger than her, and Reyna hates him at first sight. Suddenly, she feels that all their Christmas decorations look pathetic. As they all sit down to dinner, Mago throws a fit, screaming and throwing herself around the house. She kicks and screams as if possessed, and eventually faints. Abuelita Chinta chastises Mami for inspiring such madness in her daughter by bringing Rey over when the children just wanted to celebrate Christmas with their mother. Mami apologizes to her mother, then walks out the door and leaves. Mago wakes up, goes to the door, and slams it shut.

The next day, Mago writes a sorrowful letter to Papi, using lyrics from a popular song to express how badly she longs for his return. That evening, Reyna sits at Abuelita Chinta’s altar and prays that her father will come back soon.