A/N: As much as I don't like Claire, (SPOILER)...I had to make her and Alex make up.
Day 4:
The group decided to spend the day at a nearby lake, promising a calm, sun-soaked afternoon.
Reality?
Marco attempted (and failed) to do a backflip off a rock, belly-flopping so hard Malik swore it echoed.
Javier and Diego got into a very intense paddleboard race, which ended with both of them in the water after a dramatic collision.
Alex, despite her protests, got dragged into a chicken fight (riding on Marco's shoulders vs. Valeria on Diego's). She won, much to Valeria's outrage.
Rosa, Lucía, and Isabel turned the picnic into an impromptu karaoke session, belting out old rancheras while sipping micheladas.
Ava made a surprise appearance when Marco decided she "needed fresh air" (Alex nearly had a heart attack).
By sunset, everyone was sunburnt, exhausted, and still laughing.
Day 5:
Marco insisted they spend a night under the stars.
The tent setup was a disaster. Valeria and Diego's collapsed twice. Marco's stayed up only because Alex took over.
Dinner was supposed to be grilled over the fire, but Marco "seasoned" the meat so aggressively even Javier (who put hot sauce on everything) tapped out.
Carlos the Trash Panda returned, stealing an entire bag of marshmallows and hissing at Malik when he tried to take them back.
At 11 PM, Rosa declared, "Ya basta," and everyone trudged back to the cabin, defeated.
Marco pouted the whole walk back. "We were so close to surviving."
Alex patted his shoulder. "Next time, papi."
Day 6:
After the camping fiasco, everyone agreed to take it easy.
Alex and Valeria bonded over mocking Marco's childhood photos (Rosa happily supplied them).
Diego taught Alex how to whittle, which ended with her accidentally carving a stick into a vaguely phallic shape (Javier never let her live it down).
After dinner, the portable speaker came out, and suddenly it was a full-blown dance competition.
Javier and Malik attempted salsa (emphasis on attempted).
Rosa and Lucía put everyone to shame with a flawless cumbia.
Marco tried to dip Alex dramatically… and dropped her. (She was fine, but he spent the next hour apologizing with kisses.)
By midnight, even Valeria was laughing too hard to complain.
Day 7:
The mood was bittersweet as they packed up the cabin.
Alex folded clothes quietly, realizing she didn't want to leave.
Marco, ever perceptive, wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Hey. We'll come back, yeah?"
Javier and Malik started a last-minute wrestling match over who got the last bag of chips.
Diego carried Valeria's bags to the car without being asked (she pretended to hate it, but her smile gave her away).
Then Carlos the raccoon darted past, stealing a sock from Marco's bag.
"CARLOS, NO—"
******
The caravan of cars rolled out of the mountains, leaving behind the quiet pines and open skies for the familiar sprawl of the city. Marco's beat-up white Honda Civic rumbled along the freeway, the radio playing a mix of reggaeton and old school rap songs at a volume just loud enough to drown out any lingering sadness about the trip ending.
Alex sat shotgun, her head resting against the window, watching the scenery blur past. Rosa was in the backseat, scrolling through her phone and occasionally muttering in Spanish about the traffic. The car smelled like pine needles, fast food wrappers, and Marco's cologne—a weirdly comforting combination.
Then—rustling.
Alex frowned, glancing into the backseat.
Rosa froze.
A tiny, furry head poked out from under the seat.
"¡AY DIOS MÍO!" Rosa shrieked, recoiling so hard she smacked her elbow against the door.
Alex whipped around. "WHAT THE—CARLOS?!"
Marco, mid-sip of his energy drink, nearly choked. "¿QUÉ?!"
Carlos the raccoon, now fully emerged, sat on the floor of the backseat like a smug little passenger, his beady eyes blinking at them.
"HOW IS HE IN THE CAR?!" Alex demanded.
"I DON'T KNOW!" Marco yelled back, equal parts horrified and delighted.
Rosa was clutching her chest, breathing heavily. "MARCO RIVERA, I SWEAR TO GOD—"
"Mamá, I didn't do this! I swear!" Marco insisted, though he was already grinning. "Carlos must've stowed away!"
Alex stared at the raccoon. "You're telling me he hid in the car the whole time?!"
Carlos chittered, as if confirming.
Rosa groaned, rubbing her temples. "This is your fault. You fed him. Now he thinks we're his family."
Marco, still grinning, reached back to scratch Carlos's head. "I mean… aren't we?"
Alex facepalmed.
After the Carlos-induced heart attack, they made it back to Marco's neighborhood. Rosa immediately bolted out of the car the second Marco parked, muttering about needing a drink.
Marco laughed, hopping out to help her unload their bags. "Relax, Mamá, he's gone now!"
"I don't care! That demonio could still be in there!"
Alex watched from the car as Marco carried their luggage inside, his mom still scolding him in rapid-fire Spanish. He just grinned the whole time, unfazed.
A few minutes later, he jogged back to the car, sliding into the driver's seat with a sigh. "Alright, mami. Your turn."
Alex's stomach twisted. "Yeah."
She wasn't ready to go home.
The suburbs were quiet. Too quiet.
Marco's fingers drummed on the steering wheel, the only sound besides the hum of the engine. Alex stared out the window, dreading the moment they'd pull into her driveway.
"You good?" Marco asked, glancing at her.
Alex shrugged. "Just… not excited to walk into a house where they didn't even notice I was gone."
Marco's jaw tightened. "Their loss." He reached over, squeezing her hand. "You're stuck with us now, corazón."
Alex smirked. "Lucky me."
Too soon, they were in front of her house. The lights were on, the garage door half-open—like nothing had changed.
Marco put the car in park and turned to her. "You want me to come in with you?"
Alex shook her head. "Nah. I'll be fine."
He studied her for a second, then leaned in, kissing her softly. "Text me when you're inside."
She nodded, lingering for a second before pulling away. "Thanks. For everything."
Marco smirked. "Don't look so sad, mami. We'll see each other mañana, yeah?"
Alex rolled her eyes but smiled. "Yeah. Mañana."
With one last grin, Marco revved the engine (because of course he did) and peeled away, leaving her standing in the driveway.
She took a deep breath, hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, and headed inside.
******
Time had passed since the cabin trip. Haley had her 21st birthday. Things with Claire were… better. Not perfect, but better. Alex had reluctantly accepted her mom's apologies, though she still kept a bit of emotional distance.
But today wasn't about that.
Today, Marco had invited her to celebrate Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe with him and Rosa.
Alex was still upstairs when she heard the unmistakable sound of Marco's Honda Civic screeching to a halt outside, Wu-Tang Clan blaring through the open windows.
"AY, MAMI! ¡VAMONOS!" his voice echoed from the driveway.
She rolled her eyes but smiled, grabbing her jacket.
Downstairs, she paused at the sound of voices.
Claire had answered the door before Alex could, and now she and Marco were standing in the entryway.
"Oh! Marco, hi," Claire said, sounding uncharacteristically flustered.
"Hey, Mrs. D!" Marco grinned, rocking back on his heels. "Looking good as always."
Claire let out a nervous laugh. "Uh, thank you. Listen, I just… I wanted to apologize. For how I acted when we first met. I was…" She sighed. "I was protective. Maybe too protective."
Marco waved her off. "No worries. Moms gotta mom."
Claire smiled slightly. "Alex has been… happier. Since she started spending time with you."
Alex's chest tightened. She hadn't realized her mom had noticed.
Marco's grin softened. "That's good to hear. She deserves it."
Alex decided that was her cue. She stepped into view, feigning ignorance. "You guys done gossiping about me?"
Claire blinked, startled. "Oh! Alex, I didn't—"
"Kidding, Mom," Alex said, though her tone was lighter than usual.
Marco threw an arm around her shoulders. "Alright, mi amor, let's go. Mamá's probably already burning the tamales."
Alex snorted. "Bye, Mom."
Claire waved, looking relieved. "Have fun!"
And with that, they were off—Marco's car rattling down the street, music loud enough to drown out any lingering awkwardness.
Marco parked haphazardly in front of his house, barely missing a stray bicycle. "Home sweet home!"
Rosa's house was small but warm, the front door already propped open to let in the cool December air. Inside, the living room had been transformed—a beautiful ofrenda for the Virgen de Guadalupe took up one wall, adorned with candles, fresh flowers, and a framed image of the Virgin herself.
Rosa emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "¡Finalmente! I thought you got lost."
"Nah, just had to charm Mrs. D a little," Marco said, kissing his mom's cheek.
Rosa smirked, then pulled Alex into a hug. "Good. She needs to appreciate you more."
Alex blinked, surprised by the bluntness, but Rosa was already dragging her toward the kitchen. "Ven, help me with the atole."
The next few hours were a blur of:
Food: Rosa had been cooking since dawn—tamales, pozole, champurrado. Alex, despite her lack of culinary skills, was put to work stirring pots and taste-testing (Marco kept stealing bites when Rosa wasn't looking).
Prayers: They gathered around the ofrenda as Rosa led a short prayer, her voice steady and reverent. Marco, usually so loud, was uncharacteristically quiet, head bowed. Alex stood beside him, unsure of what to do but respecting the moment.
Chaos: Because of course it wouldn't be a Rivera gathering without some madness.
Ava made an appearance when Marco decided she "deserved to celebrate too" (Alex nearly dropped a plate when the tarantula crawled onto the table).
Carlos—because of course—showed up on the back porch, sniffing around for scraps. Marco, delighted, tossed him a tamal. Rosa smacked him with a spoon.
At one point, Alex found herself sitting on the couch, sipping champurrado, watching Marco argue with his mom over whether the pozole needed more salt.
As the celebrations wound down, Marco walked Alex out to his car. The neighborhood was still buzzing, laughter and music drifting through the air.
"So?" Marco bumped her shoulder. "How'd you like your first Día de Guadalupe?"
Alex smirked. "I've decided Catholicism is way more fun with a side of raccoons."
Marco laughed, pulling her close. "Just wait till Navidad. Mamá goes all out."
Alex groaned but leaned into him. "I'm gonna need a bigger stomach."
Marco kissed her forehead. "Good thing you've got time to prepare."