Chapter 3

The Big Mess

Sofia and the boys ran to the kitchen. Flour, newspaper strips, and kitty tracks covered the floor. Tía Carmen did not look happy. And she hadn’t even seen the bathroom yet!

“What a disaster!” she said. “What were you kids doing?”

Sofia told Tía Carmen that they were trying to make a piñata.

“That is a nice idea, but next time you need to ask first,” Tía Carmen said. “And now you have to clean up.”

Sofia and her cousins cleaned everything. When they were done, Sofia asked Tía Carmen for more newspaper and flour.

“¿Para qué?“ Tía Carmen asked, looking confused.

“A new piñata for Abuela!“ Sofia said.

Tía Carmen laughed. “Silly Sofia. I don’t think so. You’ll just make another mess.”

“No, we won’t,” Sofia said. “I promise!”

“We really want Abuela to have a piñata for her birthday,” Alonzo said. “Please?”

“¿Por favor?“ Hector said.

Tía Carmen sighed.

“Okay. Grab all the stuff you need, and go out on the patio,” she said. “I’ll keep Bella inside.”

This time, Tía Carmen helped make the paste mixture. No flour spilled, and all the paper strips were pasted on the balloon. Not one got in the house.

Sofia’s big sisters, Luisa and Elena, came over to help paint the piñata. Everyone worked extra hard to make it special.

“We need to put candy inside,” Elena said.

“Everybody gets candy,” Sofia said. “Let’s do something more unique for Abuela.”

“Something she loves,” Hector said. “Like playing cards.”

It was true. Abuela loved card games. All the grandchildren spent hours at her house playing Go Fish and Old Maid.

“Great idea!” Sofia said. “She will love it! This will be one party she will never forget.”

On the day of the party, Tío Miguel hung the piñata on a tree limb. Abuela put on the blindfold and swung the stick first. Then everybody else took turns.

Abuela laughed when Sofia finally broke the piñata.

“Playing cards! ¡Gracias!“ Abuela said. “I love my party!”

“And we love you,” Sofia said. “¡Feliz cumpleaños, Abuela!”