I came downstairs after having put a load of laundry in and saw Luna quietly coloring with full concentration. I don’t think she even heard me come down. But despite the quiet and calm, something was wrong. It took a moment before it clicked. Luna was coloring, but where was Sergio? He’s always by her side, especially when it has to do with any sort of book. Especially when Luna is coloring … she colors the picture, but he picks out the crayons and they chat about what colors to use. Without his help we might never have orange geese or purple polka-dotted pigs. Before Sergio, Luna colored everything in monochrome, which is different tones of the same color, and she got that by how hard or soft she colored the section. He was NOWHERE to be seen.

When I asked Luna where he was, she told me, “He talk to Santa.” Unfortunately, given his obsession with finding St. Nicholas that little tidbit didn’t help much. For a moment I panicked thinking of my poor little sloth-elf crawling down the highway with a hobo pack on his back trying to make it to the North Pole. I took a few steps toward the front door, trying to figure out how far a small sloth could get in the less than ten minutes I had been gone. Then I stopped dead.

Luna was far too calm and focused for Sergio to not be in the house. And he never would have left her to journey to the North Pole, he’d have dressed her in winter wear and taken her with. I closed my eyes — nothing but the sound of the crayon sliding across the paper. With Sergio, could too quiet be a good thing?

When I asked Luna again where Sergio was, she glared at me through narrowed brown eyes. “With Santa!” She pulled the page she was coloring in close. “Need to finish.”

Well, I guess she told me. Never get between Luna and her story books or her pictures … she was always off in another world. Where did I have Santa in the house? Then it dawned. I tiptoed to the bathroom door and opened it a crack. Sure enough, there sat Sergio on top of the toilet tank swinging his legs back and forth, and humming Christmas carols under his breath. He waved when he saw my eye peeking in. I opened the door further.
Me: What’cha doin’, Sergio?
Sergio: Been talking with the flat Santa head. I’d heard about the naughty and nice list and needed to know which list we were on. After all, Santa might not grant a miracle for anyone on the naughty list.
Me: Biting my lip to keep from smiling. So? Did you find out?
He nodded and grinned.
Sergio:Yep. Flat Santa said Luna and me don’t have anything to worry about. He paused for a moment. You on the other hand …

Guess I might be in for a stocking stuffed with coal. 😉