Vrava a ruch Bratislavského vianočného trhu zaplnili vzduch.

The chatter and bustle of the Bratislavský Christmas market filled the air.

Svetielka blikali nad ich hlavami a prchavé vône vareného vína a pečených gaštanov dráždili nozdry.

Lights twinkled above their heads, and the fleeting scents of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts tickled their nostrils.

Marek kráčal medzi stánkami so svojimi sestrami, Zuzanou a Annou.

Marek walked among the stalls with his sisters, Zuzana and Anna.

Snažil sa, aby to bolo zvláštne vianočné obdobie, i keď rodičia boli ďaleko.

He tried to make this a special Christmas season, even though their parents were far away.

„Pozrite, perníčky!“ zvolala Anna, najmladšia zo súrodencov.

“Look, gingerbread!” exclaimed Anna, the youngest of the siblings.

Jej oči žiarili, keď videla krásu a pestrosť trhu.

Her eyes shone as she took in the beauty and vibrancy of the market.

Bolo jej jedno, že ich rodičia oslavujú Vianoce v ďalekej cudzine.

It didn't matter to her that their parents were celebrating Christmas in a distant land.

Pre ňu to tu a teraz bolo čarovné.

For her, the magic was here and now.

Zuzana, s rukami zastrčenými v kabáte, kráčala vedľa nich s jemným úsmevom.

Zuzana, with her hands tucked into her coat, walked beside them with a gentle smile.

„Marek, chceme ešte ísť do toho obchodu, čo sme zvykli s mamou navštevovať?“ opýtala sa, jej hlas akoby preniknutý štipkou irónie, no zároveň tam bol aj iskrička zvedavosti.

“Marek, do we want to go to that shop we used to visit with mom?” she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of irony, but there was also a spark of curiosity.

Marek sa snažil, aby bol sebavedomý, aj keď vnútorné pochybnosti mu ťažili myseľ.

Marek tried to be confident, even though inner doubts weighed on his mind.

„Prečo nie,“ odpovedal a pridal krok, aby nezostal pozadu.

“Why not,” he replied, picking up his pace so as not to fall behind.

Cítil, že tieto chvíle sú dôležité, hoci mu chýbalo vedenie rodičov.

He felt these moments were important, even though he missed their parents' guidance.

Pred desiatkami stánkov našli všetko, čo by si len na takom mieste mohli priať – od lákavých oblátok po jemne spracované remeselné výrobky.

In front of dozens of stalls, they found everything one could wish for at such a place—from tempting wafers to finely crafted artisanal products.

Anna bola vo svojom živle.

Anna was in her element.

Snažila sa, aby na nič nezabudli.

She made sure they didn't forget anything.

Marek pre ňu bol spokojný, aj keď vedel, že Zuzana si z neho preháňa.

Marek was happy for her, even if he knew that Zuzana was teasing him.

Čoskoro počuli z rohu námestia zbor.

Soon, they heard a choir from the corner of the square.

Ich hlasy sa zmiešali s mrazivým vzduchom a nôtou, ktorú všetci dobre poznali.

Their voices blended with the chilly air and the notes everyone knew well.

Spievali vianočnú kolednú pieseň, ktorú ich mama milovala.

They were singing a Christmas carol their mom loved.

Marek zastal.

Marek paused.

Mal prejsť okolo?

Should he just walk past?

Alebo sa pripojiť a posilniť tak hmatateľnú prítomnosť ich rodičov v ich srdciach?

Or join in and strengthen their parents' tangible presence in their hearts?

Zuzana, hoci prišla bližšie, vždy s jemným komentárom na okraji pier, sa tiež zastavila.

Zuzana, although she came closer, always with a gentle comment at the corner of her mouth, also stopped.

A dokonca Anna, ktorá bola doposiaľ pohltená trhom, utíchla a započúvala sa do piesne.

And even Anna, who had been absorbed by the market, quieted and listened to the song.

„Poďme si zaspievať,“ povedal Marek váhavo.

“Let's sing,” Marek said hesitantly.

V očiach jeho sestier mohol vidieť nie lásku k tej piesni, ale vzájomnú podporu.

In his sisters' eyes, he could see not love for the song, but mutual support.

Marek, Zuzana a Anna sa pripojili k zbore so všetkými ostatnými na trhu.

Marek, Zuzana, and Anna joined the choir with everyone else at the market.

Ruky spojili.

They held hands.

Ich hlasy zneli spolu s hudbou, a na chvíľu sa znova cítili ako celá rodina.

Their voices resonated with the music, and for a moment, they felt like a complete family again.

Marek spoznal, že ťarchu nemusí niesť sám.

Marek realized he didn't have to bear the burden alone.

Ich malá chvíľa jednoty mu priniesla úľavu.

Their little moment of unity brought him relief.

Zuzana si uvedomila, aké dôležité sú ich rodinné tradície, a Anna sa poučila o rovnováhe medzi tým, čo bolo staré, a tým, čo bolo nové.

Zuzana realized how important their family traditions were, and Anna learned about the balance between the old and the new.

Svetlá žiarili, a Bratislavský trh im poskytol útechu i domov.

The lights shone brightly, and the Bratislavský market provided them with comfort and a sense of home.

Vo vzduchu bola prítomná radosť a pokoj v ich srdciach.

There was joy in the air and peace in their hearts.

Rodina, i keď na okamih vzdialená, bola znova pohromade.

The family, though momentarily distant, was together once more.