Author's note: Interestingly enough, I got the idea for this one shot when I finished watching a Gilligan's Island episode. I don't remember the title of it but it was about Mr. and Mrs. Howell having a big disagreement and separating. The rest of the islanders throw a masquerade party to trick the Howell's into dancing with each other and not knowing it. They make amends, find out who they are, and marriage saved! While this one shot isn't going to go exactly like that, since Imelda and Hector are QUITE different than Lovey and Thirston, the concept of a Masquerade party remains the same. Hope you all enjoy!
"I can't believe you actually convinced me to show up to this stupid party" Imelda said crossing her arms in her fancy dress and a matching purple mask.
"Oh, come on Mamá Imelda! Everyone is coming! At least try and have fun?" Rosita said with a big smile.
"Fun? The best thing that could come from this party is new customers! I mean do you see these people? Where did they get these- these torture devices that they call shoes? the junkyard?"
"See? Great for business!" Victoria said as she left in the crowd.
"Fine, I'll stay. But if they start playing music then we are leaving!" Imelda demanded and saw Rosita run off to catch Victoria.
"I don't know about this ladies." Hector said straightening his black mask and walking into the party.
"When was the last time you had fun?"
"Not for a long time but-"
"What's the worst thing that could happen? You having a good time?"
"It's just-"
"We all know you'll love it!"
"Fine! but if I hear 'Remember Me' 1 more time I outta-"
"-go get us some drinks cuz I bet you can hardly hear the music all the way over there. Now go find someone to dance with cousin!" and with that the girls from shantytown left hector alone in the crowd.
Hector and Imelda were both at complete opposites of the busy crowd, aimlessly wandering around, unsure of what to do. After a long while, an announcer came up to introduce the night's band, who then immediately start playing Remember Me.
"Remember me, though I have to say goodbye" the band continues.
"Ay, of course they start playing music and this is what they chose!" Imelda said in frustration. "Rosita! Victoria!" She looked around to see her familia enjoying themselves deep in the crowd. She knew wrestling them all out of there wouldn't be an easy task. Normally she'd shove her way through the crowd but it was late and she was tired from the endless shoe orders at the shop. She had to get out somehow, she couldn't stand hearing this song. She decided to go get a drink farthest away from the stage and deal with her family later. The only other person at the drink area was a tall lanky man in a rough suit and a plain black mask. He just stood at the edge of the table watching the stage in disgust. Imelda poured herself a drink.
"You don't like this song?" she asked.
"Sorry, I know it's crazy! But I just don't like a lot of things about this song. It's complicated." He responded as if he had answered this question a million times, he probably has.
"Tell me about it."
"Wait. You don't like it either?" He said surprised.
"It's like you said, complicated... I haven't actually been a fan of any music for a few decades now. But I did used to love this one song... Until De La Cruz ruined it."
"Sí sí! That man shows no emotion!" He said showing sudden excitement that someone understands him.
"That man has no emotion. Believe me." Imelda said coldly.
"Have you met him?"
"Something like that."
A small moment passes as they stare at the crowd.
"You don't seem to be enjoying yourself" she said bluntly, breaking the silence.
"I could say the same to you."
"My family dragged me here. I'd much rather be working on shoe orders!"
"Oh, you're a zapateria?"
"Si"
"You know, my wife's a shoe maker!" He said proudly.
"Oh so you know a thing or two about shoes huh?" She responded as if challenging him.
"Eh, I never said that" he said sheepishly.
"She runs the business then?"
"Heh heh si." he said blushing, scratching the back of his neck.
"Well if she works on shoes all day. What do you do?"
"Uh mostly uh help the folks down at shantytown."
"Shantytown? What did you do in the land of the living?"
"I uh... played music." he said wanting to avoid the answer.
"Ay so you're a musician!" she said suddenly agitated. She slammed her cup on the punch table and turned to leave.
"Not anymore! I should've quit that nightmare a whole lot sooner than I did." he said defending himself.
"Music brings nothing but trouble. Why I can't think of one good thing that ever came from music!" she said crossing her arms and deciding to continue the conversation.
"Really? Not one! I mean I don't like it that much at the moment either but I used to love it! Surely you must have one happy memory with music!"
"I don't remember. It's been too long." something about the way she said it, made him think she was hiding something.
"So there was something good about music?"
"What are you trying to do, convince me?"
"No. Just curious." He said with a smug smile
"Alright fine. If it wasn't for music. I wouldn't have met my husband."
"That's a pretty big deal! Why don't you like music anymore?"
"I'm not drunk enough to give you my entire back story!"
Remember me comes to an end. In place of the popular song, a slow song plays.
"Are you drunk enough to allow me to dance with you?"
"Dance?! Ha! I'd rather tell you my darkest secrets!"
"Then how about a walk?... in a circle? in a rhythmic motion?" he asked smiling his biggest smile.
"If it'll get you to shut up... I suppose it wouldn't hurt."
He holds out his hands for her to grab. She hesitates and slowly steps closer to him. He fills the gap between them and nearly swings her into the crowd in a turn. She exclaims and then laughs slightly, trying not to enjoy it.
"For someone who hates music, you sure like to dance." Imelda said skeptically.
"I told you I don't like it anymore. But I used to love it."
"So why did you love it so much?" Imelda asked as they continued dancing.
"ahhhh my wife... she was the most beautiful singer in all of mexico!- NO! the entire world."
"Was? She isn't anymore?"
"No no. I'm sure she's still a great singer but... well truth is... I haven't spoken to her in years. I've tried to! But she won't listen."
"Ah. What did you do?" she suddenly sounded very motherly, as if scolding him.
"Who said it's my fault!"
"It's always the man's fault. Am I wrong?"
"Eh... well. I-" he sighed in defeat "Si, it was my fault! I did something stupid and she hasn't forgiven me."
"Have you apologized?"
"What?" He asked as if he didn't hear her right.
"Have you apologized to her? She can't forgive you if you haven't said you are sorry. How does she know you regret what you did?"
"I'd love to tell her I'm sorry! But she is so angry with me she won't let me say a word to her!"
"Do you want to apologize or don't you?" she said as she stopped moving to bring more focus on the matter at hand.
"Of course, I-"
"Then stand your ground! Tell her how you feel!"
"Ha. You clearly haven't met her. I'd get beaten if I tried that."
"Then give her some time. She can't be mad at you forever."
There was a slight pause as hector contemplates this thought. They began dancing again slowly. Imelda decides to spark conversation again to lighten the mood.
"You know, you dance like my husband."
"He must be a great dancer." he said with a smirk.
"He's not." she said plainly, now realizing that bringing up her husband was not a good idea to lighten the mood.
"So you make shoes and what does he do?"
"Disappoint me." she said with a slight scowl.
"On a daily basis?! What's a strong woman like you doing with a disappointing husband? Sounds like you deserve better!"
"I don't know. I often try to think that but... I can't stop missing him" normally she wouldn't dare admit this to anyone. Maybe it was the dancing, maybe he seemed easy to talk to, maybe it was the fact that he's a complete stranger who doesn't know a thing about her, or maybe it was one too many tequilas.
"If he causes you so much trouble, then what's there to miss?"
"His smile, his awful dancing, the way he would make me laugh despite how stubborn I am. Why he could get me to relax no matter how angry I was. And he was kind, a great musician too... too good. And his voice was always so soothing" she said putting the pieces together.
"He doesn't sound so bad." he said not noticing her change in tone.
"His voice..." she said suspiciously.
"What about it?"
"Your voice."
"Yes?"
She took a step back that abruptly stopped the dancing and ripped off his mask.
"YOU!" She exclaimed.
"What?!" He said completely confused.
"Did you know this whole time?!"
"Know what?!" still not having the slightest clue what she is referring to.
She took off her mask and gave him a stern look.
"Imelda?!" He said shocked.
"'My wife's a shoe maker' I should've known!"
"Wait, Imelda?!"
"Who did you think I was?!"
"Some mujer at the punch bowl!"
"Sure! and you just let me keep complimenting like an idiota!"
"Some of those weren't exactly compliments."
"I knew this party was a dumb idea! ROSITA! VICTORIA!" Lucky for her, the band was in between songs, Rosita and Victoria could hear her just fine, as could all of the land of the dead.
"Wait, they're here too?" hector said with light hearted excitement and a glimmer of hope, searching the crowd to try and see the family members he hadn't met.
"Don't get excited, payaso! You don't get to meet them!"
Imelda weaves her way through the crowd away from Hector. She meets up with Rosita and Victoria.
"Si? What is it Mamá Imelda?" Rosita asked.
"I'm sorry!" Hector blurted over the crowd.
"We are going home NOW!" imelda demanded.
"But mamá-" Victoria protested.
"NOW!"
Gustavo walks up to hector.
"Hey chorizo, what are you doing here?"
Hector stood frozen, still in shock.
"She called me payaso..." Hector said quietly.
"Who?" Gustavo asked.
"Imelda. She said payaso."
"That woman? Sorry, she called you that muchacho, but she is way out of your league."
"No no no you don't understand. The last time she called me that was when we were married!"
"Wait, she's your WIFE?!" now Gustavo was shocked.
"She says payaso when she likes me!" he let out a grito, "Ay Gustavo do you know what this means?!"
"That that woman has really low standards?"
"She still likes me! I have a chance!"