Midsummer in Santa Cecilia was always humid, but this year had been especially sticky. The air was as thick as mud, and the sun beat relentlessly over the red tile roof, cooking everyone inside. The Rivera household had thrown wide every window in the house, trying to coax in a breeze - but the wind stubbornly held its breath and there was no relief to be had.
Coco had been uncharacteristically peevish and grumpy all day, slowly steaming in the heat. She looked positively disgruntled now, standing barefoot in the doorway of her bedroom, thick curls slowly escaping from the two tiny trenzas Imelda had so carefully plaited up for her that morning. Little tendrils went this way and that, frizzing and clinging all over her cheeks.
Hector had already tried to distract his little princesa with a song he was still cobbling together - a silly little ditty that was maybe, just slightly, poking fun at her mamá's stubborn ways and how crazy they made him (both for her, and at her) - but Coco had been too fidgety to listen.
He didn't dare sing it where Imelda might hear, just in case she didn't find it funny... but Coco was usually a very receptive audience.
"It's too hot, Papá," Coco fussed, crossing her plump little arms, then making a face when she realized they too were slimy with sweat. "And sticky!"
"I know, mi'ja," Hector soothed, looking for Coco's lightest nightshirt in the little dresser beside the bed - the yellow cotton one with the tiny white flowers embroidered on the hem. It was the only one she had that didn't cling in the heat. "I tried to tell the sun that he was making my favorite lady unhappy, but he didn't listen."
Coco pouted, and Hector melted a little. He'd never been able to stand seeing his daughter unhappy.
"Here, bebé, get changed for bed. I'll get you some more water, and then Mamá will sing you to sleep. ¿Bien?"
Coco still looked a little mutinous, but after a moment she reached out for the nightgown, and he planted a kiss in her hair as he handed it over.
He was just about to leave to get her the water he'd promised, when little hands reached up, grabbing at his arm and tugging him back.
"Qué, bebé?" Hector crouched down beside her, brushing another escaped strand of hair out of Coco's eyes. "Do you need help with the buttons?"
Instead of answering, Coco threw herself into his arms and clung there. Startled, Hector caught himself before he toppled over, trying not to lose his grip on his Coco in the process. He heard a faint sniffle from the face buried in his shoulder.
"Hey… what's wrong mi'ja?"
"Please don't go with Tio Ernesto tomorrow, Papá," she mumbled into his neck. "Mamá will be sad…"
They'd had this conversation more than once, and he came closer and closer to giving in every time Coco turned those big eyes on him. One of these days, that little girl was going to steal him from the road... but not tonight.
"I have to, bebé," Hector soothed gently. "Your Tio is counting on me to help him with the show, and this is how Papá makes a living. I'll be back soon. You won't even know I was gone."
"You always say that."
"Ci, I know…" He sighed, shifting Coco in his arms. "I know, last time was a long time. But you were so good for Mamá, like I knew you would be. Tio just needed a little more help than usual."
Coco said nothing, just burrowing her face into his neck, despite the heat. Hector rested his forehead against his daughter's hair with a sigh, and gave himself a moment to engrave this in his memory. It'd be a few more months before he'd get to hold her like this again, and he already knew he was going to miss her every day.
He carefully stood up from the floor, Coco cradled against his chest, and started walking the room with her, humming tunelessly under his breath. He couldn't very well put her to bed like this. She wouldn't sleep a wink, and neither would he.
From the kitchen, he could hear the dull clinking of dishes in the sink as Imelda cleared up after supper. She'd be wondering what on earth he was still doing in here before too long.
"I have something for you, mi'ja." Hector murmured to the Coco-shaped lump that was nestled up tight against him as they neared her little window for the second or third time. He paused for a few minutes, watching the sky slowly darken into dusk. "It's something very special that I've been working on, and it's only for you. I wanted it to be perfect before I gave it to you. Do you want to hear it?"
Coco sniffled, but she lifted her head and nodded.
"But I'll have to put you down so I can play it right, ok?" Another little nod.
He felt her fingers detach from his shirt as he gently deposited her onto the faded pink and green coverlet of her bed. She looked so small sitting there, that it was all he could do not to scoop her up again... but then he'd never be able to play Coco her song - and he wanted her to have it tonight.
He fetched his guitar from the hall and sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of Coco's bed, propping the guitar up against his leg as he fussed with the tuning keys. He'd kept this particular guitar in peak condition since Imelda had presented it to him on their wedding day three years ago, the beautiful pearl inlay glittering like diamonds in the sun. ...In truth he probably didn't really need to adjust it at all... but this was a very important performance, and it had to be just right.
"I'll sing this to you every night from now on, Coco," Hector promised when he was satisfied, settling in to play. "No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I'll always sing your song for you, so you'll know that Papá's thinking about you all the time, and missing you like loco."
He closed his eyes and began to strum out the soft chords of a lullaby, letting his love for her spill into the music.
"Recuérdame hoy me tengo que ir mi amor
Recuérdame, no llores por favor
Te llevo en mi corazón y cerca me tendrás
A solas yo te cantaré soñando en regresar
recuerdame, aunque tenga que emigrar
Recuérdame, si mi guitarra oyes llorar
Ella con su triste canto te acompañará
Hasta que en mis brazos estés
Recuérdame
Recuérdame hoy me tengo que ir mi amor
Recuérdame, no llores por favor
Te llevo en mi corazón y cerca me tendrás
A solas yo te cantaré soñando en regresar
Recuerdame, aunque tenga que emigrar
Recuérdame, si mi guitarra oyes llorar
Ella con su triste canto te acompañará
Hasta que en mis brazos estés
Recuérdame"
"Is that really just for me?" Coco asked, delighted, when the last notes had faded away.
Hector nodded, setting the guitar aside as she wriggled down off the bed and settled herself with a plop in his lap. "Just for you, mi'ja."
"I love it!" Coco clapped, draping herself over his leg to look at her papá upside down, and giggling. "It's so pretty! Sing it again, Papá, please?"
Hector glanced at the doorway. He couldn't see Imelda, but she was certain to be standing out there, probably rolling her eyes at him for being wrapped around their daughter's little finger, and trying not to smile... as usual.
"Once more, but then it's bed-time, mi amor. I'll teach you the words, and you can sing it with me, eh?"