Chapter 1: the wedding night
The room was dark, lit only by a single flickering candle on the nightstand. Hector collapsed on the bed, able to feel imelda's hot breath on his cheek. He flipped onto his back and laid next to her and they both tried to catch their breath. The room went quiet as they looked up at the ceiling until Imelda finally broke through the heavy silence '' wow.'' she said.
Hector smiled "Yeah, wow." he breathed , turning to face her and trying to keep his eyes on her beautiful face. "I love you so much." he said, brushing a cluster of dark hairs that had fallen from her up-do from her face. She placed a hand over his on her face "I love you too." she said and he pulled her into his scrawny, bare chest.
The moment felt soft and warm as she rested her tired head on his collarbone and closed her eyes. Hector pulled the blanket over them and quickly fell asleep. 'Typical hector' Imelda thought, looking up at her sleeping husband from her place on his bed. Her heart, which some would say was cold and bleak, sang as she had earlier that evening. She felt the same way she had as a nervous sixteen year old just before their first kiss. They had been in her back yard, their first extended time alone together, while hector played his old guitar. They sat against the wall of the house , seemingly inching closer together each moment until she found her face inches from his. Without thinking she'd stopped singing and turned to him, causing him to do the same "Every- everything all right?" he asked, stumbling as he spoke. She gave a small nod before pulling herself up towards his face and placed her lips on his gingerly. The kiss was brief and unsure yet sweet , Imelda pulling away.
She couldn't help but smile at the thought, the innocence of those days. Now nothing separated the skin of their bodies under the bed sheets, both of them completely vulnerable and open to one another. They days when they were still getting to know each other. The long nights spent looking at the stars and singing as Hector played his beloved old guitar. They would dance for short eternities under an endless curtain of night before Hector would walk her home with his arm draped over her shoulder. Then he would give a quick peck when they got to her front door and walking half way across town back to his abuela's house and crash into his bed.
They rarely saw one another during the day, Hector having to work from six am until five in the afternoon. Most days imelda would be waiting at his house for him so that they could go meet with Ernesto to play at bars and other small shows around town, always with her in the audience.
She remembered the first time she heard him play. He and Ernesto had been playing at a talent show, losing out to a local mariachi group. She had watched them as they both played without missing a single note. She hadn't thought much of Hector with his long gangly limbs and big nose, thinking him an awkward little guy that Ernesto needed to play back-up for him. She regretted thinking that when he began playing. His fingers picked the strings asif it was all they had ever been meant to do and his voice soared and exploded into the air, he was a captivating performer that brought listeners from their seats to the dance floor. His love of each note was evident and spread to the crowd.
Hector off stage wasn't shy by any means but once there was a guitar in his hands he became a man of the music. He didn't need to put up an overly masculine front in order to be a man. This had been attractive to Imelda, who found his goofy personality and passion for his craft endearing. Although she would never have admitted to it. Their interaction that night was brief, Hector clearly nervous that someone as beautiful and who gave off such a powerful aura of confidence as Imelda would talk to him.
Their courtship was an unexpected one, moving along slowly as neither of them wanted to rush into things. Of all the nights they spent together, sometimes wandering around without a destination and sometimes playing cards with Hector's Abuela Valentina ,who had come to adore Imelda. The same happened with her family, all of them coming to look forward to seeing them together. When they announced their engagement their families had been over the moon for them. They were happy to welcome Hector into their family.
The image of Hector unbuttoning his shirt earlier that night came to mind. His shaky hands as he had unzipped her dress. She could feel his excitement, confusion, fear and uncertainty in the way he kissed her, moving with such care as not to hurt her. He was gentle and caring towards her, not because she was weak though. He adored her so much that it amazed him. Never had either of them ever cared for someone else so deeply. From the present she looked up at his sleeping face.
This night marked the end of that life and the beginning of a new one. The gold band on Imelda's finger made her picture the rest of their life together. She was excited to move in with him, to be able to sleep next to his warmth every night and refer to him as her husband. She looked forward to the family they would have together. She imagined growing old with him , watching their children grow and bring them grandkids that Hector would play songs for. Their lives together had only just begun.