Don`t cry tonight
After Spectacular Hector is seriously sick. While Imelda is spending by his side days and nights, other Riveras aren`t sure if this young boy can be their Papa... Really, the family means a lot of emotional work. Especially, when the eldest male family member is actually the youngest. Will Hector adapt to his new after-life? What wait him in his new home? Will he forget Shantytown and all his adventures there? Is this really the end for his adventures? Possibly, the quiet after-life of dead Riveras comes to the end...
It has already been two weeks. Two weeks since they brought him back home. Because it was very early morning, no one of neighbors saw him. Imelda found this good – meanwhile for the first time she and her family were free from any kind of explanations. Explanation about who was this young boy they brought to her house. Or, why he looked like those miserable people from Shantytown (in the part of city where dead Riveras lived none of the skeletons from Shantytown was welcome). Or, what for heaven sake has happened to this boy.
"You go home" to Miguel - were the last rational words that Hector said. Since that, her husband was unconscious. At the middle of the next day, he stopped to glow. But Imelda`s happiness wasn`t too long. Hector didn`t wake up, he lied in the bowed pose as if he felt backache or stomachache. Unfortunately, all of these wasn`t the worst. The worst things was that Hector mumbled. Sometimes she can`t recognized any words. Sometimes it was understandable.
Hector called somebody. Some Chich, some Maria, other names unknown to her. Sometimes he called her name. But every time she rushed near to him when she heard her own name, he didn`t react. He was in some other world, in his old memories, with the skeletons that he had known during all this years in the Land of Dead. With those who surely were forgotten for the long time.
And sometimes he whispered "Coco" and then started to cry…
"When you want my opinion, this is terrible! Mama Imelda didn`t deserve all of these!" – exclaimed Tia Victoria by the breakfast.
"Calm down, Vicky" – said Tia Rosita, "You know, it is not his fault. He feels pain…"
"Not only mental pain" – added Tio Oskar, while his twin pretended to be uninterested and was very busy with fried corn.
"…he went through so many things being so young" – continued Tia Rosita.
"Oh, young you said?" – smirked Tia Victoria, "Well, this fact isn`t Mama`s Imelda fault. She lost her youth and beauty working for our family. She deserved the piece and rest"
"But she doesn`t want it" – Tio Oskar shook his shoulders, "Since hermana was dead, she gave all her time to the business"
"The same she did being alive" – noticed his brother leaning against his chair. The bowl, two minutes ago filled with fried corn, was empty.
"Cause she likes it" – said Oskar. He hushed up looking astonished at the empty bowl.
"But now she has no time for Zapateria" – sighed Tia Victoria, "All days and nights she is sitting by his side. She tells not… But I see… Well, you all see how tired she is"
"Maybe we can help her?"
Papa Julio who was busy with newspaper and had kept silence all this time looked at his daughter, then sister.
"She doesn`t allow" – Rosita`s smile was sad, "I offered her my assistance many times".
"So do I", said Felipe, "I don`t understand why she refused. I knew Hector when he was alive… Hm, he seemed to me much higher and stronger…"
"You were 8 years old", smirked Oskar.
"Meanwhile how we supposed to call him?" – asked Victoria.
"Papa Hector?" – quietly offered Julio.
Victoria was shocked for the first time. Then she almost shouted:
"Papa, what kind of Papa Hector, for heaven sake? He is 20 years old!"
"21", - corrected her Rosita.
"20", - repeated Victoria, "He was killed in August, and his birthday is on 30th November".
"Poor child", - whispered Rosita collecting the dishes, "No one from us dies at such tender age".
"Child? Oh no!" – protested Oskar, "Where did you see a child more than 100 years old?"
Suddenly something heavy felt on the first floor. Then they heard an Imelda`s sorrowful exclamation.
Victoria and twins jumped up. The granddaughter wanted to run up to help her Abuela whatever had happened. But her father hold her by her arm and made her stop.
"Everything is all right, mija. I go there myself. I`m sure, there is nothing wrong".
Various through were running through his mind when he was going upstairs. He remembered his wife and the stories she told him about her gone father. She made it very seldom. Meanwhile her stories were always warm and full of love to this light-headed musician. Yes, she loved her father. Beloved father, who was his father-in-law. Formally. Victoria`s reaction was partly understandable when she objected to call Hector Papa. They didn`t know anything about this skeleton, they didn`t know him at the Land of Living. Anyway, what Hector was doing all these 90 years? What kept him alive (a-dead?)?
Hector was too young, when he came to the Land of Dead. Imelda said he was orphan and didn`t know his parents. Did it mean, he was lonely all these years? He didn`t age, he supposed to be 20-years old forever. He lived with the half-forgotten persons. Not all of them could be very friendly. It should be a hard time for Hector.
A skeleton was unable to commit suicide, but to become crazy was very realistic.
Anyway, what made Hector to leave his family? Was his love to little Coco true? It could be, that Hector was a rascal, who cared nothing except his musical ambitions. But Miguel assured them in the opposite. Hector hadn`t these ambitions. He didn`t dream about fame. Then why he had leaved? What did connect him then with De la Cruz?
Finally, Julio knocked at the bedroom`s door.
"Enter", - heard he Imelda`s weak voice from behind.
Hector was lying next to the bed. Imelda kneeled beside her husband. As she turned to her son-in-low, Julio saw two dark marks under her eyes. He had never seen her such tired before.
"Ah, Julio", - tried to look quiet said Imelda, "Hector rolled down from the bed. Please, help me to put him back".
She has already took Hector into her arms. He still moaned. Very still. Imelda turned away from Julio and hugged Hector.
Hector`s nasal bone was upon her shoulder. At this moment, he opened his eyes and looked at Julio.
Hector`s eyes were maroon brown. They were sad. Deep. Tender. Julio had already seen these eyes…. These memories…
"I`m so sorry, Julio. It`s a girl. Again"
Coco is so weak and pale. She could die by the birth. She will never be able to get another baby. But it is no matter.
"Everything is ok, Coco", - he rubs his wife`s hand, - "Happily you are going to be all right. And little Elena is pretty"
"You wanted a son so much", - her white lips are trembling.
"I`ve already said, It does no matter. You, me, girls, we gonna to be happy together".
"Julio…"
"Ts-s, you need a rest, mi sol. It is nothing you to worry about. Except your well-being".
Hector had Coco`s eyes. He was so…young. Almost a child.
Julio wasn`t sure what he felt at that moment. Something tender trembled inside him. Some kind of instinct that slept for a long time.
Imelda tried to lift Hector`s skeleton body.
"Mama Imelda, leave it to me!"
Carefully Julio took Hector and put on the bed. The young skeleton`s eyes were closed again. His chest convulsively widened and shrank. Instinctively he clasped his hand to the spot where the living human has a stomach.
"The late effects of his second death", - whispered Imelda decking her husband with the blanket, "I mean … Doctor said the fading skeletons got the same symptoms as they had by their first death…"
She sat down beside Hector, rubbing his black hair.
"Unbelievable, how cruel some people can be", - said Julio.
Imelda rose her eyes upon her son-in-law, uncomprehending.
"This De la Cruz", - explained Julio, - "How he dared?"
"No idea", - Imelda shook her head, "He and Hector used to be friends since they were little children. It were absolutely no signs that Ernesto could be capable on such acts"
She felt silence. Memories attacked her again.
Yes, she had never liked that boastful and selfish person. However, he and Hector seemed to have very closed relationships to each other. One of the reason she had never supposed that something terrible could happened to her spouse was the fact that he had left with Ernesto. Hector had always felt safe by Ernesto`s side. Together they ran away from the catholic orphanage, together they started to play music. Even after Hector had his own family, he didn`t want to fall apart from his old friend. It was the main reason why he agreed to leave for that final tour.
Imelda remembered – nine years after Hector`s disappearance she accidentally heard Ernesto`s voice performing Un Poco Loco by the radio. She also remembered her anger. Dear little Hector is still with his best friend. He writes the songs for him. Surely, he feels very comfortable by his side… 14-years old Coco goes next to her. Yes, I did everything right. Music, songwriting… This stuff makes young heart open to something unacceptable, something sinful. Coco must be safe from all of this…
"Mama Imelda, are you ok?"
Julio`s voice sounded anxious. Now Imelda realized that she let herself to doze off. Two weeks almost without sleeping was too hard even for the strong dead woman.
"Mama Imelda, I think, you need a rest", - quietly said Julio.
"It is out of the question, Julio", - rejected she, wiped fever sweat from Hector`s forehead, "Hector needs somebody by his side".
"I`ll substitute you for a while".
Imelda looked surprised on her son-in-law. She could understand her brothers or Victoria offered her their assistance, but Julio? Hector was nobody for him, no blood relationship, no acquaintance during lifetime.
"Julio…Gracias of course… Pero if Hector wake up…"
"….he could have a terrible stomachache, or a fright, or panic attack", - continued Julio for her, "It will be need a lot strength. And you are tired. Mama, por favor, have a rest. I have never let you or Coco down before, hadn`t I?"
Imelda wanted to protest as she already did with other family members. But Julio was right. She was near to fall down and made her best not to let her hands tremble.
Imelda reflected for a while. Julio`s face expressed determination. Finally, she let convinced herself.
"Deal, Julio. I`ll leave you with him for a couple of hours. If something happens, call for me immediately".
"I won`t let you down", - repeated he.
The night twilight has already come. "A couple of hours" took evidently longer than planned. Poor Imelda slept in Victoria`s bedroom like she was dead… Ok, more than dead.
"Oh, it should be Pepita", - said Rosita to a couple of clients as they were a little bit scared by Imelda`s snoring upstairs.
Julio didn`t care. Carefully he changed a wet rag on Hector`s forehead. The young skeleton was still unconscious. Also without moaning. After his new "nurse" made the blanket tighter around his body, Hector became very quiet. A couple of hours later the skeleton boy suddenly let a hand under the blanket and cried Miguel`s name. Immediately Julio catch Hector`s hand and gripped it in his own hands. Evidently, this act calmed the sick skeleton. His breathe became more monotone.
Victoria entered with the bowl of changed water.
"How is he, Papa?" – asked she sitting herself on the opposite side of the bed.
"Nothing has changed", - stated Julio.
Victoria observed her father. He was always very kind and helpful. But the manner how he cared about Hector was… a little bit incomprehensible for her. Her father looked at Hector as if they already knew each other for a long time… No, not exactly… More like Hector was somebody who was lost for Julio for years and now was finally found.
"I think Papa Hector looks better now", said Victoria and suddenly signed.
"What`s wrong, mija?"
"Nothing… Only… When I look at this young boy, it is so strange to call him Papa".
Julio tenderly smiled. He looked at his daughter still holding and rubbing Hector`s hand.
"Believe me, Vicky, a human can get used to everything. Meanwhile… You can just imagine Hector as your little hermanito".
Victoria can`t hold herself from giggle. The 20-years old, her actual abuelo, now her little brother? What her father meant? Was it for serious?
Suddenly both of them heard a moaning.
Julio anxiously bent over his father-in-law. Hector shook his head. Then opened his eyes. Then directed them on his "nurse".
"Ch-chich?" his voice was very weak, "Are that you? B-but how?..."
"Ah, sorry? I mean… No, Hector, my name is Julio", - answered Julio unsure.
"Does he come in sense?" asked Victoria nervously, "We must say Imelda".
"Where am I?" very harshly Hector jumped up on the bed.
"Careful, Hector!" Julio and Victoria cried it almost simultaneously.
They had reasons. Hector`s face got painful distorted. He clutched his hands around his invisible stomach again.
Julio and Victoria crowed around him, tried to calm him down.
"Where am I? What happened to the boy?" in pain whispered Hector.
Father and daughter exchanged their glances. Firstly, they didn`t understand what Hector talked about.
"Which boy?" Suddenly Victoria understood, "Oh, do you mean Miguel? You shouldn`t worry about him! He is back in the Land of Living. He is ok. He helped you to stay remembered"
Hector listened to her. Attentively. He needed a few seconds to be aware of this information.
"¡Gracias a Nuestra Señora! She cared about the child," – wheezed he finally.
He relaxed a little bit. Julio made the rag wet again. As Hector jumped up again, Julio nearly overturned the bowl.
"And what happened to Ernesto?"
Victoria lifted her eyebrow.
"Why do you ask about him?... Ok, if you want to know… He parted for vacation"
"V-vacation?" asked Hector again.
"Yeah… Very long vacation after his 70-years long hard musical weekdays… A jail is super nice place for that. After he will be dragged out from under the bell, of course"
"Exscusame, no comprendo.." mumbled Hector.
"Ts-s", Julio gently pushed Hector to the pillow. Quickly sending a severe look to his daughter, he made his voice sound very tender, "We will tell you everything. Only after you recover. It is nothing you to worry about. Except your well-being"
He smiled to the young skeleton. At first Hector looked confused. Then smiled back weakly and unsure. It was her smile.
The old skeleton felt again something tender and warm inside his chest.
"Welcome home… Hector"
Julio didn`t called him Papa.
To be continued…..