[First of all there will be little to no Spanish in this story because I don't know Spanish very well. But I love this idea for a story and I wanted to write it. So, please be nice. Second, depending on how this goes I may continue to a new story with the idea of Hector and Imelda renewing their vows in the Land of the Dead…Oh and I decided that this will take place before the epilogue but months after Miguel returns to the Land of the Living…..another thing this will be told in Hector's point of view]
It's been months now since I was almost completely forgotten. I can still remember the feeling of my bones giving out and being unable stand. I accepted my fate and felt it was proper punishment for leaving my family when I was alive. I spent my entire time in the Land of the Dead hating myself for leaving and begging for a chance to take it all back. I knew it was hopeless to think Imelda would forgive me when she came from the Land of the Living. I didn't blame her, I could never be angry with her. I had no right to be angry. But I still held out hope that someday she would forgive me. Every time she turned me away she grew even more enraged that I dared to show my face around her. Each time I saw her furious face, it broke my heart. I can't imagine the pain I put her through; the years she spent raising our daughter without me there. When we were married I vowed to always be by her side forever. But then I broke that vow when I left. It didn't matter that I was trying to come home or that I wasn't leaving for good, not to her. The fact that I left at all was what hurt the most.
I assumed Coco was feeling the same as her mother. After all she never put up my photo, so she must have still been hurt. But even though my body was slowing falling apart from the years of not being remembered by my family, I was amazed I was still around. I knew that my little Coco was the one reason I was still existing. Even though I left her, she still remembered me. I promised I would find a way to see Coco because I knew she would soon pass on, and once she did, I would truly be forgotten and I'd never get to see my daughter again.
Imagine my surprise when this past Dia de Muertos not only revealed to me that my so called best friend was my murderer, but that I had a great great grandson, Miguel. Not only that, but Miguel wanted to become a musician. I suppose it was in his blood. After all he is my grandson. And any boy who would give up an easy opportunity to go back home just so he can play music and even DARE to cross Imelda, was truly related to me. He certainly took me on a wild ride. Not only did I perform on a stage again for the first time in decades, I was able to talk to Imelda, able to hear her sing again, hold her in my arms for a brief second, almost was forgotten and then be possibly one of if not the only soul to ever be so close to the second death and then return. Miguel did it. Somehow, he was able to remind Coco of me.
Imelda allowed me to get to know my family. And since then she has slowly started to forgive me. She introduced me to my son in law, Julio, my sister in law, Rosita, and my grandchild, Victoria. I was also reintroduced to her brothers Felipe and Oscar. They slowly became more comfortable around me and I started to feel like I truly belonged with them. Every now and then when I visit their workplace, I bring my guitar to play something for them. Nothing too loud, and always outside. There's not much room inside the shoe shop anyway. I was fine with just being near them. Rosita, I think her name was, kindly pulled out a chair from inside the store and placed it outside for me to sit on while I play. I tuned my guitar and played whatever felt natural and slowly closed my eyes and laid back on the chair just enjoying the sound of my guitar.
"Ummm, Papa Hector?" a high voice spoke, I think to me. I opened my eyes and looked to my side and saw Rosita standing there looking somewhat skittish. 'Papa Hector?' I like the sound of that.
"Ah Rosita, is there something wrong?" I asked smiling at her shyness. She was the first one to accept me but always seemed nervous to approach me. Then again, with Imelda I assume all of the family was a little afraid of her and careful with their words so its not an easy habit to break.
"No! No, nothing like that" She said starting fiddle with her fingers now. I thought it was endearing. "I just wanted to ask you something. Something maybe too personal, but since we are family now, I was just wondering….." She continued to drag on so I decided to help her out.
"Whatever it is you want to ask me you can. I have no secrets" I said with a light laugh. There was no big secret about me. I always prided myself on being quite the open book. I continued to tune my guitar as she took a breath about to speak.
"How did you and Imelda meet?" She asked and it was at that point I strummed the wrong chord unprepared for that question. My eyes popped and I looked at her anxiously awaiting my answer. I didn't know if I was allowed to say anything. If I tell her, she will tell Imelda, and if Imelda doesn't approve of what I say or worse says I remembered wrong my face will meet the sharp heel of her boot. It makes sense Imelda never spoke about me to the family so she never shared the story of how we met. Even being a skeleton my throat felt dry and I felt the need gulp.
"Uhhh…well it's hard to say really" I replied awkwardly scratching the back of my neck. "When Imelda and I first spoke face to face, I already knew who she was" I admitted.
"Does she know?" Rosita asked more boldly and less nervous. She seemed truly interested in hearing the whole story. Normally I'd be happy to share the story of how Imelda and I met and fell in love. Everyone back in Shantytown knows that story. But this time, Imelda will surely hear me talk about our past. I still don't entirely know what our relationship is. She seemed happy to be around me at the Sunrise Spectacular but has since remained kind of distant. We seem about as close as old friends not really husband and wife. I don't know how she feels about me. If I do anything to displease her now, it will ruin what progress we've made.
"I don't know really. Maybe you should ask her I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you the story." I suggest with a nervous smile hoping she would drop it.
"She's gone into town for supplies and besides I have a feeling there are some things she won't tell me" she said with one arm cradling her elbow while that hand is stroking her chin.
"But you think I will? You could get me in trouble" I said trying to smile but I can feel my face cracking. I take off my guitar and place it at the side of my chair.
She looks amused by my nerves. She actually giggles. "Oh don't worry Papa Hector, she won't get mad. And besides I won't tell her anything you told me if you don't want me to. It will just be between us." She said with smile trying to ease my nerves…..its not working.
"Just the two of us?" I ask for clarification using my hand to point to her and myself.
"Actually she meant the six of us" said a familiar male voice. I look where the voice is coming from and I see Felipe, Oscar, Victoria and Julio all peeping from the doorway. So this was group plan and Rosita was the one they sent to ask.
"You were all in on this." I ask pointing to everyone in disbelief. They all nod. Some more eagerly than others. "How do I know all of you won't talk to Imelda? Especially you two" I said pointing to the twins with an unconvinced frown. Those two were really nosy muchachos when I was seeing Imelda. They would spy on us when we went out and would sometimes try to get us caught by her parents.
"Eh give us some credit Hector, we're grown men now" Felipe said shrugging his shoulders innocently. "We won't get you in trouble we're just as curious as everyone else" Oscar said.
"Yeah, cuz no offense amigo, but you were a hopeless mess when it came to Imelda." Felipe said with a smirk crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yeah, we saw how hard you tried and we really just felt bad for you" Oscar said with his arms also crossed now.
"We never thought Imelda would actually pick you" Felipe said emphasizing the 'you' part.
"Thanks for the honesty" I reply sarcastically slumping over with my elbows on my knees holding my face in annoyance. I knew I must have looked like a lovesick fool whenever Imelda was around. I didn't need confirmation from her brothers.
"Naturally we want to know what caused Imelda to marry a musician like you" Victoria said without an ounce of hesitation.
"You guys are really winning me over with the compliments" I said sarcastically starting to get unnerved by all their comments.
"No! Please we just want to know what it was like when you two met, fell in love and how you felt when you were together. She's a very strong stubborn woman. We want how you won her heart. Any man who can win over Mama Imelda must be someone special" Rosita explained. Now that sounded nicer to hear.
"Exactly! What she said" Julio finally spoke. The twins and Victoria nodded in agreement.
I thought about long and hard. It didn't seem to be any harm to talk to them. If they were really only going to keep in amongst themselves then there was no harm. I chuckled and gave in.
"Okay, okay I'll talk" I threw my hands up in defeat and stood up. "But I can't speak for Imelda. I don't exactly know what was going through her head, but I can tell you my side."
"Oooooooh wonderful! Oh let's do this inside." Rosita suggested eagerly as she grabbed her by the arm and dragged me inside the shoe shop. I grabbed my guitar as she was pulling me in. Everyone followed back into the house and closed the door and locked it.