The loud rumbling of thunder could be heard in the distance, slowly making its way in. Santa Cecilia had been dry for several weeks now, a small rainstorm was needed. Just enough rain to cool these hot summer nights. Especially evenings filled with burning feet from dancing.

"Come on, rain! Of all nights for you to show up!"

Imelda, looking around to make sure the coast was clear, quietly scaled the side of her home making her way over to her bedroom. The young woman climbed the lattice and tried not to let her heels click too loudly on the tile roof. Imelda glanced through her window and breathed a heavy sigh. On the other side of that window was responsibility and rules that needed to be upheld. Her care free night of singing and dancing was about to come to a halt. Oh how she wished for more nights like these where all obligations were pushed to the back of her mind and she could just…be.

She had gotten word there was a new dance spot right outside town. How could she resist. A new place where she could sing and dance without worrying about who watched. Not to mention up an coming musicians from neighboring towns would come out each weekend to test out their new music. It was a sweet escape she craved each week.

She gazed over her shoulder hearing the faint tunes coming from the plaza, "Until next time."

She turned to press open her window and…

Nothing.

Just the sound of glass and wood struggling to be forced open. Panic started to come across her face as the rain cloud was steadily creeping overhead. She pressed harder. "No.." She continued to press harder, checking around the wood for a crack to pry her finger into. The window was not budging.

"Why will it not open?!" She said in a loud whisper.

Then a flicker of light caught her eye. She peaked in to get a closer look. A small light was coming from under her bedroom door. She saw four feet scurried by. Fury erased panic. She rolled her eyes gritting her teeth.

"Oscar…Felipe…" She hit at the window, "Just wait until I get my hands on those two!"

She rushed off her roof, not caring how loud the heels of her boots sounded against the tile. They were warning signs from an enraged sister to her meddling brothers. She shimmied her way off the lattice, catching her arm on a few rose thorns as she dropped to the ground.

Holding her arm she mumbled more curses under her breath.

Quickly making her way around the house to the back door to the kitchen she jiggled the handle. Of course it was locked, and, of course, she had forgotten her key. Thankfully, she knew a trick to the handle. Twist, pull up, push and, every now and then, if necessary, slightly kick the door.

The old wooden door made a loud creaking noice as Imelda opened it slowly. She peeked inside the empty room, not a single light nor twin in sight. The whole first floor was in complete darkness, not even what little light from the moon could guide her steps.

"Oscar! Felipe! I know you are up!" she called out. No answer.

"They better be in bed."

She walked as slow and gentle as possible as she laid a hand on all her surroundings. She lightly bumped into a chair that was stuck out from the table. It was as if the twins wanted to make this as challenging as possible. She could see the hallway light coming from the top of the stairs. "Just a few more steps"

"GOTCHA!"

A light suddenly came on and two identical pillow armored boys lunged after her with makeshift swords and a broomstick.

Imelda immediately let out a loud scream, stumbled backwards and fell to the floor hitting her already injured arm on the corner of the table.

"Aye Dios mío! What's the matter with you two! You knew it was me!" She gripped her arm wincing, "Why aren't you sleeping?!"

The boys stood over their sister pointing their weapons at her.

"You were suppose to be sleeping too!"

"Yea, don't be mad at us!" Felipe inched the broomstick closer to her face. He was lucky to be covered in pillows. They both were.

Imelda stood brushing off her skirt and glared at her brothers, flames forming in her eyes. Oscar noticed a small amount of blood smeared on the floor.

"Imelda, your arm!"

Felipe started to remove his makeshift armor and lowered the broom, "What happened?" All jokes aside. Imelda looked at her arm. A small trail of blood was making its way to her elbow. The cuts were not as bad as they seemed. Although hitting her arm against the table didn't help.

"I caught my arm on some thorns coming down the lattice. Which, by the way, wouldn't have happened if you two hadn't locked my window."

The twins gave the other a look. Oscar and Felipe couldn't lie even if they wanted to, it was written all over their faces. Even if it weren't, Imelda could always tell when they were guilty.

Feeling the heat burning through them, Felipe nudged at Oscar pointing to her skirt. "Ehh..I think you ripped your dress too…" Oscar didn't want to say anything, but knew it was best to point it out. Might as well get the scolding over with at one time. Imelda examined her dress and sure enough, a small ruffle was coming apart at the seam.

The twins went to get the bandages while Imelda cleaned up her arm. Not the kind of abrupt halt to her night she was expecting. As she took a seat at the table to wait for them, she could hear her brothers arguing over whose idea this really was. No sense in pinning the blame, this was a collaborative effort. Like always.

"We are sorry, Imelda," they said staring down at the ground, not wanting to look directly at her. She began to wrap a small alcohol soaked bandage around her arm. The cooling sensation of the alcohol felt like small bee stings against her forearm.

It was so late and she was too tired to scold them. "Its ok. I am fine. See, all cleaned up. Consider it a blessing I am tired, or you two would be goners." She let out a huge yawn and stretched her arms slightly popping her neck.

She started to make her way up the stairs, she noticed neither Oscar or Felipe moved. "Hey, I said I am fine. Now, off to bed."

Still neither moved. This was unlike them. Something felt…off.

Imelda turned to sit down on the couch and gestured for them to join her. With little hesitation, they took a spot on either side of her sandwiching her in the middle.

"So, what is going on?"

Silence.

Imelda nudged between them. "You two are never at a loss for words! Come on, talk to me. What is bothering you?"

The twins looked at each other. Felipe gave Oscar a quick head nod to take the lead.

"We just miss mamá. We went to your room and you weren't there. We knew you had gone out dancing but…but we just worry about you, Imelda."

"You're the only family we have left," Felipe chimed in quietly.

Imelda was taken aback. Her cheeks flush and she felt the whole world suddenly on her shoulders. Trying to find some way to comfort them, she lifted the skirt of her dress revealing her favorite pair of boots. "You know I can handle myself." She gave a reassuring smile, but the boys were not convinced.

It was no secret their sister was one of the most desired girls in town. She was beautiful, talented, and thankfully, very picky. She had turned down every suitor who had come her way. But a young woman sneaking off in the middle of the night alone was unnerving, even with her best pair of shoes.

Her brothers, who were tall for their age all of a sudden looked so small. She missed mamá too. Their world had been turned upside down in such a cruel way in their young life. Next month would mark the first anniversary of their mother's death. It was just Imelda, Oscar and Felipe. The only other family they had left was a cousin they hadn't spoken to in years. For reasons known only to their mamá and papá.

Right before mamá left this earth, Imelda made it clear she wasn't going to leave the house her parents had built. Their family home. The home the three of them grew up in. Or for better words, still growing up in.

Imelda told Oscar and Felipe that they would take care of each other. She knew she was taking on the impossible at only seventeen years old, but family came first and they would do whatever it took to make it work.

Santa Cecilia was a town known for its music, but also for its gossip. The thought of the three of them living alone was very worrisome. What trouble they would get into. But her mamá never worried over her daughter. Imelda was as strong and independent as they came. And very stubborn. When she told her mother not to worry, she would take care of her family, Imelda took comfort in knowing her mother died a proud woman who had raised her daughter well.

Imelda wrapped her arms around her brothers, squeezing them tight. Suddenly they felt big again. "I promise I will be ok. I will always be there for you. But, you two are a lot to take care of!" They all chuckled. It was true! They were growing boys who were either teasing her or making headway on a new invention.

"But, sometimes I just need a break, to get out and just be me for a little while."

They knew she had a passion for music. Music ran through her blood. She was also one of the best dancers in Santa Cecilia. She had been sneaking out of the house to go dance for as long as they could remember. They knew that she didn't have to, but she did take on a lot to make sure their little family stayed together. They owed her as many nights out as she wanted.

"We know. Just promise to tell us so we don't worry. And wear your good boots. And no more windows, just go through the door." They smirked. "You know mamá knew you snuck out." That Imelda didn't know. She always thought everyone was asleep before she left.

"Really? She never said a word!"

"She loved seeing you happy and so do we."

Imelda's heart could have burst. Oscar and Felipe could drive her loco most days, but they had their sweet moments. She gave them one more long hug each savoring the rare moment. It was short lived as Imelda realized the time.

"So just why are you two awake?" Still having a hand on each boys' shoulders. They looked at each other then darted as fast as they could past her and up the stairs.

"Don't forget we have mass tomorrow!"

"Buenas noches, Imelda!"

All she could do was laugh. Brothers. Her familia. She rubbed the bridge of her nose finally making her way to her room, "I wouldn't know what to do if I had to look out for more than those two."


She overslept. It was a long night for all of them, God understood they needed their rest. She groggily stumbled down the stairs eyeing the twins eating breakfast and tinkering with another contraption of theirs. Some type of clock, maybe? She could never tell.

"Buenos días, hermana."

"You look spritely this morning."

She felt as though she had drunk an entire bottle of tequila herself. But that wasn't the case. Well, a couple drinks, yes, but she was exhausted. This place was a hefty walk from their house and the night had been particularly hot. Not to mention, she literally danced the whole night.

"Stop it, I look good! Better than the two of you!"

"Yea right!" They licked their palms slicking down their hair and smoothing out their eye brows.

Boys are disgusting.

Imelda dragged herself over to the counter, "Look, minimal jokes today, alright. It is bad enough we are skipping mass, you know we will all be lectured for that one." Chills went down the twins spines. The last time they were caught skipping, Sister Mendez told Sergio and they were all stuck scrubbing the floor of the cantina for a week.

"Let's just tell Sergio we sat in the back and no one noticed us."

"Si, right. Like no one in Santa Cecilia is known to let something go unnoticed," Imelda snapped barely containing her laughter trying to pour herself some coffee. "I'll talk to him."

She savored the first sip from the piping hot cup. Everyone always has something to say.

"Are you going to tell him you went out…again? You know how much he loves to hear that." The boys just smirked and did a secret handshake under the table.

Imelda cut her sharp eyes their way sending another shiver down their backs. Sergio was their family's oldest and dearest friend. Imelda couldn't remember a time when he wasn't around. He had promised mamá on her deathbed that he had always thought of Imelda and her brothers as his own. Should they need anything, he was there.

"I said, I will talk to him, now what I tell him may be a different story. Just go get ready. We have a busy day ahead, and we need to get to the plaza before everything gets picked over."

"You better take your coffee upstairs, you can't afford to waste anytime!" Oscar said under his breath while Felipe snorted trying to keep his giggles under control.

She smacked the boys on the back of their heads as she walked by heading to her room. They let out a yelp and rubbed their sore scalps.

"Aye, Imelda!"

She laughed continuing to make her way up stairs. "Be ready to walk out the door in fifteen minutes!"

She did rush to get ready, not wanting to get an even later start than they already were. With her brothers wisecracks floating around in her mind, she took a quick look in the mirror before heading out the door. She did a quick twist looking herself up and down. She smoothed out her white lace dress and checked to make sure not a hair was out of place. As much as she loved her ribbon laced braid, this single braid would have to do. They didn't know what they were talking about, she thought giving off a tired but confident smile. She grabbed her favorite shawl and shut the door behind her.

"Oscar! Felipe! Wait for me!"


Staring at the swamped streets of the plaza, Imelda knew they should have gotten there sooner.

"Alright, you know the drill. Oscar?"

"Eggs and vegetables."

"Felipe?"

"Fruit and preserves."

"Last one back is responsible for the others chores for the week, agreed?"

"Agreed!"

The three of them faced out toward the plaza each with their goal set in mind.

"We will meet back at the entrance. Go!"

Imelda learned long ago the only way to keep Oscar and Felipe on task was to turn it into a game. She had done this since they were toddlers. Nothing much had changed. Plus it was fun to watch them scurry all over the plaza.

She went to her usual venders. Some secretly saving the best pick of the day for her.

"Buenas tardes, Imelda. No mass this morning?"

Imelda gave an impish look.

"A group of us went out dancing last night, we got carried away."

"Ahh remember those nights..to be young and carefree again." The merchant lost in her memory. "Well, don't leave your brothers alone too long, chica."

Imelda waved her hand in agreement and put the fresh jalapeño loaf in her bag. She continued to each stand, collecting everything she set out for. Talking to nearly everyone had slowed her pace quite a bit, but she knew she was still ahead of her brothers.

Seeing she had a few pesos leftover, she walked over to the flower stand. She couldn't remember the last time they had fresh flowers in the house. It would be a nice little treat. She stood over the stand, taking in all the bright colors and smells. As she went to pick one, she felt as though someone was standing over her shoulder.

Señora Rada.

One particular gossip everyone tried to steer clear of was an old bitter spinster woman. Her face looked as if she was constantly sucking a lime she couldn't spit out. She was very set in her ways and viewed everything in the advancing world as sinful.

"Imelda," The elderly woman spoke examining Imelda up and down. Some would call it judging.

"Señora Rada," Imelda's voice steady and stern.

"Skipping mass again for that horrid dancing hell, Imelda."

"Well, you are right, it was quite hot there last night."

Señora Rada squinted her eyes, chest puffing up. Towered over her.

"You juveniles think you know it all, don't you? No one wants to listen to wise old Señora Rada." Looking her up and down again, "Boys will not find such a spitfire woman a suitable wife or mother, child. Looks will only get you so far."

"Good thing I am not interested in being a wife or mother. Less for me to worry about." Imelda wanted to keep this awful conversation as short as possible. It wasn't like her to be disrespectful, but this woman never showed mercy to anyone.

"That music will only get you into trouble. If you know what's good for you, you will listen when good advice is being given."

"Well, when I am in hell, I'm sure you will be there to tell me how right you were. Good afternoon Señora." Imelda spoke before she could think.

The old woman's mouth gaped open and she stormed away yelling other inaudible words.

She turned back toward the stand, taking in a deep breath trying to clear her mind of what just happened. She suddenly felt a light touch on her arm.

"Don't pay her any attention. Keep your chin held high. You are a kind soul, Imelda." Mara, the flower vender, had heard the whole conversation.

"Gracias, but I am not worried. The whole town knows how loco she is."

"Si…and, might I add, I believe you will make a wonderful wife and mother one day." Imelda's chest suddenly felt heavy like her heart hit her stomach.

"You are too kind, but I am no where close to thinking of a husband. You think the twins can take care of themselves? Besides, have you seen what Santa Cecilia has to offer?" Imelda quipped.

"You are one of a kind, Imelda."

"That's is what I hear."

Mara had put it kindly. More accurately put, she was Imelda, the beautiful yet stubborn girl who had her own rhythm and who needed a man to calm her ways to make an honest wife and mother out of her.

She wasn't going to settle just because it is what society deemed necessary for her.

Mara handed Imelda a few flowers. She had done this since she was a child. If she noticed Imelda having a hard day, she was kind enough to hand her a flower to try to bring on a smile.

She could see Oscar and Felipe standing at the entrance trying to balance all the groceries without letting any hit the ground."What took you so long? We've been waiting for hours!" Felipe winced as she piled her share of groceries on top of him.

"I got distracted, and for the record, it wasn't for hours. Looks like you won, now hurry home, I'm going by the cantina."

The twins tried to high five the other, but knew it wasn't worth possibly dropping their heavy load. So they settled for cheers.

"Be careful, hermana. Try not to get in too much trouble."

"I got this!" laughing as she lifted her skirt up some to show off her boots. "I will not be far behind you."

She had never seen them hurry so fast toward home. They were sure to have planned out a new invention as they waited for her. At least it kept them out of trouble. There were definitely worst things for them to get into. With their engineering minds, their future was bright.

She felt the temperature start to drop as the sun was beginning to set. She put her shawl over her head and fixed it around her shoulders. She loved this time of day. Colors of burnt orange, yellows and dark reds filled the sky. Folks were starting to pack up for the night, and the music calmed to beautiful soft melodies.

Peace. No one trying to make conversation with her, no taunting, just the strumming of a guitar. As the music filled the air she started to hum right along with it. These were the moments she dreamed of, just letting her feet follow the music.

As she made her way in front of the cantina, she sang the last few notes of the song that had guided her there. When she rounded the corner she heard a loud thump. It caught her attention, but she never turned around thinking it was just another drunk at the bar who fell over from too many rounds. She made her way to the back door to avoid a sloppy drunks attempt to hit on her.

"Hola Sergio!"


The talk went better than expected. She was sure she would be scrubbing that grungy wooden bar floor the rest of the week. But Sergio seemed distracted by something. He wouldn't divulge much, and she couldn't quite put her finger on what he seemed to be hiding. As long as she was free of punishment, he could keep any secret he wanted.

Imelda made her way back home in one piece. The twins were nice enough to put up all they got today. And, she was right. They had thought of another apparatus and were drawing up the plans.

Imelda started to slump over in the chair, feeling herself doze.

"I am calling it a night. Can I trust you both to bathe, and get to bed at a reasonable hour?"

"Si," not looking up from their sketches, "No sneaking out, right?" Oscar said with a sly grin.

"Right, not til Saturday." She smiled with a wink and drug herself up the stairs.

She barely had the strength to wash her face and change into her night clothes.

"You're so close, Imelda," She told herself looking at her bed. She snuggled down in her fresh bedsheets while the brilliant light from the moon shined through her window.

Of course, now that she was in bed, she couldn't fall asleep. Those pesky husband and family remarks floating around her mind. Most girls her age were already well into a courtship or even married. Some actually in love by choice. But to the men of Santa Cecilia, she had gained the reputation as a young prize to be won. A trophy. Here's to the man who finally conquered the hard to please Imelda.

Her mamá told her she would know, there would be such a thrilling change in her heart. In her soul.

If it meant waiting a lifetime to feel that way, she would.

Imelda finally felt the heaviness coming back to her eyes. She opened the window letting the faint music from the plaza fill her room. And she softly sang herself to sleep.