Clear as a Bell

"Hector, let me take Miguel to school today. Por favor."

Hector looked at his wife, mid getting dressed blinking slowly.

"Eh?" He chuckled. "Why now?"

Imelda gave him a flat look holding up three silver bells on strings. Hector gave her a flat look.

"You are NOT putting those on Miguel. He's figuring it out."

"I'm less obvious than you are my dearest."

"I sense a challenge."

Imelda smirked shaking the bells. "How about a wager hm? If I can't get the bell on him from the time he gets up for school to the time he leaves here after you're little private lessons… I'll restring and tune your guitar."

Hector grinned. "And what about if I can't?"

"You give me a back rub. And a foot rub. And clean the workshop."

He sputtered as she dropped her share of the bells in his hands walking off to get ready herself.

"I… Imelda! That's not a fair trade off! Oscar and Felipe HATE it when I clean it! I don't do it right!"

"I can't hear you my ears are ringing."

"You don't HAVE ears anymore!"

This banter continued as they hurried downstairs to eat a fast breakfast before Imelda could hurry off.

Coco and Julio rolled their eyes as they looked over from their food.

"Mama, Papa leave Miguel alone." Coco told them shaking her fork at them. "He doesn't need a bell."

"It's a wager now." Hector told her, kissing her head before picking up a piece of bread and sliding his eggs onto it. "Since your Mama is convinced she'll have better luck Miguel wrangling."

"Good luck." Was all she and Julio said knowing it was a futile battle. When Imelda and Hector were being stubborn it was like reasoning with a brick wall.

As they disappeared, Julio looked to Coco concern in his eyes.

"Coco, I feel like Miguel is going to be a part of something he shouldn't. Remember when she had that bet with Oscar and Felipe?"

Coco groaned putting her face in her hands. She wished she could forget the "shoe polish incident" as it was referred to. One of the few times Imelda showed a playful side was involved in wagers.

She was a sore loser and never backed down.

"We were finding those little jars everywhere for months."

oooooooooooo

"You know, you being here defeats the purpose of me taking him to school." Imelda told Hector as they made their way into the compound.

"I'm not going with you two. I'm going to spend the day watching over Socorro." Hector grinned. "And her room just so happens to be near Miguel's."

Imelda smirked shoving him playfully as they phased through the wall into the hallway leading to the children's rooms.

Hector kissed her cheek giving a broad smirk as he walked down to Socorro's room. "May the best grandparent win."

"I will."

Miguel was unaware of the antics going on outside as he slept on. Content to be right where he was.

It wasn't until he felt a bony hand shake him that he started to come to. He sighed rolling over knowing this was beginning again.

"Go away." He mumbled covering his head more with his blanket. "I have an hour…"

Imelda gave him a look that went unseen. She shook him again as Miguel whined.

"Miguel, it is time to wake up!"

At the sound of her voice Miguel shot up giving her a mortified look. "Mama Imelda!?"

"Si."

"W-where's Papa Hector?"

"With the baby. I'm taking his shift today."

Grrreeeaaaat.

She's gonna throw a shoe at me at some point. I just know it.

Imelda put her hands on her hips giving him a stern look.

"Get dressed, go get ready for breakfast."

"I have an hour before that."

"Go help then! You think you're huevos rancheros and horchata appear out of thin air?"

Miguel stared at her before getting up hurrying to do as asked. As he went to the bathroom to change into his uniform, he heard his sister squeal.

"Whose Papa Hector's little princesa? You are!"

The boy seeing Imelda wasn't behind him took his chance and leaned into the room.

Socorro was sitting in her crib giggling as Hector made faces at her.

"UWAH!" She squealed clapping her little hands.

"That's right Princesa Socorro! The cutest in the land!"

"I hope you know you're a traitor."

"Love you too Chamaco. Buenos Dias by the way."

Hector chuckled a bit as Miguel stormed off grumbling. He leaned over the crib more giving Socorro a light tap on her nose.

"Boop."

She squealed giggling more.

Ah. I'm in heaven.

Socorro held up her hands giving Hector a puppy eyed look. He scooped her up rocking her humming as he went.

This brought back so many memories. Of holding his daughter as a newborn, of looking after her like this.

Utter, heaven.

"Who is the cutest?"

"Who's the biggest traitor?" Miguel called passing by. They both heard Luisa ask Miguel to fetch his sister.

"I'm not a traitor, I'm just taking turns."

Miguel rolled his eyes holding his arms out for Socorro. He loved his family, he did. This was just one occasion where he wasn't sure where this day was going to go.

"Hey Papa Hector. Did I do something to make Mama Imelda mad or something?"

"Que? No! She's just a little… High strung in the morning. She does this to me all the time."

"Got ya. Well c'mon. Mama knows we're up so no use hiding. Right Socorro?"

She just put her thumb in her mouth giving him an innocent smile.

Hector felt his memory of a heart melt at this. Miguel smiled patting her back.

"C'mon let's see if Mama Imelda will calm down a bit with this little one."

oooooooo

He felt quite nervous when they left the compound and Imelda was still hot on his heels. Hector was all too happy to bid them farewell settling in to keep an eye on Socorro.

He swore that baby was going to be spoiled as she grew but in a good way.

Lucky she's so cute.

"Did you brush your teeth?"

"Si."

"Did you remember to grab your lunch?"

"Si Mama Imelda."

"Did you do ALL of your homework?"

Miguel put his phone to his ear as they passed a crowd of students all heading in the same direction he was. Imelda went silent giving the device the same look Hector gave it. Miguel gave her a wary look moving a bit faster to put some distance between them.

"What are you doing with your future camera?"

Miguel snickered a little.

"Pfft! No, no it's not just a camera. It's a phone."

"A phone? No."

"Yes."

"Let me see that tiny devil box."

"Later!"

Miguel broke into a jog, forcing Imelda to chase after him.

"COME BACK HERE!"

"I can't hear you with my tiny devil box!"

Oh he did NOT!

oooooo

Imelda watched her grandchild keeping quiet as she took note of how focused he was.

Pop quizzes were never fun. But it did give her a chance as she pulled out her first silver bell sneaking up behind the boy.

If, she could just sneakily attach it to the collar of his shirt she would have won. Unfortunately for Imelda, Miguel got up having completed his work already

The bell got knocked out of her hand as he moved walking briskly to the front of the room. He saw the irritated look in her eyes when he glanced back.

Miguel stopped for a moment just long enough to give her a smirk.

He knew something was up. He wasn't quite sure what yet, but he was going to get an answer.

Imelda gave him a neutral expression in response.

She would win that back rub and cleaned work room. Hector was going to have a long chore day ahead of him if she had a say.

ooooooo

One thing Miguel loved about his phone. He had access to music from everywhere in the world and from all eras. Currently he was enjoying his personal library from the 1980s as he stood in the music room with one of the guitars in there.

Imelda was watching him, a nostalgic look on her face. Even if she didn't recognize the music, or even knew the words.

She could still see her husband in her grandchild. His passion for any kind of music that came his way, the way his body just glided across the floor when he danced along playing his guitar. Careful but fast steps, always coming back down to the ground safely.

It almost made her forget what she was intending to do until she heard the bells ring from her bobbing along to the music.

She snuck up on him, the boy completely distracted by the earbuds blaring out the song he was playing.

Just tie it to the back of his shirt, or to his hand. Not that hard!

She thought the chord playing hand would be the easiest target. Miguel glanced to her briefly seeing a glint of silver dancing away from her a mischievous look on his face.

"Miguel! Take out those devil speakers!"

"I can't hear you over my devil box!" He called out tapping his earbuds.

Any other moment, he would have been fearing the shoe. In fact part of him was fearing that was going to come next.

He saw her look down at her boot, a thoughtful look on her face.

"... Mama Imelda?" He asked taking one of his earbuds out.

"... Miguel, how would you like to mess with your Papa Hector?"

Hector doesn't need to know.

"Why?"

She held up the silver bell.

"You wear this home and I get a cleaned work room."

Miguel gave her a suspicious look taking out his other earbud, so he could hear her better. He leaned on the desk in the room, raising an eyebrow.

"Well that benefits you Mama Imelda. How does that benefit me?"

Imelda crossed her arms giving him a similar look.

"What do you want in exchange?"

"Two things." Miguel held up his fingers to emphasize that. He pointed to her boots. "I don't get smacked with that any time today."

"Deal."

"AND." He grinned. "I want a new charro suit too."

"You know your parents will question where it came from. I'm not having you accused of stealing."

Miguel's face fell into a puppy eyed look sticking his lip out a little.

"You want me to get Papa Hector into chores."

"Something a little more realistic mijo."

"Fiiiine. I want boots with little metal plates on them like for dance shoes."

"Deal."

Miguel held out his wrist as Imelda gleefully tied the bell on. He had a different plan though.

Much different.

oooooo

Later that day, Miguel headed off for the dead Rivera compound after Imelda had gone off to fill her end of the deal he had made with her.

He had a different idea though entirely. He had managed to damage the bell enough that it wouldn't make noise and tucked it under the string keeping it hidden with his sleeve.

When he saw the plaza, he could see Hector waiting for him a bit impatiently.

"What's up with you?"

"You know your Mama Imelda came home dancing and getting that smug grin of hers on her face right!?"

Miguel stifled a laugh. "No manches! Mama Imelda being smug?"

Hector looked behind him to be sure no one was listening in.

"We have this bet okay? I get a restrung guitar and a freshly tuned restrung guitar at that if I tie a bell on you by sundown. You wanna help a great-great grandpa out?"

"What do I get out of it?"

Hector gave him a suspicious look. "The satisfaction of helping pull one over on Imelda?"

"Hm, tempting but not quite."

"What then?"

"Conchas."

"Conchas-Rosita practically fills your bag with them on a DAILY BASIS! Why do you want more!?"

"Okay, okay you drive a hard bargain Papa Hector. I'll take six coconut paletas."

"PALETAS?"

Miguel gave his best frustrated sigh holding his hands up.

"Alright you got me. I'll do it for the low, low price of a solo show in the plaza. No help just all Miguel!"

"DEAL!"

They shook hands before Hector pulled a bell out of his pocket tying it to Miguel's other wrist. "Ha! I WIN!"

"You better go tell the familia." Miguel told him as Hector adjusted his suit going in to do just that.

Miguel rolled up his sleeves strolling casually behind him humming a little.

"I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE!" Imelda and Hector exclaimed at the same time giving each other a questioning look.

"What announcement?" Imelda asked crossing her arms.

"That's what I was going to ask." Hector retorted putting his hands on his hips.

The rest of the family started laughing as Miguel darted around them before Felipe and Oscar lifted him up, so he rested on their shoulders comfortably.

"The announcement…" Miguel started grinning as he held up both wrists. "Is that we won!"

The couple stared at the family in shock. They all had looks of amusement or pride on their faces.

And in the case of Coco and Julio, shaking so hard with laughter their bones rattled.

Hector and Imelda were silent looking to one another stunned. How had he found out? How had ANY of them besides Julio and Coco found out?

"That, is our doing Papa." Coco laughed swiping at her eye with a playful look. "We thought the bet was just silly and decided we wanted in too."

"So since Mama Imelda never takes me to school and was acting super weird - no offense." Miguel explained flicking his wrist a little as the first bell rang. "I wanted to get an answer, so I went to the boys room and called for Papa Julio."

"And I told him everything."

"Then I just did whatever it took. Congrats - you both have to clean the storeroom AND you both have to give each other back rubs and tune instruments!" Miguel crossed his arms with a big grin on his face. "Isn't this better?"

"NO!" Both exclaimed.

"We had a deal Miguel!" They spat before falling quiet pointing to one another.

"You…?" Imelda started.

"Cheated on the bet?!" Hector finished both of their jaws falling open though this time their eyes stayed put.

"Well, he's slippery! He wouldn't let me!"

"And he never stays still long enough for me."

Imelda and Hector fell quiet before they busted up laughing, bones rattling as they held onto one another. "You are so my husband! I can't believe you!"

"And I can't believe you'd do that for a bet!"

"Oh mi corazon I've done worse for a bet!"

Hector spun Imelda around before bringing her in for a kiss as she ran her hand through his hair. They sighed a bit keeping close.

"Maybe we should put this nonsense to bed."

"Maybe. There is still mischief to be managed." Hector nodded his head to Miguel. The boy's confidant smirk faded into a look of deep concern as he slowly started backing up.

"Don't be too harsh on him." Felipe spoke up.

"We encouraged it. Sass included." Oscar finished. "Well namely Julio did."

Hector looked to his son-in-law with a glare gesturing to Miguel. "Really?"

"How about as a family we ALL clean the workshop AND then listen to some music played by our favorite musicians?" Victoria suggested.

"Sure, I'll go get my guitar and run home real fast-" Miguel went to go right out the door thinking he had gotten off scot-free until he bumped into Hector's rib cage. "Oof."

"And you're helping."

I don't know if this was worth it! Miguel thought as he swept up the shop not five minutes later.

"Hey Miguel." Oscar whispered in his direction.

"Wanna see our new exploding shoe polish?" Felipe added.

The boy grinned.

"Si!"

Maybe it was!

He darted off to their work desk, glancing up to see Hector was twirling Imelda singing softly.

Yeah. It so was.