Anniversary
Miguel loved learning further from Hector regarding music. In between everything Miguel had to put up with lately, it was nice to just have an easy thing to do. Music was everything to him. Music was him.
There was however something that nagged at the back of his mind. They were currently in the room Hector used as his makeshift studio, Miguel watching as Hector's bony fingers danced across the strings. Even though Miguel had seen it many times now, it was still magical to see it. To hear Hector's music - his real music being charmed out of the guitar.
"I thought you wrote that song because of a bar bet." Miguel broke Hector's focus as the man strummed a flat chord.
"Si, I did. It doesn't mean I didn't have my OWN touches."
Miguel rolled his eyes adjusting his guitar, so he was holding it properly.
"After learning what made you write that, makes me really not like it much."
Hector raised an eyeridge at him giving him a suspicious look.
"Alright alec inteligente you pick a song."
Miguel grinned before starting to play, his fingers dancing upon the strings, plucking out the opening chords to "Poco Loco."
Hector gave him a nervous look confusing the boy as the man looked outside. Imelda was walking past Pepita right behind her.
"Ay!" He placed his hand over Miguel's silencing his playing until she had walked by the skeleton heaving a sigh of relief.
Miguel was baffled. He thought Imelda was fine with music now, heck he had heard her sing on more than one occasion.
"Que? Papa Hector what's the matter?"
"Not that song when your Mama Imelda is around okay?"
Miguel wanted to prod but the look on Hector's face told him it was best to keep quiet. So they played on, Miguel deciding to go for a different song.
"... What is that?"
"Man in Motion."
"Huh."
ooooooo
It was a few days later when once more Hector stopped him from playing Poco Loco that Miguel started to ask around.
First place he decided to go, was Oscar and Felipe. Given they had known Hector in life and were Imelda's brothers it seemed like a good place to start.
"So… Mama Imelda likes it when Papa Hector plays his music and sings right?" He asked helping them arrange some of the shoes they had for an order.
"Likes it? Mijo she can't get enough of it!" Felipe retorted.
Oscar nodded as he threaded the laces through a pair of boots. "In life and in death."
Miguel hummed in thought as he pondered this.
"So, why does she hate un poco loco?" He asked as Felipe's grip slid on a shoe he was sanding the edge of as it flew up into the air embedding itself in the ceiling. "Wow Abel does that too!"
Oscar cringed. "That's going to leave a mark. Like all the others."
Miguel snickered walking around them surveying the damage. At least most of the ceiling above the machine had a shoe in it. Just like back home.
"Yeah, exactly like Abel. So anyways what's the story?" Miguel bounced a bit in place giving them an expectant look.
The twins exchanged a look of dismay.
"What?"
"We really shouldn't be the ones telling it."
"We were witnesses but… Hector should be the one to explain it."
Miguel groaned in dismay.
"No manches! Just tell me por favor!"
"Hey we have to sleep with him in the room above ours. It'd be all too convenient for him to decide to have some impromptu practice right above our heads."
"We're still his in laws."
Miguel raised an eyebrow at this but shook his head.
"Alright then!" He walked off before pausing as he made it mostly out the door. "By the way, shoes with lights would sell really well!" He called before running off.
"Shoes with lights… Let's try it."
"What if it explodes?"
"How can a shoe explode-Good point."
Miguel rolled his eyes looking around for Hector seeing the man was tuning his guitar sitting on the edge of the fountain.
"Papa Hector!"
Hector looked up grinning as he ruffled up the boy's hair. "Hey mijo where'd you disappear off to?"
"Talking to Tio Oscar and Felipe."
"Oh yeah? What have they put in your head this time?"
Miguel saw a glint of mischief as he backed up but Hector was faster, setting his guitar aside, pulling Miguel into a tight embrace.
"UWAH!"
"Let's see now!"
Hector started to ruffle up Miguel's hair as the boy started laughing.
"AAAHHH! PAPA HECTOR!"
"Hm, don't see anything on THIS side of your head! How about here?"
Miguel laughed harder trying to squirm out of the hold. "Noo!"
Hector kept it up for a few minutes before releasing him as Miguel bolted to the other side of the fountain trying to smooth his hair down.
"Gah it's gonna look like yours!"
"Good!" He snickered. "So why have you been sneaking around?"
Miguel froze.
"... How did you?"
"I'm a grandpa. Kind of my job."
He didn't miss the glint of pride in Hector's eyes as he said those words. Miguel made his way back over sitting beside him.
"I wanna know something but… You can't get mad at me. Okay?"
"Why would I get mad at you Miguel?"
"Good point." Miguel looked at him. "Why does Mama Imelda hate that song?"
Hector cringed. Memories flooded back with that question, and they were not fun memories.
"Miguel, I wrote that song for Imelda. I wrote it because when we met as teenagers she was just… Amazing. I was some lanky nobody who trailed behind Ernesto whenever possible." He explained, venom in his voice when he said his killer's name. "Imelda, was a willowy beauty who no one could fall for safely. Especially if Oscar and Felipe were involved. You know how they do all kinds of weird inventions in that shop?"
"Si?"
"They would throw the rejects at possible suitors." Hector took off his hat and hair showing Miguel his bare skull. He pointed to a small dent in the back of it. "You see this?"
Miguel grimaced. "Si…"
"Felipe tried to brain me with some idea for an automatic coffee pot."
"Ay dios mio."
"Obviously didn't work." Hector rolled his eyes sighing. His gaze fell to the ground. "... I'll be honest. She hates that song because I left her. I left her alone to raise a little girl. I left her to grow old alone as those she loved died around her eventually. I… I couldn't stop the inevitable."
Miguel frowned touching his arm. Hector took a deep breath letting it out as his bones rattled softly.
"When she arrived here, I wanted to be right there. I was there… I didn't even think about how mad she'd be. I ran up to her and started fretting over her… And she yelled at me." He frowned. "I thought if I sang to her."
"Oh no." Miguel whispered.
Hector watched her start to storm off with the twins who were giving him angry looks. He just wanted to make things right.
At the very least try to apologize to her. He had been so worried about her the night before…
He just wanted to see her again. To have a chance to go to some kind of home with her.
Hector couldn't just let her walk away. He rushed after her calling out to her only to have her curse him out.
"She'll listen to music…" He whispered. Before he could think about it, he gave a loud and powerful sounding grito that caught her attention. Her eyes were a molten gold of pure anger as she looked at him.
"What color is the sky, ay mi amor, ay mi amor! You say that it is-"
Hector didn't see how fast she was in her new form yanking off her boot.
He also didn't realize how good she was at throwing them still when it collided with his head. Hector gave a very different kind of grito - a very high-pitched scream filled with shock as his head soared over the crowd in the building before landing in a waste-basket filled with paper.
"AND STAY THERE!"
"She… She didn't."
"She did."
Miguel looked at Hector dumbfounded, feeling guilt crop up as he saw the saddened look in his eyes.
"Which is why whenever we're at the plaza and playing together Imelda is never there. I don't want to upset her more."
"Well that's no good reason!"
Hector gave Miguel a flat look as the boy jumped up. "Miguelito-"
"You can't give up. She's open to so much more now."
He shook his head.
"I can let this one go mijo. It's not more important than her happiness."
"Yours is important too. I bet if she gave it another chance she'd fall in love with it all over!" Miguel insisted giving his best pout.
Hector groaned trying to not make eye contact… Which, proved to be difficult as Miguel moved around him making eye contact.
"Ay-yai-yai alright. But ONLY if you help me."
"Of course! Leave it to me! Have I ever steered you wrong?"
Hector held up his index finger.
"Don't answer that." Miguel added. "When's your wedding anniversary?"
Hector sighed hoping this wasn't a bad idea.
"... Three days from today. We haven't celebrated it in years. Not since Coo was three… Ernesto guaranteed I missed what wound up being our last one together thanks to the "final tour"..."
Miguel stood up straight giving his best serious look.
"Then it's my job to make sure you have the best one ever."
oooooooooooo
Imelda was content sitting in her workroom, sewing. She had finally settled on a dress she wanted to make for Socorro, so she was all too glad to get a chance to work on it.
There was part of her that felt a bit guilty she hadn't brought up her wedding anniversary. Hector and her hadn't celebrated it in so long…
She wasn't sure if he would even want to celebrate it.
Imelda sighed opening the large french style doors that lead to her balcony. She sat down her sewing basket beside her as she settled into her favorite chair. She could remember all too clearly every single try. Every time Hector would try to serenade her or chat her up in the plaza.
"You are just un poco loco!"
And he would grito at any given hour. He just didn't give up…
He hasn't played that song for me in ages… Imelda's hand holding the sewing needle moved faster as she tried to shake off thoughts. Memories of every single time she rejected her husband over the last century alone.
She wished she could take every last one of them back. Heard him out and listened.
Though, I didn't take it seriously then. I was more than willing to believe the rumors about him choking to death on a chorizo… Guh how did I even fall for that?
Admittedly I thought a lot of things that he hadn't even done. He was so young…
We were so young…
Beneath the balcony Hector and Miguel were getting into position. Both had their guitars ready and knew very well there was a fair chance Imelda would be cross.
It was worth it.
Hector himself wasn't entirely sure if it would be. He kept repeating to himself that it would be.
"Are you scared?" Miguel asked quietly.
"No!"
"Loosen up, c'mon!" Slinging his guitar over his shoulder Miguel spun around before giving his great-great grandfather an expectant look.
Hector took a deep breath before shaking his bones out as he started to relax.
It seemed simple enough to perform for crowds of dead people. How hard would it be just for one person?
The two stepped out being bathed in the light that came down from the moon above.
Miguel was the first to make noise, as he let out a long and loud grito that echoed across the courtyard, startling Imelda from her sewing up above. She looked down at the two a puzzled look on her face.
The duo started playing, swaying to the music.
"What color is the sky, ay mi amor, ay mi amor?" Miguel sang spinning on his heel.
"You tell me that it's red ay mi amor, ay mi amor. Where should I put my shoes? Ay mi amor, ay mi amor!" Hector joined the beat picking up as they danced around each other. "You say put them on your head ay, mi amor ay mi amor!"
The two leaned against each other.
"Make me un poco loco, Un poquiti-ti-to loco! The way you keep me guessing, I'm nodding and I'm yessing, now count it as a blessing, that I'm only un poco loco!"
Miguel and Hector gave loud powerful grito's that echoed and bounced off the courtyard. Hector was feeling much more relaxed as he performed this routine he had gotten used to. This little duet he and his grandchild would do together in the plaza whenever the mood struck.
They played on, not seeing Imelda had gestured for Pepita to come close, so she could use her as a means of getting down from the balcony.
"The loco that you make me-"
"It's just too coco crazy! The sense that your not making, the liberties your taking! Leaves my cabeza shaking!"
Hector nodded his head to Miguel as they spun.
"You are just un poco loco!"
Imelda felt nostalgic watching them, seeing once again how similar Miguel and Hector were, even being in perfect sync with their dance steps or their playing.
The look of total joy in Hector's eyes as he played on.
This is the man I fell in love with…
The singing soon came to a stop. Hector looked at Imelda hopefully, his eyes full of excitement. And some worry.
Imelda kept quiet as she walked up to him, cupping his face in her hands.
"W-was that okay Imelda?"
She smiled kissing him quickly.
"More than okay." She whispered pressing her head against his, Hector sighing in relief. He pulled back for a second setting his guitar aside. "You haven't played that in so long."
"I didn't know if you'd like it after what… 112 tries over the years?"
"I missed it admittedly." Imelda gave him a knowing look. "And you didn't play it around me because you wanted to respect me."
"Always." Hector held out his arms as she jumped into them laughing. He spun her around before peppering her with kisses.
"Hector!"
"Te amo mi amor!"
She grinned hugging him tightly as he rested his head against hers.
"... Happy anniversary." She whispered softly, only meant for his ears.
Hector kissed her head burying his face in her hair.
"Happy anniversary Imelda."
Miguel smiled watching for a moment. He was glad to see his plan had worked out, especially given how much it took to even get Hector to try it.
My job is done. Now… His eyes trailed to the main entrance to the house. He had smelled Rosita baking something earlier. I earned myself a concha or two.
He walked on in, taking one more glance back. Imelda and Hector were still in their embrace, whispering to one another.
He couldn't hear it, but he could see the look in their eyes. A look of a love that would always be eternal.
This, would make a great picture.
Happy Anniversary you two.
