Imelda woke up at the sound of her alarm clock, getting herself ready, and then made her way toward the guest bedroom. With a deep breath, Imelda gently grabbed the doorknob, and opened the guest room door. Her marrow bone ran cold at the sight of his empty bed.
She hurried down the stairs, and found Julio stood in front of the dining room entrance. The sound of very, very loud snores confirmed that Héctor was indeed in there. She walked to Julio, and looked at the sight before them.
Both Héctor, and Victoria sleep at the dining table on their folded arms. They were almost siblings, same structures, sleeping positions, and even goddamn snoring harmonized!
Julio gently shook his daughter, and his father-in-law. Both of them bolted up right in the same position, but ever there was one difference. Victoria yawned, rubbed her eyes as she left the dining room with Julio. Héctor tried his best to act like he wasn't tired.
"Buenos días Imelda." He said cheerfully.
"Buenos días." She replied, and looked at him, "If you're going to use the bathroom, you better go as the twins are still asleep."
Héctor nodded, and left. Imelda entered the kitchen, and started preparing breakfast. Julio entered the room, and helped her. He kept his head down as he chopped the fruit. She was familiar with him being afraid, but at the same time knows when it's something else.
"Are you okay, Mijo?"
"I don't know how to act around him, Mamá." Julio admitted, "I heard the story about him since I was little, and Coco talked about him to me a few times," He chuckled nervously, "So I was always curious about this hombre misterioso who Coco loves despite what others thought, but I didn't expect it to be someone who is…".
"Similar to you?" Julio nodded at Imelda's question.
Imelda stopped what she was doing, and looked at the uncertain man before her. She could clearly see Héctor's manner in him despite their contrast figure, and not being related by blood. Imelda looked around to make sure that no one's here.
"Don't tell him I said this, ok?" Julio nodded, "I saw him in you since the first day I saw you dance with Coco." her voice remained gentle, "I know everyone knows about him based on what happened to me, but Mijo, knowing someone as a warning story, is not how you really get to know them." she reminded him, "It will be weird for a while, and it won't be easy, but all we can do to really get to know him is give him a chance.".
"Good, I'll take him to the bar tonight then." Julio said excitedly, and finished cooking, "Hope he likes darts.".
"Fine, I'm coming with you."
"WHAT!?"
~ Barra de Desahogar, The Land Of The Dead.
'Everyone Knows Juanita' can be heard across the bar as some drunk skeleton were throwing darts at the board. Julio effortlessly opened the tequila bottle with his mouth, and then poured the liquor on 3 shot glasses.
"¡Salud!" The 3 Riveras chant, and they finished their first glass with ease.
"Woah, Bebedor?" Julio asked after Héctor refilled his glass.
"I don't know" He shrugged, "Wanna prove?" Héctor smirked.
Imelda remained silent as the two men started to get tipsy after 5 shots. She never saw this side of them before, she saw Héctor drink in life, but he's not a drinker. Julio goes to bars every Sunday night, but she didn't expect this level.
"I'm the most horrible man ever!" Julio cried, and poured himself another shot.
"Why?" Héctor asked, not fully drunk yet.
"What kind of father outlives his daughter!?" Julio wailed, "I promised Coco after that I'll be there for her." He looked at the bottle hopelessly, "And still I couldn't live longer… She's getting worse, because of me.".
Imelda wanted to shake him, and told him to get himself together, but, "It's not your fault, Mijo." Héctor started, "They never blame you.".
Julio stopped drinking, and looked at the young man who was ridiculously too young to be his father-in-law. Imelda wondered where he would go with this.
"You, and Coco had a beautiful love, and Victoria's choice is not your responsibility." Héctor said firmly, "It's not my place to tell you this, but I know you love them, and if you talk about this to them, they will say the same thing I did, because we love you.".
"You mean it?" Julio asked hopelessly.
"We're certain, Mijo." Imelda confirmed.
Julio smiled, and wiped away his tears. He got off his chair, and offered Héctor his hand. Placing Ernesto's photo on top of the dart board, and taking the darts from the bartender. Imelda watched Héctor, and Julio laughed, and chugged their tequilas as they were throwing darts at De La Cruz's white teeth.
"¡Quiero que...me quieras!" Julio sang in a pitched tone as Héctor had him on his back.
Imelda opened the back seat's door of the car, and Héctor put sleeping Julio inside. Héctor remained tipsy next to her with a tiny blanket on him as he stared out the window.
"You handled this pretty well." Imelda kept her eyes on the road.
"Gracias, Mi amor." Héctor answered casually, the alcohol freed him from his filters.
"He is always sad." Imelda looked at Julio from the rearview mirror, "But I never know he blames himself."
"I blamed myself too..." His bone shimmered before he could finish.
Imelda quickly parked the car, he didn't stagger, but after the shimmering stopped, he dropped back against the seat almost like a string-cut puppet. He closed his eyes, and sighed. She wanna talk about this so bad, he never admits his bad thoughts, he's pouty when he is upset, but never... sad. Imelda looked at her estranged husband as he panted, he needed rest, and she didn't want it to be the conversation they'd forget the next day when he was sober.
"Get some sleep, Héctor." She reclined his seat, and pulled the blanket up for him, "We'll talk about this tomorrow.".
"Okay, mi amor.".
Héctor opened his eyes, and found himself lying on a bed. He looked around and realized he wasn't in the guest room, the wall was in cream color, and the wooden closet had lavender flowers painted on them. This is Imelda's Bedroom!
"You're awake?" He quickly turned his face toward the voice.
She was sitting on an armchair in a white nightgown with a book opened on her lap. The light from the rising sun made sparkles on her loose hair, and big rounded glasses.
"Mi amor" he whispered in awe.
Imelda got off the chair, and placed her glasses on the table. Putting the book back on the shelf as Héctor forgot that she was the woman who had ruled the family with a shoe. At that moment she wasn't the businesswoman, or a matriarch, just Imelda… the love of his life. Héctor sat up as Imelda walked to sit at the edge of the bed.
"We need to talk," Imelda started.
"Okay…" He replied, and they nodded nervously.
"How do you feel about getting back in the family?" She asked bluntly, "We both had our lives before Miguel came, so it would be foolish that everything is still the same.".
"I love you," He replied without a second thought, "And I'm happy that you brought me here. I want to start again with you all, but at the same time, I'm not sure if I want to erase the past as if we never know each other even though those times weren't so sweet" he chuckled, "What about you? Imelda".
"I want us to work on everything together, and grow together as family, but," Imelda paused to breathe, "I understand if you don't want to. I hurt you, and I'm sorry.".
"Te perdono," Héctor smiled, and then looked down in fear, "Can you forgive me?".
Héctor expected a 'No', or maybe the anger he had grown used to, but instead Imelda tilted her head.
"I will." She smiled, "If you tell me about your life in Shantytown. I met Victoria there, so I'm pretty sure there's something I didn't know."
"It's a long story." Héctor chuckled nervously.
"Fine, then tell me about it at work."
The couple left the room after they dressed up, and found Julio stood nervously at a door. The short man looked at Héctor, uncertain, but Héctor nodded back with a reassurance. Julio nodded, and took a deep breath before he finally knocked on the door.
"Morning Papá." Victoria greeted after the door was open.
"Can we… go out for the day?" Julio asked nervously.
Victoria looked at Imelda, and the matriarch nodded, "Sure, give me a minute." Victoria replied, and closed the door.
"¡Gracias!" Julio whispered to Héctor.
Héctor winked, and Imelda granted him, and Victoria a day off before she left the house with Héctor, Rosita, and the twins. The Zapatería building stood at the opposite side of the road.
Imelda flicked the light open, revealing leather stacks, tool's shelf, materials cabinets, and 6 workbenches. Héctor looked around in awe before Imelda got him a stool.
"How much do I have to pay for a custom one?" Héctor asked as he looked down on his feet.
"It's free!," Rosita smiled, and looked at the notes, "We'll make one for you after we finish... Señor Negrete's order.".
The family got to their work, and Héctor watched them with glee. Listening to them telling all the stories about customers, and then slipped into a slumber after a few hours of telling them his failed plan to cross the bridge.
Imelda closed the shop after sunset, and everyone was ready to go home, except Héctor who fidgeted in his place.
"I would like to visit Shantytown." He said quietly, "If that's okay with you.".
"Sure," She wanted to know, "I'm coming with you."
Pepita landed in front of an archway full of graffiti of skeletal wings the color of marigolds. A group of people looked up from a bonfire and smiled after Héctor dismounted Pepita.
"Cousin Héctor!" One of them squealed, "You're back!"
Héctor waved at them, and some kids crashed him with a group hug. Imelda watched as the children smiled with glee despite their yellowed bones. This is not right, she thought, no kid should be forgotten.
"Who is she?" one of the boys asked.
"My wife, Imelda." Héctor smiled as the kids gasped.
"His diosa!" They teased, and tried to squeeze the two together.
Héctor looked at her apologetically as the kids laughed at their shyness, and then a mariachi approached them.
"Cousin Héctor." He said ruefully, "Someone wants to use the Reaper Service.".
Héctor froze in horror as the mariachi handed him a long black cloak.
"Is he or she sure about this? Réco." Héctor asked seriously.
"He's waiting at your bungalow." Réco replied.
"All right, fine." he sighed. "This is the one and only time I am EVER going to do this." he stated "After this is over, I'm handing this place to the next eldest.".
Héctor put the cloak on, and pulled the hood up. Holding Imelda's hand tight as they walked toward his bungalow with Réco.
"What is Reaper Service?" Imelda asked as she saw the bungalow come into the view.
"This is Shantytown, Imelda." He reminded her, "People come here only when they are nearly forgotten… or want to be forgotten."
"I don't understand." She recalled how weak he was when the Final Death almost claimed him, who would want that pain?
"Every Shantytown has a Reaper, Señora." Réco spoke up, "They are the eldest member of Shantytowns like suicide agents for the remembered. "
The 3 entered the bungalow where a man sitting on the ground with his arms around his knees with his face tucked down.
"Señor?" The man lifted his face up.
"Héctor?"
"Ernesto…"
"You puta!" Imelda quickly took off one of her boots, but Héctor stopped her.
"Did you know it will be me?" Héctor asked.
"No." Ernesto sighed, and looked away, "I just want it all to be over."
"Fine," Héctor grabbed a long wooden scythe, "Follow me, amigo.".
They got in a boat, and Imelda held a wooden scythe tight as Héctor sailed them toward Marigold Grand Central Station. It was empty, only a few staff members remained here as the flower bridge glowed brightly just like the past Día de Los Muertos. Imelda remembered the first day she entered the Arrival Department, there was so much paperwork that she needed to sign, but this time, Ernesto had to sign only one paper.
Héctor exited from the Marigold Grand Central Station with Ernesto as Imelda, and Réco waited behind the iron fence. The petal glowed beneath Héctor, and Ernesto's feet the two stepped their feet on the bridge. The edges of Ernesto's bones began to glow into a soft, beautiful light, and then dissolved into dust before making it to the middle of the bridge. Héctor smiled ruefully as the wind blew the golden ashes away.
Thank you so much for reading! I always wonder what happened to the bridge after Día de Los Muertos, and what would the well remembered celebrity or legendary figures do if they are done with their immortal life. So I hope my idea works xD
PS. If you guys wonder why the Riveras went to the bar with cars instead of Pepita, I think it will make more sense if they had a car to use for short transportation or Shoe Delivery. I mean I'm not sure if I want a giant cat to visit my customers xD
Vocab
Buenos Días = Good Morning
Hombre Misterioso = Mystery Man
Bebedor = Drinker
Te Perdono = I Forgive You