Abuelita and Mama Coco led the whole family into the ofrenda room. They chose the location because it was the only room of the hacienda that had no windows.
Once every Rivera entered the ofrenda room, Abuelita locked the door. The last thing she wanted was people to eavesdrop on them.
She turned to the rest of the family who had crowded around Mama Coco and sat down next to her.
"Miguelito, where did you find the marriage certificate? And what were you doing there in the attic?"
"I was looking at the family album for a school project," Miguel explained. "I had to create a family tree with everyone's names and birth dates and if deceased, death dates. I looked at it, expecting to find Papa Hector's full name only to find Ernesto de la Cruz's name instead!"
Everybody started talking all at once.
"Mamá Imelda was married to Ernesto de la Cruz?!" Rosa gasped.
"Maldita sea!" Abel exclaimed.
"I thought she was married to Papa Hector!" Berto cried.
"So did I!" Tía Gloria added.
"Maybe she got a divorce and married Hector?" Tía Carmen suggested.
"I had looked to see if Mamá Imelda had another marriage certificate, but this was the only one I found!" Miguel replied.
"Miguel, I am sure there is an explanation for this," Luisa assured him.
"Your mother is right," Enrique added.
"SILENCIO!" Abuelita shouted. Overwhelmed by the noise, she took a deep breath. "This is not easy for me or for Mamá to tell you!" Abuelita cried. "None of you were supposed to know this!" She said this as she snatched the marriage certificate out of her grandson's hand.
("Ow, you almost gave me a paper cut!" the boy whined).
"Your Mama Imelda had a rough life so I ask of you all not to judge her so harshly!"
"Mamá and Mamá Coco," Enrique said slowly and gently. "Please tell us what happened."
"I will talk, Elena," Mama Coco stopped her daughter before she could speak. "No need to talk for me, until I say so." She turned to her descendants. "Everyone, I have a confession to make: Mamá and Papa were never married."
The whole family showed similar reactions to Coco's confession. Rosa gasped. Berto and Gloria looked livid. How could Imelda and Hector do this to their great-grandmother? How could they commit such a great sin against God? Luisa and Carmen put their hands to their mouths, feeling sympathy toward the old matriarch. Franco and Abel looked confused. Enrique wasn't sure what to think. He had always respected Imelda and Hector but had been taught that having a child out of wedlock was not socially acceptable. Now he wasn't sure what to think. Although Miguel was only twelve, he was aware of how taboo it is to be an illegitimate child. How could Imelda do this to Coco?
"I know what you are all thinking," Mamá Coco announced. "And I understand how you feel, I used to feel that way, too. However, I had learned that my parents were in very a difficult situation and couldn't get out of it."
"How come Mamá Imelda was married to Ernesto de la Cruz?" Miguel asked, nervously. He had learned that Ernesto was a very charismatic man. He was the greatest musician ever! But the musician was also one of the greatest playboys ever. The fact that Mamá Imelda was one of the many women that Ernesto dated sounded so wrong.
"It all started at the very beginning in 1915...," Mama Coco began.