She remembered hearing the chiming sound like tiny bells… before the next thing she saw was a golden flicker flutters through her husband's bones. Récono fell off the hammock, and collapsed weakly on the ground.
"Mi amor!" Victoria rushed out of the hammock.
Looking at his yellowed brittle bones, and then at the rising sun from the open wall. No more months or weeks, he might not even last tonight!
"Come!" She helped him up.
She reached for her glasses, put her shoes on, and then helped him out of the hut. Their cousins rushed to help her support him, and sent the couple off at the trolley. Victoria held Récono's hand tight at the passenger seat. Por favor, Dios, deja que esto funcione...
~ Rivera Hacienda
Imelda helped Héctor down from the stairs, and then entered the living room where the twins were watching deportes, and her in-laws were playing board games. Héctor joined the game as Imelda sat on the couch with her glasses, reading the news.
And then suddenly the door threw open, everyone bolted up from their seats as a woman rushed inside with a man on her back.
"Victoria!?" Julio gasped at the woman in pajamas.
If Imelda didn't know her family well, she would never believe that the messy haired desperate woman before them is actually Victoria. She turned to the man on her back, and brought him in front of her.
"¡Récono!?" Héctor gasped.
"You know him? Papá Héctor." Julio turned to his father-in-law.
Imelda looked at the yellow skeletal man in pajamas next to Victoria. She remembered his skull shape, and calavera markings; she had met him before at the Shantytown.
"Mi familia, I am so sorry for hiding this from you guys." Victoria composed herself, "This is Récono, my husband.".
The man remained timid as the entire family froze at the news except…
"Do you know about this?" Imelda turned to Héctor, if Victoria spends her time in Shantytown, Héctor must obviously know something about this.
"Imelda, I-".
"Please, don't be angry with him, abuelita, it's my choice." Victoria confessed, "I am the one who took the advantage of my family trust. I swear I planned on taking this slow, and give you guys time, but-".
A golden flicker flutters through her Récono's bones, Victoria knelt beside him after he collapsed.
"There's no more time." Victoria pulled her husband in her arms, "Miguel won't be able to pull off Héctor's miracle on him! I'm not even sure if he would last tonight!" sync into a prayer position along with her husband, "Please, beg you all, let him join our family.".
Imelda knew that her nieta is never an impulsive person, she knew what she was doing, but all of this is happening too fast, first mending my relationship with Héctor, and now this!? Imelda thought. She wants Victoria to be happy, but doesn't know how to take everything all at once.
"This is a lot to take in." Imelda tried her best to keep her tone gentle, "Not only for me, but for your Papá, Tíos, and Tías too. Can we have a talk about this first?"
"There's no time!" Victoria snapped, and bolted up, "Can't you see that he's fading!? Why can't you guys just bear it only one day for me!? You guys won't even remember him anymore after a week! Why isn't it's me who's being forgotten instead!?".
Everyone froze after Victoria dashed out of the house, leaving a yellowed skeleton man kneeling alone before the entire family on the floor. There was a call on the teléfono too, but no one had any sense left to reply to it at that moment.
"I'll go with her." Héctor picked a shoe, and closed the door after he left.
Imelda took a deep breath, and looked at her remaining familia. They all looked back at her, waiting for a command. Trembly, Imelda nodded, and looked at the yellow skeleton man, offering her hand to help him stand up. She could feel the brittle coarseness of the bone, he won't last long with no one remembering him, but if he's really going to join their family, he won't be just an extraño who married her nieta even if no one remembers him.
"Señor, We Need To Talk."
Victoria, and Héctor entered a trolley, and then walked toward the empty balcony at the back, leaning against the fence.
"I'm sorry I lost my temper." Victoria kept her voice even.
"It's okay, nieta, I'm not angry, so is your family." Héctor reassured, and then looked down at the water below, "I hope they'd forgive me, especially Imelda, and Julio.".
He remembered all the family's reaction, Rosita, and the twins were just pure shock, but Julio, and Imelda… their eyes filled with questions. And what was he supposed to say!? 'Hey! Imelda I met our nieta at a rehab! She got married, and has a secret family in Shantytown too!' he bitterly thought to himself.
"He should have been the one who walked you down the aisle, not me." He lamented.
"I understand, I shouldn't have asked you to lie." Victoria turned to him, "Do you think they'll accept him?" she asked worriedly.
Imelda was obviously skeptical of Récono, it was reasonable, but he knew her well… he knows her eternally greatest love.
"I believe in their love for you, nieta." Héctor smiled confidently, "Everything will be fine.".
"I hope so." Victoria smiled against her fear, "Gracias abuelito.".
"You're very welcome, nieta." Héctor unwrapped his arm's bandage, "You just gave me courage to tell them my secret too.".
Looking at the mark that reminded him of the times he spent in the red corner of Shantytown. It's disgusting, patético, and not worth remembering, but it's who he was, a part of who he is no matter what. So if the Riveras will finally let him join the family again, what reason does he have to doubt their love?
"They will accept who you are in the past, and love who you are right now." She smiled, "Don't forget to believe in their love for you too, Papá Héctor.".
"Sure, Vic-" The trolley shook before he could finish, and then stopped.
~ Department of Family Reunions
"No one answered." Helena announced after she put the phone down.
A group of workers growled in frustration as they were holding signs saying, "Congratulation Héctor!", "Happy Reunion!", "LA BEBE ESTÁ AQUÍ!" and "Mission Completed!".
Socorro remembered waking up to a golden light, and then a hand grabbed her, pulling her up from what seemed to be a bed of cempasuchil? She remembered screaming at the skeletons, and then realized that something changed.
Her voice! She could scream again! And her legs! They are strong! And her memories! They're as clear as what Miguel called Blue... Rey? She managed to collect herself after a few minutes, and finally told them her name.
The skeletons in blue uniform burst into cheers, and then introduced themselves, telling her how they'd meet her father yearly as they brought her to the "Department of Family Reunions". Helena went to her computer, and then made a call to the number on the screen with Coco leaned close, eager to hear her husband, or maybe her daughter, and maybe even her parents! But no one answered.
"Maybe they were sleeping? It's 5 AM on Sunday." one of the workers commented.
And then all the workers started using their walkie-talkies, and got her on a boat. The colors, the lights, and the magic of the Land of The Dead amazed her, but it's nothing compared to what's in front of her after the boat reached the port.
A group of bikers with banderas, and a truck in the middle were waiting for them. They got her on the back of the truck, and drove her up the column with the bikers trying their best to block the traffic lanes along the intersections to allow the truck to go smoothly.
~ Rivera Hacienda
The Riveras took the seats around the long dining table, letting Récono take the guest of honor seat, opposite to Imelda.
"Victoria had told me everything about this family, and I'm not here to challenge the tradition." Récono kept his voice firm through his trembling, "I will quit violin if that's what is required from me.".
Imelda turned her face to Julio, he looked back pleadingly. They remembered that fateful day, she could vividly see a young man swear to give up on his dream to be with her daughter as she looked at her granddaughter's esposo.
"Before you married her, you were aware of everything, right?" Imelda asked, "Before the ban was lifted.".
"We didn't only not play-"
"But we didn't listen or even have music here at all." Filipe finished Óscar's statement.
Récono nodded. "I'm aware, and I apologized for hiding, we decided that it's the best way."
"Then what brought you here?" Julio asked.
"I came here for Victoria," Récono admitted, "I don't have much time left, I want to be there for her as a husband who is also a part of her family, even if it's only for a short time.".
'Before I met Miguel, when I was released after the arrest, I planned to stop by one last time, I knew you hated me, but it would be nice to at least see you before I go' Héctor's words echoed from her memories through her skull. He expected them to not remember him anymore…
"Then must know that this won't be for a short time." Imelda stated firm, "Once you join us, you'll be a part of us no matter how long you'll exist.".
Récono's eyes welled up with tears as he smiled, and nodded eagerly, promising them that he won't disappoint them. The whole family sighed, and relaxed against the chair.
"Can you call Victoria? Tell her, and Héctor to come home." Imelda asked Rosita, and then the ground shook.
It lasted only a few seconds, but it was as hard as an earthquake! Almost like there was a tsunami below the land's column.
The family entered the living room, the Televisión was still on. Rosita reached his hand out toward the teléfono, but the doorbell rang. Julio moved toward the door, and jaw dropped to the sight before him.
A group of Gobierno workers on motorbike as if they were on the way to war! "LA BEBÉ ESTÁ AQUÍ!" was written on the large flag as the workers helped someone down from the back of the truck. He remembered those braids.
"MI AMOR!"
Coco pulled Julio in for kisses as the family rushed toward the door, giving her a big hug. The workers looked at the loving atmosphere in awe until Coco noticed something.
"Where is-"
"Everyone!" Récono shouted from the inside, telling them to look at the TV screen.
'This morning around 5 AM: A depressing accident happened. The trolley's wire of the high-section of the Land of The Dead has broken, the trolley fell into the water, causing 17 cases at the hospital'
The Riveras entered the multi-patient room with Récono, scanning every patient that was examined by the doctors.
"Mi amor!"
"Mi Vida!" Récono cried, and rushed to Victoria's bed.
She bolted off the bed, and threw her arms around him, the whole family joined the hug. Victoria looked at her mother, and held her close.
"Welcome home, Mamá.".
"Thank you, mija.".
"Victoria." Imelda interrupted them, "Where is Héctor?
Coco held Julio's hand tight as they walked through the halls. The Rescatadores found Héctor's skull crack opened, leaving a golden illuminating orb made of his memory exposed to the water. He was holding Victoria, shielding her from the impact, causing the broken pelvic bone, and spinal column, because they were exactly where the trolley suffered the worst impact. Imelda entered the UCI with the doctor as the nurses held the others waiting outside.
"¡Hola! Señor Rivera." The doctor greeted, "How are you?".
"Estoy bien! Doctor." her husband turned to her, "Don't I… Know you?" Imelda's marrowbone turned numb as looked deep into her husband's confused eyes.
"I don't need your permission to see my Papá!" Her daughter's shout came from outside, she tried her best to stop Coco, but it was too late.
"Coco No!".
Well… I guess you guys know what will happen next. Thank you so much for reading! Thanks Rei Luna for helping me with the Spanish, and Elletoria for recommending her to me!
Vocab
Deportes = Sports
Extraño = Stranger
La Bebe = The Baby
Esta Aqui = Is Here
Banderas = Flags