Imelda stood facing the kitchen wall. Her arms were crossed. Her heart ached from both anger that he was leaving, but she knew that there was no stopping him. Not now. Not when she'd given him her blessing. Not when she could hear him snapping his suitcase shut and giving Coco his final farewells. Not when she could hear Coco's giggle and the soft groan Héctor made as he seemed to be slinging his guitar case over his shoulder and grabbing his things.
Not when the day was here, and Ernesto was banging on the door and yelling, and she could hear familiar tiny and slightly larger footsteps coming closer to her, and it was too late to go back anyway.
Imelda stood still as a statue as Héctor strode over to her, and moments later his arms were around her neck.
She turned her head to face him as best she could without moving the rest of her body, her arms still crossed. She narrowed her eyes. "Two months." Her voice was firm but she hoped her face didn't potray any rage.
She felt Héctor nodding against her. "At the most, yes." He kissed her hair, and she felt her anger melting the tiniest bit. Usually she despised how he could do that, make a person's ire melt with just one gesture, but today Imelda reminded herself that she wouldn't see him for a long time and she should cherish all his affections even the ones that irked her.
She looked him in his eyes, this time fully turning around and taking in the details of his purple suit with swirly patterns. She slipped her hands in his and allowed herself the tiniest smile at him. He grinned back.
Ernesto's knocking started up again, and Imelda swore she could hear the wood breaking a little.
"Do you have everything?" she asked over the racket, shooting the most subtle glare she could manage at the door.
A nod from Héctor. "Coco helped me with that." A giggle at the end of his sentence.
Imelda impulsively reached up and ran her hand through his hair, the sensation of the softness sending a tingle through her fingers as she pulled away. Another series of knocks from Ernesto broke through Imelda's daze, reminding her that this moment couldn't last forever.
Héctor looked at the door, smiled, and rolled his eyes, putting his arms around her suddenly and pulling her close, Imelda leaned into his touch for what she knew would be the last time for a while.
Then he let her go, strode over to the door, and opened it, a red-faced and fist raised Ernesto glaring at him on the other side. He dropped his arm and rolled his eyes as Héctor stepped beside him, putting his arm around him and practically pushing him out the door.
Ignoring her racing heart, Imelda picked up Coco from her spot on the living room floor and brought her over to the window, where Coco pressed her face to the glass and waved. Héctor turned for a second, waving as well before Ernesto forced his head forward again.
Imelda couldn't bring herself to stare at them, though, so she picked Coco up, sent a single nod at the back of Héctor and Ernesto's heads and carried Coco back to her room. Even though she was still the tiniest bit angry at Héctor for chasing a fantasy with Ernesto, she still felt her heart lift, thinking of what his trip could mean for them in the future and knowing, hoping, that she'll get her husband back.
As she closed Coco's door and went back to the window, hearing the piercing whistle of the train in the distance, Imelda stared at the view, the fading backs of Héctor and Ernesto, the sun's glare, she felt the heat of Héctor's lips on her head again and her heart jittered as she thought of his promises to return home and his love for her and Coco, hard to believe at times, but always there.
Even if he stayed away for longer than he said, Imelda had no doubt he'd return, playing his music for her and Coco and giving her his quirky, devoted, undying love for the rest of their time together.
She let out a breath she was unaware of and pressed her hand to the window's cold glass, thoughts of Héctor's music sitting in the back of her mind as she stared.