Julio is the first to join Imelda in the Land of the Dead.
It comes without warning years later, and there is no detailed explination. All the officers explain over the phone is that he died of some sort of illness, supposedly the flu, and that she should come over as soon as possible. Imelda ignores the memory of one of Héctor's near-death sicknesses that washes through her at the moment and drops her current project where she was sitting, racing out the workshop and slamming the hacienda gate closed with a squeaky bang that grates her non-existant ears.
Feeling the warm weather outside and nice breeze while looking at the colorful lights, streamers, and fancily dressed people around dancing and laughing does nothing to soothe her this time as she runs, pushing past other skeletons on her way to the building and not having it in her to apologize. She scowls at the security guards standing next to the doors and lets herself into the room when they shrink back.
Ironically, Imelda realizes, this is the same room she ended up in the first day she got here. For a brief moment she wonders if they have different rooms for members of different families. The officer in the room leaves when she steps in to give her privacy, closing the door behind her.
Imelda's eyes dart around the room and eventually they find him: shorter with age, and a moustache that used to be a dark brown that is now white. His clothes are still his signature blue plaid shirt with greenn pants and chancla-styled sandals. A straw hat sits on top of his head, which has no hair, unlike years ago when it was slicked back and the same color as his facial hair used to be. He stares at her with eyes that show more regret and sadness than Imelda is used to seeing in him, and as he steps closer Imelda can see he's sightly shaking when he stops in front of her.
Imelda just stares at him for a few seconds, bringing her hand to her chest and trying her best not to tear up but failing at that task. She gets to her knees and enfolds him in an embrace, thinking of how she'd watch him play with Victoria and Elena when they were younger or pull Coco into one of the many kisses she'd see them share. Julio exepts her gesture, wrapping his arms around her in the same way.
"I'm happy to see you, Mamá Imelda," he says, his words muffled against the fabric of her dress.
Imelda presses him tighter to her as she speaks. "Me, too." It's all she can and has to say, all the happiness and love she feels coming back to her in a way that for once doesn't make her grimmace because it's not from longing for Héctor this time.
She releases him, stands up, and smiles down at him, watching as he tilts his head and gives her a half smile back in return.
Then, turning toward the door and pushing it open, she says, "Let's go home."
Julio nods and steps up next to her, the two of them walking side by side with Imelda laughing at the stories and jokes Julio tells her the whole way back to the house.