Imelda watches from the top of the stairs as he dashes away from her. She starts to race after him, but the front door bangs closed before she even gets close enough. She wastes no time opening the door and racing out into the night, trying to catch up.

"Héctor! Wait!" she calls.

But he only picks up speed and acts as if he didn't hear her. But Imelda refuses to back down. She, too, picks up her pace and starts gaining on him.

"Héctor!"

She finally catches him and grabs his hand, causing him to startle and yell, whipping around to look at her. His eyes are still full of tears.

Imelda wraps her arms around him, pulling him closer to her. He tries to back out, but Imelda only squeezes him tighter with every struggle.

She thinks of the very first day they met, when they quite literally bumped into each other and fell to the ground. His fear of her was evident back then as well. He looked at her with wide, scared eyes as he shakily stood up. Then he ran the other way, leaving Imelda dumbfounded at how scared he was of her.

Even as they grew closer, she knew Héctor held onto those feelings, and she never blamed him. People like her are sometimes just made to be respected in that way.

"Let go of me." Héctor's voice breaks her out of her memories. He tries to wriggle free again.

Imelda shakes her head and keeps her embrace.

Héctor sighs and finally stops trying to break her hold. He looks her in the eyes. "You still hate me."

"I don't hate you." Imelda squeezes his hand. "I never did."

Héctor tries to break free again and succeeds, backing away and staring at her with an emotionless expression. "You chased me away," he says, shuddering. "You forbid me from speaking to you."

Héctor's eyes are dry. His voice is blunt. But Imelda can see him shaking, trembling, his hands balled into tight fists.

Imelda steps closer to him. "Do you really think I despised you that much?" she asks. "That I loved you one day and turned on you the next? Just like that?"

Héctor nods, shuddering again. "Why else would you chase me away? Or ban me from speaking to the rest of our familia? Or attack me?"

Imelda sighs. "Yes, I was very mad at you for leaving. I made a rule against bringing up your name or speaking of you. I banned music because it made me think of you. But do you know why I did all that?"

Héctor shakes his head slowly.

Imelda steps up to him and grabs both of his hands. "I did it because of my love for you."

Héctor cocks his head at her. "What do you mean?"

Imelda embraces him again. "It hurt me to think of you after you left. It cut me deeply. If I'd hated you, I wouldn't have given it a second thought." Imelda sighs. She feels Héctor tense and take a breath, stiffening in her arms.

"Every time I heard music," she continues, "I thought of you. So I banned it from our house. I, too, remember when I used to shout at you and tear after you, but that was only because I was trying to protect myself from feeling hurt again. I never hated you, Héctor. It was only my own selfishness and rage. But that's behind me now."

She releases him and looks right at him. "If I'd known how it affected you, I would've stopped. You should've told me that you were being troubled like this."

Héctor looks at the ground. "You still love me?"

Imelda nods. "I never stopped. I promise."

Héctor gives her a soft smile, then he frowns. "I didn't want to worry you," he says. "I've had times like this before. There were nights when I didn't go to sleep at all because of our fights. They terrified me so much."

His gaze drops to the ground again. "They still do."

Imelda puts a hand on his shoulder. "I know. I get it. And I'm here for you."

Héctor smiles at her again.

Imelda grabs his hand, turning around. "Let's go home. I think we both need some sleep."

Héctor hesitates. "I don't need anymore sleep," he says, but the yawn he lets loose after that sentence gives him away.

Imelda starts walking. "It'll be fine," she tells him. When he still doesn't follow, she looks behind her, giving him a look.

He starts to trail after her, probably deciding not to argue any further.

The two of them walk home in comforting silence, and Imelda feels happy that Héctor is starting to trust her again.