El Viaje de Coquita
El Capítulo Veintidós

With the impromptu tour underway, Socorro started taking in every detail she could for any trace of knowledge on Ernesto's part of what kept Héctor from coming home.

Ernesto started off at the mansion garden, where Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete were chatting. Ernesto called their attention to him, and they started talking with the two Cocos. Socorro's discussions only brought her details of how much they enjoyed Ernesto's parties, but they knew little to nothing about their host beyond what everyone else knew.

Next was the polo court, where a match was in progress with players riding skeleton horses. Socorro was confused that the horses were skeletons rather than alebrijes, but Coco explained to the girl that they were ghosts of the horses they rode when they were alive. Ernesto headed for the next stop before Socorro could get anyone's attention there.

Then they went back inside, where they mingled with the folks in the lounge. Socorro showed off a few of her facial features, earning laughs from the guests. Ernesto remarked how distant the memories of being alive were for him, prompting Socorro to tease him about how he must have wished he'd gotten famous sooner so he could've achieved more during his life.

Back in the foyer, they talked about Ernesto's films as they played on the projector screens draped on the walls. Ernesto's favorite movie was "El Camino a Casa", about a farmer seeking to reclaim his land from a greedy executive who grew up with him. Together, they acted out the film's climax as it played before them, with the villain trying to poison the hero, but failing.

Ernesto mentioned that he did all his own stunts at that point, earning Socorro a surprised smile. Having already watched all of Ernesto's films with her brother, she had all of them memorized and couldn't think of anything from them that explained Ernesto's secret of success.

The next stop was the music hall. Coco offered to fetch a drink for Ernesto as an excuse to not have to listen to the songs being played there. Socorro had a feeling based on what she read from her brother's book of why she didn't want to hear those songs, but she kept those thoughts private.

Finally, Ernesto brought the girls to his private quarters safe from all the guests in the mansion.

"All of this came from my amazing fans in the Land of the Living. They leave me more offerings than I know what to do with."

Socorro watched as a group of chihuahua alebrijes fought over a drumstick. "How do you go about collecting all of this?"

"That's actually one of the great things about being famous. Almost everyone who makes ofrendas for me has dead family of their own, and those spirits can escort offerings for me to the Land of the Dead, and they are then brought to me."

Coco picked up a plate of pan dulce and a plate of tamales. "So, if someone offered you tamales and me pan dulce, I would keep the pan dulce and the tamales would be brought to you?"

"Sí." Ernesto picked up one of the chihuahuas. "Offerings from the living are what the dead use as currency, so in my case, admission to my Sunrise Spectacular would be offerings for me. And the celebrities' stockpiles keep the Land of the Dead running until the next Día de Muertos."

Socorro nodded. "Okay, that makes sense. So this way, you don't have to visit all your ofrendas in one night."

Ernesto chuckled. "Even the dead can't be in two places at once."

Coco shrugged. "Bueno, they could; they just couldn't do a lot that way."

"Verdad." An explosion outside the window brought Ernesto's eyes to the night sky. "OOHOO! The fireworks have begun!"

Ernesto, the two Cocos, and the chihuahuas watched as fireworks decorated the skies above the courtyard.

Outside, Pepita had dropped off Imelda at the edge of the tower roof, and the late shoemaker started looking for her daughters.

Unknown to her, Héctor was on the other side of the mansion with the same objective.

After a while, Ernesto and the two Cocos went downstairs to the empty foyer.

"Soon, the party will move across town to my Sunrise Spectacular."

"This really is the afterlife, isn't it?"

"Por supuesto."

"My brother always wanted to be a musician just like you. But he could never for the life of him figure out your secret to success."

"It wouldn't be a secret if everyone knew it, now would it?"

Socorro laughed. "I guess not. It's just a total mystery how little you've revealed about your life away from the audience and how you got from Santa Cecilia to where you are now. Surely, there's someone you're willing to open up to."

"What can I say? It can be fun to read about the stories people think up about me. When imagination is allowed to run wild, it gives others the chance to seize their moment."

"Even the darker stories?"

He shrugged. "Everyone famous will have people thinking unsavory thoughts of them."

Coco looked around. "Bueno, I think it's time I get you home, mija. It's getting close to sunrise."

Ernesto thumbed over his shoulder. "Pedals are on the banister."

"Gracias." Coco went to get one.

"It has been an honor to have you here tonight."

"Gracias, Señor de la Cruz."

"I'm sorry to see you go. I hope we meet again when your time comes."

Coco returned with a pedal. "But not too soon."

Socorro chuckled. "Sí, I'd like to grow old like you before I'm here for good."

Ernesto smiled. "It's definitely a dream worth pursuing."

Coco presented her bisanieta with her pedal. "Socorro, I give you my blessing."

She didn't get any further before two voices cried out "There you are!" from opposite sides of the foyer.