A/N: Thank you everyone for the love! This is fun! I don't know how many rounds of costumes Héctor will be able to go or if he'll get found out! Hee, but it'll be fun either way!

Choice of costume had taken most of the night to come up with. Well, to be content with. Everything Héctor pondered, or pieced together with what he had, even prior a plan, seemed see through to Imelda. He also realized he couldn't get around the voice problem forever...what was he gonna do? Not talk to her the entire interaction!

Well...maybe...

Not through his own choice, of course, he'd talk her ear she didn't still have off if she'd only let him, but that...was going to be a very hard worked towards goal. Step one, though! Everything about the plan was a long shot, but Héctor Rivera didn't have any short shots.

A jacket to expertly hold in padding and he didn't look quite so skinny and identifiable already! Over this went a tunic type wrap he'd...borrowed...of a very far traveled (though to the Land of the Dead was all the same distance really) skeleton from India; and his also-borrowed-turban to hide his mop of hair. False beard of more than he'd ever had.

Héctor already felt eccentric in this outfit, so just added a bit more for good measure...

Imelda, tough as nails or no, had of course not come to this unknown meeting alone. Most of the usual set of family was with her in the Land of the Dead, but she thankfully (or un-thankfully?) brought two persons Héctor recognized. Her twin Hermanos. They'd grown from when Hector had last seen them even when they'd been adults then. Grown older.

Imelda sized up, discreetly, her client, and Héctor almost felt it was all over! She knew! No...she did not, proven when she took a seat, leading this interaction, but still looked discomfited at the musical area they were in.

"Mr...Khan?", she inquired. It had not been the best thought out of names, but Héctor had been trying to think quickly when it was unexpectedly asked.

He almost lapsed into Spanish. But that was right no talking. Héctor nodded, handing over a sheet of paper, and feeling his mouth without saliva anyway dry all the same. Given the chance to take it in, she was still as beautiful as the day he'd left her.

Looking puzzled, Imelda took the paper and read, "You...must save your voice for your acting career...", she read. Héctor made all sorts of dramatic motions, of yes, and as if acting, talking to the sky. Imelda hummed very decisively judging, "Well then, Mr. Khan, I don't see how we'll...".

Héctor pointed to the sheet again, slower and more polite than he had yesterday with the fiddler, then sat back and looked whatever Important Eccentric Artist looked like. "You will write out your responses...", Imelda read, then placed a hand to where her nose had been, and would have pinched the bridge if she could.

Her helpful hermanos leaned in, or Oscar did first off, whispering, but Héctor heard it, "We can run the messages back and forth". "And you don't want to just give up the sale?", Felipe added lower. For a small moment, Héctor wondered if they knew...they would have aided him in this stunt of his, or had before, with other stunts, when all were alive.

They didn't seem to know though. "Fine", Imelda sighed, glancing to her client again, "What sort of shoes were you thinking Mr. Khan? Other sorts of slippers such as you have and I understand are native? Rest assured we can work well with textiles also so it should be no problem", but she should let him state what he wanted.

Héctor had become distracted, just taking in every small bit of how Imelda was, and how he had missed it all! He snapped to, discretely, and recalled the question he was to answer, looking like he pondered this deeply, then he took up another scrap of paper from the table near him and wrote. Felipe instantly came over to take and deliver it.

Yes, to start and if not too hard a start. I could use many shoes for many parts though, so could call on you often if you wished.

Not a word of that was an actual lie!

Imelda glanced from the note back up, "Yes, well I will start with your slippers and we will see", she sounded not eager about the sale, but Héctor knew that was just over-caution in such from a business owner. She liked the idea of a repeat customer! If, maybe, not his job.

He could, and would, change that last around though, so her aversion to many types of artists was not a problem at all!

He nodded, inclining his head, and bowing with a hand sweep, and almost losing his turban! He quickly righted it, keeping the panicked look towards the ground, so neither Imelda or her brothers noticed anything.

"Yes, well, you may already have it, but here is our address, come by for a proper fitting...I couldn't do it here...", because she wanted out of this den of artists! "and we will get you properly squared away". Imelda handed over a business card, and even if Héctor had tried with all he had, it would have been impossible for his hand not to brush hers lightly as he took it. That and he didn't try.

It had lost the warmth it had in life...and yet hadn't.

He just nodded, glad he had already established why he couldn't speak, because now words escaped him again. Imelda stood, and he did next, to see her to the door. Héctor pondered trying to find some reason other for her to tarry, but the trip again in this get up was enough...of a push at the moment.

Héctor doubted whatever he was gifted, or won, with this, he could ever get enough of time with Imelda. Especially after losing so much so early!

As she passed over the threshold of the building, it was clear Imelda thought very little of her client, and his all but forgetting his manners, and possibly just him in general. Artist that he was.

Héctor would change that where she thought of the actual him! He was sure! Mostly sure...