Author's notes: Here is more 1920s slang to spot.
Berries-Neat
Dumb Dora-A stupid and often naive woman.
Spiffy-an elegant appearance
Giggle Water-alcohol
Vamp-derived from vampires, are also known as femmes fatales. The allure and charms of these seductive women ensnare their lovers, often leading them into fatal situations. The femme fatale was often portrayed as the evolution of an evil goddess or a remorseless queen from the ancient world. Her ability to entrance her victim verged on the supernatural and she could suck the virtue out of good men like a sexual vampire
Chapter 7: Almost Human
"Yo ho yo ho,
"A Pirate's Life for me!" Pirate Captain Barbossa sang.
He was a middle aged man with strawberry blonde hair and a beard, with a black pirate hat. Barbossa had been sailing his ship with his pet monkey, Jack. They had just stolen some gold from Canada. Now, they wonder what treasure they can steal from the United States. Barbossa's ship reached the shores of California and dropped an anchor. He got off the boat and walked on the deck toward the sign that said, "New Santa Ceclia, the East Side."
"New Santa Cecilia, eh?" Barbossa smirked. "What's so new about Santa Cecilia? I bet they got some drink for a hearty pirate for me!"
His pet monkey screeched from the perch on his shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, and for you too, Jack," Barbossa said, rolling his eyes. "Now let's get some giggle water!"
They got off of the deck and headed to a nearby underground speakeasy. After going underground, Barbossa came upon a door with a small window. He knocked on it.
"Who is it?" the man asked, opening the small window.
"Captain Barbossa," the pirate answered.
The man closed the small window, and later opened the door. "Welcome Barbossa!"
The pirate walked in and sat in a chair. He ordered a few drinks to celebrate his birthday.
What started out as one drink turned into two, then three, then four! Barbossa drank and drank and drank, until finally, he collapsed to the ground from alcohol poisoning.
Meanwhile, Jack had started taking alcohol from other patrons for himself. Some of the customers try to catch him, but the animal would spill alcohol all over them. The more bottles he took, and the more people bother him, the more Jack will spill on them. The bartender eventually, got fed up with the monkey and threw him out of the speakeasy.
With his two last bottles of whiskey empty, Jack wondered where else he can get a drink to survive. While journeying through the East Side, Jack started looking around for something that looked like pink lemonade. He passed by Imelda's mansion while heading toward the West Side.
Bruno or Juan as Imelda called him, was in his bedroom. He poured sand in a shape of a circle. He sat down and his eyes glowed green. He had a secret that nobody except his family and a few close friends, knew: he can see into the future. For four years, Juan has been predicting visions for Imelda thus that her robberies would run smoothly. Whenever he receives a vision of Imelda and her gang committing a crime, she'd always ask him if it's worth it. If he predicts that she'd come home with money or liquor, then she can go. If he predicts that she won't come home with anything or someone will get caught, then it's not worth it. This time, Bruno was anticipating for his new vision of the day. The images he saw were of Imelda taking his sister, Frida by force, and another image of Imelda being confronted by a cop.
Juan gasped with widened eyes and a mouth agape.
"Stephanie, where is Imelda?" He asked the girl, who was playing with her homemade rag doll in her bedroom. Her cat, Pepita, had been lying down next to her.
"She is talking with the rest of the gangsters in the meeting room downstairs," The pre-teen answered.
"What were they talking about?"
"Yo no se!" Stephanie shrugged. "I can't hear anything with quartz plastered in every hidden wall!"
Juan groaned, and quickly left the room.
"I wonder why Juan is upset," Stephanie wondered. She scratched her cat's ears. "Do you know why Pepita?"
The cat only meowed and snuggled up to the girl's side. She loved having her ears scratched.
Juan descended down the staircase, as fast as he could.
When he had reached the living room, Imelda and the rest of her gang had exited out of the meeting room. Unluckily for him, they were heading toward the front door.
"All right, people," Imelda announced, inching toward the door. "Does everyone understand the plan?"
"Sure, sure," said, one gang member, named Vinny. He was a fair-skinned man with short black hair, and a mustache. He was dressed in black. "Go to the West Side, meet up with Bubo, kidnap Frida, kidnap her customer, and get the love potion!"
"How do we know who Frida gave the love potion?" an 18-year-old girl asked. She sported a dark blue dress and carried a wrench. "It could be any of those spiffy guys!"
"No need to worry, Audrey," Imelda replied. "Frida will tell us." She placed her hand on the doorknob when Juan called out to her.
"Imelda, Stop!"
Everyone turned around to see their foresight guy catching up to them. It took a while for him to catch is breath.
"You can't do this!" Juan spoke up, straightening up. "Don't kidnap my sister or her customer!"
"Oh yeah!?" The princesa de mafia challenged him. "Why the hell not?"
So Juan told his boss everything that he saw in his vision. "...If you kidnap my sister, it will be a huge scandal! My Mama will be upset, my sisters will be upset, I'll be upset!" He sucked in another breath. "Not to mention that certain people will come knocking on your door for Frida and her customer!"
"That's more details than you usually have!" Imelda sassed, raising an eyebrow at him.
"What if the police catch you?" He retorted.
"He's got a point," another member, Dr. Sweet added, nervously.
Two other members, Cookie and Moe both looked at each other and shivered.
Oscar and Felipe looked so frightened that they hugged each other.
Imelda let out a long sigh. It had crossed her mind on whether or not the police are onto her. Usually, she does not let that worry, thanks to Juan letting her know which places are worth robbing and which ones aren't. Still, she can hear the police talking about locking her up once they ever catch her and her gang. "Unfortunately, Juan, that's the risk we have to take." Placing her hand on the doorknob again, she opened it and walked out.
"But Imelda-" Juan protested.
"You heard me!"
The door was slammed shut.
Juan let out a frustrated groan. He had no choice to stew and worry. 'This is not going to be good.'
"This is going to be so good!" Elena exclaimed, brightly. She and her husband were heading inside the Rivera hacienda.
"What is it Mama?" Berto asked, looking up from his a shoe that he was working on.
"Your mother and I have wonderful news!" Franco announced.
"Yes, but before we tell anyone, we must gather the whole family," Elena reminded him. "Donde esta Héctor?"
Hector and Mama Coco had been outside in the Rivera backyard, watching Miguel playing cricket with his friends, Arthur, Alice Liddell, Christopher Robin Milne, Wendy Darling and her brothers, John and Michael.
"It's so nice to see Miguel playing cricket with his friends," Mama Coco observed.
"Yes," Héctor agreed, as he shined his abuela's black slippers. "Anything that would take his mind off of the missing flower or Mirabel."
"Hola Riveras!" Natalia greeted, as she suddenly arrived. The blonde woman looked relieved to see them.
"Hola Natalia!" Héctor grinned. "What brings you here?"
Natalia held up her black shoe in which the midsole had split from toe cap.
"Ay caramba, Natalia!" Héctor yelped. "What happened?"
"Well...," Natalia winced. "Last night, the factory workers and I had a small office dancing party. I was doing the Charleston, when all of the sudden, my shoe flew off and fell into one of the machines! My boss had to stop them from working so I can pull my shoe out!"
"Why not replace them with brand new ones?" the shoemaker inquired. "We got plenty of dancing shoes!"
"No, no!" Natalia shook her head. "I don't want any! They don't have the same designs as my dancing shoes! Please Héctor, fix my shoe for me!"
Héctor sighed but held his hand out. "All right, give your shoe to me and I'll fix it up in no time!"
"Gracias!" Natalia sighed in relief, taking off her broken shoe. Then she gave it to him.
Héctor put the shoe on his lap. He took out his shoe repair kit and pulled out a pair of scissors, a sewing needle, and some string.
"You owe me," the man murmured, as he started to sew.
"I know!" Natalia smiled apologetically. "35 cents!"
"Natalia, where is that boyfriend of yours?" Mama Coco asked, innocently.
"Boyfriend?" Natalia wondered what the matriarch was talking about.
"The blonde man that always spends time with you."
Just then, Andres came up jogging to them, panting.
"There he is!" The old woman beamed.
Natalia's face heated up. Although Andres was not her boyfriend, she does hold secret romantic feelings for him.
Andres stopped beside Mama Coco and took long deep breaths.
"Um, everything okay, Andres?" Héctor asked him, feeling a bit weirded out by him. "What were you running from?"
"Well…," Andres drawled out, blushing. He really couldn't tell Hector what truly happened. After receiving the love potion from Frida, Andres had run out of the Madrigal residence as fast as a cheetah. He thought of a lie. "Oh, I was chased off by a pretty senorita, heh heh!"
"What poor girl did you try to flirt with?" Hector teased. "Senorita Thelma?"
"No," Andres shook his head.
"Senorita Trixie?"
"No."
"Senorita Amy?"
"No!"
"Hey, I'll go in alphabetical order, if you like."
Mama Coco and Natalia laughed as Andres groaned in embarrassment. Then, the latter woman noticed that Andres was mindlessly, patting on his knapsack.
"What do you have in there, Andres?"
"Uh, nothing!" her crush fibbed. "Nothing at all! Absolutely nothing at all!"
"If you say so," Natalia responded, not truly believing his lie. Before anyone could say something, the matriarch came running over to them.
"Héctor, Mama!" Abuelita called.
"Hola Mama!" Héctor smiled. "What is it?"
"It is time to gather the whole family for a private meeting," the matriarch answered. "Donde esta Miguel?"
"He's playing with his friends."
"Well, tell him to come inside!"
"But what about my shoe?" Natalia pouted.
"You can come inside, too, mija," Abuelita said to her, gently.
"What about me?" Andres asked, giving him the puppy eyes.
Abuelita rolled her eyes. "Fine, Andres! You can come inside too. You might as well hear the news."
It took a while for Andres, Natalia, and the whole Rivera family to gather inside the Rivera hacienda. Miguel had to say goodbye to his friends while Héctor had to resume sewing Natalia's shoe.
"Héctor, your mama and I have good news for you," Franco began. "We have found you a wife!"
"Ow!" The shoemaker was so shocked that he pricked his finger with the needle in the process. "Que!?"
"Who's the lucky girl?" Gloria teased, elbowing her uncomfortable brother.
"Her name is Emiliana Visconti, the daughter of Signor Leonardo Visconti," Franco answered.
"The owner of the Visconti Italian restaurant?" Enrique inquired.
"Yes, that's him." Franco nodded. "I have discussed with him about arranging the marriage between Héctor and Emiliana and he agreed!"
"Oh, such a perfect match for my Héctor!" Abuelita gushed, squishing her son's cheeks. "She is beautiful, obedient, kind, and so wealthy!" Everybody except Mama Coco, Miguel, and Héctor, smiled and made sounds of agreement.
"But what if we don't love each other?" Héctor asked, worriedly. "I don't even know her!" He wanted to argue further that he was no longer interested in marriage, but it would be no use. The match was already set.
"Oh Héctor," Abuelita said, gently. "You and Emiliana will learn to love each other."
"I learned to love Berto," Carmen added.
"I learned to love Enrique," Luisa smiled a bit.
"And I learned to love Yolanda!" Andres grinned. But then he shook his head. "No, wait, that was before I learned she was promised to Tomas."
The rest of the family pretended not to hear Andres.
"We will meet them tonight at the Visconti Family Restaurant," Abuelita continued. "Her father will announce your engagement tonight!"
"What if I don't want to marry her?"
"You have to!"
"But-"
"It's about time you stop thinking about yourself and think about others! You need to get married so Gloria can get married!" Her youngest daughter nodded, firmly.
Héctor rolled his eyes. "Gloria, if you want to get married, go ahead. I'm not stopping you."
"It is custom for the older child to marry before the younger one does," Franco gently, reminded him. "First Berto married Carmen. Then Enrique married Luisa. Now, it is your turn."
"After you, it'll be my turn!" Gloria beamed.
"After her, it'll be my turn!" Abel grinned.
"Then it'll be my turn!" Rosa smiled.
"Then, mine," Miguel spoke up. "Thankfully, I won't have to worry about that for a very long time!"
"Eventually, after Miguel, it'll be Manny and Benny's turns!" Carmen beamed, proudly, as she ruffled one of the toddler's heads.
"Can't I skip a turn?" Héctor asked, while finishing sewing the broken shoe. "I'm sure the community will understand." He was hit in the head by his mother's boot. "Ow!"
"No skipping turns!" The old woman snapped. "I don't want the town to talk about why my son is still single, past his season. Think about your reputation and the family!"
"Also, think of all the free Italian food you'll get if you marry Emiliana!" Andres piped up. "After all, Signor Visconti owns the restaurant."
"Andres, will your band perform love songs onstage?"
"Yes, Senora Rivera! Natalia and I will call the rest of the band!"
"Fantastico!" Abuelita beamed. "Oh, and by the way, it must be classical music; no jazz!" The old lady made a face at that last part. Although she loved music, she much preferred classical music, operetta, and folklore. She took off her shoe and aimed it in Andres' face. "If I hear you and your band playing that devil's music, I shall have to spank you! Do I make myself clear?"
"Of course, Senora Rivera!" Andres quickly nodded his head. He polished her fingernails with a nail polisher. "Anything you say, Senora Rivera!" Then he kissed her hand. He sighed in relief when the matriarch put her shoe back on.
"Bueno," Franco announced. "Then it is settled. Let's get ready for tonight!" Everybody left and was talking all excitedly and cheerfully about Héctor's upcoming engagement.
Miguel stayed behind in the living room for he could not help but notice how desolated and hopeless his favorite uncle looked.
Héctor plopped down on the sofa. "I can't believe this!" He murmured. "How can Mama and Papa do this to me? They should have asked me first!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Mama Coco shook her head. "Oh bah! I'm not fond of this arrangement, either. Why, this idea of arranged marriages is not good. Elena cares more about the family's reputation than who you are comfortable marrying, Héctor. Signor Visconti's not concerned who his daughter is comfortable marrying, either. "
"Emiliana is not so bad," Miguel shrugged, attempting to cheer his uncle up. "It's her brother that gives me the creeps!" He shivered remembering the times that he had seen Ercole making lewd gestures toward Isabella and Rosa. "Mama Coco, didn't you once said that when you marry someone, you marry the family?" Miguel asked.
"Yes, but the groom is the one only one that the bride will get naked with-"
"Mama Coco!" Héctor cried, his face turning red. He quickly covered his favorite nephew's ears. "Not in front of Miguelito!"
"It's okay, Tio," the boy grinned, a bit embarrassed. "I'm almost 13."
"I'm serious," Mama Coco giggled a bit, as she proceeded her story. "Arranged marriages almost ruined my mama's happiness. She was the daughter of a rich man and a socialite. She was supposed to marry one of Mexico's richest bachelors. Although, her father loved him, my Mama didn't. The guy only loved her for her money and beauty. My mama wanted someone who treated her like a regular person. When she met my Papa, he was a cobbler. Papa loved my Mama because of how feisty and smart she was. He asked my Abuelo for my Mama's hand in marriage but my Abuelo forbade it! My Mama did not want to be kept away so she and my Papa did the unthinkable: they eloped!"
Héctor and Miguel both gasped. Elopement meant that either the couple were trying to avoid an out-of-wedlock pregnancy or in Mama Coco's parents' case, didn't receive approval from the parents to marry.
"Then they gave birth to you and lived happily ever after!" Miguel concluded, happily with his arms spread out.
"Yes," Mama Coco smiled. "Life was tough because we had no money but my mother never regretted her decision." The elderly lady looked to her eldest grandson. "What I am trying to say Héctor dear, is that everybody deserves to be loved."
"Yes," Héctor nodded. A small smirk formed on his countenance. "But it is a shame, I don't have someone to elope with."
"Hohoho, you still have a sense of humor!" the old woman laughed.
Meanwhile, Imelda and the gang had arrived in the West Side by driving in two black T-Fords. They drove fast, causing bystanders to scurry away. At last, they met Bubo, who had been waiting for them by the phone booth.
Bubo hopped in the first black T-Ford, driven by Vinny. The second one was driven by Dr. Sweet.
"Direct us to the Madrigal's residence, Bubo," Imelda commanded.
"Yes, Senorita Imelda!" Bubo replied.
Dolores was sitting at the table, stiff as a rock. She was whimpering and whimpering nonstop.
Her aunt shushed her by putting her fingers to her lips, but Dolores still whimpered.
"Dolores, what's wrong?" Felix asked, before taking a sip from his drink.
"Isabella, straighten up your posture," Alma ordered.
The girl did as she was told, feeling a bit rigid.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Luisa, can you answer the door please?" Alma asked, causally.
"O-Okay," Luisa J. stuttered, her knees buckling. She accidentally knocked her chair over as she stood up.
"What is wrong with you grandchildren?" Alma inquired. "You all have been acting quite peculiar ever since we came home." She turned to her youngest daughter. "Frida, did something happen while we were out?"
"Oh, like what?" Frida asked, vaguely. She didn't want to lie but she did not want her mother to know that she had made a love potion.
Suddenly, the whole family heard Luisa J. scream. She screamed so loud that Dolores had to cover her ears.
When the muscular girl came running back to the table, she collapsed onto the table, crying.
"Luisa, who was at the door?" Alma asked.
"The Princesa de Mafia!"
"What!?"
"She's here!" Luisa J. cried. "And so is Bubo!"
"Bubo!?" Isabella gasped.
"Look!" Antonio pointed at something that was front of him with a shaky finger. "Someone's at the window!"
Vinny crashed through one window, and landed on the floor.
Audrey broke through another window.
Mole, who had dug from outside, appeared inside the floor through a tunnel.
They all held their guns and aimed them at the Madrigals, so that they wouldn't run away.
Felix held Antonio protectively in his arms.
Then on cue, Imelda, along with Bubo walked inside the house as if they owned it.
"You forgot to lock your door, mija" Imelda gently chastised a frightened Luisa J. "It's not safe to close it without locking it." The mafia lord turned to her former friend. "Ah, Frida, it's been a long time!"
"Hola Imelda," Frida waved a bit nervously.
"Bubo, what's going on?" Isabella asked the teenage boy.
"That's what I like to know!" Alma glared at Imelda. "How dare you come here uninvited in the middle of our dinner!"
Baring teeth, the Mafia Lady pointed her gun at the Elderly lady. 'So, this is the woman that drove Mirabel away!' She thought viciously. Her finger on the trigger, Imelda was tempted to press it. But logic reminded her that this was not the right time to torture the lady over her ward. Lowering her gun, the gangster decided to stick to her original mission. She'd deal with that old crone some other day.
"Sorry to intrude, Senora Madrigal, but we have business to tend to," Imelda snarled. "Frida, Bubo has informed me that you made a love potion for someone. Is that true?"
"No!" Frida lied.
"Perhaps we can ask the other witnesses!" Bubo said, referring to their target's nieces and nephews. "Tia Frida made a love potion for a customer while I was here for lunch, didn't she?"
"Well," Dolores stammered.
"Yes," Camillo coughed.
"Aha!" Imelda barked. "So you did break your promise to me!"
"Even if she did, she's sorry!" Pepa said, worriedly, trying to save her sister.
"Who did you give the love potion to?" Imelda demanded Frida, targeting her gun at her.
"Andres," Frida answered breathlessly. "I gave it to Andres, the son of the mayor. He asked me to make it for him so he can use it on a girl he likes."
"Where is he?" Imelda snapped. "I demand to know so I can grab the love potion from him!"
Frida was silent. She had no idea where Andres could be.
The whole family gasped when Imelda touched Frida's temple with her gun.
"He's at the Visconti Italian Restaurant!" Dolores squealed. "That's where he is right now!"
"Gracias, mija," Imelda smiled, lowering her gun. She turned to Bubo. "Tie Frida up!"
Bubo agreed and did as she commanded him.
"No, stop!" Alma beseeched. "Don't take her!" She jumped back when she saw the mafia aiming her weapon toward her.
"We're only making sure that Frida tells the truth," Imelda's voice was so icy that it sent shivers down Alma's spine.
"Bubo, what are you doing?" Isabella gasped in disbelief.
"Sorry, Isa," Bubo said emotionlessly. "I had to do this."
"You pretended to court me so you can kidnap my aunt!?" Isabella screeched. "I can't believe you!"
"I'm sorry but I'm following orders!" Bubo felt his heart was breaking. He really did not want to do this to Isabella but what choice did he have?
"Fine!" Isabella, cried, tears running down her cheeks. "I don't need you! I'm going to marry Héctor anyway! At least he doesn't use me!"
"Héctor, huh?" Bubo sneered, jealously bubbling up inside of him. "Well, godspeed with that! He doesn't even love you or anyone!"
If Imelda and her gang weren't holding guns at the Madrigals, someone would have dared to rescue Frida. The said victim would have made an attempt to break free if Bubo didn't have such a good grip on her. When Bubo dragged Frida out of the house, Dr. Sweet, Cookie, and Wilhemnia came and escorted her into the car.
Back in the house, Imelda dropped a bag of money onto the dinner table. "For your silence that no one will know that you told me where Frida's customer was." She backed up toward the door, still holding her gun at them. "Come on gang, vadamos!" She ordered. Audrey, Vinny, and Moe joined her and they closed the door.
"There he is, Ernestina!" Ellen whispered to Ernestina De La Cruz.
Ernestina and her girl group were sitting by a table, hidden by tall potted plants. They can see Héctor from a distance, who was at the table with his parents, Signor Visconti and his daughter, Emiliana.
"Bueno," Ernestina whispered back. "Girls, I know for sure that he will love me!"
She also spotted Andres who was just walking into the dine-and-dance restaurant. She called him over.
"Did you get the love potion?" she whispered.
"I got it!" Andres whispered back.
"Good," Ernestina smiled evilly. "When you sing with your band, I will dance with Héctor toward you and that is when you pour your love potion on him. Make no mistakes, comprehende?"
"Comprehende!"
"I'm not feeling so sure about this betrothal," Héctor muttered, as he took a seat at a long table with a tablecloth. His parents seated next to him with Franco one on his left and Elena on his right. The rest of the adults took their seats as well.
"Give it a chance, mijo," Franco gently assured him.
"Straighten up," Elena hissed. "We want to look very presentable!"
Then, Signor Visconti and his daughter approached them to the table. The man was a large man with a big potbelly and a receding brown hairline.
"Ah, Senor and Senora Riveras!" Signor Visconti warmly greeted them. "So glad of you to come!"
"Likewise," Franco stood up and bowed to him as his family followed suit.
"May I present to you my daughter, Emiliana," Signor Visconti announced as the woman did a curtsey with her blue dress. She had a slim figure, hazel eyes, and her brown hair was in a faux bob.
"How kind of you to come," Emiliana spoke warmly.
"Likewise," Héctor smiled, politely.
When Signor Visconti and his daughter took their seats, Elena made sure that Emiliana sat near to Héctor, much to her son's embarrassment.
"My daughter is from a very well-bred family," Signor Visconti spoke. "She has just graduated from Lady's Academy from Switzerland. My goal is for her to marry someone who comes from a very good family and makes very good money. I want to make sure that her husband can provide for her financially. Can your son do that?"
"Oh course!" The old woman nodded her head, very fast. "Héctor is a wonderful man! He has a hard-working job, loves children and animals, never gets into trouble-"
"Sometimes!" Berto joked. He received a stomping on his foot from his wife. "Ow!"
"-is very protective, and has his father's handsome looks!"
"Mama!" Héctor cringed, feeling embarrassed.
"I see," Signor Visconti said, sizing Héctor up, making him more uncomfortable than ever.
"So Emiliana, tell me, what was your experience at Lady's Academy like?" Héctor asked, trying to be polite.
"Oh, it was very nice," Emiliana said, very politely. "We learned…,"
Soon Héctor found himself at ease conversing with Emiliana as she talked about her time at Lady's Academy. One of the stories he had learned about her was her time in cooking class. "You learned how to cook a crème brule? Berries!"
"Oh, it's a tough dish to make," Emiliana smiled a bit embarrassed. "Well, I've told you about me, tell me about yourself."
"Where to start?" Héctor wondered, a bit nervous.
"What are your hobbies?"
"Guitar, writing songs, and knife throwing!"
"Knife throwing!?" Signor Visconti was alarmed.
The rest of the Rivera family silently groaned. Why did Héctor have to mention that dangerous topic?
"Oh, what is knife-throwing?" Emiliana asked, kindly.
Excitedly, Héctor explained what knife-throwing is and how much he enjoyed it.
"Things are going well," Luisa whispered to her husband.
"Yes, but did he have to talk about knife-throwing?" Enrique hissed.
"I know, but this is what he feels comfortable talking about."
"His hobby will be too dangerous for his future children."
"Speaking of children," Carmen spoke. "Berto, can you see how Rosa and the boys are doing at the kids' table?"
Berto turned his head to see the kids' table nearby. The shoemaker could see that Rosa was being creeped out by Emiliana's little brother, Ercole. He wondered how old was that boy. Last week, he was making moves on Isabella Madrigal and now, he's eyeing his daughter!? Thankfully, his eldest son, squeezed in between Ercole and Rosa so that his sister would be safe. His nephew had excused himself to go to the bathroom. He doesn't blame his daughter for wanting to get away from Ercole.
'Gee, that Ercole creeps me out!' Miguel thought as he headed toward the restroom. 'I don't like the way he was eyeing Rosa!' He stopped when his older friend rushed to him, looking a bit frantic.
"Miguel, have you seen Andres?" Natalia asked the boy. "Our show is going to start in ten minutes and I haven't seen him yet!"
"He's here!" Miguel recalled. "But I'm not sure where he is right now."
Natalia sighed. "Well, wherever he is, he better be quick!"
"I'm right here, my lady!" Andres shouted, as he slid across the floor. "I'm ready for showtime!"
"Good, because we are about to perform a love song as a tribute to Héctor and Emilia. Then their parents will announce their engagement."
"Right, we'll just play one of our love songs that we already know," Andres stated. He was about turn around, when Natalia stopped him.
"Andres, what is inside your knapsack?"
Before Andres could reply, Natalia opened his knapsack and pulled out a pink bottle.
"Is this alcohol!?" Her face crumpled up in disgust. "Andres, how could you!"
"It's not alcohol!" Andres quickly shushed her, grabbing the bottle from her. But in the process of grabbing the bottle, it slipped from his fingers.
Thankfully, the youngest Rivera boy caught it before it fell to the floor. Miguel observed the bottle. "Is it pink lemonade?"
"No, it's not pink lemonade, either!" Andres said with annoyance, snatching the bottle from Miguel's hands. "It's a love potion!"
"A love potion?" Natalia frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"
"There's no such thing as a love potion!" Miguel chuckled, shaking his head.
"Of course there is!" Andres said. "It's real and I traded my family heirloom brooch for it!"
"Where did you get it from?" Miguel asked, wondering what shop sells bottles at such a high price.
"Oh, I got it from a...joke shop!" Andres lied, smiling really big.
"A joke shop?" The boy raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Really?"
"It works!" Andres insisted.
"A joke shop!?" Natalia parroted.
"I had my reasons!" Andres protested.
"You found a love potion at a joke shop and decided it was worth wasting money on it!?" Natalia cried.
"Come on, Andres, even I'm not that naive!" Miguel agreed.
"Okay, I know it was a bit expensive, but it was worth it!" Andres argued, putting the potion back in his knapsack. "Trust me! It's going to help me win Gloria's heart!"
"Tia Gloria!?" Miguel's eyes nearly popped out of his eye sockets. "You got to be kidding me!"
"What happened to Trixie?" Natalia added, bringing up his last flame. Her voice held a hint of jealously. "Or Roxie or Thelma or Tootsie or Amy?"
"Those girls were either boring or liked me for being the son of the mayor!" Andres hand waved the question carelessly. "But Gloria is the only girl that treats me like a human being and I can marry her!" Then he saw Ernestina waving to him from afar. "Well, gotta go onstage! Don't want to keep the public waiting!" Without anymore words, he scurried off onstage.
"What about me?" Natalia grumbled, her eyes casting down to the ground. "I am a girl and I treat him like a human being."
"I doubt that Abuelita would let him court Tia Gloria, anyway," Miguel said, trying to cheer her up. "Godspeed!" Then he went away to the restroom.
Although Natalia didn't respond, she did manage a small smile, and followed Andres.
Right then, there was an open window in the wall. Jack the Monkey, had crawled inside and looked for some drinks to steal.
A few minutes later, Dante hopped inside right away. He was grateful that the monkey had opened the door; not too many humans leave it open. The dog landed on his four feet and began sniffing for some meat.
While the dog headed toward the kitchen, Jack had traveled through the hallway. On impulsive, he stole a cup of apple juice from some little boy, who cried.
Then the monkey jumped high and grabbed onto the chandelier. There, he can drink and see everything from above. He kept himself hidden so that no human would see him.
Héctor tasted the spaghetti.
"How do you like the food?" Emiliana asked.
"Delicious!" Héctor smiled. "I like how it tastes! What is the recipe?"
"Oh, it's the usual spaghetti recipe," Signor Visconti answered. "We just added truffle oil as a finishing touch to our dish."
Suddenly, Andres emerged onstage besides Natalia and their band.
"Attention Ladies and Gentlemen!" He announced, touching the love potion bottle in his knapsack. "We are going to play some music-don't worry, it won't be jazz!" He got a lot of laughs from the crowd. "So grab a partner and come to the dance floor!" Andres gave his band a number to play. He and Natalia began to vocalize the notes to the 1911 song, "Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey." It was a sweet song, suitable for slow dancing.
While Hector arose from his seat, someone in the shadows was tiptoeing to him.
"Would you like to dance?" Héctor asked Emiliana, extending his hand out.
Emiliana smiled and arose. But before she could place her hand in his, someone beat her to it.
"Of course, darling!" Ernestina snatching Héctor's hand.
"Ernestina!?" the shoemaker gasped before trying to shake her off. "What the heck!?"
"What are you doing here!?" Elena shouted, standing up. "Hands off my son, you vamp!" The other Riveras stood up as well, angered that this traitor decided to show up. Berto, Enrique, and Carmen even aimed their forks at the runaway bride.
"Temper, temper, Riveras," Ernestina gently scolded them, in a sing-song voice. "I wouldn't cause a scene if I were you. Oh no, no, no, no, that would be most improper and everybody would talk about how immature you acted, don't you think?"
"I'm going to check on my kitchen staff," Signor Visconti quickly excused himself. He walked away muttering at how "dishonest" the Riveras were acting. They never told him that Héctor was truly over his ex-fiance.
The Riveras seethed with anger. They are torn between defending Hector and embarrassing themselves in public.
"I was going to ask-" Héctor started, only to be interrupted by his ex-fiance.
"Exactly!" Ernestina rudely interrupted him, tightening her grip on him.
"Excuse me," Emiliana voiced so politely. "I was going to dance with Héctor Rivera. I don't think he wants to dance with you."
The flapper inched her face so closely that the Italian girl had to back off. "Listen honey," she said so saccharinely. "I was Héctor's girl first! You can't just dance with someone's ex-boyfriend! That's against the rules of feminism!"
"No, it's not!" Mama Coco whispered to her daughter-in-law, Carmen.
"Oh but, Héctor-"
"-doesn't realize that he secretly misses me and still loves me, so BACK OFF, YOU DUMB DORA!"
Emiliana shrank back at the woman's harsh tone three feet away from her and her suitor.
"Okay," she whimpered. "He's yours!" The Italian girl did not want to deal with that terrible woman!
"That's more like it!" Ernestina said with a smug look. She dragged a reluctant Héctor to the dance floor, away from his shocked family, and a trembling woman.
"What are you doing?" Héctor asked her angrily, keeping his voice low. "You are acting ridiculous!"
"I just want to get back together with you, mi amor," Ernestina said so smoothly. She was leading him toward the stage, where Andres can see them.
"Don't you call me that," the shoemaker growled at her.
"Oh come now, Héctor," The vamp chuckled, darkly. "Why are you acting so cold? Does this have to do with me leaving you on the altar?"
"No," Héctor grumbled. "It was your lack of loyalty!"
"Oh don't worry," Ernestina said half-listening. She was made eye contact with Andres who was singing. "When we get back together, we will be loyal to each other no matter what." She gave the blonde man a thumbs up while nodding her head to the shoemaker. The singer gave her a thumbs up and began reaching for the love potion. 'Perfect!' Ernestina's smile was the shape of a crescent moon. 'Soon Héctor will love me again. Once I marry him, I'll kill him and gain his finances.'
"May I cut in?" a masculine voice spoke.
The mismatched couple turned their heads to see who it was.
"Agustin!" the shoemaker smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"Julieta and I are here for dinner and dancing. It's something we do every Friday. Now, I believe this woman promised me a dance earlier," Agustin said, as he took an unwilling and angry Ernestina away from Héctor.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Ernestina snarled. Before she could slap Agustin or do something, the bespectacled man firmly held her hands and forced her to keep up with the beat. The shoemaker had taken the opportunity to slip away and shoot a grateful look to his friend.
"Does your wife know about this?" Ernestina grumbled at him.
"Of course, she knows!" Agustin smiled in a cheery way. "She doesn't mind." He winked at Julieta from the distance, who winked back at him.
After slipping away from Ernestina, Hector spotted Julieta right away. He figured out right away that they saved him.
"Gracias Julieta!"
"Oh don't thank me, Héctor," Julieta smiled. "Thank Luisa and Enrique!" She referred to her best friend and her husband who were standing nearby her. "They just came to me and my husband for help."
Héctor was so grateful that he hugged Luisa and Enrique. "Thanks guys!"
"Of course!" Luisa said, sweetly.
"You'd think we let that terrible vamp steal you away from us?" Enrique inquired. "Besides, I have to do something or else something bad would happen!"
"Like Mama exploding?" Héctor joked.
"Yeah!" Enrique laughed.
"Or something else!" Luisa added.
"Andres, Andres!" Ernestina hissed through her teeth. She was desperately glaring at the singer and pointing to Agustin. "It's not Héctor, it's not Héctor!" Her whispered alarms fell on deaf ears.
"Darn this thing!" Andres grunted, still struggling to open the bottle. He was too busy to notice the flapper. He pulled and pulled the cork but it refused to be opened. He was so focused on the love potion, that he failed to notice the many changes in his surroundings, such as some of his bandmates being replaced onstage by gangsters one by one.
Oscar and Felipe quickly hopped onstage with their trumpet players. Sharing each other a mischievous grin, they inhaled and blew air into their trumpets.
Natalia and all the dancers covered their ears, wondering who changed the music from classical to jazz.
Meanwhile, Jack was still on the chandelier. The animal couldn't find any interesting alcohol to steal. Other than that fruit juice, how could this establishment not have any wine? Looking down, Jack spotted a human with blonde locks, struggling to open a bottle. Thinking it was pink champagne, Jack jumped off the chandelier and lunged toward the blonde musician.
"Are you sure you do not want to try dancing with Senorita Emiliana?" Luisa asked.
"I'm sure," Héctor responded. "I'm not interested in her."
"Oh, but she's a sweet girl!" Enrique emphasized. "She's everything a wife should be!"
Héctor shook his head. "Yes, she's sweet but after what just happened, I don't want to sign her up for abuse. Look guys, even I have to get married, I want someone that can shut down Ernestina's nonsense."
Just then, they heard the classical song being changed into hardcore jazz. All the adults covered their ears.
"What is that terrible sound?" Julieta winced.
"That's the worst music that I ever heard!" Luisa agreed, her hands over her ears.
"How do people dance to this?" Enrique cringed.
Finally, Andres forced the bottle open. "Haha!" He cried victoriously. Before he could look for Hector, he was collided with a monkey, causing some drops to fall from the bottle.
Natalia screamed, at the sight of gangsters and a monkey wrestling with Andres.
"Tio Héctor! Tio Héctor" Miguel came running. He tugged his uncle on his suit jacket. "The gangsters are back!"
"What?" Héctor gasped. That was when he heard Natalia scream and faced the chaos among the stage. "Oh no!" He pulled out his throwing knife from his knife pocket sheath.
The boy attempted to follow to help but Enrique held him firmly by the shoulder.
Before Natalia could reach for her friend, two other gangsters, Audrey and Wilhelmina grabbed her by the arms. "Andres, let go of the love potion!" she pleaded, watching her friend and the monkey in a tug of a war over the bottle. She feared that the monkey would bite his nose off.
"The love potion!?" Agustin gasped. Only he as a member of the Madrigal family, would recognize his sister-in-law's signature bottle. He was so shocked that he lost his grip on his dance partner. "Oh no!" He ducked, not wanting to be splashed.
Andres had pulled the bottle so hard that it splashed onto his face. As soon as the potion splashed on him, he was covered up in a big bag immediately by Dr. Sweet and Vinny.
"We got him!" Vinny shouted to someone off-stage. "We got the customer!"
Immediately, Héctor hopped onstage, trying to fight off the gangsters, only to be overpowered by Mole and Cookie.
The love potion which had slipped from Andres' fingertips rolled away to the ground. Before Agustin could reach for it, Jack, the monkey, picked up the bottle. The animal opened the bottle and took a sniff. His face scrunched up and turned his head away. This was not champagne! Curiously, he looked at the bottle and saw it was all sparkly.
"Hey, give me back the bottle!" Agustin ordered.
The monkey shrieked defiance at him and jumped in the air.
Agustin tried follow it but the monkey swung onto the chandelier and out of the open window.
"Where's my love potion?" a female alto voice demanded through the microphone. Her shoes producing the sounds as she walked onstage to the center. Click-clack-clik-clack. When the figure stepped out of the shadows, the first thing everybody saw were her black stiletto shoes. Next, her black sheen hat surfaced in the light. Then, her dark purple dress was seen by everyone. Then, at last, her face appeared. The woman had hair up in a chignon bun with purple ribbons, which were covered by her wide brimmed hat. She had a long cigarette holder in her mouth. The woman pulled it away from her face but no smoke appeared from her dark lips.
Everybody screamed and ran for their lives, immediately. Many men rushed out of the door. Women also followed pursuit. Mothers grabbed their children before whisking away.
Signor Visconti, and Ercole both screeched and bolted out of the door.
Not wanting to be caught or get into trouble, Ernestina and her friends hid behind tall plants in pots where no one could see them.
Emiliana left the restaurant to check on her father and brother.
Héctor gasped. He had heard about the Princesa de Mafia. She had robbed many stores and the bank many times. Sometimes she bribed people into giving her money. He scanned her up from toe to head. She wore a dark dress that went down to her calves. He wasn't sure what to think, she looked different than she did on the newspapers. 'Beautiful but dangerous,' was the phrase that went through his head. The dark beauty before him, held a white guitar with a skeleton skull on the head. He watched her strum some strings very fast.
"What did I ever do to you
"That you should treat me this way?" Imelda sang, into the microphone. She turned to the side and saw the twins, Benny and Manny Rivera screaming at the sight of her. Inwardly, she winced, feeling bad that she scared them.
"Is it really such a crime
"For an angel to speak her mind
"Anytime I'll try to shed some light?" She proceeded singing.
Imelda walked over to the center part of the stage where Héctor was being restrained.
"If I were a big girl I wouldn't cry
"But since I'm not a big girl
"I'll have to cry!"
Luisa and Enrique held their son protectively in their arms, as they looked at Imelda with terror in their eyes.
Elena fainted and would have hit the ground had Franco not caught her.
"What did I ever do so wrong
"That you should cast me from grace
"Though I love to rule in Hell here
"How I miss the taste of Heaven!"
Imelda looked over to the right side of the crowd. She could see Carmen holding her daughter, Rosa, and Berto hugging his son, Abel.
"Its soft and cool embrace
"If I were a big girl I wouldn't cry
"But since I'm not a big girl I'll have to close my eyes
"And picture what it's like I'm just like you
"I'm made by He
"Despised by they I'm almost me
"I'm nearly human!"
Imelda swung her arm wide, her cape flashing as if she were a vampire.
"Look at me
"I'm almost a human being
"I'm just like you I'm made by He
"Despised by they I'm almost me!
"I'm nearly human
"Pity me I'm almost a human being!"
She made sharp gestures to her gang to carry the big brown bag away to the T-Ford, which was parked outside.
"Hey!" Héctor shouted angrily. He struggled trying to break free from the two goons. "Give me back my best friend, you angel of death!"
Imelda paused singing. "Who dares to raise their voice at me?"
"This shoemaker, your grace," said one of the men that was holding Héctor back.
Imelda made her way over to the shoemaker that was seething and gnashing teeth at her. She brought her face close to him 5 inches apart.
"Bring me the love potion, shoemaker, or else you'll never see your best friend, again," the mafia lord growled.
"I'll have you behind bars!" Héctor sneered, slapping her in the face.
Imelda's eyes were widened at the fact that a man dared to slap her. Growling, she narrowed her eyes at the shoemaker and slapped him right back with her free hand. She slapped him so hard that he nearly fell down, causing her henchman to nearly lose their grip on him.
"Oh, she's tough!" Mama Coco murmured, while sitting in her chair. Although she was not cowering in fear like the others, the old lady was a bit apprehensive. "Just like my Mama!"
"I still remember your light," Imelda resumed singing and playing her guitar. The young woman had glanced at the old woman in a wheelchair. For some reason, her demeanor full of kindness and innocence reminded the gangster of herself when she was a small child.
"And it was streaming down
"And burning out my eyes
"If I were a big girl I wouldn't cry
"But since I'm not a big girl I'll have to close my eyes
"And picture what it's like!"
She turned her head back to Héctor, who was forced to stand up and look at her back in the eye. Although she glared at him, she was surprised that this shoemaker glared right back at her.
"I'm just like you I'm made by He
"Despised by they I'm almost me
"I'm nearly human
"Look at me I'm almost a human being!"
Héctor clenched his hand into a fist and attempted to punch her. Right on cue, Imelda blocked his fist. She smirked, having to give this idiot credit for being so bold.
"These tears are real
"I'm jealousy
"I'm spite and hate
"To the core I'm mean
"I'm nearly human
"Look at me I'm almost a human being
"I'm just like you Better than He
"To Hell with they I'm almost me
"I'm nearly human
"Pity me I'm almost a human being!"
"Go away!" Héctor barked.
"You don't have the love potion, do you, shoemaker?" Imelda taunted him.
"Wait, I have the love potion!" Natalia shouted out to her. This was a lie, she knew. But she had to say something or else her friend would get hurt.
"Then give it back!" Imelda growled, looking at her.
"… I don't have it," Natalia was forced to admit, shrugging helplessly.
Before Imelda could strike down the blonde flapper with her guitar, she was approached by a familiar woman.
"Wait!" Julieta cried as her husband stood beside her. "Why do you want the love potion?"
"How do you know about it?" Agustin inquired, trying to be stern through his fear. "Nobody except my family knows!"
Imelda faced them. Her muscles tensed up and she bared her teeth. The mafia lord knew very well, who this couple was. "Your sister made the love potion for a customer and I must punish her!"
"You can't be serious!" Agustin cried.
"I'm afraid I am!" Imelda snapped, referring to her two goons holding Frida as prisoner, as they approached onstage.
"FRIDA!?" Agustin and Julieta both exclaimed.
"Hola Julieta and Agustin," Frida greeted, weakly. She would have waved had if her hands weren't tied up. "Everything Imelda has said was true."
"You see, she admits it!" The princess of the mafia barked, before signaling her crew orders. "Take her away!"
"Por favor, Senorita Imelda!" Julieta cried, tears forming in her eyes. "Please don't take my sister! Have mercy!"
Anger bubbled up inside the Mafia Mistress. Swiftly, she directed her gun at Julieta and Agustin, who froze. "If you could plead half this well before losing your family, maybe you wouldn't keep losing them!" the mafia mistress yelled. "Bring the love potion to me by sunrise or all of you will be next!" Then she raised her weapon and shot the chandelier four times. Julieta, Agustin, and the rest of the Riveras cried and scurried away as the chandelier came crashing down to the ground. "Vadamos, people!" She ordered her gang, carrying the big brown bag and Frida.
Héctor broke free from the two men and chased after Imelda. He didn't care that his life was on the line, he wanted his friends back.
"YOU MONSTER!" The shoemaker yelled. He attempted to grab the mafia lord by her arm only to be slapped by her.
"Don't touch me, oh I couldn't bear the thought of it, now!" she sang to him.
Although, her face was full of mischief, her heart sank the moment he called her that horrible name. She would later wonder why that bothered her so much. The more that shoemaker tried to touch her, the more she blocked him.
"Don't touch me, oh I couldn't bear the strain
"Don't touch me, oh I couldn't bear the thought of it, now
Imelda sang as she and her gang exited the restaurant through her T-Ford and drove off. The remaining members of her gang, hopped on the second T-Ford and followed her.
"Touch me," Imelda sang softly to herself, as she looked back. That shoemaker was still standing by the door, watching her go away. She turned away, her eyes shut almost in pain.
"Touch me
"Touch me," The mafia lord shook her head, not having time to think about those deep brown eyes.
"Don't touch me
"Touch me
"Touch me…" She was there for business and she had accomplished that.
Simultaneously, Jack the monkey had swung through trees and landed on the ground in an area in which no human can touch him. Curiously, the monkey tipped the bottle over. He wasn't planning on drinking it anymore. Just then a few drops sparkled as soon as they reached the dirt. This distracted the monkey from dumping the rest of the bottle. Some of the drops had fallen on a caterpillar and an ant. The minute the two bugs saw each other, they instantly became enamored with each other. This sight looked very interesting to Jack. He decided to have a little fun with it. Maybe it will keep humans from picking on him!
