Is two songs in one chapter too much? Maybe, but this is a story about music, and everything. Plus they aren't going to be appearing again, so I thought, why not? Besides, both have a particular significance, after all.
Also, not sure if anyone is even going to get the chapter update with all of this website's problems! Lol! But I didn't want that to stop me from posting. So, if anyone does read this, I hope you enjoy!
Perla wasted no time in making plans for Becca's supposed 'big performance', mostly focusing on clothes. Only occasionally hassling Héctor with song ideas. However, instead of being upset, or bothered by the idea of Becca taking part in a music competition, to her surprise and confusion, the prospects seemed to be energizing him. Which translated into him redoubling his efforts of trying to teach her how to play the guitar. Even so. . .
The lessons she didn't mind at all. In fact, it's what she'd been wanting all along. It was the idea of having to play and sing in front of a large crowd of people – and then be judged for it! Of course, the Apology Song had gone over fine, but what would happened if she tried to perform something that was a little more, closer to her home? How would they react then? She supposed that only time would tell.
For the moment, however, lessons had been put on pause in favor of outfit creation. Apparently due to money being hard to come by in the land of the 'nearly-forgotten', it was much more affordable to simply buy materials to make one's own clothes. Which, of course, Perla had no qualms about enlisting Becca's help in, insisting that she should since this dress was going to be for her, after all.
Not to sound ungrateful, but Becca wasn't really sure about this 'show dress' she was creating. Perla sat her down before handing her the pieces of the dress to put together. Becca took them with a skeptical look at the odd assortment of bright colors. It wasn't exactly what she had in mind, definitely not her usual style, but oh well. If nothing else, it would at least keep her hands busy for the moment. Her mother had taught her the basics of sewing, but the back-stitch was the only thing she really knew. Hopefully that would be good enough for this.
Conversation flowed over her as she worked, Spanish words wafting around like so much generic background noise. Becca attempted to puzzle out what was being said, but the majority of it was too quick for her to successfully follow. Nothing really registered until there seemed to be an abrupt, out of place, break that caught her attention.
Chuy had been halfway through a sentence when he suddenly stopped and studied Becca for a moment before continuing.
"Le molesta que hablemos en español?" he wondered at the others, particularly at Héctor.
However, before anyone had a chance to respond, Becca piped up of her own accord.
"No," she stated simply.
All eyes turned to her in confusion.
"What?" Héctor finally asked her.
"No, it doesn't bother me. I'm getting used to it," she explained casually.
Everyone stared at her in stunned silence. After a second of the uncomfortable quiet, Becca looked up to see what was going on. She felt a little nervous seeing them all looking at her like that.
"What?" she demanded, still not understanding what she'd done that had been so offensive, apparently.
"How. . .?" Héctor questioned her, and then it clicked in her mind what was happening.
"Jeeze!" she exclaimed with an eye roll, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "You really think I haven't been paying any attention?! Also, I can pick up some things from context, ya know!" she snapped irritably. "It's just like at the stupid reunion. Nobody ever gives me any credit! It's just always: Americanos! Huevones, buenos pa' nada!" she muttered under her breath in a snotty tone, making the face to accompanying it. Both her and her little brother had gotten that a lot at the reunion.
"Ha! Well, whadayaknow? Looks like we gotta be more careful 'bout what we say from now on, eh Héctor?" Chuy joked, smacking him in the arm.
Becca narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a little shake of her head before going back to her sewing.
"Yeah, guess so," Héctor agreed, before smiling down at her.
He found himself feeling pleasantly surprised. She really was learning, and he couldn't have been more proud! Especially of that snarky, sarcastic attitude she occasionally showed that reminded him so much of himself from an earlier time. And that fire she put behind everything she said and did. If the others didn't already know better, what were the odds that she might even get mistaken for his? The though warmed his bones, causing him to let out a low, satisfied chuckle.
Hearing him, Becca peeked up in his direction, returning his look with a small smirk of her own. She opened her mouth to say something. However, the moment was suddenly brought to a screeching halt when a fat, green glowing ball with what looked like some kind of appendages coming out of its head, suddenly sprang out of the water below and into the middle of the table in front of them all!
There was a moment of stunned silence as the group just stared at the creature. Until eventually, with a deep, disturbing croak, it hopped it's way across the table and then back into the water from whence it came. Becca was the first to break the silence.
"What the heck was that?" she asked in obvious shock.
"That was an alebrije. They're spirit guides. They lead new souls to this place, as well as help guide us while we're here, if we need it. Everyone has one. The more someone is remembered and honored, the more majestic and powerful their alebrije becomes," Héctor explained with more description than was necessary, which Becca returned with a scoff.
"Yeah, okay. I already knew that part. I had a cat alebrije originally guide me here. That's not what I was asking. I meant, what was that thing?! It looked like a mutant!" she exclaimed with disgust.
"Oh, well – that's a good question. I think that's one of the stranger ones we have," Héctor told her with a shrug, sounding a bit unsure himself.
Becca stared at Héctor, and then she glanced at the spot in the water where the derpy bunny-frog had vanished, and then she looked back at Héctor – and she could not stop herself!
"Is that one yours?" she asked with a giant, cheeky grin.
The look on his face – was absolutely priceless! He was glaring at her so hard, she thought he might bore holes into her!
Becca snorted and had to immediately slap a hand over her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. However, it didn't help much, as the entire table suddenly erupted in uncontrolled laughter at her words, which she was soon forced to join.
"That isn't funny!" Héctor muttered spitefully, which only made them laugh all the more. He got up, and then began to walk away in a huff. "I can't believe I have to put up with this! Some friends!" he ranted as he left. He'd decided he changed his mind, maybe he wasn't so proud of her, after all!
"Wait – Héctor – come back! I was – just joking!" Becca tried to tell him in between her giggles. She clutched at her middle before getting up and hurrying after him.
He didn't seem in a hurry to stop, so she had to grab his hand to get him to turn and look at her. Although, it was immediately obvious that it wasn't without extreme reluctance. At seeing this, Becca's expression fell into a sorrowful droop. Had her comment really upset him that much? She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. She thought he had thicker skin than that!
"Aw, come on, Héctor! I'm sorry. I really wasn't serious," she tried to tell him, but he just continued to fix her with a skeptical glower.
Becca turned up the puppy dog eye routine a notch to see if that would get her anywhere, and to her satisfaction, she noticed the smallest of breaks in his expression. That gave her an idea.
"Why don't you let me make it up to you? I'll practice preforming in front of everyone like you keep asking me to," she enticed sweetly, encouraged when she felt his arm go slack in her hands. "I've got a really fun one in mind. You won't want to miss it," she added.
When he didn't make any kind of attempt to argue, Becca took that as consent and began to belt out in a cheery tone for all to hear!
Dear Sir, I write this note to you to tell you of me plight
And at the time of writing, I am not a pretty sight
Me body is all black and blue, me face a deathly gray
And I write this note to say why Paddy's not at work today
She sang out loud in a thick Irish accent. Héctor rolled his eyes and shook his head at the antics, but couldn't stop his stoic mask from breaking into smile as he allowed her to lead him back to his now empty stool. As he took a seat, Becca repositioned herself until she was more or less standing in front of her 'audience'. She loudly cleared her throat before continuing.
While working on the 14th floor, some bricks I had to clear
Now, to throw them down from such a height was not a good idea
The foreman wasn't very pleased, he being an awkward sod
He said I'd have to cart them down the ladders in me hod
Now, clearing all these bricks by hand it was so very slow
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below
But in me haste to do the job, I was too blind to see
That a barrelful of building bricks was heavier than me
She was happy to find that, that last line got several amused chuckles out of everyone.
So when I untied the rope the barrel fell like lead
And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead
Well, I shot up like a rocket 'til to my dismay I found
That halfway up, I met the bloody barrel coming down
Well, the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped
And when I reached the top, I banged the pully with my head
Well, I clung on tight through numbed shock from this almighty blow
And the barrel spilled out half the bricks 14 floors below
Now, when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor
I then outweighed the barrel and so started down once more
Still clinging tightly to the rope, I sped towards the ground
And I landed on the broken bricks that were all scattered round
Well, I lay there groaning on the ground, I thought I'd passed the worst
When the barrel hit the pully-wheel and then the bottom burst
Well, a shower of bricks rained down on me, I hadn't got a hope
As I lay there moaning on the ground, I let go of the bloody rope
The exasperated tone she emphasized while she was singing was now getting some very entertained laughs as she pushed through to the final verse.
The barrel than being heavier, it started down once more
And landed right across me, as I lay upon the floor
Well, it broke three ribs and my left arm and I can only say
That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today
She grinned at the whoops and applause that she received once she'd finished her song. The best part, however, was Héctor's eye roll and skeptical head shake. Although, the smirk he was fixing her with told her that his ire had seemingly passed. Which he confirmed by giving her head an affectionate pat when she returned to her seat next to him.
"Ah, I knew you had it in ya, güera! You preform like that at this contest thing, and I'm sure you'll knock 'em dead!" Chuy praised with a big grin. Until he started getting some strange looks from around the table. "Well, dead-er," he corrected with a shrug.
"Although, I'm not so sure, sobre ese género en particular. . ." Héctor trailed hesitantly, causing Becca's expression to slightly fall.
"Why not?" she questioned with a small pout.
He stumbled a bit at the realization that she'd once again understood what had been said. Also taking a minute to figure out the best way to explain.
"Well, because, I doubt that most people here are going to understand that kind of music," he attempted to reason.
"Speaking of which, does that mean you haven't decided on a song yet?" Perla wondered.
"Uh, we're still – decidiendo," he eventually replied.
"Well, she is our Lloronita, so why don't you just have her sing that?" Chicharrón suddenly suggested as if it should be the most obvious thing in the world.
"Fantástico! That's a splendid idea! It would be perfecto for her!" Perla immediately chimed with a gasp of delight! "And you know it well, so it would be easy for you to teach," she added, as though he still needed more convincing.
"Wait, there's an actual song that goes along with that?" Becca found herself questioning.
"Si, I used to play it quite often with my–" at that point, Héctor immediately cut himself off, not feeling particularly keen about digging that far into his past at the moment. Even so, it still left the girl cocking her head up at him, waiting for him to finish.
"No importa," he eventually opted to wave it off. "Ven, I can play it for you. It's almost time for bed, anyway," he announced, before taking the girl by the hand and leading her away.
"So, what's this song even about, anyway?" Becca wondered, a slightly dubious hint to her tone as Héctor moved to fetch the guitar for his demonstration.
"Uh. . ." he hesitated for a moment, as if trying to come up with the best way to explain. "I guess you could say – it's about lost love," he offered a bit cryptically.
Becca couldn't help but make a distasteful face. Something like that didn't sound like it would be particularly appealing to her, but she opted to keep her peace. That is, until he'd had a chance to play the song for her, at least. As Héctor began to strum the strings, Becca couldn't help but sit up expectantly. This was going to be the first time she'd heard him sing, after all.
(Imagine this sung in a calmer, more forlorn tone)
Ay.. de mí, llorona
Llorona de azul celeste
Ay de mí llorona
Llorona de azul celeste
Y aunque la vida me cueste llorona
No dejaré de quererte
No dejaré de quererte
Me subí al pino más alto llorona
A ver si te divisaba
Me subí al pino más alto llorona
A ver si te divisaba
Como el pino era tierno llorona
al verme llorar lloraba
Como el pino era tierno llorona
al verme llorar lloraba
La pena y la que no es pena llorona,
Todo es pena para mí
La pena y la que no es pena llorona,
Todo es pena para mí
Ayer lloroba por verte llorona
Hoy lloro por que te ví
Ayer lloroba por verte llorona
Hoy lloro por que te ví
Ay de mí llorona llorona
Llorona de azul celeste
Ay de mí llorona llorona
Llorona de azul celeste
Y aunque la vida me cueste llorona
No dejaré de quererte
Y aunque la vida me cueste llorona
No dejaré de quererte
No dejaré de quererte
No dejaré de quererte
¡Ay-ay-ay!
After he had finished, he glanced up at her to see her reaction. It was, strained – to say the least. In Becca's opinion, the song was equal parts gloomy and boring! But it wasn't like she could just come right out and admit that to him!
"That was, uh – pretty?" she decided to offer.
"Sí, es muy hermoso," he replied, although she wasn't sure if it was entirely to her, per say, as Héctor stared off into the distance with a rather somber expression.
"You have a talented singing voice too," she added after a moment when he didn't continue, hoping to steer the conversation away from the song itself. No such luck.
"Gracias, chiquita, but you didn't seem to particularly enjoy it," he pointed out, leading Becca to awkwardly lower her gaze. "Would you at least consider it?" he asked, sounding as though her singing this song would mean far more to him that he was actually admitting out loud.
"Okay," she blew out in a sigh, deciding it wouldn't hurt anything to agree to the consideration. There was a moment of silence before she took a chance at another question. "So, does this mean you forgive me for my earlier comment?" she wondered, sheepishly poking her index finger bones together with a slightly cattish peek up at him.
He flashed her a sly grin that told her he had never actually been mad in the first place! The girl deflated into a small pout at this reveal, her understanding being he'd only acted hurt to get her to practice preforming!
"That's a dirty trick," she muttered, making him laugh.
"You're not exactly inocente, either," he was quick to remind her.
"Maybe. . ." she trailed, her tone betraying a bit of a cheeky inference.
"Well, it's lucky for you that I'm getting kind of fond of you, chamaca. Even if you do sometimes act like a little sabelotodo," he confessed with a teasing air, knuckling her under the chin before turning and heading into the other room.
Becca could suddenly feel her cheekbones burning as she repeated his words in her head. I'm getting kind of fond of you. Had he been serious, or had that just been another joke? That was when it suddenly dawned on her – how much she wanted it to be true!
Songs:
The Sick Note - by The Dubliners
La Llorona - from the Coco Movie Soundtrack