The next morning, Hector walked with Imelda to the marketplace. The woman was glad to have a company with her. It felt nice to have someone carry whatever food she couldn't fit into her basket.

A few friends had taken notice of the new companion of Imelda's.

"Hola Imelda!" Abril greeted while browsing for apples.

"Quiénes él?" Amalia asked, eyeing Hector.

"This is Héctor Rivera," Imelda introduced. "He is my friend."

"Buenos días," the songwriter responded, shyly.

Oh, he's handsome!" Amalia flashed her eyelashes at him.

"Alana!" Alana hissed at her. "You're married!"

"That doesn't mean I cannot look!"

"Ignore them, Héctor," Abril assured the nervous man. "They're just loco. So how did you two meet?"

"I'm a friend of Ernesto's," said Héctor. "He invited me here to perform an act with him for the musical talent show."

"He's been staying at my house as a guest," Imelda added.

"Oh yes, I have seen you practice at the plaza while strolling by!" Alana recalled. "You were great!"

"One of the best!" Amalia piped up.

"Gracias," Héctor blushed, not used to compliments.

"Oye, are you single?" Alana asked, randomly. "I have a sister who would be good for you-"

Imelda enclosed Héctor's hand, with a bit of possessiveness. "As much we love to stay and talk, we have to go! We have a big dinner to prepare! Good day, ladies!" The songwriter waved back quickly, before turning around and leaving with his hostess.

The girls looked as if they just saw a carriage crash.

"Dios Míos, did you see the way she grabbed his hand?" Alana whispered to Amalia.

"You don't think he's her secret lover, do you?" Amalia whispered back.

"Girls, girls, girls!" Abril calmed them down. "You're jumping to conclusions. I am sure it is nothing."

"Don't you find that suspicious, Abril?"

"Yes Amalia, but you know how protective Imelda can be of those who are close to her."

"They just met!" Alana reminded them.

"Still, we shouldn't jump to conclusions. Her reputation is already ruined. Let's should find more information of this first. And then we can say something to her!"

The other girls nodded, agreeing with Abril.

"If they are secret lovers, hopefully, Ernesto doesn't find out!" Alana shivered.

"Ernesto, where did you go last night?"

The songwriter hadn't seen his friend since yesterday. He was so drunk that he didn't think he would show up to rehearsal. He must have gotten sober quickly than expected ted or else he wouldn't be here.

"Oh I stayed at Gustavo and Antonio's place," the best friend answered in his smooth voice.

"No, you didn't-OW!" Gustavo screeched when the bulky man stomped on his toe. He didn't want Gustavo to spill the beans of where he really stayed. "Er, I mean yes, that is true!"

"Okay...," Hector said, not sure why his friend stomped on the shirt man's foot. "Well now that rehearsal is over and you're sober, let us walk back home to Imelda."

"No, Héctor!" Ernesto declined. "I have a meeting with someone at Sol Inn."

"Por qué, 'Nesto?" Hector questioned. "Where are you sneaking off to this time?"

"Okay," Ernesto said. He gathered the rest of the band together. "Last night at the bar, I happened to meet a talent scout!"

"A talent scout?" the men asked, astonished.

"No, The Queen of Hearts-of course I met a talent scout, idiotas! This talent scout, Señor Andre Molina, said he had heard of my-our musical talents and wants to see us play. I told Señor Molina to come and see us play in the talent show which is right around the corner. Señor Molina said that if we played well and win the money prize, he will get us a record deal! But if not, then he will pick someone else! So we got to really win this show, boys! It's our only ticket to our dream!"

The other men shared looks of apprehension. They didn't feel the same excitement that their leader shared.

"Ernesto, why did you have to invite him?" Héctor cried. "I don't know about you amigos, but having a talent scout watching us, will make me nervous! And I am not skilled enough to play in front of him! What if I mess up?"

"Don't be such a wimp, Héctor," the bulky man scoffed. "Be a man! You will do fine, as long as you practice. Just don't mess it up, perform as if your life depends on it!"

"I thought this was supposed to be fun!" Antonio added.

Gustavo nodded.

The two shrank back when their leader growled so loud that it reminded them of a tiger.

"Don't start with me!" The leader regained his composure and spoke firmly. "We just have to work a bit extra harder! Practice for two more hours and then we'll be fine, COMPREHENDE?"

The other men quickly nodded their heads.

"Bueno, bueno," Ernesto nodded. "Now let the music begin!" That was their cue to practice. Looks like dinner would have to wait because they would be at the plaza practicing for two more hours.

For the next couple of days, it was the same routine for Hector. Help Imelda with chores in the morning and then after lunch, practice music with the band until 7 pm instead of the usual 5 pm.

One day at the marketplace, Imelda and Héctor were browsing for peppers, when Imelda spotted familiar faces from afar at the organs stand. Their backs were turned but when they turned their heads sideways to pick up oranges at the orange stand, the woman identified their faces. Two identical boys, about 13, sporting glasses.

"Oscar? Felipe?" she dared to whisper.

When one of the boys started to turn around, the woman quickly ducked, pulling Hector down with her by grabbing his collar. As long as they were hiding behind the pepper stand, the boys could not see them.

"Did you hear something Oscar?" One boy asked.

"I thought I heard someone calling my name!" Felipe answered. "And your name too!"

"I didn't hear my name!"

"You need to get your ears checked!"

"My ears are fine! It's your ears that need to get checked!"

"Boys!" A kind feminine voice called to them. The woman and her husband hurried over to their children.

"Let's go, boys," said Martha. "It's almost time for dinner."

"Okay Mama!" the boys chirped.

As the family began to walk away, Imelda quietly tiptoed after them, still hidden behind the fruit stands. Hector followed closely behind her.

"Papa, something weird happened!" said Felipe.

"We heard someone calling our names!" Oscar chimed.

"Quién?" Francisco asked.

"We don't know!" They shrugged.

Francisco rolled his eyes. "Then why bother telling me this story?"

"We don't know!"

Francisco squeezed the bridge of his nose with his two fingers, already feeling a headache appearing.

"Did you recognize the voice?" Martha questioned, patiently.

"It sounded like hermana!" Felipe said.

"No manches!" Oscar exclaimed.

"Boys, I never want you to mention that girl ever again!" Francisco spoke harshly. "The girl is dead to me!"

"Francisco!" Martha chided.

"I don't want my sons to be corrupted by her bad influence!"

The young woman and the songwriter had stopped at the last fruit stand, eavesdropping on the family until the voices became too distant for them to hear.

Imelda shook and quickly wiped tears away from her eyes. She felt a hand comforting her shoulder.

"Who were those people, Imelda?"

"Mi familia, Héctor," the woman spoke, her voice tightened.

"Why didn't you say Hola to them?"

"And get shooed away?" Imelda chuckled bitterly. "You heard what my father said. I am dead to him. My father forbade my brothers to see me, and I am not allowed to see them!"

"Your father forbade your brothers to see you?"

"Yes."

"And your father also forbade you from seeing them?"

"Yes. And he's not the only one."

"Who else is keeping you from seeing your family?"

"Ernesto."

Aye Caramba! Héctor thought, gulping. Is there more to Imelda's terrible situation? Why in the world is she isolated from those she loved?