The sun rays lit up the room through the curtains. Clothes were scattered across the room. You will see a jacket on the floor, a dress and a pair of pants underneath the bedside. Shoes had been tossed by the end of the bed. The candlesticks on the windowsill had been blown out by the wind, last night. Roses were all around on a sleeping musician. Héctor opened his eyes and yawned. He was startled when he felt a body sleeping next to him, underneath the covers. The musician turned his head. It was Imelda, she was naked and so was he. The handsome man smiled dreamily, as he recalled last night. He had enjoyed being underneath Imelda, tasting her soft lips, and feeling her warm touch. Making love to her had been so wonderful. What was Ernesto complaining about?

His happiness was quickly squashed by guilt. It finally dawned on Héctor's groggy mind that he slept with a married woman! His best friend's wife!

Oh no, what have I done? He thought, worriedly. I committed adultery! Wait, Imelda had said she divorced Ernesto, so did that mean we committed fornication instead? Which is which?

The musician groaned, not knowing which sin he committed but either way, he felt guilty for defiling Imelda. Looking at the doorway, he gulped, believing that any second now, Ernesto is going to make an unannounced visit. What would he say! What if he kills them?

His train of thought was interrupted by Imelda's yawning.

"Buenas días, mi amor."

Héctor smiled and kissed her on the lips.

"Buenas días, mi diosa."

The woman smiled lovingly, through their kiss. That was his nickname for her-one that he came up with last night.

They separated for air before Imelda enveloped him into her arms. The couple laid together for five minutes.

Héctor would love nothing more to snuggle up with Imelda. However, he remembered that he had a train to catch.

"Lo siento, I have to go," he said as he stood up and began searching for his pants. He found them on the floor and put them on.

"Now?" Imelda asked, sadly. She swung her legs off her bed and found her dress which was somewhere on the floor. "Can't you stay for just one more day?"

"I wish I could," the musician said, apologetically, while putting his blouse on. "But I promised my tío and tía that I wouldn't be away for too long."

He jumped a bit when he felt two arms snaking their way around his torso.

"But I am lonely," she whispered in his ear. "I want to be with you."

Héctor would have said something if his heart wasn't beating so fast. If he doesn't get out sooner than later, Ernesto would walk in and find out their secret!

But Imelda was lonely and by herself. It wouldn't do her well to be by herself. Besides, what if she's with a child? Héctor's eyes became as big as saucers. A baby! What if she's carrying his baby? The musician knew very well what everybody would think of Imelda as unmarried and with a child. Thus an idea formed in his head.

"Imelda, please come with me," he smiled, turning to her.

"Qué?" Imelda blinked.

"Sí," Héctor said. "Why don't you come with me to Santa Cecilia? You are divorced and have no place to go, so why not come with me?" His eyes lightened up. "We can get married and start a new life together in Santa Cecilia! We can make music together! You are free from Ernesto like you said. What do you say?"

Imelda felt herself grinning. The idea of being with Héctor forever seemed very pleasing. She could say yes, she wanted to say yes. The woman could picture herself being married to him, putting down roots, and raising their children together, while teaching them music! That sounded like such a wonderful dream! A dream that she never thought possible! Yes, she can say yes!

But then, her mind caught up with her before she could say something. Was this a trick? She had heard stories of women who left their mean husbands for their lovers only to find out that their lovers don't want them anymore. Some probably had other girlfriends or worse, wives! Some were vagabonds or criminals! But Héctor was not like that, far from it! The man had been a gentleman toward her, these last months. He was so kind and so sweet. Perhaps she could take a chance on him.

"No."

"Qué?" Héctor felt his heart sank.

"No puedo," Imelda shook her head.

"Por que?"

"I just can't! We don't know each other well enough to be together!"

"I got to know you plenty well during these past months, and you got to know me well," the man frowned. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Imelda started having flashbacks to how Ernesto used to be before they got married. "No, I don't!" What if Héctor changed for the worse after marrying him?

"We can get to know each other a bit more once we are in Santa Cecilia!"

"No, Héctor this is not how things work!"

"What do you mean?"

"I can't just up and leave with you! I don't know you enough to marry you!" Imelda cried. "Sí, we knew each other well but only as casual friends, not as lovers!"

"I know what we did last night was all sudden but-"

"Yes, very sudden! The fact that we slept together was such a big step in our relationship! I'm still processing over that!"

"Are you saying you regretted last night?" Héctor said, feeling a bit miffed. He turned away and walked toward the window. "You are the one who made the first move, so why do you now regret it? Was I just your boy toy?" It hurt him to think that Imelda used him as a distraction from Ernesto and her hard life.

"No, you are more than that!" Imelda said, appalled that he would think those thoughts.

"Then, why won't you come with me? For all I know, you could be with child!"

"Don't be ridiculous! I can't bear children!"

"You don't know that."

"I do know that! The doctor told me so. And so did Ernesto."

"What do they know about pregnancy?" Héctor questioned her. "Come with me and you will be safe. Por favor Imelda!"

"Listen here, Héctor Rivera! I can't leave with you ever, even if I want to, because people would think I abandon Ernesto and I don't want that on my conscience!"

"How does that even make sense when you divorced him?" Héctor challenged her.

"Nobody knows about the divorce! Even if they do, they would still think that I abandoned him!"

The musician's heart sank. "So this is it, huh?" He asked, dejectedly. "This is a final goodbye?" The musician wished to conjure up another reason for her to come with him, but no new thought came to his mind. There was no way that he could force her to come. Because he could not make her come, Héctor had no choice but to leave. This he bowed to her and descended the stairs, looking down.

"Héctor wait!" Imelda pleaded, following him.

"I have a train to catch," he grumbled.

"Last night did mean something to me!" The woman cried. "I just couldn't come with you!"

"Bueno," the musician frowned. "Because it sure meant a lot to me. But what is the use? You are still tied to Ernesto." Then he opened the door. "Buenos días Imelda." he greeted her, blinking his eyes so tears wouldn't come out. "I hope you find a man who really deserves your love."

He handed her a small piece of paper. "Here is my address if you need help. Adiós."

With that said, he closed the door and left.

Although as he walked away, he did glance back at Imelda's house before continuing his journey home.

Héctor did not know that after he left, Imelda ran and threw herself on her bed and released all her tears.

"Oh why couldn't I be with Héctor?" the woman sobbed. She knew it was for the best that she didn't go. But that did not stop her heart from hurting.

Pepita hopped onto the mattress meowed sympathetically at her. She put her paw on her ladyship's arm. "How could I not love him, Pepita?" The woman cried, taking the cat into her arms for a hug. "Why couldn't he be my husband?"

The woman and her cat laid on her bed for a while until they heard a knock on the door.

Imelda cautiously walked downstairs and toward the door. Dread filled in her stomach. Her heart pounded so loud that she felt it was going to burst.

"Who is it?" She called. The creaking sound of the door opening increased her nerves. Hiding underneath her covers, only two thoughts ran through the woman's mind. Was it Héctor? It better not be Ernesto!

Pepita jumped off the bed and dashed downstairs. Once the kitten reached the lobby, she launched with her claws out at...two young spectacled boys. She jumped onto one boy and began clawing his face out.

"Ow, oye!" cried one boy, trying to pry the animal off. "Oscar, get this gatito estúpidamente off me!"

"I'm trying, Felipe!" Oscar whined, grabbing the cat.

As much as the boys tried, Pepita was too strong for them. She leaped from Felipe to Oscar and began clawing his eyes out. Felipe was holding his face.

Someone finally pulled the cat off of Oscar successfully, but it wasn't Felipe.

"Ow, gracias whoever did that," the boy groaned, holding his face.

"Pepita, there is no need to do that!" Imelda held the sheepish kitten in her arms and wagged her finger. She turned to the two victims. "Sorry about my cat, who are you?"

"Imelda, it is us!"

"Oscar? Felipe?"

"Sí, who else?"

"The presidente del Mexico?"

After Imelda put the cat down, she immediately swept the boys into her arms and kissed them on their heads. The woman didn't dare to let go of her brothers, for fear that they would disappear. "Oh, I missed you two so much!"

"We missed you too, hermana!" Felipe cried.

"Sí!" Oscar added, sniffling.

Imelda couldn't be happier than ever to be reunited with her brothers. Seeing them for the first time in a few years had lifted up her spirits.