When Héctor came home from work, he was surprised and curious about the decorations of the house.
Looking around, there were strings of white paper flowers hanging around the ceiling. There was also a table with a white tablecloth and candles.
In the drawing room, was a long roll of white carpet that had been rolled out. It led to the podium.
"Wow, these paper flowers are beautiful," the musician marveled. "What's the occasion?"
Just then the twins popped up by his side.
"It's your wedding!" They cried, startling him.
After the musician recovered from his brief surprise, he heard people coming down the stairs.
"Oh bueno!" His mother said she carried her granddaughter. "You're here!" She was in her best Sunday dress that she always wore to Church.
Coco was in her pink dress, with her black Mary Janes, and a small white hair bow on top of her head. The baby smiled at her daddy.
"Hola princesa!" Héctor cooed.
Coco made a funny grunting sound.
"Go to the end of the podium in the drawing room," Juanita instructed the young man. "I'll keep her on my lap."
"Okay," the musician nodded. He put his guitar case inside the closet and went inside the drawing room.
When he reached there, he wasn't sure what to expect. The musician stood in front of the podium, waiting.
Chicharron appeared dressed in a long black dress robe that he had made for himself. The old man carried a big book, the Bible, and put it down on the podium. "We're going to make this official," he said. "You and Imelda will be officially married, according to the law about common-in-law marriages and all that." He snapped at Oscar and Felipe, who were in the corner of the room, to blow their trumpets. "Play the music!"
"Yes sir!" they answered.
Their mother was by the pianoforte and she began playing a little ditty.
Héctor watched his mother walking with little Coco down the aisle. He waved at the baby before his mother sat down on one of the chairs and put the baby down on her lap.
The music switched to "Clair De Lune" by Claude Debussy.
Imelda wore her best church dress, holding a bouquet. Hector thought that Imelda looked more beautiful than ever!
Chicharron stood up on the stand, officiating the ceremony. "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to honor this match between this man and this woman…,"
After reading from the book, Chicharron lifted his eyes and told the couple to say their vows.
The couple faced each other and held hands.
"I, Héctor, take you, Imelda, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."
"I, Imelda, take you, Héctor, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."
They put rings on each finger as part of the ritual ceremony.
"Make of our hands one hand," Héctor crooned.
"Make of our hearts one heart,"
"Make of our vows one last vow:"
"Only death will part us now."
"Make of our lives one life," Imelda sang, softly.
"Day after day, one life."
"Now it begins, now we start," the bride and groom both sang.
"One hand, one heart."
"Even death won't part us now."
"…By the power invested in me," Chicharron announced. "I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride!"
The couple shared a quick chaste kiss on the lips, as their families cheered.
"Make of our lives one life,"
"Day after day, one life."
"Now it begins, now we start:"
"One hand, one heart."
"Even death won't part us now...," The couple chorused.
Later that evening, when all the festivities were done, Héctor carried Imelda up to their bedroom. Kicking the door open with his foot, he carried her over the threshold. Gently, he placed his bride down on the bed. Then the musician climbed into bed and laid down next to her. "Imelda," he whispered in a husky voice. He took her hand and kissed it tenderly. "I'm finally yours, aren't I?"
Imelda smiled at him so lovingly. "Yes," she whispered back. "And I'm finally your wife."
She placed a sensual kiss on his lips.
The groom wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled his bride closer to him. He moaned in delight as they deepened the kiss.
"Mama!" Abuelita gasped, horrified. She couldn't believe that her mother was giving certain details that should not be heard in the ears of their youngest grandchildren.
"…And they had a very romantic night!" Mama Coco ended, quickly.
"How did you know that part happened?" Tia Gloria inquired.
"Yeah," Rosa giggled. "Tee hee hee!"
"Girls, don't act so silly!" Abuelita scolded them.
"I was told by the moon and the stars who were witnesses to that night," Mama Coco explained in a dramatic voice. "That's how I knew."
"Um, I am surprised that Papa Héctor sang and wrote "Remember Me,'" Miguel piped up, trying to change the subject. "Because I thought that Ernesto de la Cruz wrote that song!"
"Oh goodness no!" Mama Coco shook her head. "He never wrote "Remember Me" or any of those songs! According to my mama, Ernesto was so bad at writing songs that 'he couldn't write one single song way out of a wet paper bag.' And my father would remark, 'Harsh but true!'"
"How come Ernesto De La Cruz never credited Papa Hector for those songs?"
"Surely, he must have done so, mijo," Luisa said, softly.
"Oh no," Miguel shook his head. I watched all the interviews with Ernesto De La Cruz. He claimed he wrote those songs and whenever the interviewer asked him why he hadn't written new ones since then, he always said that he was 'waiting for inspiration to come.'"
"That sounds vague," Berto commented.
"And very strange," Enriquez remarked. "Something fishy is going on."
"Before you two go and do your detective work, let's listen to the rest of Mama Coco's story!" Abuelita gently chided them.
"And I think I know how that man got hold of my father's songs which also explained his death…," Mama Coco drifted off.