Chapter 28: Too Soon

Leti huffed and puffed, running as fast as she could with Dante hot on her heals. This is ridiculous, how can a skeleton be so out of shape? She thought. No more candied pumpkins for me! Rounding a corner she gasped with relief as she saw her family hadn't gotten that much farther from the house. "Let's bring 'em back, Dante!"

Dante let out a bark and charged for Matty first. He took a mouthful of Matty's charro pants and yanked back hard, nearly tripping his young master. "Woah! What the-… Dante?!" Matty tried to shake the dog off his pants. "Dante, basta! You're going to tear my suit!"

"Either that or pants you!" Barto laughed.

"Dante, let go of him." Héctor said as he took hold of the growling dog and pulled him off. "If you can't be a good dog then go back home. Vete!"

Dante whined and looked at Leti for help as the family continued down towards the plaza. Leti was on the verge of a mental collapse, desperately clutching at her hair until a flash of golden light shined in her eyes. Blinking it away she looked at what caught her attention: Matty's trumpet. A grin split her face and she gestured wildly at the dog. "Dante, the trumpet. Let's play keep away, boy! Keep away!"

Determination set in Dante's eyes and Leti was sure she saw him give her an affirmative nod. Then he charged again, took a flying leap, and snatched the trumpet out of Matty's hand.

"Hey!" Matty yelled in shock and stared at Dante in surprise and anger as the dog darted a few yards away from the group, wagging his tail and drooling all over the trumpet in his mouth. "Give that back, Dante! Bad dog!"

"Don't listen to him boy! Good dog! Vámanos!" Leti took off with Dante following close by, the shouts of her angry family coming in not too far behind. "Don't look back Dante! Keep on going back to the house!"

"Mateo?! What's going on?!"

Leti looked up and gasped when she saw Señor Valdez, the butcher, standing between them and the house. Matty yelled out, "Señor Valdez, stop that dog!"

"Leticia?! What's going on?!" To the right of Señor Valdez was another glowing skeleton standing close by.

"Señor Valdez padre! Stop your son from stopping that dog!"

The elderly skeleton stood in front of his son, offered a quick apology towards him, and crouched down with his hands held out. Dante jumped out onto the ghost's hands and was then sprung up and over the shocked butcher before landing on the other side to continue his mad sprint.

"Muchas gracias, Señor Valdez!" Leti chirped as she slapped the confused spirit a high five when she passed him.

"Good luck niña with… whatever that was."

They ran as fast as they could, edging closer and closer to the house. And just when they were about to reach the green double doors Héctor came from out of nowhere and tackled Dante to the ground. The poor dog whined and struggled to break free but Héctor was too strong and managed to pry the trumpet from his mouth. "What in the world has gotten into you?!" Héctor growled. "I ought to sell you to a street vendor for what you just did! Bad dog! Bad-"

"HÉCTOR!"

Héctor's head whipped up when he heard his name called out in such agony that he had never heard before. Another piercing scream had him stumbling back up and bolting towards the bedroom. "Imelda?!" When he reached it he gasped in utter terror when he saw his wife collapsed on the floor next to their bed, a patch of blood trailing from the mattress to the front of her gown. For a second he found himself back all those years ago when he saw his little girl in a similar state. One that had ultimately lead to her death. Imelda cried out again and reached out for him, snapping him out of his daze. "Imelda!"

"Héctor…" Imelda moaned out and grasped his hand when he knelt down beside her. "Gracias a Dios…"

"Papá?" Matty called out as he came into the room. "Papá, what's going- Ay, Dios mio! Mamá!" Matty came to a halt and was nearly overcome with terror at the sight of all the blood.

"Matty, go back and get Julio!" Héctor said as he wrapped Imelda's arm around his shoulder. "Tell him to get the car and park it as close to the entrance as he can! We need to go to the hospital-"

"No, Héctor!" Imelda pulled away from Héctor and collapsed back onto the floor. "The baby…"

"Sí, I know Imelda. Dr. Alviso will help you and the baby when we get-"

"The baby is coming now!"

"What?! No, it's far too soon!" Héctor pulled Imelda's skirt up and out of the way, and sure enough a tiny head was forcing its way out of her. It and Imelda's entire pelvic region were covered in fresh blood. "Dios… Dios mio…" Hearing a moan behind him he turned to see that Matty was still there, covering his mouth and looking more pale by the second. "Matty! Go get clean towels and a large bowl of water! Hurry!" The boy gratefully sprinted away from the gory scene and Héctor was alone to comfort his wife. "It's okay Imelda. You're going to be alright. Both of you will."

"Héctor… It hurts… Something's wrong. Aah!"

To his horror Héctor saw the baby slide out even further. There was no other option left: He would have to deliver his own child. "Okay Imelda, let's push you back against the wall to brace yourself." He pulled some pillows off of the bed and placed them behind Imelda. "I know it hurts but you need to give it all you got."

"Mamá!" Héctor looked up to see Coco making her way towards Imelda and trying to lower herself to the ground. "Julio is getting the car now. It's okay Mamita!"

Barto was next to come in. "I've got the towels Matty said you asked for, what's going- Ay, Santa Mariaa…" He fell backwards with a loud thud and a cloud of dust, overwhelmed at the grisly site before him.

Héctor managed to snag a clean towel from the boy's inert form and held it underneath the protruding baby. "It's almost here Imelda. Keep going! Almost!"

The baby came out fast with only a few pained pushes, covered in blood and skinnier than any of their other children had been when they were born. And it was still. He was still.

"It's a boy!" Coco said with awe while Imelda collapsed in her arms with exhaustion. Matty came in that moment with a bowl of water and placed it on the floor in front of Héctor. When the baby was placed into the water it made a jerking motion to the relief of everyone else, but it was still quiet.

"C'mon mi hijo…" Héctor whispered as he stuck a long finger into the baby's mouth to clear any fluid. "C'mon, c'mon!" After wiping the baby as quickly as he could he then wrapped him in a towel and started briskly rubbing against his back. "Give me a cry, niño. One good cry! Let me hear you sing!" As if on command the baby let out a thin, creaky whine and jerked around some more. Héctor smiled as he finally saw some life come into his child. "That a boy! Yes!"

"Héctor…" Imelda mumbled out, her head rocking slowly back and forth and her face growing paler by the second. "The baby… My baby." Héctor leant over towards Imelda and cupped her face with his hand. Her skin was cool and clammy, and her eyes were not focusing on anything. The blood continued to flow heavily between her legs. "My baby…"

"Joder… Coco, take your brother now and carry him to the car!" Héctor said urgently as he handed over the baby. "Matty, help me carry your Mamá! We have to go to the hospital now!"

Héctor and Matty lifted up Imelda with ease and hurried as fast as they could go to the running BMW with Julio at the wheel. Coco managed to open the car door for them as they crammed into the back seat while she held the baby close to her and took the front seat. As soon as the door slammed close Julio stomped the gas pedal to the floor and careened down the street towards the hospital as fast as he could.

With a groan Barto heaved himself off the ground and dizzily swayed against the doorway. He didn't know what had happened since he had passed out, just that he was alone now and there was still a whole lot of blood on the floor and sheets. The least he could do was to clean it up for the family when they got back. Hearing a panting noise he turned to see Dante sitting in the middle of the courtyard, a wide smile on his face and his eyes closed in contentment. 'What was he so happy about?' Barto wondered before going off to do his self-appointed chore.

"Good boy Dante!" Leti exclaimed as she rubbed the dog's jowls together and peppered kisses all over his face. "You did it! You're the most amazing, most wonderful dog in the whole world and I love you so much!"

"Gracias Dante!" Mirasol wept as she too gave him a hug. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you! You saved my little girl! Gracias!"

"Not just Dante. It's also because of you, Leticia." Gaspar said. "You are the one who inspired us all to try and help. Even after it seemed hopeless, you didn't give up!"

Leti smiled brightly. "A Rivera never gives up on anything! This means Mamá and my little brother are going to be okay now, right?"

Gaspar and Mirasol looked at each other with worry. This was no time to sugar coat it. "I don't know mija. The family came back and helped them, but… We won't know for sure until later."

Leti's grin slowly faded as fear set in. "Later?... You mean… Mamá and my little brother might still come to the Land of the Dead?!"

They all shuddered at the thought. Imelda dying and reuniting with them would be heartbreaking, but at the same time wonderful and a dream come true. But a dead newborn? That was nothing short of tragic and horrifying. They did not envy any family who had a baby with them in the Land of the Dead.

"Let's not think that just yet Leticia." Mirasol said, sweeping Leti's bangs off her forehead in a comforting motion. "All we can do now is hope. Your Mamá is strong. We must have faith."

The streets of Santa Cecilia were still short and narrow, despite years of progress and prosperity, but Julio still managed to swerve through them with expertise as he raced towards the hospital. It was quite ironic that the most timid and panicky member of the whole family was the most calm at the moment, his steely attention on the road and firm hands on the wheel. Still he diverted his eyes to the rear view mirror to check on his mother in-law and to his right to see Coco rubbing her baby brother vigorously to try and produce a sound. "We're almost there, Mamá Imelda! Don't worry!"

Imelda moaned out loud with her head leaning back over the seat. "Hurts…"

"I know it hurts, Imelda." Héctor said, his hand clutching hers tightly with Matty holding the other one. "But it'll be alright!"

"Baby… My baby…"

Just then a sharp wail came from the front seat, shocking them all before relief set in. Finally the baby had produced a full-bodied cry and continued to do so again and again. "You hear that Imelda?!" Héctor smiled tenderly. "That's our baby. That's our son! He's okay!"

Despite her cold white face pouring sweat and smeared with blood, Imelda smiled so beautifully it set Héctor's heart a flutter. "My baby…" Suddenly her eyes rolled over white and her head tilted violently onto Héctor's shoulder.

"Imelda? Imelda?!" Héctor shook her shoulder violently, desperately, but to no avail. "IMELDA, NO!"

The car screeched to a halt in front of the hospital, and the men wasted no time in hauling Imelda's unconscious form from the back seat, blood saturating the once pristine leather cushions. The staff was scared out of their wits when Héctor Rivera came barreling through the doors with his bloodied wife in his arms. "TOMAS! Someone, get Tomas Alviso! Ayudame!"

A stretcher was wheeled in front of Héctor and he had barely managed to lay Imelda down before she was rushed away from him, leaving his arms reaching out for her as she disappeared behind the doors. From the corner of his eye he saw another nurse take away his baby from Coco and he too was abruptly gone from his view. They stood there for who knew how long, before Héctor looked down at his arms and clothes.

All covered with blood.

Imelda's blood.

With his wife and son's life hanging by a thread, Héctor curled in on himself and cried. It was only his family's support that kept him from collapsing in a heap on the floor.