Under the Weather {Héctor}

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda should have seen the warning signs even the day prior. Santa Cecilia weather always tended to be a bit on the hot side, but she had fanned herself extra hard throughout typical chores, and with a two year old to see to and keep out of things. Not that dear Coco was a nuisance, she was nothing but a blessing and a dear, but somehow even letting her help with dinner preparations had taken more out of Imelda than it should.

She actually took a moment to take a seat and breather between setting it and informing her familia everything was ready. Of course that just meant Héctor caught her at less than her usual effectiveness. Waving him off that she was fine, it was the heatwave that just wouldn't break, she'd managed through dinner and the rest of the night no seeming problems, even put Coco down to bed herself, indulging her daughter with her own soft lullaby.

Héctor was not the only one of their family who was talented after all, in fact Imelda wouldn't be surprised if when she was their age, Coco was just the most stunning dancer and singer in all of Santa Cecilia!

Next morning was when Imelda was forced to admit something might be wrong. The first problem was that when she awoke Héctor was already up. She was known to be prompt and punctual about the household routine and more often than not up before her husband, who would sleep in unless Ernesto was being particularly annoying or he had other enthused plans.

Imelda could shake off Héctor just choosing to rise early, but what sounded like actual activity from beyond the bedroom and in the main rooms and kitchen meant she had been very lax! She sat up...and then instantly regretted it and plopped back. Aye...her head felt like her brothers were taking turns sitting on it! And she was still burning up...

No! Her own Mama had worked thorough plagues and flue alike! Or exaggerated that she had, but still, Imelda could do just as well as her if not better. She had a duty to...Héctor couldn't possibly manage...

Even with such good reasons, it took a while to mentally get herself enough resolve to sit up again. She stayed up this time. "Héctor...why...did you let me...", her full question wouldn't come out, or be very loud, but still Imelda hoisted herself to her feet and stumbled across the room, only making it so far as the door-frame before she was obliged to lean against it. Ok, so still a slow moving day. She just needed five seconds to gain the strength to continue on. She'd be fine. Maybe just get a glass of water to further power through the day.

[Deleted]

Last night, the 19 year old Héctor noticed his wife was not like her usual self. He saw the way she tried to brush it off, but he knew that something was up. He’d like to think two years was more than enough for him to be able to tell as much. In fact, the more he observed her, the more he realized that she was getting sick. After he got home from his rehearsal for a funeral they were supposed to play at, he couldn’t even concentrate on songs about memories or remembering people in life; he was so worried about Imelda, that he just ended up doodling floating music notes aimlessly on the side of the page without being able to write anything. It was something he tended to do when he couldn’t concentrate, but all he could think about was that Imelda normally did not get sick, and he hoped it wasn’t serious. His family was always a welcomed distraction. He played a gentle tune on his guitar while Imelda sang a lullaby for Coco to sleep, and then he decided to sleep early as well just to keep an eye on Imelda.

The next day, the determined musician summoned all of his energy to wake up early when Imelda would. Maybe it was because his mind raced from rehearsing for the funeral to Imelda being sick, but he really couldn’t even sleep that night anyways. As soon as the lanky teen sat up on the bed and rubbed the sleep away from his eyes, using his fingers to sift his raven hair away from his face, he glanced over at Imelda still surprisingly asleep. Leaning over to kiss her lightly on her cheeks, his brown eyes widened upon feeling the sensation on his soft lips and he instantly used the back of his large hand to feel her temperature. She was heating up! A concerned frown curved over his bearded chin while his eyebrows rose and knit together over his large brown eyes, causing his forehead to crinkle with worry. She was getting worse than before. “I’ll go and take care of things, mi amor..” He murmured softly as he watched his beautiful wife sleep, then set off to help her out around the house.

After taking a cold shower, the guitarist changed to some brown slacks with suspenders and a long sleeved white shirt, foregoing the need to put a jacket over it since he was staying inside. Once he brushed his raven hair off to the side and brushed his teeth, he then set off to go wake up his two year old daughter. "¡Buenos días, Coco! ¡Despiértate, mi vida! (affectionate term to call someone their world: my life!) Come on! It's time to get up!" The young father grinned enthusiastically as he knelt down beside his daughter sleeping on the bed to caress her sweetly on her soft cheeks with his tender hand. Yet either Coco needed a little convincing, or perhaps in her own sneaky way, she knew exactly what he would do next and simply waited just a few seconds longer, because the young Héctor then zipped out and then returned with his guitar in one of his hands. Closing the door gently behind him, the tall musician began to lightly strum the chords to the song De Colores on his guitar, then shortly began to gently sing his favorite verses that always reminded him of Coco in order for her to wake up: 

De colores, de colores brillantes y finos se viste la aurora. (Of colors, of colors brilliant and fine is what the dawn wears) 
De colores, de colores son los mil reflejos que el sol atesora.(Of colors, of colors are the thousand reflections that the sun treasures)
De colores, de colores se viste el diamante que vemos lucir. (Of colors, of colors that the diamond wears that we see shining)  
Y por eso los grandes amores (And that's why the greatest loves)
De muchos colores me gustan a mí.(Of many colors are what I love)
Y por eso los grandes amores (And that's why the greatest loves )
De muchos colores me gustan a mí. (Of many colors are what I love)

Needless to say, the scheme to wake up his beautiful treasure, Coco, worked. Héctor loved hearing her say Papa and feeling her adorable small hands caressing his soft freckled cheeks when he would knelt before her to greet Coco with a kiss of his own on her forehead. He sat up on the bed with Coco in a side embrace, trying to figure out his plan for getting his little girl ready, starting with her hair. "Wait, wait, wait...no.." Héctor stroked his bearded chin pensively as he tried to figure out how he was going to braid Coco's hair when he had no idea how to do that, but he decided that maybe he'll figure it out after breakfast. He settled on the plan that he would get Coco to change into her dress after breakfast so that she doesn't get her new clothes dirty and figuring out her hair after. For now, he decided to at least brush her hair down so that Imelda wouldn't get upset about it looking messy. "Wait, Coco, wait..eh..let me brush your hair at least, cariño (sweet one).." After brushing her raven hair that was wavy from braiding, which he admired was just like how Imelda's hair looked sometimes, he grinned triumphantly when he thought that he did a decent job. “¡Epa! ¿A ver los piesitos? (Let's see where the little feet are?) Haha! ¡Allí están! (There they are!) We got to put on your socks, Coco; I don't want you to be sick walking around barefoot, tesorito! (my treasure!)" Now this was a parental custom/advice that the young father learned around this time period from being around mothers and other families that he played songs for during special occasions, where he would of course talk about his own family everywhere he went, and he wanted to believe it just to make sure Coco was safe! As soon as he guided her to put on her tiny socks, Héctor grinned proudly and held out his free hand to help her off the bed like she was his very own princess. "¡Eso! (Yay!) Let’s go and eat!" He proclaimed with a smile when he help Coco get off her bed and quickly added: "Shh.. hey Coco, pero calladita (but quietly), eh? Your mamita is still sleeping. We got to be like this today: shh!" Demonstrating with a raise of his index finger to his lips to indicate to his daughter that they needed to be quiet since Imelda would be resting most of the day, he smiled when he watched Coco seemed to understand after she faithfully copied his signal with her own: "Shh!"

After putting away his guitar in the guitar stand, with his other hand holding onto his daughter's tiny hand while they headed to the kitchen, the tall musician helping Coco to "jump" to the baby seat by means of lifting her up in his arms and swinging her around then placing into the baby seat. Now it was time to make breakfast. Opening cabinet looking doors to their icebox to figure out how he was going to make breakfast for his two year old and his wife, his eyebrows rose with interest upon seeing the eggs and then glancing down to notice the fruit, a plan already formulating in his mind. He could work with that! Eggs were easy. You just had to watch them! Unfortunately, his two fried eggs ended up burning on the bottom when they got stuck to the pan. "No, no, no! - Augh! ¡¿Que pasó?! (What happened?!) How did that even-?! ...Oh..claro (right)!.. I forgot to grease the pan!" He complained in a hoarse whisper to himself before face palming himself with a defeated frown when he realized that he had forgotten to grease the pan first. He could practically hear Imelda's voice in his head telling him that the butter grease helps it from sticking onto the pan. He was so focused on embracing Imelda  while she was cooking at the time to really think of her advice immediately though. Fine. Because there were not enough eggs for all three of them, the scrawny musician took the sacrifice for serving himself the fried eggs that were charbroiled on the bottom, then moved it on a plate to the side. He then shoved a sweet bread into his mouth to bite on while he began cutting up some fruit for his family before he would make his two ladies of the house some eggs that were hopefully not burned now that he remembered to grease the pan. When he finished eating his sweet bread and his coffee that he made while he was cutting up the fruits, dividing some for himself, Coco, and what would be Imelda's. He then began eating his pieces while he began cutting up Coco's pieces into smaller ones for her to bite easier. Finally, after learning his lesson about greasing the pan from last time, he was able to successfully make Coco some scrambled eggs with some chili powder and a side of sliced avocados, along with a bowl of cut up pieces of fruit.

While he helped spoon-feed Coco her food, he also hesitantly ate his burnt eggs with his face distorting in the most disgusted way possible. Wasting food was not allowed in this family. "Ay..eugh! ¡Guacala!"  Never one to hide his expressions or emotions, Héctor couldn't even help hide his disgust for eating his charbroiled fried eggs in front of Coco, who then proceeded to copy his disgusted faces as well! She looked so cute doing it though! He couldn't help but laugh. “Haha that face! Que linda! (how cute)!!..wait, no.. Don't make faces with your food, Coco... your mamita is gonna think you learned that one from me!" He smiled at her as he fed her from her own plate again, not wanting her to copy his bad antics. "You got to remember only the good things that your papá does, Coco.. ¿Me lo prometas? (You promise me?)" He smiled brightly when she seemed to agree with her own response regarding his promise to never remember the bad things he would do so that he wouldn't get into trouble, earning well-deserved kisses from her papa on her adorable cheeks. Then, he wrinkled his large nose slightly with a wry smile upon getting some food that was on her cheek from eating. Taking a napkin, he tried to wipe his face and then tried to clean her face with it, before smiling satisfactorily at her. "Haha! Así es (that's it), mi vida!” After feeding Coco the food, even using the "trencito" (train) or making her sing a verse to entertain her while eating, he was finally able to get his daughter to finish eating her food. After wiping her face again, he then proceeded to give her something to drink. 

"Hey..hey.. Despacito (slowly)..don't drink it up all in a rush, Coco.." After the young father poured some milk for his daughter in a small cup, gently urging her with a smile not to drink it so fast (this wasn't a shot, after all), he then proceeded to making the fried eggs for Imelda without burning it this time. He inwardly counted his blessings that it did not burn like the last time after remembering to grease the pan this time. He then cut some avocados, queso oaxaca, then grabbed some of Imelda's mole sauce from the fridge that she made a day or so ago and put some on there. "Wait, wait! No! Ay.. no..not again!!" He muttered to himself lowly, trying to keep his frustrations quiet. Unfortunately, he nearly burned the tortilla with it causing a charbroiled bump on the bottom. The raven haired musician lowered his eyelids over his brown eyes as he gazed at it with a deadpan frown, not knowing if Imelda would eat it or not. No. He wasn't going to give her something even a little burned! He'll have to eat it later, he guessed. With a sigh, he decided to just give her another plain soft tortilla instead from the container of tortillas that Imelda made sometime this week to use for tacos or burritos. Instantly, however, he came up with an idea that brightened him up again. "Hey Coco, you want to add a smile to your mamita's breakfast?! Epa!" Carrying her daughter up into his arms, the tall musician brought her to wash her hands, then bent down to help her form a smile using the avocado and cheese strips, leaving the fried eggs alone for the eyes.

As happy as Imelda's breakfast now looked, Coco's pajamas now looked like a disaster after Coco decided to smear her hands on her dress before he could even have her hands washed. "No, no, no, Coco!.. ay, mi tesorito (my treasure), angelito (my angel), cielito (my sky/my heaven)! Okay, it's okay, let's go and get you changed, eh?" With his little girl in his arms that he embraced affectionately with his words of endearment, the energetic father  then dashed over with his daughter back to her room and Coco was able to get all dressed up in her pretty pink dress, though he completely forgot all about her hair braids when he rushed back to go get Imelda's breakfast so that it wouldn't be cold when he would serve it. He was just about to bring breakfast over with a cup of juice all in a tray on one hand while holding his daughter on his other hand, when he abruptly paused in his step and tried to make sure he didn't spill the cup upon seeing Imelda standing in the doorway. "¡Buenos días, mi amor!" He greeted his wife brightly before it faded with one of concern knitted in his wrinkled forehead upon noticing how pale Imelda looked, "Hey...you don’t look so good, Imelda..¿cómo te sientes? (how are you feeling?) Ay, mi amor, you got to be resting!" He lightly admonished his wife with a worried frown, not liking how sick she looked at all!! "C’mon, you’re getting breakfast in bed, mi reina (my queen)! Coco made a special breakfast for you!" He urged Imelda to get back into bed while walking with the tray over to the bed for her to take her breakfast there, obviously being sneaky about using Coco as a way for Imelda to want to eat breakfast in bed in front of her daughter that helped out. 

Still, Héctor proudly showed off the breakfast he made to his wife to further convince her. "Tada! It's my own version of Huevos Rancheros! Looks good, eh? You got some huevo frito.. then I cut some queso Oaxaca and aguacates! (avocados!).. I don't know how to make your salsa roja, but I put some of that mole that we had in the fridge...and look! It even has a sonrisita (a little smile)! Coco was the one that made the mouth.. isn't that right, querida? (dear one?)"  He grinned at Coco, who was his partner in crime in helping Imelda's breakfast smile. Before Imelda would say anything about it, the sheepish husband ventured to add about the tortilla not being cooked and just being a regular tortilla for tacos or burritos. "Eheh.. about la tortilla..eh...I don't know how you can tell when it's cooked on the bottom? But I left a soft one there!..maybe you can make it into a huevos rancheros taco?" Did that exist? Well, he hoped it would, or at least sound appetizing enough to eat it with or without the tortilla. He would eat it anyways. It probably tasted better than the burnt eggs that he forced himself to eat earlier.. but he wasn't about to tell Imelda that. 

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda was of course out of it still, in her sick haze, when Héctor leaned over to kiss her cheek. Had she known she may have tried to wave him off for only his own sake. During the night she had awoken slightly (just enough to pull up blankets she'd before discarded in her fever and as it left her and left her in chills) and rolled over to find him of course there. Even in her normal state she would feel the pull (and not fight it) to curl up next to him and just know he was near.

But she was sick, and wouldn't forgive herself is she got him or Coco sick next.

Now, with it morning, and leaning against the door-frame, trying to gather strength, she heard Héctor's sweet voice again, of course worried for her.

"Hey...you don’t look so good, Imelda..¿cómo te sientes? (how are you feeling?) Ay, mi amor, you got to be resting!"

Taking in the words he said, and then formulating her reply took way too much time and effort. Héctor was able to already halfway nudge her back to bed by the time she found her way to trying to tell him worse to no better on how she was feeling.

"C’mon, you’re getting breakfast in bed, mi reina (my queen)! Coco made a special breakfast for you!"

"No...Héctor I can't just lounge in bed like some...". oye, her head!

Ugh...this was so bad of her! Mothers of the household did not let slight illness get them down, again her mother hadn't...

Imelda was further ashamed at herself at how good it felt to even just sit once again amidst their even humble bed.

She sighed, and blinked drowsily at him, admittedly a bit slow on the uptake of what he'd said at the moment. "You say Coco got up?", glancing she saw her precious little girl and smiled, "Aww there you are, cariño". Imelda lifted a hand, off habit, then reminded herself and lowered it, not touching Coco and so she didn't possibly getting her sick. She even worried about her being in here, but could hardly find it in her to suggest the girl leave either. In utter selfishness!

"No, no, stay back, Mama doesn't want to get you sick", she told the girl regretfully as Coco went to try to give her a hug. Oh, it hurt further not being able to hug and comfort her when she must be so worried about her.

Glancing Coco over up closer, though, she noticed that her hair was unbraided and...were those specks on the dress and her hands? No, no, Héctor was trying; don't say anything. Even though every mother instinct she had wanted to!

"Tada! It's my own version of Huevos Rancheros! Looks good, eh? You got some huevo frito.. then I cut some queso Oaxaca and aguacates! (avocados!).. I don't know how to make your salsa roja, but I put some of that mole that we had in the fridge...and look! It even has a sonrisita (a little smile)! Coco was the one that made the mouth.. isn't that right, querida? Eheh.. about la tortilla..eh...I don't know how you can tell when it's cooked on the bottom? But I left a soft one there!..maybe you can make it into a huevos rancheros taco?"

Imelda smiled from Héctor over to Coco, glancing at the food and feeling a bit overwhelmed. It would all be a normal breakfast if she was feeling up to snuff, but as it was, it was a lot. "It looks wonderful, Héctor, gracias; though you both really didn't need to go to that much trouble".

She had two expectant pairs of eyes watching her so Imelda did her best starting in on the eggs, before chuckling at what Héctor said on the tortilla. "I showed you that part", was all she said, and with Coco in the room, but like the pan, she figured he hadn't been paying attention.

"I'm assuming you both ate as well?", Imelda was not going to let herself be remiss in her duties to seeing after them as well, and in her rare moment of clarity her gaze double scrutinized Héctor. He would live on pan dulce and say he 'ate well' or, if he felt he was seeing to her, next to nothing.

[Deleted]

Héctor couldn't hide his expressions even if he wanted to, easily being able to demonstrate discontent for something if someone were to even sound badly, like hearing a bad grito. This time, however, it was just a mixture of worry and fear that he couldn't hide. His eyebrows rose and knit together when his wife finally noticed Coco just as she sat down on the bed, almost as if she were registering things so slowly. It was probably why Imelda didn't answer him when he asked how she was feeling. She was worse than he thought. A lot worse. In fact, he was so rapt up in his concern for her that he didn't see Coco trying to reach out to hug Imelda until his wife said something that caused him to blink in realization.  

"No, no, stay back, Mama doesn't want to get you sick"

As soon as he placed the food on the bed for Imelda, the tall father instantly picked up Coco and carried his little girl in his arms, bouncing her gently in his arms to prevent his daughter from being sad about not being able to hug her mamá, since it wasn't her fault. "Oh my Coco.. mi angelito, cielito, no! You are not allowed to be sick! No se puede (You can't), no! And neither is your mamá.. but.." He murmured to his daughter in an affectionate tone with his forehead crinkling in concern as he turned his head to gaze down at his poor sick wife. "Your mamá.. she is very sick, mija. Está enfermita! (she's sick)" He explained quietly to his two year old as he held her with one arm while helping Imelda with the plate to keep it steady on his wife's lap, then making sure his wife was well tucked into the blanket. "Pobrecita (poor thing), no?" He whispered softly to his daughter in his arms with a frown, feeling so bad for Imelda. If only he could trade places with her instead of her dealing with this. He didn't like seeing anyone in his family suffer. 

“Ohh..'citica mamá!” The two-year old Coco echoed the words her Papá said with a concerned expression that copied her father's, though she misspoke them just a bit.

"Oh sí, mi cosita linda (my cute/pretty little thing).." Héctor nuzzled his daughter's adorable cheeks, a smile curving on his face as he thought of an idea and glanced at Imelda with a spark in his eyes. "But lucky for you, she already gave me one kiss to give to you, tesorito! (my treasure!)" In an instant, he gave Coco a big kiss on the cheek. "That one is from your mamita!" He said with a grin. "And this one," He gave Coco another big kiss on the other cheek, "that is from your papá!" Héctor laughed softly, then turned as he held her in one arm so that Coco could face Imelda. "Now you got to give one back to your mamita. En el aire! (In the air!) Así, así! (Like this, like this!) " He demonstrated with his free hand by giving a kiss at the tips of his fingers at the bottom of his hand and then extending it out to Imelda, blowing her a kiss with an affectionate smile to help make Imelda smile. "Eso! (That's it!)" He praised his little girl as soon as she blew a kiss at her mamá. He just wanted to make Imelda feel better about the whole thing. 

"It looks wonderful, Héctor, gracias; though you both really didn't need to go to that much trouble"

The young father grinned triumphantly upon hearing Imelda's praise. For someone that was a great cook, if not the best cook in all of Santa Cecilia (and yes, he was biased and proud to be!), that was saying something! "Pfft ah c'mon, it was no trouble, Imelda! I got this all taken care of!" He said confidently with a wave of his hand, not wanting her to stress out when she needed to focus on getting better. It was then when he caught a stain at the corner of his eyes down at his shirt, which meant that Coco's dress was also stained too because of it. And she had just gotten changed! Ay no.. He tried to lift Coco so that both stains were as covered as possible, when he just realized that he had forgotten to work on her hair! "..and I was planning on doing her hair as soon as breakfast was finished!" How exactly he planned on doing it was another story.. 

Héctor chuckled sheepishly when Imelda caught him with the reminder that she showed him how to do the tortilla. "Eheh...yes, you did! But eh, you see.. I was just not paying attention at the time! I apologize for that!" He admitted frankly with a sheepish grin. Héctor was more focused on giving her a thousand besitos while she was in his arms that day than anything else, though he proved to be partly paying attention when it came to the eggs! He did make eggs, didn't he? He wasn't counting his eggs that he ate though.. "But I still think a huevos rancheros taco could be the next big thing, Imelda! You got to give it a chance!" He childishly defended his idea proudly, before shrugging. "Eh, it was either that or you could have the tortilla cooked to medium well.." He glimpsed over at the door with a tiny insecure smile, thinking about the tortilla that he burned a little more than necessary.. though he wouldn't called it burnt, it was just cooked medium well, that's all. Glancing back down at her plate, he couldn't help but think that it all looked so good. He would definitely try it as a taco, personally, at least... but maybe it's also partly because he made it up and it sounded a lot better than burnt eggs. 

"I'm assuming you both ate as well?"

Oh, it's like Imelda somehow knew him too well! His eyes widened before he shot her a grin. "Claro que si (Of course), mi amor! We both ate some eggs with some fruitica, right Coco?"  Thankfully, Coco was his alibi on this one! She could vouch for him! He wasn't lying about either one of them! Was he going to say that he burned his? Of course not! "And I even ate a palomita (little dove) because we are sadly out of puerquito (piglet)," He joked about the pan dulces, making them sound like the actual animals, shooting Coco a playful smile with a bounce of his eyebrows, just to make her laugh. His smile dropped only slightly into a small, timid one as she peered into his eyes, before he beamed brightly again, "Don't worry, mi amor! We are all taken care of!" He reassured her confidently before pointing a finger at her. "But now it is time to take care of you! Stay there, Imelda, por favor y portate bien (please and behave), mi amor! I’m going to bring some medicine! I'll be right back!" Héctor asked for his wife to please not get out of the bed, then glanced at Coco in his arms with a grin, “Ven comigo (come with me), Coco, I need your help with taking care of your mamita!” With that, the devoted husband zipped away from the room in order to fetch some medicinal ailments to help Imelda feel better. 

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda was well aware of how bad Héctor was at hiding his emotions and reactions; it had worked for her more than a few times and let her know when her husband was up to something just lightly childish or such, and where her own intuitions couldn't even be sure. Now, though, he radiated worry for her, and Imelda could not be having that! Could not be having either of them worry! So she just had to put on the best face she could, surely it didn't work the other way and Héctor didn't know how far she was faking...

Imelda hoped not anyway.

Héctor scooped up Coco at her worry, and all but calling attention, to how their little girl went to hug her when she was contagious. Watching him bounce Coco, and throw his one million pet names at her, was beyond soothing to Imelda's heart, and if only that was enough to make her better, she knew Héctor would be able to cure her in a heartbeat!

He even had to slightly amend his words, since he added that she wasn't allowed to be sick either, and obviously Héctor had no control over events enough to stop that from happening.

It was the kind of thought he'd probably believe more than her, and unfortunately it was not true.

She might have stalled Héctor going on about her being sick, only to keep Coco unaware and only for her sake, though she knew that train had left the station. She could only smile softly once more, and as Coco echoed her Papa's words as best she could. "Yes, but I'll be all better soon, Mija, promise", she promised both of them, and even if it was beyond her control.

"But lucky for you, she already gave me one kiss to give to you, tesorito!"

"Héctor...", Imelda knew in her current state, laughing was probably the last thing she should allow herself to do, and the first thing Héctor was going for along with cheering Coco up, but she couldn't stop the light chuckles that his antics brought, and always did.

She just loved him so much, she pondered, and hoped her smile back showed as Héctor and Coco blew her kisses. In this moment, the possibility of ever being bitter or angry towards her sweet, kind, funny, musico was not one.

Imelda blew a kiss back to both of them, careful not to actually breath though, and even if she was sure the slight distance to where they stood was far enough.

"..and I was planning on doing her hair as soon as breakfast was finished!"

"Está bien, Mi amor", Imelda said softly, and partly as she fought another wave of tiredness; and it was, and she wouldn't nit-pick when he was trying so much and meant to only take care of things for her.

She chuckled as Héctor defended his culinary invention. "If it becomes a hit with the other housewives of the town, I will make sure you get all of the credit", she smiled, and used hit a bit teasingly, since he was aiming for other types of his being popular, which she was sure he would some day.

She smiled again as Héctor answered her question honestly enough, and really she worried about him, knowing he wouldn't have left out Coco. She chuckled again at what Héctor said about the pan dulce.

A protest threatened to come as Héctor again said he was going to go see about what else she needed. No, I'm fine, she wanted to say, but hardly got anything out before he was of course darting off cheerfully and helpfully. "Gracias", she whispered after him, but meant to do better about getting better herself and back about her duties.

She had a few moments to work with, and in the span of minutes, let herself close her eyes and sigh, giving in to exactly how tired she felt now that she didn't have to worry about Héctor and Coco worrying. She meant to keep track of the time, but felt herself start to drift, though she still heard the sound as Héctor came back into the room, so wasn't fully gone to sleep yet, and scolding herself, blinked her eyes opened again. She hadn't meant to let them catch her.

[Deleted]

The paternal musician's smile faltered only slightly on the serious side when Imelda promised that she would get better again. Glancing at the cross by the wall in the room, he inwardly prayed that she would be heard and that it would be true. The young father couldn't help but smile brightly again at his success upon seeing his two ladies of the house, Imelda and Coco, smiling and laughing. As a good papá, it was important for Héctor to always make his daughter smile and laugh, but it was always his mission to make Imelda smile and laugh since the moment he met her, so it was truly a success to be able to still be able to despite Imelda not feeling well today. "Ah, how great are your mamita's kisses, eh? What do you think, cariño? (What do you think, sweet one)? Que rico (How great they are), no?!" He asked his daughter with a smile, knowing what the answer was already, of course, but he just wanted Imelda to hear it from the both of them to make her feel better.

Coco giggled, feeling encouraged by her papá's enthusiasm, and was able to pronounce this word from her vocabulary at least, "Rico!"

"Eso! (That's it!)" Héctor praised his daughter with an adoring smile for saying that word correctly, and for saying the right answer, of course. Coco was his daughter, after all. She knew all the right answers, of course. "You see? She got that one from me!" He gestured to himself with a jab of his thumb to his chest with a confident grin. He liked to think that he taught her that word, and he still liked to believe that her first words were papá, even if he had no proof. Even so, Coco better get ready because this musician was about to teach her how to say a bunch of musical related things for as long as he would be here. He smiled softly upon hearing Imelda say that she was fine with Coco's hair not being quite done yet. He'll figure that one out after he finishes with the dishes, but first he had to make sure Imelda would be taken care of. His forehead still creased with concern upon noticing how Imelda looked so tired. It was worse than the time when she was tired during the end of her pregnancy. It was as if the sickness was truly wearing her body out. He was really worried about her.

"If it becomes a hit with the other housewives of the town, I will make sure you get all of the credit",

"You mean it's good enough to make it more than once?!" Héctor was always quick to understand things in this manner. For, if she were going to show it off to the other housewives, then that means she had to make more of it, right? He knew his wife was teasing him again as usual, and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. "Ah just wait for it, mi amor! I'm gonna make a big hit soon!" He grinned confidently, looking over at Coco with a curious smile. "Right, Coco? You feel it too, no? It is like a rhythm in your bones!" He lightly bounced Coco in his arms to demonstrate the rhythm in her bones with a playful chuckle. Héctor gave her an affectionate gaze before he turned away with Coco to the kitchen, his smile slightly hindered by his concern for his wife right now.

As soon as he left the room towards the kitchen, Héctor let Coco down to walk alongside him so that he could gather some medicinal things for Imelda. "Okay..you get to hold...this one, Coco!" The father bent down to provide Coco with a pillow case that had a bag of ice inside of it, so that it wasn't too cold to grab onto. "Hold it tight, cielito! (my piece of sky/heaven) That is for your mamita to get better!" He explained with a gentle smile and a light tap on his daughter's button nose before he stood up again to return his attention to the water that he was heating up to make a special tea full of all the medicinal ailments that he learned from his time in the orphanage, where doctors would sometimes come in for one of the caretakers. "Okay.. we heat up the water, add some aguamiel (literally means watered honey, but it's really agave nectar), a whole lemon, a little bit of tequila to burn it all down*... anddd...oh! A mint leaf because I heard that mint is also good for you!" He began pouring the ingredients as he named them and then grinned at Coco as if she were paying attention, which was impossible due to her tiny height down at the floor. He then began mixing the ingredients together with a light hum, trying to get his thoughts away from thinking the worst of his wife's sickness. "Hmhmhmmm... Listo! (Finished/Ready!)" He grinned proudly at his tea that he hoped would be the cure to Imelda's sickness.

"A ver, a ver.. (let's see, let's see)..we got the thermometer.. Where the heck is that Vaporru, Coco?" The songwriter rummaged through the cabinets to find Vapor Rub, obviously saying it wrong, one of the few American things that had been manufactured in Mexico around this time given the Spanish Influenza epidemic that was spreading in this country around this time. "Aspirina..eh, that would help.." He mused when he saw the Aspirin, which was also manufactured around this time for headaches. Héctor wasn't sure if Imelda suffered from headaches since she wouldn't say when he asked, but he shrugged and decided to take it anyways. At this point, he was pretty much taking anything that would work. "Here it is! The most important of all medicine!" Héctor lifted up the Vick's Vapor Rub as if it were the holy grail itself, the cure all to anything. Okay, that wasn't true, given that several people died within the last year from the influenza epidemic, not to mention the one recently that he had to perform at a funeral for, but it did help alleviate symptoms. Unfortunately, Hector wasn't exaggerating when it came to his nervousness about Imelda's sickness. This was during a time where antibiotics were not yet invented, so the combination of all of these things and a prayer was possibly one of their only chances of Imelda feeling better after all this. Also, he was trying not to think that Imelda had the influenza, but something less than that, but he'll pray for that not to happen later. 

"Okay, Coco. C'mon! We got to bring this all back to your mamita!" Holding the two medicines and thermometer in one hand, he tried to hold the tea steady with the other hand as he walked back towards their bedroom, using a light shake of his head to direct her to follow him back to the bedroom. Once he ensured that she was walking along with him, carrying the pillow case like it were a baby doll, he stepped into the room and noticing Imelda seemed to be fighting off some sleep. He almost didn't want to wake her but.. he wanted to at least make sure she got her medicine. When Imelda opened her eyes, he smiled at her. "We're back, mi amor! And I got you some tea!" He lightly said it in his excitement as he gently placed the tea cup that was atop of the small plate at the nighttable next to her side of the bed, knowing that his wife liked to drink tea. "I hope you like it! It's an official family recipe!" Héctor grinned proudly at that, before he rolled his eyes with a sheepish smile when he admitted to obviously lying, given the fact that he didn't really have much of a family before this one. "..okay, fine, that..was made up.. but if it works, then we're making it official, no?" He lowered his eyelids half way with a charming smile, happy to be able to say as much; to be able to say a family recipe to his new family like this. He then placed the medicines next to her tea so that she would remember to take it. "Oh, here are your medicines.. you got to promise me you'll take these, Imelda.." The passive husband tried to be stern with his request, but it ended up being more of a pleading kind of request for her to please use these so that she could get better. "And Coco brought you some ice for your fever that you had earlier.. or maybe even for a headache?" He lightly took it off of Coco's hands and placed it on the bed, remembering that he wanted to check Imelda's temperature. "Hey, actually, let me check on that fever.." With that, he gently waited for Imelda to be ready for him so that he could place the thermometer in her mouth for her to put it underneath her tongue. With any hope, her fever wouldn't be that high, or would hopefully lower soon. He just wanted Imelda to get better as quickly as possible.

(There was a Spanish Influenza where the doctors prescribed a tonic with these ingredients, including tequila! Also, Vapor Rub and Aspirin were indeed invented and manufactured in Mexico at this time <3) 

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda could only smile at Héctor's sweet praises of her air kisses, and getting Coco to back him up, all for her sake.

"You see? She got that one from me!"

I'm sure she did", Imelda had to smile again, and perhaps give him this one. As to Coco's first words, Imelda was still pretty sure she'd won that one, so all the more reason to maybe give Héctor this one; and of course even her agreeing could only agree so far and she had to leave a hint of doubt in her tone and smile.

It was about all the teasing she could manage at the moment.

"You mean it's good enough to make it more than once?!"

Oh dear...now she'd caught herself in a bind a bit...

Still, it wasn't all that bad. "Si Héctor, but I'll still make it my way and leave you to your style".

"Ah just wait for it, mi amor! I'm gonna make a big hit soon!"

Imelda chuckled, but the sound showed her undying faith more than any mocking, "I believe it, mi vida; ah, you'll be so famous I'll be having to remind you to come home", there was nothing but humor and love in the words, and her faith that Héctor would never forget them; but some day not all that distant the words would turn bitter and return to her to feel they'd poisoned her heart.

Her smiling gaze watched them go and then stole what bits of rest didn't further worry them.

"Okay..you get to hold...this one, Coco!"

"'is one!", Coco repeated, holding the pillow case up as if to show Héctor how tightly and well she gripped it!

"We're back, mi amor! And I got you some tea!"

Imelda blinked her eyes opened as Héctor and Coco returned. Coco hopping up onto the bed and holding the pillowcase out proudly to her like she would know what it was as well!

"Oh gracias, Cariño!", Imelda took the pillowcase before glancing to Héctor and what he said as well.

"I hope you like it! It's an official family recipe!..okay, fine, that..was made up.. but if it works, then we're making it official, no?"

Imelda caught the hidden, unspoken in that. How she and Coco were his first true family, as he'd shared many times, and she also just knew from his background. "That sounds like a grand idea, mi amor", Imelda was eager to support such an important idea to him, and agreed even before sipping the tea, which she went on to do.

She forgot herself for a moment though and lifted her other hand to lightly touch his cheek before quickly retracting, "Oh sorry! I...I couldn't bear to get you or Coco sick", she wrapped the offending hand around her tea cup.

"Oh, here are your medicines.. you got to promise me you'll take these, Imelda.."

Imelda caught the attempted stern from Héctor; which of course didn't work. His worry made it through to her though. She smiled, "Of course".

"And Coco brought you some ice for your fever that you had earlier.. or maybe even for a headache?"

"Fever", Imelda answered the unasked question simply and as she felt another light wave of fatigue.

"Hey, actually, let me check on that fever.."

Despite the fatigue, this got Imelda's attention and she glanced over to Héctor, concerned he was going to check her forehead. He had a thermometer though. It was still too close and Imelda focused on not breathing too much even as she let Héctor settle the thermometer. She smiled as reassuringly as she could to him.

<<Hehe we can let it be high I guess in fitting with the symptoms>>

[Deleted]

"I'm sure she did"

"Ay, mi amor, she did!" Héctor grinned triumphantly at Imelda and her teasing in regards to about Coco learning air kisses from him. The young musician liked to do air kisses to a great audience, and now he was spreading that down to his daughter! His daughter was going to be the next best performer! 

"Si Héctor, but I'll still make it my way and leave you to your style"

"Ah fine, okay, mi amor..But the neighbors.. I know they will like the taste of a huevos rancheros taco! I'll just make a bunch of it during the next posada!" Héctor replied enthusiastically, determined to get the neighbors to try it his way! He'll just have to make it during the next Noche Buena and have all the neighbors that want to ask for posada in their home to try his huevos rancheros taco!   

"I believe it, mi vida; ah, you'll be so famous I'll be having to remind you to come home"

There were a lot of things at this point that Héctor wished he could have said in retrospect. He should have reassured Imelda that he would never leave that long, or that he realized that the only true dream he had was having his family and that it was no longer his dream to sing for the world, but he didn't. Instead, the young father just smiled appreciatively at Imelda's support for him being good enough to be famous one day. He loved that support that he got from his wife, from day one when she even bought him what would one day be his famous white skull guitar. 

All the young Héctor said in this moment was instantly relate those words to a song, which may have sounded like he wasn't taking it seriously; yet in Héctor's mind, he was just playing along with Imelda's silly, teasing words about needing to remind him to come home. That was just loco! As if he'd ever need a reminder to come home to his only family! "Eh! Like mis amigos, Quirino Mendoza y Cortés, would say:" With a shrug, the 19 year old musician broke into a gentle song with the first song that he related this to from the songwriters he mentioned (who were not literally his friends since this famous song was made in 1882): 

"Ay, ay, ay, ay..!" 
Canta y no llores! (Sing and don't cry)
Porque cantando se alegran, cielito lindo, los corazones!" (Because singing is the only way it can make hearts happy, my beautiful heaven)

Héctor crooned in a lowered voice to Coco, swaying her around as he held her in his arms as if he were waltzing with her.  

"Pájaro que abandona, cielito lindo, su primer nido, (The bird that abandons, my beautiful heaven, his first nest..)
Si lo encuentra ocupado, cielito lindo... bien merecidoooo! (If he finds it already occupied, my beautiful heaven, it was well deserved!)

"-Dohhhh!!" Was the only response to Coco aside from giggling in her attempts to sing the last part of the word of the song with her papá.  

"Ohh, que bien (that's great), mi cielito lindo! (My beautiful heaven)" The young father stopped singing the next verses of the song (since it was only that part that reminded him of what Imelda was saying) and chuckled adoringly at his little Coco trying to sing along, praising her for her cute attempt. "Mira eso (Look at that), mi amor! She was trying to sing along!" Héctor grinned at his wife impressively for his daughter, though he shouldn't be so surprised because - pfft of course, she would try to sing! She was his daughter! At this point, the young Héctor simply thought that anyone that would want to abandon their home like that and then later on come back to it only to find that it was occupied by someone else taking his place deserved it. It was obvious by singing this song that there was no need for Imelda to remind him to come home because if he ever abandoned his family, then he deserved whatever consequences happen to him.  As far as he was concerned, he would never do that to his family, especially knowing that this was his first and only family! Little did he realize, however, that he would appear to be much like the bird that would abandon, though it was never his intention to.

Héctor smiled upon hearing Coco speak and showing that she was such a great helper to heal her mamá. It struck him that perhaps him and Imelda could both continue to sing more songs with Coco to get her to learn some! Depending on how bad Imelda was feeling, perhaps he might have to stay and entertain Coco by teaching her some music. He really hoped that Imelda wasn't that bad though, not because he wouldn't want to stay, but because he wouldn't want to think Imelda was really going through a lot worse - like in those influenza cases. He couldn't imagine how different his life would be without Imelda! Héctor tried to shake away his worries and fears and focused on one task at a time. He just needed Imelda to get better, and hopefully this tea would do the trick!

When they returned to Imelda's side, the young father smiled to himself when Coco climbed on the bed and proudly held out the pillowcase full of ice. Given that this was before antibiotics, Héctor wasn't even sure if germs were able to be contagious by being on the bed, so he allowed Coco as much, so long as she kept her distance from being too close to her mama. A loving smile slid over his bearded chin upon hearing Imelda support his desire to make it a family recipe, his eyelids lowered half-mast over his brown eyes as he gazed tenderly at Imelda when she tried to reach to touch his cheek, always loving the affection. His smile faltered when Imelda remembered - as well as reminded him - that she was sick and didn't want to contaminate him or Coco.  Ay, this sickness was killing him with not being able to touch his wife like this! 

To make things worse, the temperature that read on the thermometer did not make things any better for him and his worries. "Uy, mi amor.. You're really burning up!" Héctor tilted his eyebrows upward, causing a small crease on his forehead."You got to keep this on your forehead to help with the fever, mi amor.." He rolled the ends of the pillowcase over itself so that it was roughly the length of the ice bag that was inside of it, the layers that were wrapped up around would keep it from being too cold on her skin. The young father positioned it well on her forehead so that it would remain on her forehead without roll off if she were to sleep. "No, en serio (seriously).. Imelda, you got to take your medicines!" The young husband tried to tell his wife with more seriousness in his tone, though it was still soft but full of worry. He no longer was satisfied with an 'of course' anymore. After seeing the truth with the thermometer, he wanted her to take them right now! "Mira.. at least take one, mi amor.." Héctor opened the aspirin and tilted it so that one tablet went into his hand - he wanted her to take two, but he knew that Imelda would probably only want to take one for now, so he planned on giving her the other one later on. "¿Si no?(If not?)... te sigo molestando (I'll just keep bothering you) until you do!" At this, he lowered his eyelids with a small playfully charming smile formed his lips at that moment, though it decreased to a determined one of seriousness in his desire to see his wife better. Once his determination finally set in, there was no stopping him. It used to be the same when he was determined to keep trying with Imelda, but now it was going to be determination for Imelda to take her medicine! Sadly, the next time he should be so determined would be his determination to leave to the tours before he would later on be determined to go home. 

[Mamá Imelda]

<<Again, sorry this fell through the cracks!>>

Teasing Héctor was almost worth it every time for the varied reactions she received when she did. Despite her tiredness, Imelda smiled as her husband defended teaching Coco all about air-kisses.

"Ah fine, okay, mi amor..But the neighbors.. I know they will like the taste of a huevos rancheros taco! I'll just make a bunch of it during the next posada!"

A part of Imelda cringed at that plan. The put together housewife and mother who would have to deal with all of their neighbors' thoughts on Héctor's unconventional dish.

She didn’t have the current fortitude (or heart) to squash his idea, though, and just smiled lovingly.

Of course Héctor related her words on being so famous as to forget them, ones she'd meant teasingly, but which would take a sour turn when she thought he did, back to a song. It could be seen as not sincere and almost avoiding the issue, but currently Imelda just rolled her eyes slightly and watched as Héctor danced and swayed with Coco; laughing as their daughter tried to sing along.

"Mira eso, mi amor! She was trying to sing along!"

And Coco sent a small smile over to Imelda, as if awaiting out her reaction and no doubt praise for such! Imelda smiled, "Muy bien".

Héctor was all energy and boyish charm, even now, and while it could maybe be seen as draining, Imelda wouldn't shoo him or Coco away, and took a lot of comfort from her husband's antics. Though to let him know that fully would be a mistake!

He also lapped up attention like a perrito, and felt it when she withdrew her hand for his own sake; she saw it, and she felt it too in all honesty, but practicality! She would not be responsible for him or Coco getting sick!

Her daughter was so very hard to shoo away though, and Imelda smiled and carefully took the pillowcase, or tried to. "Gracias, cariño". Héctor took over to roll it up and place it on her forehead as Imelda rested back.

She would have nodded to him that she would attempt to keep it in place, if Héctor didn't go on with many other points, and an insistence on the medicine.

"Héctor, you're fussing...", Imelda pointed out in a tone that tried to be her own firm, but couldn't help sounding far too touched, despite the minor annoyance of when Héctor put his foot down, and got determined on something (usually something to do with her).

Of course the irony hit Imelda, but...well she was allowed to fuss, just not him.

"¿Si no?... te sigo molestando until you do!"

Imelda sighed again, pointedly ignoring his attempted charming look.

Little Coco next had to join in of course off Héctor's example (good or bad) and babbled a please to her Mama, putting her little hands together, and almost like when she was simply begging for something. Touching as it further was, Imelda sent Héctor another look that said she knew he was the mastermind to all of this.

It would benefit her and her family to get better though, so in the end she relented, taking the one pill Héctor offered out and taking it with a swig of the thoughtfully brought water. "Not that I need it you understand, but...well if it makes you feel better yourself". Why Imelda was so hesitant to admit to needing conventional medicine, even she couldn't say, except for that ingrained idea that, as the wife and mother of the house, she had to be able to self conquer all, even illness, like her own Mama had.

[Deleted]

An apologetic smile formed along the nineteen year old's lips underneath one of his birthmarks when Imelda called him out on fussing over her. It was her polite way of telling him to back off, which Héctor knew was polite because normally Imelda would be a lot more direct in telling anyone else to back off. Actually, he hadn't heard her tell him this since when she was pregnant with Coco, where he definitely heard her tell him this a lot more. Thankfully she seemed to understand that it was just hard to back down when it was his first time having a family of his very own! "Ay, lo siento, mi amor.." He apologized with a sheepish smile, rubbing his other arm absentmindedly for a bit as he glimpsed over at Coco with his forehead creased a bit. He wanted to back down this time, he really did, but he couldn't. He was too worried for Imelda's well-being, especially given that she had such a high fever and that a terrible flu sickness was causing a lot of recent deaths during this time period! Sure, he played at some funerals, but that did not mean that he wanted to be a part of any on a personal level. Not yet! He still had many years to go with Imelda! Like a hundred!

"Not that I need it you understand, but...well if it makes you feel better yourself".

A brightly white smile formed on his face upon hearing Imelda say that she was going to be better at least to make him feel better. "No, pues claro! (But of course!) It would make me feel so much better to see you well, mi amor!"  Héctor would happily take that as an answer for Imelda to take care of herself enough to take her medicine and feel better! His forehead creased a little bit as he frowned with one of concern as he placed a hand on hers, "I never want anything bad to happen to you, Imelda..You know? I wish I could take it all away and let it happen to me instead," Imelda being sick was affecting him a lot; a lot more than he was possibly joking around and appearing to not take things seriously. He meant this part, however, wishing he would be the one that would have this happen instead of watching Imelda suffer. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if anything were to happen to her. Héctor was too optimistic to dwell on that, however, and instantly brightened up again as he glanced over at Coco. "Okay Coco, let's go and get your hair pretty! Vamos (Let's go), tesorito (my treasure)!" Héctor gently picked his little girl up into his arms and went to her room to get her hair done, as promised. 

Sitting on the bed with Coco, Héctor tried at least 2 times to braid Coco's hair before he realized that maybe there was a side that was easier.. somehow. "Eh, no lo sé (I don't know)..Maybe this side is better to start with, Coco.." Why was this more complicated than it looked? How did Imelda do this every day so fast?! Héctor managed to end up twisting her hair instead of braiding it and held it at the ends with a bright grin. "Okay.. Tada!" He frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as he tried to figure out why it looked so different from Imelda's final result. "This is..not what it looks like..!"  What was he missing? "Oh! Maybe it looks better with your pretty bows!" Héctor chirped, offering a smile at his good idea. "Okay.. a ver..(let's see)"  The young father brought up the box of Coco's hair accessories and gushed at the flowery pins that he could add to her hair! "Ohh look at this, Coco! Why don't we put some florecitas (little flowers) in your hair?!" His little girl full of flowers in her hair was going to look so adorable! Just wait until Imelda would see this! 

[Mamá Imelda]

Héctor...tried to sound sorry, and that alone was enough. Imelda smiled; plus, as she'd previously thought to herself even, she got the reason for all of his fussing, much as she would defend she didn't need it. She also didn't need his glance to Coco to remind her of the last main time he fussed; when she'd been pregnant. Well, she wouldn't know yet, but hopefully by their next kid Héctor would tone it down a bit. Time would only tell.

She shook her head at his teasing reply back, and before he covered her hand with his own, going on more seriously, about what seeing her like this did, and how he would take it away if he could. Imelda knew he would...

She smiled back, giving his hand a small squeeze in reply. She would have kissed his hand or even cheek, but was still trying to not get them sick, even with as little as was known on germs. "I'll be fine, Héctor", she still promised in her own serious way that would pretend she had power over illness same as she did the household.

Well, her example alone should have shown her her error...

Héctor then whisked Coco off to do her hair and braids in nothing but an effort to help. Still, Imelda sighed to herself as she settled back again, a combination of letting the medicine take effect and general tiredness. She already knew the chaos that was about to further ensue, but also allowed it both for having limited capabilities to fight it, and in the interest of father-daughter-bonding.

[Coco Rivera]

Mamá was happier and smiled when Coco handed over the pillowcase, which made Coco smile; more than she'd been doing anyway, looking worried as her Mamá looked so sick, and despite Papá singing, and getting both of them to smile at least a bit more! As they sat on the bed, and Coco tried to remember not to get close again, because Mamá had said not to, Papá took Mamá's hand, and Coco's own tiny one half reached over to do the same, before she put it back down.

She was soon distracted as Papá scooped her up to go work on braiding her hair!

Coco giggled, trying to crane around and watch his progress, but then recalling to sit still so it would help him! Papá just usually wasn't the one doing her hair, so she was curious how it was going to go! And not that she didn't believe in him, she had the firmest faith of any two year old!

It...didn't seem to work though. Coco could tell already with how it felt different than when Mamá did her hair, and then Papá commented that it was different. Coco thought back to when Mamá did her hair, and babbled toddler string syllables to try to tell him Mamá "threaded it" more, though even with a full vocabulary, she couldn't have told Papá what that meant! She just knew off how it felt when she did it.

Papá landed on a solution himself anyway and bows! Coco clapped her hands, she liked her bows!

She watched as Papá brought up the box of bows. One landed on the bed, and she picked it up, holding it like she might try to put it in her own hair, then pausing. Why the idea never struck her when Mamá was doing her hair was a valid point, and she didn't usually play with the bows then, which could be part of it. Coco moved her hand up, aiming the bow for Papá's hair!

There was a small enough gap between the pin and bow that it stayed, for the most part, without her clipping it and she giggled, clapping her hands. She now liked this game!

[Deleted]

Ay, pobrecita Imelda. The aspiring musician didn't like his wife braving a sickness alone, but he knew she needed her rest. Especially after tending to so many little details like this. How she managed to do everything so perfectly while he would be gone was.. well, he was starting to find out just all that she had to do! Starting with perfecting the braids, which was not easy - he was starting to realize that nothing was as easy as Imelda made it seem. "Okay, where..where is the other one like this, eh?" He murmured to Coco with his head lowered as he sifted through the bows in the box to find the other matching pair. "They got to match, no? Yes, they always got to match..that's really important for my-" He paused upon seeing his daughter's tiny hands grab one of them, then glimpsed up with his eyebrows raised curiously when it appeared that she was going to put it on herself. She could put it on herself this whole time? The young father admittedly was learning new things about what his daughter could do, given all this time the musician had to learn these small details since he normally went to work. Coco's little arms seemed to be extended towards him, like she wanted a hug instead. Ever complying to Coco's little hugs, though it was hard to let go when she did that when he had to go to work, he leaned down to wrap his arms around her, "Ohh..mi angelito, cielito-" He blinked when Coco placed her little hands in his raven hair, and he lowered his eyelids with a small smile that couldn't help but visibly melt. At least until he realized that she clipped a bow in his hair. "What?  Ay Coco! Haha!"   Héctor laughed in amusement, placing a hand on the clip in his hair to feel it in his hair. He didn't take it off though. "Ah mi cosita linda (my pretty thing), but these bows are for you!" He insisted, though his insistence was weakened when Coco clapped happily for herself. How could he put a stop to that? "You want to share them with me? With your papá?" Héctor asked with an adoring smile, practically putty to his little girl's hands. Oh, that was such a sweet sentiment! How could he say no to that? Coco was so sweet for sharing, given that she didn't have any brothers or sisters yet to share or borrow things with the way Imelda had to learn with her brothers or even Héctor had to learn back in the orphanage. As far as whether they would have more, well..Imelda mentioned putting down roots and having another one a few times, but the timing was not right. Now, he was finally at home, but his wife was sick. See? It was just bad timing.

 "Okay..a ver, muñequita..(let's see, little doll) The 19 year old father relented to his girl so easily, much like he would to Imelda. If Imelda was the queen of the house, then Coco was his princess. They got away with anything. Lowering himself to kneel before her on one knee in front of her bed as if her bed were a throne chair, which allowed her to easily put one in his raven locks, the tall musician sorted through the box on the bed to look through which one they were going to put in his hair. "Let's see what colors we are wearing for today,"  He smiled up at her, before peering down at the options. "Which one is the.. red one?" Héctor knew where it was, but he wanted to use this as a teaching moment to keep helping Coco to remember her colors. "And the green?" He would wait to see which one Coco would select, "What about the orange?" He waited again for her to point to the color, "Okay, now show me the yellow.." He waited for her selection, prepared to gesture to the correct color for any one of them in case she got any of the answers wrong. "And where is the pink one, Coco?"  He didn't care about wearing pink unlike most of the men seemed to be around this time period; he had a healthy amount of self-esteem as a man to not let a color bother him. Truthfully, he was using this as a teaching moment, given how he taught Ernesto how to play the guitar. He realized that it was probably not the same color as the one that she had just placed on his hair earlier though, he knew that it wasn't going to match. All he did was shrug rebelliously at that. "Eh, I don't want it to match, okay? I want orange, pink, yellow..green, purple.. whatever you think looks good, Coco!" The musician grinned at his daughter before lowering his raven head at her eye level, his bangs falling slightly above his eyes before he closed them. The creative papá was giving her full reign on whatever color she wanted to use. 

(Lol I mentioned the colors he had on his skeletal face xD)

[Coco Rivera]

Though her aim was to place the ribbon clip, Coco would always take all of the hugs Papá would give! Making it a wonder and miracle he ever left for work and to play with Tío Ernesto! He noticed the clip though! Because he looked surprised and then laughed. Coco giggled too, mostly because it seemed she'd made Papá happy, and that was a good thing!

"You want to share them with me? With your papá?"

With another giggle, Coco nodded, reaching back in the box as Papá bent closer. She was all set to just pick a random bow, when he went on.

"Which one is the.. red one?"

Pausing, Coco glanced into her box. Oh, she knew this...she knew this...!

Her tiny hands hovered over an orange one before realizing that was wrong. No...rojo...which was...

Picking up a red one, Coco held it out triumphantly! It fell back into the box, but that was fine. Papá asked about other colors, Coco pointing them out (at times still wrong and getting small hints). For a moment she forgot about pinning the bows, and just followed along with the Colors Game until Papá brought her attention back to it. She went back through the colors, giving him each of the one's he'd asked for, but pausing as she picked up the pink one and, shaking her head, putting that one in her own hair, though like all of them, she didn't clip half of them so well and they were in danger of falling out. She was used to wearing pink all the time since it was her favorite color.

"Bon!", she clapped her hands again once she was done, half saying her words but feeling she'd done a good job and Papá looked good!

<<Haha perfect!>>

[Deleted]

Coco was doing so well with her understanding of colors! Art always appealed to Héctor, which was why he liked supporting Coco's drawings that he would help put on her wall. Art and music were all about connecting others, which Héctor appreciated given that he was an orphan that didn't have family to connect to, at least until he did now with Imelda and Coco. Given that he didn't have a lot of time with her like he did now, the musician loved being a part of Coco's learning. He hoped to continue to teach her songs lyrics now that she was getting into singing along with him!

As soon as his little girl stated that she was done, the young musician checked himself out in the mirror to see Coco's masterpiece with his hair. There were bows of various colors clipped onto different parts of his hair. "Haha! Oh it looks so good, cielito!" He laughed, checking himself out in the mirror as if he was the most handsome guy ever. "Gracias!" Then he gave her besitos on her adorable cheeks, then stood up enthusiastically to call her over to join him on his next activity, "Come on, Coco! Vente, mija!" He gestured her to follow him out to the kitchen excitedly, "Let's go and clean the dishes." Even though cleaning the dishes didn't sound as exciting for a little kid, he used an exciting tone of voice because the musician knew just how to make it fun! "Maybe we can make some music with the pots and pans while we work, eh?" Working along to the beat that Coco would make could make any dishcleaning exciting! 

"Wait, wait, wait.." Before they went to the kitchen, Hector did stop in front of their bedroom door, where Imelda was in. "No, let's give your mamá some more time to finish her dish. We'll save the best one for last!" Because Imelda was sick, he decided to save Imelda's plate as the last one to clean and clean the other dishes first. He would never want to rush the love of his life! "Vamos, muñequita!" He enthusiastically encouraged her to follow him along to the kitchen. There, he introduced Coco to some clean pots and pans of various sizes to make different noises. He then sampled some beats for her to copy, then encouraged her to make beats on her own. Any beat she wanted! Depending on whether Coco would make a slow beat or a fast beat, Héctor would clean slowly or quickly according to the beat!  "Eso!" Hector grinned as soon as they were done cleaning, putting away the pots and pans and reaching down to try to pick up Coco in his arms again. "Ey you made good music, tesorito! C'mon, let's go check on your mamá!" Now it was time to go see if Imelda was done with her plate! "Hola Imeldita! How're you feeling? You done with your dish?" He asked sweetly with a broad grin as he came to her side with Coco in his arms, completely forgetting about the bows in his hair. 

[Mamá Imelda]

Even when she was sick, Imelda's maternal senses kept an ear out for the pulse of the household, as it were, and so she caught the odd sound of banging and guessed its origin. She smiled and yet decided she would do all she could to keep Héctor from discovering that she could hear his and Coco's playing, since that would be a quick way to get them to stop, and she wasn't sure she wanted that, even in her condition when noise might be a bother.

It was nice in a way that only something made by Coco and Héctor could be.

Of course she couldn't really hear it, just the faint louder notes, but still. This was no doubt how Héctor did the dishes...

They stopped after a short bit, and as she heard the door, Imelda glanced over as Héctor came in, with Coco in his arms. She then blinked...wondering if she was starting to catch fever, but, well even if she was, she wasn't at the hallucinating stage yet. No Héctor really did have possibly all of Coco's bows in his hair!

"Héctor...", she glanced from him to Coco and then smiled at their little girl, "Have you been making your Papá pretty, Mija?", she asked. she then registered Héctor's question, both of them. She was tempted to push it and say she was better, but she knew if she allowed herself rest then tomorrow might look more promising.

"I'll get there, maybe by the morning", she answered for how she was feeling. As to her plate. "Yes, gracias, though take care, I won't have you or Coco getting sick", she said as she let him taking it.

[Coco Rivera]

Coco watched eagerly as Papá went to the mirror, clapping her little hands as he praised the job she had done. "tan bien!", she went back to basically repeating what Papá said about him looking so good by way of conversation, though she could use and put together her own words too of course.

She giggled and kicked her little feet as Papá gave her more of those tickling kisses of his, placing her tiny hands on his cheek before he moved out of the way and then clasping her hands before her with a tiny giggle more.

Papá's enthusiasm was always just so infectious (though that word was beyond Coco) and she eagerly got down to follow as he beckoned her to their next activity for Mamá!

"Clean!", more repeat words, and at her age it could be made into a game and with Papá's expertly used tone and describing. She knew what it meant when Papá stopped before Mamá's door again and put her own finger to her lips and whispered, "Shhh!", both a reminder and like she was telling Papá!

Then they were off for the kitchen once more! Coco rushed after on her tiny feet. Papá got her some pots and pans, though she had tried to open the drawers (at least on the bottom of the counter) herself to look as well. She watched as Papá sampled some beats and then, taking one of the spoons, went about copying and experimenting.

Dancing to Papá's music was more fun, but this was fun too!

One tap. One more. Then she tried a whole set before slowing down again. One. Two. One. Two. One two three four five six seven eight. Then she hit one pan at the same time as another, watching how Papá took to her rhythm for his movements.

That brought on a small thought of childish playfulness. How fast could she go...

She tested it, hitting one of the pans as fast as she could, until the spoon flew from her hand. "Uh oh...". She got up and went and fetched it, returning to her 'job'. When Papá finished with the dishes he put hers up too and they went to check on Mamá, Papá carrying her this time.

As Mamá next asked if she was making Papá pretty, she giggled again and touched one of the bows in his hair.