Packing Up the Baggage {Héctor}

[Mamá Imelda]

"I packed up my songs that night before our performance at Mexico City.. it was the performance that would have made us famous..I told him that I didn't care if he hated me, I wanted to go home! He could manage without my songs..This was his dream, not mine!"

Imelda had heard some of this before, or near enough, Héctor was just specifying on the parts he hadn't before told. She'd got that part right, at least, that it would have been the breaking point of fame for them. She just...misjudged which way Héctor had taken the path.

If she hadn't been so stubborn as to swear off music and all things associated, she would have caught the signs sooner! She realized. Seeing Ernesto alone at all of those interviews, even if he tried to pass it off as parting ways or however he did, would have been beyond highly suspicious!

"He let me go with a toast..he said that he would move heaven and earth for me..When we walked to the train station together...I remember how close the train was right in front of me.. how close I was to finally going home! But then I felt a terrible pain in my stomach..he said that it must have been food poisoning, but I could feel myself go unconscious... until suddenly, I woke up... dead...."

Despite berating herself again, Imelda perked up and listened to this latter half. Analyzed everything about it...painful as it was. Everything about Ernesto's actions. Oh, she hadn't hit him hard enough! It further fueled her exclamation.

Héctor immediately stepped over to halt her and her exclamations.

"No, no, no, no..Hey....hey! Listen to me, Imelda! Listen..I would have done anything to have seen you and Coco one last time..but after what Ernesto did to Miguel, throwing Miguel off the roof like that.."

"Don't remind me!", she spat the words, but wasn't angry at him. Not anymore. Ok, some of her points still held valid about avoiding even being in that situation, but for the main part. Imelda then breathed a sigh, some of the tension leaving her shoulders, and listened as Héctor went on. She'd been speaking without really thinking. Of course there was little chance of her actually being there, and never with Coco for sure, that being the whole reason she had switched her focus.

A million things went through her at once as Héctor continued speaking, but after all her anger at Ernesto she felt a bit drained, and incredibly whistful in agreeing with what he did go on to lament.

"But..That doesn't change that I wish I never left your side, Imelda.. I wanted to grow old with you! With Coco!...but.. I'm so sorry, Imelda.."

"Héctor...", Imelda's words failed her, and she just shook her head, only not crying because she couldn't, staring off and to the side, with a very good sight of his torn pant legs due to it, bandaged leg and all. She did not need reminders of what she'd let him go through here due to her misunderstanding, and they didn't help her just agreeing and wishing he'd been there all along and she'd never even let her own misunderstanding happen.

Without any further words, because she couldn't get them out even without tears clogging her throat, she moved closer to just hug him. To actually settle against him even. She couldn't really smell any more than she could cry, but Imelda swore she caught his old scent, how he'd been before he left, still on him, though it could have just been memory.

She wasn't sure how long she stayed like that, but finally Imelda blinked and clearing her throat, still reluctantly stepped back, and got back to practical. "Well but we're not finding that guitar standing here, come on", she motioned for them to move to the next room and continue searching.

[Deleted]

"Don't remind me!",

Héctor flinched slightly with a nervous smile. He knew that Imelda was angry, but he then gazed at her gently as he slowly got her to calm down. He always respected whenever Imelda was angry at someone else, but when it was him, well.. he would just keep trying to talk to her until he would get her to calm down. In this case, he was adamant about reassuring Imelda that he'd never want to put her in that situation with Coco if he knew that Ernesto's intentions would be murderous one day. The thing was, he didn't know, but he still wouldn't want them there even in retrospect. 

"Héctor...",

The tall skeleton's eyesockets tilted upwards at the way Imelda spoke his name; it was said in such a tender way that he still wasn't used to. Mostly people said his name with annoyance in their voices - oh, he knew that he bothered them, particularly things he borrowed that he couldn't give back, but he tried not to dwell on the negative. Staying with the positive has always been the way that he kept himself sane.. though he did have his rare moments where he'd wind up in a downward spiral of depressed thoughts. Héctor was far from depressed at the moment, for his eye sockets arched over his widened amber colored eyes when Imelda suddenly embraced him. He glanced down at her hair pressed against his chest in shock, almost similar to when Imelda suddenly jumped into his arms after that performance. Sure, they had embraced one time when they reunited, but it still shocked him the second time! She actually hugged HIM! A soft, longing sigh escaped his mouth as he wrapped his arms around the middle of her back, embracing her gently with a closing of his eyes. If she only knew how much he missed wrapping his arms around her, basking in the scent of her beautiful hair. All those years, he wished he could tell his past self to spend more time embracing his wife, the way he missed all the chances to embrace her whenever he was away or when he'd get home too late or too tired to even get to embrace her that long. 

"Well but we're not finding that guitar standing here, come on"

That sound of clearing of the throat was enough to cause Héctor to blink his eyes at the reality of the situation and he quickly withdrew his arms from her back respectfully. He needed to focus on the current situation; he was only now trying to recover the relationship with Imelda, and he had to do his best around her before he could even dream about having what they used to have back then. "Eheh..Yes.. you're right..Imelda.." He chuckled sheepishly, rubbing his elbow shyly for even letting his thoughts run away with him like that. Still, he'd wait for her. She was the only one right for him. He smiled affectionately to himself as he watched her walk in front of him. Admittedly, he was caring more about Imelda than the guitar at this point, even if it was Cheech's guitar, though perhaps it was that way of thinking that lead him to lose a lot of borrowed items in the first place.. caring more about his plans for seeing Coco than the actual items themselves.   

As he obediently walked behind Imelda, what initially started as a stolen glance away to glimpse at his surroundings suddenly turned into gawking upon noting the giant hall filled with mountains of food and towers of wine that was enough to draw the attention of the poor skeleton from shanty town. He parted his mouth in shock as he couldn't help but stare. For the one that lived in the slums with few offerings to share amongst one another, it was like a chamber of wonders.

"Oh, yes, SO considerate!" The cynical skeleton remarked sarcastically out loud with a frown tugging down at his jawline. Not only did Ernesto was SO considerate to take his songs and to take EVERYTHING away from him, but he kept so many unnecessary things away from the people who needed it most! Ernesto was all about the world being his family - he even wrote a song about it! - but where was Ernesto when he needed to give to his family?!  "This guy had all these offerings the entire time!" He exclaimed with a flail of his arms in exasperation, shocked that he wouldn't share with the world like Héctor did for his fake family. Given that he'd never been given offerings from an ofrenda, he was just overwhelmed! "Not only is he a self-important jerk, he's just a selfish RAT!" He yelled out an insult, frustrated to find out all of this, that Ernesto wouldn't even share with his family! No, the world wasn't Ernesto's family. Only the rich ones!

There was a moment. A desperate, fleeting thought that crossed the poor skeleton's mind as he glimpsed down to take out a hand full of Pan Dulce crumbs from his bag tied around his roped waist. He looked back at the food that was just there. He could just take it, like he would for a bottle of tequila lying around back in the slums, where everyone shared the few offerings that they could find. Offerings would make any spirit feel whole, like they were still alive. There was enough for him to take it for himself and his fake family; to give that feeling to the forgotten people back in the slums. It's not like it was going anywhere.. it was all just standing there, unused, silently taunting him. One glimpse over at Imelda though, and he quickly tucked the hand full of crumbs back into his bag and acted like he didn't even consider it. No, he wasn't going to act this way around Imelda. What would she think of him if he did that? He had to act his best around her if he even dared to think that she would return his affections.  

"Look at this tower of guitars! What is the point of this!?" The former musician cocked an eyesocket with a scowl as he drew his attention away from the food. Those guitars were in a tower! They weren't even played with! "All of this is one giant jalada! (Mexican slang: Exaggeration)" He remarked with a roll of his eyes and a scowl. If he once thought that Ernesto's Sunrise Spectacular show was dumb, then this was even worse! "Just like everything else about him!" His fists were balled up as if he was just thinking about marching himself up to the bell right now and giving that bell a few good kicks with his good leg. A sigh caused him to relax his stance, remembering that Imelda was there and that they were supposed to be looking for Cheech's guitar. If only Cheech's guitar was in this tower, then he could just leave. "It's not there, Imelda.." He remarked softly again, frankly just tired of being surprised and frustrated about all the new things he kept finding out about his former best friend and how misled he was about him. 

[Mamá Imelda]

"Eheh..Yes.. you're right..Imelda.."

Héctor sounded...distracted. Imelda decided it was best if she didn't think, or pry, too much into it. She just continued on ahead, thankfully missing his wistful watching gaze after her. Not that she would say she didn't feel the same, just...it was too soon still to start trying to figure out all those feelings.

The rest of the mansion was no surprise either. Imelda scoffed as well at the mountain of just stuff, and as they moved through. Not quite for the same reason as Héctor, and his not sharing, but close. It was clearly not given by family, but by Ernesto’s “family”, and his fans. It lacked the...personal touch a lavish spread still from familia had!

A world she’d once thought Héctor was just as firmly pulled into...though she knew better now.

"Oh, yes, SO considerate!"

Hector scoffed. Imelda glanced back to him.

"This guy had all these offerings the entire time! Not only is he a self-important jerk, he's just a selfish RAT!"

Not that Imelda would argue the words, still Héctor’s vehemence slightly surprised her. It hit home for him in a way she wasn’t familiar with; because she hadn’t been around for that part of his death...

She didn’t know his Shantytown...acquaintances.

Did she want to?

Imelda scanned one of the towers as she thought on this, missing Héctor’s checking look after debating take some of the things thankfully.

”All of this is one giant jalada! Just like everything else about him!"

”Well we don’t have to worry over it, or him, anymore”. Imelda was still for just figuring what needed done and moving on past other harder thoughts as best she could.

Right now that was finding this guitar. Though that seemed harder than at first suspected.

”It's not there, Imelda.."

Imelda scanned the tower again. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him, she did, she just wanted one last glance and chance at believing this might be easy. But Héctor knew what this guitar looked like, so he was right, of course!

"Figures he can't make this easy...", Imelda gave a grumble of her own and started to search the rest of the room. As she did such, a little Chihuahua Alebrije scurried out and rubbed against her. Rather than look annoyed (though she did look surprised) Imelda bent and gave it a small scratch. "Well Hola, what is he doing with something as cute as you?", she didn't baby-talk to the dog, but she got close to the kind of tone she would address Coco with when she was only a toddler, and a softer smile came to her face before she straightened. "No chance you could help us?" she asked the dog, still in a kind tone. It just tilted his head at her.

<<I figured one or two of his dogs are hanging around, maybe >>

[Deleted]

Héctor exhaled a sigh, deciding that Imelda was right, of course. It wasn't worth saying all of this. No, he might as well say it to his face, even if he couldn't with Ernesto being under that bell.

Ernesto never made things easy, especially when it came to rehearsals. "Eh!" He shrugged uncaringly, "He was always like that." Héctor remarked with a boyish pout as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned himself around immaturely. He showed indifference to the puppies only because they belonged to Ernesto. Ernesto probably surrounded himself with things like these for the very same reason Imelda was drawn to it; for the attention.

Although he acted like he was impervious to the puppies and their cuteness, Héctor did turn his head to peer over his shoulder with interest when the dog began running away as if to lead them. Unless it only seemed that way and they were really just dumb dogs - in actuality, he'd call anything of Ernesto's dumb by default. "You really think they will lead us?" The skeletal musician asked Imelda as he turned to gaze at her curiously. He was willing to entertain the possibility only if Imelda would.

[Mamá Imelda]

"You really think they will lead us?"

Imelda didn't have any idea, but...it was worth a shot. wasn't it? She sighed. "I can't think of a better option at this point than to try...", she answered, with her own shrug. She gave a soft smile and then, partly to get Héctor out of his slump (deserved or not, since Ernesto had been the topic) walked over to take his arm again as she lead the way, following where the puppies lead.

They were probably on their way to their food dish and this would be a waste of time, but...

Imelda glanced up to Héctor again, and then back to the puppies. "Don't worry, I'm not going to suggest taking them with us", she assured, "Pepita is quite enough, and you and her view them the same I would say", she smirked to him, then it fell a bit, but just as she pondered things.

"Héctor...", his name was said with a thoughtful tone this time, like she was going to ask something she was debating asking. Which she was. Facing him again, she'd caught the glint of his gold tooth and wondered over it again. He hadn't died with it, well that she knew of. Hadn't left with it at any rate.

It was probably related to his condition here and mishaps, so Imelda paused thoughtfully, but decided that, in the interest of not having secrets, she should ask. "How'd you...lose a tooth? I just recall you had all of them when you left Santa Cecilia, and...well just curious I guess; you don't have to answer if you...would rather not", she went on, since she was unsure what story it could be linked to. Maybe even something to do with Ernesto, like a fight, or linked with that night he'd been killed.

[Deleted]

"I can't think of a better option at this point than to try..."

A hesitant sigh escaped the skeletal musician's lips, though one that admitted that Imelda was right, of course, about trying at least. "..okay, fine," Héctor relented, as always, to Imelda, though he was still annoyed at the puppies. That suddenly wavered away and he tilted his eye sockets upward with interest upon seeing Imelda boldly take his arm, feeling himself walking along with her as she lead the way but it was almost as if he were walking on clouds. Imelda taking his arm always reminded him of the time she did that when they were younger! The hopeless romantic skeleton couldn't help that amorous smile on his face all the while he walked, he barely paid attention to the puppies at this point! At least until one of them barked, forcing him to look and his face turning deadpan with annoyance at them when they seemed to be heading up the stairs. Why did they have to bark and ruin the moment with the love of his life! As soon as he would find the guitar, he hoped they'd never see them again after this! Or anything else of Ernesto's for that matter!

"Don't worry, I'm not going to suggest taking them with us. Pepita is quite enough, and you and her view them the same I would say."

Héctor tilted his eye sockets when he glanced over at Imelda, almost surprised - but then, he shouldn't have been too surprised given that she always used to read him before when they were alive. "That's because Pepita is literally the most sensible alebrije, Imelda!" Héctor replied to Imelda's comment about Pepita agreeing with him as a matter of factly, tossing her a confident grin when she gave her that adorable smirk of hers. And of course Héctor said that Pepita was the most sensible mostly because they both agreed on this, and he liked to believe he was sensible! Also, because.. he really hadn't seen a lot of sensible alebrijes in his neck of the woods. The only alebrije that even dared to cross his path in the land of the forgotten was the one that he liked to call the Frobbit, and he secretly hoped that wasn't his actual alebrije, because he'd rather have Pepita. 

"Héctor..."

The centennial skeleton in the patched up vest raised one eyesocket above the other when she spoke his name in a weirdly thoughtful way. Something was on her mind. Suddenly, he stopped with his eyesockets tilted curiously as the tall skeleton gazed down at her upon seeing her turn to face him.

"How'd you...lose a tooth? I just recall you had all of them when you left Santa Cecilia, and...well just curious I guess; you don't have to answer if you...would rather not."

Well, Héctor supposed that was reasonable to ask, but at least it was better than talking about what happened with his taped up bones. Still, talking about his death, knowing now what happened to him, made him feel so melancholy. "When I woke up, dead, Imelda.. I found out that my tooth was chipped, right across the middle.." He explained softly with a shrug of his bony shoulders, placing a hand in the empty space where his abdomen would have been, just recalling that pain in his stomach that he no longer had. Chipping a tooth indicated that he had to have fallen forward when he died, Ernesto allowing him to hit his face onto the ground, though he couldn't recall because he went unconscious. Chipping a tooth was something that he couldn't have fixed or replaced easily, given that using someone else's bones don't work on you unless you tape them together, though if they disappear into the Final Death, so do the bones that go along with it.

Suddenly, Héctor shook those negative thoughts and brightened up with a smile, waving it off with a bony hand. "Ah, you know I always loved that guitar you gave me, so you know what I did? I traded off my mariachi clothing and got this gold crown right on top of my tooth!" He explained his story enthusiastically, gesturing to his gold tooth with a bony finger. "See? Now I match with the diseño (design), eh?!" A charming grin spread across his skeletal countenance, demonstrating that even most of the lines on the skull guitar, specifically the ones on top and on his chin, matched his face!

Then, the skeletal musician withdrew to a sheepish smile again. "Yo no sé (I don't know), Imelda..I thought if you saw me again, you would have liked it!" He rubbed his elbow sheepishly, "Because that guitar, it was something special you gave me. You got it because.. you believed in me.." A reminiscent smile formed on his face, just recalling the moment she gave him that guitar that he always used to see on display. "I wanted you to remember that special day between us!" Héctor added with a shrug, recalling his idea and hope that perhaps Imelda would have recognized him, even if she were older. Then, he stared down again sullenly when he recalled that their reunion wasn't exactly what he had hoped for. "When I found out that you gave up the music.." He paused with a morose frown, recalling how his plan to look like the skull guitar backfired so badly when he finally saw Imelda again in the Land of the Dead and learned that she gave up music the hard way. "..I know that I let you down, Imelda.." He finished in an apologetic tone, still taking on the blame even though he couldn't help his death. Try as he might, he would always slip back to being full of regret. He still wished he never left Santa Cecilia! The last thing he ever wanted to do would be to look at Imelda and ever wonder if she would still think of him as her husband. If it weren't for him, he would have been spending the rest of eternity along with his wife and his family! 

[Mamá Imelda]

"That's because Pepita is literally the most sensible alebrije, Imelda!"

Well it was good of Héctor to think such when she'd given such trouble when chasing him and Miguel. Of course, neither Imelda or Héctor had known at the time about the other's involvement. It would have, perhaps, stalled a lot of trouble, since Imelda knew enough to know now that Héctor would have immediately returned their great-great-grandson, as he tried to do even when finding out he had more family in the Land of the Dead.

Oh that boy!

Imelda thought this fondly, though.

If she had known what her question would bring up...she might not have asked, yet at the same time, Imelda knew that it was good that she asked. That she and Héctor had no more secrets. Tough as the truth was to hear; and Imelda had half known it might be. It was why her tone came out so odd.

"When I woke up, dead, Imelda..."

Héctor could have stopped here; and a huge part of Imelda wished to make him, but she listened on. For all the reasons she'd realized prior. She tensed, and her eyes still shut, as she dealt with the emotions going through her once more. Mostly, more anger at Ernesto. She knew he'd just left Héctor there to die, but...something about the visual of it being so bad that Héctor chipped a tooth, that he fell, unsupported, to the cobblestone streets, put it into further perspective.

"Ah, you know I always loved that guitar you gave me, so you know what I did? I traded off my mariachi clothing and got this gold crown right on top of my tooth!"

Héctor was back to trying to deflect. For her sake, of course. Imelda gave a soft smile. "Héctor...", she began again, trying to tell him he didn't have to excuse it all away, but his next point was perhaps a bit more serious. Though it just reminded once more of how she had failed him!

"Yo no sé, Imelda..I thought if you saw me again, you would have liked it! Because that guitar, it was something special you gave me. You got it because.. you believed in me.."

And here she'd thought it was simply a fix; but no, of course Héctor would think of her even then! How could she have ever thought...?

"When I found out that you gave up the music...I know that I let you down, Imelda.."

Imelda stepped back over to him, gently laying a hand at his cheek, "No more than I did...", she admitted softly, before forcing a bit brighter of a smile.

<<She was gonna move on to their search of the guitar, but I don't want to push the moment too far>>