Breaking All the Barriers {Héctor, Imelda, Helen}

[Mamá Imelda]

"You must get along well with the mama to know where to find her, eh?"

Imelda smiled, leaning into Héctor's embrace a bit, "Oh yes, Helen was one of the first people I met here, other than one poor boy I scared half to death by being dead. She's helped me out ever since and is just...so great to talk to. Not at all like our neighbors were", Imelda hadn't meant to say that...and paused slightly, hoping Héctor wouldn't ask after it, and the things they said that was where Imelda got her criticism.

Helen came and found the three of them before they had fully reached her, not that it surprised Imelda really. Héctor was another matter...

"Ay mi amor! Did you see that?! Her arm! ¡Ay! ¡No! ¡Guácala! ¡Pero que doloroso es éso!"

"Héctor...no, it's fine...", as Héctor stood straighter to grip his hat, Imelda lifted a hand after him to try to calm her husband down. It didn't work though, and Héctor launched into full out panicking, Imelda just wincing all along.

"Héctor...Héctor!", she tried both gentle and slightly firm tone of voice, but he was fully gone into another enthused tirade that she knew they had to ride out.

It wasn't until he saw Dash and Helen reunited that he fully calmed down. Imelda smiled and walked up to him once more, laying a hand at his arm as he introduced himself, "Helen has...special talents, like her son, it surprised me at first too", though her reaction had been less played up!

Imelda then smiled to Helen and her gratitude once more. "Of course, I'm just happy we could help you find your son", she nodded and smiled, it warming her heart, though she didn't have one in her ribs anymore, to see the two reunited. She then smiled knowingly as Dash seemed to build his own hole with this words a bit further. Both him and Héctor seemed to fall in the hole a bit.  A hole she should maybe help her husband out of if she could.

"I'm...sorry if there was a problem, Héctor was just trying to keep your son entertained", she placed a hand at his shoulder in support, near as she could with his height, and smiled understandingly to Helen.

[Deleted]

Her older son began trying to talk his way out of getting into trouble as usual, but the supermom simply blinked at him with a raise of an eyebrow, not being convinced for a second. There was no way that he could have gone to being in his regular clothes at school to suddenly being in his supersuit unless something happened in between to get him to wear that supersuit in the first place. It was obvious that she had been used to this many times before. "Yeah..That doesn't work on me, ya know. I'm not your teacher, I'm your mom, and I know you're not tellin' me all the facts, Dash.." Elastigirl sighed with a shake of her head, though with a smile that was still happy to have her son and his same old adorable antics that she did miss since she was here. Honestly, she couldn't fault him for being so disoriented when he first got here to not put on his mask; she was just as disoriented as well when she got here. She smiled satisfactorily when her son put on his black mask over his eyes. "But you do not get to make the same mistake again while you're here, understand?" She added sternly under her breath to him, wanting to make sure that he wasn't going to try to use this same excuse because there better not even be a next time when this happens!

"Eheh..¡Hola! I am her husband, Héctor!"

Brown eyes widened underneath her black mask as she glimpsed over at Imelda in surprise to find that Imelda finally got to reunite with her husband! "Oh hey! ..Hola! You're the musician, right? Imelda's told me so much about you!" She smiled brightly up at the tall skeleton, finding amusement in feeling the skeleton's bony hand as she shook it. He seemed very.. enthusiastic! Although Imelda had mentioned his name before, she didn't miss the interesting pronounciation of his name in the fact that she hadn't heard that name pronounced that way before. She also now understood that the dead look like the same age as they did when they died, and she remembered that he sadly had been murdered at such a young age by his own best friend.. what was that guy's name again? Well, it didn't matter. The most important thing was how jovial Imelda looked in comparison to how she last saw her, not that she wasn't happy before but.. she could tell that she looked a lot more vibrant, which was saying something because she didn't exactly have skin to show for it!

"Ah! Okay..You are a professional wrestler?"

Elastigirl couldn't help but try to muffle a laugh with her gloved hand, finding it hilarious and kind of flattering for someone to think that she was a wrestler! She supposed those wrestlers do wear costumes and have wrestling names like this, don't they? Helen smiled over at Imelda, already approving of her friend's husband just for that comment alone. He seemed very open minded to capable women at least! That was always okay in her book. "Well, no, I'm a superhero!" She corrected him lightly with a warm smile. "I mean, yeah, I guess we technically do fight professionally, but only to fight crime so that we can keep the peace.." The fact that superheroes were allowed here was always a pleasant change in comparison to their home world where it was illegal.

”Yeah! They helped, and Mr. Hector* threw a pine-cone so I could run over and...I mean...",

The auburn haired superheroine turned her head to glance down at her boy with a fond smile before it slowly dissipated into one of bemusement upon hearing the words coming out of Dash's mouth towards the end. "You were running without your mask on?!" Helen gasped before she placed a hand on her forehead. "Don't tell me you were showin' off your powers again.." The mother knew that Dash was a bit of a show-off, which was one of the reasons that she initially hesitated on letting him compete in sports. She dreaded to think that this was another one of those times where he tried to show off, except now it was in public without his mask on and with villains being out and about! Since they were stuck here, they didn't have many options to move somewhere else and start again safely! 

Lowering her hand from her face, the superheroine mother of three glanced over at Héctor smiling sheepishly before Imelda cut in to his defense, saying that he was trying to entertain her boy. She nodded at Imelda in understanding; she couldn't get mad at her husband when he couldn't have known any better about her son running around without his mask. A sigh escaped the mother's lips, as she glanced down at her boy that she loved so dearly, but knew that he couldn't get away with just saying that, even kind of throwing one person that was trying to help him into the loop for something he knew he had done wrong. "Dash, you are not sharing responsibility for this! You know you're not supposed to do that!" She told her son sternly, not wanting him to get other people involved for something that he chose to do, especially when Dash knew he wasn't supposed to use his powers without his mask on. Helen was all about her children taking responsibility to own up to what they did and making it right. Héctor may have had a part in this, but ultimately she knew that Dash was not forced into doing all of that running without his mask on, especially when he knew better not to. "We'll be discussing this with your father when we get back to the hotel.." The flexible supermom planted her hands on her shapely hips as she glanced down at her son with a raise of an eyebrow, expecting him to make it right by owning up to what he did and apologize. Her husband wasn't exactly the best example when it came to showing his powers in public without a mask, especially out of emotion like it happened in the previous jobs he's been in, but she was counting on her husband's support in this. 

[Deleted]

The tall musician smiled lovingly down at Imelda when she leaned into her embrace, then listened to her talk about the kid's mother named Helen. He tried to picture how it must have been like for Imelda to be alone out here. Pobrecito, he thought of the poor boy as he chuckled softly upon hearing that she had scared a poor boy for being dead, well that was a normal reaction compared to Mateo who had seen stranger things, apparently. Pobrecita tambien (Poor girl too), though.. He imagined that Imelda must have been disoriented, like it was for him only recently, since it truly was disorienting to be out in the land of the living in the day time like this.. and without being among family, too. That must have been harder, since he at least came here with some of his family already here, but he was glad that she was able to find someone to help her through that. His eyesocket arched curiously upon catching that last bit though about Helen being so nice to talk to compared to the neighbors.. What? She didn't go on to explain either. He parted his mouth as if about to say something, but unfortunately, the entire scene of a woman bending and stretching in a way that was not normal and terrifying to a skeleton that had broken too many bones, caused that question about the neighbors had to be logged to the back of his mind for now. 

"Helen has...special talents, like her son, it surprised me at first too"

Héctor let Imelda's words sink and felt her calming touch on his arm as he tried to calm down and watched what his wife now helped him realize was that the boneless woman was actually Helen interacting with her son, Dash. He was trying to wrap his mind around the idea that they both had special talents, though perhaps Helen's special talent was more shocking to the skeleton only because the woman literally must not have any bones in her body! The skeleton shook the woman's gloved hand after introducing himself, causing him to look down at the woman's hand with raised eye sockets that were full of concern and curiosity. Was he truly touching a boneless hand? Would it matter how hard he squeezed? Wait. Wait. Wait. Did that also mean that she never broke a single bone in her body in her life?! Ah how lucky for her! Unfortunately, the woman introducing himself as Elastigirl only further caused confusion for the poor skeletal musician, who thought that Imelda said the boy's mother was named Helen..was that a nickname or was she supposed to be a wrestler?  

"Oh hey! ..Hola! You're the musician, right? Imelda's told me so much about you!" 

The Mexican songwriter snapped himself out of his thoughts when he heard this, of course. "..Really?!" He suddenly grinned broadly at the woman with two names, bearing his gold crowned tooth shining in the sunlight, "What did she tell you?!" The hopeless romantic skeleton asked enthusiastically before a sly smile formed on his face, "..That she wants to finally sing on stage with me?!" He tossed his wife a playful smile as he embraced her closely, knowing that the chances of her confiding in Helen about that were slim, but he can still dream! He wanted to perform with her on stage ever since he heard her sing again and Ernesto took over that role last year. 

"Well, no, I'm a superhero! I mean, yeah, I guess we technically do fight professionally, but only to fight crime so that we can keep the peace.."

Everything about what she had said sounded incredible for Héctor. He had seen that movie with Ernesto flying into the air, but this was actually real life! "They have real superheroes now? Que buena onda! (What good vibes!)" The fact that he had seen Mateo's magic before and even witnessed the woman's abilities in front of him made him readily accept the idea that there were female superheroes to be true. This was much better than even being a female wrestler! The whole thing about her doing it to fight crime and keep the peace sounded positive and great!  Especially when he and Imelda grew up in a violent time in Mexico during the Revolution, it was always nice to see a change towards keeping the peace.  

Héctor narrowed his sockets slightly upon hearing Dash pronounce his name wrong, but he didn't understand that the boy had thrown him under the bus until the mother seemed really upset about the boy running around without his mask. When Helen stared at him, he instantly grinned sheepishly, not sure of how to respond. "Eheh..it's not how it looks?.. I...it was..eh..Hector?" He pronounced his name wrong on purpose with a nervous grin, making it sound like it was clearly not him since his name was Héctor. Well, there WAS a difference (in his mind)! Thankfully, his wife came to his rescue and defended him, which caused him to exhale in relief. The tall skeleton smiled in gratitude at his wife and made a mental note to thank her with an outing to a dinner somewhere. 

Unfortunately, Helen seemed to make sure that her son learned responsibility for what he had done, which he still didn't quite understand but respected since it seemed to be in a stern fashion similar to Imelda's (with the hands on the hips and everything!), but he didn't want to get the boy's father involved, not really knowing what kind of man he was but still, Héctor felt guilty for coming up with the idea in the first place and pushing him along. "Ah, it's okay! Don't worry! The kid was nervous, so I wanted to get his mind off of it! Pfft! He barely even had time to show off! He only ran two times! The people hardly even noticed him!" He tried to brush off what Dash did with an innocent smile, playing onto the fact that the people probably did barely notice since he ran so fast! It was only if you really were paying attention like he and Imelda were. "..They were too busy noticing the couple of tataramuertos (great great granddead) in front of a castle anyway.." He added playfully as he embraced his wife warmly with a loving smile, "And I cannot blame them for a second! Because Imelda and I.. we look good together, eh?"  The musician who was convinced that he was guapo lowered his eyelids and wore a charming grin as he posed next to his beautiful wife, almost as if to prove that they were the center of attention naturally because they were obviously such an attractive couple! In his own way, Héctor was just trying to lighten the situation. He liked the boy, and he felt guilty for being a part of getting him into trouble. 

[Dash Parr]

Mr. Héctor (as Dash reminded himself had been the pronunciation, and not saying the H for some reason) freaked out about Mom. Not surprising really, but he freaked out even more than he had over Dash's own powers!

Dash had grown up with his mother just like that from his earliest memories though. To him it was completely normal. Well ok, not normal, Vi had made a whole point about that...

And not that he had much time with which to focus on his new friend’s (as he hoped he could count Héctor, even as an adult) confusion, not with Mom so focused on his not having his mask...

She had a point, of course, but Dash wasn't gonna just admit it right now. He just gave another grin, then looked serious at the serious tone in his mother's voice. Deflating and just nodding, Dash sighed. "Yes ma'am", full politeness was the best way to get these encounters to end.

Thankfully they went back to Mom meeting both Héctor and Imelda and away from Dash's misstep then. Mom a wrestler? Ok, ok, he would admit to very good pilot after what he saw near the island, but...that was just crazy! Even she corrected this.

Then they were back to Dash and his mask, or lack there of! Héctor's try at using Dash's mispronounce of his name was very clever and the boy looked impressed, especially if it worked! Though it of course didn't. His cover might have. Dash waited, and smiled innocently again for good measure., especially as he got slightly worried over Héctor actually mentioning how many times he actually ran!

Of course the trouble he was in was now what it was, and with Mom saying they would tell Dad about it when they got to the hotel. "Wait, Dad's here too?! What about Vi and...", Dash broke off on asking about Jack Jack, because that would be a very bad topic to get Mom on if the poor baby was alone or something! Dash didn't even want to think it himself, he loved his little brother, much as he fought with Vi over babysitting him when there were more helpful things to do.

[Mamá Imelda]

It was all so familiar as to be almost odd, watching Helen (even in disguise) go through lecturing her son on actions that would only lead to his further trouble or danger, and Dash's not catching the inherent dangers in such and defending himself.

Even if she had been wrong (she would admit now), she could hear her and Coco's discussions over dancing in her head as she watched. At the time she had only had her girl's good in mind also.

She then smiled softly as Helen greeted Héctor back, having to smile a bit wider at his assumptions on wrestlers. It was a logical conclusion. For Héctor.

"What did she tell you?..That she wants to finally sing on stage with me?!"

.

Imelda winced in slightly, but still smiled at his words, and then to him as he hugged her close, shooting a mix of a soft look and the kind that tried to lightly reign in his antics with a not now.

"Not quite", she was just teasing back, though, and her tone showed it.

Helen was of course beyond kind to Héctor about the wrestler assumption, stating that he was almost right.

"Eheh..it's not how it looks?.. I...it was..eh..Hector?"

There were still times when the level of antic Héctor would try surprised even Imelda; this was one of those. She glanced over to him, just stunned. Did he really think, for two seconds even, that that would work?

And he didn't stop there.

"..They were too busy noticing the couple of tataramuertos in front of a castle anyway. And I cannot blame them for a second! Because Imelda and I.. we look good together, eh?"

Honestly, it wasn't that Imelda was becoming embarrassed...but all of this in front of Helen was...well...apt to make her blush if she still could. "Alright, you behave", she lightly interjected in, still with a smile and small laugh, and stood a bit aside of his embrace just to smooth at her dress and try to still act professional and in front of Helen, smiling to her again, "Anyway we're just happy we could find your son for you, and if you two, or any of you need anything more, don't hesitate to let us know".

She would of course talk to Helen as long as she wanted, but the other mother sounded like she had things she needed to get about, mainly her son and getting him to the room and, well probably not grounded, if she still read the situation right. Imelda was freeing her up, but not brushing her off.

[Deleted]

Elastigirl smiled a bit quizzically when Héctor made a comment about something about singing on stage, causing her to look over at Imelda with surprise to find that she could sing and dance, too! Maybe that's how they met? She decided not to ask right at this moment and smirked to herself at the two exchanging remarks and looks like that. She smiled complacently after Dash was very courteous with his response, always enjoying seeing good manners and respect given the southern mannerisms that she had been brought up with. 

The flexible superheroine raised an eyebrow as suddenly Héctor went on to defend Dash. Honestly, Helen wasn't going to do anything passed a discussion, simply because she wanted to make sure Dash was on the same page about everything that was going on in the parks when it came to villains and even how it all worked, but perhaps Héctor thought it was something more serious without knowing how Bob was mostly harmless. Still, she listened attentively, and glanced over at Dash with a sympathetic look upon hearing how nervous her poor younger boy was. However, she blinked in surprise upon hearing how many times that Dash ran and lowered her eyelids over at Dash with a frown, tossing her son the motherly scorned look. He knew better than to do it the second time.. However, before she could say anything, Héctor went on to reassure her that no one was paying attention to him since the people were too busy paying attention to.. something she didn't quite catch, though she thought she heard something about "muertos", which she recalled meant dead after hearing Imelda talk about the Day of the Dead. She simply guessed it referred to skeletons since Héctor suddenly posed with Imelda as if someone were to take a picture, proclaiming that they look good together as a couple. That made the supermom smile and even laugh softly, momentarily not thinking about Dash's frustating incident, and simply recalling her inner romantic self when Bob used to be romantic with her like that.  They still had those moments, in between the arguments anyways..

"Aww..well, ya do look like a cute couple.." Elastigirl couldn't help but agree with an entertained smirk upon noticing how Imelda tried her best to seem professional after that. She glanced down at Dash upon asking a question, which pertained to his realization that his father was here after she had mentioned it. Although mentioning his father was initially meant to have a stern effect regarding the discussion, she still smiled happily at Dash with a nod, "Yeah, we're all here, Dash! And Jack-Jack, too!" She smiled warmly, figuring that Dash didn't want tp mention Jack Jack in efforts not to make her worry. With a sigh, she supposed in the end, that was all that mattered that he was back with them, though she was still going to make sure it doesn't happen again. Elastigirl extended her arm and took the churro that the vendor had out for Dash, then bent down and kissed him on the cheek as she gave the churro to her son. "Ya know, despite your behavior, I'm really happy to have ya here, Dash..the whole family missed you!" As much of a troublemaker as he was, despite everything, Dash was sweet when he wanted to be. 

"Anyway we're just happy we could find your son for you, and if you two, or any of you need anything more, don't hesitate to let us know".

"Well, we oughta head home..Aw thanks so much again, Imelda! I honestly can't thank you enough for helping me out with this.. Both of you!" The superheroine even acknowledged Héctor with a grateful smile, knowing that he was only trying to help distract Dash from being nervous in this new situation he was in. "Same goes to you, by the way! Don't ever hesitate to let me know if ya need anything from me! I'm just a phone call away!" She reminded her, then waved goodbye to the two skeletal couple as she then turned to her son. "Alright, follow me to the hotel, Dash!" With a running start, Elastigirl jumped into the air using her feet as springs and did a flip in the air, before extending her arms over to grab the roof tops to swing herself in the direction of the hotel, glancing down at Dash below every now and then as she did so just to make sure he was following her along in the same direction. Pulling down her headset, she began to call the rest of her family to head to the hotel as soon as possible. She couldn't wait to present Dash to the rest of her family! Finally, the whole family was all together again! 

[Deleted]

The skeletal Héctor wore a sheepish smile when Imelda made her remarks back at him in a playful and shy way that she did, but he knew it was all in good fun. He listened to her when she asked him to behave, settling for wrapping his arm around her and placing it on her other shoulder. He was glad in the end that she had defended him against Helen, knowing that Helen was her friend and everything. Still, when he guiltily decided to defend the kid from getting into trouble, he was surprised and ecstatic to see how well that turned out! The sheepish smile that he wore completely wore off the moment Helen laughed a little and smiled, and that was when he knew that it wasn't as bad as he had initially thought. Perhaps he was thinking of Imelda's father in that moment and the way that he yelled angrily the first day he tried to get Imelda's name, perhaps not all papas were like that.. he wasn't like that, after all. 

A fond smile was demonstrated on the paternal skeleton's face upon seeing the interaction between Dash and Helen, glad it turned out as well as it did. He was delighted to find that the boy's entire family was there, too! That reunion was going to be a great one, he knew. He smiled when his wife spoke her sweet words to Helen, to which she also returned the gratitude and the favor of letting her know if they needed anything. "Yes! It was nice to meet you, eh.. Elastigirl? And Dash..Go and be with your family, kid! Perhaps we will see you around soon, güerito (blond boy)!" After he waved to Elastigirl, he waved to the boy with an enthusiastic grin, chuckling to himself at his own words that, given how fast the boy went, it was almost certain that they were going to run into each other again at some point. 

The Mexican songwriter parted his mouth in awe as to how they made their exit! He probably still wasn't over her not having any bones, but he did admire the way she swung herself away with Dash following quickly underneath her. Ah, he had fun playing with that boy, but he was really happy that he was returning home to his family. Turning his attention down at Imelda, he turned and embraced his wife so that she was in front of him, "Imelda, now that everything turned out well with that correcaminos (roadrunner).." He chuckled softly as he referred to Dash as a roadrunner because of how fast he was, "..Do you want to go out to eat with me?"  The gentleman asked his wife to go out on a date with a sweet smile, still asking as if it were the first time they were dating despite all the times they had gone out already. "I saw this restaurant back there that I want to take you to!" He added contently with a bright smile to convince her, excited to try different things out with her while they were here in America.

[Mamá Imelda]

Helen (while Imelda still respected the double name when in costume, she always still thought of her friend by her given name) glanced over to her with Héctor's comment about singing and dancing on stage; of course she did. Imelda inwardly sighed and wanted to say it had been forever ago, but something stopped her. She had danced with Héctor recently and at the last Dia de los Muertos celebration.

Of course no one but a few of the family could see that, and it hadn't been on a stage.

"Aww..well, ya do look like a cute couple.."

Imelda smiled shyly, caught out by the praise a bit; and smiled more warmly as she watched Helen reassure Dash that the rest of the family was there. She too was happy for the boy, and Helen! Héctor had a nicknaming habit that was just adorable, and so Imelda smiled as he called Dash güerito, though she wasn't sure if that or the later correcaminos would stick as his moniker.

Helen thanked Imelda, and Héctor, again and returned the offer of aid before swinging off, Dash running right behind. Imelda chuckled lightly, they were an interesting family with their powers.

Once they had left, Héctor returned to the topic of their walk, and asked if he could take her out to a restaurant he had found. Imelda smiled, it was the small moments like this that she had missed out on, so she was hesitant to skip past or miss them now. Her "Sure, Héctor", may have sounded noncommittal, but her smile and taking up his hand again showed it wasn't.

[Deleted]

A bright grin spread over the lanky skeleton’s bearded chin as soon as he heard Imelda say those magic words of approval. For anyone else, Imelda's answer truly would have sounded noncommittal. Yet, for as long as the hopeless romantic had known her, even the fewest of words from his strong-hearted Imelda that even sounded remotely positive was something that the opportunistic Héctor would have easily taken as interest or romantic. As long as she continued to give him these chances, Héctor was readily taking them without question.

“When I saw this restaurant, I thought it looked like something you would like!” Holding her hand, the enthused skeleton guided her gently over to the direction that he remembered seeing the restaurant. It was a good thing that he had a good memory about places of interest, being that he used to be a tour guide before in the land of the dead.  "Here it is! Tony's Town Square Restaurant!" He excitedly read the sign on the Italian Restaurant when they finally arrived in front of it, which looked like a mixture of Victorian architecture with the spanish/italian touch that they both were familiar with back in Mexico.  Glancing back to see her reaction to see if she approved, he grinned at her enthusiastically. “C’mon! We got to have a look inside!” Gently guiding her inside, the tall skeleton marveled at the big fountain that appeared to be in the center of the restaurant. “Oh, mi amor! Look at this fountain!" Then he noticed the two dogs up there that looked like they were in love. "Ohh, Imelda! Look at the dogs up there!..que lindos, no?” He wrapped his arm around her with a romantic smile as he gazed at it for a few seconds. 

While their backs were turned, the skeletal musician didn't notice that the host was muttering something to his manager before about the concern for the two skeletons before he received notication about treating them well since they were special guests. "Buongiorno, signor e signorina, welcome to Tony’s Town Square Restaurant." 

"Eh?" Héctor turned his head around curiously upon hearing the greeting without turning his body, before realizing that it was the host of the restaurant at the front desk. He then gestured Imelda for them to head over to the front of the desk.  “Hola!” The skeletal musician greeted the host kindly with a grin. 

“How many will be in your reservation today?”

“Two..it is for me and my wife!” The centurian musician could not be more happy to announce that. It was not long ago when he thought he would never be able to say that about Imelda after all that had happened. 

“May I have the name?”

"Héctor and Imelda! Sorry amigo, but I got to give you two names because my wife.. she is my media naranja!" (Literally means my half of the orange, but it's the same thing as saying "my other half") Héctor explained with a jovial grin, his arm still wrapped around Imelda proudly. He was not afraid to say that he was not complete without Imelda because it was true. Unlike most men at his time period that was used to claiming ownership of women, he would never say his name above Imelda's because he never saw her as anything but his equal or higher. 

“I see, signor e signorina, well please wait right here while I get your menus.” After fetching the menus, the host returned back to gesture the couple to follow him. "Please follow me." 

"This is it, Imelda!" The content skeleton exclaimed excitedly to his wife and walked with her to sit down at the indicated place by the windows. In his gentlemanly way, Héctor gently let go of Imelda only for him to pull out Imelda's chair, tucking his hand behind his back nobly. He didn't want to sit until his queen was able to sit down first, and based on the bright smile that he wore, he was always happy to do such gestures for his wife. "What do you think? I did good picking this place out, eh?" He asked with a charming grin sliding over his bearded chin, knowing that she had to be impressed by how fancy this place looked! 

(Slight moving approved by Maggie!)

[Mamá Imelda]

“When I saw this restaurant, I thought it looked like something you would like!”

Imelda would have to wait to see if that was good or bad...

Yet, she trusted Héctor. In trivial matters such as this as well as of course the larger issues, and with that trust meaning so much in many (her own self included) once saying she had little to no reason to ever trust him again.

Héctor more than made up for the past, and guarded her before hesitant heart (metaphoric of course) so gently as they had slowly found their way to this place of comfort.

As they reached the restaurant, Imelda peered up at the sign and building. Like everything on this square, it seemed to try to keep to that American Victorian style, but it didn't look overly fancy, as Imelda would still readily attest the Resort was. She smiled, "It looks great, Héctor".

For all the steps they had taken, Héctor was still so afraid, sometimes, of doing the wrong thing, and so Imelda knew that her reassurances and support, in even a small venture like this, was so very important. Though she didn't, and wouldn't, lie to him; it did look lovely.

Héctor lead her inside, and they stopped before a grand fountain in the middle of the restaurant. Imelda smiled, even as her husband gushed over it. "Sí, I'd say it looks like the one back home, but it's cleaner", understandable since the one back home had been outside.

Héctor mentioned the two adorable dogs at the top, and Imelda glanced up to them, smiling gently. They were so pretty.

"Buongiorno, signor e signorina, welcome to Tony’s Town Square Restaurant."

Imelda turned at the voice, along with Héctor. It was more than the similarities in root with Italian and Spanish, Imelda had known a few Italian immigrants in her time.

"Buongiorno", she replied back politely with a nod.

“May I have the name?”
"Héctor and Imelda! Sorry amigo, but I got to give you two names because my wife.. she is my media naranja!"

It might have been seen as trying to keep in her good graces, but Imelda knew that Héctor meant his words. She smiled softly again, with a slight shake of her head at him, but her smile showing she meant no bad by it and was in fact touched by his words; something she often did around Héctor, and was just glad, again, she couldn't blush and here in public around others.

Oh...she'd missed him so much!

"What am I going to do with you?", she whispered with another smile as the waiter fetched their menus, but again, with no true criticism in her tone, and the slight pat she gave his arm showing such further.

She gave the waiter a Spanish gracias as he showed them to their table, and...shouldn't have been as surprised as he was as Héctor held her chair out for her. Honestly the amount of young people she had seen about and where the boys didn't even bother with things like doors and chairs was appalling to her sense of manners, though she'd seen it taking hold in even the last few decades of her life.

"Gracias, mi amor", she was not going to make the same sappy scene Héctor could be prone to, or would try, but had to give back something as he pushed in her chair.

"What do you think? I did good picking this place out, eh?"

"Yes, you did", she answered, and the stunned awe showed in her tone, "I wouldn't have thought a place like this around the parks. How long did you search?", was no doubt a very important question, though delivered with half humor, whether Héctor wanted to answer it or not.

[Deleted]

"Sí, I'd say it looks like the one back home, but it's cleaner",

Héctor wore a bright grin at his success of pleasing his wife with a nice looking restaurant! After seeing their fancy hotel from the outside looking just as great on the inside, he expected nothing less than it being the same way for this restaurant, and he was not disappointed! He chuckled softly upon hearing her comment on the fountain. "Ah, but that fountain back home.. it's special because it holds a lot of memories, eh?" He tossed a charming grin at his wife with his eyelids half-lowered and a playful bounce of the top of his eye sockets like they were eyebrows. Dirty as it was, that fountain was a lot more special because of the memories that they held of their youth. As cute as this fountain was with the dogs, he would rather stick with the other fountain than this clean one just because of the memories.

"Buongiorno"

The tall songwriter glanced over at his wife in that moment as soon as she spoke that Italian word, an impressed smile spreading over his bearded chin. Oh, Imelda was so smart and culturally refined. Héctor actually knew some Italian words, but only the ones associated with music or song composition. He had written the song Remember Me as a rubato, after all. Imelda probably knew more general dialogue than he did, given how long she's been in the land of the living, but Hector wasn't phased at all that she knew more than him. He loved learning about her and from her; she was a like a book of poetry or songwriting that he was eager to learn about when he was young and aspired to be a great musician.

"What am I going to do with you?"

That was probably not the best thing to ask a man like Héctor. He couldn't help but lean forward a bit to kiss her on the cheek as he held his wife in his arms. "Oh, mi amor..you really want me to answer that?" Héctor whispered back to her with a romantic smile sliding over his bearded chin. Oh, he didn't take that as criticism at all. In fact, that just opened up a can of worms with ideas! His smile drew wider to a hopeless romantic grin, demonstrating the glimmer of his gold tooth, as he thought on the schemes reeling in his mind of all the possibilities that Imelda could do with him - all of them romantic and probably not something Imelda would like to hear in front of public, though that would change if he ever had too many shots of tequila. He was polite though, so he kept it to himself; he knew how to behave in public since Imelda taught him all the rules when they were younger, though he knew that there was a secret part of Imelda that just let go of the rules, being the first to jump into his arms or kiss him romantically in public the way she did to him before when they recently got back together, even treading on illegal waters with her disguising herself as Frida Khalo just to help him out. Whether she was going to follow the rules or follow her heart, even if it made him crazy in the process on what she wanted to do, he knew that Imelda just had a beautiful free spirit.

"Gracias, mi amor"

"De nada, mi vida (You're welcome, my life)" The gentleman responded politely with a smile, taking pleasure in treating his wife with the mannerisms that he grew up with. Just before he reached his seat, a young - though by living standards, it was an older American woman - that was staring at him, though he wasn't sure why. Was it because of the manners or because he was a skeleton? He didn't know. Still, he gave the older woman a jovial smile and waved at her. Oh, she looked so cute! Just like his Coco back home! The older woman was surprised upon given such attention and smiled back, before attending to her food again. When he finally sat down, Héctor gazed back at his wife across the table with an affectionate smile at her, content that she was happy with the place. "It is very lujoso,(luxurious/fancy) no?" He still wasn't used to the fancy life, but his beautiful wife deserved to be treated like a queen for all the years she had to carry on the financial burden.

"I wouldn't have thought a place like this around the parks. How long did you search?"

"Well..." Héctor chuckled sheepishly, as if he didn't want to say at first. He wasn't going to lie to his wife about it though. "..I looked since I got here, mi amor.." He finally said earnestly with a shy smile. Since his tour with Jake as well as watching the different places to spend time with his family on TV that one time, in addition to walking to this part of the parks in person now, he had a pretty good idea of the places he wanted to go try out with Imelda. The gentleman nobly passed the menu to his wife before lifting his own to distract himself. He had his reasons, but he wasn't sure if now was a good time to bring it up. "A ver, a ver.. (Let's see, let's see) they got.. oh, spaghetti! I remember trying that when I was in San Luis Potosí!" He grinned upon recognizing that food item at least in one of the cities when he went on tour! The Italian immigrants were just settling into those towns at the time, so they would invite a few people to their homes to try their spaghetti. He was able to try it that way after a concert. That was Ernesto's typical way of getting food back then, being invited to family's homes for dinner because "the world was their family." Nothing beat Imelda's cooking and being with his own family though. "Fettu-sine? No..Fettuccine?" He stroked his bearded chin pensively, trying to figure out what that was.The description sounded good though. Unfortunately, the description didn't describe what a ravioli was well; it was like it was automatically assumed by everyone what it was. All he could think of was the word that sounded like ravioso, spelled rabioso..which didn't translate to any kind of food item. Angry pasta? That didn't make any sense.. unless it meant spicy pasta? “Eh..Imelda, what is a ravioli?" He asked innocently to his wife with a curious smile, always referring to his knowledgeable wife was in all of these things from the land of the living.

[Mamá Imelda]

Héctor pointed out that the fountain back in Santa Cecilia was still special for the memories tied to it, and he wasn't wrong. "Sí", she merely smiled and answered. They were a lot of memories of watching Héctor embarrass himself, but for her sake apparently. Or even just strolls once she'd admitted further how far she didn't mind his presence.

To her, knowing a bit of Italian was no big step, and with the small Italian population to come through, but...it reminded further of how Héctor hadn't been there for that. He'd died already when she went through that life experience, as she did that and everything else without him. Declaring she hadn't needed him, at the time, but now...sorry for it. And as Héctor thought, and reminded himself, he shouldn't sell himself short, he knew some as well, and could probably write any form of music.

She had forgotten some things about how Héctor was...

Even after their reconciliation. As Héctor leaned forward and kissed her cheek, she felt the warning signs of worry of having opened up for him to answer anything with that. Sure Imelda knew she was old fashioned, how could she help it, with the time she came from, but she was also right and keeping decorum in public was not a bad thing.

"Oh, mi amor..you really want me to answer that?"

¡Ay...

She gave Héctor somewhere between a light shove and light arm slap to tell him to behave, and as her pursed lipped looked should have done also. The only problem was, this was as familiar as her teasing with noncommittal answers and there was the hint of a smile, albeit a shocked, scandalized one, that Imelda couldn't hide fully. She didn't even answer enough to tell him to behave, beyond the silent cues, and had of course stepped forward and just put up the proper decorum herself as their waiter returned with the menus and lead them to their table.

And not that Héctor didn't go back to behaving. Imelda smiled smallish again, and even if it was old hat, as they would have said, though the term might have come from America, and familiar and complacent, their titling each-other, she couldn't help feeling a slight blush at Héctor's words even if she thankfully couldn't show such anymore.

They'd attracted the attention of a kindly old lady. Her age, and the fact that it was obvious she probably reminded Héctor of Coco (and did for Imelda as well a bit) helped her quell, while not full out jealousy, that...wondering that even someone casually calling up Héctor's attentions caused her to feel. It was her own problem, though, and something she had to get a handle on. Perhaps it was just that even after recalling she had been wrong in some of her jealous thoughts before, after Héctor never came back, and after gaining him back, she was still so...nervous of losing him again.

Not to his allowing, of course, but still the concern showed itself in odd ways.

Imelda just shot the woman her own smile (which might have also reminded she was with Héctor and he was hers) and just smiled back as Héctor mentioned the fancy atmosphere and answered on her question of how he'd come across the place. And how could she still battle any jealousy, at all, when Héctor did such things as look for a perfect place since coming here?

"Aww, Héctor...", Imelda looked touched. "Well I'll not say the you didn't have to, it's great...", she reached over lightly and squeezed his hand before relinquishing it again to let him look at the menu.

Again, the things he didn't know, and which she realized as he asked; which she didn't want to call cute, it would insult him, and just meant again how he hadn't been around to learn.

“Eh..Imelda, what is a ravioli?"

Imelda smiled, and caught, or guessed, Héctor's not doubt confusion over words. "Not what you're thinking, though really I...don't know what you're guessing". What would Héctor's visual of Angry Pasta look like? Her husband was so creative it was probably over the top!

"Filling, meat and cheese, inside, um, square dough", she attempted explaining. "Um...Riccota usually, I believe, and marinara sauce". Of course the menu said that no doubt, she checked. But Imelda didn't mind explaining things to Héctor. "I may go with that myself and you can try something else if you want and still try it". Offering to let him eat off her plate was not exactly flirting, but somehow Imelda felt it was and gave him a small smile. She was also fully allowed to be discrete like that but then get onto him for not being discreet earlier!

[Deleted]

"Ahay!" Imelda's mixture of a light shove and light arm slap only made Héctor chuckle softly by her ear at his wife's feisty, scandalized way of telling him to behave. It reminded him of how they used to be when they were younger. He still loved it just the same. The devoted husband lightly embraced his wife's petite frame in his arms with a sheepish grin, resting his skeletal cheek on top of her head from behind with a placid smile on his face. Even though he had been with Imelda for almost a year, he still basked in her attention, her affection, even in her embraces. He tried his best to put his romantic desires to the side and respect her boundaries enough not to overdo it so much in public though, wanting to respect her free spirit more than anything. As soon as the waiter came in, Héctor lifted his head and she was able to get out of his light embrace once again, as easy as the way she was able to dance away from his light hold every time she used to tease him back then. 

Héctor innocently didn't notice the inner jealousy Imelda probably felt for the older lady, being too absorbed in how much it reminded him of Coco because of how much he missed his daughter, though he was aware of Imelda's jealousy during their reunion when she had told him her fears about leaving her for someone else when he never came back. He could understand jealousy not to hold that against her, though he would never leave her for anyone. As far as jealousy went, Héctor had picked fights with only those that would push too far in the past, easily being defensive against even Ernesto when he would proudly say that he was Imelda's love of her life, though Ernesto was at the borders of that limit with the dancing, but thankfully didn't overstep his boundaries by trying to kiss her or anything. Plus, it helped that Imelda shockingly jumped into his arms afterwards, which always made everything better. 

"Well I'll not say the you didn't have to, it's great..."

Imelda was touched by the fact that he had been planning on taking her to outings from the start. He smiled upon feeling her skeletal hand in his, glancing down at their hands for a moment to stroke her hand gently with his thumb while he held her hand. "I.. always want to, Imelda.." He responded simply, looking back into her beautiful brown eyes with a shy smile. He respectfully allowed their hands to relinquish in order to provide her with the menu. He hoped that maybe afterwards, they could hold hands again. 

"Not what you're thinking, though really I...don't know what you're guessing".

Another shy smile formed over his bearded chin. He wasn't keen on saying embarrassing things, but he would only to humor Imelda and he was willing to do anything to give what Imelda wanted, even if it made him sound loco or silly to everyone else just like it did when he was young. He could tell that she was asking what was on his mind in her own indirect way. By now, he knew Imelda enough to understand Imeldian, though when he was young he was going loco trying to figure it all out. "I was thinking that it is like an angry pasta! You know, like pasta that is rabioso!" Since the 'v' and the 'b' sounds were the same in the Spanish language, even she would understand that it sounded very close to ravioli by sounding like ravioso! "They would be like.. small spaghetti strings, but not..eh..squiggly?..they are more..bendy?" Was that a word? The Mexican musician shrugged sheepishly, trying his best to explain how he thought they would look. He snapped his fingers, trying to come up with a better word. "Durable! That is a good word.. like the nylon guitar strings, but they are always curved down like a frown. And on top is the spiciest chile sauce you can imagine! And everyone says: Aguas, amigo! (Be careful, friend!) That one is too spicy for you!" His eye sockets narrowed with a defiant smirk now as he pointed at her enthusiastically to continue with his story about the angry pasta, "...But then you go for it anyways! Only because you know you love the spicy, you know?!...and then when you try? Ohh!..You find out it's the best decision you ever made in your life!" He placed his hand on his ribbed chest with a tilt of his head back, a grin planted on his face. He then lowered his head again to gaze back at her. "And you always come back for more," His eyelids lowered with a charming grin. Much like his song Poco Loco, he was secretly talking about Imelda, of course. His wife was the spicy one that he always wanted more, from the moment she first yelled at him. When Imelda finally described what ravioli was, after his story, he blinked at the description, which sounded tasty, but so.. not what he was thinking. "..Oh."

Somehow, his version sounded better.. 

Still, the skeletal musician grinned enthusiastically upon hearing her idea. Sharing food was definitely something romantic that he was all for! Whatever Imelda allowed, he was all for it. "Oh good idea, mi amor! Okay! Let me pick something.. a ver.." He mused through the menu pensively again, repeating another word that he found interesting.  "Gnocchi..." Héctor glanced up at Imelda again with an inquisitive raise of an eyesocket. "Hey! Isn't that like that fancy brand? I saw a commercial for that once. I guess they make purses and pasta, eh?"  He pondered on that thought a little more, stroking his bearded chin as he read the description. "Might as well make purses out of pasta.." Then again, that was probably what ravioli was, at least based on what Imelda described it as, except it was stuffed with cheese. His mouth parted in shock upon reading that gnocchi was made out of potato pasta! "Oh! They make pasta out of papa (potato)?! I got to try this one!" He declared, not caring at all if it was gonna come out looking like some fancy purse. He had to try this new thing! Héctor always liked things that were out of the ordinary instead of overpopular, so he chose not to go with the comforts of spaghetti and try something new! 

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda was just good at that...mask of propriety a woman of her time had to keep. Good at keeping to good manners and keeping things hidden, for the most part. Héctor had always been the one to throw that for a loop as effectively as she threw him for a loop with her teasing. So, while she kept to propriety, and even scolded Héctor, she let herself lean into his embrace a bit and gave his hand a light squeeze even as she shimmed free with the approach of the waiter.

"I.. always want to, Imelda.."

She smiled back softly. Even Héctor's genuine words warming her heart as much as his teasing she knew he did just to get her to laugh did. Speaking of which...he had to just know what he was doing!

Imelda attempted to remain stoic, or hide her smile behind her menu, even as she answered, but that was thrown out the window with Héctor's answer.

"I was thinking that it is like an angry pasta! You know, like pasta that is rabioso!"

Yes, she might have been half asking, though now she wondered why! Imelda laughed, moving her menu to still try to cover in the sound, and then her hand, though she shot Héctor a smile from over the rim. How did he do this so effectively and even this many years later? Imelda, Matriarch to the entire Rivera family, was somehow reduced to feeling like a giggly teen again.

He was not quite done yet though, it seemed.

"They would be like.. small spaghetti strings, but not..eh..squiggly?..they are more..bendy? Durable! That is a good word.. like the nylon guitar strings, but they are always curved down like a frown. And on top is the spiciest chile sauce you can imagine! And everyone says: Aguas, amigo! That one is too spicy for you!...But then you go for it anyways! Only because you know you love the spicy, you know?!...and then when you try? Ohh!..You find out it's the best decision you ever made in your life! And you always come back for more,"

As she'd always done, from when he was a gangly boy telling of dreams of the future, to even recapturing what they had, Imelda listened as Héctor semi-rambled on. They were often told to get a response out of her, and Imelda felt quite possibly all of them perhaps! Intrigued and just smiling fondly to him as he started, finding small things in how he was to just love him for all over again, things he probably didn't even know about. Then slight suspicion of where he was going with this.

Mock insult followed by feeling almost flattered. Imelda giggled again. She should tell him to stop, he was too close to making even a small scene again just by being his boisterous self, but she somehow couldn't.

"Hmm, that so?", she pretended she didn't get his point though and hide behind her menu again, as she explained what Ravioli was.

"Oh good idea, mi amor! Okay! Let me pick something.. a ver.."

Imelda just smiled as she watched him.

"Gnocchi...Hey! Isn't that like that fancy brand? I saw a commercial for that once. I guess they make purses and pasta, eh?"

Imelda's face scrunched and she brought a fist up to hold in the laugh that threatened, he was going to get her to actually gain attention in the restaurant! She also knew that he honestly didn't know and was trying to guess, but...the things that came out of his brain! Well his songs had already proven that.

"No Héctor, that's Gucci...", her amusement was evident in her voice and she held in her laugh again, smiling to him again to try to make up for it if he was embarrassed. Perhaps not, he counted any time he could get a smile or laugh out of her as a win.

"Oh! They make pasta out of papa?! I got to try this one!"

Imelda smiled again, "Ok, get your potato pasta and we'll compare", Imelda said with another smile. She scanned again and mentally tallied up what they'd decided on, seeing if she had to get anything else, or should. Héctor might not like the Gnocchi as much as he said he would...

Their waiter came over, asking if they'd made their decisions, and Imelda didn't even glance to Héctor before taking over in that capable way of hers (and plus she might have been half afraid that if Héctor actually spoke to the waiter he would say something else to break through her reserve and make her laugh!) "Yes, I believe we have. He will have your Gnocchi, and I will take the Ravioli and an order of your cheesy bread-sticks, per favore in the event either of us change our mind", Imelda daintily handed her menu and shot Héctor a small smile, since she had been directing that last at him a bit in just teasing.

[Deleted]

"Hmm, that so?"

Ah, there was his spicy wife at it again, never making it easy for him, but Héctor loved every moment of it. "Claro que si (Yes of course), mi amor.." Héctor responded with a complacent smile, tilting his head with a knowing gaze to try to peek at Imelda from behind her menu like a cute game of peek-a-boo that he used to do to Coco when she was little. He knew that she was hiding her giggling and beautiful smiles behind that menu like it was some kind of fan. Whenever he wore a disguise and hid behind a fan, if anyone asked him where he learned that from, then he definitely got it from Imelda hiding behind things like this. Imelda was so cute when she did it though, it just made him want to keep going, just to bask in hearing the smile in her voice and hear her laughter that she tried to hide. It was like music to the musician's ears!

"No Héctor, that's Gucci..."

The centenarian skeleton smiled upon hearing the smile in her voice, but he raised an eyesocket at her upon hearing her correction. "Yes, Gucchi, that is-?" Héctor looked perplexed for a moment, thinking that was just what he said, and then glanced down at the menu again for that other word that he thought was the same thing, "Oh, gnocchi.." He murmured to himself in realization. It was definitely not the same thing. "Eh..bueno, okay!...so, they're not the same..!" Héctor immaturely remarked with a shrug, his tiny pout not being able to help but break into a smile upon seeing that smile that Imelda wore. Embarrassing himself in front of Imelda? There was no shame in doing that if it came to Imelda. He practically made a song about how crazy he was for her. He'd do it all the time if he could produce a result like that.  

The passive husband watched with a smile of adoration as his strong wife took charge and ordered his food as well as hers. She was the greatest. He caught the comment that she made and even ordered sticks that were made of cheese just in case they would change their mind. Héctor nodded with a shy smile, allowing it to be possible. He would always try anything when it came to food, and he generally didn't mind most things, even the traditional street food of cooked crickets like chapulines...but whether he ate all of it, was another question entirely, which was almost like a crime to do in their Hispanic culture. It wasn't that he didn't like certain food, he just did not have a big appetite. Héctor noticed that she didn't order their drinks and regarded the menu down at the drink section to help her out. Ay no! All the names of the wines were written in Italian! After taking a few seconds to decide from the names that he couldn't even recognize, he decided to just pick one. "And maybe two glasses of Luce delle.. Vite 'Lucente' Super Tuscan, Tuscany!"  Well, that was fun to try to say. The Mexican musician didn't know what it was, but it sounded like SUPER fancy wine from Tuscany based on that being in the title alone! 

"Perfetto, signorina," The waiter nodded after hearing both of their orders, "Grazie." With that, the waiter left to the kitchen. 

Héctor shrugged at Imelda when the waiter left. "Why not have a taste of the wine of the living?" He thought it was a good idea at least. Honestly, he just knew "Vite" meant "Life" after hearing it in a title of a classical song from the music he used to listen to, so he was going with that being the wine of the living. Naturally, Héctor wasn't used to drinking fancy wine because he could never afford it, especially since beer and tequila was more in abundance. Yet his wife was a lot more refined than he was, so he figured why not try fancy wine with her?  "I like hearing you speak the Italian words, Imelda.." Héctor complimented his wife endearingly as he reached out to hold her hand in his, with his other hand caressed her skeletal hand gently.  "You're so cultural, mi amor! Me encanta! (I like it a lot)!" It was like every new thing he learned from Imelda was just making him love her even more if that were possible. When it came to Héctor, his cup was never full, so his love was endless. 

The skeletal musician smiled pensively down at her hands that he held and caressed in both of his skeletal hands. There was something on his mind, and he finally decided to say it. He was working on saying what was on his mind a lot more since they reunited. He knew most of the misunderstanding was his fault for keeping certain things to himself in his own passive way. "Going out with you like this, Imelda.. it was one of the things I used to think about before, you know? It was one of my regrets that I couldn't go out with you that much when we were still alive.." There was a tiny trace of sadness in Héctor's smile that he wore. Was he a bad husband? He used to think so around the time that they reunited again. Now, with help from Imelda..he didn't think he was a bad husband so much anymore but, he still had his lingering thoughts on wishing he could have done better at least. "I thought..if I could just have one more chance in the land of the living..I would maybe go out with you more.." This was his reason for looking for all the restaurants and places to visit with Imelda ever since he got here. Héctor couldn't change the past, but now that he was in the land of the living, he was doing everything he didn't get to do more with Imelda when he was still alive.  

[Mamá Imelda]

She perhaps shouldn't tease Héctor so, but this was made hard when she got such comments back, always peppered with pet-names, every-time she did. Imelda had spent so many years missing him (though hardly admitting it) she would still take all she could get now. She gave him one small glance from beyond her menu but then went right back to hiding, watching Héctor figure out his own confusion with gnocchi, and giggling again as he did, and brushed it off so nonchalant.

She was capable of missing things here or there, as proven when Héctor had to take over ordering their drinks. Oh...what had she done? She wondered in slight amusement. A few glasses of water would have been fine, but now Héctor was probably going to order up the whole cabinet if just to see her reaction and hard to hide smile!

He behaved though...

"Why not have a taste of the wine of the living?"

Was his excuse. Imelda knew better. He was just trying to...not compete...but be as good maybe as he felt she was with knowing some Italian and such. Imelda didn't have a menu to hide behind anymore, but that was just fine, and faced Héctor with another small smile as he went on.

"I like hearing you speak the Italian words, Imelda..You're so cultural, mi amor! Me encanta!"

"Oh, that...", Imelda glanced down, trying to shrug it off, "A few of the Italian refugees came through town, a baker set up for a bit, so I learned a bit to better order the bread", she explained, glancing to where he held her hand in both of his.

"Going out with you like this, Imelda.. it was one of the things I used to think about before, you know? It was one of my regrets that I couldn't go out with you that much when we were still alive..I thought..if I could just have one more chance in the land of the living..I would maybe go out with you more.."

Héctor was a lot more open with his words, and saying what he would before hold back, having learned that lesson harshly for both of them, and Imelda had learned about assuming.

She smiled to him once more, "Well, we got back a half chance now, and I'd say you're doing a great start at...and am glad we get to, Héctor". If they weren't in public she might have kissed him. "I even missed...", Imelda cut herself off a bit, thinking through what she was about to say and then deciding on going ahead, "...when Julio and Coco would head out and I'd watch little Victoria and Elena I...I couldn't help thinking what it would have been like if you were there too. I'm sure the stories I came up with for them paled in comparison to what you could have painted for the imaginations", Imelda smiled fondly.

[Deleted]

"A few of the Italian refugees came through town, a baker set up for a bit, so I learned a bit to better order the bread",

Héctor smiled when Imelda explained about learning some of the basic Italian words from the Italian immigrants that came through town. It was so interesting to hear pieces of things he didn't know were happening while he was over at the tours, such as tasting his first spaghetti while the Italian immigrants were in Mexico City and just hearing how they migrated and influenced Imelda. He wanted to know as many things as possible, not wanting to miss a beat out of his desperate wish to just go back to that moment when he made that dumb decision and just never left.

The skeletal musician's smile grew wider upon hearing Imelda say that she was glad that they could get to date more. He gently stroked her skeletal hand that he held with his thumb, so thrilled to have this moment with her to recover all of that, though a part of him still wished he could have taken the advantage when he could have. It would perhaps be a regret he'd live with for the rest of his life.

"I even missed...",

Héctor's large brown orbs looked up curiously when she spoke and then parted his mouth slightly when she faltered a bit, wishing she could tell him, but the patient husband greatly respected her taking her time with sharing and opening herself up to him so he said nothing and simply listened. The next words that would come out of Imelda's beautiful painted lips was enough to caught his heart to jolt out of the sentiment that it gave him to hear her say. "You thought of me with our nietos (grandchildren)?" His eyesockets tilted at the sentimental emotion he felt. He parted his mouth in shock, thinking that all this time he thought he was the only one that thought of this! "I thought of them all the time!" Oh, what that would have been like! He would have spoiled Coco's two daughters rotten, just as he does now with Victoria and Coco! "They got a couple of good looking grandparents, no?" Héctor humorously bounced the top of his eye sockets with a charming smile at Imelda. He thought they were the most attractive grandparents to them ever, and now the most attractive great great grandparents!

"I'm sure the stories I came up with for them paled in comparison to what you could have painted for the imaginations"

"Eh, I got stories,"  The famous musician shrugged modestly, "but that is nothing compared to what we can accomplish together, mi amor! Now we got a whole Rivera Family orchestra!" Héctor grinned as he gently squeezed her hand reassuringly with an affectionate smile, wanting her to know that they could do wonders whenever they were together! Whenever they were together, they just created the best kind of music, in his opinion, because it was the kind of music that had real passion and real heart - not like it was with Ernesto. After all, it was her passion and leadership with gathering her family together and his creativity that caused them to have a giant family orchestra - something that he always wanted to be a part of! 

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda just smiled that small, almost shy, smile back to Héctor's stunned inquiry about thinking about him with 'the nietos'. Of course she had.

"I thought of them all the time!"

They had been back together too long, and worked too far through their pains and misunderstandings, for Imelda to really fall into guilt again at these words, but still, they threatened to dampen the mood, at least for her, and if Héctor hadn't gone on.

"They got a couple of good looking grandparents, no?"

Just because she hid another laugh did not mean she didn't agree. Héctor just had this charming way about him that it would be foolish to fully let him know about; even if he already did, Imelda knew. It was why he did such things. To get these reactions out of her. And answers to such rhetorical questions.

"Eh, one more so I suppose", she threw out, but didn't clarify.

"Eh, I got stories, but that is nothing compared to what we can accomplish together, mi amor! Now we got a whole Rivera Family orchestra!"

Imelda shook her head lightly, "Well I don't know about all that; oh the kids are talented of course, but...", she didn't exactly count herself out, but still the word Orchestra just sounded so...grand. Not in a bad way though. She smiled softly again though, "But I do agree with the together part"

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"Eh, one more so I suppose"

Imelda's adorable laugh made him laugh too, especially when she threw out that teasing comment without even being more specific as to who she meant by that! "Haha! Hey! Esta picarona..!" (This spicy/rebellious thing) He commented with a shake of his head and another chuckle that escaped from his affectionate smile that he wore. Imelda was every bit of that spicyness that he was referring to earlier, and he loved it so much.

"Bueno.. you know what? I can agree with that!" The Mexican musician conceded with a pleasant smile as he gently held her hands in his across the table. "You're so beautiful, mi amor..getting the chance to be with you, qué suerte la mía, eh?! (how lucky am I, huh?!) It was true, his wife was as beautiful as the day he met her, wanted by all the men. Before he was famous, the girls wouldn't even look his way because he was such a nobody. He really did consider himself to be the luckiest husband!

"Well I don't know about all that; oh the kids are talented of course, but."

The famous musician knew, or thought he understood where she was coming from at least, and immediately tried to clarify. "Oh, no, Imelda, nothing like that. It's not like we're comparing 'em to a famous orchestra! Who wants to be like those snobs or the ricachones (Mexican lingo for rich people) and their dumb mansions anyway?" This was humorous and humbling for Héctor to say, almost making fun of himself considering that he was now famous and rich, but he spent all his worth on his family's welfare and business, even donating to his fake family. He lived such a simple life for most of his life, that he didnt care about the famous life anymore. "Even better is a simple family orchestra band that plays with the heart, you know?" Heart was what la Familia Rivera was all about! "It's a passion that runs inside all of us; it's part of what brings us all together.." Shoemaking and music brought their whole family together, after all. Even Julio bonded well with him over his knowledge of dancing! But most people forget that it started with Imelda and Hector bonding over music. 

Finally, the food and wine arrived! Unfortunately, that meant the hand holding will have to wait until after the food would be gone from their tables again. "Wow! Qué chido, eh?! (How cool, right?!) Look at this wine of the living, Imelda!" Honestly, most things easily impressed Héctor, who hadn't had much chance to enjoy the finer pleasures of life. He was still getting over non-spirited food in the land of the living. As the food was placed in front of them, the jovial Héctor waited to see if his wife approved or not, as well as for his queen to take her first bite before he would.

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda trusted Héctor to understand her teasing as much as he always had, and still did; and wasn't thrown by his own comment back, just smiling that borderline coy smile he just brought out so well.

"Bueno.. you know what? I can agree with that!"

Imelda gave another small laugh, and as neither one of them clarified, but seemed to be stating it was the other of course. She'd already realized it, but it was just very good skeletons couldn't blush, and helped her with the coy, or controlled act.

"You're so beautiful, mi amor..getting the chance to be with you, qué suerte la mía, eh?!"

Just because (and even because!) she knew Héctor meant his words, Imelda still gave a small scoff, like she didn't really take his beginning compliment at face value, so like she had so many times when they were younger and he was just a try-hard-kid (he still was in many ways), "Flatterer...", she half accused, but her smile was harder to hide this time and it was pretty clear she took her husband's words to heart, especially after so many years of not hearing such comments.

There was too much seriousness in the last to keep up being coy, though, and her smile softened, "Though I don't know, Héctor, I feel pretty lucky myself most days...", she commented back softly. She hadn't meant to sound like she was doubting intention with Héctor's comment on the Orchestra, and while the clarification wasn't needed, it didn't go unappreciated either.

"You're right of course", Héctor only got a few of those admissions from Imelda, though in half teasing and not on serious matters where she had to honestly admit her faults, "I guess I'm just mostly worried about myself, and you coercing me into singing on stage again", she smiled, giving one of his hands one last squeeze before taking hers back and as the food came. Oh sure she'd been alright at it once or twice, and enjoyed it, but Héctor was known for taking inches to...forget miles, highways!

She smiled again, though she could hardly stop when around him like this, at his comments on the wine, and waited for his own on the food, when she realized he was waiting on her. From anyone else it would have been exasperating, but it was oddly touching, though as if taking the cue, their waiter was half lingering as well. Imelda took a bite of the ravioli to get the both of them to stop and gave her nod of approval.

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Imelda saying that she was feeling lucky was a wonderful thing to hear, considering that Héctor was used to being the one most people dreaded, especially the ones that he borrowed from. It just made the jovial musician's skeletal countenance light up contently to hear Imelda say that, even if he may not be the reason. He just liked hearing that Imelda was happy or feeling lucky in general. A soft chuckle escaped his mouth when Imelda expressed her concerns about being coerced onto the stage, but he decided not to comment about it, merely shrugging innocently. He didn't do it on purpose. Besides, last time the crowd was the one that had pressured her, not him.   

As soon as the waiter had finished making sure that they were taken care of after getting the seal of approval from Imelda, Héctor began to eat from his plate as well. "You got to try this, mi amor.. this gucchi..no, what do you call it? Gnocchi! Gnocchi, yes.. it's got the strangest texture! It's weirdly just like a papa (potato)!" Héctor mused as he tried the pasta made of potato, always being blunt with the truth whether he liked something, thought something was weird, or just as bad sounding as a terrible grito. He wasn't even sure if he liked it or not, he was just shocked that it was just thick to bit into, like a potato! "Mm.. try it, try it Imelda.." Héctor offered three to Imelda for her to try on her plate without really asking if she wanted to. It was a typical culture thing, but usually one shared among the maternal side of the elder family in the Hispanic culture. In this case, Héctor was used to sharing his food. Always. He ate so little. Even in the land of the dead, he shared whatever he had with his fake family as well. 

 Héctor smiled when he tried the breadsticks, fascinated by all this. Still, he was slightly overwhelmed by all this food, still not used to so much yet, so he temporarily paused a bit from eating. "So, Imelda.. Was there something you wanted to tell me earlier? Before all of this?" Héctor didn't realize that Imelda had something else to tell him before they even met Dash and got distracted by the incredibly fast boy. "...What happened with the neighbors?" He ventured to ask gently, thinking more about that mention that Imelda had made about the neighbors. The musical husband wanted to know everything about Imelda, so he felt that this was something he probably should know but didn't.