Putting the Boot Down {Ernesto}

[Mamá Imelda]

<<Let me know if I got any of the set up wrong and I can edit>>

Imelda was sure that quite a few times, as Ernesto and Héctor discussed their latest touring plans, her cutting of vegetables over by the counter gave her away, and as she sliced an avocado a bit aggressively around a comment of Ernesto's.

This time it wasn't just that he was in her house again, being his annoying self. Imelda felt she could handle that; and had, plenty of times. No the problem this time was what the problem was increasingly becoming more and more. Héctor and Ernesto's tours were getting farther and farther out, and if this latest one Ernesto was pitching were really to go through...why Héctor would be gone for weeks!

She'd realized long ago that the culprit for the tours getting longer and longer was Ernesto. Héctor could come up with schemes himself, but they were generally harmless. No, it was clear Ernesto was dictating their touring schedule by this point, or working towards exclusively doing so, and Héctor and his pleasing good-nature wouldn't tell his friend no. Even when Imelda told Héctor the time-frame was too long or such, and demanded he put his foot down.

She didn't care if it made her sound like a nag.

Something had to give...and Imelda knew what had to be done, it was just how.

Then she was handed a golden opportunity, and probably her only one. Coco had borrowed a neighbor's doll and suddenly decided that she had to next return it that very night! This prompted Héctor and her to go on a small walk, leaving Ernesto at their kitchen table alone. Normally Imelda would have ignored him, praying for Héctor to return soon.

This time, however, she turned to face her guest once they were alone, setting a bowl on the table. "Here, I made guacamole, might as well have some", she set the chips as well, then paused, gathering her thoughts and words as she wiped her hands on a dish towel.

"Actually...I wondered if I might have a word with you, before Héctor returns and...about...this touring plan...", Imelda began, somewhat easing into it.

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

Ahh, spending time with the Riveras.

It wasn't necessarily that Ernesto considered them close family. Hector was his best friend, definitely, but Imelda seemed to dislike him for some reason... Besides, Ernesto's family was his fans, now.

Still, Ernesto didn't mind spending time at the Riveras' home. It was cozy, and better than spending time at his own home, alone. Plus, free food.

As if on cue with Ernesto's thoughts, Imelda set guacamole and chips at the table. "Oh, Imelda, it looks delicious!" he told her, and not sarcastically. He enjoyed food as much as any other man. He missed her pause to think, and any cues she may have given about the conversation ahead being difficult in any way.

"This is going to be the best tour yet!" he told her. "Thirty-five cities in just two months! It's going to be amazing. Lights, fans, and fame--after the last show, in Mexico City." He rolled his shoulders back, then reached for an empty chair to prop his feet up on. "When Hector and I come home, we'll be rolling in feria!"

[Mamá Imelda]

"Oh, Imelda, it looks delicious!"

Imelda just let his compliment pass by. An answer was, perhaps, not expected anyway, and, more so, she was still forming her thoughts on how to bring up what she wished to discuss. The tours.

Ernesto did it for her.

"This is going to be the best tour yet!"

Imelda gave conscious attention to keeping her lips from drawing into a displeased line. That was his opinion. If one asked her, he and Héctor made quite enough with local tours...

"Thirty-five cities in just two months! It's going to be amazing. Lights, fans, and fame--after the last show, in Mexico City."

Two months...

Imelda had had some clue as to the time-frame, of course, and had hoped to get more information, but still...no, hearing the timing out-loud, there was no way she and Coco could be expected to just make it that long without Héctor!

She noticed Ernesto propping his feet up, but let it go for the sake of the more important talk she wished to have. She'd just brush off her chair later...

She didn't want to get Ernesto distracted on a discussion of manners.

"When Hector and I come home, we'll be rolling in feria!"

"If Coco hasn't forgotten she has a father by that point!", Imelda couldn't hold back the semi-snappish reply. She sighed, pinching her nose. "Lo Siento...".

More than actually regretting the words, Imelda just didn't want to start the conversation this way.

"I'm...just concerned...that that time-frame is too long...".

With another sigh, Imelda sat across from Ernesto

"Ernesto...Héctor doesn't want to tell you no; I know you know this...but surely you can see why a husband...a father, can't be gone that long?".

Well with his flippant ways, maybe not, but Imelda was hoping so.

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

The guacamole was as delicious as it looked, if not moreso. Imelda was a fine cook, and it was nice to have a homemade snack (as well as meals, when he was invited for them--though admittedly he happened to be present at dinnertime quite often). He moaned in delight at the spicy taste. She'd put lime in it, adding the perfect zing. His favorite.

He saw absolutely nothing wrong with putting his feet on the chair. His father had done it often, when Ernesto was younger. "Eh, she won't forget," Ernesto was blase about reassuring Imelda of this. His voice softened. "I'll make sure he writes often, and you can read her those letters. It's only two months, Imelda.

"No, I can't see. Imelda, can't you see how wonderful of an opportunity this is? It's why Hector 'doesn't want to tell me no'. He can see how much this is going to help you, in the long run." Okay, so Ernesto didn't know if that was 100% accurate. "He grew up an orphan, with nothing. My parents both worked full-time, and I didn't have them. Hector wants better than that for you and Coco, Imelda." He knew she was stubborn enough to start doing something if the money didn't come in, which was why he'd thrown his own childhood situation at her. "I want better than that for all three of you, which is why Hector needs to come with me. It's just two months."

Now would definitely be a bad time to tell her that if the tour went as well as or better than he expected, he might try to lengthen it. In fact, probably better that he not tell Hector yet, either.

[Mamá Imelda]

<<Hehe, I love this so much. Let the argument begin!>>

"Eh, she won't forget,"

Never-mind that Imelda had not been completely serious about that toss out, his flippant answer still irritated her! Her hands balled the dishrag a bit, but his next softer tone actually paused her.

"I'll make sure he writes often, and you can read her those letters. It's only two months, Imelda."

Only two months...

Yet she appreciated that Ernesto sounded like he at least half cared. He was Héctor's best friend after all...Imelda didn't doubt that he did, she just, as stated, thought he wasn't understanding this from their perspective, and was too caught up in the money, getting Héctor too caught up in it with him!

Ernesto for the fame.

Héctor for their sake.

But still focuesed on the monetary side of it.

"No, I can't see. Imelda, can't you see how wonderful of an opportunity this is? It's why Hector 'doesn't want to tell me no'. He can see how much this is going to help you, in the long run."

"Because you tell him so...", Imelda challenged, softly herself, but with a slight narrowing of her eyes, not in any true ill emotion towards Ernesto, just stubborness and making her point.

"He grew up an orphan, with nothing. My parents both worked full-time, and I didn't have them. Hector wants better than that for you and Coco, Imelda."

And having Héctor leave was how they accomplished that?!

"I want better than that for all three of you, which is why Hector needs to come with me. It's just two months."

Imelda studied Ernesto a bit, as if trying to figure him and his motives out, then sighed. No, she believed Ernesto that he was also looking out for her and Coco. He had been Héctor's best man at their wedding, was a tío to Coco.

"I know you mean well, both of you, but...". Her eyes shut and she laid her forehead against one fist propped on the table, fighting with her internal emotions. She just. Couldn't. Agree to this! But was she wrong to fight it so much? Was it a pointless endevour?

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

The Riveras were something of a family to Ernesto, but maybe it was because his own family had been so distant to him that he didn't care as much. His choice in words was largely to just get Imelda off his back, preferably with her agreeing to Hector going with Ernesto on the tour.

He couldn't do this without Hector's songs, and he knew his friend wouldn't part with them willingly. So, to get Hector's songs, Ernesto knew he had to get Imelda to agree (even if grudgingly) that Hector could go. Ernesto wasn't sure his friend would be willing, if Imelda didn't.

He pulled his feet down, and leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "Imelda, this tour will launch us into fame, and then Hector and I can stay in the city, and record in a studio, and he'll be home every night to tuck Coco in bed." That should make Imelda happy, right?

[Mamá Imelda]

If she had had even an inkling of his true thoughts and motives...

But of course, Imelda didn't suspect.

Not even the lengths Ernesto would go to, which maybe wasn't even know to his own mind, not yet, and not until Héctor 'pushed him'.

Still, no, Imelda would not have let Héctor go, and taken the sacrifices that would mean—as well as the dangers for him that just general travel included—if she knew her husband's amigo just wanted the song-book, and needed the man to come with to get it.

"Imelda, this tour will launch us into fame, and then Hector and I can stay in the city, and record in a studio, and he'll be home every night to tuck Coco in bed."

Imelda glanced up, almost wearily, and over to Ernesto, after battling her own thoughts and as she took in this new 'logic'.

She didn't want to fight with Héctor, of course. Or, whatever her husband still meekly sticking to his point about all of this being good for them also counted as. Discussion, argument, whatever.

Her gaze then hardened, but only in a serious manner. "You swear?", she asked, and semi-challenged, "On your position in this family, as Héctor's hermano, and Coco's tío...it'll be the last tour?".

If Imelda only knew how he would twist her request, and toss what she used as sacred for him—his friendship with Hector and extended influence with Coco—aside, proving it in fact wasn't the bind for an oath that she assumed.

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

His words seemed to work. Imelda had some doubts, but overall, Ernesto thought she believed him.

And really, at that moment, his words were mostly true. If they had high sales on an album and he wanted to tour for it, he could call it a "promotion of the album" as opposed to a tour.

"Sí, sí, the last tour," Ernesto said nonchalantly, leaning back in his chair. Though he'd missed Imelda's disapproving look before, he didn't put his feet up again.

That was easy.

((D: i'm sorry it's short!))

[Mamá Imelda]

The way Ernesto said it left some doubts, and Imelda glanced hard at him, in the moment he was distracted, perhaps, leaning back upon the back legs of her handmade chair. Imelda hadn't made it, of course, but the neighbors who had would probably not appreciate his actions and testing the strength of their chair so!

She studied his face, trying to determine the truth of so casually thrown out a statement. Well, she'd done what she could, and spoken her mind. Not that Imelda was known for holding back, Still, if Ernesto needed the warning, Imelda had made it clear that she was not as easily fooled as Héctor unfortunately was, and that she was watching Ernesto and would not tolerate him stringing Héctor along on wild ideas while he had a family to see to!

"Gracias for listening, Ernesto", she simply stated with a nod.

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

Ernesto wasn't sure what he'd do to convince Imelda in the future, if another tour was their best option... He wasn't sure she'd accept his initial thought of it being a promotion rather than a tour. Hope she forgot about the conversation and his promise? Let Héctor drag Imelda and Coco along? He mentally shook off the thoughts; better to worry about that when the time came. In the meantime, Imelda had listened to Ernesto, and had agreed to not harass Héctor about the tour.

Still leaning back, Ernesto reached for another chip. He loaded it with guacamole, and waved it at Imelda's thanks. "No hay de que, Imelda." After all, he'd barely listened to her words, except to find ways to twist them to suit his plans for the future.

[Deleted]

(I think Maggie told me that I had to get Héctor to come in around this time. Let me know if I should save it for later though!)

"I got it all planned out, Coco! This time you're only getting the best presents for your birthday this year! Because when your papá comes back, you're getting a bunch of muñequitas (dolls), mi amor! Sí! Only for you, mi chiquita, muñequita, angelita!" Héctor Rivera nuzzled his little girl that he held in his arms adoringly after promising his little girl that she would never have to worry about giving back toys that she borrowed again the next time he'd come. Hopefully by her birthday, they'll have enough money so that she would never have to worry about borrowing ever again! He felt bad that he had to get Coco to give the doll back though because they couldn't afford so many toys, so he promised that he would soon provide for his daughter with so many dolls so that she would never have to deal with this again! "We will have so many to play, we might as well make a school for all the muñequitas! You think it should be a music school? No, no, maybe a school for dancing! You could be the teacher, Coco! What do you think, tesorito?!" The proud father could just picture his beloved Coco being a dance teacher, even if currently it was a dance teacher for dolls. Whatever she chose to be, he was sure to be proud of her either way! "But that means you got to practice even when I'm not here, cielito (little piece of heaven)! Even the best maestras (teachers) got to practice every day, you know?" After all, even Héctor highly valued rehearsals despite considering himself to be a good musician, so it was only natural for him to encourage her to practice even when he wasn't around.  

"Psst! Coco.. before we go back home, I thought we could sneak away to show you this!" The 20 year old musician gently spoke to his daughter as he lead her to the place that he wanted to show her. "Here is the Orphanage del Socorro.." He gestured the building to her with a reminiscent smile, before glancing over to her in order to gauge her reaction. "You see, your name is so special for your papá because.. that is where my story begins.." He smiled at her fondly before glancing back at the orphanage in amazement that he came from nothing only to be counting his blessings with so much more than he thought! "No matter how important or how famous you get, you can't forget where you come from, Coco.. you can't forget where your story begins.. and your name, Socorro...it was always a part of me, just like you will always be a part of me, Coco.." He kissed her little cheek adoringly after telling her where he was inspired to get her name. "C'mon, let's go home, tesorito!"  He chirped happily before gently letting her down so that she could walk alongside him back towards the house; the tall, lanky musician was also content with holding his daughter's doll-like hands. In the end, it was possible that she wouldn't remember his words if she was too young, but he wanted to show her anyways since they were passing by it while on their way to the house. 

"Hola! Llegamos! (We're here!)" Héctor announced happily after he unlocked the door and allowed Coco to enter the house first. "Hola, mi amor!" He greeted his wife after closing the door, aiming to give her a loving peck. If the tension was comparable to a thick smog that filled the air within this house, then this jovial musician didn't pay any mind to it. He was too absorbed with the positives of spending even a little time with Coco before he would have to leave again. He easily dismissed anything else. "Ey! Ernesto!" He greeted his best friend with a grin before turning to gesture his daughter to greet the guest of the house.  "Coco, go and say hi to your Tío Ernesto!" He then glimpsed between Imelda and Ernesto in order to see what they were up to or what they were talking about. 

[Mamá Imelda]

"No hay de que, Imelda."

Ernesto waved away her thanks, but in a very flippant way that made Imelda wonder how invested into her point he'd been in the first place. Though he'd been invested enough to hold this conversation, Imelda still wasn't sure if he truly understood where she was coming from.

Did she understand where he was coming from?

Well of course! She loved singing just as much as he and Héctor both did, but she and Héctor had a family now.

"Hola! Llegamos!"

Héctor and Coco returned, causing Imelda to fully let the topic drop. It seemed dealt with anyway, or as near as could be, and she would just have to see if Ernesto took what she'd said to heart and let up on Héctor and the touring schedule in the future. She gave her husband a smile and tilted her cheek to his peck. This was in no way a lessening of affection, but Imelda was tempering her response in front of guests and Ernesto.

The time-frame was arguably too concerned with 'proper' and not introducing awkward even among family friend's such as Ernesto, but it just went without saying how one acted in front of guests was different. Plus she was just guarded in front of Ernesto anyway just not being as much a fan of him as Héctor and Coco were. Though Coco was just following her papá's example.

"How did it go?", she asked Héctor, though Coco didn't seem too disappointed at having to return the doll.

[Coco Rivera]

Papá talked a lot, but that was a good thing because Coco loved to just listen to him. Even when she didn't always understand. She didn't know it now, but later, his voice would be one of the firmest memories she would hold on to of her papá; both as he sang and his perhaps at times random advice and requests.

Coco understood what Papá was saying about muñequitas though! And her having a whole dance school of her own!

"Then Maria can visit!", Coco meant the doll she had just returned. She could visit Coco, and her dolls, in their nice house, along with the girl she belonged to, Lucia, of course. She next clapped happily to Papá's idea of a school and which would be best. She of course knew!

"Dancing!", she declared happily. Music was good too, but Coco just loved to dance while her Papá played! And teaching her dolls to dance just sounded so fun!

She next looked thoughtful as Papá said she had to practice even when he wasn't there. He wasn't going away again was he? Coco hated it every time he did, even though Mamá said it was so he and Tío Ernesto could play and make money. She leaned over to hug his neck, "You're leaving again?", she asked with a slight pout.

Thankfully, maybe to distract her, Papá took her over to show her the orphanage that was her name-sake. Being three, Coco's attention was easily diverted and she gazed with wide eyes at the building. She couldn't imagine Papá as a boy, he had just always been the age he was now of course.

"No matter how important or how famous you get, you can't forget where you come from, Coco.. you can't forget where your story begins.. and your name, Socorro...it was always a part of me, just like you will always be a part of me, Coco.."

Coco giggled happily and kissed his cheek back.

As they arrived home, Papá hardly had to tell Coco to go greet her Tío Ernesto. The little girl spotted out her papá's bestest friend in el mundo entero right away! "Tío Ernesto!", she rushed up and held her arms up to be picked up. "We sawed where Papá was a boy", she informed him in little kid tones, "Or he said, I don't think he was ever little as me", she little kid chattered a bit then turned to shoot her papá a wide grin so he didn't think she was calling him a liar--she would never!--just stating that she couldn't imagine it. He had always just been Papá.

Speaking of which... "Eras pequeño?", she asked her tío if he was ever as small as her papá said he was.

[Ernesto de la Cruz]

Hector's loud voice announced his return to the house, and Ernesto finally put his feet down. Coco ran over to him, and Ernesto dutifully picked her up and set her on his lap. He wasn't overly fond of children, but putting on a show for his "niece" came easily to him. It was all part of keeping Hector by his side.

"Hola, chiquita," he answered her, mustering enthusiasm that belied the gravity of the conversation he'd finished with Imelda moments before. He listened politely as Coco explained visiting the orphanage. He didn't mention that his own house was near there; he didn't entertain visitors there, and he only kept the house as a place to sleep. He took lots of meals with Hector and Imelda. And Ernesto planned to sell the house as soon as he had the money for a bigger one, one that he could furnish properly, and entertain people of importance. The fact that it was his parents meant little to him, and that he had grown up there meant even less.

While Ernesto hadn't known Hector when he was Coco's age, Ernesto knew enough about children to play Coco like a guitar. "Ah, sí," he told her. "Your papá was tiny once!" He laughed at Coco's question. "I was small, but I was always a bigger kid. Just like I am a bigger grown-up." His broad shoulders shook with his laugh.