Hi, itâs been a long time! First of all, I would like to apologize for taking so long to update but a mix of busy with my life and feeling un-motivated to write prevented me from finishing this chapter sooner, Hopefully, future ones wouldnât take as long.
Chapter 5: Widow Arrives and Murderer Arrested
Imelda looks out the window, staring blankly at the fast-moving scenery as the train moves closer to Mexico City. Her face is an expressionless mask, brown eyes not taking in the shifting landscape as her mind wanders back to yesterdayâs events.
After ChicharrĂłn explained to her the details of her husband death and Imelda shook herself out of the shock that the one responsible for her husbandâs demise was his best friend and brother in all but blood, the now-widow made the decision to accompany ChicharrĂłn back to Mexico City so she could personally identify HĂ©ctorâs body and bring it back to Santa Cecilia.
She then put on a strong, serious face before reentering her home to inform her daughter and brothers that she would be gone for a few days. Her brave facade had almost cracked when Coco had asked if she was bringing Papa home, but Imelda managed to keep herself composed and told the little girl that yes, she was bringing him home (which technically wasnât a lie. Oscar and Felipe werenât fooled, however, as they knew their sister well and had realized that something was wrong. Fortunately, they knew better than to pry and Imelda trusted them to take care of Coco in her absence.
Now, as the scorching noon sun beat relentlessly as the train bound towards Mexico City steadily chugging its way over the rails, Imelda finds herself unable to still her mind.
This single thought constantly repeats itself over and over in her head like a broken record, refusing to stop. Often, other thoughts related to this one made themselves know, like-
âHĂ©ctor was murdered. He was murdered by Ernesto. He killed the love of my life. He killed Cocoâs papa.â
-as well as words of denial from the part of her that believes and hopes that this is all some kind of joke, terrible prank. That when the train arrives at Mexico City, sheâll see her husband waiting at the station and smiling at her with that goofy grin of his. Sheâll then hit him with her boot hard enough to knock him down to the ground as she loudly berates him for worrying her so much, gathering the attention of everyone around them. And after sheâs done scolding him and HĂ©ctor starts to apologize, she will then grab him by his shirt to pull him to her level and press their lips together is a passionate kiss without any care about their audience. Once they separate after the long kiss, HĂ©ctor would apologize once more and wax poetic phrases about how much he loved her. She would still be mad (though, secretly giddy about the words) but she would still allow him to sit next to her on the train ride home. And once back at Santa Cecilia, they would go to their home and be welcomed by the twins and Coco, the little girl screaming joyfully as she tackled her Papa, happy that he was finally back. HĂ©ctor would easily pick her in his arms and spin her around, both laughing as Imelda and her brothers happily watched. The now reunited family would then enter their home together hand-in-hand.
But as much as a large part of her wants this scenario to be true, Imelda knows deep down that she will never see her husband alive again.
In the seat across from Imelda, ChicharrĂłn alternates between watching the passing scenery and glancing at the pensive woman. Neither had spoken much save for a few words, so most of the long train ride has been spent in silence.
While ChicharrĂłn usually wouldnât mind the quiet, this kind of silence is filled with great tension and awkwardness that he wishes he could break. The only thing stopping him is that the man canât think of any words to say and, even if he could think of something, he was worried that Imelda Rivera might not appreciate something that could be considered pity. ChicharrĂłn certainly had no wish to become closely acquainted with that boot after being threatened by it yesterday. The well-crafted piece of footwear looks like it could hurt worse than his mamaâs chancla!
So, Cheech keeps his mouth shut for the whole journey, not a single word escaping his mouth even when the train grows closer to Mexico City. It is only when the train conductor announces that they have arrived that Imelda is finally pulled out of her thoughts, though neither says anything yet as they pick up their luggage (including Héctor Rivera's guitar) and exit the train.
It is Imelda who finally breaks the silence once they leave the station. âSo, whereâs the police station?â she turns to address ChicharrĂłn, her intense gaze boring into him.
ChicharrĂłn gulps slightly (âShe is definitely as intimidating as Juanita!â) but manages to gesture in one direction. âRight this way.â
Imelda slightly nods and falls into step with ChicharrĂłn as the short man guides her to the police station and closer to her (dead) husband.
They arrive at the police station after walking for a while and, after a short talk with some officers, they're led towards the basement where the morgue is located. But, as they near the door, they hear what sounds like a woman yelling loudly, ChicharrĂłn recognizing Juanita as the voice. The officer escorting them tenses up and slowly inches closer to the door, a hand on his holstered weapon.
The door suddenly bursts open, making them all jump, and Juanita Cristo de Santos angrily marches out of the room, an angry expression on her face. Just beyond the open door, a man who looks to be a doctor has his back pressed against the wall, a look of fear in his eyes. Thereâs a long, metal table a little further into the small room, with something human-shaped covered in a white sheet resting on top of it.
The officer relaxes in relief that there doesnât seem to be any immediate danger, but he still looks serious and once Juanita is close, he asks, âÂżQuĂ© paso aquĂ?â his voice stern.
Despite her obvious anger, Juanita manages composes herself a bit and answers the officerâs inquiry, âWhat happened was that this pendejo,â she spats as she gestures angrily at the doctor, who flinches in response. âWas going to have poor Señor Rivera be buried in some common grave without even waiting for his family to be found.â
âWhat?!â came two outraged shouts from behind the officer, as ChicharrĂłn and Imelda voice their displeasure at the news, the woman looking seconds away from pulling off her boot to cave in the doctorâs skull.
âI-It was just a s-suggestion!â stutters the medical examiner, trying to defend himself. He flinches again when three sets of furious eyes (Imeldaâs, Cheechâs, and Juanitaâs) turn towards him, but he continues to talk. "Since the victim appears to have been traveling very far from home, we don't know how long it would take to locate his family. And since we don't have much space in the morgue, I thought it would be for the best to bury him since it would free up space."
Though the reasons did make some sense, it didnât mean that the three civilians were just going to accept them so easily. The officer sighs again, this time in exasperation rather than relief, he really wants a drink right now despite the early hour.
Imelda, meanwhile, scoffs and addresses the still cowering doctor, âWell, that wonât be necessary since Iâm here and Iâll be taking my husband home to give him a proper funeral as he deserves. She ignores the pain stabbing at her heart when she talks about burying HĂ©ctor, not willing to look weak in front of others.
âSeñora Rivera,â the officer sighs for the third time in the last hour, âwe still need you to identify in our victim is your husband, and we still need to finish our investigation before we can talk about sending anyone home and funerals.â
Imelda's anger is immediately forgotten at the reminder of what she came down here for in the first place. She releases a sigh of her own and dons a determined expression. "Right," she nods. "Let's do this." And she strides with purpose into the examination room as the doctor (who has gotten back to his feet) positions himself to remove the sheet that covers the body on the table. Outside the room, ChicharrĂłn, Juanita, and the officer stand solemnly in waiting.
âReady?â the doctor gently asks, but not without some wariness in his voice due to still being shaken by the recent anger directed at him. A single nod is the only response that he gets, and the sheet is removed a second later, revealing the corpse underneath it.
Imelda sucks in a breath, her eyes widening as she takes in the familiar big nose, sharp cheekbones, and messy hair. And despite that her logical side recognizes those features, Imelda can't help but feel a sense of wrongness as she stares at her husband's body. It was just so still, so quiet, two words she has never thought would be used to describe the love of her life. HĂ©ctor was never still and never quiet, always moving and dancing and singing everywhere that he went. Even in his sleep, he wasn't still, humming in his dreams as the music flowed through his head. But this, this wasnât her HĂ©ctor. This was just his HĂ©ctorâs body, an empty shell that no longer contained the wonderful soul that she has fallen for and had a daughter with.
Her vision becomes blurry due to the tears that threaten to fall but Imelda holds them back. She canât break down, she wonât break down, not here, not now. She needs to be strong, strong for her daughter, for her brothers and for herself. Until HĂ©ctorâs body is safely back in Santa Cecilia and given a proper burial, Imelda wonât let a single tear fall.
âMy luck might be getting better,â thought Ernesto happily as he eats a simple breakfast of huevos rancheros in the inn that he had slept at last night. After leaving the pawn shop, he had bought some cheap new clothes to replace his somewhat tattered charro suit (which he had thrown in an alley the first chance he got) then proceeded to rent a room at a small inn. He knew that it was risky and that there was a chance that he could be caught, but Ernesto was exhausted from all the running and stressing out that he had done, and he just wanted to sleep in a bed, no matter how worn and ratty the mattress was.
He had felt much more relaxed once he woke up after a good nightâs rest, more confident that things would work out after the catastrophic failure from yesterday. He still had a lot of money left over from selling the songbook, enough to buy a ticket to the next town and maybe buy a second-hand guitar once he got there. He could still salvage his dream! Sure, he no longer had the songbook, but he remembered most of the songs in it and he could still pass them as his own. HĂ©ctor's bruja of a wife couldnât do anything since, without the songbook, she wouldnât have any proof about who had written the songs. Besides, she was just a woman, a very terrifying woman for sure, but still a woman, one who no longer has a husband. Meanwhile, Ernesto was charismatic, handsome and most importantly, he was a man. His word held more weight than hers, especially once he became famous.
Sure, it might be harder to archive fame someplace that wasnât Mexico City, but Ernesto had never been a quitter and he wasnât going to become one now. This was just a minor setback, an obstacle to his way to fame that he had to overcome. But he will overcome this and any other obstacles that he encounters.
He will seize his moment!
These grandiose thoughts of future fame are interrupted when the innâs door is thrown open and dozens of police officers storm in. The other patrons shriek in panic as the law enforcers rush through, loud voices ordering that nobody moves. Ernesto himself is frozen in shock in his seat, almost indistinguishable from a statue save his breathing as he stares wide-eyed at what's happening before him.
His panic increases when half-a-dozen stony-faced officers march towards his table and point their guns at him. The one that seems to be in-charge takes a good look at Ernesto and his stoic expression slightly breaks as the corners of his lips tug upwards in a small smirk.
âErnesto de la Cruz,â the cold way that the officer says his name makes Ernesto feel like he is staring at Death itself. âYou are under arrest for the murder of HĂ©ctor Rivera.â
A single though courses through Ernestoâs mind as heâs slammed into his table (and still uneaten eggs) and cuffed.
âOn second thought, my luck is worse than ever.'
Iâm not exactly sure if this chapter was as good as I hoped that it would be. Anyway, see you next time!