Move On Chapter 1

Hey everyone! Hope you're all doing awesome! This story is set shortly after Miguel is sent back to the Land of the Living, leaving Héctor on the verge of the Final Death. While Miguel is telling his story to his family (Turning Tables Chapters 1-11), the ancestors try to come to terms with what has happened.

A sequel to Turning Tables is also coming in the following weeks, so stay tuned!

It felt like ages to Imelda, holding her husband in her arms as a golden glow covered his entire body. "Por favor, Héctor," Imelda whispered. "Please come back. Miguelito, help my little girl remember her papá."

Feeling a hand grip her shoulder, Imelda turned around to see her brothers, both looking solemn as they stood protectively in front of her. Imelda also noticed her granddaughter's and daughter-in-law's attempts to hold back the press as they crowded the empty stage. Everyone wanted to know who the mysterious La Llorona was and her relationship with the almost-Forgotten skeleton.

"Is it true that your husband is the one who wrote most of the de la Cruz songs?" one of the reporters asked as he shoved a microphone in Imelda's face.

Before Imelda could even begin to answer, the twins stepped in front of her and the unconscious Héctor and yelled,

"Stop bothering—" (Felipe)

"Our hermana!" (Oscar)

"We don't—" (Felipe)

"Want to—" (Oscar)

"Answer any questions right now!"

Stepping between the family and the crowd, and shielding them with her large wings, Pepita protected the Riveras as they made their way off stage and out the back alley, towards the Arts District.

It had been a bit of challenge, getting Héctor back to the Riveras' house without getting noticed by any press. Julio and Rosita had stayed behind, trying to keep the paparazzi at bay, while the others were focused on getting the new member of the family back home, making use of Pepita's strong grip to get him there. Since many of the people who lived in the Riveras' neighborhood knew of the music ban and respected it, it was quiet out. Some of the neighbors saw Pepita was carrying Héctor and shot Imelda icy looks, making her feel even worse about the consequences of the music ban.

Héctor had not stirred once, the golden glow still there but fading slowly. Since Pepita could not fit in the house due to her enormous size, Victoria and Imelda had gently taken him from Pepita's grasp, carrying him up the stairs to Imelda's room, since the only other room available was getting prepped for Coco's arrival. Without another word, Imelda and Victoria put Héctor down on the bed, covering his still form with a blanket that Imelda had made for Coco when she was a baby.

"Lo siento, Héctor," Imelda murmured quietly as tears pooled in her eyes. "I'm so, so, sorry."

By the time Julio and Rosita had gotten back to the house, there was no noise. Everyone had gone to bed, as the night before was spent mostly celebrating or in this family's case, looking for Miguel. The shop had been closed all day for Dia de los Muertos celebrations and a table stood empty in the dining room, clearly prepped for offerings from the living relatives that no one had time to get.

Rosita quietly took off her apron, hanging it on a hook at her workstation as Julio went around, turning out lights in the living room and drawing curtains. While it wasn't dangerous for skeletons to be out and about in the Land of the Dead after sunrise, being stuck on the bridge or in the Land of the Living could have potentially fatal or "Forgetful" results.

Shuddering slightly at that thought, Julio whispered "I'm going to go check on Pap—err-Héctor y Mamá Imelda before I go to bed, hermana."

Nodding in agreement, Rosita replied, "Okay, Julio. I'll be up in a minute too," Twisting her wrap in her hands, Rosita asked, "What do you think will happen to the music ban, Julio?"

Shrugging slightly, Julio replied, "Lo no se. But I do know that we will do everything we can to help Mamá Imelda and make it up to Héctor when he wakes up. It's the least we can do."

Since no one had slept that previous night, Rosita stayed up, cooking breakfast if anyone wanted it and keeping an eye out for reporters. They had been relentlessly walking around the entirety of the Land of the Dead, searching for the true songwriter and La Llorona. Because radios weren't allowed in the workshop due to the ban, the Riveras stuck with reading newspapers or hearing things via word-of-mouth.

Shaking her head to get rid of the horrible visual of Miguel being thrown from the roof, Rosita hid the front page with that image and brought the paper inside. She didn't want to be reminded of what could have happened to Miguel and seeing the visual was awful. Seemingly empty, not a single peep came from anywhere.

Jumping in fright as Julio gently touched her shoulder, Rosita turned around and mouthed How is Héctor?

"Still unconscious, hermana," Julio answered in a whisper. "But his bones look a lot whiter and his markings are beginning to look vivid again. I think Coco remembered him just in time!"

Sighing in relief, Rosita's eyes filled with tears of joy and happiness, just as Victoria walked in, adjusting her bathrobe on her figure. She looked tired and world-weary as she sat down.

"Abuelita wouldn't go to bed," Victoria murmured. "I offered to sit with Abuel—Héctor, but she chased me out of the room."

Closing her eyes, Rosita said, "Gracias, Vicita. I'll go and check on her in a bit." Looking over at Julio, Rosita added, "Do you think we should go over to the Department of Family Reunions? Find out what's going on?"

Julio shook his head. "It's going to be crazy, Rosita. You saw what happened last night. Plus, I don't think Mamá Imelda is up for that."

Rosita nodded and with a quick peck on her niece's head, went up the stairs to check on the unconscious Héctor. I hope he's going to wake up soon.

As Rosita opened the door, her sweet eyes filled with tears. Imelda had fallen asleep in the chair she was sitting in, her hand clutching Héctor's like a lifeline at sea.

Poor Mamá Imelda. Rosita thought as she took in the heartbreaking scene. Deciding to try and move Imelda closer to the bed with Héctor in it, Rosita stopped as soon as Imelda cried out and fidgeted slightly in her sleep.

"No…." she began screaming. "No, por díos! NO ES MI HÉCTOR! POR FAVOR!"

Deciding that it would be a good time to try and wake her up, Rosita gently shook Imelda awake. As the matriarch slowly woke up, she quickly stole a glance over to the bed where her comatose husband lay. Héctor was still there, his bones looking whiter than before but showing no signs of waking up.

"Mamá Imelda," Rosita said softly. "What if Victoria or I take over for a bit? He won't be alone. Not for one minute."

"I don't know, Rosita," Imelda said in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. "I abandoned him for nearly five decades and tonight I almost lost him. I don't want to lose him again and if he does get Forgotten, I want to be here with him."

By that point, Victoria had come in the room and, upon seeing how upset her abuelita was, said, "He won't ever be alone again, Abuelita. We can make it up to him."

"That's right, Mamá Imelda," Rosita said as she pulled up a chair next to Imelda. "He won't know another minute without family."

At those words, Imelda, tears falling freely by this point, buried her head in her hands. Rosita simply hugged Imelda to her as she felt her cries becoming slower and more even as she fell back asleep.

Gently maneuvering the matriarch back to the bed, Rosita focused on exchanging Imelda's purple dress for a white nightgown while Victoria drew the blinds closed. After making sure that Imelda was settled, Rosita and Victoria left the room.

"Do you think things are going to be okay, Tía?" Victoria asked as she headed back to the workshop.

"Lo no se, mija," Rosita said uncertainly. "But I've seen that look in many women's faces, and I saw it tonight on Mamá Imelda's face."

"What look?"

"A look of a woman who is in love."