Imelda jumped up quickly, hearing someone approach her. She relaxed when she realized it was Hector, but then she realized what that meant, and turned away hastily.
"Imelda?" He asked carefully, getting closer.
"Go away, Hector," she said curtly, still facing away from him.
"Imelda, are you crying?"
"No," she replied, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Oh my darling," she heard his whisper, his voice heavy with sorrow. "What did they say?"
"Nothing. Go away, Hector. I'm fine."
"Imelda," he said tenderly, and pulled her into an embrace.
The tears fell freely then, and as much as she tried to keep it all in, sobs wracked her body.
He whispered her name over and over, holding her close and supporting her.
She didn't know how long she cried in his arms. It seemed like hours. He didn't say anything, knowing how much she hated to be vulnerable in front of others. He simply held her, and when her tears subsided, he tenderly brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears.
She closed her eyes, knowing that if she looked at his gaze she would start crying again.
"I told them about you," she whispered, and she felt him stiffen.
"Im so sorry. Im so sorry, Imelda."
"It's not your fault," she said firmly. "Don't ever apologize."
"But it is," he persisted. "I can't live knowing that I'm the reason why your parents are treating you this way. Knowing that I'm the reason why you're out here crying all alone. Knowing that without me, your life would be so much easier."
"My life would be so much worse," she confessed. "Without you. Without your songs. Without your comfort. Without your jokes. I never want to be apart from you, Hector. And I don't care if my parents don't like that. They can't change what I feel for you. Nothing can. Nothing ever could."
He shook his head, and she knew his thoughts. He had never been very good at hiding them. She knew he was thinking he was worthless, knew he was berating himself for something that wasn't even his fault.
So she brought her lips to his tenderly, showing him how much he meant to her through a kiss.
YOU ARE READING
La Bikina: Through The Years
FanfictionHector and Imelda through the years. How they met, got married, grew apart, passed away, and their life in The Land Of The Dead. Will they ever reunite? -- A series of one shots, blurbs, and drabbles.
