Coco fanfic-To Be Forgotten

A New Beginning

Hello readers! Crazy to think this is the last author's note🥲 I started this story over six years ago now, which is kind of crazy to think about, but at last we have reached the end. I hope you enjoyed, and thank you to everyone who stuck it out to the end. If anyone wants to leave one last comment, I'd love to hear what you thought of the story:) Happy Día de los Muertos everyone!

Miguel's POV

'The last few days have been so strange.' I thought, rearranging my fingers around the strings of my guitar. 'First Jake, Diego, and Juan were suspended. Then Papá asks me to play something for Mamá and him on my guitar. And then—' I shook my head, my brain still not quite fathoming what had happened. 'Then—'

"Miguel!" Rosa called, knocking on my door. "It's time for my lesson, right?"

'—Rosa, of all people, asked me to teach her how to sing.' I told her to come in, scooching over on my bed to make room for her. 'Sure, it was because she doesn't want to look like an idiot the first time she sings in front of others, but still—it's progress!'

"Is there a certain song you want to work on today, or...?"

"I...I want to know the song that Mamá Imelda sang. When you were in la Tierra de los Muertos." Rosa said, her voice as commanding as always. I stared at her, confused. She'd never even heard the song before, so why did she want to—

She swallowed, her fingers clenching and unclenching like mine did when I was trying not to fidget. "I've never gotten to meet Mamá Imelda, but...when the time comes, I want to be able to, uhm..."

"Ah, I—I understand." I cleared my throat, tapping my hand against my guitar. "Do you want to work on that first, or...?"

"Actually, I've been practicing Un Poco Loco while making shoes, and..."

We worked for about an hour before she left, her singing while I played the chords on my guitar. 'It's...fun, to be able to have something to do with her.' I realized, absentmindedly playing the notes to Remember Me. 'I don't think we've ever had a shared hobby, and it's cool to be able to teach her what I know. That, and during the lessons Papá—'

"Mijo!"

'Right on schedule.' I thought, forcing a smile onto my face as mi papá came into my room for what felt like the hundredth time in the past seven days. "What's up, Papá?"

"I just finished up in the workshop for the day, and I thought we could go to the plaza together." He grinned down at me, tossing his work apron over his shoulder. "We could maybe get churros to celebrate finding someone to authenticate Papá Héctor's letters."

I thought about the offer for a moment, asking, "can I bring my guitar?" There was almost always someone playing music in the plaza, and it was fun to join them. Sometimes there were even tourists who came playing songs I'd never heard before, and I'd learn how to play them by watching them play.

"I don't see why not. Just be careful not to lose or damage it, Mijo." Mi papá warned with raised eyebrows. I thought that would be kind of difficult to do, considering it would be strapped to my back, but I just nodded rather than pointing this fact out.

I hopped off my bed. "I'm going to the bathroom, but I'll meet you downstairs, okay?" I set my guitar down, moving to the door.

"Sí, Chamaco. I'll see you down there!"

We both left the room, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief as soon as I closed the bathroom door. Mi papá had been almost stifling in the last week, taking me to and from school, having me sleep in his bedroom while mamá took my bed, and even asking me to go to the workshop over the weekend to play music while he made shoes.