Echar Agua al Mar

Chapter VII

Saturday was not a normal day.

The Rivera family was on pins and needles, yet no one could explain why. There was, however, a fair reason for the change. Everyone had been exhausted by trying to cheer up Imelda after her disastrous market trip earlier in the week. They had been thrown off their own natural balance, and now they were all paying the price.

Rosita had been squashing her tendencies for gossip all week long, and was fairly bursting at the seams to know what had happened between Mamá Imelda and Héctor. Julio knew his sister a little too well, and his efforts to keep her mind occupied and away from... certain topics... had left him at his wit's end. Oscar and Felipe's inventive hobbies spawned from a natural curiosity and inclination for experiments; when not indulged, the old "devilish" unruliness from their youth came back full swing. Although far too old to be causing mayhem, they were still unable to sit still for more than ten minutes without fidgeting. The noise bothered Victoria, teeth grinding with every finger snap and toe tap until she was in danger of cracking her canines.

Only Imelda herself seemed untouched by this madness. She sat primly in her favorite armchair, the sun shining through the open window and making warm patterns across her lap. She seemed the very picture of matronly serenity as she sewed, patiently plucking at errant stitches on her needlepoint without a word. If she had bothered to hum as she worked, she might have seemed grandmotherly. Without any background noise at all, she was distant, lost in her own world of tiny stitches.

Victoria was the first to crack, her frazzled nerves driven to their breaking point by the uneven tapping of the twin's soles on the polished hardwood floor. Shutting her book with enough force to break even Imelda's concentration, she stood and dusted off her skirt with a tight smile.

"It's such a lovely morning," she said, speaking faster than usual in an attempt to hide the edge in her tone. "I think I'll take a walk around the neighborhood. Won't you join me, Tía Rosita?"

"Hmm?" Rosita glanced up from the skirt she was hemming, her eyes full of confusion. Victoria jerked her head slightly towards the door. "O-Oh! Yes, I'd love to take a walk! The sunshine is so bright today." She was on her feet in an instant, bouncing on her heels as she hurried to her niece's side.

"Let's go, too," Oscar suggested, rising to his feet.

"Yes, let's!" Felipe agreed, stretching his arms over his head. "If only to get out of the house," he muttered under his breath, so quietly that only his twin heard. Julio looked first at Imelda, than his daughter; he made a little gesture that all children, whether alive or dead, know to mean "aren't you forgetting someone?". Victoria swallowed a sigh, but managed to keep her smile in place.

"Will you join us, Mamá Imelda? We can visit the plaza," she offered. "I know you like to sit near the fountain." At the word plaza, Imelda yanked the thread hard enough to snap. She blinked in surprise, mouth puckering at the frayed ends dangling from her needle.

"No, thank you." She began to pluck at the torn thread, tucking it beneath another stitch to hide it. "I think I'll stay here."

"Then I'll stay, too." Julio settled deeper into his worn armchair. "These old bones would be grateful for the rest." Imelda smiled at him, happy for the company. If she noticed how jittery the rest of the family seemed, she clearly did not care to comment on it.

The small entourage breathed a little easier as they passed the gate and reached the sidewalk, heading towards the plaza in the center of the neighborhood. There were few people on the streets at this time of day, most choosing to sleep in on the weekend or relax in the comfort of their homes. A group of men reclined in wooden chairs outside of an empty saloon, nodding to the twins and tipping their hats to the ladies. Children played hopscotch and tag in the alleyways, or sat huddled together on the stoop while watching videos on their phones.