Your Smile

"Hola, cariña," Hector walked up to where Imelda worked at a table.

She pounded on the bottom of a shoe. "Hola."

"How was your day?"

"Bueno."

His face fell as she continued working, not even looking up at him. Passing her he sank into an armchair. "Phew I'm tired, tired to the bone," he shook his arms, their bones clicking together. He grinned at Imelda to find her back still turned. The smile started to fall before picking back up. "Are you busy?" He slipped from the chair.

"Yes."

"Can I lend you..."

A hand walked across her table to wave its thumb at her.

"...a hand?"

She looked annoyed from it to where he now leaned his elbow on the table, his head against his wrist bone. "What do you want?"

"Nothing."

She looked back down at her work.

His eyes widened sad. As his hand walked over he picked it up and reattached it to his arm. After watching her for a minute he muttered out "Your smile."

"What?" she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

His gaze dropped to the table. "I want you to smile at me again. It seems no matter how many times I apologize you're still mad at me," his head tilted to the side, "which I deserve-"

"No you don't."

His gaze shot back up.

Setting the shoe down she turned to fully face him. "I'm not mad and you don't deserve this," her face panged with guilt, "it's just... hard to get use to after all these years."

"I am so so sorry I wasn't there."

"You've apologized enough; just keep being here."

He smiled. "I will mi amor."

She smiled back making Hector's whole face light up.