Héctor x Imelda Oneshots [Coco Fanfic]

A Letter from Papá

Santa Cecilia, 1921

Imelda had brought Coco with her to buy some groceries. The two of them meandered through the market together, Imelda holding Coco on her hip so the little girl wouldn't wander off.

"Alright, bebé. What's next on our list?"

Coco couldn't read since she was still very little, but she pointed at the next item on Imelda's list yet to be crossed off.

"Lechuga y tomate," Imelda read for her. "Let's see... where is Señor Elijio?"

The two searched for the vendor they typically bought their produce from, eventually finding exactly what they needed.

Imelda handed Coco a few pesos to give to the man. Coco dropped the coins into the vendor's hand, still holding onto her mamá.

"Gracias, niñita," he told the little lady with a smile.

Coco bashfully buried her face into her mamá's shoulder. Imelda chuckled, rubbing her daughter's back after looping her grocery bag through one arm. "Que tenga un lindo día."

The Rivera ladies finished their shopping and began the walk home. The walk through Mariachi Plaza was as lively as ever. Little Coco bounced in her mother's arms, wiggling to the música that filled her tiny ears.

"Mamá? Can we dance, por favor?" Coco looked at her mother with pleading eyes.

Imelda, a famously resilient woman, couldn't find it in her to say no. "I suppose we can stay for a song or two..."

Coco squealed with delight as her mamá set her down. Imelda held their grocery bag with one hand and twirled her daughter with the other.

A group of mariachi was playing in the gazebo, clearly taking advantage of the absence of its usual performers. The mariachi took notice of the little dancer, playing more in her direction.

She was small, but Coco was full of energy. She danced her little heart out, jumping around with her mamá. The toddler's stamina was far greater than Imelda's, so she let go of her hand to allow Coco to let loose completely. She clapped for her daughter, loving the look of pure bliss on her face.

When the song came to an end, it was unclear if the applause was for the band or for their little fan.

Her baby had worn herself out dancing in the plaza, so Imelda had to carry her home with one arm holding Coco and the other carrying their groceries. When they arrived back home, there was a surprise waiting for them.

"Look, Coco!" Imelda gestured to the little gray cat sitting in front of their door. The stray had been lingering around their home for a while now, to the point where Coco had given it a name. "It's Pepita."

"Hola Pepita!" Coco waved at the cat, a sweet smile on her face. The toddler's attention switched in an instant from the cat to her mother. "Can I help you make supper?"

"If you'd like to," Imelda told her with a soft smile. She knew that Coco would only help a little at the start, then get bored and move on to do something else, but it was still sweet of her to want to help.

As expected, Coco lost interest after a few minutes of helping her mom make dinner. She moved to the kitchen table with some paper and a pencil. Imelda worked on dinner while Coco worked on drawing.

Imelda was not a talented cook, but she could make a few simple things very well: a handful of meals that could last several days. It came in handy when times were hard and money was tight.

But times had changed for her. The money Héctor was sending home from his tour helped a lot. She was able to afford more to feed their family. It was a luxury that she appreciated, but she would trade the money for her husband in an instant.