From the Other Side

Chapter One

Music had become such a large part of Miguel's life. He had played in secret up until the age of twelve but then his family had supported his playing more and more music. His favorite instrument was the guitar but he had also learned a few more. What had become even more important though was family.

Even though Miguel's dreams had come true and he was an internationally known, award winning musician, he didn't care to talk about his musical ambitions as the fact that his wife – Gloria, a doctor specializing in terminal illnesses – had been acknowledged for her work or that his daughters – Maria, who was five and Estefania who was two – had brought home artwork or projects that they were particularly proud of or had hit some milestone whether in school or just in their development.

That was what had become most important. Family. Being there for one another. Being able to provide for one another and today was a special day for the twenty-seven-year-old. It was Dia De Los Muertes but not just any year, this was the year that celebrated fifteen years since he had met his great great grandfather. It was something that he didn't talk about to anyone but something he could never forget.

It was the time that Ernesto De La Cruz stopped being his idol and Hector had been the man he would always look up to and admire. As Hector had told him himself, songs weren't written to be sung for the world. Remember Me had been intended for Coco and Miguel had his own songs of that nature as well. Songs for his wife. Songs for his girls. Hector had made more of an impression on Miguel than anyone before or since.

"So, girls," Gloria grinned as she approached the two young ones. "Are you excited to visit your grandparents," she grinned and they nodded. "I'm sure that you'll get some more shoes, you need some," she said as she kissed Maria's forehead. "I love you, my darlings," she said with a soft smile and Miguel nodded. He went over to the ofrenda for his family. He made sure to include all of their deceased family members. He was sure if he ever told anyone about the bridge he had been on or Dante they would have stared at him as if he were nuts, or at least un poco loco.

"Yes, yes, yes" Maria said excitedly and Estefania copied her before giggling.

"And you're sure that you aren't going to play any shows today? And I've told them at the hospital that I'm not to be bothered unless there's an emergency." Gloria smiled before getting the bags so that they could stay the night with the Rivera family.

"You know that Dia De Los Muertes has always been one of the most special times of the year for me," Miguel told her. "It is to show respect for one's ancestors." He kissed Gloria passionately, lifting her chin with his finger to deepen the kiss.

"And I love that about you," Gloria grinned although nobody knew the secret journey that he had taken and there was no reason to believe that he was telling the truth even if he had. It would be something that connected him with Hector but that was all it was. One day that happened fifteen years ago. One day that could possibly have been a dream in his head.

…..

…..

"It's so quiet," Gloria smiled as she twirled around in the moonlight next to the Rivera's house. She smiled to Miguel as he watched the children go to their grandparents. He smiled to them before kissing Gloria again. "So this is what you call home," she teased and Miguel nudged her.

"No, I consider my home wherever you and the girls are," he said and Gloria laughed her beautifully soft laugh.

"And I take offense at somebody showing off by wearing those expensive clothes here," a man said as he held a gun on them. Miguel took a step forward and placed himself between Gloria and the man.

"May I he-help you?" he asked as he tried to keep his strength.

"You couldn't help yourself fifteen years ago, what makes you think you could help yourself now," the man said and Miguel attempted to look at him, trying to figure out how he knew him or what might have happened.

"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you're," Miguel tapped Gloria's hand and gestured for her to go and be with his parents. "talking about."

"Nobody move," the man said as he pointed the gun at Miguel's head and the singer took slow breaths to steady himself. He had to think of a way to talk this man out of killing him. Fifteen years ago was when he had travelled to the land of the dead, it was when he had found out the truth about his great great grandparents, it was when Mama Coco had given him the letters and poems.

"You don't want to do this. Think of the conse-se-quences. I mean, you walk away now and we can all pretend that this never happened," he laughed and Gloria tried to budge but the gun was forced into Miguel's head even more.

They stood there with Miguel pacing his breaths, his brain scanning for how to get out of it when he heard a soft voice and his eyes widened. "Papa!" Estefania called out, escaping from her grandfather and running over to him. Miguel felt the gun move from his head as the opponent pointed it at the two year old.

"Shut up!" he yelled and Miguel saw his finger going to the trigger. His two year old daughter!? A two-year-old!? Miguel didn't feel that he had much of a choice as he managed to grab Estefania in his arms and turned so that his back was protecting her. He felt the bullet him him in the side and he choked but at least Estefania was safe.

From that point on, he could hear muffled sounds, see colors he couldn't place, hear sirens and tears and people begging for him to stay conscious, and then…nothing.

"I am so sorry," the customs agent said as she looked at the members of the Rivera family. "We will need at least one of you to stay behind. I have heard that there has been a death and we need for one of you to remain. My apologies."

"There's been a death?" Imelda asked before shaking her head, "Impossible. This is a day to celebrate the dead, I didn't give my permission for one of my precious family members to die. This must be…this must be a miscalculation on your part."

"Does it at least say what the death is?" Julio asked with a shrug.

"My records are just updating," the agent said with a sad look before pressing refresh. "Yes. Miguel Rivera, died age twenty-seven."

The crowd stopped and Imelda looked between the family members who were all in shock. That didn't sound right. "No. I know my great great grandson. I know that he's too strong to be dead, plus if he was poiso-"

Hector gave a weak look of concern as he thought about that. Would that really happen to the boy he had met all those years before. "If it was a poiso-" Hector shook his head, "Regardless of that. I'll stay here. I owe Miguel that much, after we wen-after he reminded Coco to put up my picture."

"I'll go with you, Papa," Coco replied and Hector nodded his gratitude. Holding onto his daughter tightly.

"I still don't understand how, how Miguel died," Imelda said to the agent.

"He was murdered whilst protecting his daughter. Took a gunshot for her," she said and the family turned to each other in confusion. Who would dare to point a gun at a five-year-old?

End of Chapter One

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