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Earth-1029, California San Jose, evening.
Miguel was in Saralas home, having borrowed her computer to do some research. That dreaded time of year for him was coming up again; Día de los Muertos. When he was younger he always brushed it off, feeling he had more important things to do. But after for a time raising and losing Gabriella, he regretted more than ever not taking the holiday more seriously. It was so hard now; in his year in his dimension, marigolds had gone extinct. And much of the information he needed was too old and buried for him to find. At expressing this to Sarala, her immediate response was to help him, inviting him over to research with her devices and to buy him all the marigolds he desired. His immediate response was to deject and downplay, not wanting to cause a hassle for her and be a burden. She insisted however, even offering to join him and celebrate her husband. Touched and unable to say no, he agreed to her assistance.
While he did his research and took notes on everything, Sarala was out shopping for what they needed. She eventually came home, arms so full she could barely open the door.
“Could I get some help?”
She called to Miguel.
“Coming,”
He called back before rushing to Sarala and taking a large pink bakery box from her hands to lighten her load. Around her forearms were bags hanging from their handles filled with more things for the ofrendas they were going to make.
“Thank you love,”
Sarala sighed as she kicked her shoes off and used her foot to close the door behind her.
Miguel kissed her head while taking one of the bags as well, seeing it was filled with flowers.
“There are so many in here, where are the marigolds?”
“They’re in a box at the bottom, don’t worry. The rest are for my Samir,”
She assured before walking over to the dining room table and starting to unpack everything.
Along with all of the flowers and seasonal baked goods she had gotten, she had also had nice pictures of Gabriella and Samir printed and put into nice frames, and lots of appropriate candles. Miguel looked over everything and cross referenced with his own research. Sarala studied his expression with an eager smile, hoping she had gotten all the things they needed.
Eventually he began to nod his head.
“Yes, yes, yes. Okay, we have what we need. God I’m nervous, why am I nervous?”
He muttered to himself.
“Don’t be nervous, we’ve got this,”
Sarala told him as she took his hands in hers.
He rolled out his shoulders and rubbed his thumb against her hand.
“You’re right, I’m just, I’m overthinking.”
“It’s good you realize. Ready to set things up?”
“…yeah, I am,”
Miguel nodded his head.
“Good,”
She smiled up at him.
He smiled back before looking at the flowers again.
“So why did you pick up all these other flowers again?”
“You do your traditional ofrenda, I’ll give mine a little Indian spin, hm?”
Miguel gave a shrug.
“Fair enough.”
With that, the two of them got everything set up and prepared on the dining table. They arranged the flowers and sweet breads around the pictures of their respective loved ones and got the candles lit. Miguel had surrounded Gabriellas pictures with marigolds and some strawberry conchas, also putting a juice box by it that he remembered her drinking after her soccer games and practices. Sarala had surrounded Samirs picture with marigolds, chrysanthemums, and lotuses, having spread them out so they were shared with Gabriella. She put some sweet bread with his picture as well, knowing it was something he would have loved. With this, Miguel turned off the lights so that the candles glow could really be seen while Sarala went into the kitchen. After some searching around, she found an old bottle of wine, Samirs favorite vintage red. She then grabbed two glasses and returned, filling them for herself and Miguel.
After handing him his glass, she then set the bottle down by Samirs picture.
“He always did like to finish the last of it straight from the bottle,”
She smiled fondly.
“Yeah? You let him?”
“Yes, but I hated it. I always thought it was rude and trashy, I only let him do it at home. I would have died if he tried it in front of people,”
She laughed.
Miguel laughed with her.
“Did you ever do anything he hated?”
He asked.
Sarala took pause and thought on it.
“Well, he would get impatient when I did my nighttime routine. We’d brush our teeth and wash our faces together, and then he’d lay in bed with a puppy dog face while I did my skin and hair routine,”
She explained.
Miguel held his glass out to Samirs picture.
“She’s still doing it, I feel you,”
He announced.
Sarala gasped and playfully slapped his arm.
“Ay! Watch it you,”
She warned, her mouth scrunching into a pout to resist a smile.
Miguel snickered and put an arm around her.
“Sorry, mi vida. Thank you for getting all of this for us, I really appreciate it.”
She rolled her eyes as her lips still fought a smile.
“Don’t mention it. What about your Gabriella? How did she bother her papa?”
Miguel then paused to think about it as well.
“…one memory I always find myself going back to; there was a party after one of her games, I had her up on my shoulders while she had a cupcake. She tried to share it with me, and got frosting all over my nose,”
He said with a small laugh.
Sarala laughed with him.
“Sounds about right,”
She nodded her head.
“I should show you that one, LYLA has it saved for me,”
He said softly as he tapped his finger on his wine glass.
The couple was silent for a few moments as Miguel stared contemplatively at Gabriellas picture.
Eventually, he spoke again.
“…We did it. We both made our ofrendas,”
He stated.
“Yeah, we did. You should be proud,”
Sarala looked up at him with a smile, though it quickly faded as she saw how his face was more solemn.
“Miguel? What’s wrong?”
“…I guess…I’m kind of disappointed…”
He admitted.
“Why? Talk to me, please,”
She encouraged as she set her glass on the table to focus on him.
“No, it’s, it’s dumb, I’m just overthinking again,”
He tried to brush off.
“Don’t say it’s dumb, what is it?”
Miguel let out a sigh.
“I…I think it just feels a little…anti-climatic. Like, I kinda thought…I’d feel better after this. I mean, I do, I’m really glad we did this, but…it still hurts. I still miss her. For some reason, I thought I wouldn’t anymore…just, it’s dumb, like I said,”
He looked away from her.
She frowned and loosely hugged him.
“I understand, my love. I appreciate you expressing that to me,”
She told him while patting his back.
He then set his glass down as well and hugged her while holding back tears.
“I miss her…I miss her so much…”
Sarala began to tear up as well.
“I miss Samir too…”
Miguel hid his face in the side of her neck, having to really curl himself over due to their drastic height difference. Sarala gave a little smirk.
“Come on love, you’re gonna break your back doing-”
Before she could finish her sentence, Miguel picked her up and held her tight like a teddy bear.
Sarala gave a little smile and kissed the top of his head as she held him back.
“I’m sure Gabi’s so proud of her papa right now. I know I am,”
She said as she stroked his hair.
Miguel sniffled quietly and rubbed her back.
“I think Samir is proud of you too,”
He added.
Sarala smiled more and gently wiggled out of his hold.
“What do you say we turn in a little earlier tonight, huh?”
“I’d like that,”
Miguel agreed, as he held her hands tenderly.
They blew out the candles and retired to Saralas bedroom, getting cozy early in the evening together as a way to recover and recuperate from their grieving.