Dalila
“Dalila, are you ready?” Margarita asks me as she peeks her head into my room. She’s wearing a pretty skeleton costume with a white tutu and black leggings. “Mamá says we’re leaving in a few minutes.”
I’m wearing a colorful dress today, because it’s Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. I’m trying not to become emotional as I gather everything I’ll need for tonight.
When I walk downstairs, a crowd of people is waiting for me in the courtyard. Soona and Demi are carrying the sugar skulls we decorated this afternoon. Mamá is holding a handful of cempasúchil flowers that she grew in her garden. My sisters are helping Lola carry trays of fresh tamales she just made.
Papá walks into the courtyard lugging a gym mat. “Are you sure you don’t want us to bring pillows and blankets? Ryan’s spirit has a long journey ahead of him. Maybe he’d be more comfortable resting on something softer.”
I shake my head as I pat the gym mat. “No. This is perfect, Papá. Thank you for getting it.”
“You ready?” Mamá asks.
“Yes.” As ready as I’ll ever be.
We arrive at the cemetery near Sevilla. There are already people gathered around the gravestones. Music is playing, and it’s like a big party has begun. I don’t have to search for Ryan’s gravesite. I’ve been here more times than I can count in the past four months since he passed that fateful summer night.
This isn’t a day to mourn him, I remind myself. It’s to celebrate his life. I called his mother last week and invited her to join me today. She said she might, but I haven’t heard from her since.
After Papá sets down the familiar gym mat for Ryan’s spirit to rest on after his long journey, I set the cempasúchil around his gravesite, which will be a welcoming sight as his spirit is guided back to me. Soona, Demi, and I set the sugar skulls on top of his gravestone. Mine has colorful flowers painted on it because I remember him telling me how he liked the bright colors of our paintings and murals. I also added hearts into the eyes, because I saw love reflected in his eyes long before he told me he loved me.
“Don’t forget the tamales!” Coco calls out as Galena places the platter of tamales on top of his now-crowded stone.
Who knew when we joked about me putting tamales on his grave that it would become a reality not long after? Every day since Ryan was killed I’ve wanted to give up, but he wouldn’t want that. He’d want me to soldier on, to fight like he did in the ring and out of it.
So I am.
I reach into my bag and pull out the little heart-shaped stone I found on the ground when we were stranded that first night we made love. He said the stone was good luck. The stone must have summoned Ryan, because it led him to the truth about Mateo. I kiss the stone, then set it on the gym mat.
“We’ve got to go,” Mamá says. “It’s a long drive to Abuela Carmela’s house. We have a lot of things to bring to her gravesite. And then we’ll be visiting Lucas’s grave in the morning.”
“I know.” I hug my parents and sisters. “Thank you for being here.”
Since Ryan passed, my parents have helped me cope with the loss of the boy I fell in love with. I’ll never lose faith in them again. My father lost his way at one point and got blinded by money and bribes. He wanted to redeem himself and make Abuela Carmela proud by helping Santiago Vega and the authorities take down Las Calaveras and Los Reyes del Norte. He had to keep it all a secret to protect us. Now Papá is lobbying to be a judge. I’m really proud of him. The night Ryan died, his stepfather was arrested along with Francisco Cruz thanks to the evidence recorded on the cell phone. If it weren’t for Ryan bringing all of them together, they wouldn’t have been arrested so soon and the war between the cartels would have raged on.
After my family leaves the cemetery, I close my eyes as I hold Demi’s and Soona’s hands. I feel a calm wash over me as I imagine Ryan’s spirit coming home to me.
“I’m starting at the university in January, Mr. America,” I say out loud, hoping Ryan can hear me. I’m trying not to choke up, because today is a celebration of his life. It’s not a time to be sad. “I’m going to study law and become an advocate for underprivileged kids like Sergio.” I never want kids to feel alone in this world. Making my country the best it can be will be my life’s mission.
“Something’s missing here,” a voice calls out above the music playing.
I look over to see Pablo walking over to us with a Lone Star Boxing Club towel in his hand. “Hess will need this,” he says, placing the towel on the gym mat. He stares at Ryan’s gravestone for a long time. “We met at the club the first week he moved to Texas. I thought he was a gringo who couldn’t box.” He chuckles to himself. “I was wrong. He beat the crap out of me. Ryan was a damn good fighter and could have been one of the best. A legend, like Camacho.”
“Did someone mention my name?”
Juan, with his gray hair neatly combed and his gait a little lighter than when I last saw him, is wearing a big smile on his face. He’s also got an old championship belt slung over his shoulder. The shiny metal glitters in the moonlight. “This is for Ryan. I won it many years ago,” Camacho says as he places the belt in front of Ryan’s grave. “You’ll always be a champion to me, mi hijo.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” I say, hugging the old man tight. “Ryan will love your gift.”
After Juan tells stories about the first time he met Ryan at the gym, I hold up a hand. “You’ll have to humor me, everyone,” I say as I set up little speakers and plug in my phone. I press Play and Atticus Patton’s voice fills the air, clashing with the traditional Spanish music at the other end of the cemetery. “Shadows of Darkness was our favorite band. We met at the concert.”
“We didn’t even have a ticket to that concert,” Pablo chimes in. “We snuck in posing as caterers. You almost didn’t meet.”
“It was fate,” Soona says as she takes Pablo’s hand in hers.
As we all dance and sing to the music, I step back and see that Ryan had a crew. These are the people who cared about him most. He thought he was alone in this world, but he had more than a lot of people can boast about.
Being independent was my goal in life, but I was wrong. It’s about making meaningful connections with people who’ll stick up for you and be your champions.
Sometimes you never know what’s missing in your life until it’s right in front of your face.
I never thought I needed a hero, until I met Ryan Hess.