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“Who do we have here?” Eddie asks while putting his hands on his hips.
“Howard. Han. Solo.” Chimney states while pointing at his chest with each word. “And here’s my lovely Princess Leia.” Maddie’s smile is infectious as she rocks their stroller looking down at baby Circle inside. “Our little Ewok is running around with Uncle “Luke” somewhere. But here’s our baby Yoda.”
Eddie raises an eyebrow, “Is he “baby Yoda” or a “baby” Yoda?” He laughs because he knows the question will send Chimney off on a rant that can’t be stopped. Chimney’s jaw drops and he snaps his head to look at Maddie. “I told you people would ask that question! We should’ve had him be Kylo Ren! Ugh. Everyone knows Yoda dies in Episode V. We’ve got an Ewok and they don’t show up til Episode VI. It’s about continuity!” Chim shouts while waving his arms back and forth to everyone’s costumes.
Maddie puts her hand on his shoulder to calm him down as she reassures him. “Chim, it’s ok! He can still be Yoda because he still shows up as a Force Ghost in that movie. So you still look like you know what you’re talking about. Besides, my outfit should tip them off it’s that movie anyway, with the blue pants and camo poncho.” Chimney takes in a deep breath and sighs of relief. He leans over to give Maddie a kiss on the cheek.
“I love you,” he says.
“I know,” Maddie rolls her eyes as she grins.
“Alright, we gotta get a move on if we wanna meet up with Karen and Hen on time. Jee has been so excited to see Mara! They need an uneventful holiday after last year. I’m so glad we can all spend it together this time.” Maddie says as she sends Chimney to collect Buck and Jee. “Thanks for inviting us all along today, Eddie. Buck has been talking nonstop about it and all the research he’s done on the history of Día de Los Muertos.”
“Ah, you’re welcome Maddie. I know it’s been a hard year for everyone especially for Buck after losing Bobby. I think bringing everyone along will help us in some way. Plus I’m excited for Christopher to experience it on such a large scale. He’s probably gonna go off with Buck like always.” Eddie lets out a sigh as he chuckles. He’ll do anything to spend quality time with his son, especially if that time is shared with Buck.
Chimney runs back to the front door, fake screaming and running in circles. Buck is quickly following Chimney around the house with Jee on his back, roaring at her dad. When they reach the door, Buck stops suddenly and stands up straight, making Jee slide down off his back. “Hey, Eddie!” he exclaims with a huge smile that doesn’t fade away. “Hey, Buck! You’re riding with us. Christopher called shotgun already though so you’re gonna have to squeeze into the back.” Eddie smacks him on the shoulder and winks. He knows Buck is going to complain the entire ride but he’ll secretly love being squeezed into a truck with his favorite people.
“Are you…gonna change?” Eddie raises an eyebrow as he looks Buck up and down. The all black outfit does look really good on him, he notices. But he’s not quite sold on the accessory. “No way! I’m Luke Skywalker!” Buck states as he swings out a plastic green lightsaber that extends in sections of tubes.
Eddie loves how silly his best friend can be. He’s not going to win that fight. So they climb into Eddie’s truck to head to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Buck grabs and shakes Christopher’s shoulders as he tells him how excited he is to spend the night with them. Once he’s in the backseat he becomes less excited. “Uhh, guys? How the heck am I supposed to fit back here?” he asks as he wiggles uncomfortably in the back, trying to adjust until he finally swings both legs across the back. “Ahh,” Eddie smacks his lips, “See, you figured it out. You always do.” He looks up into the rearview mirror to see Buck proudly grinning at him.
It’s already dark by the time they find parking and walk into the cemetery. Buck lumbers ahead of them with stars in his eyes as he surveys the area. He takes it all in before turning around and shouting to Eddie and Christopher as they catch up. “Guys! They’ve got sugar skulls! Everywhere! We’ve got to get some!”
Christopher looks to Eddie, “Yeah, Dad! I’m gonna get a dozen!” Eddie shakes his head. Another thing he’s not going to win against tonight but he’s more than willing to lose. Christopher should get the full experience, even if that means a sugar coma on the way home later. As they catch up to Buck, Eddie is surprised with how many crowds of people there are, many of whom are walking around dressed up as beautiful La Catrinas and mariachis playing music in different areas. Paths of tables and headstones adorned with marigolds and papel picados. Maybe this will be a good night after all.
Buck keeps skipping back and forth, hopping around like an overly excited golden retriever puppy, while pointing out everything he sees at different vendor booths and the significance of each item. “Guys, guys! Look at those! Little animal statues - they’re called Alebrijes.” Even though Eddie already knows, he lets Buck keep going about the meaning behind them. He’s surprisingly knowledgeable for a guy who just researched Dia de Los Muertos this morning.
“Hey Eddie, what would your alebrije be?” Eddie’s caught off guard. “Uhh,” he scratches his head, “I’ve never really thought about it Buck. I don’t know.” Buck looks over to ask Christopher what his would be. “Dragon. For sure.” Christopher says without hesitation and nods his head. “What do you think mine would be?” Buck asks the two of them. Eddie lets out of a small laugh and says, “It’s gotta be a big red dog. You just give off that vibe.” Buck’s jaw drops as he smacks his hand on his chest. He pretends to be offended to play up the laughs his best friend and his son hysterically let out.
They keep walking until they see large altars. Christopher tells them to follow him as he walks to one directly, leaving Eddie and Buck looking confused. They follow him to see why he was drawn to that specific one. As Christopher gets close, a woman comes up to him and squeezes him in a tight hug. “Tia Pepa?!” Eddie shouts with confusion.
She turns around and darts toward Eddie. “Ay, Edmundo! I’m so glad to see you!” Tia Pepa says as she holds his face in her hands. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming. Christopher has been so excited and wanted to surprise you.” “Surprise me? About what?” Eddie is still confused. Tia Pepa lightly smacks one side of his face and gestured to the altar. “He wanted to surprise you by showing what he helped me make for the altar contest.”
“Christopher helped you make all of this? When? How? This is huge!” Eddie turns to his son who is beaming with pride. “This looks amazing bud!” He wraps his arm around his son and pats his hand on his chest. “I’m so proud of you, Christopher.” Tia Pepa has her hands placed over heart as she’s smiling at such a heartwarming moment. She notices a large figure out of the corner of her eye and looks over. “My Evancito!” she exclaims, tip-toeing to hold his face. “Are you having a good time? I’m always happy seeing you with my boys.” She lets out a sly grin, as if she knows something he doesn’t.
“Hi, Tia Pepa! It’s good to see you too. I had no idea Christopher was helping you make this? It looks amazing. There’s so many marigolds. You must’ve cleared out a whole garden! You guys are definitely gonna win the contest.” Buck couldn’t believe how detailed the altar was. He should research more about it later. They’ve got a lot to see and he doesn’t want to get in the way by asking tons of questions.
“Come here, mijos,” Tia Pepa pulls Buck and Eddie around to the edge of the altar. “We saved space for you here.” They looked closer to find two empty picture frames. “I brought pictures just in case,” Christopher said. Eddie placed hand over his mouth and began to tear up. Buck was piecing together what was going on when he looked at Eddie to confirm. Christopher squeezed between them and hugged them as he said, “Dad, Buck, you both lost someone important this year and we can’t forget him. We can’t forget Mom either.”
Buck reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet to take out a picture of Bobby he had started carrying with him, when Christopher took out two pictures that were the perfect size for the bigger frames on the altar. He gave a picture of his mom, Shannon, to Eddie and a picture of Bobby to Buck. They both held Christopher in a group hug while Tia Pepa smiled with tears in her eyes and her hands moved back up to her heart.
Buck let tears flow as he placed the picture of Bobby into the frame. Memories flooded his mind. Bobby was everything to him and still couldn’t believe he was gone. His mentor, surrogate father, and Captain - gone. Who was going to love and care about him as much as Bobby did?
Eddie was standing more steadily next to him. With a more defeated sadness, he was wondering if he was ever going to find someone who loved him and their son like his late wife did. Would he ever be able to move on from Shannon? He shut the back of the frame and placed it on the altar. After wiping a tear from his cheek, he patted Buck on the back and leaned his head next to him for comfort.
Tia Pepa stepped up next to them and said, “Tonight is a celebration. Don’t be sad mijos. The veil is thin and they are here with us. Remember them and celebrate! Here, take these.” She gave each one a single orange marigold. “To help guide them to you.”
“Hey Dad, the parade is gonna start soon. We better go back to the main area so we can see it!” Christopher was more excited about the parade than anything else tonight. He already walked away while Eddie and Buck were saying goodbye to Tia Pepa. “Be good mijos. Stick together and you both can overcome anything.”
The three of them cut their way through the crowds, booths, and food stands to find a good viewing spot for the parade. Incense and delicious food smells fill the air. One particular smell reminds Buck of Bobby’s cooking at the firehouse. He imagines a family meal at the big table upstairs and smiles. He feels Bobby’s presence right now more than he has since he’s been gone.
The crowd is getting denser as they hear music getting louder. The parade already started and is dancing toward them. Eddie sees Christopher getting bumped around by the crowd, knocking him off balance, even with his crutches. “Buck, take Christopher back from the crowd and I’ll go ahead to find a good spot. I’ll come get you, ok?” Eddie says before jogging off ahead of them.
Buck blocks Christopher from the people pushing around them so he can get off the main path. He uses his height to his advantage and looks around and spots an open memorial bench a little ways back by a group of headstones. He helps Christopher up onto it. He’ll have a better view standing on it anyway with all these people crowding the edge of the parade path.
Eddie is pushing his way through the crowds he gets turned around as more people bump into him because they’re going in all different directions. He steps to the side of the path to get his bearings and someone bump into his side. “Hey!” He’s annoyed at his point and turns around to say, “Watch where you’re go- ,” he stops mid sentence. “Oh my God. Shannon…?” He momentarily thinks he sees another Shannon lookalike but he knows it’s really her. The sounds of the parade fade and all the movement around them slows.
“Hi Eddie,” Shannon replies with a grin. He stumbles over his words as he starts to reply. “I know, you’re surprised to see me…but,” she shrugs, “You’re the one who brought me here,” she gestures to the marigold Eddie has been holding. “Oh…I guess I did,” he says tearfully. “I’ve missed you so much. Uh, Christopher has missed you even more. I have so much to tell you,” he starts rambling.
Shannon chuckles and puts her hand up to stop him. “Eddie, we don’t have much time. But I wanted you to see me so I can tell you something.” Eddie holds his breath for a moment as his mind rushes to a million things she could possibly say. “Tell me what?” he asks in a concerned tone. “Eddie, I need you to know it’s ok to move on,” Shannon reaches out to touch his arm for comfort.
That was not one of the million things he thought she would tell him. “How did you…?” he starts. “I know things,” Shannon grins. “A lookalike? Really?” she raised an eyebrow. Eddie’s face turns beet red from embarrassment as he looks away. “Eddie, you have to stop trying to remake me. I’m part of your past, not your future. And that’s ok.”
Buck checks his phone to see if Eddie tried to call him to tell him where he is. Christopher is too focused on the Catrinas and folklórico dancers to care. No missed calls. “Ugh, where are you?” he says under his breath as he looks around. “Hey Buck” he hears behind him. “Finally, Eddie we’ve - “ his heart stops as he turns around. “Cap?” he chokes out as tears instantly run down his face.
“Its good to see you, kid,” Bobby calmly replies. He’s standing stoically among the headstones, with a blue blue haze around him. Buck rubs his eyes and stutters out, “I, I don’t understand? Are you really here? You…,” he cries, “died?” Bobby’s mouth curls into a small grin. “No one’s ever really gone, are they kid?” he says with a wink.
“So what are you? Like a Force ghost? This is NOT what I read about,” Buck’s mind is scattered trying to reason with what he’s seeing. Bobby laughs at Buck unraveling. He’s missed his son and how animated he gets. “Buck, it’s ok. Think of me as…sure, a Force ghost. I’m Obi-Wan coming back to council you,” Bobby explains. Buck freezes, “Council me? For what?! Who is Darth Vader in this situation?”
Bobby shakes his head and laughs again. “Kid, there’s no Darth Vader. I heard your thoughts at Tia Pepa’s altar. Someone is going to love you as much as me.” Buck is thoroughly confused. “What do you mean someone will love me as much as you do? Or, did?”
“Buck,” Bobby starts, “That someone is already in your life. You don’t have to worry. You just have to act on it.” He starts to fade in and out. “Cap!” Buck shouts, “What does that mean? Who? Who is it?” “You already know, kid,” Bobby smiles as he fades away.
Eddie turns back to look at Shannon. “What do you mean, my future?” he asks. Shannon says, “Just that. I’m not your future. But someone else is. Someone entirely different,” she emphasizes, knowing exactly who it is. “Oh,” Eddie doesn’t know what to think. “Is that a bad thing?” he cautiously asks. Shannon smiles, “No Eddie, it’s not a bad thing. It’s actually the greatest thing it could be. You just have to say yes when he asks.”
“He?” Eddie questions. “That wouldn’t be so bad would it?” Shannon asks. Eddie pauses to ponder about it. He’s never consider he could be with a man, let alone spend his life with one. “Well…huh,” Eddie rubs his chin as he continues to think about who she could be talking about.
“Eddie, I think you’ve been struggling because you’ve been so focused on what type of person you think you should be with instead of who your heart wants you to be with. You haven’t been emotionally attached to anybody have you?” Eddie shakes his head no. “That might be what you need then. A strong emotional connection to someone before you actually become attracted to them intimately?” Shannon guides him to think of the right person.
“Hmm…you might be right. But I don’t have anybody that I’m emotionally attached to? A man? Are you sure?” Eddie asks for clarification. “I’m sure,” Shannon reassures him, “You already know who it is.” She walks around Eddie and begins to fade away into the yellow and orange lights of the parade.
Eddie rubs his eyes to regain focus as the volume of the music increases and the crowd moves at a faster pace. He reruns what just happened in his head. He looks up and can see in the distance, among the headstones, his son and Buck. He sighs in relief that they’re safe and together.
Eddie rubs his eyes to regain focus as the volume of the music increases and the crowd moves at a faster pace around him. He reruns what just happened in his head. He looks up and can see in the distance, among the headstones, his son and his best friend. He sighs in relief that they’re safe and together.
”Hey Buck, there’s Dad!” Christopher says, shaking Buck’s arm. Buck wipes the tears from his eyes and waves at Eddie. Eddie waves back and starts to walk toward them.
“You already know who it is,” they both repeat with a smile.