Roads That Cross...

... with the Day of the Dead (Part 1)

The sound of her alarm woke Ámbar up on the morning of the big day.

For one blissful moment, that was all she thought about: the big day, all the people that would come to the Roller, the Day of the Dead party.

Then the memories of the previous night came crashing back to her. Lying to Simón. Letting Sharon escape. Lying to Luna. Simón once more.

Sleep had helped tune down her emotions until she no longer felt on the cusp of a breakdown, but she didn't think any sleep in the world would make her feel okay about how she handled things, about all her failures— as a person, as a girlfriend, as everything. She almost hadn't let Simón touch her last night because of all the guilt she felt, all the anger toward herself for the decisions she kept making against her better judgment. But in the silence that his question invoked— 'You don't want to?'— she remembered that if she didn't take these small moments of joy, then there wouldn't be any. Wasn't that what she had decided, many days ago, after that dreadful nightmare? To enjoy the now no matter what might happen in the future?

She'd already taken the approach of self-denial before in a way to silently punish herself, and it'd only made Simón worry, as if he'd done something wrong. She could almost see that same expression on his face when he asked last night, the flicker of rejection in his gaze, and Ámbar would be damned if she made him feel like that, as if he weren't everything she ever wanted.

Her life could be falling apart, but she'd save him from the wreckage for as long as she could. Blissful ignorance, she repeated in her mind, like an enchantment that would make everything okay. What was done was done. No matter what regrets or concerns she might have about her actions last night, she couldn't change them. What she could do was coax her boyfriend awake with little kisses, and greet his sleepy eyes with a smile. This day was about him after all, in all the ways that mattered. She could worry about her disasters later.

She left Simón to finish waking up and got out of the bed. Usually, she picked her clothes for the day after her shower and dressed in the room, but this morning, she gathered everything she was going to wear and took it into the bathroom with her. She had a surprise for Simón for later and she didn't want to spoil it, so she dressed there after her shower, with the door locked even, just in case.

With a towel around her hair, she walked out of the bathroom and told Simón he was free to use it. He was fully awake now, and he looked up from his phone when she talked to him, but if it caught his attention to see her walking out already dressed, he didn't say.

While he was showering, Ámbar put her dress for the party in a bag, along with some hair accessories and face paints she had bought for the occasion. She had considered just wearing her Day of the Dead makeup all day, but thought maybe it wouldn't look very professional for the manager to do that, so she decided to paint her face later in the Roller before the actual party started.

She blow-dried her hair and then sat in front of her dressing table to do her regular makeup. She was in the middle of that when Simón walked out of the bathroom, so by the time she finished, he was already clothed. That was why she always used the bathroom first. It was just more practical since he took less time getting ready than she did. Ámbar put on some accessories and perfume while Simón blow-dried his hair. Then they were both ready.

At least, she thought so. "Aren't you bringing anything for later?" She asked him, picking up her own bag and seeing him empty-handed.

"No, I have everything at the Roller."

Right, he'd mentioned he'd left his costume there. "Okay, then let's go," she said, moving toward the door, but before she could take two steps, Simón's voice stopped her.