Chapter Text
Everything about their family is said to be perfect. The gifts of beauty, strength, brain, and healing was gifted to them. But of course, everything about them was just said.
In truth, they were all those things... in the worst way.
It was the night of the Lantern Festival and the town had gathered to the edge of the East forest, just a few feet away from the entrance of the river. There, they lit up the rings of the lantern, all holding it up to the night sky. The lantern was made of paper littered with seeds from Isabela. It is believed by the town that like a tree, their wishes would grow once they fall back into the ground, heard by the beings of the land, air, and fire which would grown by water.
Abuela was the first to let go of hers, with the design of the lantern being similar to the candle she was holding and the butterflies on her magenta dress. She had closed her eyes as the lantern flew into the air, like a butterfly amongst the dark, azure sky.
Mirabel smiled to Camilo as they raise their own lantern to the air. The soft golden glow was then followed by the citizens, and soon enough, the single butterfly of Abuela Alma was followed by fireflies of their own smaller lanters, some big and even after 14 years of watching the lanterns float up to the sky, she still cannot fathom the beauty of Encanto.
She can't wait to be able to show this to her children.
It was almost usual for them to stand behind the crowd even when they were younger. The townspeople were still hypnotized with the beauty of the lanterns above them and Mirabel tapped her primo's shoulder who was also looking up to the sky, as if wondering where their lantern had gone to. When he turned to her, Mirabel was giving him a soft smile that it was almost a telepathic conversation between them as the Madrigal Twins.
He leaned towards her and she closed her eyes, sharing a kiss under the glowing moonlight and the kaleidoscope of butterflies, fluttering its fiery wings of paper across the midnight sky.
It was like kissing him again for the first time, with his hands around her waist and the other was intertwined with her hand. She laughed when they pulled away for air, panting as they sent the lovestruck look with one another, now lost in their own world.
The wind blew around the again, and it no longer feared Mirabel. She laid her head on his shoulder, with Camilo humming at her, the happiness cannot be contained into just a smile.
"Te amo, Camilo."
And the humming became a laughter, joyous and filled with love that Mirabel giggled as well now that she's hearing said outside of their room.
"Yo tambien te amo, Mirabel."
And the he loves her too.
The last of the lanterns were said to be from the hopeless, the alone, and the far from the east during that night. As they walked home, with Mirabel being lectured by her mother on staying up so late, she managed to see a speck of light - a lantern floating across the dawn of new day.
She might not have known who it was for but when she saw Luisa and Dolores looking up to it with a smile, it was as if there was a feeling of familiarity as well.
***
It came from Bruno. He felt a tap on his shoulder from Casita's window as he watched his makeshift lantern float to the sky. It was as if the house was trying to comfort him in some way.
"Thanks, Casita."
He murmured, staring as his wish fade into the vast sky. The lantern festival was one of the most special celebrations for him. There was something utterly beautiful with the thought of the wishes hanging in the air, fading to bits of pieces and growing to some kind of plant or flower in the Encanto mountains. He smiled as the memory run to him whike he walks back into the shadows of the house.
"Why would you want to make a wish? I can literally see the future!"
A laugh came, it was a high-pitched laugh that he came to fall in love as time had gone by. He used to find it annoying, especially the times they argue. After all, even if it was said in the future, it was his fault why the fish died.
"Sophia, we both know it was dying. So you better not wish for it to come back!"
"Cause someone fed Mr. Goldie the whole sack."
She spoke the "Mr. Goldie' with a glare at him that he shot back with a sneer. She then rolled her eyes at him and pouted.
"You're lucky I love you, now, get me a new fish!"
"From the river so we can fry it?"
He teased her even more but the smile on his face told her that it was a poor attempt in making her feel better about today. He smiled to himself again. Everything was going alright, him having his family, dancing in his mind at how beautiful it would be in the upcoming months.
The lantern festival will start in a few hours. Camilo would get his gifting ceremony this week and Mirabel will come the week after.
And even as the reader of the future, no one had prepared him of how in just a week, his world would turn upside-down. He spent the day with her on carving their lantern with her once dead fish and the shape of their baby as well. He was folding the shape and putting the ring below it with the string when he felt her arm around his shoulder and the soft baby bump on his elbow. She was crouching on the rock and worry came as the thought that she might slip-
"Careful, mi vida."
He warned, holding her close.
"This feels so nice, mi amor."
She giggled, her curly hair was let down and he can see her glow from the fading sun.
"Take a picture then. It will last longer."
She sent him a raspberry and kicked him lightly. He laughed as he moved back away from her attacks.
"This is what I get for being so sweet, huh?"
"Mhm, says the girl who wanted a funeral for her dead fish."
"Hey! I loved that fish!"
She was becoming emotional again, Julieta had lectured him about it. Pregnant women are emotional, as if Bruno needed a warning, he grew up wth Pepa and witnessed her two pregnancies that was assisted by his own girlfriend, Sofia Garcia, even if she was called Mrs. Dead Fish by Camilo.
"Why do you love it so much, mi amor?"
He asked, trying to distract her from the emotional rollercoaster done by a dead fisb.
"You don't remember? You gave that to me when you asked me out."
Oh.
Well, of course Bruno knew that that fish was entirely different and it was totally Camilo's fault why the fish fell into the river and he grabbed what looked similar and hoped for the best.
It was a goldfish. There's lots of goldfish in Encanto.
"I'll give you another one! The best one!"
"Really?"
She turned to him with teary eyes that got him to smile at her and hug her as tight as he could.
"I love you so much."
She whispered, choking back tears that he didn't quite understand at first. The tears were soon gone when the sound of bells tolled around the whole of Encanto and it was time for the lantern festival.
He leaned into his chair as he glanced at the leftover arepa again that was placed on the side. If only he was brave to look into the future of their child, his own future, then he would have been able to tell her how much he loves her.
Regret was the worst enemy of anyone. His mother regretted losing her husband and he regrets letting that night happen. The night when his nephew, Camilo, got his gift.
There was no storm that night, everything was joyful and bright, until Abuela had held him aside with wide eyes in anger.
"Is it true?"
That anger still shook him. He knows what she was asking but still played naive towards it.
"What is true, mama?"
"That you are together with Senora Garcia's daughter? Why have you not told me?!"
Bruno never liked talking about his relationships. Even when he was younger, he didn't want the community to think his partner was crazy enough to say yes to him, who is a bad luck. It was already bad enough that Bruno himself thinks that, he doesn't need anyone else clearing that out for him.
"Mama, I was going to-"
"When? When the baby comes out?"
He can't really remember the anger that came from his mother that night. It could have been anger from lying to her, anger that he never spoke of things. But what came after anger was just silence and indifference on his mama's part. He knew what the community thinks of him and the thought that mini-versions of him running around Casa Madrigal may have gotten her more apprehensive.
His chance of forgiveness came the night Mirabel did not get a gift.
A storm brew that night, both from his powers and Pepa who, from what he knew in Casita, was getting pressured by Abuela to have just one more child "to make sure the gift is not running out." He remembered feeling sick to his stomach as he sat down on his vision cave, trying to ignore the sound of rain that echoes in his tower.
And there came the vision of his niece and nephew, together with a child right in the middle and his stomach just dropped as he took in the future of them.
The house breaking.
The candle, their magic, fading.
He doesn't know what to tell Abuela, he knew what she would make of them. He was staring aimlessly at the vision that night, the glowing green emerald that he came to hate as time passed by.
Maybe he was the bad luck, maybe he was the reason why those terrible things happen.
He had gone to Sophia the morning after, he can't even recall the words he said. All he knows was that he was crying, she was holding him and that everything was hopeless. She was crying, and his heart was breaking at the way she sobbed into his shoulder.
That night when she was pushed out of the Casa Madrigal by Abuela, she fell into a rock. She didn't think of it, the pain that came from falling on a rock was ignored for a while because there was a storm above her until Luisa had helped her back into her own house where the young Madrigal pointed out the red - blood - in her skirt.
He sobbed, finding it hard to control the tears that just came to him. All he knows was that he lost it, his child was gone because of such incident, incident that he could have prevented in some way. Prevented in such ways that he could only come up now that he is isolated.
Their breakup was too much crying and hurt. He could not comfort her for he himself got weak, she could not let him because she knows how his mother was like to them. They sat there together by the river, crying and there came the feeling.
The feeling of detachment and dread. The feeling that he just knows.
That it was their end.
He walked home that night alone, thinking of running away before his mama sees him, he caught a glimpse of Mirabel and Camilo sitting by the front porch. Camilo was transforming to different kids, trying to cheer Mirabel up. The girl was laughing, asking Camilo to do more. And that moment of resolve came to him.
He might not have protected his own child from Abuela, protected his own family but he will do his best for his sobrino and sobrina. Yet, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to walk across the forbidden river, he walked back the day after, only to see a small door on the back of the house and Casita welcomed him back.
He was chewing on an arepa as he talked with the rats, listening to the family that had gathered in the dining table. He looked towards the crack on family portrait and got to see Felix and Abuela talking. Abuela was pacing around the table while Felix was swirling on a glass of whiskey, looking solemnly at the alcohol.
"You know that Pepa is not the best when it comes to a conversation just like this."
Felix sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He got up, for this? Sure, his son's gift week is upcoming in a day but surely this could have waited, right?
"Abuela. I think it is best if we respect Camilo in his wishes who to dance with or play a prank on for his gift week. What are you so worried of?"
"That his relationship with Mirabel is getting worse!"
Before he could even get a word out, Abuela spoke again. her hands are intertwined and her forehead, leaning against it as if she was in some sort of prayer.
"You saw how they look at each other, Felix. I asked Dolores to look after them but it seems she had encouraged them even more. Por favor, you know how wrong this is!"
"Abuela, I... I don't think I would take away such thing from my children. There is nothing wrong with it, not to me."
It was a final note and Felix left the dining hall, walking away from Abuela and walking to the kitchen. Bruno slumped into the chair, huffing as he thought of a plan. Maybe he can try doing another vision?
But what if it's bad luck again?
It led to a night of overthinking and without sleep, trying to figure out a way to help his family.
***
The remaining days of Luisa's gift week was spent on borrowing books from the library and talking about the preparations for the Masquerade. Girls had been bravely asking Camilo out for a promised dance to which he would playfully answer with such things as "come find me, then." or "if you'd know who I am, the dance would be the reward."
"As if you would be dancing with anyone else."
Dolores teased her brother as she sipped on a cup coffee, relaxing with Luisa who was sitting beside her, drinking tea as she read a book from the library. She tried to find Isabela as well, realizing that the girl might have gone to the Town Square early on.
"Hm, as if they can tell who I am behind the mask. Only Mirabel can."
Camilo had been celebrating his gift week for 10 years and in those years, no one really won the dance aside Mirabel. At first, Dolores thought that Camilo was giving her hints but the boy had always ranted to her, when they were younger, that Mirabel just knows who he is, immediately as if "from just a glance", to quote her brother. It got to the point that their father joked that it was Mirabel's real gift, to know who is Camilo.
The masquerade is a form of elegant waltz like blessing dance, except it wasn't done by pairs but rather, by strangers. At first it was just a casual dancing amongst the crowd, but when Dolores heard that people find love in that celebration and shared it to Camilo, the boy thought it would be a good idea to make it into a "searching for love" activity. The children began to view the Masquerade as a form of costume party, some dress up as Luisa, some dress up as Camilo, but a lot dresses like Isabela and pretend they have flowers coming out of them.
She had gotten back into sewing her designs into the dress, when she heard Mirabel's soft voice, smiling at the little things like not hearing the sound of their footsteps, nor the ruffle of her own hair.
"Cami, shouldn't you be leaving?"
"I wanted to see you first, before I start my chaos. I needed a kiss good luck."
Camilo said as he gave Mirabel who giggled and Dolores smiled at them, turning behind her to see if there's any grownup who might be watching.
"Careful, i wouldn't want my husband dying from Mr. Rodriguez's rake before I can give birth."
She joked and Luisa choked back a laughter to which Camilo snickered at as well, remembering the time he made the wrong move and got chased by Mr. Rodriguez through the whole town. He began fixing his ruana and sandals, turning to Mirabel as she gave him a kiss.
"No promises, mi amor!"
And of course, within a three minutes, they heard a shout, an elegant yet angry shout from Isabela.
"CAMILO MADRIGAL!"
Mirabel shook her head, a grin forming in her lips as she imagined at what kind of prank her primo must've started. It was one of the weeks that she rarely gets the short end of the stick.
As kids, it's either she gets asked by Camilo to do the pranks with him or to plan it with him. There were some that she was the main target of it like showering her with flowers or sugary sweets in the forest that got them being chased around by bees, or when he asked her for a dance for the quinceanera that they both fought to be celebrated at the same time before Antonio's gifting ceremony and then he made the two of them dress up in hideous brown and magenta pink color combination that was supposed to be "peanut butter and jelly", Tia Pepa might have a picture of them like that.
Mirabel even remembered how Camilo asked her for the dance, letting out doves to carry the letter and some sort of jewelry. Some of the doves flew away and the question "will you dance with me?" became and "wil u die ham?" She never really lived that down and even in their late night conversation when she can't fall asleep, she would ask him to ask her to marry him like that. Dolores suddenly squeaked behind her and it made her turn away from the mangoes she was peeling.
"Woah. What happened to you?"
"Your brother, already bombing the town with pies and flour. Didn't know he had time to prepare for such things."
Mariano grabbed a towel and cleaned the jelly from his hair, frowning at the mess it made in his shirt. So much for not thinking of bringing extra clothes because he thought Camilo wouldn't get the idea of pranking him.
"I think my father's guyabera would fit in yours. Let me check."
The sound of Mirabel's indignant want to stay for the unripe mangoes she was going to eat was not entertained as Dolores dragged her away.
"Do not eat those!"
A comfortable silence passed between them as Mariano sat on the chair that Dolores had been sitting on.
"They're very subtle."
He commented and began cleaning his hair from the jelly with a wet rag. He leaned back to the chair, taking in the morning view of the town. The Madrigals had lived on a mountain slope that oversees the town, it sometimes can be a painful reminder of how many people rely on them and how many have they given a new life.
He remembered being one of the first to ask for the rebuilding of a school, teaching the horrible history of them being chased away from their land and finding Encanto. Doña Alma had been angry at him with not having filter on children and he was forced to focus on more positive notes and just teach children how to read, do math, and write.
There was a echoing crash that came and another strangled shout from a distance and Luisa had to put her book down.
"What was going on out there?"
Luisa asked and Mariano frowned at his stained shirt.
"Want to come check it out?"
"You should change first. And I got chores to do in a while."
"Nah. I'd change later, I'd rather not have Señor Felix's guyabera getting dirty. Plus, I'm pretty sure the town looks almost the same anyway. So, I'm on the theme."
It was hard to argue when Luisa knew that it would be fun to walk around the town. Especially during the preparations for Camilo's gift week, because unlike Isabela's, it is something that people prepare for themselves. She placed the book down and grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the house with Casita opening the doors for them.
***
Camilo had just finished his rounds on the west, asking children about their costumes and getting asked by other people about his plans for the upcoming betrothal. He was a bit annoyed with the questions of the grown ups but the town kids were able to balance it out. Isabela was walking back into the house, covered with way too much jelly making the falling petals stick to her hair.
As if he'd let his gift week finish without getting to do his very own prank day. They are mostly harmless and people can do one to him or other Madrigals, it's just that he usually would retaliate worse, a lot of people are way too enamored with Isabela to prank her, everyone is too intimidated with Luisa, Dolores knows way too much blackmail material. So, he had to take it to himself to prank his own relatives.
His gift week, no matter how much Isabela would try to one-up him, is the children's favorite. The first day is for pranks and carnival fiesta, second and third day is his favorite, which is the musical day, the fourth and fifth is usually spent on the preparation, and the sixth is a group hang out kind of activity. Back then, he would hang out with his friends in the morning, singing and joking about the people they would ask for the final day. By night, he would ask Mirabel to get to the rooftop with him and tell him scary stories. The last day is spent with the community buffet and then ending with the evening masquerade and fireworks. He was headed to the east, across the Town Square and maybe check on his Mama who is probably laughing at every single person she see covered in jelly, only to bump into Mariano and Luisa.
"I really like what I did with your hair."
He pointed at Mariano with finger guns and winked, which he failed at miserably in Luisa's opinion.
"Please don't ever do that again."
"Yep, knew it the moment I tried. So, what do you think?"
It was a lot to take in, there were jellies and flour everywhere, some squashed petals, and the banderita had been drooping to the ground. Even though the surroundings were like that, people were laughing at each other and joking around as they smear the jelly like paint around. Camilo knew Abuela would be mentioning it this dinner, but it's not like she would expect anything less of Camilo when it comes to his gift week. After all, it is the only week he got a free pass to mock Isabela without Abuela breathing down his neck. Plus, the people enjoy his gift week pranks.
"I think it is pretty tame compared to how Mirabel talks about it."
Tame, huh? And then, it was as if he and Mariano understood each other, he had taken out his flour bomb and Mariano had swiped off a jelly from his clothes and wiped it on her dress shirt. Luisa coughed through the white smoke and Camilo had raised his hands with a grin, as if giving her a welcoming.
"Tada~! I can do worse but Mirabel would be mad if I do worse knowing you two are probably out here on a date."
"Date? What- NO."
Luisa choked in the "what" and coughed out more, with Mariano patting her back, earning a bit of audience in their conversation.
"It is definitely not like that- right?"
"Sure, not like that."
Mariano spoke softly, in response at Luisa's distressed voice, looking down at his hands that was holding hers. Camilo rolled his eyes at them, and bid them goodbye, leaving them in the middle of the Town Square.
"At least you are also on the theme now."
Mariano joked, making Luisa hit his arm lightly.
"I mean what else is there aside from being pie bombed with flour and jelly?"
"Well, we have lots of games to try on."
"Like what?"
Mariano pursed his lips to the direction near the northern west where there was stands of games.
"I bet I can win one of those stuff toys for a cent."
"I haven't tried that before."
"Come on, I know you'll love it."
"Well, I'll be the judge of that!"
Luisa defended, and Mariano excitedly pulled her to the stands, saying.
"Really, sweetheart? Have I ever disappointed you?"
Luisa was glad that she had ten seconds to recover from the shock. Mariano had pulled her to the first stall.
Sweetheart, huh?
"Uh, how do you do this?"
"Simple. You throw a ball to knock those cans out. You knock all three down, you win one of the biggest prizes, you knock two, smaller ones. You knock one down or barely one down, you pick five candies."
She successfully did hit strike on all three.
"Damn, didn't get to win that for you."
"Well, can't have you giving me gifts all the time. Here, it looks like you!"
It was a lion stuffed toy.
"Crazy hair, big eyes."
She was grinning as she placed the lion by his side, doubling over in laughter, making him grin as well.
"Oh, two can play at that game"
He swung his arm and successfully knocked all the cans down and he picked a panda bear. She gave him a glare.
"Aren't pandas lazy?"
"They are but looook, it's got your shiny eyes and cute face. Looks exactly like you."
He gave her a pouty face that got her laughing again. God, it's nice to hear her laugh.
"With the eyebags and all."
"I guess so, maybe if you come and relax with me more often, panda would lose the eyebags."
"Stupid."
She said, but Mariano can tell that there was no malice in it.
They went around in more stalls that day, even bumping to Mirabel and Camilo who were also playing on the balloon shooting at the end of the stall. Mirabel had been holding two different colored plushies, a yellowish sloth and purple octopus.
"Hey, you two."
Mirabel waved at the two of them, holding their own plushies and walking to them.
"How is the game going on?"
"Oh, we're on our last one. It is pretty late."
Camilo replied and aimed at the three balloons, popping them all one by one.
"So, still not a date?"
Mirabel teased and Luisa rolled her eyes with a smile as she glanced at Mariano.
"Shut up, sis. I got a lion with crazy hair and I'm not afraid to use it."
Mariano laughed, and Mirabel exchanged glances with her cousin.
"Inside jokes, that's how they all start. Ah, which do you want, mi vida?"
Mariano didn't miss the tinge of.blush on Luisa's face with the implication of what Camilo said about them.
"Hmmm, that one!"
"Not an animal themed one?"
"I kinda feel this one more."
Mirabel answered as she held the cute and animated orange plushie. That evening, with Mirabel and Camilo heading back to the house faster to avoid the nighttime fog and get Mirabel sick. This time, it was Mariano who escorted her back to Casa Madrigal.
"I really had fun today."
She felt weird admitting her feelings out still, and even more admitting she had fun about something.
"Me too, I'm glad I got to hang out with you."
They stood for a minute in silence, looking at each other, until Mariano spoke again.
"Well, you should head in. You will have dinner soon and I have to get back to mama as well."
As they turned away from each other, Luisa felt a burst of courage and called him.
"Mariano– I..."
"Hm?"
"I would like to go on a date with you again."
He was struck for a second and Luisa immediately tried to fill the void.
"If– if you'd want that is, not like you have to want it because I did–"
"Sweetheart."
And there was the jump of her heartbeat again.
"I'd definitely love to go on another date with you. Any kind of date."
Mariano walked back to her and softly kissed her forehead, smiling as he bid a small goodbye and walked away.
From the kitchen window, five different faces watched. Camilo and Mirabel were both grinning with one another, squealing as they hug their plushies. Pepa was gripping her sister's hand, Julieta, in burst of happiness while Dolores was giggling in the same happines for her cousin. Julieta was softly smiling, watching as her second eldest, for the first time in her life, actually looked relaxed.
***
The second day began with Camilo walking around the streets, dancing with his friends for the performance during the masquerade. Mirabel had been hunging out with Dolores in making their costumes and Isabela was doing the decorations at the Casa Madrigal.
Luisa was out for chores and he had to ask Mariano to help him out with the performance with his dad and Tio Agustin. He was on a water break and was just about to head back to Casita to check on his Mira when he heard a chorus of voices.
"Camilo, Camilo!"
There were five kids. Cecilia and Antonio being the ones in front. He recognized the other three as Juancho and the nieces of Señora Sophia.
"ay, mi hermanito! Where have you been? Already dirty."
He had to pat out the dust in his hands before patting off the dirt that got in his nose and around his elbows. Antonio laughed and pointed at Cecilia who seem to have dirt in her hair.
"Look! Cecilia had it worse!"
He clicked his tongue in disapproval while the kids kept laughing and Camilo realized they all are dirty. Not with jelly but mud and some dust. They may have gone through the forest and ran around with Antonio's animals.
"Where are your parents?"
He asked them and Cecilia exclaimed excitedly.
"Mamá's with Auntie Lucia!"
He inwardly frowned as he heard the name. Lucia Bernardo.
Damn it.
***
Isabela had just finished styling the house for the upcoming masquerade. The color theme was gold and white, shades of yellow in roses, hydrangeas, daffodils, and dahlias bloomed from the edges of Casita. Sunflowers and marigolds littered the ceilings tied in vines like small lanterns.
White magnolias, camelias, dogwood, and hyacinths bloomed as well around the pillars tied by daisies, making the yellow pop out. She was just about to start with the floor designs of lotus when Camilo bursted in a hurried fashion with Antonio in his arms.
"Where do you think you're going?"
She placed her hands in her hips, blocking his way upstairs. Here she was fixing his gift week while he flounces around pranking people?
"I need to talk to Mirabel."
She was taken aback with the tone in his voice. It was the second time she heard him have that kind of tone, somewhat similar to the time their Tia Pepa flooded the house.
"Why? What's going on—"
He purposely bumped her this time and ran upstairs. She shouted after him but he was already by his room's door, Antonio still in his arms.
"What is going on?"
"Abuela."
Isabela immediately fixed her posture, standing straight with her hands in front of her.
"Why aren't you with Mariano? I saw him with Luisa again."
"Oh, Camilo doused me flour, again, so I had to clean myself up—"
She was about to make an excuse to follow Camilo but Abuela had already grabbed her hand and gently pulled her out of the Casita.
"Come on, we need to get to the Town Square."
As they left, Camilo had settled Antonio in his room, who was playing with his costumes as Camilo cleaned his brother's face with tissues.
"Toñito, I have to go for a while. You stay here, I'll come back, okay?"
Antonio nodded and held his hand. Camilo thought that Antonio would say goodbye and take care, but instead, he asked a question.
"Milo, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
He was still in the state of panic as he asked, in hurry but didn't want to make it obvious to Antonio.
"Are you and Mirabel together?"
That stopped him for a bit and made him turn to Antonio, kneeling down to his height.
"Mama says you two are, hermana mayor says the same thing. I just want know as well."
Antonio's brown eyes were full of curiosity that it calmed him down a little.
"We are, Toñito."
Antonio smiled and hugged him, it took a while before he hugged him back and felt to ask his brother.
"Are you okay with it?"
"Of course! I always say to mama, I like it better when Camilo is with Mirabel."
His heart bursted with happiness in the feeling of acceptance from his brother. As he helped him into a yellow scarf and wrapped a yellow scarf on the capybara he was with, his mind was calming down from the panic.
He was still jazzed as he knocked on Mirabel's room. The memory was still playing in his head, Victorina's smug voice and Valenzo's grin at him. Shit.
Out of all the places that Dolores and Luisa thought of locking the girl in?
"Cami, you're back already? Have you seen–"
"Mi amor, they have it."
He was still breathing hard as he tried to control his voice. It was making him dizzy, overthinking at how many people had Victorina told about them. What kind of stories she had made up, and how many of them could be close to the actual truth.
"You mean, Victorina- she was locked here?!"
"Yes. Here, breathe with me, stress is not good for the babies—"
"They have the vision, Cami!"
He hugged her close, the tremors in his head running down to his spine. He cannot lose his temper to stress when she was rightly being stressed as well. He tried to control his breathing and it took him a while to realize that she was sobbing.
"Mira."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to shout— but, what, how many people know? And, and Abuela– she would tell Abuela about the vision!"
"They made a deal with me. I didn't like it either. But Tio Bruno's-"
His sentence was cut off with a loud clap of thunder.
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