Chapter 6:

(Dolores POV)

- four months later -

Everything in town began going back to normal. The Guzmáns were officially out or mourning, Camilo moved to the nursery, Tía Julieta had her daughter Mirabel, everyone was back to normal. Everyone but, me. I stopped working in the community and only went out to the farmlands to listen from there. I couldn't handle being around the large crowds anymore. I couldn't control my hearing anymore. Every time I tried to quiet the noises My mind went to the dark noises I had heard before. Tío Bruno kept trying to get me to talk to someone, anyone but I couldn't even describe it anymore. I couldn't sleep much anymore so I laid awake until I was so exhausted that I went to sleep.

One night, I heard Camilo begin to stir and call out. I got up and went to the nursery so that Luisa wouldn't be woken up. I went over to his crib and picked him up taking him out of the room. I went to the kitchen where Casita had a bottle prepared for me to give him, "Thank you Casita." I took the bottle and gave him a bottle. He wrapped his hands around the bottle as I helped him hold it up and drank the entire thing. After he finished we walked out of the kitchen and into the courtyard.

I leaned against the wall as I sat down and looked down at him. His eyes were wide as he looked at me and smiled. "Hi hermanito. What are you still doing up so late?" He babbled something back at me and I giggled, "Well I can't sleep, it is just so loud. But you are actually pretty quiet, for a baby at least." He looked up at me confused. "Doesn't look like you are going to go to sleep anytime soon either." I began to smirk and he copied me. I laughed, "You're a funny one, aren't you Camilo. How about this?" I made the goofiest face I could think of and he looked up at me in amazement. He began to giggle too and soon it turned into a laugh, his first laugh. He brought his hands to his face trying to make a silly face too. I laughed back and I sat with him. I continued to make silly faces and he would make some of his own. His laugh was so sweet and filled with joy that all I wanted was to keep hearing it.

I heard a shuffle as everyone began waking up. Mamá walked over to the nursery before rushing out, "Where is Camilo?" I called out, "Mamá, down here." She looked down, "What are you doing?" I smiled, "He woke up and I heard him. We have been hanging out for a while. He's pretty funny." She sighed and came down and saw Camilo was sleeping in my arms. "It is time for his..." she started but I looked up at her, "I fed him earlier. Casita had the bottle ready to go." She nodded her head and looked at him. "He laughed for a while too." She smile, "He started laughing." I nodded my head. She picked him up from my lap and looked back at me, "Thank you for taking care of him." I nodded my head.

I smiled to myself as I closed my eyes for a moment. That's when it hit me, I hadn't focused on any of the bad things when I was with Camilo. I was so focused on making him laugh that I didn't even think about it. I listened out and I heard birds begin to chirp, people began to wake up, the wind picked up and rustled the leaves of the trees. I could still hear the bad things but, that morning I was able to focus on the good.

I walked into the fields that day feeling a bit more relaxed. I listened for anything outside near the mountain range, but no one was nearby today. I started hearing music playing in town as people began to dance. There was a festival to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Encanto's creation. People were talking about everything that had to be set up as Isabella began making the flowers for the festival. Tía Julieta brought Mirabel into town with her and everyone was surrounding her celebrating the newest Madrigal. Mamá was in a great mood and the weather was clear.

The only person who wasn't celebrating was Abuela, she was in the church alone. I went into town and the noises got louder, but this felt more important. I went into the church and sat down next to her. "Abuela?" She looked down at me, "Oh nieta why aren't you doing your chores?" "I finished for today," I said. She nodded her head but had a solemn look on her face. "Abuela, why aren't you out with the community? You love being in town." She looked at me, "Well this time of the year is a bit bittersweet for me." I turned to face her and she let out a breath and continued, "When we were granted our miracle and given our city of Encanto, I lost someone very special to me." "Abuelo Pedro?" She nodded her head, "Yes your Abuelo. He did everything he could to keep me and my children safe." She let out a breath before stroking the hair out of my face, "Why don't you go out into town to celebrate? I will join you later." I wanted to ask more, but it was clear that it wasn't a good idea.

I made my way out of the church and saw everyone circling around as couples began to dance. I stayed on the outskirts of the group as things were getting louder. I was backing away when I bumped into someone. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking..." I started but, I saw Mariano. He smirked and rubbed the back of his neck, "Hey." "Hey," I smiled. I then remembered the prophecy and was looking for a way to escape, listening for anything but then Mariano asked me, "Hey do you want to get out of here?" I looked at him and cocked my head to the side, "Aren't you going to dance?" With Isabella I thought.

He shook his head, "No, honestly it is just a lot right now. And if I find it loud I could only imagine how you feel." It was one of those moments where I could see more than I could hear. He looked really uncomfortable in town and I couldn't really blame him. Eyes had been on his family after everything that happened. He needed a friend and if Isabella tried to leave the entire town would notice, but if I went "Yeah, come with me."

I gestured and I took him through the back streets of the community before we were in the farmlands. Neither of us were talking as we made our way farther away from everyone. "Ever wonder about the world outside of Encanto," Mariano said wistfully looking at the mountains. I looked back at him, "Sometimes." But, I imagined it wasn't the way that he did. "She used to tell me about it," I turned to face him, "My Abuela. Her family used to work in the marketplace and would trade with people from all over the world. She would tell me about how they dressed what they looked like, how they sounded." I looked at him, "You miss her." I said. It was more of a statement but, he still nodded in response, "Do you want to talk about her?" He looked over at me and shook his head, "No." There was a silence between the two of us, even with the noise from the village, I was able to appreciate.

Suddenly I heard his Mamá calling for him. I sighed as I looked over at him, "Your Mamá is looking for you." He got up to go to the village but he held out his hand, "You coming?" I shook my head, "No I think I'm going to stay here." He nodded his head and went into town. I sat out there when Tío Bruno came over carrying a plate, "You're stealing all my best hiding places chiquilla." I laughed as he passed me the plate. "Thank you," I smiled. He shoved my shoulder, "You know that I'm always here. I saw you with Mariano before. Are you ok?" I nodded my head and let out a breath, "He needed a friend." I could hear everyone dancing and laughing and I looked at Tío Bruno, "Why aren't you in town?" He sighed, "Bad prediction season. Which is every season. I don't think people would be as friendly if I was around." "I'm sorry," I said looking down at the ground.

He smirked, "Don't be. At least I still have you chiquilla." I nodded my head. He stood up and held out his hand, "May I have this dance?" I smiled taking his hand, "Yeah." "Can you hear the music?" He asked and I cocked my head to the side and he nodded his head, "Sorry forgot for a second." He began to twirl me around and when I closed my eyes I could imagine that we were in town having fun with everyone else.

- ten months later -

It was Luisa's gift ceremony and everyone was getting Casita ready. I was walking with Camilo, who was starting to walk around, as he held onto my hand. I found Mamá who was standing with Papa. Papa knelt down, "Come to me my hombrecito." Camilo walked over to him laughing as Papa picked him up and Mamá began playing with him as well. Camilo was so happy and smiley. It was honestly hard to be upset around him because of it. We were all laughing at the little faces he was making when I heard Isabella, "Mirabel, we need to go."

I turned around and saw Isabella with Mirabel, "Come on Mirabel. Everyone is waiting. We need to go with Tío Felix and Tía Pepa." Mirabel just sat on the ground looking up at her with her head cocked to the side. She went to grab her hand, "Come on Mirabel." She shook her head, "No." I went over to take pity on Isabella. I knelt down by Mirabel, "Hey Mirabel, look at what Casita can do." I made a gesture for the tiles to shift back and forth and they did underneath her and she started to laugh. I went to pick her up, "Let's go watch your hermana get her gift." She nodded her head. Isabella looked at me and let out a breath, "I don't get why she listens to you and not to me." I shrugged, "Maybe if you visited the nursery more..." She shook her head, "No, I got out and am not going back. No offense." I shrugged. "Come one we need to go stand with the family."

We watched as Luisa went to touch her doorknob and the image appeared showing her to be super strong. She made muscles and then turned to face Abuela and hugged her, lifting her up. "Ay Luisa," she said as she gently placed her down, "We have a new gift." Abuela announced. As everyone began to celebrate I handed Mirabel to Tía Julieta and went to find Tío Bruno. I saw him hiding away in the corner. I went over to him, "I hate the noise too, but I'm surprised you didn't stand with the rest of us." He shrugged, "Pepa would probably yell at me again." I frowned. Mamá and Tío had gotten into a fight the other day and he was taking it harder than usual. "Well you can always hang with me." I smiled. He gave me a shaky smile but shook his head, "Thanks Dolores but I am going to go to bed." "Dolores?" I asked. He just shook his head, "Sorry Chiquilla I am just tired." Something really wasn't right with him, but he always respected my space when I needed it, I needed to do the same for him.

I stayed on the outskirts of the party, but as the fireworks exploded I covered my ears sitting in the corner. I still wasn't the biggest fans of large crowds but, I would always stand by my family. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves and I smiled to myself. I heard a few drunken words exchanged between people in the back that caught my attention.

"Thank god it was one of Julieta's kids who got a gift." The other chuckled, "Yeah, I mean they are always so much more useful." The over one agreed, "Yeah, I mean Julieta has three kids so we are going to have three great gifts for the community but, Pepa..." the other laughed, "Please Pepa can't control her gift and her daughter's gift is completely useless. Her son's gift is going to be no different, but at least a few months after he gets his gift Julieta's youngest gets her's." "Maybe the miracle will bless us again and Julieta will have another kid," He chuckled out. The other one laughed as well, "And Pepa won't have anymore kids."

I took a breath as I stopped focusing on them. Still I needed to do something. I found Isabella who was getting off the dance floor. She turned to face me, "Dolores what's going on." I smirked, "Do you think you can raise a vine to trip up those guys over there?" She turned to face me confused, "Why what did they do?" I put my hand on her shoulder, "They said that my Mamá's, and my gift were useless and that Camilo's is going to be as well. Along with some other things that I don't feel like repeating." She gave me a nod of her head and she began growing a vine from the wall that stretched out in front of their feet. When they stepped forward the tripped and she quickly recoiled the vine so they wouldn't see. I smirked as she said, "No one bad mouths la familia."

We looked around to make sure no one saw. We rushed away from the party and upstairs to a corner of the house where no one was and when we were positive no one saw I gave her a high five. We laughed for a while, "Thanks Isabella." She flipped her hair, "Please, familia es para siempre. You know I always got your back." She held up her pinky finger and I held up mine, "And I got yours." We pinky promised and laughed a little bit more. Tía Julieta came around the corner, "There you two laughing monos are, you are missing the party. Luisa is about to lift up... Honestly I don't know what she hasn't lifted up yet but, she is lifting something big up. Also Mariano was looking for you Isabella, something about a dance" We stood up and joined everyone downstairs, well almost everyone. I looked up at Tío Bruno's tower and sighed maybe I could talk to him tomorrow at breakfast.