Chapter 16:

(Dolores POV)

I could feel myself waking up slowly becoming more aware of the world around me. I slept like the dead last night and it was a little terrifying. I hated all the noise that usually kept me awake at night, but being in the dark and having no idea what is going on or could be coming was somehow worse. I looked around and everyone else was still asleep. I brought my feet over to the side of the cot and made my way outside. The town was beginning to stir as everyone was waking up after the exhausting clean out we had yesterday. The masonry was supposed to have all the new stones ready and all the other materials were donated by the families of Encanto.

I took in everything as I was looking around. I looked up to the balconies of their homes as my eyes scanned over I landed on the Guzmán's. Mariano was outside leaning on the rails starring off in the direction of the church. His eyes filtered down to me. He gave me his signature big warm smile and waved, his lips moving but I couldn't make out what he was saying. I gave a quick, small smile, my head dipping down as I did, and flicked my wrist in a wave before turning and going back inside the church as quickly as I could turning on my heels.

I closed the church door behind me, letting out a breath. Everyone stirred as the heavy door closed and I went to go wake everyone up. "Alright, let's get ready. After breakfast we are going to pretty much jump right into building," Mirabel said. She was the one who was taking the lead on rebuilding Casita and I was fine with it. It was nice seeing her at the forefront for once. We all quickly got ready and went to Casita. The adults and Antonio were already there. People from town came filtering in and we got started. We spent the day building and moving the materials to where they were needed. The process was exhausting but by the end of the day we had our first floor with walls and the semblance of a second floor. As night came I said goodbye to the adults again and went to the church passing out exhausted as soon as my head hit the pillow.

- 2 days later -

"Dolores?" I heard his voice call out trying to get my attention. I could feel myself freezing up not ready for the conversation that was waiting for me. I knew that I would have to talk to him about everything, before someone else told him but I could only imagine how that would go over. When we were making our way over to the site everyone promised me they wouldn't tell Mariano, but I knew better than anyone that secrets don't stay quiet for long. Still I wanted to avoid this conversation for as long as I could. I went over to Papa, "He do you need help?" "Of course, mi vida. We are just going to be bringing materials up to the second floor. Come on up the ladder." I nodded my head and went up. There wasn't much room for anyone else and I was relieved that I was safe for now.

We were hauling up the materials on a pulley system, bringing up planks of wood, stones, bricks, nails and more. Antonio and people below were loading everything up. We made our way through the materials pretty quickly and were able to gather the materials the people who were helping to rebuild upstairs needed. Antonio called out from below, "Last load." I was about to start pulling it up when a thought came across my head. I called out below, "Antonio, ride up with the materials." He smiled nodding his head. He sat down on the platform and I turned to face Papa, "He is still a kid, right?" Papa smiled, "Yeah he is." "You ready Antonio?" I asked. He nodded his head. I held onto the rope, "Ok." I jumped from the platform holding onto the rope. Antonio was making his way up as I was making my way down.

"Let's Gooooo!"

I called out as I was coming down. I met with Isabella, Luisa and Mirabel who all looked at me like I was nuts. "What? It was fun," I said, "We all haven't had fun in forever." I left them as the truth of that statement sunk in. I made my way over to Abuela and saw they had a line going to move materials around on the first floor. I joined in the line as we continued to pass everything along. I continued making my way around just trying to help wherever I could. I caught a glimpse of Mariano talking with someone in town. I had to take my mind off of him. I looked around and saw Camilo. I went over to him, "Hey what are you doing?" He shrugged, "Going into town we need more supplies from the masonry." I nodded my head, "Mind if I come with?" He shrugged, "Sure let's go." We rode the cart into town. "So are we going to talk about Mariano?" He asked not even turning to look at me. I glanced at him quickly before refocusing, "No, because there is nothing to talk about."

I could feel him starring at me, "Dolores. Don't lie to me. We don't have to talk about it but it is not nothing." We were quiet for a while again before he started talking, "You know, I remember you asking me about him during Isabella's Quinceñera. You asked me what I thought about him." I kept looking forward, "I remember. You said, 'I don't know. He seems to like Isabella. And they look good together.'" He nodded his head, "Yeah. I did, but you know Dolores" He made sure to look at me when he said this, " he seems to like you too and you two would look good together too."

I looked forward, "Camilo. He doesn't want me. I have known that since I was 7 years old. It doesn't matter what I think about it." He looked forward as well, "Have you ever asked him?" "No, but..." I started but Camilo interrupted me, "Then how do you know?" "He was almost engaged to Isabella. I think that should tell me something," I said. "Isabella didn't want to get married to him, she was going to do it for the family. How do you know that it wasn't the same for him?" He said continually raising that voice of doubt in my mind. No I couldn't go there, not now. I knew what he wanted. "He wanted to get married," I said, "I have spent my whole life listening to everyone all the time. Trust me I know." He shrugged, "You didn't know that Isabella didn't want to get married."

We made our way to the masonry and loaded up everything we needed. We came back to Casita. "They got a lot of work down," Camilo commented as drove the cart to the back of Casita and began to unload everything. Luisa came over and helped us. She was still really strong even without her gift and it was impressive the amount she was able to carry. We finished up and I saw Mariano sitting on the front stoop of Casita. I had been avoiding him and was starting to feel bad about it. Coupling that with what Camilo said today and before I knew it I was walking over to him.

I then saw Mirabel come into the doorway and I went to hide. "Hey Mariano why so blue?" She asked. He sighed, "I just have so much love inside." As I listened I realized, he never said that he loved Isabella just that he had so much love inside. I tried to replay the moments that had me so convinced that he loved Isabella in my mind, but suddenly I was having a hard time distinguishing them. Camilo's words rang in my head, I didn't know that Isabella didn't want to be with Mariano how could I know for sure that he wanted to be with her. I had to put myself out there and talk to him. It was the only way I could ever know.

I could hear the smirk in Mirabel's voice, "You know I got this cousin too. Have you met Dolores?" I came out, "Ok, I'll take it from here. Goodbye." I said to Mirabel. I faced Mariano as I looked at his face I knew this was my chance to tell him everything. I grabbed his hands, "You talk so loud." I smiled to myself, "You take care of your mother and you make her proud. You write your own poetry, every night when you go to sleep. And now I'm seizing the moment so won't you wake up and notice me." He smiled at me, "Dolores, I see you." I smiled as my thoughts went to my favorite old poem of his, "And I hear you."

I smiled looking at our hands before looking back up at him, "Want to go on a walk?" I nodded my head. We had a lot that we needed to talk about. He held out his arm and I smiled wrapping mine around his. As we were making our way, away from Casita Mariano said, "Let's get married." I immediately said, "Woah, slow down there." He had a small frown on his face as he looked at me, "Hey what's wrong?" "I just am worried about letting everyone down," He said. I stopped and looked at him, "Mariano, do you want to be with me? Or do you want to be with a Madrigal?" He stopped and looked at me as I sat down on a nearby rock, "Dolores..." "I need you to answer the question. You have spent your entire life trying to marry Isabella. Do you like me?" I didn't want to seem desperate but I needed to know the truth. He sat down next to me, "Dolores, you are my best friend." I was unconsciously touching the charm on my chocker. "You still wear it," I looked at him starring at the charm smiling. "Mariano. Can you please answer my question. Please," I said. He looked me in the eye, "Dolores, you have been my best friend since we were kids and I've liked you for most of that." "You liked me?" I asked. He nodded his head.

I smiled, "You liked me." "And you like me," he said. I rested my head on his shoulder. "Still don't want to get married yet," I added. He laughed a little, "I figured. What do you want to do then?" I interlocked his fingers with mine, "This is nice for now." "What about after this?" He asked. I looked up at him smiling, "I'd like to figure that out together, if that is alright with you?" He smiled, "I like that." "So when are we going to tell our families?" I asked. He started laughing, "Please they all already know. I can guarantee that everyone in town is going to know by the end of the day." I groaned, "Is this what yours and Isabella's lives are like? Constantly being the talk of the town." He shrugged, "Yeah, but aren't you used to it. As a Madrigal?" "No one really ever paid attention to me. I was the dud," He shook his head, "I paid attention to you." I touched my chocker, "Yeah, you did." "We eventually are going to have to go back and continue to help," Mariano said. "I know," I whispered. "Just not yet."

Author's Note:

I am thinking about doing the next chapter going back to the beginning and having it be Mariano's POV. Let me know what you would think about that. Other than that I might do a few epilogue chapters following everyone after Encanto, but we will see about that one.