Alma had had an easy, relaxing day. This was very uncommon, and it made her feel like there was something else coming, something big, that she didn't know about. Was Bruno going to curse the village with a bad vision? Was Pepa going to make it rain? Was Julieta going to burn the food meant for the injured?

With the powers that her children had, she knew that anything could happen. She had to be prepared.

But nothing could prepare her for the knock that came to her door that afternoon.

She got up from the kitchen table where she was reviewing the recent trades for the Encanto, mind wandering. She wasn't expecting any visitors today, so who could it be?

As she slowly made her way to the door, she held her head up high and painted a smile on her face.

As she opened the door, Cassidy Lopez stood in front of her, a joyous smile on her lips.

"Hello!"

"Bruno is busy with visions." Alma said. " I'm afraid that you will not be able to get a vision from him today, he has a lot to do."

"Oh, that's fine. I'm actually here to talk to you, if you would be willing." The young girl stood in front of her confidently and politely. Sometimes Alma had a hard time seeing that this girl was the same one that defended Bruno's rats all that time ago. Or even the shy girl that ate supper with them and her family.

"Yes, of course. Please, come on in. Would you like something to drink?"

Cassidy shook her head no as she stepped into the house, her brown eyes looking around with wonder.

Alma led her into the living room, gesturing for her to sit down as she took a seat across from her. Cassidy held her hands together and repositioned her dress, the smile never leaving her face.

"So, Cassidy, may I ask why you wished to see me?"

"I need to tell you something. It's about me and Bruno."

Alma stiffened in her seat, frowning.

"What about you two?"

The young girl took a deep breath. "I'm sure you've noticed that we've been spending a lot of time together."

Alma nodded.

"Well, we've both admitted that we love each other."

"What?" Her voice grew cold and icy, but Cassidy kept up a brave face.

"Yes. We've been dating for a while now. Well, my parents don't know about it, yet, but we made it official between us."

"Why did you wait so long to tell me? Why would Bruno not tell his own mother about this?"

"I…I think he was worried that you wouldn't approve. I'm worried about that with my own parents, and I wanted to talk to you, first. Not only are you Bruno's mother, and I respect you, but I believe that you needed to know first."

"I see."

The two of them fell into an uncomfortable silence, the only noise being Julieta's clanging of pans in the kitchen. Alma tried to gather her thoughts, but found it hard. She was used to being in control, but this…she had suspected something was going on, but they were dating? How had she not noticed? How had she not noticed that her son was in love?

Yet, now that she thought about it, she could tell that Bruno was a bit more outspoken, smiling a bit more at supper, and going out into the village a lot more than normal. It would make sense that Cassidy would change him, and Alma was shocked that she hadn't connected the dots.

"Listen." Cassidy spoke up, eyes pleading but soft. "I know how crazy this must be. But, I wanted to tell you, I didn't want any secrets anymore."

"I…thank you for that, Cassidy." Alma said evenly. "But, how serious is this relationship getting?"

"I mean, I can't say for certain, but I love him, more than anything. I hope that it'll last. He seems serious too. We haven't kissed yet, though, if that's what you're asking." Her eyes widened. "Was that too much information? I really hope I didn't make this awkward."

Alma let out a small, but friendly, laugh. "No…you're fine. I do like to know the facts, as you likely could guess. Thank you for telling me, Cassidy. I'm going to talk to Bruno, and I'll get back to you."

Cassidy stood up and shook Alma's hand respectfully, her grip gentle but confident. "Thank you. And, tell him I said hi?"

"Of course."

The young woman made her way out of the house, her gray dress swaying behind her, and Alma sighed. This day was not supposed to go this way. Bruno was dating Cassidy? The girl that had next to no worth? Everyone in town knew that she had no future, she was just the artist that decorated the town every so often. She wouldn't make a good wife, or a good mother.

Yet, Alma felt that Bruno wouldn't make a good father, either. He just wasn't that kind of man. Was this relationship meant to be? Or was it as bad as it seemed?

"Mama?"

Alma brought herself out of her thoughts and turned to Julieta, who hovered by the doorway anxiously. Her hands were covered in flour, hair up in a bun, and eyes conveying a bit of worry.

"Julieta? Is something wrong?"

"You seem upset."

Alma got to her feet. " I'm fine. I'm shocked, that's all."

Julieta frowned, and her mother's eyes widened.

"You knew, didn't you, Julieta?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me? This is very important!"

"I know, Mama! But this was something they had to share themselves. Please understand that." Her eyes pleaded with her mother, but Alma didn't let that bother her.

"I understand. But you also must see that this is important, not only to Bruno's future, our future as a family, but your brother as who he is as a person too."

"Can you see that he's getting better now, though? She's helping him."

Julieta made her way over to her mother and gripped her hands.

"Mama, trust me, they're very good together. Please give them a chance. Give Cassidy a chance. She's amazing, so much more than what she appears. She's so much more than just an artist. "

Alma sighed. "I will consider it. Shouldn't you be cooking?"

Julieta's mouth formed into a tight line. "I'll get right back to it, Mama."

With that said, Julieta went straight back into the kitchen, and Alma made her way up the stairs to Bruno's room. She could hear grains of sand hit against the heavy door as she opened it, her son caught in the middle of a sand dome, green sand making images that she could not understand.

She waited patiently by the door as Bruno finished up, the youngest Madrigal kneeling on the ground when he was done, panting. She could tell that there were tears in his eyes, and every part of her wanted to wrap him in her arms, but she had to keep up her image. And, her and Bruno had some things to discuss.

"Bruno, may I speak to you?"

Bruno looked up quickly and wiped tears from his eyes, shakily getting to his feet after he set the green tablet on the round.

"Mama?"

"We need to talk."

Bruno nodded and sat on the ground, his mother following suit. She tried to clear away the sand from the rock floor, but there was so much of it that it was a useless task.

"Bruno. Cassidy came to me and told me about how you two love each other."

Bruno's eyes widened. "What?"

"I want to be honest with you, Bruno. I'm thankful that she told me, because something tells me that you would've kept it a secret for as long as you could."

Bruno looked to the floor, petting one of the rats that scurried into his lap. "I'm…I'm sorry, I just didn't want you to tell us we couldn't see each other. I know how…how much you don't approve of her."

She frowned. "Do you really love her, Bruno?"

"Yes. I love her. More than anything."

Alma reached for his hand, but he pulled away from her, curling in on himself, as if he wanted to become smaller.

"I don't care whether you approve or not." He continued, emotions hidden from his mother.

"Bruno一"

"I love her, Mama. I'm not going to stop hanging out with her."

"Bruno! Listen to me!"

Bruno flinched but met his mother's gaze.

"I…don't think that she is a good fit for you. Far from it. But, I can see that she makes you happy. Does she?"

Bruno nodded.

"I will allow you two to date."

Her son brightened, his body losing its tension as his face shined bright with hope. "Really?"

"Yes. Despite this, son, I cannot promise you two anything more than that at the moment. I want to….decide, for myself, if I fully approve of this."

Bruno quickly wrapped her in a hug, his bouncy curls rubbing against her neck as he gripped her with as much strength as he could manage.

"Thank you, Mama, thank you!"

Alma awkwardly returned the hug, unsure if this was the right decision.

Yet, maybe Julieta was right. Maybe there was more to Cassidy than the surface.

She would give this relationship time. And, if things went bad, she would stop it. If it went well…who knows what would happen?