Camilo was drained. He had changed into at least 50 different people by now and Casita had indicated that it was none of the people he had changed into so far. Usually, changing his form felt so effortless, but changing this many times was taxing. He didn't give up though. His tio was unexpectedly kind and caring, and Camillo could not bear the thought of something terrible happening to him.
Every family member stayed close by, waiting for Camilo to finally change into the right person, but it had been hours. Felix was getting restless, as was Mirabel. Luisa's silent tears and Pepa's storm cloud made it even harder to ignore how on edge everyone was feeling.
"We should go out and keep searching," Mirabel finally announced. "We can't keep waiting here and do nothing. Camilo is our best chance, but maybe it will help for us to spread out and look."
"We already looked everywhere," Isabela complained tapping her foot impatiently. She was worried for her tio as well, and she was putting all of her frustration into her anger.
"I agree with Maribel," Felix said and Agustin nodded in agreement. "We should keep looking for clues, or anything, just in case. It could help us find him faster."
The family went out again, even abuela. However, Dolores stayed with Camilo. She was feeling useless as she could no pick up a single familiar sound of her poor tio. She sat on a chair watching her brother change over and over again. He would change, casita would flap a tile once indicating no and he would change again. Eventually Camilo had to take a break. They sat in silence for a moment.
Dolores finally confided in her brother, tears bubbling up, "I can't stand that I cannot hear him. I can always hear him. He mumbles and stumbles so much, and he's constantly throwing all that salt. I love the sound of the salt hitting the floor." She began to cry. Camilo rubbed her back to comfort her.
"I still haven't gotten a chance to spend much time with him," Camilo confessed back. "I wanted to show him my copy of him, and have a good laugh." He sniffled a little. "He's just so shy, I'm afraid I might scare him away if I do anything wrong," the young boy laughed.
"Bruno would see no wrong in anything you do Camilo," Dolores smiled wiping away her tears, "There is no right or wrong way when it comes to him. Just different."
"Different!" Mirabel shouted as she walked in startling her cousins. "That's it!" She addressed the house, "Casita, is the person Bruno was with a man?" Casita flapped a tile twice for yes. The cousins jumped up to join in the questioning; hopeful excitement in the air.
"Was it an old man?" Dolores asked. Casita flapped once.
"Was he tall? Camilo chimed in. Two flaps. Camilo tried changing into a few young beanpole men from town, but it was none of them.
"Is he muscular?" Two flaps. Camilo tried a few more, and on the third try. Casita flapped tiles ecstatically. They were stunned for a moment.
"That's one of the men that helped rebuild casita," Dolores stated.
Mirabel knew exactly who that was. She worked with him closely on rebuilding their home. "Andre."