Their gifts were gone. Casita was gone. But for the first time in ten years, the family was all together.

Dolores didn't know if it was because she didn't have to keep Bruno's secret anymore or if with her gift gone she wasn't constantly berated with sounds, but Dolores felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Yes, on the outside things looked grim and hopeless, but it truly was a fresh start. Her family spent everyday together, but something was different now. It was as though the gifts had made them so formal and now they could exhale. She saw it with Luisa especially, who wanted to begin rebuilding immediately. But now, there was no way she could do it all by herself like she had before. She needed to let others help her. Camilo couldn't shape shift into someone taller or smaller to help, and had to learn what he could do only as himself. Dolores wondered what this new world had in store for her.

Isabela began her journey with honesty. When Isabela told Mariano the truth about how she felt about him, Dolores wasn't sure if she missed her gift or not. If she did hear what Isabela said, she would know how Mariano reacted, if he was okay. She knew him well enough where she had a pretty good idea how he would respond. But in the end she was grateful she didn't hear, because she wasn't sure she could bear to hear him so sad. She was glad she could finally offer others their privacy, but years of effortlessly knowing things made her naturally curious.

Without her gift, if she wanted to know things she'd have to ask. It felt scary, in a way. She would second guess herself on what was okay to know and ask and what was meant to be she didn't need to ask because Isabela came to her.

Without having to put on a façade, Isabela became more warm and open. They spoke like they used to, now that Isabela wasn't worried about ruining her image and Dolores wasn't constantly distracted, the two picked up right where they left off. Best friends.

As grateful as she was to be close to Isabela again, Mariano was still in the back of her mind. She knew Isabela had been as kind as one can be in this situation and Dolores was happy her prima was happy, but Dolores knew how Mariano felt sadness. The words would flow out of him as he would turn his pain into poetry. He would isolate himself and speak of his grief only to paper and a faint whisper only he and her could hear. It was like she was in the room with him back then, not meaning to intrude, but experiencing it with him. She didn't realize she had gotten so used to knowing how he felt that not being able to now caused her great stress. Before, she could check on him in a moment's notice, but now it required more effort. And courage.

Maybe that was the new leaf this opportunity offered her; clarity. With him no longer coming to Casita and her without her gift, she experienced life without him for the first time. It was painful before and it was painful now, but in a new way. If she wanted to know how he was doing, she would have to ask him herself. How could she now? Surely after Isa broke up with him, he would never return to visit. How could she see him now? How could she-

"Oof!" she grunted something ran into her, as she was mid thought. She took a step back when a familiar voice graced her ears, echoing and loud even without her gift.

"Disculpe," it said, and hand gently touched her shoulder to prevent her from falling. And before her eyes, like a ghost or angel was-

"Mariano," she whispered. "Mariano?"

"Yes?"

"I uh-," she quickly snapped herself out of her daze. "Hi, I didn't expect to see you here. Now, er not after the uh-."

"Ah, I see you heard what happened," he said, somewhat embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry," she said, not used to seeing the hurt so close, even now she could hear the pain in his voice.

"It's okay," he reassured her., with a faint smile "Better to know now, right?"

"Right," she smiled back, kicking the dirt. "I just uh, so what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I came to help with the house," he said simply.

"Still? Even after Isa dumped you?"

"Of course," only momentarily taken back by her bluntness. "The family Madrigal has always been kind to me, and done so much for everyone, how could I not help? Isabela and I may not be together anymore, but that would never stop me from helping your family."

"Wow that's so… typical," she breathed.

"Um…. thank you?"

"Of you!" she finished quickly. "That's typical, it's just like you to come here. And be helpful. Thank you."

"Of course," he said with a smile, then turned behind him. "They're calling me over, but it was nice to see you again, can we talk again later?"

She let out a small chuckle as he ran away, turning his face to her as he spoke. Such a simple gesture, made her heart flutter and she didn't feel guilty or pained about it now. She just felt flustered.

And she did see him again, every day. He'd come early with the rest of the town and help with something with the house. They'd all be outside and she didn't see him much, but she knew he was there, and he made it a point to say hello to her each time.

She had never intended to chase him, she hadn't even dared to imagine it. What would that look like? Before it was impossible, but now that it was available she couldn't comprehend that it was an option. It was so easy not to chase him, there was so much to focus on and adjust to now, the distraction he once was to her had company in her mind. She didn't have to avoid him now but she didn't have to seek him out, they could just be.

He was around and that didn't control where she was anymore, but soon enough they were brought back together. Dolores was minding her own business when someone bumped into the ladder she was standing on, she nearly fell over but as she let out yelp, but someone else below came over to steady it. She clung to the wall to steady herself, and looked down to see Mariano looking up at her with wide, concerned eyes. It wasn't a high fall by any means, but he might as well have saved her life for how her heart interpreted it.

"Thank you," she said, taking the opportunity to climb down.

"Of course," he said. "I'm sorry that happened. That's not safe."
"It's okay they just didn't see me," she said, nonchalantly. "I'm quiet, I'm quick, people sometimes don't see me, it happens."

"Well anyone who can't see you is certainly missing out," he assured. "What were you working on? Can I help you finish?"

"Oh, i was just fixing the window pane," she said. "If it's not straight the wind will whistle when the wind passes through. Well, I think it will. I mean I know it will, but I'm not sure if I'll know when it does. But if it doesn't whistle then it was installed properly."

"Wow, have you been fixing all the windows yourself?," he said.

"Yes," she said with a shrug, picking up her ladder. "I guess so."
"Let me help you, from what I remember your original model had quite alot of windows," he said. "I can hold the ladder steady, so you don't; have to worry about falling."

"Sure thing," she said as they walked. When the reality of what happened caught up with her, the moment suddenly felt bigger. A part of her worried he'd bring up Isabela, that she was the whole reason he sought Dolores out. But she didn't let that thought linger as she watched Mariano set the ladder up for her, he was too genuine to not be direct with his intentions.

"So, how have you been?" he asked as she measured and cut.

"Ok," she said, too focused on her task to focus on being nervous. "It's so odd how there are so many things that make a sound but they're not as prominent as others, but they keep going you know? The quietest sounds are most consistent and having the contrast between something loud and something quiet is so interesting, it's like now instead of everything fighting to get through, I have to go find it? Well that's how I've been thinking of it but I suppose-."

Hee ears caught up with her and she cut herself off, embarrassed by the rambling. She looked down as saw Mariano still invested and she couldn't help but blush.

"Sorry, was I rambling?" she said "I'll stop, I-."

"No no, it's not, please don't misunderstand," he said. "It's not bad, it's just ... I've never heard you talk so much. It's nice."

"It's nice?"

"Si, you have a lovely voice," he said.

"Oh, well thank you," she said, her nerves caught off guard and a new yet somehow similar feeling came forward as she went on with confidence. "I mean, already knew that.'

He laughed and she went back to working, and she did love the sounds of his laughter, so she continued.

"I'm sure compared to the sound of hammers and saws anything else would sound pleasant," she said.

"Who finds the sounds of hammers and saws unpleasant?" he responded with his eyebrow raised, It wasn't often he joked around, even she had not heard this side of him before. The sounds around them increased as others were working, so he raised his voice to continue. "I personally prefer it to birds, I-." he suddenly stopped himself.

"Oh, I'm so sorry if I-," he sputtered, quieter now.
"What?""

"I know your gifts,,, and well I didn't know if the loud sounds still-," he trailed off, embarrassed,

"Oh," she said, seeing where he was going. "It doesn't hurt my ears, I mean it can but not as easily as before. My mother is pleased, she can finally yell at me again."

"Is that so?" Mariano laughed, feeling at ease again. "Well that's something I can certainly relate to."

"Oh please, your mother never yells," scoffed Dolores, not thinking about the fact that he may wonder how she knew that.

"No, but I'm sure you know how loud she can be," he said. "I'm sure you can hear her from here, telling someone how to do something."

"But her heart is in the right place," Dolores smiled. Hearing his mother now telling some boys home to lift a barrel so they wouldn't hurt themselves.

"I know, but she's hard to get through sometimes," he sighed. "She likes things just so and doesn't believe me when I say I'm okay."

"You're… okay?"
"Yes," he said, suddenly realizing what he had blurted out. "Well , I will be, I built up something that I wasn't real in my mind and yes it;ll be hard to get past that but…"

"The Madrigal family will always be there for you," she said with a smile. She could tell the loss of the relationship was still hard on him, he wasn't a prideful man but the looks of pity and questions he got from people in town still stung. He was as okay as anyone in his position could be.

"Thank you, and thank you for helping to take my mind off it for a while" he said, his face softer at her sincerity. He looked at her maybe a little bit too long, but she didn't notice because she was doing the same with him. Finally, he snapped himself out of the trance. "Let me get you a bucket for the loose screws. I'll be right back."

The house was nearly complete, but every day Mariano still always found something to help Dolores with. She knew that he knew she didn't need any help so she assumed he asked everyone if he could help them before he found her. But he didn't. Regardless, she was always happy to see him. He would hold her ladder or fetch her the tool she needed but mostly they would talk. She remembered how she used to imagine and rehearse conversations with him in her mind, worried they'd run out of things to say, but they never did. They talked about books, music, and the town. They joked and even argued sometimes. His voice had a tone in it now she had never heard before, it wasn't quite sarcasm because Dolores knew he was too sincere for that. She assumed it was an altered way he spoke just to her because he kept her former gift in mind and was overcompensating subconsciously. Had Dolores heard another young man talk to a girl this way, she'd know it was flirting.

As excited as she was to have Casita restored, Dolores was dreading the project ending. What excuse would she have to talk to him now? Did she always need an excuse? Surely they were friends by now. Talking to him was easier, more natural now. Every so often she would look directly into his eyes when she spoke (which wasn't hard as he always gave her his full attention) and she could feel herself blush and the butterflies returned. But she was confident he couldn't tell, and she was grateful. But a part of her wish he would notice. He would say things and she wasn't sure if he said them to see what she'd say or if he was merely thinking aloud.

"Sorry I'm late," he said as he came to sit beside her as she mixed some paint. There was nothing to be late to: they never planned to meet it at set time. But he didn't come to find her around the same time each morning she noticed. "My mother is trying to arrange things again."

"Oh? What kind of things?" She smiled, thinking she was starting another book club.

"Courtships," he said plainly as if they were so common. "She's always talking to the other mothers in town and she thinks she's being subtle but she's not."

"Oh?" Dolores stopped stirring. "A-already?"

"That's what I thought too," he said with a sigh. "But she thinks it'll be good for me. She thinks I lack a social life, I spend all my time at the school and here. But summer is coming and we're almost done here, I need to start thinking about my future."

She chirped. For the first time in months .

"Is there… are there I mean h-have you met anyone?"

"Not yet, well I've been introduced to plenty of lovely young ladies," he admitted with a sigh. "But… I don't know, there's been no connection, no one I can talk to. Mama always said I was a hopeless romantic, but things just seem a little more hopeless lately."

"I'm sure that's not the," she assured, abandoning her own pitiful feeling to comfort him.

"Maybe, but every time I meet one of these girls I feel more discouraged," he admitted. "I know my mother means well, but sometimes I think she doesn't listen to me at all but I think she's right that I need this push. I have several dates this week, so I'll probably be around later than usual."

That fact that he didn't seem to recall that they did not have a set time to meet was odd to Dolores. He didn't need to factor her or their time together into his week, there were plenty of people who could help her. In truth, she didn't need anyone's help with the projects she led but she never said anything when Mariano offered because she liked spending time with him. And he was still willing to give her that time, but what about if he met someone? When Casita was fixed, he would move on and she'd be right back where she was before, but somehow further. They were closer now and she truly felt as though he could tell him anything.

Except for one thing.

"Well, I hope you have fun," she said quietly, prepping a brush for the paint in front of her.

"I try, but things are always so formal and tense," he said, dipping his brush as the two painted the wall of what was nearly the completed dining room. "Maybe they're supposed to be awkward but I don't know if I can trust or should my feelings, or what those feelings are supposed to feel like. I have more fun with you, watching paint dry."

They laughed as they did just that, talking to kill time before the second coat.

"Maybe you should go with me on one of them," he laughed. "So that way I'd know it'd be fun."

She held her breath. "Maybe I should…" she said, pausing before smoothly adding. "...go on a date with you." She stared intently at the wall, afraid to see if he reacted. She knew was testing the water. She hoped that was what he was doing too.

"Yeah," he chuckled lightly and then shook his head. "No, because then I'd only talk to you and ignore her and that would be rude."