Surely calling him 'tío' hurt me more than it hurt him.

I was angry and I wanted to show him, I wanted to make him understand how much it really hurt to become his niece as he intended. I wanted him to realize that no matter how much he did it thinking of me, his decision made me unhappy.

However, I wasn't being fair in treating him like this; I knew it. There was no reason to be angry; he was just taking care of me, like he always did. And on the other hand… he was… in love with... me. He really loved me. This madness was mutual! The way he kissed me… the way he held me tight against him… It wasn't possible that this had been simply giving in to the moment; And, that bed… Bruno wanted me as much as I wanted him and probably suffered from it as much as I did.

But really, what was supposed to come out of keeping us apart? If he loved me and I loved him… wasn't that just condemning us to suffer forever? I… I was ready to face the whole world. I didn't care about criticism: we would make them understand and, if they didn't understand, they could say whatever they wanted as long as he was with me. And, regarding the family… It was going to be difficult, but, at least, we had the support of my mother and Isabela. Perhaps, one day, we could convince Abuela. Or, perhaps, could it be that he wasn't expecting to love me forever? In theory, that would have been the best thing for him, but selfishly, it wasn't what I wanted. I didn't think I could have dealt with seeing him love another woman. Surely she wouldn't wear glasses, and she would be demure and cute, and would treat me like a child because that's what I would always be to her. And she would flirt with him in front of me, playing with the gray curls that frame his face, and she would cling to his neck, and enjoy the touch of his fingers…

I needed to break stuff.

I felt lost. It didn't make sense to dwell on unreal situations like that, and it didn't make sense to continue insisting on fighting for our thing; he had made it clear that was not an option. But, I also didn't feel like I could just give up and go on with my life as if he hadn't changed it. I couldn't forget him and I couldn't love another man.

My mother told me to give him time to think. She said that the situation was very complicated, that maybe he would change his mind, but… he suffered for ten years the most absolute desolation to protect me: what on Earth could do that he wouldn't do exactly the same now?

Of course! Me! I was the one who made him change his mind and come back the first time and I would be that person this time too. Of course, that wasn't going to be that easy. Hard as waiting was, it was going to be a slow process. But something was clear to me, no matter how long it took, I was going to show him that his love was the only chance he had of seeing me really happy. I wasn't about to give him up, and, most of all, I wasn't about to make him give up his own happiness again. Not for me; not again.

"I found you!"

"Antonio! Am I the seeker now?"

"No, it's Bruno's turn."

"Ah, okay…"

"Mirabel."

"Yes?"

"Thanks for preparing this birthday for me, it's being super fun."

"I'm glad. But, now, there is something important to attend to… Shall we hide?"

"Run!"

Antonio climbed on the back of his friend the jaguar and I lost sight of them in an instant. Was Bruno really going to find them? In any case, it was time for me to hide. This time, even if it was just a game, he would be the one who would come looking for me and, as silly as it sounded, it felt exciting. I walked around the Encanto looking for a good spot where I wasn't easy to be seen, but easy to reach, and I ended up lying on the riverbank under the shade of a dense, short tree. Miraculously, that day had come out completely clear and, the May sun, was not like waiting under it without any protection.

The breeze was pleasant, the grass under my body was squishy and cool, and the distant murmur of my family's voices lulled me to sleep. It would have been nice to wake up with one of his kisses…

"Mirabel! Mirabel, don't leave me, please! Mirabel!"

It wasn't his kisses but the desperation in his words that brought me out of that afternoon nap.

"Wha…? Bru…"

"Mirabel! Thank heavens!"

His eyes, red, wet, and wild, ran me up and down as if looking for the explanation of some kind of mystery; his legs supported my head, and his trembling hands caressed my face and arms.

"Bruno, what's wrong? What happ…? Why are you all soaked?!"

"How has it happened? Have you fallen? Has the river swept you away? I'm going to look for Julieta!"

"Wha…?"

"Don't move. I'll be right back."

What was happening? What was he talking about?

"Wait! Stop!" I answered suddenly sitting up. "What's going on?! I'm not getting a word!"

"Oh, no! You hit your head, right? Do you remember who you are?"

"Bruno! I have not hit my head and I have not fallen or been dragged by the river, what I want is to know what happens to you."

"But… you seemed…"

"What?"

"Did you sleep well, Alice?" Camilo asked appearing by our side.

"Ah, yeah. It was feeling so good I…"

"Please don't give the poor man such frights, he's already old…"

I looked at Bruno as I finally began to shape everything and I saw how his cheeks gradually regained color.

"Did I scare you?"

Then, his lips tightened as if in a futile effort to hold back the tears that were beginning to roll down his cheeks, and he threw himself against me, covering as much of my body as he could with his, holding the base of my head tightly with his hand and relaxing the breath slowly on my shoulder.

"I… I'm sorry. It'll be just a second."

Camilo made a face of pity and turned around.

"I'm going to see if I can find Antonio."

"Okay, Cami. I'll see you in a jiffy."

"There's no rush, it'll take a while. I think that boy is cheating."

As my cousin disappeared from my sight, I closed my eyes trying to soak up that feeling, leaned my head lightly on Bruno's, and wrapped my arms around his back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to…"

"No, no, no… You don't need to apologize. My reaction has been exaggerated. Of course you were sleeping, why would it be anything else…? Camilo was helping me and when he said that you were lying on the other side of the river… I don't know. I didn't think clearly…"

His arms lightly tightened the embrace and I stroked his head gently.

"It's okay. I'm fine. I'm not gonna leave you."

I felt how his fists closed and how he loosened the hug until he withdrew from me.

"You are dripping…" I said with a half smile.

"Ah, yeah, I'm sorry. Did I wet you? I've crossed the river, and…"

"Why haven't you crossed over the bridge?"

"The bri… oh, the bridge…"

"Thank you."

"You… You don't have to thank me. I've just put on a ridiculous and unnecessary number again."

"Your number… has made me happy. Just like last time."

"What? R… really? It seemed pretty pathetic to me."

"I felt loved and protected, just like now."

"Uh… Mirabel…"

"Bruno…"

"I'm not tío Bruno anymore?" he asked probing my mood.

"You haven't been for a long time. I love you, Bruno, and…"

"Mirabel… this is not…"

"Let me speak please."

He nodded meekly and I started to speak before someone appeared and I was stopped again.

"It's been over a month since… well, you know what I'm talking about, I guess I better not say it out loud right now."

"Heh… You had no problem saying you love me just now."

"It's normal to love an uncle. Who would have thought of anything else?"

He smiled at me. He knew it was bravado and that I hadn't really thought long enough before to turn down the volume or shut up.

"The thing is, since that night, I've thought a lot about it. I've thought of all the obnoxiously good reasons you gave me and…it enrages, but I can't be mad at you. I just wanted to thank you for always thinking of me and telling you…"

I took a deep breath. I wanted forcefulness in my words.

"… don't think for a moment that I'm going to give up."

"What?!"

His face was priceless. There could not be more bewilderment, fear, and at the same time thrill together in a single face.

"I already knew that I was not going to forget you, but I thought that I would have to settle and live with my misery as best I could. But now…"

"The situation hasn't changed, Mirabel."

"No, but now I see everything more clearly. I'm sorry, Bruno: I'm not going to leave you."

I got up, shook my skirt vigorously, and headed for the bridge.

"By the way," I said turning to that man who followed my steps with a look of stupefaction. "Abuela told me months ago that you can't swim. How did you do that?"

"I… I don't know."

I could only smile. He had risked his life to come to me; if he thought I was going to let him live miserably for the rest of his days, it was because he didn't know what Mirabel Madrigal was capable of.