Summary: So, Encantober has been swallowing up my writing time...I know, my bad. Anyway, the search for the wandering prophet continues...Also messing about with Felix's POV something I've not done to any great degree.
Never Leave Home Without It
15 minutes earlier…
Félix was standing in the tower with his wife, Juli and Agustín examining that red door Alma had indicated earlier led to a church. Pepa had tried the door and found it was locked. Casita said it could not unlock the door so Pepa decided the door must be open on the other side, since that is what happened this morning and because there was no way to walk to it to check, they left the tower. As they passed Bruno's door, Julieta said she noted earlier in the week that when Bruno was in his room, the outstretched hands would show a rat. One if he was awake, two if not. There were none so the party kept moving.
Félix looked over the rail at Alma and Antonio. Both had been sleeping when he and Agustín had returned from town, but now it appeared Alma was awake. She patted Antonio gently and he woke up slowly. Parce, who had been sleeping behind the chair, got up. Alma patted the jaguar's head and Félix nudged Pepa. She smiled, watching her youngest and this made her cloud evaporate. Antonio climbed from Alma's lap directly to Parce's back and they watched the pair head toward the bathroom.
Initially, Félix was not sure if he wanted to move back to Casita, Pepa was doing so well with Antonio and Camilo. She'd really come into her own and he worried that they would all fall into old habits. Relying too much on her mother. Pepa disagreed, she reasoned that since the Gifts were gone, her mother would hopefully be a little less controlling and besides, she missed being with Julieta and now that Bruno was back…it became a moot point.
Félix's relationship with his cuñado was generally pretty good. However, messed up his relationship with his mother was, he clearly would do anything for his sisters. As the triplets got older, he often bore the brunt of Alma's displeasure. Saying things to her, his sisters would not, in front of people he should not. People in town would often gossip about his visions and how he was nothing but bad luck for Alma and his sisters. It all took a toll on him, as he began pushing himself further and further from his sisters in an effort to keep from sullying their reputations within the town. Anxious, jumpy and fidgety, he was an odd one to say the least, but brothers are brothers and this tiny man, made a point of scrutinizing him with questions whenever the opportunity arose. Félix took it in stride, truly expecting nothing less of him as Félix had done similar things to those men/boys who wanted to date his sisters.
Félix was seven when the triplets received their gifts, so he had a pretty good memory of the event. And as with anything that involved all three of them, it was chaos in the making. Still was now that he thought about it. His parents would talk about them like they were angels sent from heaven. And to most adults that had been with Alma when the miracle came into being, you could say they were legendary. But they all seemed like regular kids to him when they were in school, and Félix had little reason to meet or talk with any of them. So, skip forward fourteen years, Félix was working with his father on a building on an outlying farm, when he saw Pepa sitting under an umbrella in the rain, reading a book. It made him curious as to what she was doing. She looked so sad.
Then he remembered. Her moods affected the weather. She was watering crops in the field she was sitting nearby. She closed the book and put it into a small bag and put on the wide brimmed hat that was hanging on her folding chair. She pulled out something from a small box that she put it in her mouth. She smiled then and the rain just stopped. The sun seemed very bright once the rain stopped and he watched, amused, as the umbrella she previously set down was not closing, and he heard thunder as she fought to get it to close properly. Never one to watch anyone struggle with a burden, he approached her cautiously and said, "Can I help you with that Señorita Madrigal?"
She started and a small lightning bolt shot the ground near his feet. "Sorry, sorry," she said looking very worried she'd hurt him.
"I'm fine," he said briefly looking at the smoldering ground, "Can I help you with that?" Félix asked again holding out his hand and waving toward the uncooperative item in her hands.
Pepa looked at the still open umbrella, then at him, and said with a nervous smile, "Yes, please."
Félix took the misbehaving item and gave it a good shake. The umbrella closed with little trouble after that. "Stuck latch," he said and returned the umbrella to her.
"Thank you, Señor…?"
Félix realized she was asking his name.
"Oh, my apologies, Señorita Madrigal. My name is Félix. Félix Martínez."
"Félix Martínez? The builder's son?"
Félix was surprised she knew that but nodded. She looked like she wanted to ask more but Félix heard his father calling him back to the worksite, so he said, "Have to get back to work…"
Pepa nodded and thanked him again. He ran back down the hill and his father asked with a note of awe, "Was that Pepa Madrigal?"
"Yes, she was having trouble with her umbrella," Félix said and looked back. Pepa was gone so they got back to work. He ran into her again at another farm, this time she was watering the coffee trees. Félix was impressed she was able to sustain that much rain until he realized how she was doing it. The woman was purposefully making herself very sad. It was also clear it was taking a lot out of her to maintain, since being sad or even happy on demand seemed like a terrible way to live.
Later, he noted she was once again having issues with her umbrella and went to help. This time though the rain hadn't stopped and was coming down quite hard. When Pepa saw him coming she said, "You may want to stay back Señor Martínez. I'm having a little issue getting the rain to stop." There was a roll of thunder and Pepa sighed as her frown deepened.
"Not to worry, I'm pretty sure I'll dry, eventually. Anyway, it's a hot day and the rain feels good," he said and smiled as he came closer. She looked so unhappy that as he took the umbrella from her, he asked while shaking it, "Do you know what clouds wear under their shorts?" Pepa's eyes narrowed and she shook her head.
"Thunderpants." And he again returned her umbrella.
Pepa stared at him blankly for a moment, blinked and then burst out laughing. The rain instantly turned to a light hail, but it was tiny and fell so gently that it did not hurt when it hit you. It took her a few minutes to pull it together and Félix found himself entranced by her joy. "Oh…Oh my goodness, that felt so good, thank you, Félix, oh can I call you Félix?" as she asked, clutching the umbrella, her hail stopped, and another darker cloud formed.
Félix fascinated by these changes of weather replied, "Only if you allow me to call you Pepa, Señorita and it was my pleasure."
As she nodded, she smiled causing the cloud above her to dissipate completely. This let the sunshine in, and Félix was quite taken by the way her ginger hair actually shimmered in the sun. He decided while she was definitely the most volatile woman he'd ever met, she was also, the most beautiful.
"Thank you again, Félix," she said picking up the last of her things. She turned to go but stopped and turned back and asked, "Will you be here tomorrow? I have one more day on the other side of this orchard..."
Félix nodded even though he knew they were all but done with the roof repairs. He'd make sure of it and from then on walked her home every opportunity he got and that's how he got to know Bruno.
Pepa prodded him out of his thoughts as the group was moving away from him.
"Agustín, are you sure?" Julieta asked for the fifth time as they made their way toward Mirabel's room.
Agustín stopped and turned his wife to face him and said in a vexed tone, "He wasn't at dinner, and we already told you he wasn't in town. Your brother has done stranger things than this, and obviously been gone longer, Juli." His wife frowned at him, but Agustín was not put off and continued, "And even if he did, he's a grown man, you said yourself he can do as he pleases. Either way I don't think Bruno will be gone long," Agustín said as they stopped at Mira's door, "He had reasons to leave before, now, not so much."
Julieta's frown lessened as she nodded and said, "I know, but it feels like we just got him back and now he's wandered off again. I wish he would have at least told us what he was going to do."
Félix said, "He'll be fine, Juli. You know Bruno cannot resist once his curiosity is piqued. And you two should be honest, you would have tried to stop him."
"Maybe I would have gone with him," Pepa said as she put her hands on her hips. Félix smiled at his wife and nodded as she said under her breath causing her cloud return, "Always so impulsive."
"Casita, can you round up the kids and ask them to come to Mira's room?" Julieta asked. There was a short clatter of tiles and she said, "They're already in Isa's room?" More tiles clattered. Julieta walked back to her oldest daughter's door and knocked. Casita automatically opened it. Félix wondered what they were up to. He could see the vision tablet and sketches strewn on the table as Julieta asked the assembled kids, "Have any of you seen Tío Bruno today?"
There was a chorus of 'No' and Julieta frowned and nodded. Pepa's cloud darkened to the point where thunder could be heard. Casita clattered a desk drawer and Mira and Isa yelled, "He what?!"
All the kids erupted at once, except Dolores, who was standing with hands pressed against her ears, uncharacteristically shouted, "Quiet!" The silence was instantaneous, and everyone softly apologized as Dolores dropped her hands and took a deep breath.
"Casita, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Mirabel asked. Casita gently clattered the tiles near the door. Mirabel rolled her eyes. Isa snorted, then bust out laughing and Mira side eyed her as if just now realizing her sister understood what the house just said.
"So?" Félix asked Juli. He really wanted to know.
"She didn't ask," Julieta answered.
"Ah Casita," Pepa said in a wistful tone, her cloud gone, "So literal, it's like everything is answered in stone."
Julieta smiled and watched her daughters argue, for a change not angrily. Mira had a flower in her hair and Isa was wearing that smug smile she used to irritate her sisters. Wait where was Luisa? Leaning a little to see past the table, she saw the bed of roses and sighed. It appeared, like Bruno, Luisa's Gift had had a bit of a reset. The things Agustín noticed were a sure sign something had changed. Luisa was going to bed earlier than usual and sleeping longer. When she'd first gotten her Gift, it had taken several months and only one almost accident to make Luisa hyper aware of those around her. Definitely more than she was aware of herself and the injuries she sustained while using her Gift. At first this was very concerning but as she grew older and more confident, the injuries lessened and eventually stopped. But now it seemed they were back to square one with all that. The fact that she was injured in the roof collapse at all was unexpected, but it happened.
Julieta could not resist and sat on the edge of the bed adjusting her blanket. She always looked so peaceful when she slept and had been such an easy baby. She stroked her daughter's head, smoothing curls from her face. It was clear that her desire to a vet was interfering with what was required for her to make full use of her Gift. As far as Julieta was concerned if Luisa chose to never use it again, that would be just fine with her. Luisa's eyes opened and Julieta smiled at her. Luisa was a little confused to see her there as she looked around and seemed to remember where she was.
"Fell asleep again, huh Mamá," she said, and Julieta nodded. "Did I miss anything important?"
"Other than your Tío Bruno wandering off, no."
"Where'd he go?"
"We're not sure," Julieta said, "But he'll be back soon."
Luisa nodded and sat up. She stretched and said with a frown, "I don't think I'm going to be very useful until I build up my endurance again."
"Luisa, it's barely been two weeks since the magic returned. Give yourself some time to adjust to this again."
"Isa's not having any trouble," Luisa said and frowned.
"You're not seriously saying your sister has it together." Julieta said and nudged her with her elbow.
"Doesn't she?" Luisa asked sounding confused.
"Corazon, let's just say a few of the angrier plants in the Encanto are growing a bit aggressively." Luisa's expression told Julieta she was not aware of that. "She's just better at hiding it."
Luisa looked thoughtful but she was smiling when she said, "Okay, Mamá. I'll take it nice and slow."
"Good," Julieta said and held her face in her hands, "I'll make you a general-purpose aid kit and we'll see where it goes from there. Do not overdo," Julieta admonished again and gave her face a little squish. She kissed Luisa's forehead and as she released her face she added, "I will be watching you, mi vida"
Luisa nodded but was still smiling as she got up, "Thanks Mamá," she then went over and joined Mira and Isa who had finished their argument and were now talking to Camilo. Julieta stood and saw that Pepa was listening to Dolores who was speaking in a very animated way. With Mariano in her life, Dolores's personality was in full bloom. Having finally stepped out of Isa's shadow she was much as Pepa's was when she had first met Félix.
Pepa had steadfastly refused to date anyone picked out by their mother and would often choose men that would irritate and eventually disappoint. Dating anyone of Madrigal triplets tended to be fraught with unforeseen expectations.
Most days, she'd be thundering, cursing her usually uncooperative umbrellas. Didn't matter which one she took, they all seemed to stick when she went to close them. She came home from the fields with an oddly calm smile on her face, gently laughing to herself, mumbling something about thunderpants. She never did tell her what that meant.
The husbands were standing near the open door speaking to her mother. While her mother looked a bit worried, she did not appear fearful. It was a refreshing change. Antonio was not with her, so he must have gone to bed. She joined them and as she approached, she heard her mother say, "We need determine what all those doors are doing in the tower."
"There are doors in the tower?" Camilo asked as he came up with her daughters behind him.
"Yes," Dolores said, "dozens."
"How do you know about this, and I don't?" Camilo asked sounding a bit frustrated.
Dolores shrugged as if it should be obvious then tilted her head. She sighed and said, "Tío's back."
"'Bout time," Pepa said, but she had no cloud. Her sister not being angry with Bruno was also refreshing. "Okay everybody," Pepa said herding the crowd out of Isa's door, "Let's go, let's go," She made her way to the front of the group and said, "follow me." And everyone exited into the hallway trailing along behind.
Bruno poked his nose into the tower, just to make sure there was no one there. Empty. Good, he thought, and closed the red door behind him. He heard it lock and looked at the object in his hand. There were squeaks at his feet and Bruno knelt down and held out his other hand. Fura, Tino, Pepi and Maria scurried onto his hand, up his arm to his shoulders. There was a flurry of angry squeaks and Bruno had to wait for them to settle before he said, "Sorry guys, I know I'm late with dinner. Got a little carried away but look what I got." He held up the transistor radio and flipped on the switch, smiling broadly. The only sound was a crackle of white noise, but Bruno was pleased with it none the less. From what he'd learned today, he was going to need some kind of antennae to get any kind of radio signal in the Encanto. He pocketed the item and headed to the stairs.
The building the red door led to was, in fact, the Church of St Agustín, in Bogotá. It was a beautiful place and he'd stayed for the afternoon mass. Leaving the church, he wandered through the plaza shops until he came across a shop that sold various 'appliances'. The salesman, whose name was Pedro, took great pleasure in telling him about everything, like how not all of the machines ran on batteries and many needed to be plugged into small portals in the wall. He originally planned only to stay a few hours, but Bruno had never been more fascinated by anything in his life. He saw many things that had appeared in his visions, that he could finally put a name to and though Bruno was not there to purchase anything, he asked about the radio and where he might get one.
Pedro showed him a display with a sign that read; 'Free Pocket Radio with Any Purchase'. So close, Bruno thought and resisted the urge to take one. Getting thrown in jail was not what he had in mind when coming here and reached into his pocket. The only things there were bits of arepa and one of Juli's empty bottles. He hefted the bottle as Pedro returned and the man seemed genuinely interested in it. The green glass and in bottles that size were not common and Bruno asked if perhaps he could exchange the bottle for the radio. Pedro frowned at first, but kept looking from the bottle to the display, until he grunted and said, "Why not."
So, the exchange was made and Pedro even threw in the battery that was required. He showed him how to load up the battery and Bruno, not wanting to give the man a chance to change his mind, thanked him and left the shop. He'd also inadvertently cleared up an additional question he had. If the Gifts worked outside. They did. The sponty that took him was not Encanto related, and thankfully he was alone, back in the church. The sponty was of the glimpse variety. Showing him flashes of things, but it was nothing worrisome. It was about Luisa and something that was going to happen in the city at some point. Not a bad something either, Luisa was smiling and carrying something that had never come into view. He made his way down the stairs and looked around to see if anyone was about.
Nope. All was quiet. Well hopefully they were all in bed, or at least in their rooms and he could get to his room and get on with his experimentation. Casita opened his door and Bruno groaned seeing his sisters. He stepped inside and realized all of his family had arranged themselves therein. He looked at Dolores, who was studiously studying the carpet. She must have told them when he came back. Still, it seemed a bit much that they would all be here. Another more random thought hit him, that perhaps they were concerned for him. Much like Casita had been when he first left. Maybe he should have told someone what he was going to do…maybe, but all he could think to say was, "What?"
Agustín and Félix burst out laughing, Julieta sighed and Pepa pulled him all the way into his room. "So," she said as she pushed him into the chair, "Tell us everything."