*P*A*R*T**F*O*U*R*

Bruno had wandered the halls all evening, listening to the festivities outside. He could hear music and laughter, the occasional raised voices of his family members amidst the voices of strangers. The whole community was there, in their house, celebrating the 50th Birthday of the triplets…well, two of them, at least. Not once that evening had his name been mentioned…not out loud, that is. His name had almost become synonymous with the Devil's, a hushed word if even spoken.

He found dark humor in his reality.

Ever since he was a child and received his gift, he had tried to ward of the rumors and stories that painted him as a villain. He had tried to show everyone that he was not the dark, scary monster of nightmares. He was just an ordinary man with a power he did not ask for, and never abused. He understood the weight of his gift, and he bore it the best he could under the circumstances. And yet, by disappearing to protect his family, he had become – in the minds of the community – the very thing he hated: a nameless monster that lurks in the walls of what used to be his home. A demon whose name dared not be spoken aloud.

"We don't talk about Bruno," had become the mantra whenever his name slipped past someone's lips.

Bruno went back to his room with his rats when he heard the last of the guests making their goodbyes. Of course, it was the Guzmans. Bruno recognized their voices mingled with his family's as though they belonged. They almost did…it was no secret that Mariano and Isabela were courting, and an engagement was coming soon. Bruno had never been able to get a good look at Mariano's face, but he sounded like the kind of man his mother would hope for her granddaughters.

Bruno slumped into his chair, tipping his head back to stare at the dismal ceiling with its patches of spackle. He closed his eyes, imagining what food might be left over from the party…from what might have been his own birthday celebration had he never left. He dared to hope that Julieta had made more than enough to satisfy the guests while having some left over for him to glean from once the lights went out.

"Mama, its your birthday, you should be resting and enjoying yourself! Not cleaning up."

Mirabel's voice was sudden in the quiet, and Bruno jumped. He chuckled at his own expense silently and took a breath to gather himself.

"I know, Mira, but I really need to do this," Julieta said. She sounded tired.

Bruno pushed himself out of his chair and went to the crack in the wall, peering through. He saw Julieta set a platter of food down on the dining room table and use the back of her hand to brush away some stray hairs that had latched to the dampness on her forehead.

"At least let me help you then," Mirabel said.

Bruno frowned when he saw his youngest niece. She looked about the age now that she was in his vision 10 years before…it was strange he had not noticed it until tonight; however, maybe it was the determination in her eyes that looked familiar.

"Oh, my sweet girl," Julieta said with a soft, sad smile. "I just need a few minutes to myself. And you've been working hard all day to make this party perfect. Please, go rest. I'll let you know if I need any help in here, I promise."

Mirabel looked like she was about to argue, but then she nodded. "Okay, Mama. If that's what you really want."

"Thank you, Mira," Julieta said. She reached over and pulled Mirabel's head down for a quick kiss, and then gave her a gentle shove out the door. "I'll be done in a little bit."

Julieta watched the door for several moments after Mirabel retreated from the room. Then, she walked around the table until she came to a specific chair. She fingered the outlines of the design and sighed.

Bruno watched intently. That chair, that chair used to be his.

"Happy birthday, Bruno," Julieta whispered, almost too quietly for Bruno to hear.

But he did hear. He felt a rush of emotion that he had not allowed himself to feel all night sweep over him. He rested his head on the wall and closed his eyes. It took all his strength not to cry.

"I miss you," Julieta went on, "We all miss you. I don't know why you left or why you never came back…or if I could have done something different to change your mind? I'm sorry if we ever made you think we wouldn't love you no matter what."

Bruno lifted his head and looked back through the crack. He saw that Julieta was reaching in her pocket. She pulled out a yellowed piece of paper and unfolded it. He immediately recognized his scrawling handwriting…his note from when he "left".

"Do you remember when you wrote this, Brunito?" Julieta asked, her voice trembling. "I've read it a thousand times and still don't understand how you not being here helped us." She smoothed the note out on the table. "Maybe you don't understand how much you hurt us by leaving. I know our family isn't perfect, and it's messy. And Mama can be unkind and unfair…but we needed you. I've defended you all these years, but in the end, I now realize you lost your way. I won't be able to ever understand why you left, but I don't need to. I'm done trying to, and I'm ready to accept that you're never coming back."

She picked up the paper, and with resolve she took it to one of the lamps flickering on the counter. She took off the top so that the flame was exposed. She lifted the paper and put it over the flickering flame. Bruno saw her draw back briefly, as if having second thoughts; however, in the end, she allowed the fire to consume the last words he ever said to her.

*E*N*C*A*N*T*O*

"Uncle Bruno! Be Hernando!"

Mirabel and Camilo's footsteps pattered rapidly behind him, and Bruno resisted the urge to cringe and sigh. He was exhausted. He had not been able to sleep for several nights. Something about Mirabel's approaching gift ceremony had him on edge, and he didn't know what it possibly could be. All he wanted right now was a strong cup of coffee and some breakfast. He was not in the mood to be the "fun and entertaining" uncle his niece and nephew obviously anticipated.

"Hernando is busy," Bruno tried to say patiently, forcing a grin at the two children that latched themselves onto him, one on each hand.

"What about Jorge?" Camilo asked eagerly, "Can you be Jorge?"

Newly gifted Camilo was still too little to understand that his power and Bruno's characters were not the same…he truly seemed to think that Bruno turned into Hernando and Jorge and that they were different people than Bruno himself.

"He can't be Jorge," Maribel spoke up, "he doesn't have the bucket."

"Do you need a bucket? I can get a bucket," Camilo offered.

Bruno shook his head. "Jorge and Hernando are both busy until after breakfast." He gently pulled his hands out of the children's grip and covered a yawn.

Camilo suddenly shifted into a small version of Bruno and yawned noisily, making Mirabel giggle. Camilo said in his best Bruno imitation, "Jorge and Hernando are both busy until after breakfast. I'm a grown up and I'm boring!"

Bruno could see how this gift would be abused.

"Hey, now," Bruno said, "Be nice. Your uncle has a right to drink his coffee and eat breakfast without being pestered about it. I promise I'll be Hernando and Jorge later."

Camilo returned to his own form. "How much later?"

"The more you ask, the later it will be," Bruno said, barely restraining his irritation. "Why don't you both go help Julieta set the table?"

The children exchanged glances before racing down the hall to the dining room.

"Is something wrong, Bruno?" Augustin asked, "You seem upset."

Bruno startled, not realizing that Augustin had been sitting in the courtyard reading. He tried to smile, but he could tell it wasn't convincing. Augustin frowned. "What's wrong? Did you have a vision?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Bruno assured him, noting that Augustin assumed that only a vision would cause Bruno to be upset. He brushed off the comment and continued, "I just haven't been able to sleep. I guess it's catching up with me." He laughed uncomfortably.

"Have you talked to Julieta? She might know of something to help you sleep…" Augustin said, his voice trailing off as if he were trying to think of something himself.

While Julieta's cooking healed most ailments, she had also become well versed in other natural remedies that helped alleviate things not connected to surface injuries or sickness. Bruno knew she probably had a tea or something to help with sleep, but he didn't want her to ask him any questions. He could never lie to Julieta…and his anxiety was because of Mirabel's gifting. She was anxious enough about her third daughter's ceremony without him adding fuel to the fire.

"I'll be okay," Bruno said, continuing to force a smile. "I'll wear myself out eventually."

Augustin smiled. "Well, don't be afraid to ask if you change your mind."

"Of course," Bruno agreed. "I just need coffee and I'll be right as rain."

Augustin seemed unconvinced, but he didn't press further. He looked down the hall where Mirabel and Camilo had run. "I can't believe Mirabel's gift ceremony is only two days away. I wonder what her gift will be…hopefully something manageable…"

They began walking toward the dining room.

Bruno remembered each of the gift ceremonies always having an unusual twist as the child received their power. After all, whose idea was it to give a 5-year-old a power? They barely had a basic understanding of their own being before receiving a gift, let alone discovering a whole new power alongside. He knew he had been confused all those years ago…

"I'm sure she will be exactly what this family needs," Bruno said. He added, giving Augustin a gentle nudge with his elbow. "We all are."

Augustin laughed. "I've definitely helped Julieta put her gift into practice."

Bruno chuckled. "You know, before the two of you were courting, I wondered if you got hurt on purpose sometimes, just so you could come and see her."

"What?" Augustin feigned surprise. "I would never do something like that."

"A brother notices these kinds of things," Bruno continued knowingly, tapping his temple. "It's no secret you're more prone to…accidents, but c'mon. No one is that accident prone."

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Augustin laughed sheepishly.

"And I'm glad it did," Bruno agreed with a grin.