Chapter 14

5 years before Encanto

9 months after Bruno left


It was late at night when Félix and Pepa returned home from the mountains, holding hands as they headed towards the casita. Pepa walked a little stiffly, the injuries from her fall in the rainforest starting to catch up with her after their long journey back.

"Ay." Pepa sighed, rubbing her leg with a frown as they walked, a grey cloud forming over her head.

"You'll feel better after you eat something, amor." Félix smiled reassuringly. "Not too much longer now... And don't you worry. I'm gonna fill you up with so much food, till you're so full you can't run away from us again. Hm?" Félix's eyes twinkled as he gave her hand a playful squeeze. Pepa grinned back.

"You can try, viejo." Pepa replied in a teasing voice. "But I will still roll away from you."

Félix chuckled. He put his arm around Pepa and hugged her close as they reached the casita, it's tiles and windows waving at them as they approached.

Pepa and Félix stopped suddenly at the front door, surprised to discover their children waiting for them on the steps.

Dolores smiled, putting a finger to her lips as she glanced down at Camilo. He was asleep with his head in his sister's lap, his appearance taking on the form of his mama as he dreamed.

Dolores gently stroked her brother's hair as he breathed softly, his form switching to Félix, then back to Pepa again. Camilo frowned and whimpered softly in his sleep.

"He wanted to wait for you here." Dolores said with a quiet smile.

Pepa held a hand over her heart as she watched her children with apologetic eyes, a cloud sprinkling over her head. Dolores smiled at her mama and shrugged, not wanting her to worry.

"Thank you, angel." Félix smiled gratefully as he knelt down and kissed Dolores' forehead. He then turned to rub his son's hair, gently waking him. Camilo's appearance changed back into himself as he stirred.

"Up you get, chiquito." Félix spoke in a soft voice, rubbing Camilo's hair again with a smile. "Look who I found."

Camilo opened his eyes to see his mamá standing in front of him. Pepa watched him, her eyes warm with love.

"Mamí?" Camilo mumbled softly, unsure if he was still dreaming.

"I'm here, Mijo." She smiled. "I'm so sorry I left you."

Camilo gasped in relief as he jumped to his feet and ran over. Pepa beamed, opening her arms for him as he leapt up. She caught Camilo, swinging him around as they both began to laugh, a rainbow forming over their heads.

"You were waiting for us?" Pepa asked affectionately. "Hm?" She rubbed her nose playfully against Camilo's face as he giggled.

"I'm glad you're back, Mamí." Camilo smiled, embracing her and closing his eyes as Pepa covered his face with kisses.

Dolores smiled in relief as she watched them, glad to see things were back in a good place for now.

She'd been unsure what kind of mood her mamá would return in after her argument with Tía. Dolores could still hear Julieta crying softly in her room, so she was glad to see mamá returning in an emotional space where she might be able to make things right between the two of them.

Camilo wrapped his legs around mamá's waist and hugged her shoulders as she carried him inside the casita, Félix and Dolores following.

"Where did you go?" Camilo asked Pepa, his hands holding onto her braid affectionately.

"Up to the mountains, mijo." Pepa replied with a smile, kissing his face.

"You and Papí's special place?"

"Mm-hm."

Camilo played with his mamá's sun earrings as she walked, then noticed a scraped bruise along her hairline. He gently moved her hair back to get a better look, and felt Mamá flinch at his touch. Camilo looked at her in concern.

"You're hurt, Mamí." Camilo said softly, his eyes worried. "Are you ok? Did you fall down?"

"Just a little, mijo." Pepa said reassuringly, putting on a brave face as she quickly brushed her fringe back down. "But I'm ok. Don't worry about it, mm?"

As they reached the kitchen, Pepa kissed Camilo and sat him on the bench while she turned to get food. The moment Pepa stepped back, Camilo noticed his mamá's ripped dress and grazed legs. He gasped, his breathing becoming shaky at the thought of Pepa getting hurt.

Seeing the tears well up in Camilo's eyes, Pepa quickly returned to his side.

"Ay... Camilito..." Pepa spoke gently, placing her hands to her son's cheeks with a reassuring smile. "It's just scratches, cariño. It's ok." Pepa's hands stroked his face, her cloud sprinkling rain over them as she began to worry too. "Please don't cry, mijo."

Camilo stared back at Mamá with a hurt expression, searching her eyes before taking a deep, shaky breath and nodding. He swallowed back his tears, knowing deep down that people liked him best when he was happy and making them smile.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Camilo asked breathlessly, wiping his eyes.

"Of course." Pepa smiled warmly, her hands stroking his cheeks. "We were in the forest. And you know, it wasn't so bad-"

"-It was terrible!" Félix's dramatic voice interrupted as he and Dolores joined them in the kitchen. Thunder crashed. Dolores covered her ears with a sigh.

"Félix!" Pepa scolded, turning to him with wide eyes.

"What? He wants to know what happened, Pepi." Félix shrugged with a playful smile, before turning back to Camilo dramatically. "Mamí was running through the jungle, and monkeys were crying out -shree-shree-shree!"

"-I'm telling this story," Pepa interrupted, waving a finger to her husband's face. "Not you!"

Félix held his hands up in surrender as Pepa turned back to Camilo, her tone gentle again.

"So it was a little slip." She assured her son with a smile. "See, I was running and then I fell-"

"-down a waterfall!" Félix interrupted again, throwing his arms up as Camilo watched in surprise. Pepa rolled her eyes.

"It was not!" Pepa corrected him, her tone forceful as she side-eyed Félix, but gentle as she turned back to Camilo. "It was just a little hill, mijo. A lomada. I couldn't see it because-"

"-Because of the thunderstorm!" Félix interrupted again with a grin. "Boom! Crack-crack-crack-crack!" He used his hands to emphasise his descriptions as Camilo began to smile. "Lightning in the sky! Thunder across the land! Mamá and Papá on the top of the mountain!"

Pepa groaned as her eyes rolled back in exasperation. She threw her hands up and walked off, a small thundercloud rumbling over her head. Félix quickly took Pepa's hand and pulled her back, kissing her face as she frowned.

"What happened next?" Camilo asked in wonder, invested in Félix's story. Pepa turned, her expression softening as she noticed Camilo's face was no longer worried or upset. She sighed as she realised what Félix was trying to do.

"We climbed the mountain, and we fought back the wind," Félix said, his arm around Pepa. She shook her head to Dolores, who watched in amusement. "And then, there was only one way to defeat the storm..." He pulled Pepa in close, "We embraced it, we made peace with the thunder-" Félix's voice then became soft as he waved his hand through the air. "And the storm went away... Just like that."

Camilo grinned.

"Isn't that right, amor?" Félix smiled, kissing her head.

"Hm." Pepa mumbled, leaning against Félix to hide her smile. Despite her annoyance at Félix for stealing the story, Pepa couldn't help but feel adoration towards her husband.

Dolores turned with a hum, hearing someone approach.

The others turned around too, watching as Julieta slowly entered the kitchen. She stood in the doorway.

"You're back." Julieta spoke quietly, her eyes meeting Pepa's. A cloud started to sprinkle over Pepa's head as the sisters watched eachother in silence.

"Come on," Félix said to Camilo and Dolores. "It's time for bed."

"But I-"

"Bed."

Julieta gave them a small smile as they passed, before turning back to Pepa with a serious expression.


A few moments earlier


Bruno lay quietly in his bed, holding his rats close to his chest as he stared up at the ceiling in sad contemplation. The sudden sound of thunder made him jump, then excitedly scramble over to the crack in the wall to take a look. Bruno smiled. Pepa was back. He watched his family through the crack, listening in on Félix's story with a chuckle, then turning to the rats in excitement as Julieta walked in.

"You can't write this kinda theatre." Bruno whispered, catching the rats up on what he saw as he peered through the crack. "Pepa's in the kitchen, when suddenly Julieta enters stage left."

Bruno watched as Julieta approached Pepa, her expression softening as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Will the sisters ever be able to make peace? Or will the secret love affair tear them apart?" Bruno whispered dramatically, before quickly turning back to the rats and adding, "There's uh, actually no secret love affair. I made that part up." Bruno chuckled awkwardly, before waving a hand theatrically. "For the drama."

The rats squeaked in approval as Bruno turned back, continuing to watch his family through the crack.

"You're lucky it's me who found you, and not Mamá." Julieta said, carefully lifting the ripped fabric of Pepa's sleeve to check her bruised and grazed shoulder.

"Ay, Pepa." Julieta sighed, gently putting a hand to her sister's face and turning her head to look over the bruise in her hairline. "Oh dios. You did a good job of that one too." Julieta stroked Pepa's face affectionately and smiled. "I think you even put Agustín's bee stings to shame."

Pepa smiled back gratefully. Julieta turned to the kitchen bench, coming back with an arepa con queso in her hand and popped it into her sister's mouth.

"Thank you." Pepa sighed, feeling her injuries heal as she ate her sister's food. She smiled at Julieta, who slowly shook her head.

"I won't be able to fix this, though." Julieta said, taking a ripped section of Pepa's dress in her hand. "You're gonna have to explain that one to Mamá."

"I will fix it."

"She'll know."

They both laughed softly, looking at eachother.

"This makes me feel like a teenager again." Julieta smiled. "Patching up your party scrapes before Mamá sees."

"Hm." Pepa agreed. "Or me holding your hair when you drink too much Aguardiente." She reminded Julieta with a grin. "Washing your clothes."

Julieta grinned back, enjoying the memories.

"You know, no matter how old you get, Pepa, it's always the same story with you." Julieta smiled. "You and Félix, tumbling down that mountainside..." Julieta laughed. "Remember when Bruno-"

Thunder crashed suddenly and Julieta stopped, looking back at Pepa sadly as rain started to fall in the kitchen around them.

"Right." Julieta muttered softly, shaking her head. "So running away changed nothing, then... We're still not gonna talk about Bruno."

Bruno glanced down sadly. He didn't know that's what his sisters had been fighting about. The rats rubbed softly against Bruno's hands, but he was too ashamed to look at them or fill them in on what he'd just heard. Bruno turned back to the crack quietly.

"Stop saying that name!" Pepa exclaimed, her hands stroking her hair nervously as she glanced up at the ceiling. "I'm gonna wake up Mamá."

Julieta sighed, crossing her arms in resignation. She didn't want that to happen either.

"Clear skies, clear skies..."

Julieta watched as Pepa muttered to herself, stroking her hair. Pepa exhaled softly and the clouds faded away completely.

"Wow... You're getting better at that." Julieta commented, her arms still crossed but her face softened.

"Thanks." Pepa replied. "Félix really helped. And the forest."

"Well... I'm glad you had a good time away." Julieta sighed, her words a little loaded.

"Sorry." Pepa muttered, glancing down at the tiles. She knew how much Julieta had needed her today.

Pepa felt a deep longing in that moment to run from the kitchen, to just take Félix's hand and run. She wanted to be back in the rainforest again, where nothing else mattered.

She shuddered, feeling guilty for wanting that. Stupid, selfish Pepa.

Bruno watched them sadly through the crack, putting a hand to the wall and wishing he could just go out there and hold them.

"I am glad Félix was there for you." Julieta said quietly, her voice genuine now. "Agustín helped me too. After everyone went to bed, he really listened. Once it was the two of us, we got to have a really good talk about Bruno, and-"

"We don't talk about Bruno!" Pepa frowned, her reaction almost automatic now. The clouds thundered again, and rain spilled down over them. Pepa blushed.

Julieta groaned.

"Can you just stop doing that?" She exclaimed.

"I can't help it!" Pepa cried in a distressed tone, tears forming in her eyes as she gestured up at her clouds. They poured harder, flooding the kitchen floor.

"I'm not talking about the clouds, Pepa!" Julieta spoke up over the rain. "I'm talking about you - Shutting me down every time I try to mention our brother."

Thunder cracked again at her words.

"Mamá gave you a new mantra," Julieta continued, her eyes pleading as she tried to get through to her. "And just like the last one, you're holding onto it like gospel - Clear skies, We don't talk about Bruno - can't you see what these words are doing to you?"

Pepa's eyes widened in anger, the room flashing as lightning sparked from her clouds and the wind began to swirl. Pepa glared at her sister.

"What is going on in here?!" Abuela spoke up suddenly from the doorway.

Both sisters turned quickly at the sound of their mamá's voice. The thunder and lightning immediately stopped, replaced by pattering rain.

"Pepa!" Abuela exclaimed.

Pepa flinched, but when she looked at Mamá's face she realised she wasn't being scolded.

"You came home." Abuela smiled softly, her eyes full of love. She came forward and gently pulled her daughter in for an embrace as she kissed her face.

Pepa sighed in relief. As her body relaxed, so did the rain. Julieta watched them quietly.

"My little Pepita... I was so worried for you."

"I'm sorry, Mamá." Pepa said quietly.

"Shh, I know, mija." Abuela said in a comforting tone. "I know... Just please, please never do that to us again."

Pepa nodded, burying her face against Abuela in shame.

"Now," Abuela sighed, looking around at the wet kitchen. "What's happened here?"

"I tried to talk about Bruno-" Julieta began.

"-Enough." Abuela interrupted quickly, her hands covering Pepa's ears protectively. She glanced up at her daughter's clouds in concern, before turning back to Julieta.

"That name has caused enough trouble for one day." Abuela whispered, gently stroking Pepa's hair. "Remember the rule, Julieta." Abuela's eyes watched her carefully. "We have that rule for a reason." She protectively kissed Pepa's head, then turned back to Julieta, her tone softer now. "It keeps our family safe. Can't you see what you are doing to your sister whenever you say that name?"

Julieta blinked quickly at her mamá's words. Her lip trembled and she tried to stop herself from crying as she hung her head in resignation.

"Oh, mija." Abuela said softly, reaching out and stroking Julieta's cheek. "You have had such a big day." She kissed Julieta's face.

Julieta didn't look up. Pepa glanced sadly at her sister from where Abuela held her, but she didn't speak either.

"Let's try to get some sleep." Abuela sighed to her daughters. "I think we will all feel better in the morning."

Bruno watched as the three of them left the kitchen together, staying very still as he continued to stare ahead. The rats tried to comfort him, but he didn't even notice them there.

He took a shaky breath, his arms slowly wrapping around himself. The rats crawled up along his back and onto his shoulders, all of them snuggling up against his face.

Bruno shuddered, continuing to stare ahead, his eyes blinking. He thought him leaving would make things easier for the family, but somehow he was still managing to cause trouble. He didn't even need to be in the same room as them to mess things up.

Try to get some sleep. Abuela's voice played over in Bruno's head. We will all feel better in the morning.

Bruno swallowed, nodding to himself. Ok, Mamá.

He turned away from the crack and slowly headed back to his bed.

The rats hid under the covers with Bruno, snuggling up against him as he silently cried himself to sleep.