Chapter 27
Two years after Bruno left
3 years before Encanto
"Mami, look!" Antonio called out playfully.
Pepa came over with a smile, but stopped as she saw what he was doing.
Antonio held a rat in his hands, snuggling against it and petting its fur. Pepa watched quietly.
"Look!" Antonio repeated with a laugh, holding the rat up for Pepa to see. His eyes were bright with wonder.
Pepa put on a brave face and smiled back at Antonio in encouragement. A couple raindrops started to fall around her as she felt her chest tighten.
Antonio giggled, rolling onto his back and holding the rat up. The rain didn't bother Antonio, it was just a normal part of his life.
He kissed the rat and Pepa took a shaky breath. She closed her eyes and swallowed as tears began to run down her face.
It's just Tonito. She told herself. Everything is ok. Clear skies. It's just Tonito. Clear skies. Don't let it rain.
Pepa took a shuddering breath as above her the clouds thundered.
Shh, Pepa. Clear skies. Don't rain.
Antonio turned in curiosity at the sound, looking up at the clouds as more raindrops began to fall.
"Mami sad?" He asked.
Pepa nodded, opening her eyes again and shuddering as she saw Antonio still holding the rat. Pepa took a deep breath. She had to hold it in. She couldn't hurt him.
Antonio came closer to his mamá, and Pepa flinched. Antonio stopped curiously, watching as the clouds thundered again.
"Door." Antonio called out in a soft voice, still watching his Mama. He knew his sister would hear him. "Door."
Dolores entered the room and hummed softly as she saw Pepa in distress, the thundering cloud floating above her and Antonio, who smiled as he saw her arrive.
She hurried over to Mamá, looking into her eyes with concern. She could hear her Mamá's quick heartbeat and felt her worry in the wind around them.
"What do you need?" Dolores asked softly.
Pepa shuddered and closed her eyes, swallowing as she silently gestured to Antonio. Dolores nodded, turning to Antonio, who was looking up at Mamá's clouds in wonder.
"Time to go, hm?" Dolores smiled, putting her arms around Antonio and carrying him from the room.
"Door, look." Antonio said in a bright voice, smiling as he held up the rat for Dolores. "See?"
"Hm," Dolores smiled back knowingly, kissing Antonio's forehead as they walked. "I do see."
The moment Antonio was gone from the room, the rain poured to the floor.
"Is Mamá ok?" Camilo asked Dolores as she passed him in the hall, having heard the sounds of thunder.
Dolores quickly shook her head with a soft hum. Her eyes were concerned as they met Camilo's, before smiling gently at Antonio, listening as he continued to tell her about his rat on their way to the nursery.
Camilo hurried through the casita to find Pepa on the kitchen floor. The casita had moved the table over to shelter Pepa from the rain as she lay there, her hands pressed against her head and her eyes closed. Camilo looked up at the clouds. There was no thunder or lightning, just rain.
Camilo crawled under the table and lay next to his Mamá on the floor, watching in concern as tears ran silently down her face.
He gently ran a finger along her nose, and she opened her eyes, looking back at him sadly.
"Do you want Papá?" Camilo smiled comfortingly, his form changing into Félix. He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.
Pepa smiled, her hand reaching over and brushing Camilo's hair from his face as she watched him. She shook her head.
"Do you want Tía?" He tried again, this time turning into Julieta. He took Pepa's hand in his. "Oh, hermana. Let me heal you... With my love!" He rubbed his face playfully against Pepa's hand as she giggled.
He grinned, then changed into Agustín. He smacked himself in the face, feigning injury. "Ow, my face! Julieta, I've done it again!"
Camilo then switched back into Julieta, sighing and shaking his head. "Ah dios, Agustín... What ever will I do with you?"
Pepa covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed. She watched Camilo with bright eyes.
Camilo grinned again, this time turning into Isabela. He propped his elbow up and rested his head against his hand, "It's just so hard being this beautiful." He sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes. "It's a heavy crown, Tía." He then waved his hands gracefully as he announced, "Did somebody say... Flowers?" He made kissing sounds and flicked back his long hair.
Pepa rolled onto her back and laughed, then turned to face Camilo, putting a hand to his face as she grinned. "You are so funny, Cielo."
"Is that who you wanted, Mami?" He grinned back, still in the form of Isabela. "You wanted Isa?"
Pepa shook her head with a smile.
"Then who?" He grinned. "Abuela?"
"Don't!" Pepa said a little too quickly, then laughed at her own reaction. "Not my Mamá, please." Camilo laughed too, making Isabela's hair slowly turn grey and her face become older.
Pepa groaned playfully, covering up his face with her hands until he changed back into himself.
"Who do you want, Mami?" Camilo asked kindly.
Pepa looked at him with warm loving eyes and sat up. Camilo sat up too, watching her.
She patted her chest, gesturing for him to come closer, and as he did she wrapped him into a hug.
Pepa rested her head against his. Camilo relaxed in her arms, noticing the rain around them had stopped falling.
"Mami?" Cami repeated with a smile. "You didn't tell me who you want next."
"Just you, cariño." Pepa kissed his face, cuddling him tight. "I just want you."
Later
Julieta came into the kitchen to make dinner and promptly banged her legs against the table which had been moved from it's usual spot, her feet slipping in rainwater as she fell to the tiles with a wet smack.
She groaned, slowly rolling to her back and staring up at the dripping ceiling.
"Pepa!" She called out in frustration. "Clean up your floods!"
Julieta exhaled as she got back up, using the table for support as she hobbled her way to the kitchen bench. She searched for the stash of arepas con queso she usually had sitting there, but the basket was empty.
"Ah, dios." She sighed in exasperation.
The basket shook a little, and Julieta frowned. She lifted the basket to reveal a fat rat hiding behind it, chomping down the last of her arepas.
"Ay!" Julieta exclaimed, attempting to catch the rat as it slipped through her fingers and raced along the bench. It leapt to the floor and escaped out the kitchen door, narrowly missing the basket Julieta threw after it.
"Freeloader!" Julieta called out.
She turned back to the kitchen and leaned against the bench with a groan. The rats just made her so angry.
Julieta exhaled slowly, trying to find a calm space in her mind. Forget the rats. It's fine.
She decided to get started on dinner. Cooking always made her feel better. She looked down at the dripping wet bench she was leaning against and sighed. Ay. Guess she better start by cleaning up.
Shaking water from her hands and wiping them against her dress, Julieta limped over to the cupboard and grabbed a cloth to dry the bench.
As Julieta prepared dinner, she boiled herself some coffee. She watched the black water bubbling and breathed in the bitter smell with a sigh of relief, before turning back to the cutting board.
"At least you guys are having a good night." She glanced up at Isabela and Agustín's plants that hung from the ceilings and walls, their leaves lush and green thanks to Pepa insisting on using her kitchen as an indoor swimming pool.
Julieta shook her head to herself. That was a bit mean. She probably shouldn't make jokes like that, even in her head. It might've been something serious. Julieta glanced up at the ceiling in curiosity as she cut up the food. Maybe she could check in with Pepa about it over dinner.
Julieta went to the cupboard to get a cup for her coffee, then gasped. All the cups were gone.
Who keeps taking them? She wondered. This had been going on for years now. The plates and cups slowly disappear, and then after a couple of weeks, or if Julieta made a scene, they'd all sporadically reappear in the middle of the night, a big mouldy pile waiting in the sink for Julieta to clean in the morning.
Julieta took one of Isabela's empty flowerpots and filled it up with coffee, taking a sip. She sighed in relief as her drink healed her. The stiffness from her fall went away and she suddenly felt a lot better.
The pan sizzled and smelt just about ready. Julieta smiled, heading over to get the plates. She opened the cupboard. Empty.
"Ah, c'mon!" She threw her arms up in frustration, turning away from the cupboard with a groan. She paused as she noticed the rats had returned, teaming up as they tried to reach into her pan and steal the food.
"Hey!" Julieta scolded, chasing them from the pan and across the kitchen. "Get outta here! I mean it, I've had enough of you! Get OUT!"
The rats made a sharp turn as they escaped from Julieta, and as she tried to follow her feet slipped again on the wet tiles. She whimpered in fear as she fell forward, but stopped, her face inches from the floor as someone caught her.
"Woah. Careful, Mamá." Luisa chuckled, holding her Mamá in strong but gentle hands. She lifted Julieta back up and set her to her feet and smiled. Julieta smiled too, putting a hand up to her daughter's cheek in gratitude.
"What's all this shouting, Mamá?" Isabela asked curiously as she entered the kitchen, looking around at the dripping room. She nodded in approval as she noticed that her plants were thriving.
"Need a hand, Mamá?" Mirabel grinned, sliding along the wet tiles and skidding to a stop in front of Julieta, splashing a little water on Isabela as she did so.
Isabela rolled her eyes.
Julieta giggled. "Come here, mija." She wiped the water from Isabela, then smiled at her three daughters.
"Right," Mirabel began as she looked around. "Someone needs to be on floor duty, probably Isa-"
"You." Isabela interrupted.
"Me." Mirabel continued in a strained voice, "Then someone needs to put the table back-"
"On it!" There was a loud thud as Luisa set the table down with one hand and a smile.
"Great!" Mirabel grinned. "Then someone needs to take care of the rats. And since she doesn't have a job yet, that'd be-"
"You." Isabela interrupted again, watching her sister with a mean smile.
"Also me." Mirabel continued through gritted teeth, her eye twitching a little.
"Hijas, please." Julieta laughed, gathering them all in close. "Just having you here with me is more than enough."
The three of them smiled as Julieta hugged them close.
"Did you find your plates yet, Mamá?" Isabela asked.
"Ay." Julieta threw her head back in exasperation. "That's right. We have no more plates."
All three girls spoke up, trying to help.
"I got it," Mirabel grinned. "I'll go get my crafts, and we can all make our own personalised plates!"
"Or I could run to the store and get some more plates." Luisa suggested. "And if the store is closed then I could go and get some rocks, and smash them into plates." Luisa smiled, hitting her fist against her palm as Mirabel grimaced. "Or if we don't wanna eat off the rocks, I could go and ask the townsfolk if we could use the donkey's bowls, because there's so many donkeys, and-"
"You're both making this so complicated, when the solution is simple." Isabela interrupted confidently. "All we need are some banana leaves."
"Banana leaves?" Mirabel frowned.
Isabela waved her hand gracefully and a pile of large flat leaves appeared in her hand. "Like I said," She smiled, her eyes narrowing a little at Mirabel. "Banana leaves."
They all turned to Julieta, who smiled at her daughters, feeling grateful for how much they cared.
"I think I like all three ideas." She decided. "Let's do them all, then we can have a mix of plates to choose from."
Luisa and Mirabel grinned, while Isabela just sighed.
Later
Bruno lay in his reclined armchair with his rats, staring up at the ceiling and muttering to himself. He'd been in his head most of the night, after spending too much of the day being present. He'd seen both of his sisters have a bad time through the crack in the kitchen wall, and he couldn't help but suspect it'd had something to do with him.
"We need more spackle!" Jorge spoke up, lifting a finger to emphasise his point.
"We don't." Bruno replied casually.
"Your sisters are in trouble!" Hernando announced. "We must go to them!"
"And what, give 'em a heart attack?" Bruno chuckled. "I don't think so."
"My name is Jorge and I live in your walls!" Jorge added helpfully.
"Exactly." Bruno agreed. "They're not gonna like it, no matter what I do. So I say we just kick back and enjoy a good old siesta."
"We mustn't give up!" Hernando insisted. "We must persevere. Friends don't give up. Family does not give up."
"Ay, I think you're hanging out with the wrong friends then." Bruno chuckled, resting his head in his hands, "Because this is me, giving up." He closed his eyes. "Night, guys."
"Goodnight."
"Night."
There was a moment of silence, then Hernando spoke again. "I think I hear something."
Bruno groaned and rolled over. "C'mon, Hernando. Can't a guy get a little shut eye?"
"It's a damsel in distress!" Hernando insisted.
"Uh-Uh." Bruno shook his head. "I've had enough damsels in distress for one day... Night, guys."
He lay there in silence for a little longer, then turned as he did indeed hear someone in the kitchen. He sighed in resignation, heading over to the crack to investigate.
"Your flowers are beauty, your movements are grace. My heart went still the first time I saw your face."
Dolores rolled her eyes as she sat in the kitchen and listened, her head resting against her hand.
Mariano's poetry had really taken a turn for the worse since his betroval to Isabela. It'd taken Dolores a long time to finally get to the point where she was ready to leave her room at night to hear it for herself, and now she was here she wished she hadn't have bothered.
"The pain's a rose thorn each time we are apart,"
Dolores leant back in the kichen chair and sighed, staring up at the ceiling.
"My Isabela you have have perfection right down to an art."
Dolores got up, heading over to the window and closing it abruptly. She was still able to hear Mariano through the window, but she'd wanted to make a point.
Turning and heading back through the kitchen, Dolores covered her ears. Mariano's poetry became muffled, but it didn't block out another another, louder voice which began to speak over the top of Mariano's.
"Rats smell bad. Don't be sad. Come in here and we'll laugh it off. Ah, sorry. Wasn't sure how to rhyme that last line."
Dolores smiled, comforted by the sound of Bruno's voice coming from the other side of the kitchen wall.
"I got snacks... Eh?" Bruno called out to her in an enticing voice. "Come on in. But be quick, show's about to start."
Dolores entered the secret room and Bruno grinned at her, making a grand gesture towards his armchair in invitation. Dolores squeaked softly, smiling as she approached. The old armchair creaked as she sat down and several rats crawled out of it, scrambling away.
Bruno made his way over to a little makeshift stage he'd created, singing out a chorus of trumpets and guitar sounds with his mouth as he walked over, dramatically picking up rats as he went. Dolores put a hand over her mouth and laughed as she watched him.
Near Bruno's stage, Dolores recognised piles of plates and cups stacked up against the wall that Tía Julieta had been frustratedly searching for the past couple of weeks. She squeaked, but didn't say anything.
Dolores watched the show in amusement, then hummed softly as she recognised one of the rats.
"That's Tonito's rat." She spoke up in a bright voice.
Bruno shone a lamp at her abruptly, like an theatre usher. "Shhhh," He whispered in a hushed tone. "Señorita, please refrain from speaking during the performance. You are spoiling the experience for the other patrons."
Dolores glanced around the empty room, then back to Bruno.
"Good point." He chuckled, putting the lamp back down and sitting against the stage, listening to what Dolores had to say. "So the rats are making new friends, huh?"
Dolores smiled and nodded.
"Well," He smiled back. "Your little bro must be a nice guy then. Because you know, these guys," He pointed a thumb back at the rats, who paused from washing themselves against Bruno's toothbrush to look over, "Well, they don't just trust anyone. They trust nice guys." He smiled, then noticing Dolores he quickly added, "And girls. Nice people." He grinned. "Like you."
"And you." Dolores smiled back.
Bruno laughed hesitantly.
"So, ah, did you enjoy the play?" He smiled. "Sorry it ended so quickly. Rude patron caused a scene in the front row."
Dolores giggled. "Yes, I did." She smiled at him. "The play was good. I'm used to hearing it, but I've never actually seen it with my eyes." She glanced at the lacklustre, underwhelming stage. "It was... well,"
"Say it, kid." He chuckled.
"It could use a little more..." She searched for the right word, then hummed knowingly. "Spackle." She smiled at him.
"Say no more!" Bruno grinned, shoving a bucket down over his head and gathering up papers and art supplies he'd accumulated over the years, laying them out over the table.
"Let's make this show really shine!" Bruno's echoey voice called out from under the bucket as Dolores smiled. She joined him at the table, the two of them laughing and collaborating ideas as they drew backdrops together for his stage.
By the end of the night they had several sets ready to go - gameshow, sports and telenovelas, all with little holes cut out for the rats' faces to go through.
