Chapter 30
31 years before Encanto
"Hola Casita!"
Pepa waved at the entryway as she skipped inside, the tiles waving back. She heard her family's voices coming from the sitting room, so she headed over.
Julieta came in from the kitchen at the same time, holding hot chocolate and arepas in her hands.
"Hey! Welcome home." Julieta smiled, setting the pot and plate down where Mamá and Bruno were sitting. "Your timing's great. I just made chocolate santafereño."
Pepa smiled back at Julieta, remembering how proud Félix's Pá had been of him cooking the fish. Pepa wanted to share that love with her sister.
"Look at you, hermana!" Pepa approached Julieta, putting her hands to her sister's cheeks and squishing them affectionately. "I'm so proud of you." She spoke in a loving voice as she recited Pá's words. "Feeding our family, hm? What would we do without you?"
Julieta stared back in surprise.
"Who's this?" Bruno laughed in disbelief. "What has she done with Pepa?"
"Whoever she is, perhaps she can tell us where Pepa has been all day and night." Alma sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "Why she missed lunch, siesta, dinner..."
Pepa exhaled in a puff and let Julieta go, the cloud over her head expressing her disappointment. Pepa couldn't do anything right.
She turned to her Mamá, but before she could say anything, Julieta hugged her. Pepa looked back in surprise.
"Thank you, Pepi." Julieta's voice was genuine. She closed her eyes and smiled, holding Pepa tight. "That really meant a lot to me."
The cloud disappeared as Pepa smiled too.
Bruno and Alma glanced at eachother, realising they'd messed up. They tried again.
"Yeah, dinner was really good, sis." Bruno spoke up, following Pepa's lead. "And lunch too, que bueno! Thanks for making all that food for us."
"You make our family proud, Julieta." Alma smiled. "You always do so much for us."
Pepa felt Julieta squeeze her tighter, smiling at her gratefully before turning to the others. "It's no problem." Julieta's face was glowing a little. "I like to help."
Julieta took Pepa's hand and led her over to sit with the others, as Alma poured them all cups of hot chocolate. Julieta sat close to Pepa, leaning into her shoulder.
"I like seeing you guys so happy." Bruno smiled at his sisters.
"We all do." Alma agreed, reaching over and pinching Pepa's cheek as she groaned. Alma chuckled.
"Now, before anything else. Where did you get these earrings, Pepa?" Alma asked, examining one of them with her hand. "This is real gold. You know that?"
A rainbow appeared over Pepa's head at the mention of the earrings. She smiled brightly at her Mamá, the excitement from earlier returning to her face.
"It's from Félix's family," Pepa beamed, taking an excited breath as she looked at them all. "And they like me. Do you believe that? It so was fun. We danced champeta, and we ate grilled fish for lunch, and carimañola and suero for dinner. And his nieces and nephews made drawings of me." Pepa hesitated, her eyes softening. "Mamá. How do I talk to children?"
"Dios mio." Alma chuckled in surprise.
Pepa watched her with a hopeful expression.
Alma stroked Pepa's face, suddenly feeling very aware of how fast her triplets were growing up.
"Well..." She began, "You just need to remember that you were once a child too, Pepa." Alma smiled. "And even though you're older now, that little girl is still in you. How would she like to be spoken to?"
Pepa flinched at the question, a cloud appearing over her head. She hated herself as a child. Just the thought of it made her chest tighten. She'd ruined everything, so many emotions and so little control. Pepa had been glad to grow up and leave that little girl behind.
"Hey. Kids are fun, sis." Bruno encouraged. "You can be silly and they won't judge you."
Pepa's cloud thundered as she remembered the kids who'd hurt them when they were little. She turned to Bruno with a strained expression.
Bruno's eyes softened as he remembered too, but he pushed it aside, determined to help his sister.
"It's different when you're an adult, Pepi." Bruno smiled. "Trust me. They look up to you... Like those kids in town, eh? They love my rat shows. And they're never scared of me, or think I'm gonna bring down some prophecy." Bruno held Pepa's hand, his voice genuine. "All you gotta do is be yourself."
"And it sounds like they already like you." Julieta added in encouragement.
Pepa sighed uncomfortably.
"Well, I think this is just great." Alma beamed, stroking Pepa's hair. "I'm glad you are thinking of this, Pepa. Because you know, one day, you'll be sitting in this room with your own children. You all will."
Pepa's cloud thundered again. Bruno coughed, choking on his hot chocolate. Julieta grinned at their reactions.
"Oh, it's fine!" Alma laughed. "It's a part of life. You know, I didn't think I'd have three children, and certainly not all at once. But... Here we are."
Alma looked at them and sighed. Her eyes became nostalgic as she turned to Pepa.
"You know," She smiled. "The way you are with Félix, it reminds me a lot of myself when I first met your Papá."
"Mamá!" Pepa groaned in discomfort.
Alma laughed.
"It's a good thing!" She insisted. "Pedro made a big difference in my life, Pepa. And it is beautiful to see the same thing happening for my daughter."
Alma stroked Pepa's hair, her eyes warm. She didn't notice the uncomfortable shift in Julieta's body language.
"You have found love, mija." Alma smiled at Pepa. "And I am so happy for you."
Pepa held her breath. Mamá had that same proud expression she'd had at the party.
She watched her Mamá with bright eyes, hoping to never forget what this moment felt like. She wanted to hold onto it forever.
"Now, we just need to find someone for our Brunito and Julieta, hm?" Alma added with a chuckle.
There was a loud bang and clattering sound as Julieta pushed the pot of hot chocolate over. It splashed over Mamá's face and dress, some of it hitting her siblings as it spilled to the floor.
"Julieta!" Alma exclaimed, turning to her daughter in disbelief. "What are you doing?!"
Julieta stared back at Mamá, her eyes gleaming with hurt. She turned and left the room.
Bruno and Pepa looked at eachother in shock. They'd never seen Julieta do something like that before. They hurried after her.
"I don't want to talk right now." Julieta repeated in a strained voice as her siblings continued to follow her up the stairs. "I'm happy for you Pepa. I really am."
She walked faster, trying to shake them off. When they didn't give up Julieta sighed heavily.
"Look," she spoke carefully. "I don't want to take away from your happiness with what I'm feeling right now, ok? So please... Just go. I need time alone."
"We can talk to Mamá." Pepa offered.
"We've talked to Mamá." Julieta sighed, her voice hard and bitter with resentment. "So many times."
"We can try again." Bruno's voice was hopeful. "Time's passed now, sis. And she said yes to Félix... Maybe she's softening up over the years."
Julieta took a deep breath and exhaled. She reached her bedroom door and turned back to them, her eyes filled with pain. "Please." Julieta took a shaky breath. "I don't feel good, ok? I need you both to go, before I say something I don't mean."
Julieta shut the door behind her, leaving Pepa and Bruno to stand there in silence.
Pepa stared ahead at the glowing picture of Julieta, a grey cloud forming over it as rain began to pour. Pepa watched the droplets run down the door, her heart heavy with guilt. She wondered how long Julieta had been holding all this in.
Bruno reached over and wiped some of the spilt chocolate from Pepa's face. She turned to him.
"Things aren't gonna change, sis," Bruno whispered, feeding the chocolate to a rat on his shoulder. "Not unless we do something about it." He glanced at back Julieta's door. "She's always helping everyone else... I think it's about time somebody helped her."
The next day
Félix awoke to the smell of coffee.
He opened his eyes, wincing at the sudden light. Ay... Why is it so bright in here?
Shielding his face from the sun, Félix gasped as he saw Pepa sitting at the end of his bed, her back against the window.
"Buenos días." Pepa smiled. She held two cups of coffee in her hands. The sun shone bright behind her.
"Amor?" He laughed in disbelief, sitting up as Pepa handed him a coffee.
"Drink up." She grinned, clinking their cups. "We have work to do."
As Pepa took a sip of her own coffee, the sun behind her became even brighter. The light illuminated up her silhouette and Félix squinted.
"Come away from that window, mi vida." Félix laughed, beckoning her. "I feel like I'm talking to Madre María."
Pepa grinned, shuffling in closer to him. She leaned into his chest and Félix wrapped an arm around her, hugging her tight in excitement.
"Cuidado, cuidado!" Pepa laughed as her coffee sloshed around with his movements.
"Ups, sorry Pepi." Félix laughed too, kissing her face. "It's just so nice to wake up to you."
Pepa rubbed her nose against his, her eyes full of love. She then took another sip of coffee and Félix winced at the intense burst of sunlight that came in through the window.
"I can wake you like this tomorrow, if you like?" Pepa offered with a smile, her fingers stroking through Félix's hair. "I like visiting here. Pá made me arepas de huevo while you were sleeping."
Félix smiled back. He loved hearing that. In such a short time, Pepa had gone from being too afraid to even see his Pá to having breakfast with him.
"We could start every day like this. Hm?" She brought the coffee cup to her mouth. Félix shielded his face in anticipation.
Noticing his reaction, Pepa glanced over her shoulder at the glowing window, then back to her coffee.
Pepa shrugged, taking another sip. "I will get you curtains."
Later
The air was filled with the smells of flowers and buzzing of bees as they sat in Agustín's garden together.
Bruno sat beside Agustín, while Pepa sat in Félix's lap, drinking aguapanela that Agustin had served up.
"Win over your Mamá?" Agustín shook his head in disbelief. "We tried that, remember?" He cringed at the memories.
"But this time is different." Pepa encouraged.
"Yeah." Bruno agreed. "Because this time, we have have him," He pointed his thumb at Félix, "Someone who's already made it past the gates."
"The gates?" Félix chuckled in amusement.
"You did something to our Mamá," Bruno continued. "She never likes anyone, but you got through. So tell us... How did you do it?"
Félix's hand played with Pepa's hair as he thought about it.
"Well..." He began, "I respected your mamá. Tried to connect with her." Félix thought about it some more, then smiled. "But I think in the end it wasn't me that changed her mind at all." He turned to Pepa. "It was you."
Pepa looked surprised. "Me?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "When she was coming to the door that first time, she was ready to send me away. I could see it in her eyes. But then she saw how happy you were, and she changed her mind."
"So... I need to make Pepa happy?" Agustín asked in confusion.
"Julieta." Bruno corrected him, snapping his fingers. "Keep up."
"If Señora sees how happy you make her daughter, that could open her eyes." Félix explained.
Agustin gulped. "How do I do that?"
"C'mon man, she's your chica." Félix chuckled. "You gotta know what makes her happy... What goes straight to Julieta's heart?"
"Food." All three of them replied at once, then laughed.
"Alright," Félix laughed too. "So you make her some food. A dish that means something to you."
"Your Abuela's Ajiaco." Bruno spoke up brightly, nudging Agustín with his elbow. "Eh?"
Agustín chuckled nervously, adjusting his glasses.
"What is it?" Félix asked.
"Agustín can't cook." Pepa replied a flat tone. "He burns the food... and himself."
"You're one to speak, Pepa!" Agustín shot back. "I choked on your arepas."
A cloud thundered as Pepa's eyes widened.
"Last time I saw you cook," Bruno reminded Agustín, "You were on fire."
"No me diga!" Pepa burst into laughter. "You see?"
"One time!" Agustín exclaimed in exasperation, waving a finger, "It was one time!" He looked around as everyone started laughing. Agustín frowned, crossing his arms. "You know, this is starting to feel like the opposite of help."
"Sorry," Félix grinned, composing himself. "So cooking is Julieta's strength... I think give it a go. Shows you care about her interests."
Agustín sighed, reaching for one of the herbs in his garden and examining it's leaves. "The guasca is looking good. I guess I could put together some Ajiaco." He exhaled.
"You know... you could always play to your own strengths." Bruno suggested.
"You could do a fire show." Pepa called out. Félix squeezed her and she grinned.
"Your music." Bruno insisted, gesturing towards the sound of Agustín's parents practising piano inside. "Julieta loves your music. That's something you're really good at."
Agustín hesitated.
"It's not gonna be enough." His face fell in resignation. "Im not like you guys. I don't have anything... Miraculous to offer her. I'm just gonna be sitting there, surrounded by the exceptional, and I'm just gonna be..." Agustín searched for the words.
"Un-ceptional?" Bruno offered.
"Yeah." Agustín sighed. "That's the one."
Pepa watched in surprise. She couldn't imagine a normal person wanting the clouds. He didn't realise how good he had it.
Bruno put a reassuring hand to Agustín's shoulder.
"Well, you know what? Having a gift..." Bruno shook his head. "It ain't all it's cracked up to be." He chuckled. "When I think of the magic in my life, I don't think of my visions. And I'm pretty sure Pepa' doesn't think of her clouds."
Pepa sighed in agreement. Félix held her close.
"When I think of magic..." Bruno continued, "I think of the fun times I've had with the people I care about. People like you."
Agustín's face softened at his words.
"Like, remember when we climbed the church tower and rang the bell?" Bruno smiled, his eyes bright. "And when we went inside it and our voices went all echoey?"
"Yes!" Agustín grinned at the memory. "Then I slipped and you had to carry me back down to Julieta for healing." He laughed. "Remember that?"
"Yeah, I remember." Bruno laughed too. "Or that time we snuck out to watch you play music, and you rode the horse to help us get back home in time?"
"Three for luck." Pepa grinned, also remembering.
Bruno looked at Agustín nostaglically. "You know, I never had any real friends. No one who really accepted me for who I was... Not until I met you." He smiled at Agustín, then turned to Félix. "And you."
Félix looked back at Bruno in surprise.
Pepa nodded in agreement, a cloud forming over her head as she held Félix tight. "You changed everything for us, Amor." She smiled at him, her eyes filled with sincerity.
Bruno smiled too, then turned back to Agustín.
"The real gift, it doesn't come from a candle..." Bruno said, pointing to Agustín's chest. "It comes from you."
Agustín took a shaky breath.
"So, trust me." Bruno took his hand. "You got this."
"And no matter how it goes," Félix added, putting his hand over the top of theirs. "We're in this together."
"Amigos." Pepa grinned, putting her hand on too.
Agustín blinked back tears of gratitude.
"Amigos." He nodded in agreement.
