It all happened when the triplets had just turned five.
Pepa and Bruno were screaming as they were playing catch, as well as the floor is lava, which meant they had to jump across all the furniture, balance on the railings and literally crawl up the walls to avoid the floor and each other.
They could only do it while their Mama was out shopping. Because if Alma had been here... she definitely wouldn't have allowed it.
Which was a great shame because they had a magic house that could move and change its walls, making the game even more fun.
"You can't catch me!" Bruno laughed loudly as he swung himself over the living room.
"I can too!" Pepa shouted after him.
"Don't get hurt!" Julieta shouted from down on the floor.
"AAARGH! Julieta, you're getting burned!" Bruno shouted.
"Huh?" Julieta blinked.
"Cause the floor is lava! How can you just stand there?" Bruno asked.
Julieta looked down at her feet that were standing on a very normal tiled floor. Then she looked up again at her two siblings who both seemed to have amazing physical abilities. Even for five year olds. "I don't think you should be swinging in the chandelier Bruno," she said.
"I am not Bruno!" Bruno exclaimed. "I am the amazing El Fox!" he shouted as he jumped and landed on his feet right at the top of the stairs. "Romantico extraordinary! Brave! Fighting against the evil Capitan and defending all the women!" he exclaimed as suddenly he grabbed Pepa's hand. Twirled her around in a dancing move and grabbed her again.
Only for Pepa to put a hand on Bruno's nose while shouting. "Tag you're it!"
Bruno's eyes widened in shock. Then he chuckled as he let go of his sister and they both laughed.
Julieta shook her head. "You watch too many Telenovelas Bruno."
"I told you I'm not Bruno! I am El Fox!" Bruno said.
"Oh so that's who you are today," Pepa smirked. "Wasn't it Senor Black Swan yesterday?"
"It's called acting. It's amazing. I can be whoever I want to be." Bruno said importantly. "And I don't have to wait for next week's episode to hit. I can make my own episodes."
"My brother. The next Telenova star." Pepa smirked as she leaned on Bruno with her arm.
"It could happen," Bruno stated and Julieta laughed as she approached her siblings. Then she stopped dead as she looked behind them.
"Julieta?" Pepa asked.
"Are you alright?" Bruno asked.
Then Julieta pointed at the wall behind them and then they turned around only to gape. They were all stunned silent.
"What." Bruno gaped. "What are those?"
"Well… it looks like doors." Pepa pointed. "But…"
Julieta swallowed. "They are glowing."
The three triplets glanced at each other. Then back up at the doors that had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere and now stood there, golden shapeless swirls dancing all across them.
"What do you think is in there?" Pepa whispered.
"Why don't you find out?" Bruno asked.
"Me!" Pepa exclaimed. "Why don't you?"
"You keep telling me I'm the youngest even though we are triplets!" Bruno pointed out.
"Yeah but you're the only boy! You need to protect your sisters!" Pepa said.
"That's sexist," Bruno replied.
Julieta shook her head then slowly stepped forward. Towards the middle door.
"Juli!" Bruno gasped and Julieta turned to look at him.
"Be… Be careful." Bruno asked and Julieta nodded as she turned back to the door, grabbed the handle and pulled… The door seemed to be locked. Or at least just shut tight.
Julieta hissed as she twisted and pulled on the door handle but it was hopelessly stuck and she let go.
Then Pepa and Bruno stepped forward to try the other two doors and the results were the same. Nothing. Then the triplets stepped back.
"Well… I guess it's just for decoration then." Bruno commented.
"Then what now?" Julieta asked and for a moment there was quiet.
Then suddenly Pepa shouted. "YOU'RE STILL IT!" She pushed Bruno so he fell down and then she just ran.
"PEPA!" Bruno shouted as he stumbled to his feet. "PEPA THAT'S CHEATING! COME BACK HERE!"
Julieta shook her head and waited for both of her siblings to end up like they usually did - with lots of scrapes and blue marks. She really wished there was more she could do for them than just… put on old bandaids.
Well… She might as well go pick up the first aid kit so she would be ready when inevitably one or both of her siblings fell down.
That was of course exactly how it turned out. As Alma returned from the market, two of her children were on the couch. With watery eyes. Bandaids on their knees. And big guilty eyes looking up at Alma.
Alma sighed deeply. "What did you do?" she asked.
Both Brunito and Pepita averted their eyes.
"Julieta?" Alma asked.
"Played tag inside," Julieta informed.
"It's raining outside!" Pepita defended herself. "And you said yourself we shouldn't play in the rain!… Even though playing in the rain is the best."
Bruno looked at her sister. "I guess we should have seen this coming huh."
"You know the rules," Alma said. "No rough playing inside! And what happens when you break that rule?"
Bruno grimaced.
"That's right," Alma said. "You are going to help me clean the house! And there won't be any more sweets until I say you are all done!"
With big wet eyes Bruno looked up at Alma. "That's not fair though!" he exclaimed. "It's true me and Pepa played tag. But Julieta didn't do anything."
Alma couldn't help it. She softened up as her heart melted at how her little Brunito would always stand up for his sisters when needed. "Thank you for telling me Brunito. Of course Julieta won't be punished. She did the right thing." she said.
Julieta blushed then quietly mouthed at Bruno. "Thank you." before looking up. "I can help though."
"You may if you want to," Alma said. "These two though…. I believe our entrance needs a good sweeping! And the panels should be dusted."
"Yes, Mama." Bruno and Pepa replied in unison with bowed heads, then they both looked up.
"Mama." Pepa said. "There's some weird doors up the stairs at the entrance."
"Huh?" Alma blinked.
"It's true Mama!" Bruno suddenly jumped up and grabbed Alma's hand. "Come see! You gotta come see!"
And suddenly all three children were ushering Alma up the stairs and true enough, there were three odd doors. They all seemed to have an odd golden glowing magic swirling all around them.
"What in the world?" Alma asked as Bruno moved closer to her, holding his mother's hand tightly.
"What do you think those are for?" Pepa asked.
"I don't know," Alma said. "This house was made by magic. Clearly there still are a lot of mysteries here."
"There are three doors." Pepa pointed out. "Maybe they are rooms. For the three of us!" she beamed. "We can finally each get our own room."
Bruno's eyes widened. "So we won't sleep together anymore?" he asked. He didn't sound like he liked that idea and Alma smiled, amused. Her triplets had only just turned five the other week. Surely they weren't too big to sleep together just yet.
"We can still sleep together if you want," Julieta said. Like always, looking out for her nervous brother.
Bruno looked at his sister. "I don't need to always sleep next to you," he said. "It's just… What if something happens? If you get hurt and I'm in another room?"
Julieta blinked. "Get hurt by what?"
"I don't know. Rats." Bruno said.
"There aren't rats inside of Casita, Bruno." Pepa lectured him. "Casita is a nice clean house. Isn't that right Mama?"
"Of course Mija," Alma replied. "Casita wouldn't let you get hurt. Casita has taken such good care of us. All of us."
"I wonder what those doors are though." Julieta tilted her head.
Alma looked at the doors… The swirling golden magic. Then she gasped. "The candle!"
"Mama?" Bruno asked as he tightened his hand around hers. He had yet to actually let go of it.
"That magic. It looks like the candle." Alma said.
"The candle in your room!" Pepa exclaimed and then suddenly rushed towards Alma's room.
"Hey! PEPITA!" Alma shouted. "DON'T TOUCH MY CANDLE!" she shouted and rushed after her. And since Bruno was still holding her tightly, the boy was pulled with her in a flurry.
"WOAAAH!" he shouted in surprise.
Julieta however shook her head in amusement then calmly followed her family into Alma's own bedroom.
