That night, Pepa was so excited about each of them now getting to sleep in their own rooms! She didn't even question it as she dashed off to her own after having wished everyone goodnight.
Bruno… didn't feel quite the same. In his five years alive he had never spent a night alone before. They had always slept together in the nursery.
Mama said they were growing up now and that's why it was time they became more responsible. So they had to think before they acted. Help out when it was needed. And they were big enough to know that when they broke the rules of the house, there would be punishments.
But she had still put him to bed and tucked him in like she always would. That hadn't changed.
Still though, that didn't change that Bruno felt very… very small in his big new room.
The bed was huge. It seemed to almost swallow Bruno whole when he sat in it. The floor was covered in sand.
That Bruno didn't mind. The sand was so incredibly soft, and it tickled his toes as he buried his feet in it. As he tried to pick up a handful of sand it gently and softly fell through his fingers... Again he noted just how soft it was.
Why sand though? That was Bruno's big question.
The field made sense for Pepa. She loved the outdoors more than anything and preferred running barefoot across the grass when she could get away with it.
Julieta had always loved cooking. First helping Mama cook. Then experimenting on her own… Which often lead to disasters.
It was only very recently that Alma had dared to let Julieta cook unsupervised… mostly… only when making recipes Alma had already taught her and seen her do properly on her own. Julieta had talent but she was only five.
The sounds of the sands slowly falling made Bruno gulp. It seemed to echo and he was… all alone in here.
Then suddenly there was a knock at the door and Bruno gasped as he looked up. There was another knock and Bruno jumped off the bed to rush to the door and open it up.
To see Julieta standing there with a small smile on her face.
"Ju-Juli" Bruno blinked.
Julieta smiled. "I was just checking the nursery before going to bed. You know, to see if we forgot something. Bruno you forgot Oscar!" she said holding up a big green stuffed toy that looked like a cross between a mouse and a bear.
And Bruno gasped as he snatched away his stuffed toy and clutched it tight. "Oscar!" he gasped.
Julieta smiled amusedly and Bruno looked up at her.
"Thank you." He whispered.
"Are you okay in there?" Julieta asked.
Slowly Bruno nodded. "Yes… I mean. It's big. But… Pepa seems fine with hers, so..." he looked over his shoulder at his room.
Julieta looked at it too. "Why do you think your room is like this?" she asked.
Bruno shrugged. "I don't know."
"I mean… Pepa really likes being outside. And I like cooking. I never knew you liked sand this much Bruno." Julieta commented.
"I mean it's fine but…" Bruno looked around. "Yeah I don't know." he shrugged.
And then Julieta stepped into the room to look around again with him. At the stone walls. The gems glistened and sparkled and then there was the second big circular room that seemed to have… nothing in it. Except for all the sand of course.
"Maybe it's a stage?" Julieta commented. "You like acting out scenes from Telenovelas and playing the characters, and erhm. Making up new stories and predicting what's going to happen next week."
"I don't only watch Telenovelas." Bruno objected while clutching Oscar closer.
"You like helping Mama when she helps the townspeople." Julieta then contemplated. "And playing with Pepa… And climbing things." she looked up. "I don't think you can climb those walls."
Bruno exhaled deeply. "I guess we'll figure it out. Like with your healing food," he said. "That's... really amazing by the way."
And Julieta smiled. "Yeah. I can help so many people now! And you! When you get hurt! That's so much better than bandaids!"
Bruno smiled as he nodded. And then he shook his head. "You should go back to bed. Mama gets mad when we stay up late."
Julieta halted as she looked at her brother. "Will you be okay in here?" she asked.
Bruno hesitated a bit and then nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Julieta asked and Bruno clutched Oscar even tighter.
"Uhu." Bruno nodded and then Julieta rushed over to give Bruno a hug and she grinned.
"Sweet dreams Hermano." Julita beamed as she gave him a final squish and let go. Rushing back towards the door only for Bruno to call out.
"Juli!"
And Julieta turned around to look at her brother just standing there all alone with his green stuffed toy.
"Thank you," Bruno whispered. "For erhm… checking on me."
And Julieta smiled. "Of course, I'll check on you! You're the best brother I have!" she beamed making Bruno smile back at her and finally she left and Bruno was left standing with his stuffed toy.
His room was still big. It was still rather empty in here but… It didn't feel so lonely anymore. And finally, Bruno crawled back into bed. Now with a stuffed toy he could hold tight while he snuggled under the blankets. And then finally he went to sleep.
