At age 13…. Bruno was not in a happy mood.
His two sisters had both hit a growth spurt at exactly the same time. And Bruno had not. What he did have though was a voice that was acting really weird and he couldn't always control.
"How is it going little brother." Pepa would tease and she was now about half a head taller than Bruno.
"We are triplets!" Bruno pointed out deeply annoyed.
"Yeah, but you were born last. Mama says so!" Pepa grinned.
"If we go by this you're Julietas little sister! She was born first!" Bruno proclaimed.
"Which still makes you the little brother. Little Brother." Pepa grinned.
Amused Julieta shook her head from her seat where she was just casually peeling tangerines for tonight's dessert.
"I am going to be taller than you eventually you know!" Bruno exclaimed. "Boys have their growth spurt later and then become taller than the girls! Everyone knows that!"
"Are you then going to have a big bushy beard too?" Pepa asked.
"No!" Bruno exclaimed and then suddenly his voice cracked and became a high pitch tone as he squealed and held his hands over his own mouth which only made it worse making all kinds of weird sounds come out of Bruno's mouth and Pepa laughed loudly as she fell down on the floor.
Bruno fumed… Sometimes it was not easy being the only boy in the house!
It hadn't really mattered when they were smaller and Bruno hadn't even thought much about it then. But right now there was a lot of stuff happening and Bruno had no one to ask about it!
The people in town were of course always very nice and helpful to the family. But it felt really… really awkward having to ask old Mr. Garzia about why he would sometimes wake up with a…. surprise down between his legs.
There was no way. Absolutely no way on hell or earth Bruno was going to ask his Mama and certainly not indulge his siblings about any of this! No way!
Some things couldn't be hidden though… Like the sweating, the red blemishes on his skin, and of course… The stupid voice that would crack and mess things up.
This sucked!
"I am going to be taller than you!" Bruno insisted.
"I'm sure you are," Pepa smirked.
"I am!" Bruno said.
"How do you know? Have you looked into the future about it?" Pepa asked.
"No… But I could!" Bruno said and Pepa gasped.
"Yes! LET'S DO IT!" She cheered with her arms up in the air. "It has been so long since you read any of our futures!"
Bruno halted for a bit then shrugged. "Fine," he said. At least that would wipe the stupid grin of Pepa's face when she could see for herself.
And thus the triplets went to Bruno's room to see him make his prophecy and… Bruno was not amused… He was definitely not amused.
Bruno was now holding another jade slab in his hand. It was of the three of them now all grown up. Bruno in the middle and his two sisters on each of his side and…
While his sisters seemed to be the exact same height. The adult Bruno seemed to be one or two inches shorter than them.
…. It wasn't a lot shorter than them. Not as much as it was now… But it was shorter. And Bruno groaned as he closed his eyes.
He really should have known better than read his own future at this point. People usually got pretty disappointed with these kinds of prophecies… Maybe he should have knocked a bit harder on the floor?
"Oh my god!" Pepa gasped. "I LOVE THIS ONE!" she shouted as she snatched it out of Bruno's hands and held it up. "Look at that!"
Bruno sighed inwardly. Preparing himself for the mockery.
"Pepa." Julieta sighed.
"Don't you guys get it? What this means?" Pepa asked as she turned to her showcasing the slab. "When we are adults we are still together! LOOK!" she beamed.
Bruno halted and he looked up. "Why wouldn't we be?" he asked.
"I know but… It's nice to really know." Pepa smiled. "And we're still happy. But why wouldn't we be when we are still together huh?" she asked.
And now Bruno looked at the slab with renewed eyes and saw that true enough. The three adult versions of themselves were standing close and they were all smiling. They looked like they were laughing and their eyes had that light to them that came from genuine smiles.
"And you get to stay my little brother!" Pepa beamed.
"Hey." Bruno huffed.
"Forever and ever." Pepa grinned as she leaned up against Bruno.
"Stop it," Bruno muttered.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Pepa stated and she hugged Bruno while Bruno's eyes widened and then he softened up.
It was really hard being mad at Pepa now.
"We have to show this one to Mama!" Pepa gasped holding the slab and Bruno… nodded slowly.
Alma… Was beyond delighted as she saw it. "Look at this." she swallowed. "How absolutely wonderful!" her eyes were outright wet.
"You really like it Mama?" Bruno asked.
"I love it Brunito," Alma whispered. "Though… Please don't grow up too fast," she asked as she looked up at them.
Bruno smiled amused. "We don't control that Mama:"
"I know." Alma sighed. "But it just seems to go so… Fast." she looked at them with tears in her eyes. "It seems like only yesterday I could hold all three of you in my arms."
"Mama... Really?" Pepa asked in a pout and Alma shook her head as held the slab in her arms.
"Brunito… Can I keep this one?" she asked holding the slab.
Bruno blinked stunned. "Of course Mama," he said.
And Alma beamed happily as she held the slab and then walked over to Bruno so she could bow down and kiss him on the forehead. Though when she stood up she frowned. "Brunito… You need to take a shower."
And Bruno groaned deeply. He had taken a shower just this morning! He couldn't help he got so super sweaty all the time now! And when he read the future too he would get all sweaty. Which would make the sand stick to him. Which would make the smell even worse.
This… Sucked…
Well. Bruno supposed as he looked at the slab in Alma's arms. At least he knew for sure now this wouldn't last forever. He was going to grow out of it… And it seemed like he would grow into his gangliness pretty well… hopefully.
