It had been three weeks after Mirabels five year birthday. And thus three weeks since Bruno had seemingly vanished into the blue.
The family Madrigal had been thrown into chaos. Everyone was stressed and fretting, breakfasts and dinners had turned into people just grabbing whatever happened to be in the kitchen at any given time. They hadn't even been sitting down together.
The Encanto had stopped the search two weeks ago. But in their own ways, the family was still going, which lead to the complete neglect of their other duties the Encanto relied upon.
And then there were the children who remained scared and confused.
Especially Mirabel who did her best to keep a straight face when she could. But she still broke down crying almost daily and then one day just grabbed her mother's skirt.
"DON'T DISAPPEAR!" Mirabel cried loudly. "I'm sorry! I'll make it good! Don't vanish! Please Mami!" she cried. "I'll be good I promise!"
Julieta's heart broke. Her poor girl had touched her door only to have it vanish right in front of her eyes. And now had it in her head that Bruno had vanished in much the same way and it was because of her.
"I won't disappear," Julieta said as she picked up her daughter and clutched her close. "Ssssh Mija. Sssssh."
No wonder though that Mirabel was utterly inconsolable and kept crying until she was just too exhausted to cry, growing limp in Julieta's arms.
And then finally Julieta could put Mirabel to bed and sit by her bedside, in case the five year old had another nightmare. This of course meant that most of Julieta's and even Agustin's time were taken up by Mirabel's distress.
And their other two children were just looking on with distress, reaching up their hands.
"Not now Isabela." Julieta sighed. "Mirabel needs me right now."
And Isabela hissed, her eyes stung and her face growing red.
"Isabela," Agustin asked as he sat down on his knee to get in eye height with her daughter. "We are counting on you. Look after your sisters and cousins," he asked in a weak smile. "Please."
And Isabela straightened herself up. She was the oldest! So of course the role of looking after the other children naturally fell to her. And if her family counted on her she would do what she could… Even if things hurt and Isabela… She just wanted to cry.
She wanted to cry like Mirabel was always allowed to cry. But she kept standing straight… Normally when all the other adults were busy with duties or one child was unattended. Bruno would pick up that slack and look after the children.
But Bruno wasn't here… He was gone.
And Isabela seethed as she was sitting on the couch in the living room. All the other children were in the same room.
And Mirabel was crying… Again…. As if she didn't already get all the attention from their parents.
Dolores was in the corner covering her ears, no wonder about that. Luisa was gesturing her hands towards Mirabel trying to calm her sister.
"It's okay," Luisa said. "Please calm down. Sssssh." she shushed. "Things are fine."
And Mirabel just cried even louder.
Then finally Isabela groaned and just snapped. "Shut up!"
Mirabel stopped as she looked up with big tearful eyes.
"You think this is all about you don't you?" Isabela asked annoyed. "Well, maybe it is! Tio Bruno left cause you are so annoying!"
And then Mirabel wailed even higher.
"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!" Isabela shouted as she stood up. Which of course didn't help in the slightest.
"Who needs Tio Bruno anyway?" Camilo asked. "He's just a liar! A big fat liar!"
"No he's not." Mirabel sobbed.
"Oh yeah?" Camilo asked. "He promised Dolores to listen to her radio show with her, didn't he? Well is he doing that? No, he's not! And he promised my Mami to help her with her stuff, and now Mami is crying too! He doesn't care about us! Get it into your head!"
Luisa swallowed. "I'm sure that's not… There has to be a reason right?"
"Leaving without even saying goodbye." Isabela shrugged. "That's a great way to tell us how he feels. Camilo is right. Tio Bruno doesn't care. So stop crying you baby!"
"That's not true! That's not true!" Mirabel cried covering her ears while shaking her head.
Dolores squinted her eyes as she pressed her hands against her ears.
"He must have had a reason right?" Luisa swallowed.
"He's a coward," Isabela stated. "He left like a rat in the middle of the night. Didn't even say goodbye or left a note! He's a scumbag and he doesn't care!"
At that Mirabel suddenly screamed. "THAT'S NOT TRUE!" and she just threw herself right at Isabela so now the two girls were rolling across the floor exchanging punches and pulling in each other's hair as they both screamed.
"Stop it!" Luisa cried. "Please stop!"
"You little witch! I HATE YOU!" Isabela screamed.
Only for Mirabel to grab Isabela's hand and stuff it into her own mouth. Biting hard so Isabela screamed.
"AUW!"
And finally, adults rushed inside. Julieta and Agustin.
"ISABELA! MIRABEL!"
Each parent grabbed each their girl to pull the fighting girls apart only for both girls to fight and wriggle against their parents.
"ALL YOU DO IS CRYING! NO WONDER HE LEFT!" Isabela screamed loudly.
"YOU'RE JUST MEAN!" Mirabel screamed back.
And then a third person stepped in. Alma herself and her voice cut straight through the entire mess.
"Isabela and Mirabel Madrigal! I am very disappointed in you two! You will calm down! Now!"
Both girls looked up in startled fright and with wide eyes.
Alma narrowed her eyes at them. "What is going on here?" she asked and the parents finally let go as the two girls just stood with hung heads. "Well." Alma then demanded.
"She won't stop crying!" Isabela shouted pointing at Mirabel.
"She called Tio Bruno a coward!" Mirabel exclaimed pointing at Isabela.
"I just said what is true!" Isabela exclaimed. "But maybe it really is you. That door vanished when you touched it! He could be gone. Because of you!"
And Mirabel's eyes widened as Julieta gasped.
"Isabela! I can't believe I just had to hear that out of your mouth!" Julieta exclaimed and Isabela's eyes widened.
Alma how-ever… Her eyes were on Mirabel. A slow resentment build up… Isabela's words still seemed to ring through the house.
"I think it's time you two go to your room!" Julieta stated. "Both of you!"
"But Mama!" Isabela exclaimed.
"You do not hit your sister!" Julieta informed. "And that goes for you too Mirabel. Go to your rooms. Now! I'll bring you both some food so you can be healed but then you have to think about what you have done!"
Agustin looked nervously at his wife but then nodded. "You heard your mother. Go," he demanded.
And finally, both girls grumbled annoyed but headed towards the rooms as asked. Leaving the remaining three children wide-eyed look up at them.
"I expect you three to behave and don't fall to their level." Alma huffed and the three children nodded shocked. "Good." was her last word as she headed out.
As it happened though. It was not long after the children had been sent to their rooms that now all the adults were standing right outside the glowing doors in a little circle hissing among each other.
"I don't understand." Julieta gasped. "They have never acted like this before! Why?"
"It's because of Bruno." Pepa hissed, a dark cloud forming over her head. "Doesn't he understand? What this is doing to the kids? To us. His family." she gestured at herself.
"Now calm down," Agustin said holding up his hands.
"Pepa has a point," Felix informed. "Bruno has the best family in the world. And he just leaves. In the middle of the night?" he asked. "Who does that?"
Julieta bit her lip. "If we just knew what he saw that night. In his vision. I'm sure there must be some explanation."
"Vision?" Pepa hissed. "What could possibly be so important that he won't even tell us huh?"
Julieta swallowed, sadly as she bowed her head and then whispered. "And what is this doing to our children?" She asked. Her eyes were misty.
Alma fumed. She glanced at Bruno's door where the light had consistently got dimmer and dimmer for each passing day. Still flickering and then she turned back. "Well. If he wants to leave that badly. Let him!" she huffed.
And everyone turned to Alma in shock.
"And may he find whatever he thought he wasn't getting here." Alma huffed.
"Mama." Julieta gasped.
"We are his family! Tell me what we didn't give him huh." Alma shook her hand. "Everything! He had everything. And yet he flees like a coward in the night. I suppose that's his choice. But I will not let that destroy this family!" she exclaimed.
Wide-eyed everyone looked at Alma.
"I want to see everyone at breakfast tomorrow! And at dinner!" Alma exclaimed. "This family will not be broken so easily. We are Madrigals! We are proud! And we shall continue."
"But…" Julieta whispered. "Bruno."
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR OF HIM!" Alma shouted and they all nodded. "He made a choice! He left! So from now on." she said. "Not one word more about Bruno!"
And everyone gasped and then suddenly… Julieta turned her head. Towards Bruno's door and with a last little flicker… It went out. Like it was dead.
Alma didn't even offer it a glance. "Someone make sure the children don't try to get through that door," she said. "It's too dangerous in there."
And they slowly nodded.
"Now then." Alma nodded. "Make sure to be on time tomorrow. We shall continue. Like we always have. We will not be defeated." she said and walked away leaving a stunned family.
That night. Dolores was sitting on the couch. Her head tilted… This was something she hadn't wanted to know… The sound of each of her family members crying.
Even Abuela Alma. This night… For the first time. Dolores heard the sound of her Abuelas cries... Before tonight it had seemed impossible to ever see Alma break down in tears. But there she was. Even if she had locked herself inside of her room. Dolores could still hear.
And the next morning. Alma came to the breakfast table with everyone else.
There were no tears to see in her eyes. Her hair was back to being neat and perfect. Her back was possibly straighter than ever and her face was in a stern mask. "We will say our prayers. And eat breakfast," she said as she sat down, her voice sounding outright cold in how strict it was.
It was… Different somehow.
But everyone looked down and nodded. For the first time in weeks doing their usual routine and after Alma had left the new rule was explained…
We do not talk about Bruno… No matter what. Do not talk about Bruno.
A month went by. The people in the house fell back into their routines. The air was different but it was hard to explain. It happened more often that someone would ask to be left alone and then just went to their room.
Mirabel went through some odd days where she sat in silence not saying a thing, she almost looked catatonic.
But then one day, she picked up a needle and threat, she started to sew, mumbling she had to make this bag. She was sorry she had been such a big burden. And she would stop being a cry baby now.
And finally one day, she smiled again.
Then suddenly one morning Dolores was just standing there, her eyes wide and her mouth gaping open. "Mami… MAMI!" she shouted as she ran and pulled her mother in her skirt.
Pepa sighed deeply. "Yes, Dolores."
"Tio Bruno is back! He's in the wall!" Dolores informed.
Pepa… Did not look amused. "Dolores really?"
"He's doing something. I'm not sure what." Dolores continued in a frown. "What do you think it is Mami?"
"DOLORES!" Pepa shouted making Dolores look wide-eyed up at her. "There's no one in the wall. Don't be stupid," she said. "Bruno is gone and we don't talk about him. Remember."
"But…" Dolores began.
"What did I just say?!" Pepa exclaimed.
Dolores looked at her mother and then she pouted. "Don't talk about Bruno."
Pepa nodded. "Exactly. And if he's in the wall somehow. Perhaps he should be man enough to get out here and face me. But he's not, is he? Because he's not in the wall." and she rolled her eyes as she walked away being beyond annoyed over the sore subject.
Dolores was just left standing there as she looked after her mother then finally concluded… Adults are stupid.
