Slowly they were starting to build the new foundation of Casita. First was the planning.
Of course, Casita had to stay pretty much the same with the same basic layout. But… Now they were rebuilding a house any way they might as well do some expansion!
A room for each of them including Mirabel. Plus two new guest rooms that could be turned into nurseries or other sorts of rooms according to want or need.
They would also build the house in a way so further expansion in the future would be possible. You never know what the future might bring.
Instead of making a tower. They just added more rooms on the top floor so Bruno too could have a normal room.
But before even constructing the rooms that would mostly be on the first floor there would be the ground floor where the dining room, kitchen, entrance, shared living room and washing room had been.
With the new expansion they decided to add a secondary living room too on the ground floor, perhaps it could work as a kind of library too?
After it had all been planned on paper it was time to set the markers. First, they lined up where the new walls should be with sand.
An obvious job for Bruno who was an expert in how to pour the sand in a perfect stream to create a visible line.
And then they hammered in the more permanent wooden spikes as markers. Before they started to dig out for their new foundation.
They decided to go with a concrete foundation as they fully intended to build a house that could keep standing for generations to come!
It was more work and would mean it was going to take a long time before the new house would be finished. But absolutely worth it to get the best possible result.
As the foundation had been set they could start working on the walls. Made in bricks and stone.
They did start to speculate if it was soon time to move out of the Parish so the townspeople could get their rooms back used for different arrangements after church services.
But then the town had insisted the family should be allowed to stay together, some started to look really guilty in their faces when it came to Bruno and even apologize to him which shocked Bruno.
Actually getting a sudden apology from a random stranger tended to give him panic attacks... Poor Tio. He was doing really well with the family. Not so well with strangers.
It didn't shock Mirabel that they would apologize though. She had no idea how anyone could hate her now cheerful Tio, who would smile and work with the family.
And the children loved him! It was only a matter of time before Antonio had pulled Bruno over to his friends so Bruno could tell them stories too. And it cheered him right up, as much as it did the children.
Rumors spread fast in this town. The cat rescue had gone around, they all saw Bruno outside in the sunlight just working. And Bruno had always been very polite so… That he was some sort of mischievous demon bringing chaos to the Encanto was… kind of impossible to believe.
It really made Mirabel question just how those rumors could have spread in the first place! She didn't think she had ever met anyone more unimposing than Bruno.
Yeah, sometimes he would start to stutter and mumble, disappear into his head.. Working on stories to calm himself down. Mirabel had learned that that was one of his many ways to center himself and calm himself down.
Basically, Bruno's biggest issue was his unfathomable level of anxiety and everything he did was just ways on how to cope with it and get on with his day in spite of any feelings of crushing fear.
Once again Mirabel was impressed… Being so scared that it blinded him but just doing his thing anyway. That was her Tio Bruno. His level of pure willpower was just... Insane.
But why was that surprising? He had kept up his work inside of the walls for ten years! So... yeah.
It was one of those days, as they had finished the archway that would become their front door that Mirabel found Mariano at the front stairs looking rather dejected.
"Hi, Mariano. Looking kind of blue there huh?" Mirabel asked.
"I suppose." Mariano sighed deeply. "I guess it's just… I wanted it to work. But it didn't. I just want to… Have someone to love. But I am not so sure I should get my hopes up anymore."
Suddenly Dolores not far from then just perked up.
"Huh." Mirabel blinked. "So erh… You ever met my cousin Dolores?" she asked.
Mariano frowned slightly, though then Mirabel grabbed his arm and pulled him up so they stood up.
"I really think you should try talking to her," Mirabel said.
Mariano opened his mouth, just about to say something but he never got it out as suddenly Dolores was just there.
"Okay, I think I can take it from here," Dolores stated pushing Mirabel away and taking over now grabbing Mariano's hands in the same way making him blink. "So…. Heh. Hi." she blushed deeply.
"Erhm… Hi." Mariano blinked.
Dolores giggled and then gasped for breath. "I really like how you're always taking care of your mother! It's so cute!"
"Oh." Mariano blinked.
"Could you read some of your poetry for me?" Dolores asked.
"Wait…. You want to hear my poetry?" Mariano asked surprised.
Dolores nodded excitedly. "I love poetry! And I love people reading it! Will you read for me?" she asked.
"I…" Mariano halted. "I always wanted to read my poetry to someone." he gaped. "But it seemed like it's just a big bore to most women."
"Oh no. Your voice is fantastic." Dolores beamed. "It's so strong and secure!" she exclaimed. "I could listen to it all day!"
"Huh?" Mariano gaped.
"Tell me about the children you were looking after," Dolores asked.
"Wait you want to hear about it?" Mariano asked.
"Yes!" Dolores beamed happily.
Mariano was just stunned quiet as he looked at Dolores. Then suddenly a blush spread on his face and he glanced down. "Erhm… Dolores. I know this may be a little sudden and… Kind of awkward since I broke up with your cousin and so on but… Do you think maybe? I could invite you out for a cup of coffee or something?" he asked.
Dolores's eyes widened.
"Or maybe I could cook you dinner?" Mariano suggested. "I make a great Sancocho."
And Dolores was just jumping up and down on the spot while exclaiming a big. "Eeeeeeeeh!"
"Erhm. Is that a yes?" Mariano asked.
"YES!" Dolores just screamed as she jumped right on Mariano and grabbed his arm. Hugging it tight and looking up at the man with big eyes and a big wide smile on her lips.
And Mariano gaped as he looked at her and then smiled.
So busy were the two with each other that they didn't even notice Mirabel and Isabela high-fiving not far from them.
And then Dolores giggled all over her face as they started to walk. "Talk to me!" she exclaimed. "Tell me about your dreams."
"I want to get married," Mariano said.
"Slow down," Dolores asked padding him on the arm and Mariano laughed.
"One day I want to get married." Mariano corrected himself in a laugh. "And have kids."
"Five kids." Dolores nodded in a big grin.
"Two of them adopted." Mariano informed and Dolores blinked.
"You see." Mariano hesitated. "I'm adopted myself. You know," he said. "And it changed my life! Just… That someone needed me. That just one person wanted me. That meant everything to me! It changed everything. So if I could do that for someone else."
Dolores gaped. "That's so sweet," she said.
"It is?" Mariano asked.
"YES!" Dolores beamed. "Did you know my Papa is an orphan?" she asked. "He told us about it. How he never had a family growing up. So getting one as an adult meant everything to him! That's where you're coming from too isn't it?"
Mariano gaped as he turned to Dolores and looked at her. "It is," he whispered. "I want a family. A big and happy one. Where people are playing and laughing together. And care about each other! Like yours."
"Oh you just know all the right words to say don't you?" Dolores gasped holding his hands and looking up at Mariano meeting his eyes so they were now looking directly at each other.
"You're… Actually listening to what I am saying." Mariano gasped. "You're hearing me."
"And you're seeing me," Dolores whispered and she screamed again grabbing Mariano's arm even tighter. Giggling and laughing like a little girl having the best day of her entire life.
A little above them working on one of the walls was Bruno, having a bucket on his head to the great amusement of the children right below him.
However, now he lifted the bucket to have a look at the couple beneath him. Dolores and the man of her dreams. His eyes widened.
He remembered Mirabel's speculation from when he had given her the prophecy about hugging Isabela… Changing… The future?
"HEY WHERE DID JORGE GO?" Emilia shouted from under him.
And Bruno put the bucket back down. "I'm here," he said in the Jorge voice and the children all laughed loudly. Then though Bruno tipped it above his eyes again as he saw the happy couple leaving the scene.
Huh…. Bruno frowned as he glanced down. Maybe there were some things he just hadn't been seeing.
