After Mirabel and Antonio mentioned the dinner, I decided to stay quiet about it in hopes Julio would forget it was even mentioned. Unfortunately, I realize now how dumb this plan was since once my little brother gets a thought in his mind, it doesn't go away. For the next few days, he would give me excited looks and bounce if we passed by each other or if I told him a story before he went to sleep he would interrupt to ask when we're going to the dinner. All I would tell him was "Soon.", but as the days passed this answer became less and less successful.

One night when I went into his room to tell him a bedtime story, I noticed the atmosphere in the room was slightly off. When I saw down on Julio's bed, he didn't seem that chipper anymore.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, scooting a little bit closer to my brother. Julio looked up at me and pulled the covers over his head to hide his face before I heard him mumble something.

"Are you sick? Upset tummy?" I lightly pulled on the covers but he pulled them back over his face. I frowned at the lump in the bed and slowly slid off. I crawled on the floor until I was at the head of the bed. "Julio…" I said, blowing air out my mouth as I said the first letter of his name.

This caused him to move the covers from his face and crinkle his nose. "Your breath stinks." He said, covering his nose.

"Well, it got you to talk to me." I said, resting my arms on his pillow and laying my head next to his. "Now tell me what's wrong with my little bro."

Julio started shifting uncomfortably in his bed and pulling at the sheets. "I want to have dinner at the Madrigals, but you won't take me."

"Oh…" was all I could say before feeling my stomach sink. "Well…Julio it's not that I don't want to. It's just…I've been busy with chores."

"But you still sit down to eat with everyone else." As Julio said this, I could start to see his lower lip shake. "I know papa doesn't like the Madrigals, and he doesn't want me to like them. But I thought you did, and you'd let me see my friend."

I put my hand on my little brother's cheek and tried to think of something to say. I started thinking back to what Mirabel said and how I wanted to enforce the rules but seeing my little brother on the verge of tears made it incredibly hard. "Julio…" I started before stopping myself, still unsure of what I wanted to say.

"And I thought you'd want to see your old friend since you haven't seen him in years." Julio said.

"What old friend?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Antonio's tío Bruno." Julio said, starting to sniffle slightly. "Do you not remember him, Rosa? Antonio's Abuela told him the whole story. You two used to do everything together, but then papa got mad at him and said you couldn't see him anymore. If we went to dinner and you saw him again, I thought you'd be happy."

The usual knot started to form in my stomach, but this time I wasn't sure if it was from hearing Bruno's name, or if it was from seeing my little brother on the verge of tears and knowing I was the cause of it. "Julio, I'm happy. What makes you think I'm not?"

"I know, but I wanted to see you happier." Julio slowly scooted over to me and laid his head on my shoulder. His brown eyes stared up at me and the knot in my stomach started getting bigger.

"I can't say no now." I thought. I started moving my hand over my brother's hair and lightly patting it. "How soon can you let Antonio know we'll be there for dinner?"

"He sends me a toucan every morning with a letter." Julio responded and I thought I heard some joy return to his voice.

"When you get that in the morning, let the Madrigals know we're coming." I stood up from Julio bed just as he started bouncing.

"Do you really mean it Rosa?!" he asked and I nodded my head.

"Get some sleep little buddy. You got a big day coming up." I tucked my brother into his bed and gave him a light kiss on his forehead. "And now so do I…" I thought as I pulled the curtains in his room closed and walked out.

The next day, I could tell Julio was excited for dinner, but was doing his best to hide it around our family. I told them we wouldn't be around for dinner tonight since I'm going to a friend's house (who left yesterday to go out of town, but they don't need to know that) and I thought Julio would enjoy playing with their son. Mama seemed to believe this and said she would pass on the news to papa when he got home. I felt terrible lying to her of all people, but I told myself the next night I cook I'm going to make her favorite soup as a way for me to feel like I'm making it up to her.

Before it was time to go, I stood in front of my mirror trying to find the best outfit to wear. I've been rotating dresses as with each one I kept finding something wrong with it. "This is too formal, I'm not making a first impression." I mumbled, tossing another dress to the side. "But…I haven't had dinner with them in 10 years so am I making a new first impression? This one?" I held up a dress with a long dark green skirt and an off-white off-the-shoulder top. "No, no that used to be Bruno's favorite. I'm not wearing anything to attract his attention. You?" I threw down the green dress and picked up a black onne with multi-colored stitching around the base of the skirt and waist. "But…I don't him to be completely repulsed by me." This one fell to the ground as I searched through my closet for more possibilities. Finally, I pulled out a white, ankle length-dress with red stitching around the waist, skirt, and neckline. "This will do for dinner." I thought before taking off my current outfit and putting this one on followed by my shoes.

Almost as soon as I put my last shoe on, I heard a knock on my door and the knob jiggle slightly. "It should be unlocked!" I shouted before the door swung open and in walked my little brother. He was doing his usual excited bouncing and had a sparkle in his eyes.

"Are you ready Rosa?" he asked as he started swinging the door back and forth.

I responded with a quick "Yeah" before grabbing my bag and walking out my room with my brother following behind me. After we walked downstairs, we gave our mother and Gloria a hug and the time we would try to be back home before walking out the front door. While we walked, it became apparent very quickly Julio was leading the way as he was almost pulling me toward the Madrigal house. I kept my hand clasped onto his since I knew if I didn't he'd start running and I didn't want to lose sight of him, especially since my mind was starting to think about everything other than focusing on my brother.

My mind jumped from topic to topic and a multitude of thoughts raced through my head. "What am I going to ta-what do I say to Bruno? Do I even ackn-how much am I supposed to watch Julio? Will the hous-what should I not talk abo-will Bruno even acknowledge me?" were just a few of the thoughts that crossed my mind as we got closer and closer to our destination.

After being pulled for a few more minutes, Julio and I soon reached the front door of the Madrigal household. I could tell Julio expected me to be the one to knock (especially since he couldn't reach the knockers yet), but now my arms seemed like the heaviest things on my body. I tried to lift them, but something in me was stopping me.

"Rosa?" Julio asked, slightly swinging my hand. I looked down at my little brother and saw the sparkle in his eyes still twinkling, this time brighter. I looked back at the door before taking in a deep breath. Against my mind's wishes, I slowly lifted my hand toward the knocker and went to move it. But before I could get a chance to, the door swung open and I was face-to-face (or face-to-chest) with one of the last people I wanted to see.

"Papa?" Julio asked, tilting his head. It felt like my mind went completely black and filled with static. My arms were no longer the heaviest thing on my body as this honor now belonged to my lower jaw, which was now hanging open. I wanted to run, but my feet seemed like they were glued to the ground under me.

Suddenly, my papa started to laugh. But it wasn't his usual laugh. It wasn't his laugh at all. This laugh seemed like it was much more suited for a teenager. Then, my father's shape shrunk down and I was now face-to-face with Camilo Madrigal. Julio started laughing at the young Madrigal's prank.

"I had more planned," Camilo smiled, stepping aside to welcome us in "But your faces said enough for me."

"Can you do me next?!" Julio asked, turning around to face Camilo. Then, there was no Camilo standing in front of us but another Julio. My real brother started jumping up and down at this so much I had to let go of his hand. "Rosa! Rosa look! There's two of me!"

"I had a nightmare like that once." I laughed before walking further into the Madrigal house to look at everything. Despite the renovations, the house still looked almost the same compared to the last time I was here 10 years ago, minus a few furniture, décor, and of course door changes. While I walked, I noticed the house moving on his own. The floors were moving chairs and furniture while mops, brooms, and dustpans cleaned. In the kitchen I could hear water running (no doubt on its own) and drawers opening and closing while the sounds of food cooking filled the air.

While I was walking around, I stopped focusing on my surroundings and only on the magic that was now surrounding me. This proved very quickly to be my mistake as I soon collided with a solid body in front of me, knocking both of us to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't loo-" I stopped myself when I saw the green ruana under me.

"Hi…Rosa." Bruno said, giving me a small wave. I was about to say something when my brother ran over to us.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Bruno." Bruno responded. While I got back to my feet, Bruno stayed on the ground and crossed his legs to stay eye-level with my brother. "And who may-"

"You're the man my papa hates." Julio quickly said. I saw the smile Bruno had twitch slightly and I couldn't help but feel bad for him. "But that's ok!" Julio continued. "I don't hate you. What's your gift?" Julio had now moved from standing in front of Bruno to moving to sit on his leg as he asked this.

"Well, I can see into the future and tell fortunes." At this, my brother's eyes grew and his mouth dropped open. He wrapped his arms around Bruno's neck and held on tight to him.

"Rosa!" he yelled and I saw Bruno flinch a little bit. "Can I have my fortune read!? I have so many questions!"

"Maybe after dinner bud." I smiled and started trying to pull him away from Bruno. "Now please let go of him, you haven't even talked to Antonio." At these words, Julio released his gasp and started running around the house, talking to everyone who crossed his path and asking about their gifts if he didn't know them already. Before I could help Bruno stand up, the floor tiles under him shifted and he was now back on his feet.

"Sorry about my brother." I said as I watched Julio whisper something to Dolores. "He's a little excited."

"He's fine, it's adorable." Bruno said, brushing off his ruana. After he was done, we both just stared at each other. My mind started trying to find what to say to get away, but it also started looking over Bruno and I started feeling something inside me. "Say something!" I thought to myself.

"Bye." Was all I managed to get out of my mouth. Bruno also said this exact same thing at the same time I did. I quickly walked past him towards my brother who was now meeting Luisa.

"And you're Luisa!" Julio shouted, looking up at the tallest (and strongest) Madrigal. "I heard you're the strongest woman in the world!"

Even though I'm sure she's heard this multiple times, this statement seemed to make Luisa laugh a little as some red appeared on her face. She bent down to my brother's level and ruffled up his hair. "It seems my reputation still follows me."

"Yeah, but I know someone who's stronger than you!" Julio said, giving her a mischievous smile.

"Oh? And who may that be?" Luisa asked, standing up and slightly tightening her muscles around her arms.

"My sister." Julio pointed over at me and I felt my stomach drop.

"Uh oh…" were my immediate thoughts followed by some words I'd never allow my brother to hear.

"Is that so?" Luisa asked, giving my brother a smirk and putting her hands on her hips.

"She is!" Julio shouted again. "She carries me everywhere and my dad calls me his strong man and if she can lift me she must be super strong too! I bet you can't even lift me off the ground!"

I started looking back and forth between Julio and Luisa, hoping to catch Julio's eye as I started shaking my head. However, I did manage to catch Luisa's eye. She gave me a wink and bent back down to my brother's level.

"Well, lets just test that, shall we?"

My brother held his arms out in his anticipation to be lifted and started bouncing on his toes out of excitement. Luisa put her hands under his arms and started trying to lift him. But, Julio's feet wouldn't move, not even an inch. Luisa started exaggerating her huffing and puffing as she "struggled" to lift my tiny brother. This amused Julio greatly as he started giggling and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh at Luisa's acting.

After a few more minutes, Luisa gave up and moved away from Julio, still trying to find her breath. "Wow, you certainly are heavy little man, even for me."

"I told you!" Julio laughed and ran back over to me. "I knew you were stronger." I smiled down at my brother and gave him a quick poke on his nose.

A couple minutes later, Julieta, her husband Augustin, and Felix started bringing food out of the kitchen. I quickly grabbed onto Julio to keep them from getting in their way. Still, as they brought the food out a familiar smell made it's way to my nose. "Oh…they made Lechona." I thought as I watched my least favorite dish be placed on the table. "Well, I don't have to eat a lot of it."

Alma soon came out of the kitchen and called everyone to the table. I sat at the very end across from my brother who sat next to Antonio while Alma took her spot at the head of the table.

"Everyone," Alma said, gathering the table's attention. "Before we eat, I would first like to welcome Rosa and Julio Castaño to the Madrigal house. Two members of a family we have not had in our house for many years. Rosa, Julio, on behalf of all of us, welcome to casa Madrigal." At this, everyone raised their glasses and welcomed me and my brother. I raised my glass as a thank you and Julio smiled at everyone. Then, the food started being passed around and everyone filled up their plates.

I passed my plate to Julieta and asked for a little of everything. When she handed it back to me, I noticed she not only handed me my plate, but also a bowl filled with Mondongo soup, my favorite kind.

"I'm sorry if the soup isn't the best." Julieta whispered to me. "Bruno didn't tell me until last minute you don't like Lechona, so I wanted to make something just for you."

"Oh no, it's perfect!" I smiled and thanked her for her extra effort. I looked over at Bruno and saw he didn't have hardly any Lechona on his plate, despite it being one of his favorite dishes, but also had a bowl of Mondongo soup. I noticed him smiling and laughing with everyone around him and I felt my heart skip a little. He looked over at me and I quickly looked away from him. Then I started feeling my face start to heat up, but something told me it wasn't from anger this time, or the hot food.