Chapter 7

After he left the kitchen to go find Melissa, but this time he found the guest room locked. At first, he could faintly hear sobbing, but then it stops.

Melissa: (gruff voice) Go away, please!

Bruno: Hey, what's wrong with your voice?!...

Melissa (Gruff voice) Never mind that now, just please go away! Ah'm getting' sick and tired of sayin' please!

Bruno: You were so close to hitting it off with my Hermanas, Julieta really likes you, but Pepa she might be the hardest to crack… so, why did you leave all of a sudden again?

Then once again silence, until the door opened a crack to reveal an eye so blue it was like as if it was cold as ice, saturated by fur so blue-transparent that has the look of water, but he can also see the base of what could be horns on her head and tusk so sharp as swards. Bruno was so shooked by this, that he tripped as he backed away as quickly as daylight.

Melissa(Gruff voice): See, that's why ah'I didn't want ya ta see meh, not like this. Ah'I don't wanna see mahself like this.

Bruno: So, you have powers?! And you didn't even tell me?!

Melissa(G.v): Oh, this ain't no powers, this a frikin' curse from both of mah parents. if ah'I let ya in please promise meh ya won't scream, though a fair warning ah'I don't look pleasant on the eyes.

Then the door opened to reveal a huge blue-ish dog-like creature with horns and tusks.

Bruno: So,….

Melissa looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Melissa(G.v): Ah'm very stressed right now, OK! Between movin' from several places in the same month, ah'm somewhere with a guy and his family ah'I hardly know, and mah mother… she would have a heart attack if she knew… in fact, she's probably havin' one right now…

Then she started sobbing.

Melissa: Noo!... ya know ah'I wasn't supposed ta of been by mahself, mah mother was gonna come, but until we had that fight, Gawd I regret it, Ah'I regret it so much. And after ya'll brought up family, ah'I just lost it, ah'I thought it might pass, but luckily ah'I pretty well kept it under control.

Bruno then started to pet the bridge of her nose. After a few pats as she grunted. She became calmer as he kept on patting.

Bruno: Feeling better?

Melissa(G.V): Much… Thank ya Brunito.

She said as she changed back to her human form. Then he blushed profusely as she kissed him on the cheek. Then she chuckled lightly.

Melissa: Ah'I know this is goin' ta sound needy of meh but could ya please stay with meh for a while ta calm down, ya know.

Bruno: You actually want me to stay?!

Melissa: Yeah, plus the sent of ya'r hair is uh… is really… calmin'.

Bruno: My hair?!

Melissa: Ah'I know it sounded stupid, but it's so fluffy and cute.

Bruno: Do you, possibly, want to cuddle, you can play with my hair if you want.

Melissa: Thank ya, and yes, please.

After Melissa was playing with his hair and the cuddling, they heard Abuela from downstairs.

Abuela: Time for Dinner!

Melissa(Whisper): Welp, we better skedaddle down there before they think somethin'.

Bruno(Whisper): Good idea.

Melissa: (Whisper) Ah'll let ya go first, ah'll meet ya down.

After a few moments of feeding her fuzzy friends, she went down to the kitchen to find the whole family talking among themselves, as Melissa sat at the end of the table across from Bruno, as Bruno was trying to catch her eye. Which he did, as she looked over and he started smiling and blushing profusely. She didn't notice how loudly she was giggling, for Alema and everyone else caught wind of what was going on.

Abuela: Why are you giggling and blushing like some damn fool?!

Melissa then stopped and turned even redder than before.

Melissa: Ah'm sorry… ah'I was in mah own… little.. world…

Abuela: Oh, I see, you like my Brunito, don't you.

Everyone stopped their conversation and looked at Melissa. Melissa then froze for a little bit. Then found the courage to speak.

Melissa: Ok, ya know what…Ah'i… Ah'I ah'm, ah'I mean Ah'I do, he's been the only one who truly understands meh, the only guy who somewhat cared about meh, it's very rare ta find that in ya'lls lifetime, if ya find it keep it, keep him, never let him go, not even for a moment, ah'm not a lucky person by any means, but that day when ya'r son, sons-in-law, and ya'r granddaughter saved meh, was the luckiest day of mah life. If it wasn't for them, Ah'I probably would have been gone, or worse.

Abuela: It's come to my attention that you seem to love my Brunito, I'll tell you what, if you really love my Brunito, I'll give you full permission to marry my son, in a few conditions.

1. You must wait for one whole month for me to find a perfect suiter for my little Brunito….

Then she cupped Bruno's face, he wanted to cringe away but he took it like a champ.

Bruno: (nervous laughter) Mama.

Abuela: If I can't find the perfect suiter by then, you can have my baby.

2. We have to meet your side of the family, if anything goes wrong then the marriage will be off… deal?

Melissa: Ya drive a hard bargon Senora Alema… hum…deal!

Then they shook on it, while Bruno looked at Melissa nervously. Then Camilo just realized what just happened and punched Maribel in the shoulder.

Camilo: Ha, you owe me 201.06 pesos! (10.00) I knew she would confess first!

Maribel: Hey, that's not fair, she was put on the spot by Abuela, Tio Bruno would have probably would have said something, wouldn't you have?

Bruno: No no no, I'm way too shy, but Hernando would've without a doubt. But why did you bet on me, Maribel?

Maribel: I don't know I just thought maybe you would have confessed first.

Melissa: So ya'll bet on which one of us would've confessed, well that was flatterin' but bettin' is wrong. Next time don't bet, ya'll don't want ta end up as my 2nd uncle Mike from mah dad's dad's side, it's a shame ah've never met him since he went missin'.

Everyone: Missing?!

Augustin: All because of betting?!

Melissa: Well Ah'm not entirely sure, let's just say he was a wild card that one, we never really talked about him much. All Ah'I knew is he's either sleepin' with the fishes or he's hidden really really good where no one could ever find him.

Then suddenly a crashing of a vase came at an instance, and everyone turned to see Bruno acting nervous.

Bruno: Ok it was me!

He said hiding his face in his hands.

Melissa: Uh, What?

Bruno: For 15 years, I was here! I was in the walls, I never said anything because I never wanted to leave my famila, I love my family, I just feel bad because you don't have a close relationship with yours… I just wish I never had that stupid prophecy.

Melissa: Again, Huh?!

Bruno: Well you already know Luisa's, Antonio's, Delorues's, And Pepa's gifts, my whole family has gifts except my Mother, Felix, Augustin, and Maribel. My sister Julieta can heal you through a meal, my nephew Camilo can shapeshift, and my niece Isabella can create flowers.

Melissa: Wow, ah'I thought ah'I had problems. But that's cool ya'll have cool gifts, mah "Gift" is actually a curse. It isn't really useful, it's actually a pain in the a…. Ah'I mean, ugh, ah'I mean it sucks.

Julieta, Alema, pepa, Camilo, Antonio, and Maribel: You have a gift?! What is it, what is it, what is it?!

Melissa: Well like ah'I said it sucks but every time ah'm under a great deal of stress, pain, or have any physical, or mental stress on mah body I turn into a dog, and if any of that intenses Ah'I become a beast, now normally ah'I can control it, but there might be a time, where it might slip out from time ta time, so, if ya see it please don't act so surprised.

Alema: Wow, are you sure you would be ok with her like this Brunito?! She seems like a loose cannon!

Bruno: Mama, I'll be fine if she was my wife, she wouldn't hurt me.

Melissa was about to say something but stopped herself as she looked at Bruno.

Alema: Like I said one month to find a suiter, if I can't find a suiter by then you can marry… ugh.. her… also no hankie pankie until you two are 3 months dating, I also want to see at least three more grandchildren before I die.

Melissa and Bruno felt hurt when she said it like that. she then excused herself for the night. Bruno and Melissa sadly just stared at each other until they left for their own rooms. Once there they stared at the ceiling.

God this is going to kill me.

Gawd this is goin' ta kill meh.

Day 1

Alema wakes up to go to town and comes back in time for lunch.

Alema: Well Brunito I haven't found anyone yet, but don't worry I'll find someone somewhere.

Oh, great she's asking anyone in town, like men and women?! And most of the men think I'm a total dick, and the women hate me for being an awkward pussy. But she did say she couldn't find anyone, I might have a chance with Melissa after all. Thought Bruno.

Good, let's hope we keep it that way. Thought Melissa.

Day by day, week by week she came back with the same line.

Alema: Well, Brunito I haven't found anyone yet, but don't worry I'll find someone soon, somewhere.

(Sigh) Good, keep it that way, please. Thought both Melissa and Bruno.

Day 31

Alema left once again for the last time to find a suiter for Bruno, but this time she came back with someone. They came through the door as they were getting ready for lunch.

Oh, my god, not her! Anyone but her! Wait… I can probably use this to my advantage. Thought Bruno.