"Gracias por el almuerzo, Luisa."

I collect the discarded plates from the dinner table and began to wash them in the sink. Luisa, who had just finished with her food, came up next to me and we both began to wash the dishes in somewhat comfortable silence.

"So…what are you getting up to in your new free time?" I inquired. A wave of stress hits Luisa. She scratches the back of her head, looking slightly uncomfortable at my question.

"I-um-it's been fine. Definitely not working. Nope. None of that." I may not have spent a lot of time with her after my gift ceremony but I could still tell that she was a terrible liar. A sigh leaves me which catches her attention as I put the clean plates back into the drawers.

"Luisa, you don't have to lie. Just tell me the truth, I promise I won't be mad."

"You're sounding just like mamá."

"Do you want me to bring her into this as well?"

"Fine." We quickly finished cleaning the last of the dishes. I lead her to my room which has drastically changed after Casita was rebuilt. For starters, there are more plants and flora in my room, not just pink and purple flowers. Stuff like cacti, weeds, and tall grass. It wasn't just a place to look pretty anymore, now I could freely experiment with what I could or couldn't grow. Aesthetically, it was messy. It was as thick as the jungle that surrounded Encanto, like Antonio's room just without the animals. Weaving through the grass and leaves we sit on my bed which housed an array of colors that I thought perfectly represented my newfound freedom.

"Alright. First and foremost, have you been taking your breaks?" I ask sternly.

"Yes, of course, I have. For every hour I work, I take a thirty-minute break." She dejectedly states. We ended up sitting on my bed, me at the head and Luisa at the foot of it.

"You know the reason we keep asking you is that we don't want you to push yourself. We're all trying to be a better family and that includes taking care of my younger hermanita." I gently rub her arm. It was hard to see her like this. Years of neglecting my responsibility as the eldest sister resulted in such a disconnect between the three of us. Although I never resented Luisa or was as mean to her as Mirabel, it was still not an excuse to not be there for her and look after her. But that would change. She and I would change, not just to mend our relationship but to improve it and deepen it.

"What have you been doing in your free time? I barely see you on weekends. I really want to hang out with you. I'm not Senoritá Perfecta anymore." She shuffles closer to the middle of the bed, her fingers nervously fiddling.

"I've been painting in my room. After Casita was rebuilt, Tía gave me her old painting equipment like how she gave Mirabel her embroidery box. I have a few finished pieces but most of them I just hang in my room."

I stared at my hermanita in wonder. To think she had a hidden passion for art. That brought a proud smile to my face. It made sense in her situation, Luisa struggled to coney her emotions without breaking her strong and stoic image, so painting would be the perfect activity to convey how she felt in a physical piece. Unexpectedly to her, I pulled Luisa into a tight hug which she instantly returned.

"That it's wonderful! How about this, let's go to your room. We'll get Mirabel and we could paint together!" A smile flickered on her face before turning back into a frown as quickly as it came.

"Really? You sure you're not busy?"

"Nope, this is quality time with my hermanitas. I'm never busy for that." Luisa nodded in agreement and pulled me to my feet. She basically carried me out of my room and we went around looking for Mirabel. Walking downstairs we found Dolores, Antonio, and Tìo Felìx consoling Tía Pepa who was tightly hugging her knees, a small cluster of clouds hovered over her producing a thick drizzle. We immediately went straight to our Tìa.

"Tía! What's wrong? What happened?" Luisa frantically asked.

"It's Bruno. He had a vision. We were all in it…including him." The last word seemed to be forced out of her mouth as more streaks of tears tumbled down her cheeks.

"You mean, Jack?" Dolores said.

"He told you his name? When?!" I gasped in surprise.

"A few minutes ago when I went to get him. Tío Bruno wanted to talk to him. I guess whatever happened didn't go so well."

"Where is he?"

"Upstairs in Bruno's room," Tía said, the words muffled behind her hands.

Mamá and Abuela frantically rushed out of the kitchen while carrying plates filled with all sorts of food. Their conversation was restricted to hushed whispers as they went around the corner and back up to Tío Bruno's room. Mirabel then came in from the front door with a wide smile on her face which instantly stopped at the site of our Tía in tears.

"Tía, what's wrong?!" She gasped in shock.

"We'll explain later. Right now we gotta go to Tío's room. It's about Jack."

"Who's Jack? Mirabel asked.

"The stranger we've been looking after. That's his name!" Dolores said a little frustrated

"Oh, ok. Let's go then."


'Jack.' That's his name. It irked me as to why he didn't tell me or anyone his name but confided it to Dolores. I understand that he may not fully trust us but it still hurt. The three of us rushed upstairs as inconspicuously and quietly as we could to Tío's room. Reaching the second floor, I catch a glimpse of Abuela and mamá entering his room. Dolores, Mirabel, and I silently make the journey up the tower and slowly peak open the recently rebuilt wooden door. Its refined gold handle was warm to the touch, almost like it was inviting us inside. I haven't been in this room since I was twelve years old, so I was surprised to see a curtain of sand part for us as we entered. It was still a wonder gazing up at the mountain-sized sandstone staircase that towered over us. I couldn't believe Tío climbed that every day to go to his vision cave.

Off to the right was a small pathway that led to a well-lit room, yet it was hidden away like the staircase was meant to distract anyone who entered. We promptly followed the pathway to the concealed room. Mamá, Abuela, and Jack's voices became more distinct the closer we got.

"We'll figure out what the vision meant, together. You don't have to be alone" My mamá stated.

"Why don't you understand, I can't stay here. I won't just hurt your family, I'll destroy the whole town! Getting as far away from this place as possible is our only option," The room went silent. Jack hung his head low in shame, just like when we introduced ourselves last night. The steady yet deep breaths from Jack were the only sound in the room," Just my luck that I'll end up hurting the people who took me in. I'll have to thank Bruno for showing me that vision."

That last part threw off both mamá and Abuela, who looked at each other with bewilderment. Years of the townsfolk's growing anger towards Bruno for his visions instilled a feeling of guilt and shame that the family was used to enduring, so hearing someone thank Bruno for his vision was not something a Madrigal would normally hear. Another moment of silence ensued that worried Jack even more.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

Unexpectedly, the roar of a flushing toilet dispersed throughout the still room followed by Tío Bruno coming out from his bathroom. Lightly brushing his hands against his iconic emerald green ruana, our resident seer looked around the room, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Did I miss something?"

Mirabel wiggled past Dolores and I and ran into the room. We quickly followed in her wake.

"Tío, do you think you could show us the vision? Maybe it'll be like mine. His future may not be set in stone!"

All four of them were startled by our sudden entrance. Tío Bruno quickly fumbled the glass tablet from under his ruana. Its ominous green glow shined brightly throughout his room. Eagerly, Mirabel took it into her hands and began to twist and turn it like Antonio whenever he got a new toy. She slowly inspected it from every possible angle, shifting it on its sides. We all gathered around her, even Jack joined in. And just like Mirabel predicted, the scene shifted before our eyes. The first picture was of Jack on his knees, screaming in agony while the world around him crumbled. A line split him down the middle, the right side shined as bright as the sun but his left side was like an empty void. It pained me to see the look in Jack's eyes. A whirlwind of emotions stirred inside me, yelling at me to comfort him but I knew that now was not the time. When the vision changed it was significantly different. This new vision was something else. Jack was still at the center but this time he was whole, his gift no longer splitting him apart. Instead, he stood tall and proud, no longer afraid of his gift while the world around him shined brightly.

"There you go, your future isn't set in stone. Now we just need to find out how to change it," Mirabel said excitedly. Abuela's face seemed to light up at the revelation. Now we know the whole story and aren't jumping to conclusions. Though there was one thing missing, what did Jack have to do to change his future? That's the question Mirabel had on her mind and asked," Tío, we need you to have a vision with Jack, to find out what we need to do to fix his future."

She was so giddy despite Jack's grim alternative future. I turned to Jack, hoping for him to get his input in but all I found were the same scared yet empty eyes. His hands were molded into a tight fist and were lightly shaking. He's afraid, even with our family willing to help.

"I'm gonna go outside. I need a minute to think this through." He whispered to us before promptly leaving the room. No one stopped him or even dared to speak until he was gone. Once the door closed, the group erupted into a pile of arguments falling on top of one another. Instinctively, Dolores cupped her ears which at best muffled the noise. I helped guide her out of the room and into hers where we both wished each other good night.

"Find him. Make sure he isn't alone." Dolores whispered. She slipped into bed, the blanket molding to her figure. I left the room, leaving my prima to her well-deserved rest to be met with the cool night sky. The stars shined bright, contrasting the dark navy blue sky. A small breeze swept through my dress and a lone figure caught my eye. A lone figure sat on the roof, overlooking the town. 'Jack.'

"Casita, can I get to the roof, please?" I asked quietly. The floor tiles sprung to life enthusiastically before the over-hanging roof above me detached and lowered itself to make a ramp. The roof was cool to the touch yet had a hard and grainy texture. I wasn't particularly quiet making my way toward him but he refused to peel his eyes away from the Encanto. The echoing squeals of the mountain winds flowed through the jungle around the town, which made for a chilly evening. I sat next to him in mutual silence, my legs swung back and forth as they hung off the edge of the roof.

"You really think leaving is the best option?" I asked, my voice carrying a hint of sadness. His fingers grazed the tiles, their rough texture leaving dusty marks on his fingertips.

"I lost my family. I don't want you to lose yours." Jack mumbled under his breath. His eyes teared up against the moonlight. In the heat of the moment, I enveloped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. He nudged his head against my shoulder and I did the same. His neck was cool to the touch, yet smooth and soft. But I knew there was something else. He mentioned that he needed essence to keep his body warm. So for his skin to be this cold already wasn't a good sign. I could feel him shiver in my embrace and I felt the trickle of water roll down my dress. It was a silent weep, no cries of grief or anger, just tears and nothing else. His grip tightened around me, the tears were endlessly but never once did he say anything. It was a comfortable silence and one that I'd pray to never end, knowing that he was opening up to the emotions he shoved deep inside himself to remain strong. In a way, he was similar to Luisa where he had to maintain an outward appearance that denied him the right to reveal how he truly felt but, unlike Luisa, he didn't have a family to support him anymore, no siblings to keep him company or parents to console him. All I could do right now was to be there for him.