Bruno had just finished giving the rats their baths early the next evening, when he heard a light rapping at his door. He smiled even before the door opened, and Mirabel came in. He gave his niece a hug and asked her how she felt after yesterday.
She giggled and tugged at her damp hair.
"I needed a bath, honestly, I woke up and I still had grass in my hair and a dry alcohol taste in my mouth."
He chuckled at her, explaining that he remembered that feeling well from when he was her age. He used to sneak around and drink alcohol all the time. Mostly to cure his loneliness. Didn't work.
The triplets birthday had come and gone several months ago, but, since she hadn't really thought of it at the time, she now came to him with a gift. It was a handmade wayuu bag, green with small hourglasses and butterflies crocheted into the pattern.
He felt his chest hitch at the sight of the gift and he glanced up at her with tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. His belly filled with a happy warmth as he pulled his sobrina close in a tight hug.
She giggled and hugged him back. As he pulled away and hung the bag on a nail near his door, she glanced around at his room. He now had proper storage, new furniture and a comfortable hammock. The rats even had a little replica of Casita to sleep in. Granted, it was very clean and comfortable now, but she was still confused even after three years. She inhaled slowly and bit her lip.
"Um, Tio Bruno, I'm curious, why are you still living in the wall?"
He smiled gently at her, lovingly touching a wall throw she had made him with the family portrait crocheted on it.
"Well, when Casita got her magic back, when you finally realized your gift, my room was still an ominous, sand filled disaster with way too many stairs. This place is much easier to get in and out of."
He shrugged helplessly and she sighed and laid a hand on his arm, coming up beside him to speak softly. Her voice landed his ear like a flower petal, soft and sweet.
"I'll talk to Casita. I'm sure there's something we can do to remodel in there. If she can give me a new room, she can help us with yours."
He smiled warmly at her, his eyes full of tenderness for the sweet young woman. He was so proud of her. She had matured so much in just a few years.
He spoke softly, his throat struggling to cooperate properly with his brain.
"You're far too kind for this world, Mirabel."
She booped his cheek with her nose as she giggled and twirled across the room, now that there was enough space to do so.
"It's really nice in here now. Maybe we can get Casita to replicate it on a much larger scale. That way you still have the cozy feeling but also have enough room for visions."
She stopped twirling and looked at him.
"How does that sound?"
He forced a chuckle and shrugged, trying to ignore the thoughts niggling at the edge of his brain. She seemed to move in slow motion as her skirt hugged her legs and her hair bounced around her shoulders. Her eyes sparkled like stars as she anticipated his answer.
His heart pounded in his head and he began to fiddle with the hem of his ruana, trying to keep his composure. What was wrong with him? His lips felt numb and his hands began to shake. Was he having a heart attack?
His vision seemed to blur as his mind reeled with possibilities of what could be wrong. As the world came back into focus, Mirabel stood way too close, their toes nearly touching as she laid a hand on his chest, staring worriedly in his eyes.
"Tio Bruno, are you okay? You're very pale."
He gulped, feeling like he may be sick. Why was she suddenly making him feel so strange? He gently pushed her off of him, his hands holding her arms and he stepped to the side, inching his way towards his hammock.
"Yeah, I think... I think I just need to lay down. Tired, heh, didn't sleep much last night."
She wasn't convinced, but she played along as she nodded slowly.
"Okay, well, you rest and I'll come get you when dinner is ready."
He thanked her and she left quickly, her mind reeling with worries. He couldn't be sick, right? He ate with the family now and he was looking and feeling better than ever. What could possibly be wrong?
Once out of his wall, she headed out and towards town. She had to talk to her parents. She was probably worrying for nothing, but she had to be sure.
She found them with Camilo and Isabela at the Ortiz's house. Mrs. Ortiz had just recently had a baby and her husband had injured himself. They were making plans on how to help each other.
Once they wrapped up, Mirabel hugged her parents as a greeting and she began to walk with them. Before she could speak, Camilo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she realized all of a sudden how much he had grown in just a few years. He was now a bit taller than Pepa.
"What's wrong, prima?"
She had to smile at his perceptiveness. If anyone had ever been in tuned to her feelings, even when she thought she was hiding them fairly well, he always knew. She wrapped her arm around his waist to synch their steps and she glanced from him to her parents.
"Má, I think something is wrong with Bruno. I gave him his birthday gift, and he suddenly became very pale and his pupils got really big. He seemed disoriented and he wanted to lay down."
Julieta didn't seem too concerned as she looked at her daughter.
"Was he sweaty or lightheaded? What happened just before all of that?"
Mirabel shrugged.
"Nothing really. I suggested that we ask Casita if she would mind if we gutted and redorated his room."
Julieta nodded as they came to the house and she said that she would go check on him. Mirabel and Camilo said that they would start dinner.
As the middle triplet walked through the walls towards her brothers room, she couldn't believe that Mirabel had somehow chased him down in here. Or that he had outrun her!
She knocked lightly on his door and peeked in. He sat on the floor, letting the rats crawl over him. He looked sick and he didn't even seem to notice the little rodents. His chest was rising and falling a bit too quickly and he seemed to be lost.
She walked into his room and spoke quietly.
"Hey, hermanito, you okay?"
He glanced up at her as if in slow motion, and he struggled to pull in a deep breath. He looked as though he might cry when she sat beside him, gently placing her hand on his arm.
"I don't know what's wrong with me, mana. I feel so strange. I can't breathe and my belly hurts. It keeps churning and twisting. Mirabel was here, and it got worse when she touched me, like human contact made me sick."
She got his attention to point out that she had been touching his arm this whole time. He suddenly leaned his head against the wall and mumbled.
"I have no idea what's wrong with me. I'm so dizzy."
She reached into the basket she had been carrying and she handed him a bunuelo. He looked at it with some form of disgust before he took a reluctant bite. He bagn to share with the rats and she asked him if he felt better.
He turned his golden brown eyes to his sister, now misting a bit and he spoke through an emotionally strangled voice box.
"No. I feel the same. Julieta, what's wrong with me?"
Her heart crashed through her stomach to bury its self into the crust of the earth as she came to a shocking possible conclusion. She took a calming breath and smiled, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Let's go have dinner, and we'll see if you feel any better in the morning."
He groaned and slowly got to his feet.
"Oh mana, por favor, I'm not hungry. I feel sick."
She blinked, ignoring her suspicions and she took his hand, leading him out to the house.
"At least try to eat a little. I can't help you if I can't cover all of my bases."
He gulped down a wave of nausea and followed her to the kitchen.
She had made up her mind to keep a very close eye on him tonight. As she took over with the cooking, she asked him to help the kids with prep and setting the table. He just nodded, unable to speak it seemed.
He stood next the the cabinets, chopping up some vegetables and Mirabel reached around him, excusing herself as she laid a hand on his side for balance, her body pressing against his back as she grabbed the napkins. She turned then and tossed them to Camilo and they both chuckled as they hurried to the dining room, chatting about the upcoming festival.
Julieta noticed the way her brother froze when her daughter had touched him, casual as it had been. As Mirabel went in the other room, she watched Bruno's chest heave and a sweat break out on his forehead. His face flushed and his hands began to shake as he blinked rapidly, finishing his task as fast as possible.
She sighed quietly to herself and began to prepare the food, putting it in serving dishes. This could be a problem. He snapped out of his head in time to help her to carry everything to the table.
During dinner, Julieta spoke quietly with Augustín, telling him that they needed to have a serious talk tonight. He agreed, now worried about his esposa.
Mirabel sat next to Bruno as she always did and she became worried herself when she noticed that he wasn't eating, a look of confusion and distress on his face. She spoke gently, not wanting to call attention to him.
"Tio? Are you okay?"
He moved slowly, his head feeling weightless and confused. Why did his eyes drift to her lips?! He blinked and quickly took a few bites, forcing a smile and a thumbs up at his sister.
He had to act natural.
Was this natural? What did that even mean? Why did the word, "natural" sound so unnatural in his head? Why did the food taste so bland? Why wasn't he hungry? Why was his tongue numb? He needed sleep and he would feel better. Right?
"Bruno!"
He jumped as Pepa called his name and he turned to her, his eyes wide. She was focused on him, her eyes unblinking as a small snow cloud formed over her head.
"You okay? You've been sitting there, staring into nothingness for several minutes."
He felt as if he may collapse from tension and he stood up, excusing himself before hurrying from the room. Abuela asked what was going on and Julieta smiled patiently.
"I'm trying to find out, mamá. As soon as I know something, you will."
In their room that night, Julieta sat her husband down and she took his hands in hers.
"Now, before I tell you what's going on with my brother, I need you to remain calm. I know what's wrong with him, but, I'm not sure what to do about it or how to tell him. Because, I don't think he understands."
Augustín knit his brow and held her hands tighter. His expression was one of undying affection and support. Not just for her, but for this family that he loved.
"Whatever it is, tell me and I'll do what I can to help."
Her heart fluttered at his words and she gently pat his cheek.
"Cariño, I think he's in love with Mirabel."
Her husband's features seem to sift through every emotion possible in the blink of an eye, and he finally settled on heartbroken and maybe a bit concerned. He steeled himself as he nodded and he spoke clearly.
"What can I do? Maybe I can talk to him? You know, a man's point of view?"
She smiled brightly then and held his hands close to her heart.
"Oh, mi amor, I'm so happy that mi corazón chose you. I had a feeling you'd know what to say. But, what do we do if he wants to pursue his feelings?"
The man stood up and took a deep breath.
"If that's the case, he can deal with Mirabel. She's a woman now, she can make her own decisions."
He noticed the worried look on her face and he smiled gently, pulling her to her feet.
"I know that intrafamilial relationships can be concerning, but, what can we do, really? Force them to stay apart? You could lose your brother again. Or we could lose our daughter. Or worse, what if they take off together?"
The petite woman nodded, giving her husband a kiss.
"Okay, you should talk to him in the morning. Let him sleep on it, and see if he figures anything out on his own."
Bruno laid in his hammock, wide awake and he breathed slowly, trying to use Pepa's "clear skies" technique to calm down.
It wasn't working.
He glanced over to the replica of Casita, and he watched his rodent friends, crawling in and out. One came out of Mirabel's room and climbed onto the roof, scratching it's ear and squeaking gently. He watched as another one came from his old room, and it joined the one on the roof.
His heart suddenly began to race when they touched noses, squeaking happily, before they ran off together, under his door and down the hallway to be alone.
There was no way!
He couldn't have fallen in love with his own sobrina. No way. It was illogical and ridiculous to even entertain the thought. And yet, there it was, barging in on his brain like a military man knocking in your door.
He rolled over, eyes wide with fear as he tried hard to dismiss the notion. Besides, she didn't care for him like that, so it was even more ridiculous.
But, the most ridiculous thing of all, was that she was his niece. And she was barely 18! He sighed and rubbed his face in frustration. He didn't know why these thoughts were trying to wiggle into his brain like parasites, but he had to stop it before it made him sick.
He clenched his eyes shut and tried to relax and sleep, but it was no use. It was going to be another sleepless night.