Chapter 5:

(Camilo POV)

- 3 years later -

I woke up rolling out of bed as I gasped for breath. You would think I would be used to the nightmares by now, they were the same dreams every night, but they still terrorized me. I made my way out of my room. I saw Antonio was making his way downstairs and lifted him up onto my shoulder, "Morning hombrecito." He laughed as he hugged the back of my head, "Morning." Mirabel was nearby as well and I walked down to meet up with her, "Good morning Mirabel." I said shifting into Tío Augustin. She laughed for a second before giving me a look, "Morning Camilo." I shifted back into myself and Antoni laughed as he went up and down with each change. We made our way to the kitchen when Mirabel turned to face us, "Time to let him down." I sighed and leaned down as she picked Antonio up off my shoulders and placed him on the ground. "Mirabel are you going to come into town later?" I asked. She shrugged, "Maybe. I'll see if Antonio wants to do anything in town." I nodded my head. Mirabel became Antonio's babysitter a while ago and would watch him while everyone else was in town.

I went over to Dolores who looked more exhausted then I felt, "Who was it this time?" I asked and she sighed, "The Rodriguez's again. They seriously need to figure out the whole chores thing with the new baby being around soon or else I am never going to sleep again." I nodded my head sympathetically, "I will try to make my way over there later give them a break. Maybe they both just need some sleep." She nodded her head, "Thank you." "Of course," I said shoving her arm slightly. She took her seat and I took mine as I ate my breakfast. I went up to get seconds when Papa stopped me, "Camilo no more seconds." It was going to be more like fourths but I nodded my head.

I sat back down next to Isabella and she gave me a small thumbs up under the table. She started to check in on me daily after that day in her room and I always gave her a small nod she would then smile and refocus on her meal and talking with Dolores (her favorite cousin). We were never extremely close before that day and still aren't but, she made sure that I could come to her if it happened again and I really appreciated it.

I went into town and was ready to go through my regular routine. I met up with the kids in town, I visited the Rodriguez's, everything was normal. I was walking past the church when I stopped and walked back and went inside changing into someone else as I made my way inside. I wasn't sure if I was seeing the right thing but I had to know. I went down the middle pew where she was sitting alone, "Hello? Who is there?" She asked. Her head turned in my direction and with one look in her eyes I knew it was her.

It was Señor Santiago's daughter. I wasn't sure what to say as my mouth gaped open, "Hello." She wasn't looking directly at me, her gaze was a bit to the side. I cleared my throat, "Hi." She sighed, "Oh I thought I was going crazy for a second. Hi, I'm Olivia." She held out her hand for me to shake. I brought my hand up and moved it to find her's because she was still slightly to the side. She leaned in closer her eyes still not focused on me, "This is the part where you tell me your name." "Oh, right I'm Cam- Cameron," I said knowing that if I told her the truth we would both get in trouble again. "Nice to meet you," she said letting go of my hand. She brought both her hands to her lap where she had something that they were going over. I couldn't tell what it was and didn't want to ask.

"I don't see you in town much," I said trying to continue the conversation. This was dangerous. If her father found out that I was talking to her again then he would be really mad but I couldn't leave her. She continued to look forward, "I don't get out much. My Papa doesn't like it when I am in town alone. He is only ok leaving me here and I was going stir crazy being at the house all the time." She continued looking forward. I looked around the church and there wasn't much room for her to move around here either. Still I had more that I needed to know, "Oh, when did your Papa start letting you come here?" She had to think about it for a second before she said, "A little over four years ago." So she would sit here by herself for hours. I then wondered what it must have been for her at home. Her Papa worked in the fields and if she couldn't come into town, did she just have to sit home alone there.

She then sighed, "You can ask you know." "About what?" I said and she put what she was working on in her hands down in a small bag that was right next to her and turned in my direction still not looking directly at me, "Seriously. You had to have noticed by now." I still didn't say anything, "If you aren't going to ask fine. Here are the answers: I went blind when I was little. I can't see anything. As far as I know it is permanent." I gave her a half-smile that she didn't see, "I wasn't going to ask. It didn't really seem like my place to." Not to mention that I was there the day she went blind.

"Oh," she said retreating into herself but I saw a quick smile come across her lips. "So what are you doing in the church on a Thursday afternoon?" She asked and I was relieved she wanted to keep the conversation going. "No particular reason, I heard the choir practicing and thought I would come in," I said lying. She nodded her head, "They do sound great." I cleared my throat, "Hey how long have you been here?" She shrugged, "I don't know. Since Papa brought me here this morning. Whenever he has to come into town we come early in the morning and we always leave right before dinner time." I nodded my head, "You must be hungry now, huh?" She shrugged again, "I guess, I try not to think about it though." I laughed to myself, "Food takes up a good third of what I think about. I'm impressed that you can avoid the subject so easily" She let out an amused scoff and I smiled to myself. We both seemed to relax a bit and I kept talking to her about random stuff just trying to make her keep smiling. I would get one here and there along with an amused laugh but they never felt genuine. Still I really enjoyed her company and she seemed to be enjoying herself too.

I looked out the window and realized how late it was getting, "I have to go." I said and she smiled in my direction, "Thank you for sitting with me." I knew that I should have left. I should have left the church and just forgotten about it. I should have let it go but I turned around, "Are you here every month?" She nodded her head, "Like clockwork." I nodded my head to myself knowing that she couldn't see, "Good." I left the church and continued to watch. Two hours later I saw Señor Santiago go inside. He then walked out of the church guiding Olivia to a cart. He helped her up and situated her in the back of the cart surrounding her with all the stuff that he had bought. He then climbed up and they rode off to their home. I looked at a clock and saw that is was 7 at night. I didn't know why I was so invested in finding this out but, still I watched.

I went back to Casita and Abuela and the family were actually waiting up for me. "Where were you Camilo?" Abuela asked. I shrugged, "Everywhere." She rolled her eyes, "I was asking for you in town but, no one knew where you were." I gestured to myself before turning into her, Mama and Papa, "shapeshifter. Sometimes people lose me in the crowd because I look like someone else." I was lying through my teeth right now, but everyone seemed satisfied with this, "Just try to turn into yourself every now in then. Some people were saying that you never came into town." Soon Dolores came in, "That is not true. I heard him with the Rodriguez's this morning. He was taking care of their baby as Señora Rodriguez giving both parents a break." Thank you Dolores, I thought to myself. Abuela then turned to me, "Alright, I'm sorry Camilo. I should have known that you wouldn't avoid going into town." I nodded my head and walked with Dolores. "Thanks," I said. She ruffled my hair which I hated but she helped me so I didn't fight it, "I told them the truth." She didn't say anything else and walked upstairs.

I saw Antonio making his way down to the kitchen and going over to my plate. I quietly walked up behind them as he took one of my empanadas. So this was how we were related, I mused to myself, "Hello thief." I said as he turned around dropping the empanada back on the plate. As he looked at me he smirked, "I'm not a thief I'm nature's greatest bandit." I thought about it for a second before I gave him a look, "Well don't touch my food Mr. Raccoon." He laughed and I picked him up and set him down in a seat. I then looked around to make sure no one was around before I shape-shifted into Tío Augustin to reach the cookie jar on the top shelf. He was the only one with the self-control not to eat all of them which was why it was in a place only he could reach. I took out two cookies and gave one to Antonio, "Now we are both thieves." I said as he ate his cookie. He smiled up at me and thanked me when he was done before Mama called him saying it was time for him to go to bed.

I went into my room not that longer after that and took another picture of myself and what I looked like before taping it to the mirror. Within the last three years they take up almost the entire mirror now and I keep it covered so that no one else can see. I laid in bed and thought about seeing Olivia today. I felt terrible that she couldn't see anything. It was all my fault. But, there was something else. She was just so calm and so nice to talk to. I wished I could have spent more time with her. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to see her again, but I knew that wasn't a good idea. As I went to bed that night I braced myself for the dreams that I was going to face but instead, I thought about Olivia. Talking to her in the church, going on a walk, and more. It was one of the most peaceful nights I had in a long time.

- one month later -

I wished I didn't know what day it was. I wished that I hadn't been counting it down since last month. I wished I could forget about it and think that today was just like every other day, but it wasn't. I knew that and I couldn't unknow it. I looked over at the stuff that I had set aside knowing that the day was coming closer. I decided that I would just not bring them with me today. If I didn't bring them into town then I wouldn't be tempted to go see her. I left my room and closed the door making my way down to breakfast satisfied with my plan.

I was all ready to leave when Abuela reminded everyone, "The farmers in town are in need of some water so today is going to be a raining day for the fields and town. Everyone in town is aware so don't worry but make sure you wear something warm. There may not be much for you to do today so come home early if you have to." I knew that I had to go upstairs and change. I let out a long breath and went upstairs to change and the items I had set aside were starring at me. I decided to tuck three of them away in a satchel and just drop them off at the church for her. I didn't have to stay long. I could just drop a few things off and leave. That wouldn't be too hard. Right?

I made my way into town and began playing with the kids, offering my help doing everything that I could to make people's days easier. However, on days that it was supposed to rain most people kept inside and there wasn't too much for me to do. I made my way over to the church and changed form in case anyone saw me. I held the form and I saw her sitting there in the exact same spot as last time. I tightened my grip on my bag and made my way into the pew again. "Is this seat taken?" I asked and she looked up trying to find the sound of my voice, "Cameron?" I smiled, "Yeah." She smiled, "I didn't think that you were going to come back here. The seat has been open all day so I guess that it is yours." I smiled and sat down next to her she put what she was working on in the bag next to her again and turned to face in my direction.

She was looking forward and said, "8 o'clock." I wasn't sure what that meant, "That is the time that Papa drops me off here in the morning 8 o'clock. I asked the priest when he said hi to me earlier." I nodded my head but, when I remembered she couldn't see I rolled my eyes at myself, "Sorry I just nodded my head." She laughed a little, "I'm glad that you responded at all. I was worried that I said something wrong." "Nah," I said almost laughing. I then looked at my bag, "I brought some stuff for you." I pulled out the assortment of objects: a button, a piece of raw wool, and a piece of leather.

I started by handing her the button. Her fingers began turning the small item over and over again on themselves trying to feel it from every angle and trying to get as much information about it as possible, "What is it?" Her eyes were filled with wonderment as she looked not quite in my direction, "A button." She looked more intrigued, "What else can you tell me about it? What does it look like?" I looked at it, "It is small. It is black. It is a button, I don't know what else you want me to say about." She huffed, "You can do better than that." I smirked at the challenge, "It is a small, black circular item with four holes in the center. It is often used for clothing." She smiled, "Better. Was this one used for clothing?" Her fingers still going over every inch of the button, "Yeah actually it was. This particular button had fallen off my Papa's old coat. My Mama had wanted him to get a new one for years and when this, the final button, fell off she gave him a new one. I think she donated the coat to some other family but I was able to save the button for you." She smiled, "My hero."

She gingerly put the button down on her lap, "Are you ready for the next one?" I asked and she nodded her head excitedly. I handed her the piece of wool and she was surprised by the sudden change in texture. She then began examining every aspect of the wool within her fingers, pulling the fibers away from each other and then bringing them back in. "Ok, tell me what it is?" "It is wool." She looked shocked, "This doesn't feel like wool. I have had clothes made from wool before and they didn't feel like this." I laughed a little and she frowned at me, "I'm being serious." I laughed a little bit more, "I'm sorry. This is raw wool. The wool that you have felt was spun. Raw wool is what it feels like when it has just been sheered off a sheep." Her mouth fell open, "Wool has more than one texture?" I went to nod my head before remembering I had to talk, "Yes, it does. Wow I was just going to nod again." It was her turn to laugh now. "Oh so you can laugh and it is ok, but when I laugh you frown." She continued to laugh and nodded her head, "Yes. That is exactly how that works." I continued the joke, "And you get to nod. Humph." We were both laughing now.

She set the wool down. I could tell from her expression that she wasn't sure if she should ask if there was anything else or not so I took pity on her, "Last item of the visit." She smiled cupping her hands for me to place it in. I put down the small piece of leather and she frowned as her fingers quickly examined it, but stopped, "Is this leather?" "Yeah, it is. It is brown and it was a piece that I got because it was broken off from our horses reins when my cousin went out riding with her boyfriend," I said but she wasn't asking me questions about it like all the other ones. She just kept running her fingers over it before putting it down in her lap with the wool and the button. She moved her hand along the bench until she came across my hand. I turned my palm up so that she could hold onto it and she interlocked our fingers and smiled, "Thank you."

We talked a bit more. It was just so easy to talk to her. She didn't expect anything from me, she didn't care about what I could do to entertain her, she just allowed me to be myself and talk. I looked at the clock, it was an hour before her Papa picked her up last time and I said, "I have to go." She gave me a polite smile, "Thank you for sitting with me." I smiled, "Anything you want me to bring next time?" Her smile broadened, "Next time?" I nodded my head to myself knowing that there was no denying it, "Yeah next time." "Surprise me," she said. I stood far enough away from the church that her Papa wouldn't see me but close enough that I watched her pick her up. I looked at my clock and it was the exact same time as last time.