Chapter 21:

(Olivia POV)

I kept my eyes closed but, I was becoming more and more aware of the world around me. I could hear yelling from not that far away. What was going on? Last thing I remembered was being near the river. I felt a hand holding onto mine and I let my head roll to the side. It didn't feel like Camilo's hand and I was wondering what was going on. I coughed a little bit as I gasped for breath. "Olivia," I immediately recognized the voice, "Padre Sanchez?"

I let my eyes open but quickly shut them again. This couldn't be real. This had to be a joke. Maybe it was a dream. I opened my eyes again and I could see. It was a lot blurrier than I remembered but it was there. The yelling in the next room though had me worried especially when it suddenly went quiet. I was going to keep this to myself for a little bit. "Olivia, you're awake," he said. How long was I asleep that he sounded like that? I needed to clear my mind and think through what happened. "I'm going to go let them know you are awake," Padre said leaving the room. THEY?


(Camilo POV)

We were all quiet, no one was making any eye contact with each other, we were just waiting. Padre Sanchez came through, "She's awake." I ran back to see her, pushing past my family, Señor Santiago and Padre Sanchez. I walked over to the bed and saw her head rolled to the side towards the fall wall. He chest was rising and falling in its usual pattern and her hands were playing with the fabric of her blanket.

I made my way around to the bedside. Her eyes were open but, she wasn't looking at me, "Liv." I saw her smile, "Camilo." I went over and held onto her hand. She squeezed my hand back , "I missed you Liv." "I missed you too," she said. I leaned in to kiss give her a kiss. I felt her smile against my mouth. She was ok. She was really ok. I leaned in for another kiss.

"Olivia," I saw Señor Santiago walked in behind me. I saw Olivia visibly stiffen at the sound of his voice, "Papa." He was coming closer to us, "Don't come any closer." "She is my daughter and you have no right to say any of this," He spoke harshly at me. He grabbed her arm, "Olivia we are leaving." She didn't move. I watched as he slid something into her hand that had her shaking, "Olivia we are going."

I leaned over to Olivia and whispered, "Liv, I need you to say what you want. If you want to go with him, I will stop right now fighting right now and I will let you go. It will kill me but if that is what you want I will let you go. If you don't, just say the word and I will do everything to keep you here. It is your choice, no one else's" She held onto my hand and looked up at me. She was looking me in the eye.


(Olivia POV)

I knew as soon as I looked him in the eye that he knew. Camilo always knew the importance of the details. I also knew that he was giving me a choice that wasn't his to give. I mean what was could we do. His family still didn't know about us and when they did would they actually support him in keeping me here. Still I had to let him know, "I want to stay." I whispered. He nodded his head, "Ok."

He angrily glared up at Papa, "I suggest you take your hands off of her now." He glared at Camilo, "Aren't you going to say something Olivia. He is disrespecting your Papa." I made sure not to look directly at him but, I quietly said, "I'm not going with you." I heard him growl towards me and I did my best to avoid eye contact. I don't know why but pretending I was still blind seemed like the best thing. "Olivia you are mine."

He pulled my arm taking me out of the bed. I was rushed to my feet and Camilo was right next to me. The thoughts were running in my mind though. I belong to him. I belong to him? I am his. I am his? These were my realities I didn't know why I was questioning them. I had heard him say that all of my life not just about me. I took a breath, "Like my Mama was yours. Like Martina was yours. What does it mean that a human being belongs to you Papa? Please tell me because you have been saying it for as long as I can remember."

His face changed for a moment like he wasn't sure what to say, "We are leaving Olivia. NOW." Then more people started coming in here, "Camilo?" They all started saying. But Camilo just separated the two of us, "She isn't going anywhere with you." I reached out and held his hand squeezing it slightly. He didn't know what Papa was capable of but, I was suddenly terrified that he would hurt Camilo.

I saw Papa's hand opening and closing in a fist as he looked at Camilo and I. "YOU. YOU DID THIS," Papa said angrily pointing at Camilo, "SHE WASN'T LIKE THIS BEFORE SHE MET YOU." Camilo seemed to be equally as mad, "How would you know what she was like before she met me? " He looked back at me almost looking for permission that he could yell at my Papa, I bowed my head slightly not sure what I wanted. He took that as the go ahead, "YOU WERE NEVER AROUND. SHE WOULD SIT AT HOME OR IN THE CHURCH ALONE FOR HOURS. HOW DO YOU THINK WE MANAGED TO KEEP THIS FROM YOU FOR 2 YEARS?" I started to whisper, "Camilo." But he shook it off, "No. He doesn't get to talk to you like that especially not in front of me." I saw Papa beginning to swing in the corner of my eye and I moved myself in front of Camilo as he hit me across the face.


- 12 years ago -

(Olivia POV)

Papa was mad at me. It was the first time he ever got this mad at me. I didn't know how important that vase was when I broke it but, I did now. "Hernando, don't. She is a kid." "SHE HAS TO LEARN AT SOME POINT," Papa was screaming at Mama as she guarded me from him. He pushed her to the side and she fell to the floor, "Mami!" I called out. Papa grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him, "I'm doing this because I love you." He began to snap his belt. SNAP, "Hernando," SNAP, "Please," SNAP, "She is only 3." I laid on the floor as Mama was sitting not that far away. Papa leaned down and looked me in the eye, "I love you Olivia. But no one ruins what is mine. This was for your own good. Do you understand?" I nodded my head, "Yes Papa."


(Camilo POV)

The sound echoed in my mind. Why did she do that? Why did she go in front of me? After everything she had been through in the last few days and she runs and takes a hit for me? "Liv," I said as I turned her to face me. Her cheek was bright red, "Oh my God. Are you alright?" She nodded her head, "This isn't the first time." My eyes widened, "WHAT."

I looked back at Señor Santiago who was stunned, "Olivia you-you saw me... you-you can actually see..." He was stammering out. "Liv, I want you to walk over to my family now," I whispered not sure what he was going to do next. Her eyes widened, "That's your family." I nodded my head and she let out a long breath before walking over to them, "Olivia," He started to call out as he went to grab her shoulder. I turned into Luisa again and grabbed his arm, "Don't even think about it." I changed back into myself and went to walk with my family and Liv, "We are all leaving."

SMASH

I turned back around and saw glass candles broken on the ground, "You are not taking her. I am her Papa." I watched as Liv walked out in front. He looked disgusted, "Olivia, what is wrong with you?" Her face fell in a frown as she bit her bottom lip, "You have never really loved me."

"What?" He asked but she shook her head, "No it is true. I mean it has taken me this long to realize but, you don't love me. At least not the way you should have. You certainly didn't love my Mama. I think you might have loved my Tía but I can't even be sure of that because we don't talk about her except when you accidentally call me her name." "Olivia, this is not the time..." he started but she wasn't done, "I am happy Papa. I am happy when I am with Camilo. I am happy sitting in the church listening to Padre Sanchez. I was happy yesterday when I felt the other Madrigal gifts. I am happy in Encanto. Don't take it away from me."

I didn't understand why she was pleading with her Papa about this, after the snip-bits that my family heard we weren't going to let her go with him. I could already see Mama and Papa sharing looks with Tía. Still I wasn't going to stop Liv from getting to say what she needed to. She had earned it more than any of us.


(Olivia POV)

I felt this weight crushing against my chest as I looked at Papa, "What happened to Tía Martina?" My voice didn't hide how upset I was but I needed answers. "This is not a discussion for a child," Papa said trying to brush it off. "It is when my Mama and I could never measure up to her. Or when you were mad you would call us her. Or how you wouldn't stop calling me Martina that..." I stopped myself from going further but I looked him the eye, "What happened?"

He let out a long breath as he looked over to the Madrigals and back at me, "Olivia. Martina was the love of my life." He looked over at Señora Madrigal, "Sorry Pepa." She shook her head, "I found the love of mine. It doesn't matter anymore." He nodded his head, "When I was 17 and she was 16 we started to see each other and I proposed to her when I was 18 and she was 17. Both our families were thrilled with the match. The Santiago's and the Perez's."

He let out a breath, "About a month later we were out late at night. Neither of us were supposed to leave town but I wanted to go out into the fields were we could be alone." He let out a breath, "We weren't too far away from the jungle when I realized that I forgot something. For the life of me I cannot remember what was so important that I left her alone. I told her to stay where she was and I would be back in a moment. Suddenly it started storming and I ran back out to get her. When I found her she was dead. No one knows what caused it but she was gone."

I took a sharp inhale, "I let the most important person in my life get hurt and I couldn't do anything to save her. I never started dating anyone else. I didn't do anything with my life for the next 5 years when the Perez's came to my family and arranged the match with your Mama. The moment that I saw her, I saw my Martina. I had a second chance to keep her safe and I wasn't going to mess up this time. But, your Mama wouldn't listen to me. She would put herself in danger. She was out of control. So I had to teach her how to behave and then she had you and you were even more like my Martina then Marie. I knew I had to keep you both safe no matter what."

He was coming closer to me grabbing my arm, "That is what I have always done. I have kept you safe." I shook my head, "No, no you didn't. You made me dependent on you for everything. You refused to let me live my life or make any choices. You were the one who hurt me, not anyone else." "I AM NOT THE ONE WHO BLINDED YOU," He tried defending himself, "But you were the one who stopped the one person who could give me my sight back from doing it." I took a long breath. I knew what I needed to say next.


(Camilo POV)

I held Liv's hand hanging on her every word. I was a mix of fury and pride and everything in between. "I'm not leaving with you Papa. So the way I see it you have two options. You can leave alone and live your own life outside of Encanto and get that fresh start that you have wanted since I guess Tía Martina died or you can try to take me but, I will tell everyone, everything you have ever done to me. I doubt you would make it very far once people have heard about that." He came towards her, "Olivia." She shook her head, "I can't do this with you anymore Papa. I get why Mamí did it now and I'm not going to let myself be driven to that point too."

She turned to face me and my family, "Get me out of here please." Dolores, Mama and Tía nodded their head and took her into the hall. I hoped they were taking her out of the church but I had to make sure that Señor Santiago didn't try anything. "She gave you two options, I suggest you make your pick now," I said. Padre Sanchez stood beside me, "I agree." "You can't take her away from me," he said. I shook my head, "We aren't. She left." "No, no I am not being left behind again," he started, "I won't be left behind again." He pulled something from his boot and we were all shocked when it was a knife. What was he going to do?

The room went quiet.


(Olivia POV)

I could already tell who was who based on everything Camilo had told me about them but, I knew that none of them knew about me before today. I just had to get out of there and clear my head. But as my mind cleared I remembered how Papa had tried to hit Camilo before. Would he try again? Would he try to do something worse? I stood up to go back inside and they all stood up with me, "Where are you going?" I knew it was his sister Dolores asking. Tears were stinging my eyes, "I-I can't let Papa hurt him. Why did I leave them alone together in there. I have to go back in." The words were pouring out of my mouth before I could even register what I was saying.

His Tía then handed me an arepa, "Sweetheart you need to breath. Have this, for your cheek." I had completely forgotten about it but I took a bite anyway and felt a rush of relief, "This stuff really works." I commented aloud before covering my mouth, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." I let my voice trail off. She gave me a soft smile and nodded her head. Why were they all being so nice to me? Did they just feel sorry for me?

The doors to the church opened and Camilo, his Papa and Padre Sanchez made their way outside. I ran over to Camilo, "Are you ok? Did he hurt you? I'm so sorry I left. Please just..." He wrapped his arms around me, "Breathe Liv." I took a deep breath and nodded my head, "Ok. What happened?" Camilo looked over at Padre Sanchez and his Papa before looking back at me, "He decided to leave everything behind. He isn't going to come back."


(Camilo POV)

- a few moments ago -

He held it up and looked me in the eye. He then took the knife and cut across his throat before he fell to the floor. We were frozen in place as we looked at him. Papa was the one who finally went over to him and nodded up at us. He was gone. "What am I going to tell Liv?" I asked them both. Padre Sanchez came over, "Exactly what happened. He choose to leave. It was this world behind but he choose to leave. We can tell her the details later." I nodded in agreement. Papa looked up at me, "Your Mama and I are going to have some questions." I nodded my head, "I never doubted that."


(Olivia POV)

I looked at Padre Sanchez and he nodded his head, "Thank God you are all ok." Camilo looked at me, "I do have some questions for you for later, but yeah we are ok." I looked around at everyone, "What do I do now?" Padre Sanchez stepped forward, "Well for the time being, you can stay with me." "In the church?" I asked and he smiled shaking his head, "I actually live with my brother in town. I just stay in the church more often than not, but we would have the room for you." Padre Sanchez was my first friend in town and he always did look out for me. "I would like that, thank you Padre," I said. Camilo had wrapped his arms from behind me.

I then looked at his family as they starred at us, "We probably have a lot to explain, don't we?" He said. They all nodded their head, "Yeah. But this is the type of conversation that we are not going to want to have multiple times. To Casita?" He said and I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. I'm not sure if it was because of everything that had happened or had been going on but I loved the fact that he could still make me laugh.