Months had passed and the weekly tablas had become a major part of Bruno's day to day routine. He found himself leaving his tower more and more often as he spent afternoons with Camilo pouring over scripts and doing silly voices, cracking jokes. His Sobrino reminded him of himself in a few ways. If only he could have been so confident when he was that age, maybe then people would have liked him better. Though with his powers he doubted it.
Everyday the walk down the stairs seemed to get a little shorter, he couldn't tell if there were fewer stairs or maybe he'd just gotten faster. Living in the walls had worn him down over time. He was always rather agile. Good for running away. His first few days back in the tower had been more exhausting than he was prepared for. The stairs had gotten so long, and that said they were already pretty long when he left.
As he stood at the top of creaky wooden steps he looked back out at his room. The tile floor in the center had more color and life than he remembered it ever having. The stairs were sturdy and in much better repair. Certainly they must have gotten shorter? These rooms always did tamper with one's sense of space. The small enclaves that dotted the stair wells had developed smooth stone arches and he'd slowly been making use of more of them. The sign that sat in the center of the room, carved in stone, still taunted him every day though. No matter how homey the room became.
"Your future awaits."
He wished he could smash the blasted thing with his bare hands. What he once found funny and atmospheric as a child now felt like a bitter insult. He hadn't used his powers since the house was rebuilt and his life was all the better for it. He hadn't been to the vision cave. He didn't want to see it. Perhaps he could ask Luisa for a favor later.
Bruno rested his face in his hand and drummed his fingers along the table as he stared blankly in frustration. Carlos attempted to dart under his drumming fingers occasionally. At least someone was having fun. Día del Encanto was coming up that weekend and Camilo wanted to do some kind of special performance for it but inspiration was alluding him.
"We could do one on the town's founding." Camilo suggested.
Bruno noticed his mother out of the corner of his eyes as she headed for the front door. He could have almost sworn he saw her flinch at that suggestion but her stoic expression made it unclear if she'd even heard them. She was always quiet and reserved when this festival came around. There were lots of parties in the Encanto, holidays, birthdays, whatever have you. His mother helped organize every event and Día del Encanto celebrated her and the council especially. She was a near mythic figure to this town. A saintly woman whose many blessings protected them from a wicked world.
She hated this festival. She never said as much but he knew she did. She didn't like to talk about his father much. Not directly. He could think of nothing more insulting to her than to see his sacrifice represented by a silly story for kids. No matter how tasteful or buried in layers of metaphor.
"I don't think that would be a good idea mijo". Bruno replied as he flipped Carlos onto his back with his fingers and tried to imagine him dressed as his late father. His stomach churned at the thought.
Camilo followed where Bruno's eyeline had been and watched Abuela leave for the day. No doubt to assist with festival preparations.
"Oh, uh, maybe you're right." Camilo replied as if he may have realized how inappropriate the suggestion was as it had left his mouth.
Camilo looked down at his hands for a second before perking back up with a new idea.
"I know! A meet and greet!"
"Perdona?" Bruno lifted his face from his hand with a confused shrug.
"Kids in town keep asking if they can pet the actors, maybe we could do that. Get a little area set up where kids could come feed and pet them."
Bruno snatched up Carlos defensively. The rat let out a startled squeak as he was pulled close to his human padre's scruffy face. The thought of a bunch of hyperactive children pulling little tails and whiskers. What if one of his niños got stepped on or worse.
"Oh, no. Absolutely not. The safety of our troupe is my first priority." He insisted as he sat back and folded his arms.
"Come on Tío, we'll supervise, it'll be fine." Camilo attempted to cajole him. Bruno wasn't having it.
Bruno stood firm. Or sat rather, arms crossed and hoping he looked sufficiently stern.
"You let Antonio play with them." Camilo gestured to his hermanito who was doing homework laying in the sun in the middle of the courtyard. A capybara laid beside him listening to him explain basic arithmetic. Bruno could have sworn the math problem he was on sounded harder than the ones he was given at that age. Had the assignments gotten more difficult? Or was he just getting old?
"Antonio is gentle, I trust him." Bruno clarified. "Most kids his age aren't Antonio."
He very well meant it too. His tiniest nephew was a uniquely sweet and gentle boy who had utterly charmed Bruno every time they talked. That boy could convince him to murder and he would do it without a second thought. Antonio was too good for this family. Perhaps he was biased. He remembered being a shy little boy who escaped to the comfort of his own animal companions.
"Well we've gotta do something." Antonio grumbled. "Everyone else has something they're doing for the festival."
"Not Luisa." Bruno reminded.
"Luisa saved the town from a rock slide last week. What have you done for anyone lately?" Camilo snarked.
Bruno drummed his fingers along his arms anxiously. Camilo sounded like his mother. Bruno hadn't really been contributing anything of importance besides helping his sister with dishes and sweeping the courtyard every evening, and Casita tended to help with the latter activity. He really was a waste of space at the end of the day. Taking up a room in the house, eating their food, contributing nothing besides something to laugh at.
No, what was he thinking? Camilo was a child. What right did he have to talk back to him like that?
"I said no Camilo." He replied sternly after recollecting his resolve.
Camilo sat back frustrated. He crossed his arms and mirrored Bruno's face back at him.
"I said no Camilo." He mocked.
Camilo was a good boy. He really was. But he liked to push Bruno's buttons. He didn't respect him. Why should he? Bruno vanished for years. He gave up any scrap of authority he may have once had in this family years ago. If ever he had any to begin with. He suspected sometimes that perhaps he was a touch bitter.
Bruno escaped his mother's overbearing pressure while he watched his sisters' children suffocate for years. Sure his sisters tolerated it, as did their husbands, but he had escaped it. If only Camilo knew what a cold comfort that was.
Bruno reeled internally trying to calm himself down enough for a witty retort that might defuse the tension. Mirabel beat him to it.
"Go easy on Tío Bruno. He's been having a rough time of it. Maybe you two should just relax and enjoy the festival this year." Mirabel soothed as she passed by.
She pinched her cousin's cheek and he deflated back into himself.
"Don't treat me like a kid." He whined.
"Well stop acting like one and I'll stop treating you like one." Mirabel teased.
She shuffled through her bag before brushing a lock of hair behind her ears and heading out the door.
"Where are you going?" Camilo called out to her.
"To hang out with some friends, what's it to ya?"
"I didn't know you had friends?" Camilo grinned.
Mirabel stuck her tongue out at him before heading out.
Camilo smiled mischievously. "Off to go play con su novio." he chimed.
"Her what?"
Bruno's heart nearly stopped.
"There's a boy at school she's been hanging out with all week. She says she doesn't like him but I know better."
"S-she didn't say anything to me about any boy." He stammered out. He worried about Mirabel. Boys could be cruel. She could get hurt, heartbroken even, or worse, married.
"Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock…"
"Well of course she's not gonna say anything to you and Tío Augustin. You'd just embarrass her in front of her crush." He sighed as if it was obvious.
Bruno stared back at him with puffed cheeks and crossed fingers.
"Girls need to take their time with these things." Camilo spoke as if he were a wise weary sage enlightening Bruno on the mysterious ways of women.
Bruno freed his breath with an exasperated sigh. Thinking back to the many times Pepa had fallen hard and fast only to flee to the mountains to avoid drowning the village. Suffice to say he wasn't sold on Camilo's insight.
"Oh and you would know all about girls wouldn't you?" Bruno replied grumbling dryly. "You've never even kissed a girl have you?"
Camilo flushed hot red "I've kissed a girl!" He blustered out, his voice cracking more than most teenagers would. A downside to being a shapeshifter.
"Oh yeah how many?"
"More than you." He shot back.
Bruno leaned back again and stroked his scraggly beard.
"Mira sobrino."
Bruno stood up from the table and fiddled with his ruana for a moment as he thought. He'd been a bit spooked from watching tv in town after his enthusiasm started getting on the nerves of his neighbors. He'd barely had much time to really enjoy the art form despite how hard he'd fallen. He'd seen bits and pieces of the medium long before getting the chance to experience it first hand. "I'll go see what's on tonight, see if I can get some inspiration." He tucked Carlos under his collar and ruffled Camilo's hair with his hand. "If I can't come up with anything maybe we can just sit back and enjoy the festival, eh mijo?"
"Fine." Camilo pouted. Camilo enjoyed putting on a show and he'd been looking for opportunities to try and push the limits of what they could do with their tiny little stage. No doubt Camilo was hoping he could do something to market themselves to more people, but Bruno lacked such ambition.
That night Bruno made his way to the little bar facing out onto the square where the Martinez family had set up a television for the town to enjoy in their down time. They had purchased it to share with the town after the crack in the mountains made trade expeditions substantially easier.
Their family had a talent for making aguardiente and lived closer to the fields but had set up a little spot in the middle of town. Everyday one of their kids would be there serving drinks and helping Juileta pass out food. It was a comfy spot for folks to unwind and catch up after a long day of work. On rare occasions Senor Martinez would go with some others into the nearest city to sell goods and stock up on things they couldn't make in the valley. Augustin usually went with on these trips. Clumsy as he was, Agustin had a talent for finding his way back to the valley, a task that used to be easier said than done. It was a wonder how he always managed to come back in one piece.
He remembered when his brother-in-law had to bring little Mirabel to the city to get her first prescription. He'd spent all day in his vision cave worrying over his sobrinita. Juileta burnt dinner that night. The stress had been worth it though to see her come home with those adorable round rimmed glasses. The memory was bittersweet. Mirabel was so young, she barely remembered.
He looked over at the bar where the television sat with its staticy gray screen. It was playing a telenovela he hadn't seen before. His curiosity was nearly outweighed by the stress of possible social interaction. Especially since he hadn't been to the bar since a vision of crop failure angered the Martinez family enough to scare him away from the little bar a dozen years ago. Rocco the head of the family had been rather charmed by Bruno's tablas however and invited him to come and drink with him sometime. With the added temptation of the new television Bruno had been a bit more accepting of Rocco's hospitality than he likely would have been otherwise. Though they still barely spoke. Mostly he just came for his shows.
A few neighbors of his chatted merrily. A man who's name always escaped him tried to get his attention and engage him in their conversation. "Eh, if it isn't Bruno Madrigal! Here I was afraid we'd scared you off hombre. How's things in la casa Madrigal?"
"Oh fine. I'm just here to see what's on tonight." Bruno gestured to the TV in a way that implied he didn't really want to talk. The two drunk men shrugged him off and didn't seem to take offense as they returned to their chatter.
"Knock yourself out mi amigo."
Baby steps.
He looked around for a moment as he took a seat by the television. He always sat closest to it, a seat most people didn't take as it wasn't particularly comfortable to watch from so close and at such an odd angle. Not to mention you could hear the rumble of the family's little gas generator in the back room which most folks found unpleasant. He liked being tucked away in the corner. It felt more private, just him the TV and the hum of the generator.. He could see a hint of someone in the kitchen, a woman it looked like, Gabriella he figured.
She was never a fan of his. She'd hated him since they were children and one of his rats made its way into her book bag in the middle of class. He couldn't sit for a week after that incident. He stopped bringing his rats to school though. Which he supposed was the point. School was a nightmare without his companions there to comfort him.
He laid his head on the bar on top of crossed arms and stared at the screen absentmindedly. He tucked Carlos' head back down under his collar when his furry companion tried to get a good look at the TV. It would probably be better for him to stay hidden if Gabriella was serving tonight.
"You look like you could use a drink." came a woman's voice. Unfamiliar, strange.
His eyes fluttered upward at the stranger though he didn't move, merely peered up at her from behind a curtain of black curls which refused to stay in his ponytail.
The woman standing over him placed a shot on the bar beside him. She was a bit taller than average, curvy with a low cut puff top that showed off a bit more of her shoulders than his mother would have thought proper. She had a mole on her collarbone and long mahogany curls that fell in waves from a high ponytail. Most notably were the pair of stormy gray eyes smiling back at him.
He looked at the shot for a minute. "Oh no, no gracias." He replied, pushing the drink a few inches away. He had a bad history with alcohol and had no plans on reigniting that love affair. The woman nudged it back over to him.
"You look like you just got dumped." The woman insisted cheekily as she hoisted herself up to sit on the bar behind him.
The sudden proximity of her rear to his nose forcing him upright in his seat.
"Who, Bruno?" The man who's name he always forgot chimed in. "He always looks like that."
His companion added. "Oh yeah, man always looks como borrego degollado."
Bruno glared at his neighbors as they laughed. The strange new woman laughed along with them and he couldn't help but ask.
"Do I know you?"
The woman blinked at him for a moment before laughing again. "I hope not! Otherwise I've set a new record with how quickly my reputation precedes me." She had a laugh like jingling bells.
Bruno stared blankly as he ran his fingertips along the counter. His eyes flickered back towards the TV a few times which she was now obstructing his view of with her curves. The woman looked over her shoulder at the TV before sliding back down off the counter.
"I'm new in town." She explained as she straightened out her fiery red skirt. "Mi hermano and I are sort of, nómadas." She paused a bit as if looking for the right word.
"Gitanos?" He wondered aloud before immediately regretting it.
The woman stared at him for a moment. Bruno had a bad habit of blurting out unfiltered observations which had gotten him into trouble before. The woman jiggled once more like bells and he relaxed again.
"Oh no. Though I've met a few and let me tell you they do not disappoint." She smiled wistfully as if recalling a found salacious memory. Her stormy eyes had a glint of some worldly, primal mischief that made him uneasy.
Bruno eyed the shot next to him. Maybe one drink wouldn't hurt.
The woman turned back to him and held her hand out. " My name's Jacqueline by the way."
Bruno downed the shot faster than she could speak then stared at her extended palm before taking her hand in his fingertips and giving it a gentle awkward shake.
"Uhm, Bruno. Bruno Madrigal. But you've probably heard of me." He replied shyly.
Jacqueline seemed surprised by his odd mannerisms but didn't seem to dwell on them much. "Oh I've heard of the Madrigals people around here never seem to shut up about you guys."
Bruno waited for her to ask about his powers. He knew it was coming. She'd ask for a vision and he'd have to decline. It was ok. He was braced for it.
"I've seen your little tablas you put on for the kids." She nodded out towards the square where he usually set up his theater. "Funny stuff. You and the boy have some real talent."
Bruno was astonished. Camilo shapeshifted at those performances, and this woman made no comment. "M-mi sobrino Camilo." Bruno introduced. "He's a funny kid." He rang his ruana through his hands. Gently, just feeling the fabric in his palms. He could feel a warm flush come over him though couldn't tell if the buzz was setting in or he was just happy.
"He wants to do some kind of big performance for the festival this weekend but I'm at a loss for ideas lately." He explained. "I thought I'd see what's on tonight to try and get some ideas."
There was a glint in the woman's eyes he couldn't quite place. He flinched as she slammed a palm on the counter.
"The library! Go read. What are you wasting your time here for?"
Bruno stared wide eyed, his hands still crinkled up near his face. "I-I can try the library tomorrow." He stammered out dumbfounded. A strange suggestion to make so aggressively.
Jacquline cleared her throat and brushed a stray brown lock from her face. She leaned on the counter cooly and gestured to the TV with her plump lips. Currently the characters were reeling at the shock of surprise pregnancy of ambiguous parentage, though without any further context it didn't have much impact.
"Your writing is so much better than anything you'll find on that idiot box." Jacquline tried to flatter him.
That's what his mother called it too.
"I dunno, I think it's an underappreciated medium." He defended.
"Oh don't get him started!" One of Bruno's neighbors complained. "He's been obsessed with the damned thing since we got it!"
"It's going to change the way we tell stories. It's the way of the future!" the other man mocked. Marcello, he thought, though he wasn't sure. "Knowing his luck, it'll be the downfall of mankind."
Bruno grumbled under his breath and looked down at his hands.
"Hey just because you idiotas lack imagination doesn't make him wrong." Jacquline protested.
Bruno looked up again. This woman was full of surprises.
"Oh no. Bruno is never wrong. He's just bad luck." The one whose name still escaped him replied ominously.
Bruno got up from his seat. "I should go." He mumbled.
"Wait!" Jacquline grabbed his hand as she turned to leave. She gave him a pleasing smile.
"Ignore them. Come sit, have another drink with me. I'd love to hear your ideas."
She really didn't know, did she? Baffling, she hadn't heard of what he could do. He knew he should probably decline the offer. He promised his mama years ago he'd stop drinking.
"S-sure." He stammered sweetly.
His neighbors groaned and left as he and Jacquelne spent the rest of the night chatting away about the future of media. He tried to sound speculative of course. No need to ruin a good thing. Though sometimes he let slip a tone that was a bit too definitive. Did she really not know? It was hard to tell. She either didn't know or didn't care. Either way, the conversation was deeply refreshing and a few shots got him looser and more open than he'd been in a long time.
He got so distracted talking about writing and acting he lost track of time and missed dinner. He crept in the front door quietly after most of the family had gone to bed. Juileta was still in the kitchen doing dishes. Had he been a bit more alert it might have struck him as odd she was still up. He tried his best to be quiet, but Casita potested as he fumbled over the threshold, rattling its floor tiles irritably. He put a finger to his lips to shush the noisy house but a kitchen cabinet waved in his direction to get his sister's attention.
"¡Mierda!"
Juileta looked up from the sink to the fluttering cabinet then over to Bruno.
"Traitor." He hissed to the floor tiles who rattled indignantly.
"Bruno? There you are." his throat ran a bit dry as his sister made her way over to him. He should have tried to just walk past but froze up and missed the chance to maintain the distance.
"I was worried when you didn't come to dinner." She said as she looked at him.
He tried to look at anything but her face. "Oh, sorry. I was just watching television and lost track of time." He insisted from behind a curtain of hair as he started eeking away, hugging suspiciously close to the wall as he tried to get around her into the courtyard.
If she wasn't suspicious before she was now as she leaned closer to get a look at his face. Her brows knit together and she rested her hands on her hips as she caught a whiff of him.
"Have you been drinking?" Her voice was trying to be stern, but the shock and worry beneath the accusation made him wince.
"Who me? No, no I would…" He waved a hand dismissively as he continued to dig his grave deeper. "Psh! Why would I be doing that huh? I would never."
He chuckled awkwardly and she continued to stare at him. Juileta was a sweet and non confrontational type but her disapproving pout always had a profound effect on him and Pepa.
"I-I'm just gonna go to bed now…" He stammered before scurrying off to his tower before his sister could say much else.
The next morning his sister kept shooting daggers at him as she set out their breakfast. Bruno grinned sheepishly at her as he went to fill his plate.
"Thanks for covering for me." Bruno whispered to her as it was apparent his mother hadn't learned of his drinking.
Beatrice, the young mother who's nearly grown children had been smothering her that morning, peeked out of Bruno's breast pocket to sniff at his plate. Juileta glared at the rat and grumbled.
"Eat your breakfast, you need it." She grumbled. He knew she didn't like him feeding her carefully prepared meals to his pets. The edge in her voice implied she thought he might be hung over. Honestly though Bruno felt fine, at least not much worse than usual. He really wasn't a morning person and adjusting to the family's schedule again definitely wasn't easy.
Bruno took a seat at the end of the table opposite his mother, occasionally sneaking a bite or two of his breakfast to Beatrice when Juileta wasn't looking. She had started setting aside some grains for feeding his pets like she used to before he left, but his rats had grown spoiled and fat on her cooking and he couldn't help himself. Beatrice especially was so sweet and tender. She was one of his younger rats and was always so gentle and shy. He couldn't help but spoil her.
His mother shot him an angry glare as she sat down and began running through the itinerary for the day.
"Bruno." she barked as he nuzzled his pet. Her voice startled Beatrice back into the depths of his pocket. Bruno sat upright and gave her his full attention.
"Yes Mama."
"I hope you enjoyed your outing yesterday." It wasn't a question. "Dolores says you were busy making friends in town." His mother seemed torn between praising and scolding him. "So busy you couldn't make it home for dinner, or let anyone know you would be arriving late."
"Right, sorry, I just, we, I got talking about the entertainment industry you see, and, and… I lost track of the time."
His mother raised an irritable brow. "Well since you had such a relaxing evening I was thinking you could take over Agustin and Felix's chores for the day so they could have some time off."
"Oh, gracias but that really isn't necessary." Felix insisted. Bruno's cuñados both seemed uncomfortable with the prospect of being used as a punishment.
"Nonsense." Mama insisted. "You are both wonderful, dutiful sons who do so much for this family. You deserve some recognition for all the hard work you do." She looked down at Bruno from across the table. "Some of us could use to learn from you both."
Agustin looked to Bruno with a pained expression as he mouthed the words "Lo siento."
His mother continued to go around the table reminding everyone of their obligations for the day. Pepa had work to do in the fields and Isabela would be joining her as had become the norm. Luisa had a construction project to assist with on the edge of town, though notably her daily workload had decreased. Camilo was babysitting for the Marquez family after school and Dolores would be helping Antonio with homework after doing a sweep of the town for a pickpocket who'd become a recent menace.
"As for you Mirabel, I would like you to accompany me to today's council meeting." Mirabel nearly choked on her orange juice.
Bruno had more or less tuned out the rest of the day's plans after his mother had finished reprimanding him for his absence at dinner. This got his attention though.
"Who me?!" Mirabel fumbled out in disbelief from her seat next to the matriarch.
Mama took her napkin from the table and reached over to wipe a drip of juice from his niece's chin.
"I've been giving it some thought." She explained carefully. "And I think it would be a good way to put your talents to good use."
Bruno noticed the look that flickered briefly on her face as she pulled her hand back. That little flicker of doubt. She had always been harsh but it still hurt to see her confidence so shaken since the house had collapsed. Those little flickers worried him.
"That is if you think you can handle it." She clarified gently.
Mirabel looked dumbfounded around the table. Agustin took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze while Bruno shot her a pair of encouraging thumbs up.
"This is great. You've been asking for more responsibility. I think this job is perfect for you." Her father reassured.
Mirabel opened her mouth to speak only to be disrupted by a disgruntled Pepa.
"Mirabel? Really Mama?" She griped, a small cloud forming overhead. "You're going to put a child on the council?"
"Pepi, mi amore." Her husband soothed though she shrugged his hand off his shoulder as she crossed her arms at their mother.
"I won't be around forever." Mama answered slowly and carefully. She didn't seem very comfortable acknowledging it out loud, but was keeping her cool. "Someone has to be ready to take my place some day."
"Yes, one of us!" Pepa challenged as she gestured to Bruno and Juileta. "Mirabel is a child Mama."
Bruno screwed up his face, slightly disgusted by his sister's attitude. "Like you ever wanted a spot on the council." He chastised. He was happy for his niece. It was about time she got a proper role to play and he didn't doubt for a minute she was the best choice.
"We all know you didn't." Pepa rolled her eyes. "I assumed Juileta would be next."
Bruno drummed his fingers on the table awkwardly. She had a point. Juileta was the responsible one. He and Pepa had always assumed it would be her though their mother never directly addressed the issue before. If people disliked his advice before he shuddered to imagine how much worse it would be if he had any real authority. Pepa of course was already a ball of nerves without the added responsibility.
"Juileta has enough responsibilities as it is." Their mother defended her position.
"Honestly Pepa I really don't mind." Julieta insisted as she reached past her husband to pinch her daughters fat cheeks. "I think Mirabel will do wonderfully." She insisted with a kind of love in her voice their own mother had rarely managed for them.
Pepa took a deep breath and sighed as Felix put an arm around her shoulder. The cloud over her head dissolved as she considered her words.
"Mirabel is young, Mama. Doesn't this seem like a lot to put on her." Pepa clarified. "Especially given…" She trailed off. Bruno knew what she meant. Mirabel had always been given pretty minimal obligations before. This would be a big change for her.
"I think that should be up to Mirabel to decide, don't you think?" He piped up timidly before Pepa could finish her thought. He looked over to his niece who seemed thankful for his reassurance.
All eyes at the table landed on Mirabel as she looked down at her hands for a moment. "I think," She looked back to her abuela, "If you think I'm ready, then I'm ready to give it a try." She finally finished.
"You have my full confidence mi vida." Mama insisted with a smile.
Bruno couldn't help but beam with pride as his cuñado started gushing and smothering his daughter in kisses. Mirabel was a clever empathetic girl. She helped his mother organize the reconstruction of their home. She was a natural born leader and he knew she'd take to the job with her usual fervor. Camilo cheered his cousin with playful hollering while others clapped and Dolores smiled brightly to Mirabel between the hands that protected her ears from her brother's onslaught of noise.
Pepa seemed to settle down and gave a tired smile. He understood his sisters' misgivings. While Mirabel's giftless status had made her life challenging it had also afforded her a level of freedom, a childhood none of them ever got to have. He wasn't surprised Pepa wouldn't be eager to see that come to an end for their little sobrina. But Mirable wasn't a child anymore. It wouldn't be long before she was done with school. She had a life to prepare for. As long as Mirabel was happy with this decision Bruno would support her to the best of his abilities.
Eventually most of the family funneled out of the house, either off to school or sent to do work in town. Bruno was quick to get a start on the extra chores around the house while Augstin and Felix were off. His mother didn't want him to leave the house today. She didn't say as much, but it wasn't hard to guess. He was fully prepared for a quiet day with the house mostly to himself.
"So what held you up last night?" Augstin asked as he and Felix cornered him at the edge of the courtyard.
Much to his chagrin, his cuñados had decided to spend their free time pestering him.
"Nothing important." Bruno muttered as he kept his eyes on the floor while he swept. "What about Mirabel, eh?" He attempted to avoid the conversation he knew was coming.
"AH, I'm so proud of her." Agustin cooed. Felix elbowed his shoulder.
"Yes we're all very excited." Felix agreed. "You know what else is exciting?"
They were committed today weren't they?
"Right, right," Agustin shook himself from his dreamy eyed state to regain his resolve.
"I just got caught up chatting at the bar and lost track of time." Bruno replied flatly as if it wasn't news. It was though. He rarely spoke to anyone outside the family and it was no shock that people would be curious. Especially a pair of extroverts with nothing more important to do with their time.
The pair of friendly busybodies made juvenile hooting sounds as the tiles under his feet shook him upright.
"Bruno making friends in town?" Agustin cheered in disbelief. "That's a new one."
Bruno strangled the broom handle as his shoulders worked their way up to his ears. "It's really not that impressive. She's new in town. She didn't know any better. I've probably already scared her off with my rambling anyway."
Bruno tried to scurry out to a patch of floor further from the wall so they wouldn't surround him as easily.
"You spent all night chatting up la señorita and think you can get away with leaving us in the dark?!" The shock in Felix's voice would have felt condescending had it some from anyone else.
Of course he couldn't escape as the men both materialized in front him to continue their inquisition. Bruno stumbled back a bit as Agustin crossed his arms and nodded in enthusiastic agreement with Felix.
"Tell us everything hombre." Felix demanded.
Bruno stammered a moment and wrung the broom handle hard enough to turn his knuckles white. He was sure most of the color had already drained from his face. Beatrice peeked her head out of his pocket and made eye contact for a moment. Her glittery little beads were reassuring.
"Well she uh. She's new in town… I think I already said that. I don't think she knows what my gift is yet. That's probably why she was willing to talk to me…"
"Si, but what's she like?" Agustin clarified.
Bruno looked back down at the floor again and continued sweeping. "Well, she smiles a lot. She's very loud. Kind of pushy actually." He thought back to how oddly insistent she was that he visit the library today.
"I was going to just watch some television for ideas for mis tablas but she said I should stop by the library if I'm short on inspiration. She was weirdly adamant."
Felix and Agustin shared some kind of unspoken exchange Bruno couldn't interpret.
"Interesting." Agustin put a hand on his shoulder. "This woman wouldn't happen to have long brown hair and blue eyes, would she?"
Bruno froze up a little but tried to keep moving as if he wasn't startled. "Umm. more gray really but yeah…" Of course, Agustin would have gotten a look at any newcomers in town. New folks weren't a common occurrence and having been one himself once upon a time he was often in the business of keeping track of people coming and going.
"Jacqueline! You won over that belleza!"
"You've met the new folks?" Felix asked. "I only heard about them a few days ago."
"I make a habit." Agustin explained pridefully. "They're travelers from what I hear, just passing through. But I've seen Jacqueline and let me tell you that woman is muy bonita and a real fire cracker to boot."
"She has a real jingly little laugh." Bruno muttered absentmindedly as he thought back to their conversation. "Like bells."
Felix and Agustin stared at him dumbfounded. Bruno realized the words that had just left his mouth as he felt their eyes boring holes into his back while he swept. After a moment or two he relented and looked back at them to see his brothers holding each other with the glitter of barely contained excitement in their eyes.
"Our little Brunito is all grown up!" Felix teased.
Bruno groaned and thumped his head against the end of the broom handle. "It's not like that." He protested though he doubted his in-laws would listen. Why did no one in this family ever talk to him like an adult?
"Oh relax, we're only teasing." Agustin reassured as he wrapped an arm around Bruno's shoulder.
"Seriously bro you don't have to act cool with us. If you like this girl then we've got your back." Felix insisted.
Bruno did not in fact like Jacqueline. At least not the way they were implying. He didn't think so anyway, there seemed to be no evidence to him of such a thing, and past experience led him to very much doubt it. But she was nice to him which was refreshing. She let him talk and didn't condescend to him. So that was a plus. It would be nice to talk to her again, he supposed. Maybe enjoy having a new friend for as long as that lasted. She likely wouldn't be in town long enough to grow to hate him.
"Not to mention I think senorita might be interested in you too from the sound of things." Agustin chirped as he continued to pull Bruno in closer and invade his personal space.
"I doubt that." Bruno replied dryly.
"You said she wanted you to stop by the library right?" Agustin asked.
"Yeah…" Bruno eyed him quizzically.
"She's trying to get more time with you. She's been staying with Senor Robledo."
Senor Robledo was an elderly man, older than Bruno's mother in fact. He was one of the few people who was consistently kind to him growing up. He ran the local library and seemed to appreciate Bruno's love of reading. His home was attached to the library, a small two bedroom space with a little kitchenette and washroom which he used to share with his daughter. Ever since she passed away, nearly thirty years ago, the spare room had become a common place to put people up for the night should there be a need.
The kind old librarian was one of Bruno's few friends for a long time. That is until he had to give him the bad news about his daughter. Bruno hadn't been to the library since then.
"I don't think it's a good idea for me to go to the library." Bruno replied sadly and he pulled free from Agustin's grip. "Besides, I've got a lot of chores today, and I'll probably see her around town. She'll change her mind sooner or later anyway." His words began devolving into rambling before Felix yanked the broom from his hand.
"She's inviting you over! Go get your girl me amigo. We'll cover for you."
Bruno stared doe eyed as he wrung his hands together. "You two aren't going to leave me alone are you?"
"Mis hermano you spend too much time at home as is. We can't just let you pass up an opportunity like this." Agustin replied.
"If tu madre has a problem with it she can take it up with us." Felix added.
It wasn't just Bruno who caught on that his mother was being overbearing. Bruno thought it over for a moment, pacing slightly. He had enjoyed his chat last night with Jacqueline, though maybe that had been the alcohol talking. He wasn't interested in flirting by any means. But maybe if he entertained this woman it might get his increasingly pushy family off his back for a bit.
Ever since Mirabel cornered him with the rat tablas it had become increasingly obvious his family was looking for excuses to get him to socialize. While he was going out every weekend he was still greatly more introverted than the rest of his family, and most frustratingly people tend to assume you lack an internal life if you aren't leaving the house. His mother was the one exception. She seemed more than content with him floating about the casita like a hungry ghost. Just as long as she knew where he was.
"I guess I could go see what she wants…" He replied hesitantly.
"That's more like it." Felix cheered as he slapped him on the back hard enough to send him fumbling slightly.
"We'll finish the chores today. Just be sure to fill us in when you get back." Agustin insisted as he went to grab the dustpan from the corner of the room.
Bruno left the house with an awkward little wave to his overbearing brother-in-laws.
He wasn't looking forward to visiting the library. Perhaps he could just do something else with his newfound free time. He could just lie, but he was a terrible liar and he knew that. Besides, Agustin would probably talk to Jacqueline later. Maybe she wouldn't be there and he could just go back home. Perhaps he could actually do the thing she recommended and look for something to read for inspiration. Though he kind of doubted there would be anything interesting he hadn't already read. The town didn't get new books near as often as he would have liked.
He barely paid much mind to the greetings he received as he made his way through town. He still habitually hunched over and stuck to shaded areas. He had no reason to sneak, but he still preferred to draw as little attention to himself as possible. He missed his hood. His old poncho had a hood and Mirabel had decidedly not given his new ruana one. He understood why, much as it frustrated him.
He stood outside a moment taking in the modest dusty building. It had been decades since he set foot in this place, but it still looked the same. He didn't, he had started tying his hair back every morning to keep it clean. With his new ruana he could no longer hide behind a hood. He wore more color, nicer button downs and trousers. His eyes were heavier than once they were.
He eyed the door handle wearily. He didn't want to see the old librarian, but the man never left the building so it seemed unavoidable. Was it really worth it just to get Felix and Agustin off his back?
THWUMP!
A cloud of dust flew from the open window and knocked Bruno over as the breeze blew it into his face. Fumbling and coughing, blinking dust from his eyes he tried and failed to maintain his balance. He let out a startled yelp as he hit the ground despite himself.
"Lo siento! Lo siento! Are you ok?" called an unfamiliar voice.
Bruno rubbed the dirt from his eyes and squinted up at the face which hung out the window looking down at him. As he focused his vision against the burning in his eyes and the glare from the sun he caught a glimpse of dirty blond hair that shimmered gold in the sunlight. As the man's face became clearer Bruno regained awareness of himself and his pathetic state on the cobblestone.
Bruno leapt up to his feet and brushed off the dirt. "Oh no, me? No I'm fine, just fine, I just, I mean," Bruno forced his incoherent stuttering to a stop and shrunk in on himself as he made eye contact with the stranger.
The man in the window blinked at him as he leaned over a heavy pile of old books. A stack which was no doubt responsible for the dust cloud that had so rudely assaulted him. "I didn't realize there was someone at the door. I would have been more careful otherwise."
"Oh it's fine." Bruno insisted as he tried to play it off cool, "People don't notice me all the time." and failed.
Bruno was able to get a better look at the stranger now that the sun's glare wasn't obscuring his vision. The man appeared to be in his forties if he had to guess. Then again folks in the Encanto tended to age rather gracefully thanks to his sister's cooking, so perhaps his judgment was skewed. He had a round chubby face with a set of half-rimmed reading glasses that looked like they were threatening to slide off his relatively flat nose. His dirty blond hair fell in little feathery layers and stuck out occasionally at odd angles. Most notably however were a pair of stormy gray eyes that seemed unsettlingly captivated by what they saw.
"I noticed you." The man replied.
Bruno stared back at him cluelessly. There was a moment of silence before the stranger seemed to collect his thoughts. He adjusted his reading glasses and smiled politely.
"You're Bruno Madrigal. I've seen your little play you put on for the kids in town. It was a very endearing introduction to the local culture." He chuckled. His laugh was warm. Bruno could feel that warmth in his chest.
"You're the other newcomer in town I take it?" Bruno asked.
The man looked back at Bruno, the glint of his glasses in the sun making his eyes shimmer. "So you've met my sister I take it?"
Bruno nodded. This was Jacqueline's brother. That made sense. They had the same stormy gray eyes and friendly smiles. Though this man's voice was warm and soft as opposed to the loud jingle of his sister. The man slipped back inside, and for a moment Bruno's heart sank a little, only to be startled by the door nearly smacking him in the rear.
The man gestured inside. "Well don't let me distract you. You must have come here for a reason."
"Oh, uh, yeah, right." Bruno stepped inside nodding graciously to the stranger. "Where's Senor Robledo?" He asked nervously.
The stranger held a finger to his lips with a coy smile and pointed to a lump in the corner behind the desk. The old man had fallen asleep in a rat's nest of blankets. Bruno would have almost worried he'd died had throaty snoring not occasionally punctuated the silence.
"Me llamo Wilfredo." The strange man, Wilfredo apparently, introduced himself. "Consider me the new librarian as long as I'm here." he explained.
Bruno nodded.
He looked about the cramped library. The place was in greater disarray than usual. Cleaning supplies were strewn about. Tall stacks of books sat in the available floor space next to half empty shelves.
Wilfredo closed the door gently so as not to wake his sleeping landlord. "I hope it's not any trouble," he apologized. "I've been reorganizing things since I got here. No offense, but this place looks like it hasn't been cleaned in ages."
"None taken," Bruno chuckled as he started scanning the stacks of books. They were sorted by genre. "I'd believe it."
Bruno found a stack of fiction novels and knelt down to skim the spines as Wilfredo returned to his cleaning. Some of the books were in better repair with unfamiliar titles. Usually when the town bothered to buy new books it was practical things, things his mother and the council thought valuable. He hadn't seen anything new in the fiction section since he was a child.
"I love the rat tablas by the way." Wilfredo's voice disrupted his trailing thoughts. "You're a clever writer from what I've seen, such a cute little idea."
Bruno smiled to no one in particular as he grabbed a book from the stack. Wilfredo was in the next aisle over and couldn't see his face, but he smiled anyway.
"It was mi sobrinas idea. You know how creative kids can be." He was in no hurry to add that he'd been playing such childish games in private for decades with his many pets.
"She sounds like a clever girl." He replied.
"She is. She's brilliant." Bruno turned the book over in his hands though could barely focus as a proud toothy grin consumed his face. A thought occurred to him as tender Beatrice poked her head out of his front pocket to sniff the unfamiliar binding in his hands.
"You're not put off by the rats?" Bruno asked. "Most people are, even folks who like the plays usually teach their kids not to get too close to the stage."
"Nonsense really. Rats are highly intelligent animals and a lot cleaner than most people realize." Wilfredo seemed mildly offended by the ignorance Bruno assumed of him.
"Finally someone gets it." Bruno exclaimed in relief as he went to pluck out another strange book. "You like rats?"
"I like learning. I read a lot" Wilfredo clarified.
"Well that checks out." Bruno replied with a self congratulatory snort.
"Was that a pun?" Wilfredo seemed playfully stunned by Bruno's audacity.
"I don't know, you tell me." Bruno replied coyly.
Wilfredo poked his head around the corner to see the book Bruno was currently cradling. "Gracias," He sighed, "I was worried my contributions to this place would go unappreciated."
Bruno looked back down at the book in his hands. The condition was immaculate. It was heavy and felt good in his hands. Somehow it seemed sensible to him that such a beautiful book could only belong to someone like Wilfredo.
Bruno's heart nearly skipped a beat as Wilfredo stepped over the stack of books to stand over his shoulder and get a closer look at the cover. "This one's a favorite of mine. I'll miss it when we're gone."
Bruno took in Wilfredo's melancholy expression through the corner of his eye, too nervous to turn his head and risk brushing his face against his new companion's cheek. He looked back at the book in his hands. "You're leaving this behind?" Bruno asked as the melancholy infected him too.
Wilfredo stepped back and shook his head sadly before plastering on a fresh smile. "We can't just take advantage of your people's hospitality without contributing something in return right?" Wilfredo insisted. "Mi hermana… We've fallen on some hard times and needed a place to stay while I wait on a job I have lined up in Cali."
"That's a big city." Bruno mused. "I don't think I could handle living somewhere so busy."
"I used to teach at Del Rosario in Bogotá," Wilfredo laughed and leaned against the bookshelf, "I assure you I'll be well within my element."
His dismissive response made Bruno feel small. "If you're such a big city, big shot, professor how'd you end up broke in the middle of nowhere, uh?" Bruno's reply was a bit snarkier than he intended.
Wilfredo stopped smiling as he looked down at Bruno. A lump formed in his throat as he worried he'd said something he shouldn't have. This man wasn't very tall but Bruno had always been short and in the brief pause as he collected his thoughts Wilfredo seemed to tower over him. Wilfredo gnawed at his lip ever so slightly before replying.
"It's complicated. My sister and I are wanderers, it's just what we do. I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand."
He wasn't sure how, but somehow Bruno felt he had struck at something delicate, something that was better left untouched. Wilfredo ran a hand through his hair as he smiled shyly, but avoided eye contact. Bruno's eyes darted about as he thought of some way to change the conversation.
"Dia del Encanto is this weekend." He blurted out awkwardly. He scanned the gray slates as their eyes reconnected. Bruno found himself eagerly looking for something else to take in as the gray slates made his chest tighten. Wilfredo wore an earthy green cardigan with a light green v-neck with red trim. The red trim reminded him of Jacqueline's fiery skirt.
"Right, I heard." Wilfredo replied softly. He seemed to notice that Bruno was falling in on himself. "It sounds like fun but I'm not sure if a small town festival is really suitable for a big city, big shot, professor." Wilfredo replied with a playful jab.
Bruno felt an inexplicable disappointment sink in as he hugged Wilfredo's favorite book to his chest. Had he offended him? "Alright you got me," he chuckled awkwardly as he tried to hide how profoundly this man affected him. "It's just, my family expects me to go and I'm sure it would be more fun with you there."
Why did he say that? Meirda! Just shut up. Talk about something else, anything else. Why did you say it like that?!
Wilfredo laughed heartily. His nose crinkled when he laughed. "I suppose I can take time out of my very busy schedule to spend time with a new friend." He teased.
Bruno forced an awkward laugh as he considered his exit. He drummed his fingers along the book's binding.
"Well I should probably, uh, hmmm." Bruno waved the book in front of him before pulling it close to his chest again.
"Oh right, yes." Wilfredo scurried over to the desk and quietly shifted through loose papers as he asked Bruno for his library card only to learn Bruno hadn't used it since he was a child. Library cards had always been largely a formality for him and the old man sleeping behind the desk has always trusted him to return his books on time.
Wilfredo simply jotted down a note of the book's absence allowing Bruno to scurry out without further complications. Bruno was grateful for the leniency as he worried me might just asphyxiate if he spent any more time in that library.
The last few minutes of their conversation played on repeat in his head as he trudged home. Things were going well. They were getting along. Then he had to open his big stupid mouth and make things weird.
He hadn't even paid attention to the book he'd checked out. He just needed an excuse to leave. He flipped open the cover to read the preface as he walked along. It was a collection of short stories and poems. The perfect thing to inspire the kind of short plays he wrote for the kids in town. Albeit some of the titles sounded a bit inappropriate. A few cynical titles regarding god and politics did catch his eye and he couldn't help but imagine how his mother would have reacted had she caught him reading such a thing as a child.
It wasn't until he neared the Casita that he remembered he had failed at the objective he's been set out to accomplish. He didn't even see Jacqueline at all today. Felix and Agustin would be expecting a report when he got home. He looked down at the handsome book in his hands. He really should go help them finish the chores. Especially considering he would have spent all day inside had it not been for them. He wouldn't have met Wilfredo. Then again…
Bruno found himself a comfortable spot nestled in the roots of a kapok not far from home. It was a comfy spot he used to hide when he was young. The sunlight cast beautiful little shadows on the pages as he read. Felix and Agustin had expected him to be gone for a while anyway. Surely they wouldn't mind if he took his time getting home. As long as he got back before dinner what was the harm in taking some time out to read? Beatrice made herself cozy in his lap sniffing each new page as he read.
"Did you like him?" Bruno asked as he scratched the top of her little head. She leaned into his touch and rubbed her back against his palm.
"Yeah, I liked him too."
It was Beatrice who first noticed Alma making her way up the hill to the Casita and alerted Bruno. Seeing his mother he scrambled quickly to find a leaf or stick he could use to bookmark his page before scrambling home. He snuck around the back of the house and through the side door on the patio that led to the kitchen.
"Making it home just in time today, eh?" Juileta chided as he snuck in.
"You say that like there's a curfew." Bruno chuckled awkwardly.
His sister passed him a tray of food. "If you're going to skip out on your chores you can at least help set the table."
Bruno carefully set Wilfredo's book on a shelf next to his sister's cookbooks before taking the tray to the dining room. Juileta was still annoyed with him after yesterday. It's not like he didn't know why.
"Did you have fun with that Jacqueline woman I've been hearing so much about?" His sister asked cooly as she assisted in setting the table.
"Agustin told you about that huh?" Bruno replied sheepishly. "He seemed to think something was going to happen."
"Did anything happen?" His sister raised an eyebrow.
Bruno looked back at his sister somewhat baffled. "Well no." He replied as though he thought that was obvious. "I didn't even see Jacqueline today."
"Then why were you gone all day?"
"She wasn't home, I ran into her brother instead. He recommended a book and I got distracted reading."
His sister sighed and tutted, "Bruno what am I going to do with you. You need to stay focused. Mama was so worried about you yesterday when you didn't come home."
Bruno tugged at his ruana. "I know." He didn't mean to cause their mother distress. He had such a bad habit of doing that.
Just as they finished setting the table Agustin came waltzing in cheerily with a bloody hand. The bite mark on the back of his hand was rather grizzly and Bruno wondered if Agustin had simply lost all ability to process pain over the years.
"Bruno, just the man I wanted to see!" He chimed.
Juileta noticed the blood on his hand and rushed over to investigate. "Agustin what did you do!?"
"He didn't listen to me when we were cleaning Antonio's room, that's what he did." Felix explained as he reached over to grab a morsel from the table to pass to Agustin who nibbled thankfully.
The unidentified animal bite quickly disappeared leaving only a stain on the edge of his sleeve.
"So Bruno, how did your chat go with la senorita bonita ay?" Agustin grinned cheekily. Juileta groaned and ran out to the courtyard to call the family to dinner.
"Oh it didn't." Bruno replied, "I mean, it didn't go, like we didn't have a chat cause she wasn't home."
"Oh." Augstin seemed half surprised and half disappointed.
"C'mon man, we stuck our neck out for you and that's the best you got?" Felix replied irritably.
"Hey I wanted to stay home." Bruno raises his hands defensively. Then he thought of Wilfredo's book and rushed to the kitchen to grab it while he filled his brothers in. "I should thank you both though." He explained.
He rushed back with his book and a smile that was maybe a little too wide. "I did meet her brother Wilfredo at the library though. He's been reorganizing the palace and donated a bunch of new books." He showed them Wilfredo's pristine collection of poems and short stories though pulled the book away protectively when Agustin tried to grab it to get a better look at the title. "We had real great chat, ya know? He's a university professor, did you know that? And he likes rats, what are the odds am I right?"
Bruno looked up from the book he was enthusiastically admiring as he realized he was starting to ramble. He stared awkwardly at his cuñados dumbfounded faces.
"Well it's great to see you making friends." Agustin replied optimistically.
Felix rolled his eyes. "You're too old for this hombre. You've got a shot at a beautiful woman and you spent your day reading and talking about your ratas?"
Bruno wrapped his arms around the heavy leather bound book and held it to his chest. "I mean, she wasn't home. What was I supposed to do?" He tried to laugh it off but Felix's words hurt.
"Go find her cabron!" Felix insisted as if it were the obvious answer.
"Go find who?" Camilo asked as the rest of the family began to funnel in for dinner. His sobrino's voice nearly made him jump. He was certainly not interested in talking about his dating life or lack of one with his mischievous nephew. He would never hear the end of it.
"Your tío-" Felix began though Bruno rushed to cover his mouth before he could finish the sentence.
"It's nothing important." He laughed awkwardly. "Your Pa and I were just talking about boring grown up stuff. Nothing interesting to speak of." He insisted unconvincingly. Camilo stopped piling on his plate for a moment to stare at his uncle quizzically.
Bruno could feel eyes boring holes through him.
Dolores nudged her brother aside to fill her plate, "Leave Tío Bruno alone hermano. It's none of your business what he does with his time."
Dolores was a life saver.
"Whatever," Camilo huffed as he took his seat. Felix and Agustin followed suit and Bruno reached over the table to fill his own plate. "As long as you finally came up with something for the festival."
Bruno sat down and opened his mouth to reply before the sight of Mirabel and his mother shuffling in caught his eye. They were in some manner of heated conversation. Not angry, just very involved and poor Mirabel looked a bit frazzled to say the least.
"Your was your first day with the council Mirabel." Bruno asked gently.
Mirabel turned to look at him as she sat down with her plate and brushed some stray hair from her face. "Oh, uh. It was great, it's just a lot to take in is all." She sounded breathy and flustered. Had his mother really been cracking the whip that hard today?
Mama seemed pleased however as she praised Mirabel. "Mirabel did wonderfully. Very attentive."
He wondered if his mother noticed how frazzled his niece was.
"Uhm, perdón! Tío Bruno!" Camilo snapped his fingers at him impatiently.
"Be respectful Camilo." Pepa scolded.
Bruno returned his attention to Camilo who had sat down beside him at the end of the table.
"The festival?" Camilo asked irritably.
"Oh, no actually." Bruno replied. "We're not doing a show for the festival. I decided to go with a friend."
The whole table went silent.
"¡¿Estás bromeando?!" Camilo huffed. "Now you decide to have a social life all of the sudden?!"