Thud

Cas had to think of something and soon.

Thud

She wasn't making headway with Mirabel.

Thud

She needed to make some sort of connection with Mirabel! Or at least that figure out how to get her back on track to saving the miracle at least.

Thud

And she needed to hurry cause she needed help finding Hannah and Jaime would be the best for that.

Thud

"Argh!" Cas griped as she chucked her bouncing ball across the room.

Thud

"Hey, Cas-ouch!" Camilo yelped as he opened her door and the ball beamed him in the face.

"Oops." Cas muttered, "Sorry."

"I just came to get you for dinner…"

….

Isabela dusted off the last of the dirt from her dress as she entered Casita.

She was surprised to see Dolores waiting on her as she entered, "Ah! Lola, don't do that."

Dolores hummed and gave her a confused look, "I'm surprised that you did that."

The older girl flipped her hair and tried to look nonchalant, "It's not that big of a deal."

"If Mirabel knew you threaten those bullies she would say otherwise," Dolores pointed out as she headed to the dining room, "She thinks you don't care about her."

"Of course I care," Isabela told the empty room.

….

Casandra and Camilo came down the stairs, while Camilo immediately smiled and hopped to his seat his mouth watering for dinner.

Cas sighed as she looked at the chairs and her family. "Where's Mirabel?"

"Here."

The older girl jumped as she turned around to see the younger version of her grandmother squeezing pass her to a seat at the end of the table next to Antonio.

"Casandra please take a seat," Abuela scolded as she settled at the head of the table.

Cas gave her a look as she ended up sitting midway down the table between Julieta and Isabela.

Abuela called attention, "Bow, it's time for the pray."

The Madrigals bowed their heads as Abuela started her prayer.

Casandra, not being religious, remained respectfully silent till she was done.

"Amen."

As they started eating, Cas glanced down to Mirabel, she seemed very disconnected, pushing her food on her plate noting eating much and keeping to herself. Geez, her grandmother seems so different….

"So Tio Bruno is your dad right?" Antonio asked, slurping his soup loudly.

Felix gave Antonio a look and said, "no slurping, mijo."

Cas couldn't help but smile as she remember her Tio Antonio saying the same thing to his grandson, Adrian in the future, "Yeah, He's my pa." That lie wasn't that hard to say, she thought. Her Papa hadn't been around for 10 years at this point.

"Yes, tell me what has Bruno been up to?" Abuela asked with interest in her voice, "What has he been up to lately?"

A storm cloud appeared above the table thundering as Pepa was muttering a storm up angrily.

"Pepa, the cloud," Abuela scolded her youngest daughter.

Pepa glared at her mother, "Why are you acting like this is okay, Mama?! This girl is obviously too old to have been born after Bruno left! She's like what 14?"

"17," Cas without thinking it through causing a scandalized gasp from Julieta, Abuela, and Isabela.

"Casandra, were you born out of wedlock?!" Abuela asked in shock.

Cas glanced at a lost at Dolores to see what to do. They hadn't thought of this little snag, Dolore made a go with it motion.

Cas mentally groaned and looked at her great great grandmother and lied, "um, yes, my parents were unfortunately unmarried when I was born. You know the stories, impatient young love. They did get married…..eventually."

The table was awkwardly quiet at this as Abuela had a hand over her heart in shock mumbling how her Brunito could do something like this. Pepa was muttering about how Bruno hid this from her, his older sister. Julieta looked uncomfortable as she looked at Cas.

Felix and Agustin just glance at each other, not sure what to say to each other.

All the kids looked awkward, especially Isabela and Mirabel.

Dios, this is ridiculous. Cas rolled her eyes a little at their reaction. Her Tio Ivan, Dolores' 3rd son, had his eldest child before he got married and no one loved Ana any less for that.

"So who's your mom then?"

Casandra's body froze up at the question.

Dolores humped and hissed, "Antonio!"

"Yes," Pepa asked as wind picked up, "tell us of this woman who Bruno hide from us!"

Cas felt pain in her chest and she looked down at her plate, "she is a mean vile woman."

"Casandra!" Abuela scolded as she finally seemed to recover from her shock, "How could you say that about your mother?!"

Logically Cas knew Abuela didn't know. But her feelings are always out of whack when it comes to her parents, "The woman threw me off the balcony! She pointed a gun at me! So please do tell me how I should talk about her?!"

The table fell into a terrified silence and Cas mentally cursed as she glanced at her family. Pepa's cloud had completely disappeared in shock. Julieta's eyes had tears coming up probably remembering her injuries last night, and Abuela just looked on in pure confusion.

Eventually someone broke the silence, it was Mirabel. "That woman from last night, the woman that hurt you, is your mother?"

Cas sighed and nodded while looking at Mirabel concerned gaze, "Yes. Her name is Hannah Jameson. She abandoned my family when I was 5, and I like I said she threw me down the balcony. So for everyone's sake-" Cas stood up not hungry anymore and glanced around the table, "If she shows up again, becareful. Caught her and don't listen to her."

Without another word, Cas disappeared from the room.

No one knew what to say, so of course Camilo had to say something, "Do you think she's going to come back and finish her dinner? Cause if not I call dibs."

"Camilo…"

….

As Mirabel climbed the stairs to the nursery, she couldn't help but reflect on what Casandra had said at dinner. Tio Bruno having her out of marriage and never telling anyone, she began to wonder why her uncle would ever keep his kids away from the family?

She paused and glanced at his room. She thought for a monument and wonder if any clues to that could be in his room still? Maybe if she could any those questions Abuela would be happy? Yeah, and Tia Pepa and her Mama wouldn't be as upset with Tio Bruno?

Mirabel fisted pumped at the idea and went to her room planning to sneak in later tonight.

Author's Note

Oh, no. Mirabel is not going to find what she wants in Bruno's room.

Thanks for reading and please review. You give me inspiration and the strength to go on during the seasonal depression.

Next Chapter- Mirabel snoops, Hannah Manipulates, and Cas and Bruno fight over how she mad him look to the family.