Bruno and Carina

by JillianFahey

No one in the village wanted to be near Bruno Madrigal with his strange mutterings and ability to see the future. All were afraid of him and what anything he said would mean. At least, that is the story Alma Madrigal wanted the generations to remember. Because there was one person who loved Bruno fiercely, taking on everyone else who tried to mock or blame him. Her name was Carina.

18. Chapter 18 Mirabel and Carina Talk

Carina was sowing the finishing touches on what will be her wedding dress when Mirabel came into her living room, "Tia Carina?" The happiness she felt every time she heard one of the kids call her that was unabated, even if it would still be five days until it was legal.

Raising her head from the dress, Carina smiled at the teen, "Yes Mira?"

Seeing the nearly completed dress in the older woman's lap Mira asked, "How were you done so fast?"

The smile turned slightly bitter as Carina lowered her head again, "Because what you are looking at is my longest standing project." Not needing to look up in order to see the confusion, "I started this two days after Bruno first asked me to marry him." Biting off a string before continuing, "So I just had to give it a few adjustments for the amount of time that passed."

Mirabel nodded once in understanding before she asked what brought her here, "Do you think everyone will ever forgive my Abuela?"

Carina stopped, put aside her project and took Mirabel's hands in hers before looking the teen in the face before answering, "To be honest Mira, I don't know. When you love someone," squeezing the girls hands, "it's a lot harder to forgive those who hurt them." Sighing, "And your family has been hurting for a very long time." Looking at Mirabel again, "At some point, your Abuela stopped protecting your family and started using all of you as a means for an end instead." Cupping the girl's face and wiping away the escaping tears, "And that is something that will be very hard to forgive before moving past."

"I know," Mira said. Then continuing with, "And I need to remember that I am a gift just by being present." It was something that Carina would tell her even before the failed gift ceremony and had reminded the teen of many times in the following years.

Smiling at the girl, "Exactly our Miracle." Then Carina's face fell a little bit, "Mira, there are going to be a lot of attempts to change things that will fail." Another squeeze of the teens hand, "But as long as we keep trying we might be able to move forward."

The conversation then moved on to how Mira could help her family members adjust to not having the gifts for the first time in so long. And then how to get the townspeople to break the habit of depending on the Madrigals for every little thing. But Bruno Madrigal did not hear any of that. He only heard his loves gentle voice explaining over and over how it will be hard, and they will fail, but as long as they keep trying they will be able to move on to something better.