Mira didn't bother with goodbyes. They wouldn't miss her, despite what Dolores said. They never did.
She took Antonio and their stuff. That was it.
"Goodbye, Dolores," she whispered again, hoping her cousin would hear her. "If you can hear me, we're by the window waiting for whoever you're sending."
"Are we waiting for something?" Antonio asked sleepily.
"Someone," she answered, peering into the darkness.
"Who?"
"I'm not sure." She squinted. Casita opened its shutters and clicked them at Mira. "Gracias, Casita. Just one second."
Antonio continued with his questioning. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere we'll be safe. No miracle, no Encanto. But maybe someday we'll come back. We'll be okay."
"How long will it take?"
"A few hours. We're just going to the edge of the Encanto for today. There's a cave we'll be staying in for tonight, and beyond that there's a little village." She could see Antonio getting antsy because she continued, putting on her storytelling voice. "In that little village, everyone knows everyone, like here. No one has a gift. Everyone works to help, so it won't just be us. You'll make tons of new friends!"
"It sounds nice," Antonio whispered.
"Yeah."
"How do you know about it?"
"I did research about it last time I was in town," Mira said casually, but she'd already realized her slip up.
"Oh," said Antonio. He looked like a harsh realization had dawned on him. "Did you plan for this?" he asked quietly.
Mira looked horrified. "No! No, Mijo, no." Mirabel sighed. "I would never plan for this. I would make you a gift myself if I could." She bent down to the boys level to look him in the eyes. "Look, Tonito, I planned enough for the possibility, but I wasn't sure if we would even leave. I thought that maybe we would stay, but… that expression on Abuela's face convinced me otherwise. I don't know what Abuela is going to do next, and we're not sticking around to find out."
They were silent for a minute after that. The moon was high over the top of the mountains. Suddenly, Mirabel heard footsteps.
Automatically, she tensed. She grabbed a lantern and held it up. The shadows scattered and rested. But one of them moved. Someone was in the room with them. It was either the person Dolores had sent to help them, or they were toast. Mira grabbed Antonio's hand. "Who's there?"
"Hello," said a deep, croaky, somehat awkward voice. Mirabel whirled around. The voice came from behind them.
Behind them where there was a thin and unkept fifty-something looking man with very pale skin, green hazel eyes, light freckles, prominent eye bags, overgrown curly brown hair with gray streaks, a big nose, a thin mustache, and a light beard. He was in a green, ripped up ruana with hourglass prints, a hood, and cuffed elbows. Underneath he was in an unbuttoned burgundy shirt, brown pants, and black sandals.
"Tio Bruno!?" Mirabel yelled, then covered her mouth, hoping she hadn't woken anyone in her family. Thankfully, most of the rooms were noise-canceling. She hadn't seen her favorite uncle in years. A few tears sprung to her eyes. She'd thought he was gone. "Where have you been?"
"Oh, you know. Here, there, mostly here. In the walls," he rambled.
"In the walls?!"
"Tio Bruno?" Antonio whispered.
The man grinned almost sheepishly. "Hola Tonito. Your big sister Dolores sent you."
Mirabel ran forward to embrace her uncle. "I missed you!" the older girl whispered. "Thank you Dolores!"
Antonio quickly followed his cousin to hug the man, grinning brightly. "Hola, Tio!"
Bruno chuckled at his sobrino. "Well aren't you sweet, kid. You're awfully trusting to go anywhere with the family's black sheep."
Antonio shrugged. "We're black sheep too. And if my Mami trusts you, I do."
"Huh," said Bruno, glancing at Mira who shrugged. "Y-you guys ready to go?" He kept glancing around as if he expected Pepa or worse Alma to step from the shadows.
Mira nodded. "Sí, Tio. Shall we?"
"Knock knock knock, knock on wood." Bruno said, knocking on the Casita's walls and then his own head. Mira smiled at his wacky, superstitious antics. He hadn't changed much at all. He then took a deep breath and crossed his fingers before jumping through the window and sliding down Casita's outer walls. "Gracias, Casita. And adios. We'll miss ya."
Mira followed suit, and then Tonito. Mirabel patted one of the walls. "Gracias, Casita. Adios." The Casita creaked its tiles at her as a way of goodbye. Bruno watched in amazement.
At the bottom, the trio were surprised to find a donkey. Well, Mira and Antonio were. Bruno was not. "'Lores sent it," he said. "C'mon."
Once they were settled and the bags tied into place, the donkey started moving slowly.
"Hey Bruno," asked Mirabel. "What did you mean before, when you said you were living in the walls?"
"I've been living in the walls. Of the Casita. By the kitchen."
Mirabel whistled, surprised. "You never left?"
She wasn't sure how to feel about that. Hurt, shocked, astounded. Her whole life she'd thought he'd left. He'd been in the walls. The walls!
"Nuh-uh," said Bruno.
That made sense, actually. If he never left Dolores could probably hear him all the time. Maybe she kept him company. Mira hoped so. The poor guy.
"Wow," said Tonito seriously, brutally honest as children are but also spot on. "That's really sad." Both Mira and Bruno giggled at that.
"Yep. Plenty sad. Just me and my rats. And 'Lores when she comes to visit."
Antonio's eyes widened with excitement. "Wait, rats?" Bruno nodded. "Did you bring any?!"
Bruno chuckled again at his enthusiasm. "Yeah, loads. Even if I didn't, they tend to follow me." He revealed a bag at his side that was poked with holes. "They're in here."
Antonio gasped and then giggled. "You'll have to show me."
"When we get there," said Bruno, smiling. He whistled and kicked their animal's sides.
The donkey began trotting towards the pitch black dark forest.
A/N: Yay! We're finally at the same point here as I am on AO3. Now I can continue updating both! Read and review! :D