That was, probably, the worst idea of my life, but I was determined to carry it out.

Sneaking out of Casita in the middle of the night telling my parents by leaving a note under their pillow was the most despicable thing I had ever done in my life. I would hurt the people I love and put myself in danger just by bluffing.

I was cornering him; I needed him to believe in the love I feel for him. But I could never truly leave my family… Not forever, at least. If, as it seemed that was going to happen, Abuela did not accept our relationship, I would have no choice but to leave, but I would keep coming back again and again trying to make her understand. Now, stay the same? I couldn't do that anymore. I couldn't keep running away from who we are; I couldn't go on killing the present for fear of the future. I couldn't handle that anymore; I had to show him who I was.

"Mirabel! Wait!"

"Bruno?"

When I was about to cross the open pass between the broken mountain, Bruno appeared behind me, hot and flustered.

"You really came…"

"Mirabel, don't go, please."

Bruno's pleading eyes left me speechless. He didn't seem willing to come with me, so… what was he up to? Cry at me to make me change my mind?

"Bruno, I've already told you that…"

"No. Let me talk this time."

"Uh…"

That determination was not usual for him, so, somewhat surprised, I gave him the turn.

"Alright. You first."

"I don't want you to go, I'm in love with you. I couldn't even say when I started having these feelings, it's just that... you're my adventure partner and I always laugh with you and... by your side, I'm happier. And I could accept staying away if you were still there, but… if you go… to lose you completely… I don't think I can take it."

Bruno approached me still nervously and caressed my face gently. What should I do? I understood what he was telling me, but… what was he trying to do? That we return again to the same? That I would wait for the magical moment to come when I fell in love with Camilo and crushed his heart for good? How could I make him understand that that wasn't going to happen?

"If I stay…" I said doubting what words I should use so as not to make the situation more complicated. "Will you face Abuela with me? Will you fight together with me for the life we deserve?"

"I… I would even fight Antonio with his jungle army if it is with you…"

Was he serious? Was he telling me that he accepted? That we were going to try? At last? After all those years?

I kissed him. I kissed him expecting to be found by his soft but firm grip, his rough, scruffy beard rubbing against my skin, his huge nose making things a little harder… But something wasn't right. His hands, small and soft, took mine with tenderness, his chin, round and clean, caressed my face, and his nose… That wasn't his nose!

I opened my eyes in bewilderment and found myself face to face with Camilo, with his eyes closed, his cheeks rosy, and his lips caressing mine.

"Camilo!" I yelled pushing him away. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I… I'm sorry! I didn't expect you to kiss me, I just… I heard from Isabela that you were going to leave and I thought that… I had to tell you how I feel about you before you left."

"So… you were serious?"

"I thought it would be easier to tell you if you didn't look at me with that disgusted face you're making right now, so I used Bruno's shape. After telling you, I was going to tell you that it was me, but… you didn't give me the time to do it."

"Camilo… I… You know how I feel. I love you very much, but... I don't even love you as a cousin."

"You don't?" he asked without making any effort to hide his enthusiasm.

"No, I love you as a brother…"

"Oh… That's even worse."

I smiled pitifully.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be… The heart wants what the heart wants," he shrugged.

I would never fall in love with him, but I was really lucky to have him. I hugged him like the brother he was and he hugged me back with that feeling of bitter warmth.

"Well, but…since there's not gonna be anything between us, I can ask. How was the kiss?"

"Meh… Too easy."

"Easy?"

Who was going to tell me that one day I was going to kiss Camilo of my own free will…

"Oh."

"What now?" he asked totally lost.

"Ohhhhhhh!"

"What?!"

"The kiss! That was the kiss!"

"Huh?"

"I need to talk to Bruno! Bye!"

How could it have taken me so long to figure it out? That was the kiss of the prophecy! There was nothing to fear! So, the triplets…

I turned like a shot ready to run all the way back to find the future father of my children, but what I found was, half a meter away, the pooffy tits of Abuela in my face.

"Oof!"

"Mirabel…" she said fixing her dress while I repositioned my glasses.

"A… abuela… I…"

"Mirabel!" Dolores said then, coming out from behind a tree and looking awkwardly at her brother. "I am sorry. I heard your plans… I heard everything that happened with Bruno and…"

"Dolores told me you were thinking of running away."

Abuela's gaze was cold and firm, but it was Dolores' disloyalty that was hurting me the most.

"I'm sorry, Mirabel, I had to tell her. I couldn't let you put yourself in danger like that. I know I haven't been the best cousin; I miserably ratted you out at dinner with the Guzmáns… I was selfish and got you into trouble. And, later... I dragged Isabela and Luisa out of the Encanto to look for what I couldn't find here and, because of me, both of them found heartbreak…"

"Excuse me?" Abuela asked, obviously not up to date with her granddaughters' feelings.

"I've done everything wrong, but… I love you. And I don't want anything bad to happen to you. When you disappeared six years ago, I thought I couldn't forgive myself, but now… I can stop you from leaving. Please stay."

Wow, so Dolores had been worrying so much about that?

"Dolores, actually…"

It was time to tell the truth. That bluff had gone too far.

"Mirabel, you can't go alone," Abuela said solemnly. "I couldn't allow it."

"She's not alone," the real Bruno said, emerging somewhat scratched and disheveled from between the hedges but with a calm and confident air so unlike him that I would have thought he was Camilo again if I hadn't had both of them in front of me at the same time. "I'll go with her."