︵‿୨ - January 19 1951 - ୧‿︵
What was that?!
A vision.
He didn't trigger it on purpose. It just hit him. He was just waking up. Getting dressed when the sensation struck him. A sudden throb in the back of his skull as he ran a brush through his hair. His groggy mind mistook it at first for a knot in his hair before his vision turned green and hazy.
It looked like… Wilfredo? And his mother... They were talking. Laughing?
It was fussy and brief. It seemed harmless enough but the sudden nature was distressing. Bruno gripped the brush in his hand tight. He stumbled back a step or two from the dresser. His rats, now alert. Beady eyes observing his rattled frame. His mind reeling for a response.
Bruno stared at the brush in his hand. His heart started to race. He'd gotten very good at suppressing his gift over the years. It had been over a decade since last he had a vision trigger unintentionally like that. Surely there had to be more to it than that right? His gift wouldn't suddenly blindside him like that after all these years without good reason. Right?
The brush hit the stone floor with a clatter. He bolted out the door and up the stairs. He had to figure out what it meant. Why would he be having visions like this after so long? It had to be some kind of omen. He was barely conscious of the rats hurrying to keep pace with his flailing gangly legs. Sweat dripped down his chest under the beaming sunlight in his room. There had to be a reason.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Bruno fumbled across the bridge to his vision cave. He hadn't used it in years. Hadn't set foot in it since his room had returned. It wasn't until he shoved open the heavy circular door that the adrenaline froze in his blood. He was hit with the cool breeze of the dark empty room. He hung there on the door for a moment panting and sweating. The cool breeze soothed his nerves. He wasn't expecting the comfort the room would bring. Wasn't prepared for it. He noticed Rosa standing by his feet staring up at him curiously. She was fast on her feet and curious in nature. It wasn't a surprise she was the only one to keep pace with him up the stairs. Impressive truthfully.
He forced an awkward smile back. The little doe had reared up on her hind legs and sniffing up at him. Eyeing him curiously. It only now dawned on him how silly he must look.
"I just need to check something." He explained. He lifted his head to look around the room. He hadn't used it in so long. It was in better shape than he left it. That wasn't a surprise given it was destroyed. It shouldn't even be here, yet here it was. The room was still dark as it always had been. The darkness made the visions clearer, easier to make out in detail.
He stepped carefully inside. A ring of carved stone around a pool of sand in the center. The sand was perfectly smooth, undisturbed. The walls had cubbies in them filled with supplies, matches, candles, incense, salt. A few candles were lit already with a faint green glow. He suspected they'd been lit this whole time. He wouldn't know. This was the first time he'd opened the door since he returned.
Rosa scurried onto his foot causing him to look down. He followed her gaze back to the other rats who'd gathered at the entrance. The others didn't come inside. Only watched him from the doorway.
"Está bien mis niños." He soothed. It wasn't convincing. Was he really going to do this? Was this really necessary? The vision was so short. So innocuous. His mother was in it though. If the vision was something bad. If she was going to get hurt... It would be better to know. Right? And Wilfredo… It would be better to be prepared if something was about to go awry. Especially after what happened last time he hung around the Fontana siblings.
Bruno took a deep breath to steady himself. "Ok, I guess we're doing this."
He'd made do with what he had last time. This time he could do the ritual properly at least. Drawing rings in the sand, placing candles around an incense burner in the center. The smell was much nicer than dry leaves. He breathed in that familiar scent and almost felt a little comforted. He didn't miss doing readings for the town. He did miss that smell, just a little. At first he just sat there in the sand. Eyes closed. Soaking in the familiar sensations. An atmosphere crafted over the course of years to help him focus. To give him a sense of control. A sense of peace in the face of his fears.
"Alright." He finally announced. "Here goes nothing."
With a steady breath, he focused in on what he could remember of the vision that had disrupted his morning. Summoning up that dull ache in his skull. His eyes prickled as he felt that primal force swell in his chest. With some effort, he could breathe that force out in all directions. He could feel the wind, hear the sand pick up around him. Opening his eyes he shifted his vision until the images in his head lined up with the images he'd projected out. He knew he was facing the right direction when the picture became clearer. He didn't know how clear they were to people watching when he did this. He assumed they must be foggier to others but he'd never really asked. Of course, even with the images layered on top of each other like this, he could still recall a time with the pictures were clearer. At least he thought he did. Who knows? Ten years was a long time and memories could be unreliable. His visions were not. Fuzzy, but not unreliable, never unreliable.
There was no denying it though. He'd seen it right the first time. There they were. Wilfredo and Mamá talking in the plaza. He made her laugh. Impressive given his mother's distrust of outsiders. Not to mention the man's patchy track record with the woman so far.
"That's it? That can't be it." When the sand fell he was left gawking at the cheery image sitting in his lap.
There had to be something he was missing. It can't be that simple. There had to be a catch.
Frustrated, he kept performing the same vision over and over. Combing the sand for some hint of misfortune. Something that would justify its sudden intrusion into his life. He'd catch little unhelpful bits of context. Saw himself trip. Saw Mirabel jot something down on her clipboard at the matriarch's behest. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. No matter how many times he played it over again.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
He sat on the floor of the cave looking over four glowing green tablets. All showed the same scene. Different angles, different freeze frames, but all the same. It was just a pleasant chat between his new friend and his mamá. Chatting and laughing. He tried to look for hints of something sour, but no. Even Wilfredo's smile seemed more sincere than polite. His mother, of course, he knew her many faces better than his own. They seemed to be getting along. That was it.
Rosa stuck close to inspect his activities. None of his other furry friends liked the swirling sand. Rosa was braver than most. Fiercely independent. Braver than Bruno.
She looked over one of the green slates with interest before looking back up at him.
"I don't get it either." He confessed. "Why would you show me this?" Bruno asked no one in particular as he held up one of the slates to look at it from a different angle.
"Tío Bruno?"
The sudden intrusion made him jump. Yelping and wheezing as he dropped the tablet he was holding on his toes.
"Lo siento!" Mirabel winced empathetically. "I didn't mean to bother you." Her eyes began to wander about the room. Over the tablets sprawled out on the floor. "You're late for breakfast. Mamá wanted me to come get you…"
"Oh, perdona mija. I didn't mean to hold up the show." He tried to subtly bury the tablets while he scrambled to his feet. Suddenly painfully aware of his disheveled state as she crept into the room. Covered in sand and sweat and barely dressed. He tucked his hands under his arms. Awkwardly covering his bare chest. All gangly and hairy. His sobrina didn't need to see him like this. Mirabel however seemed entirely unphased by his state of partial undress.
"You've been using your gift!?" Half a question. Half shocked observation.
"Pues, I mean, it's nothing important." He replied shyly as she stepped closer to get a look at one of the tablets.
Bruno's whole body tensed. He stifled a frustrated groan. Mirabel was ignoring his obvious displeasure. Leaning down to examine the image.
"Aw, precioso!" She cooed as she lifted the vision up to show Bruno. Almost as if he hadn't been staring at it for the last hour. "This one doesn't look bad."
She brushed some sand off the others. He watched as her face fell.
"Why are they all the same?"
Bruno reached down to pull the tablet from her hand and toss it into the sand. He pulled Mirabel to her feet and away from the embarrassingly harmless images.
"It just hit me this morning and caught me by surprise is all. I was just checking to make sure it wasn't anything to worry about." He explained in what he hoped was a confident tone.
Mirabel's eyes still lingered on the floor. "Four times?" She asked.
"MMH HMM…" Bruno hummed in awkward confirmation. He crossed his arms again. Still feeling embarrassingly naked.
Mirabel opened her mouth to speak. She pulled her eyes back to his face only to stop in surprise. She looked startled and Bruno worried he'd scared her with his odd behavior. Or maybe she'd only now started to notice his more repugnant features. Bruno was an ugly cave-dwelling creature by nature. He knew that. She didn't need to remind him.
"Uh, Tío Bruno?" She pointed to her face. "Your nose is bleeding."
"Oh."
Bruno lifted a hand to his face and stared blankly at the blood on his fingers. "I guess it is."
He hadn't had so many visions back to back in a long time. He must have been out of practice. In all his worry he hadn't even noticed his body's protests. Now that he stared down at the blood he suddenly became acutely aware of the throbbing in his skull.
"Let's get you something to eat." Mirabel suggested slowly. Taking him gently by the hand.
"Yeah, good idea." He admitted absent-mindedly. Allowing himself to be dragged out of the cave.
His head started to spin once the light hit his eyes. The sudden vertigo forced him to look down at his feet. He must have been really out of shape. He used to perform multiple readings a day. Then again four over the span of an hour or two would have been a lot even back then.
"I, uh," He stammered out awkwardly as Mirabel coaxed him across the bridge. He winced at the warm air on his skin. For a moment he missed his cave. "Could you not mention this to anyone?"
Mirabel gazed back at him but didn't stop. She tugged him gingerly down the steps. She didn't let go of his hand. She was patient and calm. Guiding him along. Watching him carefully. How bad did he look?
"Why? Is something wrong?" She asked. She seemed to know something was wrong. She was humoring him by asking rather than insisting.
"No." He replied. His voice growing a shaky as the fatigue started to really sink in. "It's nothing. I was just curious about something. I just don't want mi hermanas to worry over nothing."
That was just it wasn't it? Bruno had just been making a big deal out of nothing. The vision was harmless. Nothing significant. Nothing worth all the fuss. He may have frightened Mirabel though. That was no good. She needed to know he was alright. She needed to know not to worry.
Mirabel looked back at him, skeptical, but didn't argue. "I won't mention it." She replied and Bruno let out a thankful sigh.
The stairs weren't as long as they used to be. Mirabel didn't even break a sweat. Bruno was tired though. Her hand in his. It felt nice. They stopped halfway so he could finish getting dressed while she stood outside. He even took a moment to brush his hair again after the wind had tangled it and try, try, to dust off most of the sand. Not an easy task as much of it stuck to the sweat on his skin. He'd need a bath later.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Breakfast that morning was comfy. Bruno was, fortunately, able to sneak in a bite before Juileta could get a good look at his face. Thankfully Mirabel had covered for him. She trusted him to take care of himself and knew how overbearing her mother could be. He appreciated that.
Bruno would normally expect to be plagued by anxiety after the sudden surprise that morning. He wasn't. He felt fine. Happy even. His gift may have startled him, but it was a good vision. He didn't get many of those. It was nice. He even found himself distracted thinking back to Wilfredo's smile. The one that squeezed his eyes shut and made his nose crinkle.
It brought a little smile to his face. Grinning as he picked away absentmindedly at his breakfast.
"You seem to be in a good mood today." Mamá remarked.
"Hm?" Bruno hadn't been aware he'd been smiling. Was it really that unusual for him to just… smile?
"I was just, uh, thinking…" Bruno was quick to shift the attention away from himself. "Hey Dolores, how was your date with Mariano?"
Dolores blushed ever so faintly. She replied with a slight dreamy smile. "I think my dinner with the Guzmans went well." Bruno loved seeing that look on her face. That youthful infatuation. He hoped it would never leave her. He had reason to hope. He knew his hermanas had found the right men. Even after years of marriage they never lost that infatuation.
Mamá beamed. Her attention redirected to her nieta. "I'm so happy for you mija." Bruno giggled at the excitement pulling at the corner of her lips. "I don't suppose…" She trailed off as she debated asking.
"Not yet Abuela. We're taking our time." Dolores replied evenly. She did seem amused though.
"Sí Abuela!" Isabela sassed. "They're taking their time!" Isabela would never have had the courage to sass her grandmother like that before. Much as Bruno was sure she had wanted to many times. It was nice seeing her so open. It reminded him of when she was little. The bossy little princess of Castia. She had that old fire back in her these days. He'd missed it.
"Sí, sí, I know!" Mamá didn't seem bothered by the mild jab. She'd gotten a bit better-humored, or perhaps she was just so happy it didn't bother her.
"You can't rush love Mamá." Bruno teased.
Pepa's joy radiated across the table and nearly blinded Bruno. He didn't mind. As playful barbs were exchanged across the table he couldn't help but drink in the atmosphere. Camilo had perfected his Mariano impersonation to torment Isabela and didn't hesitate to switch to targeting his sister. Dolores always took it with grace though as she surprised her hermanito with a flurry of kisses to his cheeks. Mirabel shot milk out her nose. Watching him try to flee her affection with a girlish squeal. Julieta playfully soothed her daughter. The table laughed. Mirabel tried to shoo away her unnecessary consoling.
Today was a good day.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Today was his first story time at the library. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday they'd decided. Camilo had a few routine babysitting jobs so these days worked best for him. Bruno could really do any day but he didn't want to go without Camilo. The tablas de ratas had turned Camilo into his lucky charm. He always seemed to feel a little bit more confident with his sobrino around. No matter how mercilessly Camilo teased him.
Still, Bruno couldn't help the nerves that tied his stomach in knots as they approached the library. He was lucky so far that he'd avoided talking to the old librarian. Unsure if Wilfredo had asked the old man about the story hour or if he'd simply taken it upon himself. It seemed like he had taken over most of the old librarian's duties and Bruno rarely saw him around town. On the one hand, he hoped Don Diego had given his permission. He respected the man immensely and didn't want to disrespect him with his presence. On the other hand, if the old man was in the dark then Bruno could put the spiraling fears over what he might be thinking of him to bed.
Bruno hurried to knock on the door before Camilo could get to it. He wanted to perform his ritual one last time before Wilfredo could see him. He didn't need the newcomers knowing just how strange he was. Without being in his line of sight the knock was fairly inconspicuous. Long as he kept his voice down.
Camilo crossed his arm and shook his head with an exasperated grin. Bruno simply shot him an irritated glare. Holding his breath as long as he could get away with. Wilfredo always took a second to answer the door which gave him some time.
"It's a public library, you know. You don't have to knock." Wilfredo chuckled as he opened the door.
Bruno nearly jumped out of his skin. Releasing the breath he was holding and tucking his hands under his ruana in a panicked flurry. Camilo laughed.
"Mi Tío's just overly polite." Camilo covered for him. Bruno wasn't expecting it. The boy had passed up a perfectly good opportunity to embarrass him.
Wilfredo eyed Bruno up and down. Leaning against the door frame. There was a playful skepticism in his eyes. "I can appreciate that." He replied coolly.
"Vamos, vamos, I've already picked out some books for you to start with." He instructed as he guided them in.
Camilo wasn't a regular at the library and hadn't yet seen Wilfredo's changes.
He let out an impressed whistle. "Did you do all this mano?" He asked. Taking in the polished bookshelves. The new seating area. A tray of snacks resting on a footstool next to comfy reading chairs.
"Ah, sí. This place was in dire need of a good cleaning." Wilfredo confessed. Propping up the front door with a wooden door stop. "Mi hermana managed to smooth talk the carpenter into providing some new seating. I found the rugs and extra cushions in Señor Robledo's storage shed around back. They needed a bit of scrubbing but I think they do a lot to lighten up the place."
Bruno looked down at the rugs and pillows on the floor. He hadn't noticed it right away. He recognized them. They used to belong to Diego's daughter. Bruno had seen her room before when she was alive. Always over-stuffed with color and plush. After she died her padre must have stored all her things away. Was it painful for him to see them again? Did Wilfredo know? Did he ask? Not to mention chairs. Did he know Duillio was the carpenter? He didn't seem to recognize the man when they met by the river. Was that why Jacqueline was hanging around him? Had he unintentionally encouraged his sister's reckless behavior?
Camilo took a bite from the tray of alfajores. "Not bad." He mumbled through a mouthful of pastry.
"I know it's not as good as what you're used to I'm sure." Wilfredo replied sheepishly as he made his way over. The library had always been a cramped space though Bruno only really registered just how small it was watching the larger man maneuver around the pillows he'd laid out for the children. He'd made the best use of the space he could. Even still the space made him look much larger than he was.
Bruno was acutely aware of his size as the man stood between him and Camilo. Bruno unconsciously shrunk in on himself. Dwarfed by Wilfredo's presence.
"No obstante, I thought the kids would appreciate it." He was looking at Bruno. Why? Camilo's the one who spoke. As if he had read Bruno's mind his eyes snapped back to Camilo who was already on his second pastry. "Perdone, I'd appreciate it if you didn't eat them all before we even get started." He laughed. The gesture was friendly but Bruno could swear he saw a glimmer of irritation in his eyes.
Camilo shoved the rest of the treat into his mouth. Attempting to mumble out some incomprehensible response that clashed dramatically with his nonchalant posture. Bruno let out a little snort as he hobbled over to one of the chairs. Taking a seat and looking down at the rugs again he couldn't help but ask.
"Señor Robledo…" He wasn't quite sure how the question would be received. "He gave you permission for all this?"
Wilfredo seemed confused by the question. "Well of course. I mean the man doesn't talk much but I've run everything by him."
Bruno winced. "And he knows I'm here?" He asked. Perhaps he shouldn't have asked.
Wilfredo tucked his hand in his pocket and leaned back against his desk. He combed his fingers through his hair as he considered his answer. "I told him the Madrigals would be helping me…" He looked down at Bruno with some sympathy. It only served to make Bruno's stomach sink. "I may have left out which Madrigals."
Wilfredo had lied for him. Well, maybe not a lie per se. But he was pushing the old librarian's boundaries for Bruno's sake. The thought made him feel a little sick.
Camilo punched his arm. Seemingly having noticed his displeasure. "Relájate, Tío." He insisted. "That old man's probably already forgotten anyway. All he ever does is eat and sleep."
"Suponer…" Bruno still wasn't thrilled. He managed to distract himself. Opting to reach for the stack of books on the end table. He recognized most of them.
"It's a good thing you won't be here long. We don't have too many kid's books so It's not like we could keep this up for long." Bruno mused.
"Oh, I noticed. I've been learning more about your town. How everything operates. I was thinking I might try to convince the council to expand your collection."
Bruno scoffed. "Good luck with that!" His mother was a practical woman and the loudest voice on the council by far. Children's books would hardly be a priority to her. "Then again…" He thought back to his vision. Perhaps Wilfredo might just manage to charm his mother enough. "Mamá likes you so maybe…"
"She does?" Wilfredo asked disbelievingly. Only then did Bruno recall the last interaction the two of them shared was far from positive. "W-well I mean." He stammered. Straightening up in his seat. "She'll come around, I think, I think you two will get along. Once she gets to know you." He corrected.
Wilfredo quirked a curious eyebrow but didn't press for further clarification. "Que sí?" He straightened out his cardigan and stood at his full height again. "I do have a talent for diplomacy." He replied pridefully.
"You and mi madre both." Bruno sighed.
He felt eyes boring holes into the side of his head. Camilo was staring him down. Contemplating... Bruno had made a big show of not using his gift and his sobrino was suspicious now. Before he could say anything la clase juvenil began to funnel in. Not all of them by the looks of it, but the few who decided to come.
"Camilo! Tío Bruno!" Antonio cheered as he rushed inside.
"Hola Tonito."
"Mi hombrecito! Now it's a party!" Camilo hollered.
Wilfredo reached a hand over his desk to stop the eggar little one. "Can you leave your animal friends outside today?" He asked.
Antonio looked up at the librarian with sad eyes then back to his furry companions outside.
"If they come inside with you the other kids won't have space to sit." Wilfredo explained gently. A warm empathetic smile and a soft hand.
Antonio looked down and fidgeted with his hands. Bruno considered asking Wilfredo to make an exception. Just let the boy have his pets. But what came next surprised him.
"B-but, I won't have anyone to sit with." Antonio replied softly.
A little girl who'd already seated herself by Camilo's feet turned her head and patted the spot next to her. "You can sit with me, Antonio." She offered.
Antonio's face lit up. He accepted her offer and Bruno relaxed in his seat. Carlos and Juanita curled up in the crook of his neck. Maybe Antonio didn't need his help. Maybe he'd be ok. Better than him.
He pulled out a book from the bottom of the stack. It had a little cartoon rat on the cover and claw marks of companions long since past. The memories brought a smile to his face. "This one was my favorite when I was little." He announced absentmindedly.
Wilfredo had taken his seat at the desk. He rested his face in his hand and smiled back at Bruno. "I had a feeling." He said, his eyes darting down to the book then back up to Bruno's face. Now flanked by Juanita and Carlos Bruno could feel the flush creep into his cheeks. "Call it a hunch." Wilfredo chuckled.
Bruno hurried to hide it in the book. Pulling Camilo over to show him which lines he wanted him to read.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Story hour went well. The kids enjoyed the treats Wilfredo had made. Whenever a child asked a question about a story he would stop Bruno from answering in favor of asking the kids what they thought. He'd drop little hints to get them thinking. Walk them through the process of analyzing the story. They weren't complex stories. Bruno probably wouldn't have thought to make such an exercise out of it. The answers seemed so simple to him. These kids, however, were young. Still accustomed to having things explained to them rather than deciphering things for themselves.
Antonio especially shined. He answered so many of Wilfredo's questions that he had to stop calling on him when his hand was raised. Bruno couldn't help but snicker at his littlest sobrino's frustration when his raised hand went ignored yet again. It was good though. Good that he was such a bright and thoughtful child.
Bruno's feelings about Wilfredo were a mixed bag. The man was handsome and confident. In brief moments, it felt like he understood him. Bruno had been fighting back the attraction he could no longer deny was there. At the same time, he wasn't certain how much he could trust him. He was fascinated by this big city professor. Despite himself, as he watched him engage with young minds, his distrust melted away. He seemed so sincere, so passionate. Bruno watched his eyes shimmer as he watched the gears turn in a child's head.
He had wondered once before what kind of teacher Wilfredo was. Now he had his answer. It warmed him inside and out.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
In the week that followed Bruno came to learn more about the Fontanas. Wilfredo, he came to understand, could be a bit controlling. He'd try to hide it but Bruno picked up on the subtle hints of irritation when his plans for the day were derailed. Of course, such impatience was hardly ideal for working with children. Thankfully he never seemed to take out that frustration on others. Jacqueline understood this and seemed keen on messing with him at every opportunity. She wasn't always present for story hour but when she was she would reluctantly restrain herself in front of the kids. Bruno suspected she did so more for his sake than any concern for the influence she might have on impressionable young minds.
︵‿୨ - January 26 1951 - ୧‿︵
It was a Friday. Bruno was doing chores and thinking about what he would read for story hour when a vision hit him. Again? Two surprise visions in a week? His powers had been dormant for so many years that the dull ache in the back of his skull had become almost alien.
He caught it this time. Screwed his eyes shut as he fought to push it back down. Whatever it was he didn't want to know. He was having a good day. A good week. No need to jinx it.
"Estás bien mano?" Félix asked as he passed him in the courtyard.
"Oh, No pasa nada…" Bruno strained a bit. Waiting for the sensation to pass. Only blinking his eyes open again once the feeling finally died down. Too little too late as he realized from his cuñado's astonished expression. That signature green glow had escaped past his lashes.
"Was that a vision? What did you see?!" Félix blurted enthusiastically. Shaking Bruno by the shoulders in his excitment.
Bruno shook his head to reorient himself.
"No, nope." He corrected. "False alarm. Don't worry about it. Whatever it was, I'm sure it wasn't important." He replied. Weaseling out of the stronger man's grip.
"What do you mean, don't worry about it?" Félix was perplexed. "You said you weren't doing visions anymore. First that thing at the river now this?" Félix crossed his arms as he thought. "Have these been happening a lot lately?"
Félix had known him for many years. Even before he married into the family. They'd gone to school together. Grown up together. He'd always been closer to Pepa for sure, but he knew Bruno. He still remembered the times his gift had overtaken him. A dozen little scares over the years. He'd been so happy for him when Bruno had learned to better control it.
It wasn't a shock he'd be worried.
"No, no." Bruno insisted. "Nothing like that. I've got everything under control."
Félix raised an eyebrow at him. Unconvinced. "If you say so."
Bruno let out a relieved sigh when finally he turned to leave, only to jump when he spun back around to wag a finger in his face. "But if this keeps happening you tell someone, comprende?"
"Sí, sí," Bruno dismissed the man's concern and shooed him away. Reminding him he had plans with friends later and needed to finish up with the housework.
The mention of Bruno's evolving social life did bring a smile to his cuñado's face. Thankfully it seemed to distract him enough to get him off his back for a while.
As far as his family knew Bruno didn't have visions anymore. Bruno thought that too until recently. Perhaps it was his own doing? Perhaps the fight by the river had knocked something loose? He knew he shouldn't have used his gift without the proper ritual. He'd jinxed himself. Something primal and innate. Something that was trying to claw its way out of the recesses of his mind. He'd have to find some way to suppress it again. For now it seemed easy enough to manage.
Sadly that wasn't the end of it. Bruno's vision kept trying to trigger throughout the day. Doing chores. Writing the script for this Saturday's tablas. Making his way downstairs to get ready for story hour at the library…
Bruno groaned and rubbed at his temples as he stood in the frame of his door. There it was again.
Casita fluttered their tiles at Bruno.
"Uhg, it's fine." Bruno insisted as he argued with the house.
Casita rattled the door frame irritably.
"No, I don't need it." Bruno insisted as he stepped out of his room. Casita smacked his rear with his own door making him yelp in surprise.
"Fine! Fine!" Bruno griped as he rubbed at the small of his back. "I'll look and see but if something bad happens I'm blaming you!" He spat.
Casita was right though. This vision was persistent and it wouldn't leave him until he acknowledged it at least. Besides, perhaps it would be fine. The last vision had been harmless. Perhaps this one would be too. Maybe after so many years of rest something had reset. Maybe his bad luck had finally worn off. Perhaps this wasn't a jinx but the start of something new.
He hesitated though in the stairwell. Tugging at his ruana as he tried to muster up the courage to look. Casita rumbled gently under his feet. Optimism never came naturally to Bruno.
Bruno tried to steady himself. Knocked on the frame of his door. Threw salt. Took a deep breath.
He couldn't do this. Not here.
"I should go do this properly."
Casita let out a woody sigh as Bruno scurried back into his room. He didn't really have time for this but he couldn't bring himself to check without the proper ritual. Just to be safe. He was quick on his feet though. He could make it up to his vision cave and back in time to leave for the library.
He knew he was in a hurry but couldn't bring himself to rush the process once he made it up. He knew if the circle wasn't even he'd be too distracted not to do it again. He'd managed once before with a sloppy ring and some leaves to burn but the circumstances now were less dire. Not so motivating. He wasn't alone with his thoughts.
The last vision he had was something completely inconsequential. He was probably overstressing this. He knew that. But still... A perfect circle, candles, incense in the center. Salt.
He shuffled awkwardly and tried not to think about the time.
"Respiraciones profundas. Esto está bien. Está bien. Let's just get this over with and we can carry on with the rest of our day." He breathed in the incense and let the cool stillness of his room soothe his nerves. He needed to steady himself. To focus. The clearest images came to him when he managed to steal his nerves. Ironic considering his visions usually triggered when he was anxious.
Despite his attempts to reassure himself his heart sank as the images formed in the sand. That vain hope for better fortune was dashed. He watched a little girl choke and struggle on the floor. They were in the library. Other frightened children surrounded her. Bruno had seen anaphylaxis before. There had been a few scares with Agustín. His allergies usually weren't as bad as they looked but a sting to the throat once had him struggling to breathe. Julieta had struggled to get something down him in time. She had to get creative.
Bruno trembled. Holding the tablet in his hands. He sat motionless on the floor.
This was his fault. This poor girl. He hoped she'd be ok. Prayed. She had to be.
The door to the vision cave creaked open allowing the echo from the tower to fill the space.
Knocking. "Tío Bruno? You in there? We're gonna be late."
Camilo's voice felt like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head. Dragged back to reality he realized he had to do something. If he couldn't prevent this future he would have to do everything in his power to ensure it didn't end in tragedy. There was no point in wasting time feeling guilty.
Bruno hurriedly shoved the forbidding vision onto a shelf in the walls and rushed down the stairs. Just act natural. Be prepared, and act natural.
Camilo, unsurprisingly, took notice of his frenzied state as he rushed past him to the kitchen.
"Tío Bruno?" He called out. Quickly catching up to Bruno.
Bruno was nimble. Good at hiding. Not so good at lying perhaps. By the time Camilo caught up to him he'd already snatched a bottle from his hermanas's emergency stash in the kitchen. Tucking it into his front pocket. It stuck out slightly but he pulled his ruana closed in front of his chest to hide it for now. He didn't want to worry Camilo.
"Ready to go! You are? I am!" Bruno fumbled out awkwardly. He hurried to the front door. Pausing for a moment to wave Camilo over. The boy stood in the courtyard looking perplexed before walking over to join him.
"You feeling alright?" Camilo asked skeptically.
"Oh bien, bien. I just got distracted. You know me." Bruno lied with a nervous chuckle. Pushing Camilo out the door and uttering a silent prayer.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
The walk to the library was excruciating. Camilo tried to unload the events of his day onto him. General gossip. Something about a girl named Ayla not laughing at his jokes. Something about extra credit. Bruno just kept nodding along occasionally. Pretending to pay attention.
He walked fast, hunched over, ruana pulled tight in front of his chest. His hands were trembling. The image of the sick child kept consuming his thoughts. He kept imagining all the gruesome ways that scene could end. Perhaps he should have looked over the vision one more time? It might not happen today. It could be next week or the next. If he'd examined it more closely maybe he could have had some peace of mind. If it was today, he couldn't afford to be late…
"Tío Bruno? Tío Bruno!"
Bruno jumped. Nearly dropping the bottle in his pocket. Thankfully Beatrice caught hold of it in time. He snapped his head sideways to take in his sobrino's crossed arms and irritated expression.
"Have you been listening to a single thing I said?" Camilo whined. Tapping his foot in frustration.
"Oh uh, sí, sí." Bruno pulled Juanita down from his shoulder where she had been licking his cheek. He ran his fingers through her fur to steady himself. "I uhm. T-totally… Could you repeat that last part for me?"
Camilo groaned. "I was trying to ask you-"
"Hola!" Wilfredo interrupted. He propped open the library door. "Cutting it close today I see." His tone was playful but Bruno still caught that hint of irritation in his eyes. They were late. Wilfredo was doing his best not to be annoyed by it. Bruno wasn't sure if Wilfredo was offended, or if he enjoyed his company enough to be disappointed when he didn't turn up at the usual time. Maybe it was just about the routine being dissrupted.
In fairness, Bruno did have some sympathy. He never liked surprises himself. It was stressful when things didn't go according to plan. Of course, few things ever went according to plan for Bruno so perhaps he was just numb to that particular flavor of disappointment.
"Hey Wil." Camilo shifted his focus to the man in the doorway. Bruno never heard anyone call him Wil. It astonished him how comfortable Camilo could get with someone in a matter of weeks. Then again Camilo was always an extrovert. He wasn't the one in a constant state of internal chaos every time the man spoke.
"Señora Delgado wanted me to thank you for the story hour." Camilo explained.
"Delgado. The school teacher." Wilfredo replied as he crossed his arms to think. The Fontana's had lived in this town for less than a month yet seemed to grow surprisingly familiar with its inhabitants. Bruno only saw Wilfredo around town occasionally, yet he'd quickly learned the names of the locals. Largely without leaving the library, it would seem. He had to assume most of the man's knowledge of the town came from his far more outgoing sister.
"We've met. Lovely woman." Bruno's stomach tied up in little knots at those words though he couldn't pinpoint why. For a moment his foreboding vision was pushed to the back of his mind. "I trust she's been seeing an increase in reading comprehension?" Wilfredo asked with a glimmer of pride in his eyes.
"Uh yeah, something like that." Camilo replied dismissively. "More importantly she said she'd start giving me some extra credit if we expanded the story hour to include some-" His face shifted to match the teacher as he quoted her. "Higher level material." He even mimicked her mannerisms with some exaggerated flourish.
Wilfredo chuckled and shook his head. "I don't see why not. It would help us make the books we have last longer anyway."
"I'm sure we have enough to last another couple months." Bruno replied a little sadder than he expected.
Wilfredo looked surprised by the statement. "I suppose."
"It's just," Bruno replied awkwardly. "Y-you're leaving april second, sí? It's not like it'll matter then."
"Oh." Wilfredo looked a bit sad for a moment. He eyed them both thoughtfully.
Children began pooling around their legs.
"Buenas noches Señor Fontana!" La clase juvenil chimed. There the whole class was attending now as word spread amongst the little ones.
Wilfredo beamed. He stepped aside to make space for them. "Buenas noches niños." He laughed as they flooded past him.
"Buenas noches Bruno." A little girl waved to Bruno as she trotted inside with Antonio clung to her arm. Cecelia. That was her name, right? He still hadn't quite learned all the kids' names yet but this one sat with Antonio every time. She seemed sweet if a bit over-earnest.
Bruno waved back at her with a meek little smile. He watched Anotio whisper something in her ear that made her giggle. Only then did it hit him. Struck with a cold sweat as he recognized her face. She was the girl in the vision. It had been a bit hard to tell. The visions were always a bit hazy and her face had been so swollen… It was definitely her. He recognized her long braids.
"I know it may be a bit presumptuous of me." Wilfredo was talking to him but Bruno was barely registering his words. "I just sort of assumed you would continue with story hour after I left."
"Hm, yeah, right. We should get started eh?"
Bruno scurried inside to his seat. Greeting the kids playfully and trying to conceal his nerves. He tried his best not to seem too obvious. He kept looking back at Cecelia. He could tell he was lagging behind Camilo's melodramatic performance. It couldn't be helped. It was hard to summon his full enthusiasm as he fretted over the little girl. They carried on and she seemed fine. With time he did start to calm a little. It might not be today. It could be any day really… How long would he have to keep watching her like a hawk? Should he just tell someone? That would be better right? No. He wasn't ready to be blamed for hurting someone's child. He was well accustomed to being the town outcast but he wasn't in the mood to create more stress for his family if he could avoid it.
Then it happened.
Bruno looked back to Cecelia after pulling a face that made the kids laugh. She wasn't laughing. He froze in horror as he watched her cough. Her face grew red and swollen. Antonio, who was sitting beside her, was patting her back trying to get a look at her face. She doubled over choking.
Bruno wasn't sure which of them made it to the girl first but there was the clatter of a chair hitting the floor and the flurry of papers.
Bruno held the girl in one arm while Wilfredo gripped her hand while she gasped for air.
"We need to get her to Julieta-"
Bruno stopped Wilfredo before he could pull the girl away from him. "I've got her!" He insisted as he pulled the bottle from his pocket. The bottle Beatrice had so kindly guarded for him. Pulling the cork out with his teeth he tipped her head back over his arm and carefully poured the sweet syrup into her mouth.
Cecelia obediently closed her mouth but Bruno could see her struggling to swallow. Panicked tears making tracks down her reddened cheeks. Bruno stroked her throat with his fingers. The way he'd seen Juileta do in such cases before. Propping her upright.
A few agonizing seconds passed before Juileta's healing gift took effect. Once it did the girl took a few grateful gulps of air and Bruno let out the breath he'd been holding.
"Gracias a Dios! Are you alright?! What happened?!" Wilfredo fretted. Holding the little girl's face in his hands. Smooshing her cheeks. Inspecting her. Not yet accustomed to the effectiveness of Juileta's gift.
"I-I forgot." Was all the girl could choke out between sobs before pulling away. Hiding her face in Bruno's ruana. Bruno wrapped his arms tight around the frightened child. He barely knew her. That didn't matter. She was small and afraid and Bruno understood that feeling.
"Shhh… Sana sana, colita de rana, si no sanas hoy, sanarás mañana." He soothed. Brushing the top of her head with his hand. Grateful he could offer her some comfort.
"L-lo siento, I didn't mean, you're not in trouble…" Wilfredo stammered, He reached for the girl before pulling back and pushing his glasses aside to rub his eyes.
Bruno watched him collect himself.
"We should take her home." He insisted once he was steady again.
"Can I come with you?" Antonio pleaded as Bruno pushed himself to his feet. The girl still in his arms. "Is she going to be ok?"
Bruno shifted Cecelia to a more comfortable position before smiling down at his sobrino. "You should stay here with Camilo. Finish your story." He insisted. "Tu amiga estará bien."
Wilfredo placed a hand on Anontio's back while they were still at eye level. "We'll explain everything once we get back, okey?" He negotiated.
Antonio looked unsatisfied with the offer but accepted it hesitantly. Cecelia was still sobbing quietly into Bruno's shirt though she was getting quieter.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
Wilfredo barely spoke on the walk to the girl's house. Only ever clarifying the directions with Bruno who knew the town better than him. Bruno wasn't around when Cecelia was born, but remembered her parents and it seemed unlikely to him they would have moved since last he spoke to them. Their house had been new when Bruno left. The wife's family home having grown overcrowded. He only remembered because of a vision he'd performed for the couple who had been struggling to conceive. He barely remembered the vision itself. Only the couple's disappointment at learning they'd only ever have one child.
The whole walk Bruno could practically feel the anxiety radiating off of Wilfredo in waves. He'd seen the man's confident veneer falter occasionally but never like this. This raw unfiltered stress was new, but very familiar. Bruno on the other hand felt surprisingly calm. The crisis had been dealt with and that was all that mattered to him. If the girl's mother took it out on him, well, that wouldn't be a first. His companion, however, was new. A stranger. Already walking a fine line to be accepted in this town. Bruno pitied him even though, for him, the fear of being hated by this town had long since been numbed to a dull ache.
It was only once they arrived at the house that Wilfredo's mood seemed to shift. He straightened up and readied that polite smile of his.
Señora Florez opened the door. "A bit early for-" She stopped. Looking up from her apron where she'd been drying her hands.
"Señor Madrigal? Señor Fontana?" She questioned.
"Mami!" Cecelia sobbed as she reached out for her mother. The women swiftly snatched her up from Bruno.
"Mija what happened?" She soothed. Bouncing the little girl on her sturdy hip.
"There was an incident at the library." Wilfredo explained. Calm and apologetic. "I don't suppose she has any allergies I should know about?" He asked carefully.
Bruno could see his shoulders tense. He was bracing for the worried mother's response. Bruno wanted to touch him. Reassure him that he wasn't alone. Bruno had been in his position so many times. He couldn't touch him. He didn't know this man. He wanted to.
"Allergies?" The mother replied sternly. Much to Bruno's relief however she turned that stern look on her daughter. "Cecelia, did you eat something you shouldn't have!" She scolded.
Cecelia looked away from her mother in shame. "Señor Fontana makes us snacks at the library. Antonio offered me one. I wasn't paying attention." She confessed.
Her mother groaned and she set the girl down to scold her. "That's not an excuse! You could have been seriously hurt! Go to your room and wait till your papá gets home!" Cecelia sobbed like any little kid who knew they were in trouble. Darting off to her room in a flurry of ruffles and bows.
The frustrated mother sighed and answered Wilfredo. "She's allergic to coconut." She explained flatly.
"Perdóname Señora I didn't know. This won't happen again, lo juro." He insisted.
"I should hope not." The mother huffed. Her frustration now redirected at the two men in front of her. She eyed Bruno suspiciously. Bad luck Bruno.
"We were very lucky Señor Madrigal was prepared for such an emergency. I hate to think what could have happened in the time it would have taken to get her to the plaza." Wilfredo explained. Seemingly having noticed her eyes on Bruno.
Bruno froze for a moment as the woman's face softened.
"You saved her life?" She asked in mild disbelief.
"I uh, I guess I did." He stammered awkwardly.
The woman crossed her arms and looked away like she was considering something. A brief wave of guilt seemed to wash over her before she replied.
"Gracias Señor. Muchas gracias."
"Oh, you don't need to thank me." Bruno fumbled out before the door was closed on both of them.
Bruno stood there dumbfounded. That went surprisingly well. All things considered. He felt relieved. Almost proud? Maybe just giddy to not have been yelled at for once? He turned to Wilfredo with a disbelieving smile that vanished as soon as he saw the man.
Wilfredo had his back to him. He'd pulled his notebook from his back pocket and was scribbling something down. He tapped the pen against the page in a jittery fashion. Muttering something incomprehensible under his breath.
Bruno pulled his ruana closed in front of him before reaching out a tentative hand. Wilfredo snapped straight upright at the lightest touch. Frightening Bruno into pulling his hand away. He stared wide-eyed as though he'd just been plucked from the ocean.
"The story hour was a good idea." Bruno told him gently.
Wilfredo's face softened. His eyes looked timid and sad though the expression was subtle. "You think so?" His reply was soft. Almost childlike.
It was short-lived however. Whatever wound had been exposed was concealed just as quickly. He tucked his notebook away and combed his hair with his fingers. "I mean, I wouldn't have suggested it if it wasn't."
Bruno was beginning to hate that. That mask. Was it not obvious to everyone else? Bruno could see it. Couldn't the others? He didn't want to talk to a mask. Unfortunately, he knew he was far from entitled to this man's inner world. Whatever that was. It was a privilege he hadn't earned and he knew that. Yet still, it hurt. Despite his wounded pride Bruno chose to simply talk past the arrogant facade. To the person underneath.
"What happened wasn't your fault." He said. "You didn't know."
Wilfredo's eyes scanned his for a moment. Trying to gauge what Bruno would believe. Painfully aware of how much he'd let slip. He rested his hands in his pockets before looking away again.
"That's not an excuse. I should have been more careful." He insisted sternly.
"Careful how?" Bruno replied in frustration. The man turned on his heels back towards the library. Despite his own lanky frame Wilfredo's legs were still longer and Bruno struggled to keep pace with him.
"I don't know, you certainly seemed prepared." There was some bitterness in his voice though Bruno suspected it wasn't directed at him.
"That's not a fair comparison!" Bruno insisted. He felt like he was arguing with himself and it drove him mad.
Wilfredo stopped dead in his tracks. "Was that…"
Bruno froze as he realized what he'd just implied.
"Did you know this was going to happen?" Wilfredo turned to look down at him over his shoulder.
Bruno shrunk under that gaze. He could lie, but what good would that do? He was caught and this man wouldn't fall for any flimsy excuse he gave.
"I-I, there wasn't, I couldn't, I don't make the future, I only see it." He finally stammered out.
"You didn't warn me?" Wilfredo turned to face him again and Bruno felt dwarfed by him.
"It, it wouldn't have changed anything." Bruno tried to explain. "My visions are never wrong. What happens will happen. I can't change it. You can't change it." He stumbled back over the cobblestone.
Wilfredo ran frustrated hands through his hair. Both hands. Seemingly torn between guilt and anger. "I could have been prepared. I could have done something…"
"This isn't your fault." Bruno squeaked out barely above a whisper.
"Instead I was useless. That girl could have died because of me! I nearly killed a child!"
As Bruno watched the younger man panic he felt as if a thread inside him was pulled taut. Some alien courage he didn't know he had willed him to reach up for the man's hands. Pulling them down from his hair. He found his eyes and managed to hold his ground against the ocean he was now swimming in.
"This isn't your fault." He repeated sternly. "You didn't know."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Wilfredo's voice cracked and Bruno held himself together.
"Telling you wouldn't have changed anything. I didn't want to scare you. I didn't want…" He didn't want this man to hate him.
For a moment his confidence wavered. He looked down at Wilfredo's hands in his. Rubbing circles in the man's palms with his thumbs. Forty. Somewhere in their many chats, he'd learned the man was forty years old. Inconsequential perhaps. Bruno remembered when he was forty. He remembered how bleak and hopeless his world felt. How alone he felt. That pain was slowly fading some days. Others it still felt very fresh.
He didn't know Wilfredo's circumstances, but he knew a few things. He knew the man's life had taken some manner of unfortunate turn. That he was lost in a strange place. A place so unlike his home. A place that had its own rules and costumes. A place where all his knowledge was dwarfed by the fantastical. For all his pride his sister seemed to be all he had to his name. He was alone in ways Bruno couldn't quite understand. He wanted to. He wanted to understand this stranger's pain.
Wilfredo took a deep breath before pulling his hands away. Preening as he often did. He finally replied. "I would never blame you."
Bruno looked up at him. Tugging on his ruana. He tried to catch those slate-gray eyes again. Wilfredo did not return the gesture.
"I only wish you had told me." He said. His tone was calm. His face unreadable. What moment of vulnerability had been shared between them was passed. The walls were up and he doubted they would be brought down again anytime soon.
Bruno felt guilty. Guilty for not warning his friend. Why? He barely knew this man. He had no way of knowing how he would have reacted had he told him. Why did he owe this man his trust? Why did he want to trust him?
The two of them returned to the library. Camilo was wrapping up story hour with Jacquline who had apparently stopped by to find Camilo alone with a gaggle of still-rattled little ones. Bruno found her presence a bit worrying. Fortunately, she seemed to have done a fine job helping Camilo in their absence. It strengthened his trust in her just a little bit. She scolded the both of them for leaving Camilo to fend for himself. As though a bunch of grade schoolers were akin to wild animals. Camilo didn't seem like he'd been that overwhelmed though. Perhaps Jacquline was just being overprotective.
Bruno of course explained to Antonio what had happened on the walk home and reassured him that it was an honest mistake and his new friend would be alright. It seemed in their absence Cecelia's other friends had clung to Antonio and followed him halfway home to reassure him. Dolores came by to call him home on their parent's behalf. Despite his anxieties, Antonio seemed comforted by his new human companions and handled the whole ordeal with a level of maturity that Bruno knew he lacked at that age.
︵‿୨ - February 2 1950 - ୧‿︵
In the days that passed Bruno was surprised by how normal everything seemed. The incident at the library seemed not to come up again. Even Wilfredo seemed to regard Bruno no differently than he had Bruno saw him around town more. Talking with parents. Taking notes on every child's needs.
Bruno worried he had eroded the man's faith in him but Wilfredo gave no such indication. He carried on as if nothing had happened. Wilfredo was a liar. A good one. Much to Bruno's frustration. It ate away at him. Scanning every facial expression, every gesture, every word for even the slightest hint of resentment. It was beginning to drive him mad. Obsessing over another person like this. It was ridiculous and he knew it but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He wanted so badly to know he hadn't hurt the first new friend he'd made in… far, far too many years.
But there he was. Enjoying the Saturday tablas like he usually did. Scribbling away in his notebook. Snickering to himself at the jokes no one else seemed to catch. He still remained polite and friendly. Occasionally Bruno would catch more of those little cracks in the facade. Nothing like the breakdown he'd witnessed. He wasn't sure he'd ever see that again. It felt selfish, but the thought made him a little sad in a way he couldn't quite explain.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
"¡Brazos, dad vuestro último abrazo!
Y labios, puertas del aliento, ¡sellad con un beso
un trato perpetuo con la ávida Muerte!
Ven, amargo conductor; ven, áspero guía.
Temerario piloto, ¡lanza tu zarandeado
navío contra la roca implacable!
Brindo por mi amor."
Bruno brought two fingers to his lips before placing them on the lips of the tragic woman in his arms. Camilo peeked one eye open. Struggling not to laugh. They were performing Romeo and Juliet at the library. Bruno sat on the floor where he'd fallen from his chair to cradle his sobrino. The boy thought it would be funny to play Juliet as a younger version of Bruno's hermana. The transformation was inaccurate. Julieta was never so thin. Bruno wasn't keen on correcting him. Especially seeing the mocking glint in his eyes. He certainly wasn't going to kiss his nephew disguised as his sister, no matter the script.
Bruno wasn't confident performing Shakespeare but it was an English classic. One of the stories Señora Delgado had requested. She'd heard that schools in the city were making English compulsory and she wanted to try and start teaching English to her own students. Of course, she wasn't fluent herself but Wilfredo was. He'd been helping. The students would be reading the play in its original language at school between listening to it in Spanish at the library. It took three sessions to read and interruptions from the audience had been reduced to a minimum. La clase mayor was here this time. Taking notes. Despite the more mature subject matter, little ones had still come by to watch. Bruno was uncomfortable with exposing children to such adult material. It was on his request that the suicide at the end of the play would be rewritten. The older kids of course had been made aware of any deviations to the script so they could read over the original ending themselves.
He didn't want to kill himself in front of a group of children.
Perhaps they should have stuck to the script, however. The change gave Camilo a chance to plant a kiss on his lips as Juileta awoke from her coma in time to stop her lover. All Bruno could do was stare in stunned silence. Camilo recited the lines he'd written for the ending. He could barely choke out the rest of the play after that and kept staring angry holes into his audacious nephew.
︵‿୨ -❇- ୧‿︵
A few of the older kids hung around for a bit to chat with Camilo before funneling out. A couple of assorted stragglers skimmed the library for something to read.
"Gracias Señor Fontana." an eight-year-old girl chirped after managing to convince the young librarian to let her borrow another book despite not having quite finished her last one.
"De nada." Wilfredo replied with a smile. "But I better see that book returned by next week or I'm sending the Madrigals after you." He teased. It was strange how the Fontana siblings had become so comfortable with him. After his last vision, Wilfredo still seemed so content with his presence. Perhaps he had read more into the incident than was necessary. Perhaps it had meant more to him than it did to Señor Fontana.
The little girl turned to look back at Bruno wide-eyed. He was sitting in one of the reading chairs sipping his tea. Bruno looked up as he felt the curious eyes on him and offered a small tentative wave when the gaze didn't let up. Still, the girl stared. Hugging the book to her chest and nibbling at her lip.
Bruno sighed and set his cup down on the end table. Whipping back with a wicked laugh and a green glow in his eyes.
The girl shirked and giggled. Bolting out the door.
Bruno couldn't help the deep throaty laugh that escaped him as he flopped back into his chair. A trick he'd learned when he was sixteen. With a bit of focus, he could make his eyes flash for a moment without allowing a vision to trigger completely. A fun party trick for sure. Mostly he used it to scare bullies. His mother was never a fan of him being so flippant with his gift, but she wasn't here. She never came by the library. Never watched the rat tablas in the plaza. The creative world he'd built for himself was one on which she did not intrude. He liked that. It was something he could have to himself. Now all he had to do was not ruin it for himself.
"You need to work on your evil laugh, Tío Bruno." Camilo mocked as he perched on the arm of his chair.
"And you need to stick to your script." Bruno chastised. He was still mad about the surprise kiss. It was quick and innocent but it still made his skin crawl.
Camilo groaned as he flopped aggressively across Bruno's lap. "Uhg, it's just a stage kiss. Eres una mojigata!" He whined.
Bruno may have been prudish. Perhaps that was true. "There are little children who come to watch us!" Bruno protested.
"Oh por favor, Ma and Pa kiss in front of me all the time, and I turned out fine." Camilo countered.
"That's debatable." Bruno replied as he reached over his mischievous sobrino for another sip of his tea.
"He's right, you know." Jacqueline. Of course.
Bruno would be lying if he said he hadn't come to enjoy her company at all. She could be a lot to deal with some days but she had a way of lighting up whatever room she was in. Every once in a while she could even be insightful. Thankfully the last of the kids had funneled out so she could be her usual inappropriate self without spreading her bad influence too far.
"Drinks on me tonight mis chicos." She cheered before Bruno could reply.
She tossed a glass bottle to him before he had a chance to put his tea back down. Camilo caught it before it could smash into the glass cup and saucer in his hands.
"When did you get this?" Camilo asked as he inspected the bottle in his hand. It was capped with a band label attached. Not something you'd normally find in town. "And how'd you get it so cold?"
"I figured out how to make Pepa snow." Jacqueline bragged of her ingenuity with a prideful glimmer in her eyes. Striding over to the reading area. She jingled a couple of bottles by the neck in one hand. "Pulled these from my personal stash." She explained.
"Stop bullying Pepa." Her brother scolded lazily. Continuing to scribble something down at the front desk. Bruno wasn't sure if he was working or jotting down some personal notes that came to mind.
Wilfredo wrote a lot. Bruno had come to understand. A shocking amount really. When he wasn't working he enjoyed researching as a hobby. He was constantly taking notes on things he read or reminders to look up research material in the future for some topic that had captured his attention. Writing seemed to be how he processed his thoughts. Bruno couldn't help admiring the way the light from the windows glinted off his glasses. The way he squinted when he was focused on something. Then he remembered Jacquline's comment about Pepa and his infatuation immediately took a back seat.
"No está bien!" Bruno was far sterner with Jacqueline than her brother. It frustrated him a little. He'd noticed a pattern as the Fontana siblings had become a part of his daily life. On the offhand occasion, a less than friendly neighbor was around Wilfredo was never hesitant to politely but firmly defend Bruno from so much as a passive-aggressive remark, but Jacqueline? She could kill a man and her brother would let her off with a finger wag.
"Psh," Jacquline scoffed. "She's fine, fue solo una broma."
"I don't care. My sister already has enough stress in her life as is." Bruno gripped as he put his drink back down and snatched up the bottle Camilo was still inspecting. "Not to mention plenty of reasons to hate you."
"I dunno, I think it's pretty funny." Camilo confessed.
Bruno let out a shocked gasp before shoving the boy off his lap. "Betrayal! Y tu madre!" Admittedly Bruno knew whatever trick Jacqueline had devised was unlikely to have been more than an annoyance. She wasn't a heartless monster. Still, Bruno wasn't a fan of pranks.
Camilo rolled onto the floor with an unceremonious flop. Replying with exaggerated heartbreak. "Jacqueline! Tío Bruno's being mean to me!" He whined.
Bruno rolled his eyes. Jacqueline flopped into the seat next to him and offered her kindred spirit a lap. Camilo turned back and stuck his tongue out at Bruno then found a perch on her knee. If he thought Bruno was jealous he was wildly mistaken.
"Wilfredo get over here!" Jacquline shouted.
Wilfredo was still distracted with whatever he was scribbling. Definitely notes.
"Hm?" He looked up and pushed his glasses back up his nose with his middle finger. They slid down a lot when he wrote. He always used that same finger on his left hand. Bruno had learned one afternoon that Wilfredo's vision was mostly fine. It happened when an unruly five-year-old had managed to get a hold of his glasses. He only needed his glasses to read, but given he almost never stopped reading for long he wore them all the time anyway. Bruno suspected image may have also been a factor. Glasses looked educated and smart. Wilfredo definitely preferred to maintain his image as an educated man.
"I brought beer." His sister announced. Popping the cap off one of the bottles with her teeth. The sound made Bruno's jaw hurt. "Come have a drink."
Wilfredo looked back down at his journal and started to scratch something else down.
"Today hermano!" Jacqueline whined.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." He insisted. He stood up from the desk. His hands lingering on the paper as long as he could get away with. Finally putting the pen down as though he were fighting gravity.
Bruno snorted a little. Trying to hide his amusement.
Wilfredo came over and took a bottle from his sister before sitting in the last empty reading chair. The chair Camilo could have been using had he not been committed to being a menace. He and Jacqueline really did get along entirely too well.
Bruno set the bottle he was holding down on the end table and reached for his tea again. He was nearly finished with his cup.
"You're not gonna drink that?" Camilo asked.
"I don't drink." Bruno corrected. It was sort of true.
"I forgot, you like the hard stuff." Jacqueline teased. Bruno hadn't actually accepted any of Jacqueline's offers for alcohol since that first night they met. Seeing Juileta's disappointed face was enough to scare him clean for now. He'd been banned from drinking years ago but... living in the walls… Well, no one could stop him. There were definitely some nights.
Bruno slumped back in his chair and glared at her over the lip of his teacup. She was right. Beer was awful and not strong enough to be worth it, but he was never going to concede any ground to her.
"I'll just take this then." Camilo reached confident, curious, fingers over to pluck the unopened bottle from the side table between them.
"Perdóname!" Bruno snatched the bottle up before Camilo could reach it. "Did I say you could have this!?"
"It's alright cariño. You can have a sip of mine." Jacqueline offered.
"No, he can't!" Bruno snapped. "He's too young to be drinking." It seemed like common sense to him but no…
"Not if I get your permission." Camilo replied. Their town didn't have a strict law on drinking but the general rule of thumb is it was ok under eighteen as long as an adult supervised.
"Did I give you permission?"
"No, but you're going to." Camilo gave him a challenging smirk as he laid back in Jacqueline's lap. Accepting the bottle that was in her hand.
Bruno flushed hot red and he reached down to snatch the chancla from his right foot. Swinging it over his head threateningly.
Camilo laughed so hard he nearly dropped the drink before handing it back to the enabling woman. "Era solo una broma! I just wanted a taste anyway."
"You're too young." Bruno insisted sternly as he redressed his bare foot. He wasn't really going to hit the kid. He could never bring himself to do that. Camilo knew that. Still, he had to at least make a show of it. Camilo was usually much better behaved for the other adults. He had a nasty habit of testing Bruno's boundaries in particular. A byproduct of his absence in the boy's life perhaps...
He regretted that absence.
"I don't know. Our parents let us drink when we were his age." Wilfredo mused. He opened his bottle with his pocket knife and took a sip. Leaning forward on his knees and recalling some shared childhood memories.
"Good thing I'm not tu papi then." Bruno snarked. He didn't need a man eleven years his junior telling him how to parent.
Wilfredo sputtered on his drink for a moment. The sudden sound brought Bruno's eyes to the man's face. He looked flushed. Bruno's eyes darted back to Jacqueline to read her face. Sure enough, there was that lip-eating grin again. Another crack.
It felt cruel just how much he relished in those little moments. It was addicting getting a peek behind the curtain. A wicked part of him would try to crack the man's armor on purpose if he knew how. Though it never happened intentionally and he'd yet to figure out what exactly he was doing that got these reactions out of him.
"Pues, I suppose I am." Wilfredo laughed as he steadied himself again. His usual confidence taking over again. His smile seemed genuine though. His nose crinkled up when he smiled. His eyes were light as he looked away.
"I loved your performance today." Wilfredo seemed eager to change the topic. "You two are a natural fit for the stage. So dramatic." Bruno couldn't quite tell if it was a compliment or not given the laugh in his voice.
"It's not my intention to overact. I just know the kids like it." Bruno tried to act aloof as he finished the last of his tea.
"Seguramente?" Wilfredo seemed a tad curious. "I mean it is a compliment. One has to exaggerate a bit for the stage. Distance and all that. You need to be sure the whole audience can read your performance."
"I guess I wouldn't know." Bruno replied honestly. "I've never actually seen a live performance."
Bruno could suddenly feel wide eyes boring holes into him. Wilfredo had leaned in with that signature look of fascination. "Never?" He asked in disbelief.
Bruno shifted awkwardly in his chair. "Vaya… sí. I've never left El Encanto and we don't really have a theater in town."
"That's a lie!" Camilo protested then crossed his arms to pout. "I have a perfectly good stage in my room. Abuela just won't let me use it."
This was true. Camilo's room would be the ideal place for a real performance but Mamá worried about turning part of Casita into a public space. Besides, the tables de ratas were one thing but a full-stage performance would take far more time to plan. They'd need more actors, auditions, props… He knew she'd rather Camilo use his gift for something more practical. As it stood she made sure his schedule was always just open enough to fill in for people as needed. The kid had become a real jack of all trades despite his youth.
"You have a whole stage in your room?" Jacqueline asked. "How spoiled are you Madrigals!"
Right. They had only ever been inside Casita once and only briefly.
"Our rooms are magic." Bruno explained. "Each one is unique. They come with our gifts."
"Fascinating." Wilfredo mused. Eyes glittering. Bruno couldn't help but notice the way his right hand fidgeted as though it were looking for a pen. Tracing lines on his pant leg like he was making a mental note. No doubt he was self-aware enough to know pulling out his notebook would make Bruno feel like an exhibit. What Wilfredo didn't realize was that Bruno didn't mind being an object of fascination, as long as it was him. "I'd love to see them someday."
"I don't see why not. You guys can come by anytime." Camilo presumed.
"You should ask Abuela first." Bruno corrected. He knew his mother wasn't fond of surprises. Guests were usually a planned affair. Thinking back to the look on her face when she realized she'd been scolding him in front of his friends.
Camilo rolled his eyes.
"What's your room like?" Wilfredo asked.
The question startled Bruno a tad. Not that it was an odd question per se. He simply hadn't been prepared for it. In hindsight, he probably should have been. Too distracted wondering what his mother thought of Wilfredo now that some time had passed. He'd managed to talk her into expanding the library. How he managed that was beyond Bruno's mortal comprehension.
"Uhm…"
"Bruno's room is awful!" Camilo teased. "It's all sand and stairs. Takes him like twenty minutes to answer the door."
"I-it's not that bad." Bruno tried to defend awkwardly. He was much faster on those stairs than people gave him credit for.
"What does sand have to do with seeing the future?" Jacqueline mused.
"Oh, that-"
"I just realized something." Camilo interrupted.
"I can explain my gift on my own thank you." Bruno griped. Not that he was in the mood to go into the details, but he wasn't fond of other people speaking for him.
"Not that." Camilo waved his hand dismissively. "It's about the tablas."
"That so?" Was Camilo changing the topic on purpose? Given Bruno an escape from talking about his gift? Or maybe just trying to get the attention of the conversation back on himself.
"You know, I hadn't thought of it before," Camilo mused. "But you never write kissing scenes. Like ever. It's weird." He remarked. "For someone obsessed with forbidden romance you're always super tame about it. It's all hand-holding and whispering sweet nothings under the moonlight." Camilo's tone grew teasing as he rambled.
Or maybe he was just trying to torture him. He made a mental note to get back at the boy later as he embarrassed him with scrapped narratives. His complaints about Bruno's prudish writing style weren't entirely true. Some of Bruno's private writing was more… sensual. But he wasn't entirely wrong.
"There's more to romance than kissing." Bruno protested.
"Like you would know!" Camilo laughed.
"Besides, I'm not obsessed. My writing's not that repetitive." Was it? Had he seriously been writing the same stories over and over absentmindedly?
"Nah, kid's got a point Brunito." Jacqueline countered. "I've seen mierda más erótico in Sunday school."
Bruno didn't want to try and unpack that statement.
"I mean it is an oddly consistent theme." Wilfredo admitted.
Bruno looked back to his friend with betrayal in his eyes. "How dare you!" Bruno exaggerated for comedic effect. "Here I thought you liked my stories!" Truthfully he was a little hurt but masking it with humor was a good way to hide it.
"I didn't say it was a bad thing." Wilfredo corrected gently. Holding a hand up in submission. "All writers have themes in their work. Fixations. It's curious and creates a distinct narrative style. I never said I didn't like it." Wilfredo seemed to contemplate his words as he took another drink. "I think it's actually very distinct. It focuses on emotional intimacy and creates uniquely tender narratives. It's charming really."
Bruno did his best to fight the hot flush that threatened to consume his face at that remark.
"Uhg! It's, feel good, nonsense is what it is." Jacqueline criticized. "Anyone who pretends like they aren't looking for sex is lying." She took a deep swig. "It's that kind of mierda florido you've gotta look out for!"
"Ever the romantic aren't we?" Bruno replied sarcastically to her mockery.
Bruno shrunk further back into the chair. His legs stretched out in front of him. His face flushed with embarrassment. Thinking back in shame to last Saturday's performance. The story of a barren widow pining over a young librarian from a well-to-do family expected to carry on their legacy… Perhaps he was getting too comfortable. People were starting to read into his work. The thought that Wilfredo would figure out what kind of pervert he was made him feel sick.
"Oh, relájate Tío." Camilo replied to his slouching. Bruno only slouched more till his shoulders met his ears. Earning a laugh from the Fontana siblings. "I only noticed when you went and made changes to Romeo and Juileta cause it was too atrevido." Camilo threw Bruno's own words back at him.
"You let this man butcher a classic?!" Jacqueline shouted in disbelief. She looked at her brother as if she expected him to be responsible for Bruno's actions.
"It's not age appropriate!" Bruno barked. Refusing to abandon his melodramatic slouch.
Wilfredo shrugged with a baffled expression. "It was requested por la clase mayor but I wasn't going to ban los niños from story hour. This seemed like a fair compromise"
Bruno blew his tongue at him irritably.
"Niños aren't dumb you don't need to shelter them. They can handle some real literature." Jacqueline argued.
"Tío Bruno doesn't think so. He cut out most of the kissing and changed the ending." Camilo explained.
"Uhg!' Jacqueline sounded disgusted. "Don't tell me they actually end up together in the end."
"What's so wrong with that?" Bruno protested indignantly.
"I give those niños estupidos a week max." Jacqueline chastised before taking a deep swig from her bottle. "They're gonna be at each other's throats and they've already thrown their lives away. Once the sex gets old they're gonna go crying back to their parents like los niños estupidos they are." She spoke with confidence as if they were real people.
"You don't know that." Bruno was a bit shocked by the harshness in her tone. Who hurt this woman?
"Uhg." Wilfredo groaned and leaned back in his seat. Bruno was sure if he rolled his eyes any harder they'd fall out of his head. "No te preocupes. Ella es una amargada."
"I'm right is what I am and you know it." Jacqueline replied with another swig. "Those niños estupidos deserved the ending they got."
"No child deserves that..." Bruno replied. His voice came out softer than he expected. His will to argue was suddenly dwindling. Suicide was one thing he wouldn't wish on anyone. The feelings that would drive such a desperate act. No one deserves to feel that. Especially not a child.
"Harsh hermanita." Wilfredo tutted. "It's a simple cautionary tale. They aren't wicked people. Only a pair of naive teenagers arrastrado por la agonía del amor joven. Everything is so intense at that age. Their fatal flaw was following their hearts over their heads."
"Supongo que." Bruno's voice was even weaker that time. He wasn't certain he'd even been heard as the siblings continued to argue with Camilo. Being a teenager himself he took some offense to the notion he was too emotional to make rational decisions. Bruno could barely hear what all was being said as his chest began to tighten.
Not here. Not now.
His mind was beginning to race. Dark thoughts cycling through. Fantasies of death. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to die. Why couldn't he stop thinking about it? Stop. Stop! Shut up. Please god, he didn't want to die. He'd wanted it before…
Suddenly a heavy hand on his upper arm brought him back to reality. It startled him at first. His head snapped to his right side. Wilfredo's face was confused. Perhaps a little concerned. What had he been doing? Had he frightened the man? Somehow despite it, despite the guilt over creating stress for his new friend… He was comforted by those soft gray eyes. At least for a moment.
"Estás bien?" He asked him gently.
"Hm?" Bruno pretended not to know what he was referring to. He wasn't sure what the man had read on his face but he would do whatever he could to defuse the situation. Anything to avoid being worried over.
"You seemed distracted for a minute there." Wilfredo explained. His voice was even, casual. Perhaps Bruno hadn't given much away. If he had, Wilfredo certainly didn't.
"Oh I was just thinking is all." Bruno replied. He kept his tone even and calm.
Wilfredo smiled softly. "You get distracted a lot." He chuckled. Removing his hand from Bruno's arm.
Bruno wished he hadn't. The weight on his arm had pulled him back to reality like a lifeline. He wasn't comfortable letting go of it yet. Those memories, thoughts, cruel thoughts, they still kept swimming in the back of his mind. He could manage. He could wait them out. They'd stop eventually. He wanted so desperately to knock. He needed to ward them off. If he did it now Camilo would know something was wrong. Bruno's family knew full well it was a sign of stress. Besides, so far he'd done a good job of feigning normalcy in front of the Fontana siblings and he wasn't keen on breaking that record yet.
He looked over to the clock on the wall above the front desk. Don Diego would be waking up from his afternoon nap soon. He hoped. That was plenty good a reason to leave as any. So far he'd largely managed to avoid the old man. Only ever catching passing glances of him on days he got carried away in conversation and lost track of the time. He couldn't face the old man. Especially not today. The seconds passes as he attempted to continue casual conversation with the group. Minutes. Hours? Those memories... Those wicked thoughts wouldn't leave him. He had to get rid of them. He needed to leave.
"I just remembered," Bruno bolted up from his seat and tried to think of a good excuse. "I uh, I have uhm. I have to check on one of my rats…" Beatrice poked her head out of his pocket as if to remind him. "Beatrice's hijos have gotten really aggressive with their food lately. I need to go put them up and make sure the others get fed."
Bruno had, of course, not forgotten to quarantine the three bullish sons of his gentlest rat. Nevertheless, it was as good an excuse as any to flee. Besides, it had been a few hours he could let the boys out by now anyway.
"Lo siento." He apologized to his human companions before turning to leave.
"Hey, Tío Bruno wait." Camilo followed behind him. Why did he have to follow him?
"Oh, you can stay and chat. Don't let me spoil your fun." Bruno tried to insist but the boy met him at the door.
"I hang out here for your sake." Camilo corrected arrogantly.
"Well, then… I mean you should probably go hang out with tus amigos or something."
Camilo looked suspicious. He looked around for a moment and crossed his arms. "I'm actually kinda hungry. I was thinking I might go swipe a snack from the emergency stash in the kitchen." He replied cheekily.
"You know you shouldn't.." Bruno didn't have the energy to fight with him. "Bien, but if you get caught I'm not getting you of trouble."
He wasn't going to let Bruno walk home alone. That was evident. Had he noticed Bruno's distress? Not that it mattered. If he didn't notice before it he could tell now. Absent the eyes of relative strangers, Bruno couldn't stop himself from knocking on every wooden structure they passed. Slipping through back alleys and low-trafficked streets.
"Estás seguro de que estás bien?"
He had to get these thoughts out of his head. He didn't want this anymore. He hadn't in a long time. He couldn't stop imagining all the ways he could die. Swift painless deaths. He still remembered the sickening sense of relief that fantasy once offered. He didn't want this. Why couldn't he stop thinking about it?
"Tío Bruno?"
Beatrice fled his pocket as he reached in for salt to throw over his shoulder. He had to get the demons out.
"Tío Bruno!"
Camilo's raised voice caught his attention for a moment. He turned to look back at the frustrated teen, wide-eyed.
"Estás bien?" Camilo spoke slowly as if Bruno were some wild animal.
"Estoy bien." He wheezed before turning to hurry faster towards the house. He could take better care of himself at home. He'd feel safe in the closed confines of his room. He could perform whatever ritual he needed to ease his racing thoughts without concern for those around him. He could handle this on his own. He had for years. He would be fine.
"Just great." He didn't realize he was muttering. "You're scaring him. Shut up. Stop. Calm down. You're going to hurt him like you hurt Dolores."
Suddenly a delicate hand wrapped tight around his upper arm.
Bruno's whole body froze under the touch. He turned to look back at Camilo. The boy was as tall as he was now. With Bruno hunched over as he was, Camilo was looking down at him. His face was soft, gentle, a faint reassuring smile.
"Con calma Tío." He soothed.
Bruno swallowed hard. His sobrino gently guided him to a tree nestled between two houses. Out of the sunlight. Out of the open space of the road.
"Deep breaths Tío." Camilo suggested calmly. Rubbing little circles on Bruno's shoulder blade with his free hand.
Bruno didn't like this. He didn't want to be comforted by his sister's children. He couldn't help but oblige. He needed to collect himself before he could speak. He took a deep breath in and crossed his fingers as he counted. Focused on Camilo's warm soft hands. The specks of sunlight on his face.
Bruno released his breath with a tired sigh.
"When did you get so mature?" Bruno couldn't help but ask. He looked up to meet Camilo's eyes. They were warm and nurturing like his father's. Why hadn't he noticed it before? Camilo was almost a man now. It was surreal.
"I dunno." Camilo replied. His usual humor was gone. There was a rare sincerity in his voice. "I guess it just happened. When you left… Mamá didn't take it too well."
Bruno could feel tears threaten to form. Forcing him to look down and shut them tight as he fought them back. Of course. This was his fault. He was five. He was only five. How often had Pepa leaned on her son for support? Bruno would have to confront her on that later. That wasn't ok. No child should have to be responsible for their parents like that. Still, if Bruno had been less of a coward he wouldn't have put Camilo in that position in the first place.
"Vas a estar bien?"
Bruno felt ashamed. "Oh, no pasa nada. You didn't need to do this." He insisted.
"It's ok to need help sometimes." Camilo laughed before morphing into Mirabel. "I bet you'd let your favorite sobrina comfort you." He cooed as he fluttered his eyelashes.
"That wouldn't make it any better." Bruno laughed as he choked back tears.
Camilo changed back. Seemingly pleased with the smile he'd managed to force out of his Tío.
"Ha! Made you laugh."
"You shouldn't have to take care of me." Bruno explained calmly. Sad but calm.
"Está bien." Camilo insisted. "Ustedes son mi familia. Cuido de mi familia." He explained so matter of fact. So convicted and confident.
Bruno reached his arms out, hesitant at first, before wrapping them around his oldest sobrino.
"Oh, uh… ok." Camilo seemed surprised at first by the affection. Bruno wasn't usually one to initiate a hug but he felt like it was needed.
"Lo siento, no estuve ahí para ayudarte." Bruno breathed into the boy's curly hair.
"Está bien." Camilo replied. His voice cracked. He raised his hands to return Bruno's hug. Bruno could tell from his voice. It wasn't ok. Bruno didn't know how to make it ok. That throb in the back of his skull was back. Not now. He wasn't ready. Maybe another day.
