[Translations at the bottom of the chapter]

{No POV}

The Madrigal family was happier than they had ever been for the most part as they went into town and helped the townspeople as best they could without overdoing it or over extending themselves.

Most of them that is, Bruno Madrigal was in a different state of mind.

His mind drifted to loving memories as he patiently sat at the only water fountain in the village that had dried up so many years ago of someone very dear to his heart. His Star. The one person she had loved for over thirty years now. Despite contrary beliefs of his family, he had been the first of Alma Madrigal's children to find love, and the first to marry. He had met his lovely wife one night at this fountain after a difficult day and they would meet at the fountain every day since. It was a routine they developed. Then, when they were only foolish and young 18 year olds, they married in secret in a village outside of the Encanto. Then when Pepa married, they suffered their first heartache. Their second coming not long after when Julietta married. After marrying, they had decided to continue to keep things hidden because his mother and sisters would not approve of her because she was an outcast. A foreigner who came to the village seeking refuge but didn't quite get along too well with most townspeople.

"Señor Madrigal?" Greeted a small voice of a little boy breaking him out of his thoughts.

He smiled shyly at the boy and gestured kindly for him to sit noticing the boy was clearly not interested in a vision but just talking.

The boy was very reminiscent to Bruno but he couldn't place it.

"Yes, niño?" Bruno asked kindly.

The little boy hesitated before asking a question that surprised Bruno quite a bit.

"Do you love this fountain too? My Mamá loves this fountain. She used to always come here until I came along..."

Bruno answered the boy calmly and happily, "Yes, I love this fountain too. I have a lot of fond memories here. I'm sorry to hear your mom stopped coming to the fountain. Despite it drying up, this fountain is still very beautiful."

The little boy agreed and then suddenly a black haired woman and his family came up to the fountain looking slightly frazzled from having clearly chased the woman.

The woman then stood up revealing her blue eyes to the boy and Bruno as she looked with clear relief towards the boy, but with a scold to her gaze.

"There you are Carlos! No me asustes así chiquito!" The woman said before fussing over the child in spanish until she realized there was a crowd and looked around pausing for only a second on Bruno before turning to Dolores with a grateful smile.

"Muchas Gracias, señorita. Thank you so much for your help in locating where my son ran off to. I only took my eyes off of him for a moment to speak with Señora Claudia about having her mend one of my dresses and he was gone from my side." The woman thanked graciously and made to leave with the boy before Alma stopped her with a question.

"I don't believe I've met you and your son before. Do you two live in town? Would you like to join my family and I at our home for dinner?"

The woman became a tiny bit tense but answered calmly and kindly.

"I don't believe we have. My name is Estrella. I moved into the outskirts of town when I was only 14. My parents and I had fled out home country by raft and they died at sea. Due to luck and I suppose a lot of determination to survive I made it to town and settled in on the outskirts after saving up some money to buy a home from the Late Señora Ramona. I've been living there since. My son's name is Carlos. I'm sorry to say that I unfortunately cannot make it to any dinners at your home. I have a lot of work at home between taking care of Carlos and myself and working my garden to then sell my produce here in the market when I have a harvest. Or selling the meats when I have some to sell from my animals. But it's nice to meet you and your family."

The madrigals soon happily parted ways with Estrella and Carlos unaware of Bruno slinking off to follow her.

~LATER THAT NIGHT~

Bruno had snuck out of the house and headed into the forest unaware of Dolores and Camilo following him discretely.

When he made it to the admittedly decent sized cozy farm house. The two spying madrigals hid near by and listened as Bruno knocked quietly on the door and was greeted by a frowning Estrella.

"Estrella, mi-" Bruno said quietly and nervously before he was cut off annoyedly by Estrella.

"It's been Ten Years, Bruno. Ten years... Don't dare to call me nicknames of any kind after everything that's happened." Estrella declared quietly.

Camilo and Dolores were both shocked as they observed in secret as their uncle frowned sadly before responding.

"I'm so sorry I left back then, mi Estrella, but I had to. I needed to protect my niece... My family, mi familia..."

Estrella glared at Bruno through tear filled eyes, "Do you really think I'm this mad because you left?!"

Estrella slapped him harshly before finally her tears fell as she looked at the ground and clarified.

"I'm pissed off because I didn't matter enough to you for you to sneak away and leave me at least a note! Because you left without a word to me. You didn't bother to think about contacting me before you disappeared for ten years! You didn't even try to talk to me after coming back, Bruno! I am your wife and I didn't even learn you were back until five days ago when the townspeople were gossiping that you were back and weren't wicked and evil like they all foolishly believed! When you left! I had to suffer watching Mirabel suffer, alone. I had to go through my pregnancy with our SON, alone! Today you could have talked to me when you saw me! Reacted with more than just silence! But you didn't, because your family was there! Like always, I'm just your little secret you hide from your family!" Estrella seethed sadly.

After a couple deep breaths she turned to the stunned Bruno with a frown both unaware of the aghast Camilo and Dolores watching and listening in.

"I've always been a secret for you to keep. Ever since we first met and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of just having to act like I never knew of your family! Like I'm not your wife! Like Carlos isn't your son too! Carlos is ten years old, Bruno, ten! He doesn't even have a clue about you being his father. Of him being a Madrigal by blood... So just..." She paused trying to calm herself so she doesn't breakdown crying.

She looked at him sternly in the eyes as she spoke with finality.

"Just leave." Estrella said to Bruno shocking the three madrigals listening to her, "Go back to your family and forget about me and about Carlos. We don't need to be your dirty little secret. We don't need to be around you. We've been fine these ten years without you, we can manage the rest of our lives too. So please, get out of here and go home."

Bruno was crying now too but obeyed and left followed secretly by Dolores and Camilo.

Camilo and Dolores knowing it's probably best they don't tell anyone what they witnessed.

TBC

Translations:

Niño = Boy / Child / Kid

No me asustes asi chiquito = Don't scare me like that kid

Muchas gracias, señorita. = Thank you so much, miss.