A few more weeks had gone by and Elsa was now eight months pregnant with only one more month to go. She was getting to the point where she needed help standing up from either the bed or a chair all the time and wanting to constantly sleep. She was also beginning to grow frustrated at being pregnant. There were days where Bruno would find her crying or exploding in anger which usually caused her magic to surge. She tried to hold her rage back but it wasn't so easy what with the backaches, the swollen ankles and feet and trying to get comfortable in bed due to her belly or the triplets wanting to be active. Sometimes she would take her anger out on the family. They knew she didn't mean the things she said, the most understanding being Julieta and Pepa and of course Bruno. Bruno did everything he could to comfort his wife whenever she felt mad or was in tears. He'd give her back and feet massages day in and day out or rub her belly or talk to the babies to hopefully soothe them. It always helped and Elsa would feel better in the end.
One night, Elsa was in the kitchen, about to wash the dishes. Julieta and Bruno wanted to help but she insisted that she could do it while staying safe. It took a little more convincing for Bruno but then they both relented. Julieta hugged Elsa goodnight and after leaving the kitchen, Bruno went over to Elsa then kissed her cheek then placed his hand against her belly. While rubbing the swell, Bruno and Elsa looked at each other lovingly then Bruno frowned in concern.
"Promise not to do too much, mi vida."
"I won't." Elsa assured, chuckling.
Bruno gave Elsa a skeptical glance then he sighed then gently turned Elsa around so that she'd face him. Bruno gently cupped Elsa's belly with both his hands then had pressed their foreheads together.
"I'm serious, corazon."
"And so am I. I'll be okay, Bruno."
Bruno sighed then smiled and gave a little nod then had kissed Elsa softly then tilted up her chin so he could stare into her beautiful eyes.
"I know I need to stop worrying about you so much."
"What kind of a husband and father would you be though if you didn't?" Elsa asked.
Bruno gave Elsa another kiss then he looked down at Elsa's belly between them then had continued rubbing it. Bruno leaned his head against Elsa's then had kissed her forehead then they continued staring at her belly.
"You know I'm just as anxious for them to get here as you are."
"I know. And I also know you're gonna be a great father." Elsa said, quietly.
Elsa kissed Bruno's cheek then Bruno smirked then he knelt down to Elsa's belly then had pressed against it, both hands once again at the sides of Elsa's ample stomach so that he would not miss the babies kicking. He then kissed Elsa's belly in the middle as she giggled.
"This is Papa, mi hermosa bebes. Did you hear what me and your M'ma said? We're ready to meet you. We're ready to hold you. But if you're not in any hurry to arrive, that is okay with us too. Whenever you're ready but...you do need to give M'ma a break, okay?" Bruno cooed to their unborn children.
"Maybe they can get some sleep if their father wouldn't be keeping them up." Elsa said in a singong tone, chuckling.
"Right."
Bruno had stood back up to his feet then he had kissed Elsa's forehead then lips then had placed his nose against hers, once again, entranced by her eyes.
"Remember what I said about trying to do it all."
"i know and I will. You get some sleep. I will meet you up there."
Elsa kissed Bruno's cheek then he had gently squeezed Elsa's hand then had left the kitchen. Elsa had looked at the sink and the dishes then she exhaled then had looked down at her belly, rubbing it gently.
"Okay, you guys. Let's get to work." Elsa told her babies.
Elsa had grabbed some plates and had placed them into the sink and had begun to run the water. She went over to the rack to grab a towel. While she was doing so, she suddenly felt a cold breeze. Which was strange to her because a slight chill never made her react like this. She wasn't known to shiver. Elsa turned and saw that the window had become ajar. She looked confused for a second then had gone over to the window and closed it. She then placed the towel next to her and grabbed the sponge and began to wash the plates. Just as she had finished the first plate, the window had opened again and Elsa, for the second time, felt the coldness of the wind.
"What is wrong with this window today?" Elsa asked herself, slightly annoyed.
Elsa had closed the window and returned to her task of cleaning off the plates. She had reached for the third plate when she began to feel rattling. She looked down and saw that both the sink and countertop were shaking, like there was a small earthquake. Elsa frowned and now looked curious.
"Casita? What's going on?" Elsa asked the house.
Elsa reached her hand out to the countertop, to help calm Casita, but then the window had opened, this time, the shutters made a loud banging sound, like a gun blasting, startling Elsa. She jumped and then had looked up and glanced outside. There was nobody or nothing there. Elsa moved to close the window but before she could, lightning had struck and all of Casita began to rumble. Elsa, terrified, looked around, seeing everything shaking and shaking. Her heart began racing and snowflakes were forming on her hands. Something was not right. She could feel it.
"Elsa..." An eerie, hoarse, feminine voice echoed.
Elsa quickly turned around and looked outside. At first, she saw nothing like before, but then, she had squinted her eyes and could make out a shadowed figure with small glowing eyes. Elsa began to back away. This couldn't have been Camilo pulling a prank.
The shadowed figure began to move closer and closer. As it had become more within Elsa's view, she now saw that half of the figure's face was missing, as if a huge portion of its skull was missing causing Elsa to back away further. Who or what was this exactly?
"Elsa..." The voice rang out, sounding more menacing than before.
That voice though...it sounded a little familiar. Elsa wanted to close the window so that the figure could not get closer, but she was too scared to move her feet forward. Whatever this thing was, it did not come from the human world.
"Elsa..."
Elsa's eyes had widened and her face dawned in realization but then terror. It was...Alma. This was Alma's ghost. What did it want with her? Elsa had finally began to hurriedly go over to the window but then all of a sudden, the ghost had let out an eerie wail and its long black arms had stretched out and grabbed at Elsa as she yelped, scared out of her mind. The ghost pulled her closer and closer to the window until Elsa was able to stare it into the face. Alma's ghost was scowling as if it looked full of rage.
"...You should have died."
The ghost had then pulled onto Elsa's hair roughly as she yelped painfully and then it had pushed her head under the water-filled sink. Elsa struggled and screamed. She was too hysterical to use her powers. She could hear the ghost laughing and laughing loudly, it did not sound like Alma, more like someone who belonged in an insane madhouse.
"You will die! It should have been you!" The ghost screeched out.
Elsa's eyes began closing. She was starting to lose air and starting to struggle less. Bruno was coming into the kitchen, wondering what was taking Elsa so long. He opened the door then he looked over at the sink and flew into immediate panic when he saw Elsa being drowned by some invisible force, her arms flailing around weakly.
"ELSA!" Bruno screamed.
Just as Elsa's eyes were almost closed, she was pulled back up to the surface. She could feel herself falling and falling, deeper and deeper. Then she had felt warmth. She knew that warmth. It began to rush into her veins.
Bruno was on the ground, holding onto Elsa, touching her cheek, caressing it gently. He did not pay attention to the spirit of his mother angrily watching. All he could think about was his wife and hoping she would respond to his touch.
"Elsa...Carino...Mi querida...Por favor...Please...Wake up." Bruno pleaded, choking back a sob.
Bruno held Elsa closer then he had kissed her forehead then had hugged her tight, trying to be mindful of their babies, who were still active...a little. Bruno had continued caressing Elsa's cheek with his thumb. Then...her eyes began to open slowly.
"Elsa?" Bruno asked, green-brown orbs lighting up with hope.
Elsa opened her eyes fully then looked around. She no longer felt cold. She looked up and saw Bruno staring at her in both relief and concern. She felt slightly disoriented but managed to touch Bruno's cheek and offer a small smile.
"Bruno?"
"It's alright, mi vida. I have you. You're alright."
Elsa looked over Bruno's shoulder and could see Alma's ghost still standing at the window. She gripped onto Bruno's arms which caused him to stare at her worriedly.
"What is it?" Bruno asked.
Elsa pointed to the window, Bruno turned and didn't see anything. Bruno looked back at Elsa then gently cupped her face into his hands then kissed her forehead.
"You must have slipped which caused you to fall over into the sink or had got stuck on something."
"No. It was..."
Then before Elsa's eyes, the ghost had disappeared. Elsa had looked relieved but only for a moment when she remembered about the triplets. She looked down at her belly then up at Bruno.
"Are the babies..."
"They are alive but very weak like you are. You need to be seen by the doctor."
Bruno had picked up Elsa into his arms then carried her out of the kitchen. Elsa's mind was still reeling. Did she really see Alma's ghost or was it her imagination? She wouldn't try to drown herself. If this really was Alma's spirit and it had intentions to kill her, how would she explain this to Bruno? She had thought about it until she allowed sleep to overtake her.
