Dolores keeps her eyes trained on the empty end of the road and doesn't acknowledge Tío Bruno when he slips back under the shade with her. Her face burns hot with embarrassment and frustration, and it hurts to force a laugh through her pursed lips at Tío antics.

But she has to. For all that she swore she'd stop, she still has to swallow the sting of one more secret because if she pretends hard enough, it will stop hurting her one day.

...just like Tío's did, right?... She thinks sardonically.

She has to smile and fawn over the ring and stare dewy eyed at the perfect pairing that Mariano and Isabela make and twist her fingers together to stop herself from trying to separate their hands.

She is the last to notice the others' return from town and makes a fair excuse about adjusting to life without her Gift.

"So, you can't hear anymore?" Antonio looks like he's about to cry, and she scoops him up into her lap.

"I can hear you better when I'm holding you now." She wraps her arms around him in a way she's never been able to without having her head pounding from the proximity of another body. She's never realized how warm her baby brother is, and she doesn't want to let him go.

Isabela y Mariano work well as a team, doling out bananas and quartering dragonfruit until everyone in the family has at least a little. Pepa and Julieta lament the lack of coffee, which Mariano offers to remedy until Isabela waves him off.

"You're sure?" He's still half-turned toward town, ready to do even the smallest thing to support his...to support Isabela.

She points with her chin at an empty spot between Julieta and Camilo. "Sit, please. You've done so much already. We'll be alright for a bit."

"...for a bit..." Mamí echoes.

Isabela passes another round of food to those who want more and sits the rest back in the cart before hopping up into it herself to sit and eat.

She's close enough to Mariano that he can lean his head back against her leg and does so. "Thank you, cariño."

Dolores feels a whisper of movement to her right. Tío's hand is closed tightly around the dragonfruit's husk, and she sure that if it had been a banana, it would have been paste by now. He digs out the remaining pulp without looking at anyone and doesn't set it down.

"Isn't that what you used to call her?" She whispers. His fingers flex again, but he doesn't say anything.

No one says much as they eat. It isn't nearly enough for anybody, except Toñito, but the bleariness in almost everyone's eyes has cleared by the time all the fruit is gone.

"Are we going to be camping every night?" Antonio asks.

The older half of the family groans.

"Ay, Dios, I hope not." Mamí winces as she stretches out her stiff shoulders and tries not to look too pleased when Papí accepts the unspoken invitation to rub them. Mariano slides his eyes up to Isa, as if hoping he might do the same, but he catches Dolores's raised eyebrow and hurriedly looks back down.

Luisa asks, "Well, what choice to we have?"

"Surely there are other families we could stay with." Agustín addresses Alma.

Abuela says, "Mmm...if three or four are willing, they could probably take a few of us each to ease the burden."

"Each?" The note of panic enhances Dolores's voice to volume she hasn't used since she was five and startles everyone, but she barely notices. "You want us to split up?"

A small, calloused hand finds one of hers and interlaces their fingers. She doesn't know which one of them is trembling.

Pepa makes to lay a hand on her daughter's face. "I know it's hard, mija, but we won't be far..."

"No!" Antonio says. He wiggles himself off of Dolores's lap and launches himself sideways at Bruno, who almost falls over with the force of the hug.

"Oof! Ay, Toñito, you're heavy."

"I don't want to split up either." Camilo says. His ears turn red at the admission, but he doesn't take it back. Luisa and Isabela nod.

Abuela blinks at her family, all of whom seem prepared to protest if she insists.

"But..." It's the first time Mirabel has spoken to anyone besides Bruno this morning, and her voice is hoarse with disuse. "Who can take twelve people?"

It's a hard truth no one wants to hear...something Mirabel has become absurdly good at lately. Breakfast sours in Dolores's stomach as Isabela y Mariano lean their heads together in a rapid conversation, pause, and for one horrible moment, she's afraid they are going to kiss. She's tempted to steal Antonio back from Bruno so that she can be the one to hide her face in her brother's hair.

When they break apart, Mariano clears his throat. "Señora Madrigal, if I may...?"

Abuela nods.

"What about our house? It's small, but not unreasonably so for a little while. It's close by, and if it doesn't ultimately fit the need, maybe then we...that is you all... could consider other arrangements?"

Abuela purses her lips, thinking. "We might have to double or triple up in some of the rooms or sleep in the common areas... Lorena is kind, but I doubt she's used to our brand of chaos."

"She'll have to get used to it sooner or later if he's marrying into the family." Félix winks at Mariano. "From my experience, sooner is better."

Mariano and Isabela both turn a brilliant shade of red, resolutely not looking at each other.

"I'm okay sleeping in the kitchen sink if it means I never have to sleep outside again," Julieta deadpans.

Dolores nods her agreement when a vote goes around the family to cement the decision, even though everything in her wants to shake hard enough to dislodge the secret that pulls at her heart.

She'll go and live in his house, learn his habits, enjoy his hobbies. She'll eat with him and laugh with him and work alongside him. She'll bid him good morning and good night with a wave or a smile and some distance. She'll ever more slowly fall deeper in love...

She'll watch him do the same... but not with her.

And then she'll break into a thousand pieces.