Dolores is the first drawn to the kitchen by the allure of a warm meal. She stops short and grins as Tía y Tío Bruno try to remember how to move around each other again. Tía has water and spices and bits of vegetables smeared all down her apron, save for the few bare spots where she and Tío have collided. Some of it still clings loosely to Tío's ruana but leaves a trail when he moves. He follows Julieta's direction with a watery sort of smile when she speaks, not finding a need for words.

There's a careful, trembling sort of hope in their eyes... a hope that maybe a house isn't all that's being rebuilt.

Dolores slips into their rhythm and keeps her eyes down to help them preserve the moment. She sets the table a few times over to account for all the mouths they have to feed, which wander into the kitchen and dining room in twos and threes. Everyone is accounted for by sundown. Bowls are filled, arepas are plated, and seats are claimed. Through unspoken consent, Abuela and Señora Guzmán get two of the four chairs, Julieta claims hardship to procure a third, and the last is given to Antonio because Mamá doesn't trust him not to spill a whole bowl of soup on the floor.

Pepa stands just inside the kitchen threshold with Félix and Agustín.

Bruno claims the far corner of the adjoining sitting room with all of his sobrinos and Mariano, who looks bewildered to find himself included.

Dinner is a mostly silent affair, at least as silent as fourteen people can be. There's a lot of light chatter among the adults about what has been done or needs to be done to expedite the rebuilding. Casita's foundation seems to be intact, and a wall or two, but most of the materials that could be salvaged were unusable, and the ones that weren't aren't nearly enough.

Every few minutes, there's a lapse in conversation as one person or another steals a surreptitious glance at Bruno. His eyes stay firmly fixed on his bowl during these moments, like he hopes to drown all the questions in it. He hasn't said anything since thanking Julieta for the meal, and Dolores doesn't blame him.

It's been a long time since I've had a hot meal.

It's nice to have a good meal again.

I'm glad I don't have to eat by myself anymore.

Anything he could say just opens the door for more questions that he doesn't want to answer.

After the fourth such incident, he sets down his half-empty bowl with a sigh, waiting for it to pass.

"Don't feel pressured into anything right now." Dolores says gently.

He purses his lips but doesn't reply.

"I'll eat it!" Camilo volunteers.

She rolls her eyes but slides the leftovers to her brother when Bruno doesn't protest. He worries the hem of his ruana for a bit, and all but jumps to his feet and makes for the door when the meal is over.

Pepa scowls after him so severely that Dolores is glad her mother can't rain indoors anymore.

What she can do that worries Dolores more is shove an empty soup bowl into a surprised Félix's hands and march after Bruno.

"You can't even give us ten minutes?" Pepa's voice precedes her out the back door and echos around the porch. "After ten years?"

Bruno's shoulder hunch, but he doesn't even have the decency to turn around when he answers. "I'm just tired, Pepa."

"We all are! I don't see anyone else just up and leaving."

"I don't suppose you do since you're out here with me. And all I is see a hammock that I'm not in."

She stomps over and stands beside him. "That's all I saw. That's all I had. For. Ten. Years."

He blows out a breath and falls unceremoniously into it. "Well, here I am."

"And here you'll stay!"

"Where else would I go?"

"You tell me."

He sighs again. "What do you want from me, Pepa?"

"I want my brother back."

"Still here." He says flippantly. "Never left."

She gives the hammock a hard shove. "The brother I knew wouldn't have just – just – "

"The brother you knew died with that door. The brother you have now is a tired old man who might be good for a laugh."

"Might be good for noth – " She clamps a hand over her mouth to prevent the rest of her outburst from escaping.

A memory she had hoped to never revisit shoots to the surface of her mind, bringing her the feel of bare feet on grass, raised voices, and the drop of her heart turning to stone.

"Bruno?"

"No."

"I haven't even asked."

"But you're going to."

"And?"

"'And' what, Pepa? What? What am I supposed to do?"

"You're supposed to help us."

"How? How does this help? How has anything I've ever seen helped?"

"Bruno..."

"See? Even you can't come up with anything. I will not – I cannot use my Gift for this."

"Yes, you can."

"No."

"We can't do nothing!"

"I didn't say do nothing!"

"You didn't have to! It's all you're good for!"

There's a sharpness to his gaze now that belies his own statement. Her brother – the brother she knew – the brother she drove away – stares up at her now. "See? Still me."

"Má?"

Bruno nearly falls out of the hammock as they both look around to find Camilo standing in the doorway. "Uh...Tía sent me to see if either of you... want... dessert?"

Bruno says, "All of you?" as Mirabel and Dolores hover behind each of Camilo's shoulders, and he blushes, caught in the half-truth.

Dolores glances between Pepa and Bruno then reaches for her mother's hand. "C'mon, Mamí. Toñito wants you to tuck him in."

Pepa distractedly steals a kiss from Camilo on her way passed and lets Dolores lead her back into the house.

What do you want from me, Pepa?

If anyone had asked her that three days ago, her answer would have been the same.

I want my brother back. I want my family whole.

She knew what it had cost to lose him. She'd never thought to ask what she'd pay for his return.

To bring his secrets to light.

To love the man he'd become. To forgive him.

To forgive herself.

A/N: Hope December is treating everyone well! As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Whatever you celebrate, have a good holiday! -WW