"Clear skies, clear skies, clear skies!" Pepa chanted to herself, pacing up and down the stairwell that led to Bruno's door.
It wasn't working. The thunderclouds still followed her every step, and she was afraid the noise would wake the house. Julieta had spoken with Bruno and had mended their relationship. Now it was her turn. But unlike her sister, Pepa had never been good with heart-to-hearts. And the topic of this particular conversation was one she dreaded more than anything.
At the time, Pepa had been so angry and wounded that her brother had caused a hurricane on her wedding day. She knew now that it had been her own nerves, but she hadn't considered that at the time, or for years afterward either. Now she knew that their relationship had changed that day, and not just because Félix joined the family.
"Clear skies, please!" she groaned, and thunder rumbled its low, ominous tone.
Bruno's door suddenly flew open and he glared at her. "Are you going to keep pacing out here all night or are you going to knock?"
Pepa's face reddened, and she approached, clutching at the tablet. "How…?" she asked, hoping for a different answer.
"Really? You don't know?"
She glanced up at her thundercloud and huffed. "Can I come in? We need to talk."
Bruno glared distastefully at the tablet, but he stood aside and let her in. A small amount of clutter was spread around the room, but it was neater than she expected. Bruno shut the door behind her and padded wordlessly over to sit on his bed. Pepa watched with dread, unsure of what to say or do. Then the room went silent except for the low noise of the occasional growl of thunder. Bruno did nothing to ease the tension, simply staring at her dispassionately.
"Bruno, I—" she began, but he held up a hand to stop her. Then he reached for the vision. Pepa handed it over reluctantly. He studied it with no expression for a long minute before he spoke. "No slap ever hurt worse, you know," he said, his voice neutral.
Pepa took a deep breath. "Changuito, I never… It was just such a stressful day. You've never been married before, and planning the wedding was… Well, you were there. You remember? You did all of those visions as favors?"
"Yes," Bruno said dully. "I couldn't move for a week. But that was usual. Mamá told me not to dawdle. So I didn't."
Pepa winced. She was babbling. She continued to try and piece together something, anything, to say. Then Bruno spoke again.
"Can I talk about my feelings for once?"
Shocked by the request, Pepa nodded.
"Good." Bruno took a deep breath. "Don't doubt that I love you, Pepita. But I don't trust you. I worked so hard for your wedding. I was ready to welcome your husband into the family just like I did for Agustín, as much good as that did me. I love you, but I don't trust you anymore. If you slapped me for something I didn't do, I could never trust you wouldn't do it again."
He leaned forward. "I did not have a vision. I could see you were fretting like you always do, and I just wanted to let you know it was okay. I was trying to help. And you slapped me and accused me of using my visions to trick you. Félix has blamed me for it ever since, and the whole village thinks I'm willing to curse my family because of your wedding."
Pepa looked away, tears stinging her eyes. "I'm so sorry, changuito."
Bruno didn't respond. He simply sat and stared at her as the seconds ticked by. Pepa didn't know what else to say or do.
"Won't you forgive me?" Pepa asked.
No answer. Horror began to well up inside of her. Bruno had never refused to answer before. She felt sick as she stared at her brother, searching for a hint of the kind, compassionate man she'd grown up with. But his eyes held no spark, no warmth.
"¿Changuito?" she asked, her voice tight with anxiety.
When she still received no response, everything hit her at once. There was a howl outside of Casita, and the house shuddered at the brutal winds that were screaming outside. Bruno turned and glanced at the shuttered window, looking unimpressed. Pepa began to weep.
"Bruno, I'm sorry!" she cried. "Please, Bruno, don't do this! I never meant to hurt you! Please forgive me! I need you!"
Bruno gazed at her, and she could read the truth in his eyes. 'You weren't there for me,' they said. And she couldn't deny it. She suddenly felt a suffocating isolation descend around her. This was how Bruno felt, and yet the difference was that Pepa knew she deserved this strange, self-inflicted punishment.
Decades of time had passed between the wedding and now, and not once had she ever addressed what had happened. She had brooded and made the hurricane to be such a terrible thing that the slap had been deserved in her mind. But did she really think her brother would do that to her? He had only been trying to help, just like he always did. And really, the wedding had been fun. Félix always spoke of their wedding day with a twinkle in his eyes and love pouring from his lips.
The truth was that the family had driven him away, and she knew now that his loneliness started long before he left as each loved one betrayed him, one by one, until there was nobody. Nobody but Casita and his rats, watching their lives from afar. Bruno was so casual about it even now because he was still separated from them. A part of him was still locked away in the walls, peering out from the tower of protection he'd built around himself that would never be high enough in his mind.
"Bruno, please," she sobbed, reaching out. "Changuito, please come back!"
Lightning and wind and rain were assaulting Casita on the outside as well as in Bruno's room. He continued to stare at Pepa, his expression unmoving as wind whipped his hair around. Pepa froze for a moment as she realized Bruno wasn't going to come to her, the storm going quiet for a few brief moments, then she crumpled. She wrapped her arms around her middle and doubled over as she went to her knees and screamed. Everything was lost now. Bruno really was gone, and it was all her fault.
Then suddenly Bruno was there, pulling her into his arms, holding her and crying into her hair. Pepa sobbed and held him as if he'd leave her. He already had once, and she never wanted him to again. Apologies poured from her, and he rocked her back and forth, listening as they both just cried in each other's arms. The storm raged around them, drenching them to the skin, until finally the rain petered out and they were left shivering and quiet.
Pepa finally shifted. "I'm so sorry, Bruno," she whispered, stroking his wet hair. I was too proud to apologize. And you never said that it hurt you. So I never felt the need to. Please forgive me. I miss you. I miss you and I didn't even realize it until you were already gone. Please come back, changuito."
She reached up and kissed the place where she'd slapped him. He touched his cheek and peered at her.
"Next time you'll ask before smacking me across the face?"
"Claro, Brunito," Pepa promised.
Bruno rubbed his cheek before he embraced Pepa, more relaxed with her than he'd been in years. He kissed her then sat back and peered around. "Ugh, now my room needs cleaned. There's sand everywhere…"
Pepa noticed her brother's tired eyes. "What say you take a shower and Casita and I clean your room?"
"Aw, that's not necessary, Pepita."
"Don't you give me that!" Pepa said stubbornly. "You look exhausted. What have you been doing in here, climbing up and down those stairs?"
"Not quite. I've been pacing a lot. I try and play with the rats. But mostly pacing."
"Don't you sleep?"
"Kinda hard to sleep with how loco everything has been."
Pepa peered at him. "What do you mean, changuito?"
Bruno shrugged. "Oh come on. I've talked about half a dozen visions already. I don't know who to expect, when to expect them, what they'll say. I haven't caught a break. I don't know how many more there are."
That was something she could help with. "You'll be talking to Félix and Agustín next. And then mamá."
"Oh." Bruno's eyes went cold. "No, I think I'll talk to mamá first. Let her know that I'll come by in the next few days. I have to rest."
Pepa frowned. "What? But that's not how this works. You need to talk to them first."
"No. I don't. And I won't. I have nothing to say to them."
"Oh, you've got to have something to say to them," Pepa chided.
"Nothing I'd say in front of you, mi sol. Please drop it."
Pepa opened her mouth to argue then decided against it. "Okay, Bruno. But really, go take a hot shower and put on some dry clothes. Between me and Casita, we are more than a match for this mess."
"It was actually pretty okay before you got here," Bruno argued.
"Lo sé, Brunito. But it will be better once I leave! Now get some clothes and leave us to it."
Bruno nodded and retrieved his clothes as Pepa rolled up her sleeves and assessed the state of her brother's room. She paused on Bruno.
"Can I at least ask why, Bruno?"
Bruno glanced over his shoulder, his expression closing up. "Why should I?"
Pepa was surprised by the question. It made her second-guess herself before she spoke. "They're family."
Bruno stood up and stared at Pepa. "Not to me, Pepa."
"Why?"
Bruno tilted his head. "Don't you know?"
"Not really, Bruno. But I'm trying. You could tell me."
Bruno shook his head. "You're not changing my mind. I'm not talking to them, and you can't make me. And before you try, mamá won't convince me either. Drop it. Give me a few days, and I'll talk to mamá and we can put all this behind us."
"Won't you give them a chance?" Pepa asked.
"They didn't give me one. They didn't even want to. This is what they wanted, Pepa. It's not my fault they changed their minds." He paused. "I'm going to take a shower and grab a snack. Want one?"
"Sure," Pepa said.
Bruno smiled and picked up the tablet off the floor, handing it to her before walking out. Pepa could see how different he walked. He stood taller, was less anxious, and he hadn't done a single one of his rituals during the whole storm. Yet she couldn't help but be disturbed by Bruno's refusal to even speak to her husband. She sighed and looked down to see green fingerprints glowing and spreading across the red glass. Eagerly, she held it up and watched a new image appear with tears in her eyes.
The last happy memory he'd had with her was etched in the glass. The image was the two of them dancing before Pepa's wedding ceremony. It was bittersweet to know that was the last time he felt safe with her, but hopefully now they had a chance to build something even stronger.
"But first things first," Pepa said out loud. "Casita, I need a broom. Always so much sand with Bruno!"
Casita's tiles rippled, and Pepa began stripping the bed. When was the last time he'd changed his sheets? And then four rats spilled from the blankets and ran squeaking into a little house Bruno had made for them. Pepa swore at them, clutching at her chest as a crack of thunder exploded around the house.
"¡Ay, ratas estúpidas! Ugh! Why does he like you!"
Muttering to herself, she began to clean She was glad to help, but she still didn't like his pets. Still, she told herself, it would be worth it to see Bruno smile.