So things will escalate quickly from here...you'd think I'd have made it to morning by now...

Despierta

"First things first," Bruno said as he turned his attention to the rats lining the furniture. "You lot need to keep this to yourselves. No telling, Antonio, ¿está claro? And if you don't think you can, out." Bruno waved his hand as he pointed at the small holes he noted in the walls. Several of the rats took off, disappearing through the niches until only three remained. He stared at them until they squeaked in defiance, so he turned his attention to the gramophone on the table near the door, wound the apparatus up and let the music play. He swung the speaker in the direction of the wall. "Casita, can you keep that playing for me for a bit?" Bruno said and sat down on the ottoman.

"Here's the gist of it; There are a number of people coming. Maybe fifteen? Not from the path through the crack in the mountains near the river, but from the mountains behind Casita. They are a ragged looking group of mostly women and children. It seemed like they were trying to get away from something, but I have no idea what that might be. Maybe the unrest we heard about from the recent newcomers. They also can't be far off, since I don't think my Gift can reach any distance beyond the Encanto. Kinda freaked me out, and I will be honest, at first, I thought something bad was going to happen to the Encanto again, I say at first, because I thought one of the women was our mother."

There was a collective gasp and Juli asked, "Are you sure?"

Bruno held up a hand and continued, "Yes, they are being led, and I kid you not, by an older woman that looks almost identical to Mamá, but it's not her."

"Then who is she?" Pepa asked.

"I don't know," Bruno hesitated, this was the part he was worried about. There was no way he would be able to tell them the rest without telling them that. He took a deep breath, wishing he had some salt but continued and said as he shifted on the ottoman, "She must be related to Mamá, somehow. Sister or cousin, maybe?"

Dead silence. Bruno sighed, and Félix asked, "Why do you say that?"

No more secrets, he told himself and said, "I know I've always said that I did not know what the cause was for my spontaneous visions. That's not entirely true."

"Bruno, if you know what sets them off, why didn't you tell us? We've always wanted to help you with that." Pepa sounded a bit miffed and a small thunderhead formed.

"Let him finish, Pepa." Juli said, she sounded tense.

Oh, she knows, Bruno thought. The muscles in his neck and back were starting to tense, and he was unconsciously folding and unfolding his hands as he looked at the four of them and weighing his answer. "The main cause has always been Mamá." The rats all squeaked in unison, and Bruno waggled a finger at them. "You lot best stop, or you're going to have to leave."

"And?" Juli asked, she was not looking at him anymore, but he could see she had a death grip on Agustín's hand in her lap.

"And sometimes…other people…closely related…to me," he stumbled through it and was met by more silence until Pepa deadpanned, "You mean us," and pointed at herself then Julieta.

Bruno shrunk back, gave the barest of nods, and flinched at his sister's reactions. This was why he never mentioned it before, he did not want to hurt them, never that. Pepa immediately started raining, and Julieta just looked so sad. She was probably remembering their earlier conversation, but Bruno knew she was right about all of it.

No more secrets.

"That's not what's actually important right now," Bruno said, trying to smile his way through his anxiety. Low thunder sounded and Bruno added, "I promise to explain it better, once I have a better way of explaining it."

Pepa crossed her arms and said, "You'd better, Bruno," but the cloud disappeared as Félix patted her arm. "So, you're thinking this woman is related to Mamá?" Pepa asked, leaning in.

Bruno relaxed a little and went on, "I don't think the vision would have focused on her otherwise. I mean, when you think about it, Mamá never talks to us about her family other than her time with Papá. And we certainly never asked any questions."

They fell silent for a time as the player reset itself. Once the music began playing again, Agustín asked, "So shouldn't Alma be here?"

Julieta nodded but sighed, "She looked so tired earlier."

"Did she eat any of your 'cookies' Juli?" Pepa asked.

Julieta shrugged, but looked a little embarrassed by the question. "Either way," she said, "what can Mamá do about it?"

Bruno wondered how long it would take for his mother to appear. There was no doubt in his mind that she would. He looked up at the ceiling and saw there were branches running along the corners of the room. He had not noticed that before. Casita really had done a full reset of his room. He remembered with a touch of regret that they were one of the first things to fade as his mother's opinion of him started to change.

What did Mirabel see in him that his own mother had not? It made him wonder how or even if that would affect his Gift. The fact that he did not feel the least bit nervous about having another 'sponty' as he referred to those visions was foreign to him. He watched Pepa fuss with the cuff of her robe, in the past they would all have been drenched by now. She and Juli were talking like he had not just announced they were potentially the bane of his existence, and that made him realize that he was not sad. Content maybe? Bruno smiled when Pepa said, "She needs something to do besides killing her grandkids with kindness, anyway."

"But we don't want to worry her unnecessarily," Julieta said.

"Bruno wouldn't be having this type of vision if it wasn't something we needed to know now." Pepa said flatly.

"Tell us everything you remember Bruno, maybe there was something you missed," Félix said.

"Yes, see if you can focus on the one you say looks like Alma," Agustín offered.

They all seemed to be waiting for him to do something, so he picked a knothole in the branch above his and stared at it. The recording finished and Bruno tried to focus on what he had seen earlier. Lots of trees, mist, people…one turned and seemed to look directly at him, and everything went green…

"What do you think?" Dolores asked Isabela as they entered her room. Isa's face broke into a wide smile as she took it all in. She was weirdly fixated on the small flowers near her bed. She looked back at her as if to ask, 'Can I?' Dolores nodded, and she watched as Isa went over and touched one and then another. This went on for several minutes until she nodded to herself as if she had figured something out and said, "Mind if I try a little experiment?"

Curious, Dolores nodded. Isabela came next to her and took her hand and guided her near the largest cluster. She knelt and indicated Dolores should do the same. "Okay, close your eyes, I want this to be a surprise."

Dolores did, and Isa placed one of her hands in the flowers and held the other. For a moment, Dolores felt the warmth of the magic, which reminded her of the way she felt whenever Mariano smiled at her. There was a gentle rustle and Isa said, "Open your eyes, Doli."

Dolores let out a squeak of astonishment as she took in what Isa had done. She's thought her room perfect before, but now…scattered everywhere among the red and yellow were clumps of orange tulips.

"Isa, it's wonderful. Tulips are Mariano's favorite, and orange, when did you learn to do this?"

"Just now," Isa said, there was a note of excited pride in her voice that Dolores was still not used to. So, wonderfully different. "Well, not exactly just now, I've been thinking about this for a while. I was going to plant some in pots and give them to you later, but since I can do this, I decided why wait?"

"I don't understand, what did you do that was new?"

"I let you pick the flowers. I'm glad you were thinking of Mariano when you did."

"Was that the tingle…?"

Isa nodded and gathered both of Dolores's hands as she said, "The truth is, I really needed to find a way to apologize to you and to Mariano for just everything that happened. If I had been braver, if I had told Abuela the truth when she started suggesting I marry him…but I couldn't. I knew how you felt about him and I just… I just want your future with him to be everything you hope it can be. Seriously, you two make a great couple."

Dolores hugged Isa hard and said a little tearfully, "I'm sorry too, I've missed my prima mayor hermana." She looked around again at the changes to her room and hugged Isa even harder. She suddenly released Isa and let out a yelp.

(You lot need to keep this to yourselves. No telling, Antonio, ¿está claro? And if you don't think you can, out)

"Doli, what's wrong?" Isa said, concerned by the look on Dolores's face.

"Nothing, just lost my train of thought there."

"Something's happening. You only get that look when someone says something unexpected."

Dolores swallowed, "Tío Bruno, is telling the rats to leave his room."

"Why would he do that?"

Dolores's expression changed to one of consternation. "He's going to tell our parents what he saw today, and he doesn't want anyone listening in, so he's playing a recording…" Her expression changed to one of smugness. "Well, Tío, I've picked up a few tricks in the last ten years." What most of the family, aside from Abuela, did not know, was that Dolores could quite literally cancel most sounds she was not actively listening for. The recording, aside from being annoying, was a snap. She listened to her Tío, and wished she had not been so curious.

Isa touched her arm and Dolores started, "Doli, what's happening?" Isa asked, her face a mask of concern.

"People are coming to the Encanto," Dolores said, still listening.

"People have been coming all year…"

"No, these people are coming from the mountains behind us, and Tío Bruno thinks they may be related to Abuela or at least one of them." She omitted the part about Bruno's spontaneous vision triggers, "He says the woman looks just like Abuela." Dolores realized then was that her Tío's voice wasn't nervous sounding at all. The only time she remembered it sounding that way was when he was entertaining himself in the walls with the rats. It made her wonder if he had ever been like that all the time. Or maybe it was because he was with his sisters. She wanted to go ask him and to show him she could hear him even with the recording. She knew it was childish, but Dolores poked her head out the door and gave a little squeak. "Isa, Tío Bruno's room is back between our parent's doors."

"Oh wow…"

Alma woke with a start. She was breathing heavily and was sweating. She sat up and looked around, but nothing was out of place. A dream then? What was she just dreaming about… Juliet? It had been a long time since she thought about her sister. There was a gentle knock on the door, "Come in, Mirabel" Alma said.

Mirabel slipped in and stood by the door and asked, "How did you know it was me? I guess that doesn't matter. Are you okay, Abuela? I was really feeling…worried about you… I couldn't go to sleep, and I just had to make sure… I'm sorry, I know it sounds kinda dumb."

Alma smiled at her granddaughter and said gently, "Do not be sorry for caring, Mirabel. It's one of your strongest Gifts," Mira smiled but was rubbing her arms as if a chill had taken her. So, Alma got out of bed and pulled on her robe, "Back to bed, Mirabel," she said and took her hand, and together they walked into the next room. She guided Mira to her bed, waited until she climbed in and tucked the blankets around her. It was a bit chilly in here, so Alma pulled the shutters all the way closed, and the curtain dragged itself across the opening.

She was not surprised that Mirabel was already asleep, and wondered how many of Juli's cookies Mirabel ate. For that matter, Camilo definitely wouldn't have stopped at a few. One or two would make you sleepy. More than that and you'd sleep a good long while. Alma went to the door and noted the small changes. The small tree at the center was slightly larger, and the butterfly at the top looked about ready to take off. The one at the bottom appeared to be moving back. While it was good that Mira was growing rapidly, Alma knew it could not be too swift.

"I understand, Casita."

Stepping into the hallway, she heard music playing faintly. "Are they all together?" there was a short clatter of tiles nearby and Alma started walking in the direction of her children's rooms, when she noticed a head poking out of Dolores's room.

Agustín was off his chair and next to Bruno before he could hit the floor. "Juli! Pepa!" Both women turned and Juli immediately went out the door, Pepa knelt near him and held his head in her hands. "Bruno, can you hear me, hermano? Bruno, can you hear me? Please wake up." Bruno remained as he was, eyes glowing green, and Pepa saw him mouth was moving slightly and thought maybe he was speaking to someone unseen. The drizzle that had started when she knelt stopped abruptly as she thought, that's new. Bruno gasped and came back to himself. The glow faded from his eyes, he blinked, and he looked at Pepa, and he had the barest of smiles.

Juli dropped the teacup and spoon upon seeing Bruno awake, making Pepa start and let go of his head. It dropped all the way to the floor with a small thud. "What happened?" Juli asked.

Pepa realized she just dropped her brother's head and said, "Sorry, hermano," He really was smiling and Pepa growled and gave his face a gentle shake. "This better not be one of your sorry jokes, Bruno Madrigal. Dios Mios, I think my heart will beat out of my chest," she said as she took a few deep breaths. When she sat back, Félix was, of course, right where she needed him to be. She let her fear evaporate like the cloud above her head.

Julieta had picked up the pieces of the teacup and the spoon and was no longer in the room. Bruno got off the floor with Agustín's help and sat slowly, if a bit shakily, into the high-backed red velvet chair. He was looking at the still open door. Pepa turned and saw Isa and Dolores there, looking nervous and confused. Guess the cat's out of the bag now. Félix helped her up, she waved the girls in, and she and Félix returned to their spots on the sofa.

Juli returned and handed him another cup of her tea. She sat at the end of the sofa next to Agustín's chair, leaving enough room on the sofa for Isa and Dolores, who sat down, both craning their necks to take in his room. Bruno took a sip of the tea and his hands, again, immediately stopped shaking. It tasted better this time too. Bruno took a longer drink of the tea and watched his still open door. The vision he had just had was not about the lady in the forest, it was of this moment. Best get on with it then. He set down the cup, got up and went over to the door. They were all watching him, but Bruno moved forward, knowing full well there was something he needed to do. Something he had been avoiding for a long time.

Standing in the doorway, he put a hand on the door frame and tapped it five times with his fingertip. She was out there, just beyond the light of his room. She seemed hesitant to move forward, waiting for something. Bruno realized what that something was, and it was something only he could give her. But he needed something first, was it still there? He found it more easily than he would have thought possible. Right where he left it all those years ago… still there, not lost. That place in his heart that held all the love he ever had for her. At that moment, the wall he had created to protect himself from her started to crack. For there can be no forgiveness without love. He believed it now, she was not who she was before the breaking, and neither was he. Time for something different.

"Please come in Mamá," Bruno said gently, holding out his hand.

She stepped forward hesitantly and took it and asked, "Are you alright, Bruno?"

"Yes, thank you," he said.

She stepped in and looked for all the world like she was about to cry at the site of his 'new' room. She was one of the few that had ever seen it like this. Bruno guided her to the chair he had just got up from, and she looked at all the assembled faces, and she said to him, "I'm sure you know why I'm here, Bruno. What do you think we should do?"

That was not what he was expecting her to say. He reminded himself again, she's not who she was and said, "Well, I can tell you, or I can show you. It's up to you, Mamá."

Alma did not hesitate, "Show me."