Chapter 3

Camilo's Interlude

Camilo was lying on his bed, tossing a ball in the air. He knew he should sleep, but just couldn't. So much was running through his mind, as he looked around his plain room.

He heard a quiet tap on his door, and knew who it was.

"Come in." Camilo said, not even bothering to raise his voice, or protest. He knew it was Dolores, and she would barge in if she knew something was bothering her brother. There was no point in telling her to go away.

Dolores walked in and closed the door behind her. "Hermano?" She walked over and sat on his bed. "I heard about the camera incident…and saw it. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine…" Camilo said blankly. He sat up and noticed Dolores giving him a glare. She didn't believe he was fine.

Camilo took a deep breath. "Hermana… did it feel odd when the miracle died…? Did it…I don't know…make you feel different?"

"To be honest… I felt deaf." Dolores admitted. "I guess it was a nice break to not hear everything. But I was thankful when it returned… in fact, I felt like I have more control over it…"

"I see…" Camilo said. "I'm sorry to bring it up on the night of Mirabel's ceremony…I just…I wanted to talk to you before your wedding…" He began to tear up.

"Hermano!" Dolores turned to her brother. "What's wrong?" She knew her brother too well. She knew when he had something weighing on his mind. And she feared it was the same issue he had over the years.

Camilo cleared his throat and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to cry in front of his sister, yet here he was, about to be vulnerable to the only person he could be vulnerable to.

"Ever since the house broke…I was relieved to lose my gift… I felt like myself again… like I never felt in ten years… Am I ungrateful?"

"Ungrateful?" Dolores repeated. "No hermano! Sometimes, our gifts can be hard…but Isa, Luisa, and I have our gifts figured out…maybe you need to figure out yours…"

"I don't know who I am anymore…" Camilo sang. "Ever since the light left my door. I've been feeling like a soldier at war, and I fight with the cape and the mask you adore."

"Oh, go now child," Dolores joined in. "You'll figure it out."

"But how'm I gonna be me if you want someone else?"

"Oh, hush now brother, that's not what we think, you just need a bit of time to get back on your feet."

"Speaking of my feet…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm too short, too weak…"

"That's not true."

"Well, that's just how it feels."

"There's a lot that's not perfect about you and I, but there's no need to play a stranger in your skin despite your… dumb jokes."

"Dumb jokes?!"

"Your appetite."

"All right…"

"You get it from our uncle."

"I get it from our uncle."

"He's a mischievous type. I'm just saying this 'cause there's more to you than you think."

"Sometimes I look in the mirror and I don't know who I see."

Dolores stood and made Camilo stand in front of her mirror.

"Well, I see a nice boy who makes people smile. A nice boy who takes care of our mama. A nice boy who can't accept compliments!" She elbowed his side playfully.

"I'm just saying it's different."

"Is it? Well, I see a nice boy."

"A nice boy…"

"Who makes people smile…"

"Who can't do anything…"

"A nice boy who takes care of our mama!"

"…Useful for the family…"

"A nice boy…"

"I wish I had a gift like yours…"

"No, you don't!"

"No, I don't…"

"Listen," Dolores said. "There really is more to you than you think. There is more to all of us than just our gifts, and our gifts are not all that they seem. You'll find out who you really are. You just need to give yourself time." She turned to leave, but before she closed his bedroom door she turned back. "Good night, and go to sleep!"

I did base this off the song; "Camilo's Interlude," by Laureli Amadeus. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who wrote a fanfic based off this song. Either way, I highly recommend it!