Chapter 23: Home

Author's notes:

1920s slang:

Kisser - Mouth.

Lounge Lizard - a sexually active guy.

Moll - A gangster's girl.

Keen-Attractive or appealing

Whoopee-To have a good time/loud fun

Petting-Making out or foreplay

When Gloria Rivera had asked Bruno where he had been staying, she did not know what to expect. The moment he had answered her with hesitation, she had to ask him to repeat it twice. Immediately, she wanted to run away but Natalia had reminded her that they needed to go someplace nearby for quarantine. The Rivera hacienda was too far away from the bar, especially within walking distance. But Imelda's mansion was close by.

Once Bruno and the women had reached home, Bruno made sure that the door was locked. He led Gloria and Natalia to the couch in the drawing room. The newly minted couple sat on one end of the couch together, while Natalia sat on the other side. They slept for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Bruno informed Gloria on why had been so silent last night. When he began working for Imelda, he had to swear a silent oath so that none of his enemies would ever find him lest they should put him in danger.

Natalia confirmed that everything Bruno said was true.

"No puedo creer esto, no puedo creer esto, no puedo creer esto...," Gloria muttered. She was now sitting at a long table, waiting for breakfast. "An ugly short man tried to kiss me and I was under the love spell all this time!? Oh, Híjole!" She pulled her fan out of her purse and fanned herself. The woman turned to her boyfriend who was sitting next to her. "Of all the new homes in this town, you walked into this one!"

"Gloria, Gloria!" Bruno whispered, holding her hand. "Everything's going to be alright."

"But why did you ask Imelda for help?" Gloria asked. "What kind of danger are you in?"

"I won't say it until Héctor gets here," Bruno answered, feeling guarded.

"Oh, you can tell me," Gloria said. "Wait-Héctor's here?"

"Of course, he's here!" a loud alto voice boomed across the room. Bruno and the girls almost jumped from their chairs.

The gangster waltzed into the dining room like a boss, accompanied by the shoemaker. They walked side by side, keeping their hands to themselves.

"Héctor!"

"Gloria!"

The woman jumped out of her seat and embraced her brother.

"Oh, I'm so glad to find you!" Gloria gushed. "Is Miguel here?"

"I'm so glad that Bruno found you!" Héctor rejoiced.

"De nada," Bruno chuckled.

"Yes, Miguel is here," the shoemaker answered his sister's last question.

Right in the nick of time, a yawning Miguel entered the room in a pair of red and white striped pajamas that Felipe and Oscar had lent to him. The sleeves and pant legs were rolled up to make up for his different height, and the drawstring of the pants showed a lot of extra cord. The boy was accompanied by a strange cat, a xolo dog, and a familiar girl with teal glasses in a blue nightgown.

"Dios Mios!" Gloria gasped. She looked like a child who got the biggest gift on Christmas. She dashed over to the bespectacled girl with arms wide open and gave her the biggest hug ever. Her excitement led her to spin her around. "Aaah, It's you, it's you, it's you! It's really you!"

"Whoa!" Mirabel was taken by surprise. She didn't expect Bruno to bring another old family friend home. "Doña Gloria?" Nor did she foresaw someone giving her a big embrace. Nevertheless, she was flattered that someone was happy to see her. It also didn't stop the new warm feeling in her heart.

"Oh, where have you been?" Gloria asked the girl, pulling away, and putting her down. "We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"I've been looking for her everywhere!" her nephew corrected her. "You sulked around in your bed-chambers while I'm the one who made those missing posters!"

"Oh, don't be so sassy with me, Miguel!" the Gibson girl responded in a slightly whining voice.

"You two have been looking for me everywhere?" the long-lost girl asked, surprised.

"Of course!" Natalia confirmed. "Ever since Miguel spotted you at the plaza!"

The kids wished that Natalia didn't say anything. The moment she brought that memory up, they received looks of disapproval from Imelda and the men, which made them wince.

"We know, Natalia," the shoemaker scowled.

"Breakfast is here!" Tia Chelo announced, ringing the big bell. This was the second time she had to announce again. "Ven a buscarlo mientras hace calor!"

Oscar, Felipe, and the rest of the gang members all rushed to the table like a bunch of rabbits. A bunch of them had fought each over over some seats until Bruno told them to knock it off.

"I hope you like your breakfast!" Cookie announced. He served everyone small plates. Each small plate had some beans, an egg, and a piece of bread.

Miguel's face scrunched up as he looked at his plate. The brown beans looked dark brown, reminding him of feces, the egg looked lopsided, and the bread was small compared to the big one his grandma always gave him. He felt a sharp bump from his uncle who gave him a disapproving look. Blushing, the boy politely took a bite of beans with his fork. He was surprised at how creamy and nutty the beans tasted. Smiling, he had another bite.

"So Juan," Imelda began slowly. "Did you find the love potion?"

"Yes…,"

"Fantastico!"

"….And no," Juan finished.

"Why is she calling him 'Juan?'" Gloria asked, confused.

"It's his code name," Audrey whispered to her from her other side.

"It's for his safety," Bubo added, who was next to Audrey.

"Juan…," Imelda tapped her long black and purple fingernails on the table, like a claw. "You can't tell me 'Yes and no,' it is either 'Yes,' or 'No.' So, which one is it?"

"Well, that is the problem," Juan chuckled, pulling the collar of his shirt and gulping.

Gloria took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, which did not go unnoticed by her brother. "I found it but it was empty."

"WHAT!?" Imelda nearly yelled, dropping her fork. "Oh, no, esto es malo!" Oh no, now we have lost it forever!"

"Cuál es el problema?" Mirabel asked. "Nobody can get love dusted anymore."

"Well, I…," Imelda was about to gently scold the girl when she realized that she was right. "That may be so but now that everyone is affected, it's not safe to go out."

"Never mind the love potion," Héctor shook his head. "Bruno, tell me how you found my sister."

Bruno and Natalia recounted what happened last night. When Gloria cringed at her odd behavior, Bruno had to assure her that it wasn't her fault. When they finished, they waited apprehensively for the gangster to respond.

"You made eye contact with her and she snapped out of her madness?" Imelda asked, incredulously. "That doesn't make any sense to me."

"It does to me," Bruno grinned, holding his girlfriend's hand.

"It was like I came out of a fog," Gloria said.

"How is that possible?" Imelda pondered. "I should talk to Frida about this."

"So, you two really are courting?" Hector asked, worriedly. He couldn't help but stare at their hands that were entwined.

"Yes!" Bruno and Gloria smiled. They were glowing like rays of sunshine.

Mirabel clasped her hands together and made a small and cute cooing sound. 'Squee!'

Miguel squinted his eyes and stuck his tongue out. 'Blech!'

"Gloria, can I talk to you alone?" Héctor asked, feeling the nerves getting the best of him.

"Por Que?" Gloria wondered what could be the problem.

"Well, it is a private matter." The shoemaker began to rise from his chair, only to be pulled down sharply by the sleeve. He had been grabbed by someone with purple and black fingernails and landed back in his chair with a thud. "Ow!"

"Not so fast, shoemaker!" Imelda barked. "Whatever you have to say to your sister, you can say it in front of me and the whole gang." When her guest protested, she glared at him, making him gulp. She wanted to make sure that this pampered man wasn't secretly planning against her. After all, he did threaten her to put her behind bars.

"Gloria, I don't think you should be courted by Bruno," the shoemaker spoke. It wasn't easy for him to say. Seeing the shock on his sister and friend made his heart sting in pain.

"Que!?"

"He's not the same man we used to know, hermanita."

"Funny, I could say the same thing about you," Bruno retorted. He recalled the times in his youth in when his friend used to watch cute girls walk by in the plaza or serenade songs to them. Now, his best friend wanted nothing to do with women anymore. All because of that certain actress. He was brought back into reality when he heard his girlfriend referring to him.

"This is the same man that we knew, hermanito!" Gloria protested. "We grew up with him!"

"But he has changed," Héctor said, sadly. "For worse!"

Bruno quickly held his breath. He wished he had seen this coming.

"That's ridiculous!" Gloria shook her head. "I'm sure he's still the best actor of New Santa Cecilia!"

"Juan, have you told her about your new 'job'"? Hector challenged him.

Bruno cringed and started to break out in a sweat.

The other gang members gave each other awkward side glances.

"New job?" Gloria asked. "What job?" She almost jumped when she saw her boyfriend knocking on the wooden table and then his head.

"Knock on wood!" he rambled to himself.

"I'll give you three clues," Héctor listed with his fingers. "It's illegal, unethical, and dangerous! Not to mention that it's not stable!" He swiftly turned to his old friend. "Shall I tell her?"

"No!" Bruno said quickly, waving his hands in protest.

"Tell me what?" Gloria asked.

Bruno ran his hair with his fingers. He knew this day was coming in which he had to tell his old friends what he had been up to lately. But he didn't think it would come this soon. He should have known; he had the gift of prophecy, after all. If tells them, there's a chance that the Riveras would either reject him or take pity on him. He's not sure which was worse. Taking a gamble, he took another deep breath and sighed. "You are not going to like it, Gloria."

"Try me," she prompted him. "I can handle it."

"I'm..a…gangster," he nearly choked it out.

"O-O-Ohh…," Gloria squeaked in a small voice. "Is that why you-"

"Live here, yes," Bruno finished for her. "I work for her."

"Hola," Imelda frowned, taking a slow sip from her water, cooly. Although she did not put up a fuss about her best lackey bringing the pampered shoemaker's sister in the house, she was beginning to think that there was something between Juan and the woman with the Gibson hairdo. She hoped it was not love.

"Oh no no no no no no!" the wealthy woman cried, putting her hands together. "This can't be right! Working for a criminal. What happened to your dream, Bruno?"

"Dream?" Juan asked, in a melancholic tone.

"You remember," Gloria grinned a bit wistfully. "Your dream of becoming a filmmaker! Didn't you once say that you wanted to make your own movies because you were tired of your mother making all of the decisions?"

"That was a long time ago," Juan said, looking down at the floor. Long before he left, he did tell her and the Rivera boys that he wanted to be a filmmaker. He was tired of playing the stuntman or worse, the villain. But most of all, he was tired of his mother controlling everything from casting to writing. Not to mention that many people that had seen his family's movies, believed that he was truly evil like the characters he played. "Yes, I wanted to be my own boss but that was before…," He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Before you started working for me," Imelda finished abruptly. Then she put her black cigarette holder in her mouth in a very fashionable way. "Listen to me, you two doves, take my advice and end this relationship, instantly."

Gloria and Bruno looked as if Christmas had just been canceled.

"Pardoname Imelda," Héctor frowned.

"I know you two love each other but it will bring you doom and-"

"Imelda!"

"What?" The gangster swiftly turned to the shoemaker. Her flashing teeth showed great annoyance. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of my speech, idiota?"

"You can't tell people that they can't be together," Héctor defended the newly minted couple.

"Por Que?" Imelda asked him. "Juan's my employee and I can tell him to do whatever I want! He has no time to have a Moll!"

"Unfortunately, she's right," Bubo added, nonchalantly.

"Just because you are in charge doesn't mean you get to boss my friend and sister around." The shoemaker said.

"And he's also right," Bubo smirked.

Héctor didn't know why but he was feeling bold all of a sudden. The same boldness he felt when he confronted this gangster at the restaurant yesterday. "Don't they have the right to be in a relationship?"

"If I don't tell him to stop it now, he's going to get hurt!" the woman snapped at him.

The rest of the gang members recoiled and shrank in their seats.

Miguel hid underneath the table, grateful for the long tablecloth.

"I am concerned, too," Héctor sighed. "I don't know how he would provide for her when he couldn't take care of himself!"

("Simple," Vinny listed. "Robbing banks, pickpocketing dresses, stealing food…,")

"But he saved my sister and she finds him keen."

"All the more reason they should not be courting!"

"Actually, people date nowadays," Gloria corrected her politely. "Courtship is so 1880s!" She shrank back into her boyfriend's arms when the gangster gave her a growl reminding one of a cheetah.

"Careful, she bites," Bruno whispered to his girlfriend.

"Escucha zapatero," Imelda stared down at the handsome skinny man before her. "I am La Princesa de la mafia. I own this whole side of the town and I make the rules here! Everyone obeys me no matter what. Anyone that disobeys me gets positively, permanently, punished!" She jabbed her finger into his chest. "And you don't want that!"

"And I don't want a painful chest!" The shoemaker cried, wishing that she would stop poking him. "Ow, your fingernails are so long!" He rubbed the spot where her finger had been.

"Are you listening?" Imelda's face was turning red from anger.

"I'm listening," Héctor replied, calmly. "But don't you think you are being overly dramatic?"

"He's going to get his heart broken like me!" Imelda blurted out. She put her hand to her mouth, realizing she said too much.

"What are you talking about?" Hector challenged her. Doubt filled his mind as he crossed his arms. Did she ever have a heart? "When?"

Blushing that she may have said too much, Imelda got up from her seat and ran upstairs.

"Wait!" Héctor called to her. Guilt started to fill him. "I didn't mean-"

"Let her be, Señor Rivera," Tia Chelo said while giving more beans to Mirabel. "She's not the type to be very open about her emotions. Say, Mirabel. Where is your little friend?"

Miguel slowly rose from underneath the table, relieved that the fight was over.

"My boss will be okay," Bruno said, calmly. "Eventually, she will tell you in her own time."

"Tio Héctor, Tia Gloria, can we please go home?" Miguel asked, shyly. He was afraid that if he said anything out of turn, one of these gang members might shoot their gun at him or his uncle. "The love potion is now gone for good, so what is the use of staying here?"

Before any of the Rivera adults could answer, their old friend already did.

"Not yet chico," Bruno reminded him. "My twin sister wants the antidote and has still not bought all the things that she had requested."

"You are stuck here, kid," Wilhemena reminded him. "It's too dangerous for those affected by the love potion that might hurt someone physically, even unintentionally. Stampedes, traffic jams, that sort of thing. Not safe for a boy to be out there."

"Oh no, now we are really stuck here!" Miguel groaned. "I wanna go home!"

"I'm sorry chamaco," Héctor said sympathetically.

"Oh don't worry, Miguel," Gloria assured him, trying her best not to panic. "Maybe we can leave tonight while everyone is sleeping."

"No, you can't, doll," Wilhelmina replied, bluntly.

Gloria looked as if she didn't get a slice of a birthday cake.

"Oh it's not so bad," Mirabel grinned, trying to cheer them up. "We can spend time with each other!"

The boys looked unimpressed.

"Maybe my uncle can tell you what happened four years ago."

"Stephanie…"

"Come on Bruno, this is your chance to patch things up with the Riveras."

"But I need to buy the things for Frida's antidote!"

"I'll get them for you," Natalia volunteered. "Since I'm neither a Rivera, a Madrigal, daughter of a mayor, or a gangster, I won't have to worry about anyone targeting me."

"All right, Natalia," Bruno said, handing her the list. "But be careful."

Natalia promised that she would and bade everyone goodbye.

"Don Bruno, are you going to tell us?" Miguel asked, also curious.

"As long as your uncle doesn't complain about why I never came to his wedding," Bruno said, glaring at Héctor, who glared back at him.

"Oh don't worry, I won't ask if you're not going to tell me!"

"I'll control my brother's tongue," Gloria said to her boyfriend, kindly. "And I will listen to you, too."

"Your brother's right, mi amor," Bruno said, sadly. "You are not going to like what I have to tell you. My current job is illegal, unethical, and dangerous."

"Well, I am sure you have a reason for becoming a gangster."

"Yes."

"And I will put you back on the right path."

Bruno smiled.

After breakfast, Héctor was taught how to play cards with Bruno and the gang. They were playing the Egyptian War. There was thick tension in the air. Not because of the game but because Héctor was seated next to a certain someone whom he refused to call amigó.

"Ask him!" Gloria whispered into her brother's ear. "Por favor! He really misses you!"

After breakfast, Mirabel and Miguel went to play with dolls together on the floor in the same room as the adults. The boy was stubborn at first, not liking the game. What boy likes playing with dolls? Especially when Mirabel's doll looked awfully frightening with her pale red hair and gothic black dress. Her doll even came in with a bat for an animal sidekick! With Bruno's suggestion, Mirabel showed her old friend some toy soldiers which made him change his mind. He was glad he had some things to create his own battlefield.

Héctor sighed while holding the cards. He was still mad at his friend. But for his sister's sake, he tried to give it a try.

"Why didn't you come to my wedding?" He forced those words out.

"You are still sour about that, huh?" Bruno asked him nonchalantly.

"You were my best man!" the shoemaker raised his voice. "You were supposed to come! It's not the ceremony that I cared about. Andres filled in for the role. It was after the ceremony that I cared about!"

"Focus, amigos," Vinny said, putting his cards down.

"Lo siento," the guest said. He put one card down when it was his turn. "Bruno, answer my question!"

"I have reasons!" The gangster hissed, as he put his cards down during his turn.

"What kind of reasons?" The shoemaker scoffed. "Didn't you know that your family was worried about you? The least you could have done was tell them something. During that time, they were asking me, 'Dónde está Bruno? Dónde está Bruno?' Your mother cried over you!" Héctor paused when he noticed that it was his turn to put some of his cards down and so he did. "Your turn, Mole."

"Merci!" Mole grinned, showing his teeth that always made Mirabel and everyone else cringe.

"She cried over me?" Bruno asked. He flipped a card down when it was his turn. "I find that hard to believe."

"Every mother cries for her child," Vinny said, putting his card down.

"Of course she did, and she doesn't know why you left so suddenly without an explanation!" the shoemaker snapped. It was his turn and he flipped his card so swiftly that it was a surprise that he didn't rip it.

"I would if I could," the long-lost best man said, waiting for Mole's turn to end. "But I am trapped in a situation. One that I cannot escape." He flipped his few cards down when Mole nudged him that it was his turn. "I'm inside a hole that I can't seem to get out no matter what. Will I be free? The world may never know…"

"Darn it Bruno, stop being so vague," the former groom growled. "You don't care about me, my sister, or your family!"

The gangster slapped his cards down on the table so hard that it shook and made the players jump. He turned and gave his old friend a dark glare which made the shoemaker lean back in fear. "You think I don't care?" He said slowly and darkly. "Of course I do. I care about my family very much! I think about them all the time!"

"Then why-"

"I have my reasons, Héctor! You'll never understand!"

"Try me," the shoemaker said icily. "After all, I was your best friend."

"Would you understand that this only concerns me and my family?" Bruno challenged him.

"Just tell us everything," Gloria said, softly to him. "Remember your mother told us about your magic."

"I know that," Bruno said, kindly. "I just feel like I can never escape from my pain." Naturally, he began to sing. His voice was low and depressed as he slumped into his chair, his eyes far, far away.

"Home is not a place"

"An address you memorize"

"It's more than seven floors"

"Or a gothic mansion"

"It's where you'll never feel lonely"

"Whenever you're alone"

"That's how you know you are home"

Mirabel stood up from the floor and walked over to her uncle with her doll.

"How I wish that we could feel that" Bruno chorused.

"Somehow, right now"

He and Mirabel give each other a sad hug.

"How I wish we could feel that again…,"

Bruno pulled out a piece of paper that was folded from his breast pocket. He unfolded it which showed the whole Madrigal family. It was taken a few days after the birth of Antonio. Everybody was lined up in their best Sunday white dresses or black suits. If one looks closely, they'll see that Mirabel was the only one who was standing a bit off to the side from everyone else. It was unknown whether this was because Alma placed her there to make sure she had space or it was because Isabella complained about her sister being too close to her side. His eyes landed on his mother with her usual proud smile.

"Home is like a smile"

"You see in a photograph"

"No matter what you do"

"It's not supposed to change"

"Why can't we all be together"

"The way we used to be"

"Back on the ground"

"No more racing around"

"Here safe and sound"

"And home…,"

When Bruno finished, he felt Gloria wrapping her arms around him gently. He hugged her back, glad to be comforted.

Moe let out a wail and tears fell from his eyes as if it were a water fountain.

"There, there," Dr. Sweet said, patting his hand on Moe's back.

Oscar and Felipe hugged each other as they bawled their eyes out like a bunch of babies.

"That is a very nice song, Bruno," Héctor sniffled. He took out his handkerchief and blew his nose and put it back in his pocket. Wiping tears from his eyes, his sad frown was abruptly replaced with a scowl. "But that still doesn't answer my question!"

"Fine, you want the truth?" Bruno sighed, frustrated.

"Wait till you hear it!" Oscar piped up, next to the startled shoemaker.

"It's a scary story!" Felipe whispered, wiggling his fingers as if he were a ghost. "Not for the faint of the heart, especially niños!"

"I'm not scared!" Miguel frowned.

"Go ahead, Bruno," Gloria gently prompted him.

"Well, since you two already know my family secret," the strange man began. "Here is what happened."

"I was in my bedroom, writing, when suddenly, a green vision flashed through my eyes." He was writing a screenplay for a movie based on Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. He hoped that by writing this screenplay, his mother would allow him to direct the movie. The story was a perfect opportunity to cast his youngest niece for the role of Becky Thatcher. She'd be terrific for that role, considering her youthful appearance and age! Suddenly, his brain started to ache and burn with dull pain. His free hand gripped his forehead when a green vision flashed in his eyes. What he saw was Ernestina De La Cruz sucking the lips out of a man. He did not know who that man was but he knew for certain that it was not Héctor. After watching the tongue kissing, his vision cut to Héctor looking like he just witnessed the sinking of the Titanic. His friend threw down something on the ground and ran away crying. When Bruno came back to reality, he dropped his pen onto the floor. "Aye Caramba, I have to tell Héctor!"

"Eso es exactamente lo que pasó!" The shoemaker whispered to himself. His heart sank when he heard that vision. Then he narrowed his eyes and raised his voice. "Why didn't you warn me?" He jammed his finger at the prophetic man's stomach. "I would have called off the wedding right away!"

"I tried!" Bruno snapped. "I ran to your hacienda immediately! I told you I had a vision about you! But you said, 'Oh, no te preocupes, Bruno! Quiero que sea una sorpresa! Sea lo que sea, puedo manejarlo!'"

Héctor tightened his fists so tightly that a few cracks were heard from everyone. If it weren't for his old friend's comeback, he would have punched him in the face.

"I tried to ignore it for your sake but I couldn't help but feel that it could happen," Bruno continued. "I finally decided to come over and tell you. On my way to your hacienda, I spotted Ernestina outside a petting party, talking to a man whom I had recognized from my vision."

("What's a petting party?" Miguel asked, innocently.

"I'll tell you when you are about a hundred years old!" Héctor answered, bopping him on the head.

"Ow, no fair!" the boy whined, rubbing his head).

"Almost there!" Bruno panted as he jogged, in the dark of the night. He had to reach the Riveras quickly. He must talk to his best friend. For the past seven days, Bruno couldn't forget about that vision, no matter how hard he tried. It's not like he could pretend that it would not happen. He went down the hill, past the plaza and the fountain. The Madrigal man was passing by some building that was in the corner of the plaza far from the other buildings. It was called, "Pettin'" in which many people gathered there to indulge in sin. Bruno couldn't understand how anyone could try to see how they could touch each other and not lose their purity. He stopped with a jolt when he saw a familiar aspiring actress.

Two doors swung wide open, showing a man and a woman strutting out.

"Oh, Musa!" Ernestina grinned so lecherously at him. She trailed her hand around his arm. "That was the best bachelorette party I ever had!"

"Oh yes!" Musa said, stupidly. He had a lot of lipstick marks on his face. "You had great looks!"

"Oh gracias!" Ernestina giggled, madly. "And you have such a wonderful kisser!" she purred after that.

"That's why I'm called the Lounge Lizard!" the man winked at her.

"Oh yes, you naughty, naughty man!" the woman flirted with him. She grabbed his face with her two hands and kissed him. She stuck her tongue into his mouth as if he were an ice cream sundae. There was lots of moaning and groaning through their heavy kissing.

"He's not the only one that's been naughty!" an angry voice broke them out of their spell.

The sickening couple turned to see New Santa Cecilia's favorite actor glaring at them with arms crossed.

"Is this how you prepare for your wedding tomorrow?" Bruno snarled at her. He could not believe that he was seeing this vile woman cheating on his best friend! "Is this your idea of a bachelorette party? You disgust me!"

Ernestina looked annoyed at first. Then she gave a haughty laugh along with her secret lover. "Oh Bruno, Bruno, Bruno!" she mocked. "I was only trying to have a little fun!" She lit up a cigarette in her mouth and blew smoke into his face.

Bruno coughed and fanned the smoke away.

"I have needs, amigo," the haughty woman continued. "I have needs that can't be denied. I deserve to have a little fun, don't you think?"

"You are supposed to be pure," the man in a green poncho barked at her.

"And you're supposed to cast me in your family's new movies!" Ernestina retorted. Why did you give me a low grade on my audition? Doesn't your family doesn't know that I am a very good actress?"

"Good actress!? Ha!" Bruno scoffed. "Don't make me laugh; you couldn't sing, you couldn't dance, you couldn't even recite the lines from a play very well!"

"Did your grandmother have to tell the rest of the town why I failed?" Ernestina said absentmindedly, faking a pout. "My reputation is very important to me."

"Is that so?" the talented actor seethed. "If that was true then you would have thought twice before kissing a man behind Héctor's back in public!" The man struggled to keep his anger down. "Does he know about this?"

"No," Musa answered, stupidly. "He doesn't know that we'd been petting and making whoopee for a very long time!" He was elbowed by the angry woman in the stomach to shut up. "Ow!"

"How could you?" Bruno cried. "You were his fiancé! I thought you loved him!"

"Oh heavens, no!" Ernestina laughed, in an annoyingly high-pitched voice. "I could care less about him. I'm just using him as a safe option in case someone else who is more handsome or richer than him doesn't come along."

"I knew there was something wrong with you, but I couldn't figure it out," the would-be-best man said icily to her. He felt his stomach churn when he heard how she felt about the groom. "Well, now I know, I don't support this match anymore! Just wait 'till I tell Héctor!" Standing up straight, he turned around. But before he could take one step, a clicking sound was heard. Something cold, shiny, and black was pointing very hard to his temple. A chill ran down his spine.

Click-click.

"Go ahead, Bruno," the actress smiled evilly. "I love to see you try."

"Is that a threat?" His lips quivered with fear.

"Not quite," she replied, jamming her gun further into his temple. "You may know my secret but I know yours!"

"Secret? What secret? I'm not the one cheating on anyone!"

"But you and your family are the ones with magic!"

Bruno's heart palpitated wildly against his ribcage.

"QUE!? But-But-But- How-Why-How did you-"

"After you kicked me out of your studio, I caught you and your family doing magic through the window," the evil woman revealed. She took great pleasure in watching the man squirm trying to get free. "I also spotted your nephew showing off his powers to that little fatso." She grabbed his arms before her victim could fight or flee. "Don't come to the wedding tomorrow. If you show up at the ceremony, I will kill you and your family, even the ones that don't have magic! And I won't hesitate to tell the police about you; they don't take kindly to witches!"

"Duh, is this necessary?" Musa asked, feeling not bright.

"Yes, you twit!"

"No, por favor!" Bruno begged. "Please don't kill my family! Don't bring them into this!"

"Your family was the one that ruined my dream of becoming an actress! I could have been your darling star!"

"Spare my family, Por favor!" Bruno beseeched. He got down on his knees and put his hands together in a form of prayer. "Please don't kill them! Please, please, I beg of you!" He froze like a statue when he felt the gun being pointed at his head again.

"Then, do as I say," Ernestina whispered darkly and coldly. "Comprehende?" When her victim nodded his head quickly, she pulled her gun away and aimed it toward his feet.

POW!

"Run Bruno!"

Bruno didn't need to be told twice. He ran away as fast as a Pronghorn.

"So sad to be all alone in the world!" Ernestina cackled, watching the strange man run away into the dark of the night.

"You left to protect your family?" Miguel asked, sadly.

"Bruno, why didn't you, I mean-" Héctor sighed. He didn't finish his sentence because he knew why his best friend never told him.

"Why didn't you say something?" Gloria almost yelled. She wasn't angry, she was horrified at the story she just heard. "You should have told me!"

"And put my family in danger?" Bruno challenged her.

"You could have at least gone to the police," she suggested, sadly.

"Yes, it's not like Ernestina would kill them!" Héctor added.

"True," Bruno nodded hesitantly. "But there is one problem: My family's spiritual gifts. The police will kill us, thinking we are practicing witchcraft."

"But you are not witches and wizards," Héctor shook his head. "You're Catholics who have been blessed with spiral gifts. Tell them that!"

"They would not know the difference," Bruno shook his head.

"Of course they would," Gloria said. "They read the Bible!"

"Has anyone else had gifts since the time of the apostles from the first century?" Bruno questioned them. "No, I don't think so."

"Bruno-"

"It's too much to risk!" Juan said. "If anyone knew, they would kill me and my family-every single one of them. They'll even hurt Mirabel and Antonio."

"Even you?" Miguel looked at Mirabel who nodded with a sad face.

"Por Que?" Gloria asked. "They don't have gifts."

"No, but they will be killed too because their future children will likely have a gift. Believe me, that's what happened to my father and he didn't have a gift."

Héctor and Gloria shared each other's melancholy looks. They both know of the death of Pedro Madrigal. They heard from their mother about how Pedro Madrigal died trying to protect his family from the soldiers back in Mexico.

"Bruno, your father didn't die from lack of magic," the shoemaker responded. "It was a case of bad luck."

"He's right," Gloria agreed. "Everyone else got shot by the soldiers too and only the lucky ones came here."

"No, my mother said it was because of his lack of magic."

"He was giftless like me," Mirabel whispered, softly.

"And had he had magic, he would have defended himself!" Bruno finished. "My mother told me."

"It's not too late to get help," Gloria explained. "If someone blackmails you, we need to tell the authorities."

"I can't take the risk," Bruno responded very firmly.

"But Bruno, we can save your family-"

"No."

"Surely, there must be a way."

"No!"

"But Bruno!"

"There is no way!"

When Gloria couldn't think of a better reason, her brother stepped in.

"Bruno, you are being ridiculous; calling for help is that simple!"

"I WON'T LET MY FAMILY DIE!"

Héctor and Gloria were taken aback and so were the gang members that were observing him.

The gangster shrank, embarrassed that he yelled. He knocked on his head and the small table. "Knock on wood!" He curled up into a ball and rocked back and forth on the floor l, saying "I won't , I won't , I won't ," over and over again. His niece hugged him, trying to comfort him. She led him out of the room, giving Héctor and Gloria an apologetic look.

The Riveras had no idea what to say.

"Can you believe it?" Gloria whispered to him.

"No," Héctor hissed back. "It's no wonder why he left without a word." Now he felt guilty for being angry at his friend over something that he had no control over.