10. Moving On

“This isn’t funny.”

“It’s hilarious.”

Pepa smirked at Bruno’s exasperated expression. Camilo and Mirabel looked up at them in confusion from where they were still clinging to Bruno’s now clean ruana.

The pair hadn’t left his side in hours. They’d decided to take up guarding their Tio so that no one could hurt him again.

It really was the cutest thing she’d seen and she was taking all the photos, much to Bruno’s horror.

“Pepa!” he whined.

“They’re worried about you,” she reminded him gently.

“I don’t need tiny bodyguards,” Bruno sighed as he followed her, five-year-olds still hanging by his ruana.

“Are you going to tell those worried eyes no?”

She smirked when he determinedly didn’t look down at said worried little eyes. He’d never been able to deny that pair anything and they both knew it.

The siblings stared at each other for a long moment before Mira tugged on his ruana. Bruno automatically looked down and Pepa smirked again as he just melted.

“Tio? Let’s go play.”

Pepa laughed as her hermano folded like wet tissue paper and let the pair drag him off to his room to play in the sand.

Life had definitely been looking up since they’d found and rescued Bruno. Her niños were happier and more lively, all of them trailing behind their Tio or checking on him, including Dolores. Bruno himself was recovering from what those bastards did to him. She knew he still had nightmares and he hadn’t actually gone back to town yet, but he was smiling again and spending a lot of time with Camilo, Mirabel and Dolores. 

Admittedly, Pepa hadn’t been to town since everything happened. If she saw those bastards she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t strike them with lightning on the spot. Felix had been the one going into town whenever they needed something and even he’d come back with busted knuckles and a too innocent expression a couple of times.

Pepa had given him a searing kiss every time he defended her hermano like that.

As for the rest of the family… things were still strained but at the very least, their mamá seemed to have been shocked into thinking over her choices by that prophecy.

Luisa and Isabela were still pretty much the same but Julieta avoided her and Mirabel. Pepa wondered if she was coming to terms with what she’d lost due to her actions, or rather inaction.

She still loved her hermana, and she hated that she was hurting over this. Pepa couldn’t imagine losing Camilo and seeing him every day, but knowing he wasn’t hers anymore.

The mere thought turned her stomach and made her search both Mira and Cami out to cuddle them.

A new normal slowly settled over the house.

With Casita so clearly siding with Pepa and Bruno, their mamá had been forced to back off and think. She no longer tried to force them to go help the town, although she definitely didn’t agree with their decision to no longer throw all their time into working.

Pepa refused to go back though. She was actually able to spend time with her family this way. She could curl up with Felix and read a book without it needing to be a sad one. She could play with her niños ad hear them laugh. Dolores was able to spend time with both Camilo and Mirabel and she loved it, getting caught up in the games and loving the pair all the more for how they kept quieter when playing with her.

Since Bruno was so reluctant to go back to the village and no one was ready to brave a protective Pepa to ask for a vision, the niños often dragged him into their games as well.

Within a matter of weeks, Bruno was probably the closest he’d ever been to both her niños and admittedly, to her as well.

Pepa was hoping that her hermana would change her mind about following their mamá’s orders but she didn’t seem to be having second thoughts yet. In a way, Pepa understood. Julieta honestly loved helping people and she’d never had to deal with the negative side-effects of having a Gift that wasn’t always helpful.

She’d always been the golden child of the family and Pepa supposed that that had left its own mark. But she couldn't force Julieta to change her mind. It had to be her decision.

Isabela was following in her footsteps, basking in her Abuela’s attention as the perfect grandchild. Isa had always idolised her Abuela so Pepa wasn’t too surprised that she was eager to follow her instructions. And Luisa had always been so eager to please people…

Pepa wondered if her mamá realised what she’d done as the girls continued to avoid not only Mirabel, but the others in the family as well.

She didn’t know what the future held for them, and Bruno was reluctant to look again after the last vision so she’d never push him.

They’d just have to wait and see.

“Mira, why did you bite that man?” Pepa studied her pouting hija who was standing next to an equally pouting Camilo.

“He was being mean to Tio. He kept calling him bad luck and told me to get away from him,” Mirabel mumbled, clearly upset about it.

“...”

“Pepa, don’t you dare-” Bruno didn’t get far before Pepa cut him off.

“That’s my girl.” Pepa ruffled her hair.

“Pepa!”

“What? He deserved it.”

“Pepa, stop encouraging your hija to bite people. You know Camilo will jump on that permission immediately.”

“Hmm, you’re right. Niños?”

“Sí?” Both six-year-olds looked up at her.

“Only bite mean people okay?”

“Pepa!”

“Okay!”

“Felix!” Bruno tried to drag Felix into it.

“Oh no hermano,” her husband just grinned. “Pepi’s right. They deserved that.”

“I wonder if Camilo can shapeshift his teeth sharper?” Dolores mused quietly.

Bruno stared at her in utter betrayal while Camilo lit up with glee.

“Happy birthday Mira!”

Felix swept her up in a hug the moment she stepped out of the room, making her shriek with laughter as he spun around.

Camilo was grinning widely, having kept the upcoming secret surprise beautifully.

Every year, they tried to make a big fuss on Mirabel’s birthday to make up for the disaster her fifth one had turned into.

To see the now seven-year-old smiling so widely warmed all their hearts.

Mira was passed around between them, getting hugs and kisses from Pepa, Dolores and Bruno before Camilo glomped on her once she was on the floor again.

“Guess what we’re doing!” he was practically vibrating with excitement, having helped come up with the idea for her birthday this time.

“What?!” Mirabel looked so genuinely excited, unlike the day of her sixth birthday. She’d been so nervous and anxious that day that it had broken their hearts. This was much better.

“Treasure hunt!” Camilo yelled.

Mirabel squealed in excitement and they were off on a day that left them all exhausted but pleased.

They capped the day off with a visit to Felix’s parents who were more than happy to fuss over their new nieta.

Pepa and Felix tucked their little mellizos into bed that night, smiles still on everyone’s faces. 

“Mami?” Mirabel whispered, hugging her new bright yellow butterfly plush.

“Hmm?” Pepa hummed after smoothing the blankets down.

“Gracias,” the little girl murmured with a sweet smile.

Pepa pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

“Only the best for you Mira,” she promised.

Her sweet hija beamed at her and was soon asleep, completely tired out from the day.

Pepa paused and watched her for a moment before heading back outside. They said goodnight to Dolores and then went to their own room.

“She didn’t look for Luisa and Isabela today,” Felix murmured and Pepa’s smile wavered.

“I noticed,” she sighed. “Julieta stayed away as well. I honestly don’t know if I want her to at least try and be a Tia or if that would make things worse.”

Felix drew her close. “We can’t make Julieta’s decisions for her.”

Pepa hummed. “Mamá didn’t even acknowledge today,” she muttered bitterly.

Felix sighed. “She’s so determined to not be wrong, that she doesn’t want to look at the person she failed the most.”

Pepa just shook her head and forced herself to relax. Mirabel had spent the day smiling and laughing, like she should have. That was what was important.

The gaping chasm that still existed in the family, now visually represented by the courtyard after Casita had moved her mamá’s door next to Julieta’s, still hurt her. She’d never wanted her family to split down the middle like this.

But she refused to compromise when it came to her niños.

Up in his tower, which he’d noticed had less stairs by the day, Bruno sighed softly to himself. The cracks he’d found years ago were still there, but they’d stopped spreading.

Their family was still hurting, but Pepa’s choices had essentially put a band aid over it.

He had no doubt that his hermana was going to be their only shot at saving the family.

He wasn’t surprised that it would be Pepa. She’d always been the only one of them willing to put her foot down and stand her ground about something.

Bruno didn’t have to look into the future to know that her decision to prioritise her family had stabilised the Miracle.

Somehow, they needed to get Julieta to see what they’d long since figured out.

The Gifts shouldn’t have turned them into slaves to the Encanto. No matter how pretty their mamá dressed it up with words like ‘duty’ and ‘responsibility’.

He sighed again. He’d keep an eye on the cracks but he wouldn’t say anything. The only other one who knew about them was Dolores and she wouldn’t say anything either.

Bruno was certain that their mamá would blame Pepa for the cracks and that was something he refused to allow.

For now though, the future hadn’t arrived yet. He rolled over to try and get some sleep. There was no use in obsessing over what was still coming. There were far more important things happening right now.

He smiled softly to himself as he remembered how much fun they’d all had that day. That was what they should focus on right now.

The future would come when it was ready.