38. Letting Go

I'm home! Finally! I was supposed to be home SATURDAY and it's Tuesday T-T but I am finally home! …and go back to work tomorrow *sobs*

So I did SOME research on how funerals and mourning is done in Colombia around the time the movies happened. I don't know HOW accurate it is, but I tried and mean no offense by any inaccuracies.

It gets better after this, I promise.

~Star

Because of the state of the bodies, the funeral was held the next day at the church, instead of seven days later. It was just for family and close friends, but Roberto and Sofía had been such gentle souls, there had been a lot more people than initially expected. By the time it started, the whole church was filled.

For the first time in decades, Alma Madrigal and the Diminutos embraced each other, both parties grieving.

When the Diminuto Mellizos greeted their parents, it was a little tense. Despite the words Roberto had spoken at the triplets' ceremony, the twins had only spoken to their padre once, which had led to a bitter argument between them and their parents. They hadn't spoken since.

Marlena's breath hitched when she saw Diego walk up to Héctor. She had never introduced her children to her parents, but had made sure they knew who they were.

There was so much pain surrounding him, Diego was grateful he could turn his Gift down, or he'd constantly be in tears. The pain coming from his mamá's padre was wrapped in layers upon layers of guilt, and it scared and hurt him like it had when he sensed the same in his abuela. He knew his mamá still loved her padre, so he didn't want anything to happen to him either. He was sure it would break his mamá.

So, Diego took it upon himself to reach out for the older man he had never met and took his hand. "It's going to be okay, Abuelo." He said softly, his grey eyes gazing earnestly. "It's going to be okay, so you can let go of the guilt. Por favor, it's okay to let go."

Héctor Diminuto was a man of many regrets. Regrets he felt too ashamed to face, to resolve. Instead, he ran away and let them fester, allowing them to tear his familia apart. He was a shell of the man he once had been, and a part of him was happy about it.

He had been a horrible man. A horrible padre to his niños. He didn't deserve their forgiveness, so he stayed out of their lives the best he could. He would watch from afar how happy they were, and it had filled him with a bittersweet feeling, knowing they were happy because he wasn't there.

Then he lost his youngest chico when Roberto learned the truth. He knew it would happen one day, but had been unprepared for the knowledge of what could have happened that night. He never thought himself capable of something so deplorable. It had broken him.

Then Roberto, his sweet Bertito, had extended an olive branch, wanting to make amends but only if he made amends with his twins. It had forced him to see how foolish he had been, and so he tried. And failed, but at least he had one of his children again.

Then he truly lost his youngest in a tragic accident. One even their prophet had not seen until it was too late. Decades ago, he may have blamed Bruno. Raged at him. Now, however, he knew better. It had been an unfortunate accident, one that no one could have done anything to stop. Looking at the man now, Héctor knew Bruno blamed himself for Roberto's death—but it wasn't his fault.

It wasn't.

Now there was his nieto he had never met, who he had only seen from afar, taking his hand and telling him it was okay. That he could let go of the weight he had been carrying. He didn't deserve it. But the child gazed up at him with such sincere and pleading eyes, that Héctor broke.

Marlena watched with a hand pressed to her mouth as her padre nearly collapsed to the ground, pulling her eldest into a tight hug and bursting into broken sobs. She couldn't hold back anymore and rushed to her papá, hugging him tightly as she cried into his shoulder. Hernando wasn't far behind, and soon their mamá joined and they grieved for the missing part of their family that they would never get back.

That didn't stop someone from trying.

Marching with a determination that contrasted harshly with her tear-stained face, Ofelia approached the caskets that held her tío and tía. Somehow, they managed to be open caskets, the damage done to their bodies happening below the opened portion. She didn't like how still they looked. She was determined to fix it. Fists clenched and eyes glowing neon yellow, she shouted, "Wake up!"

Stunned silence filled the church as they watched. A fragile, insidious hope began to take root within a few at the command.

When nothing happened, Ofelia tried something else. "Come back! Live! Come back! Come back, Tía!" With every unsuccessful command, more tears fell until the last word came out in a sob. "Come back, Tío, ¡por favor!"

By this point, Bruno had managed to shake himself out of his stupor, running to quickly scoop Ofelia into his arms. She immediately turned to him, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck as the neon yellow faded from her eyes.

"It isn't working!" She wailed, voice muffled as she pressed her face against his shoulder. "Papí, why isn't my Gift working?!"

"Shuuush, it's okay, it's not your fault." Bruno choked, hugging her tightly. "It's not your fault."

The two were quickly joined by Marlena, who kissed Ofelia's cheeks, reassuring her daughter and thanking her for being so thoughtful and for trying. That's it wasn't her fault it didn't work. That death was something that couldn't be fixed. That she was sorry she had to learn something like this so young.

The funeral continued from there in a much more subdued manner. Isabela created two large wreaths filled with white lilies, placing both on the coffins before they were lowered into the ground.

For the next seven days, the town was quiet and still. Prayers were offered up for Roberto and Sofía, for Milagros, for the Madrigals, and for the Diminutos. A month later, a second mass was held for them. It was a tearful affair, but less dramatic. The children had come to accept the death of their family members, but still mourned their absence. By that time, Marlena had managed to get Bruno to accept that it hadn't been his fault. She had reminded him that his visions were not something he could control, and that some of them could not be changed. That sometimes, they didn't get a warning. That the lack of warning wasn't his fault. He would still have his days where he could barely meet her eyes, but he was getting better. Especially with Diego's insistence. That was not something he wanted his hijo to worry about.

Hernando had gotten into his role as Milgaros' guardian, bringing her to Sofía's parents and his own at least once a week. The relationship between the twins and their parents was still rocky, but they were trying. They all were. For themselves. For their family.

For Roberto.

Yes, I cried writing this chapter. Yes, I cried editing it. And yes, I wanted y'all to suffer with me lol

See ya in the next chapter, ¡adiós!

~Star