28. Chapter 28

A/N: Heeeeyyyy! Hope you're having a good month so far. This chapter is pure chaos and more action-y than I'm used to writing for this particular story but I hope you like it! :D

Chapter 28

Dolores hadn't bothered to put on the earmuffs, yet. Señora García's voice was so lovely that even before the new control she'd gotten over her gift, she didn't mind the woman's voice ringing in her ears.

Tonight would be the first night she would attend the fireworks display since she'd received her gift at five years old. She'd always watched them from the (relative) comfort of Casita, before. But this year – with some specially made earmuffs Mirabel made for her, and her new control of her gift – she was excited to try.

She looked around at her familia, content in Mariano's arms. Everyone was so close and yet also so caught up in their own little worlds. The cadence of their breath and the steady hum of their hearts was an orchestra of love in her ears, and it only added to the music that surrounded her. She leaned against Mariano, pressing one ear to his shoulder, listening to the thrum of his own big, strong heart. It sped up as she pressed against him, and she smiled, entirely content.

"Dolores," Mariano murmured in her ear, his arms wrapped around her. "Cariño."

She hummed in response.

"Amar es este tímido silenciocerca de ti, sin que lo sepas,y recordar tu voz cuando te marchasy sentir el calor de tu saludo…"

She lifted her head from his shoulder to stare at him, reciting his poetry, so quietly and intensely there in the midst of her familia. His eyes were fixed on her, and his expression made her heart break into a frenzied pace. He took both of her hands in his and pressed them to his chest.

She was glad Camilo was preoccupied this evening, or she'd never hear the end of it from him.

"Amar es aguardartecomo si fueras parte del ocaso,ni antes ni después, para que estemos solosentre los juegos y los cuentossobre la tierra seca."

She felt her cheeks warm. Not just her cheeks – her entire body felt as though it were made of molten gold, red-hot and fluid and unable to do anything but stay held there, a willing captive to his eyes and his voice.

"Amar es percibir, cuando te ausentas,tu perfume en el aire que respiro,y contemplar la estrella en que te alejascuando cierro la puerta de la noche." (1)

"I wish I didn't have to close the door and walk away from you at night," he added softly. He leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. When he lifted his mouth from hers, she followed, not ready to lose that point of contact with him, just yet. She pressed another kiss to his mouth and attempted to move her hands to his face, to his neck, to pull him down closer – but he wouldn't release his hold on them.

He smiled at her, holding their hands clasped between them.

"Mi amor - " he swallowed nervously. "Dolores - will you - come with me, por favor?"

At her look of confusion, he continued quietly - "I have something I want to – ask you."

Oh.

Her heart rate picked up, and she could hear that his did, as well. She looked around at her familia. None of them looked like they were expecting –

Mariano squeezed her hand, and she looked up into his warm, shining eyes. "They will follow, lo prometo. When this song is finished, they will follow."

She looked over his shoulder to Señora Guzmán, and she nodded in encouragement and made a little shooing motion with her hands, a wholehearted, beaming smile on her face.

Dolores allowed Mariano to guide her away from the crowd on the hill to the edge of town, along the main road between the Encanto and San Cristobál, in front of one of the few restaurants in the Encanto. It was unoccupied at the moment, but lanterns had been lit and someone had moved several tables aside and rolled their piano out to the courtyard as well.

Mariano led her to one of the chairs and sat beside her, anxiously searching her face. "Is this – okay?"

Dolores smiled. "It's – definitely okay. Very, very romantic."

When he seemed to hesitate again, she squeezed his hand. "When did you set this up?"

"I asked – Luisa for help. And – Mirabel. And – your parents." Mariano said shyly. "We wrote letters. Antonio – he helped us deliver letters back and forth, with his animals."

Dolores smiled. "Very clever."

Mariano looked away, blushing slightly. "I, ah - I love that you think that."

"Mariano," Dolores chided softly. "You are clever. You are incredibly good with words, and smart and kind and gentle and - "

He chuckled and held up his hand. "I thought I was supposed to be the one proposing."

She flushed and that warm, molten-gold feeling was back. Some might say two months was not nearly long enough to court before becoming betrothed, especially considering his history with Isabela. But though she'd told him to slow down when he offered marriage the day she confessed her feelings to him, it was more to make sure of his feelings, not hers. They'd known each other their whole lives, and she'd loved him for years, and he'd fallen for her, hard. They'd had several talks about Isabela, about their history, about his feelings for her and for Dolores, and how the admiration and affection he had once felt for her prima was nothing compared to the love he felt for Dolores.

There was no comparison.

And Dolores could hear it - in the way he spoke to her, the way he spoke about her, and the poems he wrote for her. He'd always spoken of Isabela with reverence and admiration, but never with adoration or heartfelt love. He adored Dolores. He loved her. The more they'd spoken, the more they'd gotten to really know each other, the more they realized how much they complimented each other and how similar their desires for the future were – the more seriously they'd begun to discuss what their future would look like.

He and Dolores had spoken about their relationship and she was ready for the next step. Their engagement could take as long as they pleased - but they both knew what they wanted, now, and it was each other. They'd discussed the proposal as well, and neither of them had any desire to make it a spectacle. They hadn't broadcast it to the village like they had with Isabela.

It was a surprise to Dolores, too. She thought perhaps he'd wait for her birthday at the end of the month, but he'd written out painstaking letters to her familia to organize a proposal tonight. She had to admit it was a good idea. He could propose in relative privacy – the hill the majority of the villagers were settled on to watch the fireworks was just down the road, so Dolores could both see and hear the crowd, but everyone's attention was focused in the opposite direction – toward the trees, not the town. Her familia would be arriving soon, he could propose, and then they could announce their engagement just before or after the fireworks. Everyone would congratulate them tonight, they would bask in the glow of the town's cheer, and then the amount of pestering they'd receive the next day would be minimal. (Maybe. Okay – probably not. But she could hope.)

It was perfect. He was perfect. For her.

He leaned in to kiss her, and for several moments, she was lost to the beat of his heart and the sound and feel of his breath on her skin, as he trailed reverent kisses over her face and neck.

Suddenly, Dolores put her hand on Mariano's chest, pausing his fervent expression of love. She frowned for a moment and blinked. There was something – far away. It sounded strange. She tried to place where she'd heard something like that before, but she couldn't.

"Something wrong, mi tesora?"

She heard the sounds of her familia making their way toward them and shook her head, smiling at him. "No, nothing. We'll have company soon."

Still, that sound was in the distance. It was like…galloping, but different. A whine, a thrum, a steady little…roar. An animal? Some sort of…machine, one that wasn't familiar to the Encanto?

She knew cars and busses and trains existed. She'd just never heard one before, so it was hard to know if that was what the sound was. It definitely didn't sound like the horses, donkeys, and carts everyone used to haul goods back and forth through the mountains. And could something like that ford the river just outside the crack in the mountains? The town was very slowly expanding and improving the main road, but they'd only just finished improving one of the bridges over a stream that cut across the main road within the Encanto before the festival – the one Luisa, among others, had been working on the day Josefina went missing. Depending on how everything went the next year, the Council was considering building a bridge over the river near the mountains as well. Dolores hadn't been there yet, but she knew it was shallow. Horses and donkeys and carts could cross it with relative ease. But this? She wasn't sure.

Whatever it was had apparently made it across the river and through the mountain pass. But it also didn't sound like…a lot. It was loud, but it was far away, so it wasn't causing her any pain at the moment. And it sounded like…one person. One thing. Whatever it was. It was so far away that she couldn't make out details or hear any heartbeats or breaths or other sounds accompanying it, but it was such a different sound than she was used to that it caught her attention.

She hesitated. Her familia was already in view, and Mariano was sitting down at the piano, preparing to sing for her. She couldn't interrupt or rush his proposal. She wanted to let him have his chance to shine.

She smiled at him. Most things – most people – unless they were on horseback and pushing their horse to its limits - took at least half an hour or more to reach from the mountain pass to the main part of town. She'd have plenty of time to let Mariano propose. And then her family would take care of the thing on the road, and everything would be fine.

Her familia surrounded her, her Mamí both drizzling and producing a rainbow that was hard to see in the dim light. Dolores caught her eye and smiled, and her madre smiled back and pressed her hand over her heart. The cloud stayed but the sun behind it grew brighter, deepening the colors of the rainbow.

Mariano really had timed this well.

He'd positioned the chairs so that the chair she sat on faced him as he sat at the piano, but her familia could still see her. They were standing at the entrance to the little courtyard, now. She heard Lucía, still out of her line of sight, quietly asking Bruno if he was sure he wanted her and Josefina to be there for this moment, if Dolores wouldn't mind.

Dolores didn't mind. She was thrilled for the both of them and she wanted them there with her and she was going to say so when both Bruno and Julieta reassured her that it was fine. She smiled at them as they stepped into view and nodded and then turned back to focus on Mariano.

Dolores folded her hands in her lap and listened as he began to play. His voice was smooth and gorgeous and made her melt, and the words he sang made tears spring to her eyes –

The sound was further along on the main road.

It was moving fast.

It shouldn't – it shouldn't be moving that fast.

Most of the horses in the Encanto didn't move that fast.

Mariano completed his song and knelt before her, fumbling for the ring in his pocket.

It was close enough now for her to tell it was heading right for town and it wasn't slowing down.

She stood, suddenly, a worried expression on her face.

Mariano looked up. "…Dolores?" He asked timidly.

She gave him a tense, apologetic smile before turning to seek out her parents, her Abuela. "Something's coming. On the main road. It's moving so fast but I – I don't know what it is."

Everyone tensed and exchanged worried glances.

A sudden flash of green light illuminated her skin, and Dolores – along with everyone else - turned to see Bruno, stock still, his lips parted and his gaze unfocused as his eyes glowed emerald. His brows drew closer together, and his fingers twitched at his sides.

Josefina gasped and Lucía had to hold onto her to keep her from running - whether to or away from him was anyone's guess –

"No, no - " Bruno mumbled, his shoulders tensing and his hands clenching into fists. "There's – there's always two - now - show me – please - "

It seemed like ages, but in reality, only a handful of minutes passed before the vision faded.

"Huh." Bruno gasped and shivered and blinked as the future melded back into the present, and then he blinked again, at them all, for a split second – for the time it took them all to take one breath.

Bruno jerked into motion. "Out! Out of the street!" Bruno shot a desperate glance to Lucía, and she immediately pulled Josefina onto the grass opposite the courtyard. Bruno grabbed Antonio and practically tossed him to Félix, away from the cobblestone road – as they split, half of them were in the little restaurant courtyard with Dolores and Mariano, and the other half were with Lucía across the road. The temperature dropped and Pepa's wind picked up and Antonio's jaguar appeared and Dolores was covering her ears. The rest of them could hear it now, too, if they strained their ears - faint but growing closer.

Bruno stared into the darkness of the road for a moment before whipping his head in the other direction. The road ended at the hill - which was currently occupied by the entire town.

"Bruno – what can we do?" Félix said. "How can we help?"

Bruno shuddered and blinked at him, looking almost confused. "Aren't you – aren't you going to - tell them to move?"

"I don't know, am I? Should I?"

Bruno's eyes widened in realization and horror. "It's – it depends on - I have to –?" He looked up at the sky. "Seriously?" He reached over to knock on the wooden gate post to the courtyard and patted at his pockets and tossed some salt and sugar over his shoulders.

He looked around at his familia for a moment, all of them tense and uncertain, but ready to move – ready to help – and waiting on him. He looked to Lucía, across the road, and her wide, earnest eyes. "Tell us how we can help, Bruno."

He held her gaze for a moment more, and then he lurched into action. "You two! Tell them all to move!" He pointed to Agustín and Félix and then gestured wildly in the direction of the hill.

Félix and Agustín looked at each other and then broke into a run.

Bruno eyed the rest of the family and groaned in frustration as they passed. He followed them, darting toward the hill and the entire family followed, attempting to run to the hill while simultaneously staying off the road.

"Not again," Mariano muttered under his breath. He was still down on one knee on the ground as they left. He watched them go, his brows knitted together in fear and disbelief.

He sighed and tucked the ring safely back into his pocket, told his flustered, worried madre to stay put, and ran after them.

Bruno skidded to a stop at the top of the hill and looked behind him, lifting his hands and framing first the road, and then the sky, with his fingers.

Agustín and Félix had run past him and were both shouting at the crowds to move, to leave, but it was confusing because even they didn't actually know what was coming or which direction, exactly, everyone should move –

He didn't have time. There wasn't enough time to do this in an orderly fashion.

"Luisa, Luisa, Luisa - " Bruno muttered, and then spotted her, fear and confusion plain on her face. His heart clenched in empathy, but it had to work this way or people would get hurt. "Luisa - you're gonna catch him!" Bruno exclaimed.

Luisa looked confused. "Catch – catch who?"

"Just – just – ah – just catch him, when he comes! The – the guy on the road!" Bruno was flustered, trying to get the words out. He wasn't built for this. He was too old for this. Who decided it was a good idea to put him in charge of this? But he'd searched for this second outcome and now he had to see it through, because he'd seen what everyone had to do to prevent anyone from getting hurt. He was the only one who'd seen it. He was the vision seeker, in this case, and he had made his choice.

"Camilo - " Bruno spun around frantically and alighted on his sobrino. He frowned at him. "Where is - is - Selena - de - de León?"

Camilo blinked and looked toward the rapidly going chaos on the hill. "At – at the fireworks, here, on the hill. I – she didn't – it was a family thing, I didn't think – she didn't want - "

"Go get her. I saw her on it, with him, go get her."

"Saw her on what? With who?"

"Just go - go get her!"

Camilo took off, shifting into others to duck around arms and legs as he wove his way through the crowd.

They could all hear it now, a strange unnatural muted roar, rattle, and whine, coming down the main road – a single bright light flying toward them all in the dark. Mariano put his hands over Dolores' ears, over her own hands, and pulled her closer toward his chest.

"Tío Bruno?" Mirabel called, looking anxiously toward Bruno.

"Lucía – Josefina - " he breathed, and – seeing them safely to the side, beside Mariano, beside Dolores – he shook himself and refocused on the scene around him, tapping his hand anxiously on his thigh and muttering names as though ticking boxes on a list. "Lucía – Josefina – Luisa – Camilo – Selena - Gus – Félix - "

"Isabela - " He clenched his hands into fists. "Idiot. He's not slowing down – Isabela – Isa! Vines vines vines vines VINES!" He dove to the side and curled into a ball as the stranger came into the light of the lanterns in town, traveling way too fast.

Whatever it was hit an uneven cobblestone and went airborne. The bike – no – the motorcycle - skidded sideways along the street and bounced off the top of the hill, spinning through the air.

Several people screamed and scrambled out of the way, but one man was frozen in place, staring in horror as the motorcycle got closer and closer -

Isabela's vines burst from the ground and wrapped around it. They stretched and broke and she gritted her teeth and dug her feet into the earth until it all came to a stop, entirely covered in foliage and inches away from Osvaldo's nose. A single sundew bloomed at the tip of the motorcycle and snapped at him.

He fainted, and the crowd erupted into chaos.

Meanwhile, the stranger had been projected up and off the motorcycle and traveled in a graceful arc, screaming and flailing. His arms and legs pin-wheeled through the air, and Luisa sprinted to get beneath him.

She stretched her arms high and bent her knees and braced her heels to the ground and – just as her tío told her to – she caught him.

Everyone stared silently at Luisa and the mystery man for a moment, until Camilo and Selena pressed through the crowd and reached them all at the top of the hill. The crowd of people behind them were talking and yelling - some excited, some uneasy, all of their conversations building in volume and confusion.

Isabela was already carefully pulling the motorcycle up the hill with her vines, and Luisa cradled the person gently in her arms, bridal style – one arm under his knees and the other curved around his back.

It was difficult to tell exactly what he looked like, curled up as he was against Luisa, but it appeared he was wearing some sort of denim pants, heavy boots, and a pale colored guayabera underneath some sort of brown leather jacket. He had dark skin and darker hair cut short to his head; his helmet hung haphazardly off of it and his eyes were wide and confused as he stared up at Luisa.

He shifted slightly, uncurling, and the leather helmet fell off his head and dropped to the ground with a soft thunk.

"Uh…" he blinked. "Hi."

Luisa blushed. "Hi."

Josefina broke out of her mother's protective embrace and waved her arms, her eyes wide. "That…was…AMAZING!"

"Did you see that?" She turned to her madre, whose face was slack with shock. "Did you see that?!" She yelled at Selena, her hands flying around as she narrated what had literally just happened. "Dolores heard him and was all 'something's coming' and then Don Bruno was all GLOWING! GREEN! And then he knew what was going to happen and he was all 'out of the street!' and we all jumped out of the street and BAM! Vines everywhere! Screaming! Ahhh! Luisa catching! That was SO TOTALLY AWESOME!"

She was panting by the time she'd finished.

Alma, who'd been standing beside them, smoothed her dress out of habit and closed her mouth. "Sí, Josefina. Amazing," she agreed with a dazed look on her face. She moved toward Bruno, where Lucía was attempting to help him.

He hadn't uncurled from the fetal position he'd coiled into when dodging the path of the motorbike, his eyes screwed tightly shut and breathing hard.

Lucía knelt beside him and took his hand, and his fingers closed around hers as tightly and suddenly as one of Isabela's venus fly traps. She gently stroked the back of his hand, eyes darting between him and Josefina, who was still turning to everyone surrounding her and repeating a detailed review of everything she'd just seen. Julieta knelt near Bruno's head as well, worried, and Mirabel hovered nearby.

"It's okay. Everyone is okay. No one was hurt. We're all okay," Lucía said softly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, covering his face with the hand that wasn't currently clutching Lucía's like a lifeline. He was shaking. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm - "

Lucía exchanged a concerned glace with Julieta.

"Bruno," Julieta said firmly.

He stopped talking, his eyes still shut and a grimace on his face.

Pepa hovered over him as well, thunder growling from the cloud over her head like a displeased mama bear as she glared at the young man in Luisa's arms. "Stop apologizing for saving lives, Bruno." Her tone softened. "You were wonderful, hermanito."

He snorted. "I didn't – I mean – no one – no one was going to die. Just – ah - " He swallowed.

"Then stop apologizing for helping." Pepa said, her voice wavering.

"Are you okay?" Lucía continued quietly. "Do you need – something? Anything? An arepa? Some – some water?"

He shook his head, breathing deeply through his nose and exhaling slowly through his mouth. He slowly straightened and flopped from his side onto his back.

"Bruno?" Josefina's voice cut through the commotion around them. She sounded small and frightened. She had finally calmed down and stopped shouting at everyone about how amazing he – and the rest of the Madrigals – were. She'd noticed him lying on the ground and got very still. Lucía gave her a small reassuring smile and held out her free hand, and Josefina went to her madre's side. Lucía pulled her in for a hug and squeezed her arm reassuringly. Julieta, having assessed her hermanito and realizing that he was fine physically, brushed a strand of hair from his forehead and then stood to give them space.

"Are you okay?" Josefina asked, looking down at Bruno, her voice still uncertain.

Bruno took another deep breath, and he willed his body to relax and he opened his eyes and gave her a feeble smile. "I'm okay," he whispered. "I'm okay. I just – need a minute."

Lucía looked toward Pepa, who had turned to check on Antonio. He was sitting on Parce, near Dolores and Mariano, and he seemed frightened but also like he was recovering quickly. They were all talking quietly, and both Dolores and Pepa were showering Antonio with affection. "Sefinita," Lucía said softly. "Do you want to sit here with me and Bruno, or do you want to go sit with Antonio near Parce? What would make you feel better?"

Josefina looked to her friend, and then back at Bruno. "I want to make sure Don Bruno is okay." She mumbled.

Bruno grunted at that and sat himself up on the ground, shifting himself so that he sat, cross-legged, beside them. He smiled again at Josefina, though it was more of a wince at the moment. "See? I'm okay. Nothing – nothing to worry about, kid. I'm – I'm good."

When she narrowed her eyes in disbelief, he exchanged a glance with Lucía and then refocused on Josefina. "No, really. I – it was – okay – it was a little scary. I was scared. But I – ah – I'm – I'll be – okay. I'm sorry I – sorry I scared you."

"Why didn't Hernando help? He's not scared of anything."

Lucía frowned. "Josefina, it wasn't – there wasn't time - "

Bruno stared at the child for a moment and then snorted. "No, no – it's – ah – a good point. I'll have to ah – have a word with him. About that." He paused, and his expression softened. "But I am sorry I scared you. I'm fine."

Josefina took him in, a serious expression on her face, and then dug through the pocket of her skirt. "I wasn't scared until you didn't get up." She whispered, not looking him in the eye, and then she paused. "Was – was the vision – scary?"

Bruno swallowed and looked away. "It – was a little. But – ah – I was – more scared of – um – having to tell everyone what to do." He forced himself to look at her again and gave her a tense smile. "I was worried I might - get it wrong."

"Did you?" Josefina asked.

He blinked. "What?"

"Did you get it wrong?"

He looked around for a moment, taking in the people around him and the young man still in Luisa's arms, stunned but all right, and the townspeople walking by them. To the one side of the hill was jungle, to the other side was the Encanto, and in the middle was his family. The townspeople moved around the clump of Madrigals like a current around a rock in a stream. They looked curiously at the group, but Félix and Agustín were back. They directed the onlookers away and encouraged them to go home. Bruno couldn't make out what people were saying. They seemed to accept there would be no fireworks show tonight and were heading home. No one glared at him. No one was shouting. No one was hurt.

"Uh – no." Bruno said. He sounded surprised. "No – I – I don't think I got it wrong."

"Good. 'Cause I thought you were so cool and so brave. Sorry you got scared. But here. You can have this," she said.

He held out his hand and she left a lint-covered piece of hard candy and a smooth stone in his palm. He blinked at them, a half-hearted smile on his face, and he looked back up at her in question.

"The candy is kind of old but it's my favorite. You can have it if it makes you feel better. And the rock is so smoothy soft it feels nice. You can rub it like this." She took it back and demonstrated holding it in her fingers and rubbing her thumb over its surface again and again. Then she placed it back in his hand.

"Ah," he smiled, and this time it was genuine, though his fingers were still trembling. "This – this is good. It's nice. Ah – gracias, Josefina. But you don't – I mean – ah – maybe you should – you should keep the candy." He handed the candy back to her and Josefina picked off a few pieces of lint before sticking it into her mouth.

Bruno blinked, surprised she'd just – shoved it in her mouth like that. He looked at Lucía and she was trying not laugh, her nose wrinkled in distaste.

He chuckled and looked down at the stone in his hand, rubbing his thumb over it as Josefina had shown him. It – it really was soothing, in its own way. Not quite a rat, but – still nice.

"Can I sit in your lap?" Josefina asked, slurping around the piece of candy in her mouth.

Bruno looked to Lucía and she inclined her head, indicating it was up to him. She'd been quiet through their entire exchange, but she smiled at him now. It was tentative and searching. Almost worried.

He looked away.

"Ah – okay."

She shifted herself so that she rested on his crossed legs and her head rested on his shoulder, and she sighed. "Don Bruno, you were amazing," she said.

He laughed weakly and hugged her gently, as soothed by her presence as she was by his. After a moment he let her go, and then looked to Lucía. She gently pulled Josefina off his lap. He returned the stone to Josefina, and the Lucía gave him her hand and pulled him up, and he gripped her arms, just below her shoulders. Her fingers rested lightly on his upper arms, just above the crook in his elbow. He stared at her for a moment, still somewhat stunned.

He didn't get it wrong.

From the questioning look on her face, she was still stunned, too. And then Lucía pulled him into a tight embrace. He blinked before wrapping his arms around her and letting out a long, shuddering sigh of relief.

Lucía finally noticed Alma beside them and released Bruno, and Alma stepped forward. She lay a hand on the side of his face, brushing her thumb affectionately across his cheek, and then pulled him into an embrace of her own.

"Mijo," she whispered, emotion threatening to choke her. "Bruno."

The sounds of shouting and exclamations of surprise further down the hill spurred her into motion. She released her son and turned toward her nieta. "Mirabel – could you help me with the town - por favor?"

Mirabel gave her tío a concerned glance but he gave her a thumbs-up. She threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him off-balance, and then she nodded. The two Miracle holders began to move against the crowd. Julieta was already seeing to Osvaldo, who was slowly coming back to consciousness on the ground. Alma and Mirabel reassured everyone that everything was fine, now, and that the fireworks would be rescheduled, and everyone should go home, now. They began seeking out the other council members to tell them about what had just happened.

Selena just stared silently. She hadn't moved or spoken a word since she'd laid eyes on the boy in Luisa's arms.

The young man in Luisa's arms finally seemed to shake himself from his shock. He grinned up at her. His cheeks dimpled. "Uh…not that I particularly mind being in your arms, princesa, but – ah – do you mind putting me down?"

"Uh…yeah. Um – sorry. Sorry." Luisa gently set him down, and he brushed himself off and picked up his helmet. He held himself with the easy confidence of a young man who was good-looking and charming and knew it.

He straightened and his eyes settled on Selena. His grin dimmed but held his arms out to her. "Ah! Selena! My favorite little artista! I have something important to - "

That broke the spell of silence and stillness that had been cast on her. "Alonso!" She hissed, her brows knitting together in worry and anger as she glared at him. She stepped forward and smacked him lightly on the arm. "You stupid idiot. What were you thinking? You could've killed someone! You could've killed yourself!" Another smack.

He smiled sheepishly at her and held up his hands in defense. "Ah, but I didn't."

When she simply crossed her arms, unimpressed, he pressed his hand to his chest. "What, this is the welcome you give your older brother's best amigo? I thought I was family, no?" He looked around at the people surrounding him, gaping at him in various stages of wonder, incredulity, and outright irritation. An angry thundercloud was growing above Pepa's head, but he didn't seem to notice it. "Allow me a quick introduction of myself to your patrons. Alonso Jiménez, motor enthusiast and current delivery driver and general handyman for Los Carnes de Carlitos, best butcher in San Cristobál, at your service." He bowed to no one in particular, and then turned back to Luisa and took her hand and kissed the back of it.

She froze in shock.

"I must thank you for catching me, princesa. I must admit I wasn't expecting the road to end quite so quickly. I thought - "

"I don't think you were thinking at all!" Selena said angrily. "If it weren't for the Madrigals, you'd be as flat as an arepa on the ground right now!"

Alonso released Luisa's hand (she rubbed it self-consciously), and turned back to Selena, a glint in his eye. "Well, maybe if this village had better roads or lighting or - I don't know – a map - "

"Why are you even here?" Selena asked, exasperated. "I told you I'd be home tomorrow."

"I was just going to ask the same thing," Alma Madrigal interrupted coolly, appearing at Selena's shoulder, along with Mirabel and several of the council members. "Perhaps we could all move to the town hall to…sort things out."

Alonso smiled and bowed slightly again, offering his hand to shake. "Alonso Jiménez, Señora – ah – Señora - "

" – Madrigal," Alma supplied, eyeing his hand with a perfectly placid expression on her face, but refusing to shake it. "Do you have any idea the chaos you have caused here this evening?"

He blinked and seemed to look around him for the first time, taking in the lanterns and decorations, the hill, and the multitude of people leaving it, streaming to either side of the small group around him with looks of curiosity, fear, and judgment on their faces. "Oh. Lo siento. Did I interrupt some sort of festival?"

Josefina scowled at him from her position near her madre. She'd pressed herself in between Lucía and Bruno and squeezed both of their hands in her frustration. "You did. We were all gonna watch the fireworks and - "

"-and that's enough, mi fresita," Lucía said quietly. "Let's let Señora Madrigal handle this."

"But Mamá - "

"Lo siento," Alonso said sincerely, kneeling down before her like a knight of old to speak with her more easily. "My deepest apologies for interrupting your evening, princesita."

She pursed her lips, unimpressed. "Why're you talking like Hernando?"

He grinned, showing off his dimples once again. "Who is Hernando?"

"That doesn't matter right now," Alma sighed, pinching her nose. "What matters is you seriously endangered the village tonight, riding your – your - "

Isabela showed up beside her abuela, dragging the bike beside her with her vines. Her hair was unkempt and her dress was a mess and she was equal parts adrenaline rush and extreme irritation.

" – motorcycle. It's a Matchless," he said proudly to Alma, either not seeing or completely ignoring the fact that his precious motorcycle was being hauled up the hill by living vines. "AJS Model 16MS, British made. Bought if off a soldier I met in Medellín a few months ago. Said he wanted to explore the world, forget what he saw in the war." His smile dimmed for a moment, and then he straightened his back and pressed on. "He decided to stay. Needed money for an apartment. But - newly made last year! Hydraulically dampened spring in the back. I barely felt the bumps in the road! It was amazing! Except for that last bit. Where – ah!" He exclaimed, his brow furrowing in confusion as he finally noticed Isabela and his motorcycle.

"Mi dama! What did you do to her?" He cried, attempting to pull some vines off the nearest handlebar. A tendril whipped out and smacked his hand, and several mini sundews sprouted, snapping their petaled mouths at him. (2)

Alonso pulled back his hand in awe, and finally observed the people around him. Antonio sat on his jaguar, and both the boy and cat looked as though they were frowning at him. Pepa's thundercloud was growing and flashing lightening, and Isabela's flowers were still opening and closing their leafy jaws at him. "What – what – what is this place?" A sudden look of confusion and fear marked his face. "Did I – die? Am I dead? Am I – in some sort of coma - " He pinched himself firmly on the arm and winced.

"Welcome to the Encanto." Isabela said darkly. "You are not dead. You are not dreaming. And I am not your lady."

"I wasn't talking to you." Alonso responded, curiosity getting the better of him. He attempted to poke at the plants and drew his hand back quickly as they all turned toward him.

"'Mi dama' is the name of his motorcycle," Selena explained, her face in her hands.

Isabela's eye twitched. "What…what did I do, to her? I'll tell you what I did to her. I stopped your lady from crushing half the village!"

It was an exaggeration, but nobody blamed her.

Alonso blinked and frowned, finally putting the pieces together. "I - I am deeply sorry. But - "

Selena sighed, a deep, tired, resigned sigh. She grabbed Alonso by the sleeve of his jacket. "Come to the town hall, pelota. We'll sort this out there."

" - reckless driving, endangerment, complete disregard for the safety of the people in town - " Señor Ruiz listed off the list of offenses against the young man standing before him.

A majority of council members had assembled to sort out the mess that had occurred at the fireworks display, and Alonso stood before them.

The gas lamps glowed brightly, and he stood with his back straight, his head held high, and his hands clasped respectfully before him. In this better light, it was easy to see he was tall, muscular, and had a well-defined, clean-shaven jawline. His jaw was clenched and he kept darting glances as Selena, but he seemed more anxious about her than about himself.

The Madrigals, (minus Alma and Mirabel, who sat at the table with the rest of the council members) along with Lucía, Josefina, and Mariano and his mother, sat against one wall. They were key witnesses to the events of the evening and had been asked to stay until the council had a better idea of what had happened and what, if anything, needed to be done as a result. Josefina had eagerly given her rendition of events, though everyone else was much more subdued. As they relayed their personal experiences of the evening, Alonso grew more and more grim, fully realizing what could have happened, if not for the intervention of this apparently magical family.

"May I say something?" Alonso asked when Señor Ruiz was finished listing off his offenses.

He sighed. "You may."

"I sincerely apologize, and I thank you - " he nodded to the Madrigal family " - for preventing a tragedy. I see now I owe you my life, and the life of mi dama. I apologize for putting your village in danger. You are correct, my driving was – reckless. But there are no maps and no streetlights and I was trying to get here as quickly as possible because of an emergency."

Silence reigned after his comment.

"What – what kind of an emergency?" Alma asked quietly.

Alonso looked to Selena, his face sober. "It's Daniel."

All the fight and all the tension that was still present in her eyes and posture went out of Selena at that news. "What's wrong? Is he having another attack? Is Santiago with him? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Alonso nodded. "I tried to tell you, but things got – out of hand, as you can see. Santiago's taken him to the clinic, but - "

"Who is Daniel? And Santiago?" Mirabel cut in.

Selena turned to address the council members. "They're my brothers. Santiago is older, he works with Alonso at the butcher in town – in San Cristobál. Daniel is younger – he's – he's got asthma."

She turned back to Alonso. "Didn't you give him the cigarettes?" (3)

Alonso shook his head. "We were out. Santiago took him to the clinic to get more, but we're – we're a little short - "

Selena bit her lip. "I was paid tonight." She turned back toward Alma and Mirabel, addressing them directly. "Please – my brother – I need to go, and Alonso's an idiot but he won't make the same mistake twice. He can get me home fastest - "

Mirabel turned to look at Alma with a pleading expression on her face.

Alma sighed. "Señor Ruiz, if it pleases the council, on the basis of the fact that no one was seriously injured this evening and no property was seriously damaged, I would like to recommend that we reprimand Alonso Jiménez and allow him to take Selena de León home to her brother, with the caveat that if he ever returns to the Encanto, he will either come on horseback or else maintain a more reasonable rate of speed."

"Agreed," Señor Ruiz said. "And if he is ever caught driving so recklessly again, he will face a true trial and not just an unofficial council hearing."

The council members agreed.

"Thank you!" Alonso said sincerely. "I appreciate your judgment."

He looked to Selena and offered her a tense smile. "Let's go, artista."

Selena stepped toward him, and then hesitated. She turned and scanned the group around her and her eyes settled on Julieta. "Señora," she said quietly. "Wasn't your – that is, do you think your gift – will it - ?"

Julieta nodded. "It won't cure him permanently, but it will stop the symptoms for the time being." She hesitated. "If my gift works outside of the Encanto. We don't – we've never tried, before."

Relief flooded Selena's features, and she reached to her mochila and to pull out her money pouch. "I'd like to at least try - "

"No, no, querida," Julieta said softly. "There is no charge."

Selena's hand froze and she swallowed. "Wha – what?"

"What are you talking about?" Alonso said. "Charge for what? What gift?"

Selena sighed. "I'll explain on the way. But first we need to go to the Casita and get some arepas."

Alonso looked at her like she was crazy. "Daniel is sick and you're worried about a snack? Pequeña artista, I think you've been inhaling too many paint fumes."

Selena frowned at him. "Just trust me, pelota."

After the Council dismissed everyone, Señora Villanueva taking down their names in case any more questions arose, Julieta and Agustín made a bee-line for Casita to prepare fresh arepas for Selena.

Bruno hung back with Lucía and Josefina and offered to walk them home.

Josefina eagerly accepted and Lucía smiled her thanks.

When they arrived at La Casa Hernandez, José was waiting for them, the lamps lit. He greeted them all with a hug or a handshake, and told Josefina to say good night to Bruno and go inside to get ready for bed. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek, complaining once more of the prickles from his beard. Lucía scolded her for being rude, but Bruno laughed nervously and promised he'd tidy up tomorrow morning. José followed Josefina in, allowing Bruno and Lucía a few moments to say goodnight privately.

They stood facing each other, mostly in shadows - the dim yellow of the oil lamp and the pale silver of the moon the only sources of light at the moment.

Lucía had so many things she wanted to say, so many things she wanted to ask, but every time her mouth began to form a sentence, she stopped herself.

Are you all right?

How are you feeling?

What did you see?

I was worried about you, but I don't want you to feel bad about it.

I'm still worried about you, because I love you.

Will I see you tomorrow?

Will you be okay?

She wasn't sure how to phrase her concern without adding to his obviously complicated emotions about what had happened tonight.

So she settled on stepping closer to him, close enough to invite physical contact but not so close as to force it. When he looked at her with those big, uncertain eyes, she tentatively reached out to him, opening her arms.

He sighed in relief and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. She responded in kind, pressing herself as close to him as possible and sliding her arms around his waist and beneath the ruana on his back. Her hands moved over the smooth, worn fabric of his shirt. The night was chilly and he was so wonderfully warm.

He'd been so willing to hold her hand, to hold her, earlier today. That vision – and the way he'd had to tell his family about it in such a rushed way – had obviously shaken him and his confidence. She nuzzled her cheek into his shoulder. She never wanted him to doubt her love and affection for him.

"Bruno," she said softly.

He hummed in response.

"I'm – still learning, you know. About you. And what you like and dislike and what helps and what doesn't. If – if you don't like something I do, or if you do like something – you're – you should tell me. I want you to tell me. What you like, and what you don't. I want to help you, but - I don't know what helps the most."

He held quite still for a moment, thinking. "I like – you. I like being with you. Being next to you. Touching you. I like this, right now. I couldn't - " she felt and heard him swallow. "I didn't – have a lot of that, you know? Before. I just – I don't want to – be – too much."

"You're not too much, Bruno. I'm sorry – earlier – I was trying – I'm sorry I didn't do more than hold your hand, I wasn't sure – how to help, if – if doing something else would help or make things worse - "

"You were great." He said it softly, reverently.

"So were you."

He shook his head. "I – I don't even – I don't know what I was. What that was."

Lucía waited. "Has that – has something like that ever happened to you before?"

"That's – that has never happened to me before. Not like that. I mean - I'd try to warn people about things but no one listened or if they did things still didn't change. I don't - " he sighed. "I'm still figuring out – how things are – different, now."

He paused, his cheek resting on her head. "I'm not sure if I like – what I had to do tonight. I – I didn't like it." He sounded ashamed. "I mean – I liked – that no one got hurt, but - "

Lucía snuggled closer to him. "That's okay. We'll figure it out."

After a moment she pulled away slightly, just enough to give her room to tilt her face toward his. "I'm proud of you," she whispered. Her eyes moved over his face, still searching for something she hadn't found yet. For the words that would make things better, knowing that there probably wasn't some magic combination of words she could say, but wanting to try anyway. "It was scary and hard but Josefina was right, you were so brave and I'm – proud of you. I love you."

"I love you, too."

The rest of their good-bye did not need words.

Selena was obviously nervous as Bruno slipped into the warm light and activity of Casita. She kept picking at her nails and biting her lip. "It will only take a moment, and they're more potent when they're fresh," Julieta explained as Agustín helped her mix the dough.

As the couple worked, the Madrigals fluttered around Selena and Alonso. Alonso watched with amazement as Casita bumped ingredients off of shelves and along the counters, speeding the work along. He kept swearing softly under his breath until Selena poked him in the arm and told him to watch his language.

As her parents made the arepas, Isabela reluctantly removed her vines from his motorbike, and Alonso ensured it was in working order. He attempted to be chivalrous about her treatment of his prized possession. It was clear he was still offended by her attitude toward it.

The Madrigals assured Selena she could return another time for her paint wagon and donkey, and they even offered to bring it to her if she needed them to. She accepted the offer and scribbled her address on a piece of paper and handed it to Señora Madrigal. "Gracias," she said softly. "If I don't return by Wednesday, if you could have someone bring it back – that would be wonderful. Gracias."

Soon enough, the arepas were made and wrapped and stored in the storage compartment attached to the bike. Alonso handed Selena a spare helmet from said storage compartment. He nodded his thanks to the family and mounted his bike.

Selena tucked her curls into the helmet and slid onto the bike behind him, pressing herself forward and wrapping her arms tightly around Alonso's waist, her mouth pressed into a grim line. Alonso revved the bike's engine.

Dolores winced and covered her ears, and Mariano, who'd elected to stay as the Madrigals finished assisting Selena and Alonso, pulled her close and glared at the oblivious young man.

"Hold on tight, princesa!" He called over his shoulder to Selena.

"Shut up and drive, pelota."

He revved the engine again and the motorcycle dashed forward, off into the night, Selena's red dress fluttering behind her like a crimson flag.

Camilo watched her leave, his arms crossed across his chest and a neutral expression on his face. His parents tried to coax him inside, but he insisted he needed the fresh air and he'd be along shortly. His mind buzzed with the chaos the evening had brought – he thought of Selena, and her expression listening to Señora García, and her easy banter with Alonso, and the way she looked on the back of that bike with him, riding off into the jungle.

He never got the chance to make her smile.

He'd made her cry, listening to Señora García, but it was the good kind of crying. There were enough girls in his house he knew the difference between a good cry and a bad cry.

So he'd made her have a good cry, but he hadn't made her smile.

He wasn't used to failing like that.

Beside him, Luisa sighed. She'd stayed outside Casita afterward, too, on the opposite side of the door. Camilo sighed and moved to stand beside her, allowing his shoulders to sag against the house's outer wall.

"You okay, prima?" Camilo asked softly.

Luisa blinked and her gaze refocused on him.

"I – uh," She paused and frowned. "I don't know. I'm still – wired, I guess. Adrenaline rush. I mean – what was that tonight?"

Camilo sighed. "Suckage," he murmured under his breath. "Pure suckage, is what it was."

"I – ah – I thought you weren't - in love with her?"

Camilo whipped his head toward the speaker in time to see Tío Bruno exit the door and lean against the outer wall of Casita, beside him. His tone was soft. Definitely more probing than teasing.

When he didn't answer right away, Bruno seemed to shrink back. "Ah – unless – unless you were talking about - " he looked away.

Camilo knew he was thinking of that vision. That part – that was definitely not suckage. That was – something else. Frightening, yes, but also – awesome and wild and - Camilo didn't want to think too hard about it, right now.

And he didn't want his tío overthinking it either.

Camilo straightened his shoulders. "Nope. Wasn't talking about that. Was definitely talking about Señor I'm-So-Cool-I-Name-My-Motorcycle. And I'm not – in love. I was just trying to make her smile. We've been over this. You were there."

Bruno just blinked at him.

"And I thought you weren't going to be 'making any moves' a week ago, and yet – here we are." Camilo snorted. "My fifty-year-old tío has more game than me. You don't have any trouble making people smile, lately. Courting, novias, making out in - "

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Bruno held up his hands. "One novia. Not plural. Just one. And that's all there will ever be. One."

Luisa sighed and gave her tío a timid smile. "Leave him alone, Camilo. It's romantic."

Camilo was silent for a moment, and then turned his head to address Luisa. "Fine. Sorry. I'm irritable. I couldn't make someone happy and it annoys me."

"Funny. I thought it was more the fact she left on the back of a motorcycle with a guy so cool looking he'd give Valentino a run for his money." Bruno muttered under his breath.

Camilo wrinkled his nose in confusion.

"I mean – if – ah – if he were a man. And not – not a rat," Bruno clarified. "I kind of – picture them – as people, sometimes? And Valentino would be dark and suave and charming, just like – ah – never – nevermind." Bruno ducked his head.

Camilo blinked at him, unsure of what to do with that, and he turned back to Luisa. "Riiiight. So…Lu…what did you think of Alonso?" His tone was soft and there wasn't even a hint of teasing in it.

Camilo was always gentler with Luisa. She was much more sensitive than most of the others in his familia, on par more with Antonio than with anyone else. He teased her occasionally, but never as snarkily as he did Isa or Mira or Lolo, and only when he knew she could handle the sarcasm.

Luisa blushed. "Nothing. I don't know." She paused. "I don't know anything about Alonso. With the face and the dimples and - " she caught herself, and she looked sad, for just a moment – before giving her primo and tío a sheepish smile. "I'm just – I'm just gonna go inside, now."

They bid her goodnight and waited until she was back inside.

"Someone got bitten by the loooooove bug," murmured Camilo under his breath.

"Maybe more than one someone." Bruno raised his eyebrow at his sobrino.

"Yeah, you're right," Camilo said. "You and Señora Moreno have it pretty bad."

Bruno snorted. "I was talking about you, you little alborotador." (4)

At that moment, a rat poked its nose out of Bruno's ruana. He tck'd lightly with his tongue and pulled her out, placing her gently on his shoulder. She snuggled into his curls and squeaked contentedly.

Camilo watched for a moment. "Which one is that?"

"Señora Rata. She wanted to – she wanted to come see the moon. Not that she can see all that well, anyway, but ah – it's big and bright and it's nice out here, outside Casita, for her. She probably doesn't have many more chances to see it. Pretty old, and all that." He chuckled sadly.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Camilo said softly.

Bruno shrugged with his rat-free shoulder. "It's – it is what it is, you know? It's life. We can't all have the same lifespan, you know?"

Camilo nodded.

After a moment, he spoke again. "Do you think Daniel will be alright?"

Bruno sighed. "I hope so. For Selena's sake."

"Yeah," Camilo agreed.

They were silent for another moment, sobrino and tío and rat staring up at the moon.

"It's weird," Bruno said, after some time.

When he didn't immediately continue, Camilo gave him a look.

"Just the – the knowing that every single person has a life that's as – complex and varied and important as your own. Selena. Alonso. Random strangers we'll never meet."

"She wasn't a random stranger," Camilo protested, and then caught himself. "Well – I mean – she was, at first. But she – she seemed to – like it here. Parts of it, anyway."

"Maybe," Bruno agreed after a moment. "But she still has a whole life that's completely separated from yours. From ours. She's got friends and family and a job and a history. An entire world that we are not a part of."

Camilo said nothing.

"It doesn't mean she didn't appreciate what you did. What you tried to do, whatever it was. Because of that, you are a part of her world, now. Just – a tiny part. Very small."

"Yeah, I get the point, thanks." Camilo said. He paused. "She didn't even know what I was trying to do."

Bruno chuckled softly. "Do you even know what you were trying to do?"

Camilo glared at him. "I was just trying to make her smile! It's what I do!" He paused. "And I'm usually a lot better at it," he grumbled.

Bruno gave him a nervous smile. "Sometimes – it's not – it's not the success that's as important as the effort."

"Yeah. Maybe." Camilo sighed. After a moment, his lips twitched in thought. "Tío?"

"Uh – yeah?"

"What do you like most about Señora Moreno?"

Bruno blinked and wrung his hands together, surprised. "Ah – it's – it's kinda hard to – narrow down - "

"Just one thing then. One important thing you like about her."

Bruno thought for a moment, and then he took a deep breath. "She – she's a – 'there you are' person.'"

Camilo gave him a blank look.

"What – what I mean is – when she – when she walks into a room, she's not – it's not about 'oh – here I am, it's me, Lucía!'. She – she looks for me - and – when she sees me, her eyes light up and – it's like – it's like I can almost hear her think – 'oh! – there you are.'" He chuckled nervously.

"In other words, she's the exact opposite of me." Camilo said glumly.

Bruno tensed. "That's – that's not what I said, kid. And it's definitely not what I meant."

Camilo huffed and slid down the wall, until his butt hit the ground and his legs were spread out in front of him.

Bruno hesitated, and then sat down beside him, crossing his legs and smoothing out his ruana. He made sure Señora Rata was settled before continuing.

"I'm not – I like who you are," Bruno said. "Every family needs a good 'here – I – am' person. I – I used to be that person, believe it or not."

Camilo snorted.

"But – ah – not about me. It's – ah – it's not about that. What – what I mean is – I – I like – I love Lucía because she's my 'there-you-are' person. She looks for me, and I – she's the first person I look for, in a room, too. You don't need to change who you are. You just – need to find the person that you look for, instead of trying to make them look at you. The person that makes you say – 'Oh. There you are.'"

Camilo rubbed his hands on his pants, contemplating.

After a moment, he stood, and when Bruno stood too, Camilo shrugged, ducking his head. "Thanks."

Bruno gave him a lopsided smile. "Uh – no problem. Happy to – listen. Talk. Ah – what are tíos for, right?"

Camilo kept his head down so Bruno wouldn't see his smirk. "Yeah. I just – I have one more question for you, tío."

Bruno blinked, pleasantly surprised. "What is it?"

Camilo looked up and grinned at him. "Next time you go to confession - how many Hail Mary's is it, do you think, for skipping church to make out with your new novia?"

He dashed into the house before Bruno could throw something at him.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope this will tide you over for a while. Next update probably won't be until the end of the month. God bless you and have a great week!

(1) "Love" by Salvador Novo

Translation:

To love is this shy silenceclose to you, without you knowing,and remember your voice when you leaveand feel the warmth of your greeting.

To love is to wait for youas if you were part of the sunset,neither before nor after, so that we are alonebetween games and storieson dry land.

To love is to perceive, when you are absent,your perfume in the air that I breathe,and appreciate the star in which you walk awaywhen I close the door at night.

Source: Spanish Academy Blog: Short Love Poems in Spanish

2) mi dama – my lady

3)Asthma has been a known medical condition for centuries. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a common treatment was to smoke the dried leaf of the thorn-apple plant, which contain alkaloids that stop airway constriction. There were asthmatic cigarettes sold for the purpose of treating asthma. History is wild, y'all.

Source: ATS Journals dot org

4) alborotador - troublemaker