67. Chapter 67

As the sun was rising. Mirabel road back to the Encanto on the horse that Bruno had brought. Behind her was her Abuela, and behind her Abuela was Bruno holding Alma to make sure she didn't fall off while barely keeping himself on the horse as well.

Mirabel had to hand it to the man though. Ten years inside of the walls and he seemed very well attuned with horses still.

Rats and horses? Maybe Antonio wasn't the only one with a special animal talent. Mirabel couldn't wait to find out. To learn lots of new things about her uncle. Once they had returned home that is.

The moment they reached the rubble Mirabel heard her mother's voice, calling her name. "Mirabel!"

And without thinking Mirabel jumped off the horse, leaving it to Bruno to help Alma down.

Following the voice, Mirabel ran into the rubble and finally saw… Her Mama! Julieta. Hopelessly searching.

By the sight of her, Julieta gasped and rushed directly towards her daughter, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Mama." Mirabel gasped and Julieta sniffed as she stepped back.

"Oh, I was so worried." She swallowed we tears in her eyes. "We couldn't find you."

Agustin was not far behind, gasping.

Shocked did Mirabel look at her father he looked awful. There was swelling and redness everywhere. But he looked like he couldn't care less. "Oh thank god!" he gasped.

"Papa are you…" Mirabel gasped a little shocked.

"There were bees everywhere," Agustin admitted, then swallowed. "I'll be okay," he assured. "Just… As long as you're safe."

Mirabel smiled, touched, her father and mother had always protected her, and then Julieta shouted.

"Over here! She's over here! Mirabel is here!"

Then, the rest of the family appeared.

Pepa, Felix, Isabela, Luisa, Dolores, Camilo and little Antonio. And all of their faces were just filled with relief.

"We're okay. We're all okay." Agustin smiled.

"Erh." Camilo lifted up a hand. "Not if we don't have a house."

And Felix elbowed him.

"What?" Camilo asked. "I can't say we don't have a house? We don't have a house. What is that? That's not a house." he gestured.

"It's going to be okay." Mirabel smiled gently at them. "As long as we are all together. It's going to be okay," she said as she took Isabela's hand and looked up at her.

Isabela swallowed and then nodded as Luisa sniffed.

"Aww." Mirabel let go of Isabela so she could pad Luisa. "It's going to be okay," she assured.

"I don't have a gift anymore," Luisa admitted.

"And that's okay," Mirabel assured. "We are going to figure it out. As long as we are together."

Just then, the old matriarch of the house stepped towards them and they all turned towards her in shock.

Alma swallowed, then smiled gently at them. "You're all okay. Oh thank god." she headed right over to her two daughters and hugged them as she gasped.

"Mama?" Julieta gasped.

"Oh forgive me." Alma swallowed as she stood back only to gently touch Pepa's face so she could see her. "I just… I have been so busy trying to.. To make sure everything runs fine that I… I forgot to tell you two. How much I love you."

And Pepa's eyes watered as she sniffed. "We love you too Mama," she assured and Julieta nodded as she swallowed. "All though…" she looked around, at all the rubble and the broken stones. "I'm sorry… Our house."

Alma smiled amused. "It's not that important," she said. "Something much more important has happened! A miracle!" she gasped making her two daughters blink.

That made Camilo frown. "Miracle?" she asked and he looked at the rubble. "We kind of lost a miracle, not got one."

"Milo." Felix warned again.

"No… We did get another miracle." Alma gasped. "The most amazing thing, we.." she turned only to halt as she realized the space behind her was empty. There was no one there. "Bru…" she began and stopped, the fear clearly coming over her eyes as she stiffened.

Mirabel shook her head a little amused. "Everyone. Wait right here a second," she said and walked over the Alma then whispered on her way past her. "Don't worry you didn't imagine it." Then she walked to one of the broken walls still standing and Mirabel looked at the other side.

To see… Hiding there in the shadow. Bruno, all crouched down and his hood up. Covering his hair and face.

Mirabel smiled amused. "Nervous huh?" she commented.

Bruno swallowed. "I can't. I don't… I just." he stammered. "This is like… A lot. What if they are all angry?" he asked and finally looked up at Mirabel, his eyes visible under the hood looking very large. It kind of reminded Mirabel of Antonio when he had asked her to walk him to his door. "What if things start breaking again? And then Mama gets mad and then people cry and I don't and I.."

Mirabel shook her head. "Tio. It's going to be okay." and she offered him a hand.

Bruno blinked as she looked up at Mirabel and then at her hand. "What?" he asked.

"I'm taking you home," Mirabel said. "Like I promised."

Bruno was quiet, for a moment he looked at Mirabel's hand, still in the sunshine while he was in the shadow and Bruno swallowed. Then slowly, he reached out a hand too, into the sun. At first, he only briefly touched her hand, but then finally took it and Mirabel smirked as she grabbed it tight.

Wide-eyed did Bruno look up at Mirabel and then… Mirabel pulled Bruno up, and back into the light as his hood fell back. Revealing his face and his curls as he stumbled a little bit, steadied by Mirabel.

And then… There was a gasp. A big gasp.

Julieta was covering her mouth in shock, Pepa was gasping and Alma was smiling as she swallowed.

"A miracle," Alma repeated as everyone was wide-eyed looking at Bruno who looked back at them in fear, now taking a little step back.

Though as he did Alma walked over to him and took over for Mirabel, taking his hands and pulled him another step towards the rest of the family while she smiled at him. Bruno still looking just as nervous.

Alma though was smiling a real smile as she reached up a hand and touched Bruno's face. "This is the real miracle." she firmly stated and Bruno's eyes widened.

Just as his two sisters just screamed and ran straight over there, pulling Bruno out of Alma's hands only so they could pick him up himself and left their brother off the ground in a big hug.

"Woah!" Bruno gasped in deep surprise and then laughed nervously. Now swarmed by his two sisters while his feet didn't even touch the ground.

"It's you? It's really you?" Pepa cried, bawled.

"Well… I…" Bruno swallowed.

"BRUNO!" Julieta cried. "I can't believe it! Oh god."

"Juli." Bruno gasped.

"You came back!" Pepa cried. "I can't believe... How? How did you. When?"

"Well, actually I…" Bruno swallowed.

"Oh dear are you okay?" Julieta gasped as she looked at him. "You're so thin! You need to eat!" she gasped.

"And your skin," Pepa exclaimed, referring to the kind of odd slightly grayish color Bruno had acquired from ten years of no sun. "You need sun! Lots of sun! Have you been living in a cave?"

"Erhm." Bruno halted. "I erh.."

And then slowly, slowly Bruno was put down again so he could actually stand by himself and he swallowed.

"I…" Bruno began. "I… I…"

The rest of the family was just looking at the whole spectacle, with various expressions. Camilo in particular was squinting his eyes and he frowned.

"Soo eeerh…" Camilo halted. "Are we gonna talk about Bruno?" he asked.

Antonio smirked. "Yeah, that's Bruno."

Bruno swallowed as he just stood there rubbing his arm, his sisters stepping a little away so the rest could see and Bruno looked at them nervously.

"Erhm… yeah." Bruno halted. "I… I guess there's a lot to say about Bruno huh?" he asked. "I-I-I-I just." he stammered. "Pepa!" he exclaimed grabbing her hands. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry about your wedding!"

And Pepa's eyes widened in surprise. "What?" she asked.

"It… It wasn't even a prophecy!" Bruno stammered. "I just… You looked really nervous and I… and Felix loves you! And you needed to know that! And I'm so sorry that's not what I meant. You just… Need to let it out once in a while and I…. And I.."

Felix smirked. "Yeah, that's what I keep saying."

"My wedding?" Pepa asked surprised. "Why are you so upset about…" she didn't get to finish as Bruno turned to Julieta.

"And-And I'm sorry! I don't even know where to begin." Bruno began. "I got a lot of apologies and."

"Shush." Julieta put a finger on Bruno's lips, her eyes wet. "It's okay… What matters is that you're here," she said. "You're here…. And that's all that matters." she sniffed.

"My wedding?" Pepa asked again. "Why are you on about my wedding?"

"Cause…" Bruno halted as he looked at Pepa. "You… Keep bringing it up."

There was silence. Stunned silence as they all looked at Bruno.

"But." Pepa stammered. "How do you know that?" she asked.

"I knew he never left," Dolores said. "I heard him every day."

Stunned they all turned to Dolores.

"What?" Pepa asked aghast and Alma's eyes widened.

Mirabel smirked as she stepped forward. "Yeah. Tio Bruno was here all the time," she said as she looked up at one of the tallest walls still standing and then hit it, making all the dust fall off and revealing the reason why this wall was still standing. It was filled with cracks, yes, but it was held together with spackle. "Look." she pointed.

And everyone gaped as they looked at it.

"Tio Bruno was inside the walls of the house. Patching cracks every single day. The house would have fallen down way sooner if not for him." Mirabel informed and they all gaped as they looked at Bruno.

Startled did Luisa looked down and then picked up a piece of wall to see true enough. It had spackle on it too. People looked around... It was everywhere. The pieces were held together by spackle. Clear to see.

"Brunito…" Alma gasped. "Is this true?"

"Well I erhm." Bruno swallowed tapping his fingers together then glanced up. "Yes," he admitted and all gasped horrified.

"For how long?" Alma asked. "For how long have you been fixing cracks. You said they were older than Mirabel."

"Erhm." Bruno swallowed. "I found the first one at... Erh." he turned to Julieta. "Your... Wedding day."

Julieta blinked. "My wedding day?" she asked then shouted. "MY WEDDING DAY?! That's even before I got pregnant with Isabela!"

And startled Bruno stepped back.

Even Mirabel looked shocked. "You've been patching cracks for that long?" she asked.

"Well... I mean..." Bruno stammered. "Yes." he finally admitted.

"And you were in the walls?" Agustin asked horrified. "Alone? All alone?"

"Well not completely. I-I had my rats." Bruno said as he started to stammer again. "And-And I co-could check in on you guys and… You-you seemed to be doing fine. So I thought that was good. You didn't need me around so-so-so." his breath started to hike and he gasped. "Excuse me."

"In the walls!" Pepa exclaimed. "Dolores, why didn't you tell me?"

Dolores looked at Pepa as she blinked. "I did," she said. "But you got mad."

And Pepa's mouth just shut tight.

Suddenly Bruno was gasping for breath, his body was shaking and he stood back.

"Bruno?" Julieta asked.

Bruno's entire body was shaking, then he grabbed his hair and started to mumble to himself, his eyes darting everywhere all at once.

"BRUNO!" Pepa shouted.

"Stop!" Mirabel asked as she stepped between them. "Give him space," she asked. "Look… Bruno hasn't actually talked to another human being for ten years. And today he just rode out there to find me. He's been protecting me. For all of this time… This must be extremely overwhelming for him. He has already done so much today. In fact if anything this just proves how brave he is! Give it time."

Now Bruno had found a wall and had started to knock as he gasped. "Knock-Knock-Knock! Knock on wood!" he stammered. "Knock on wood."

"What... What is he doing?" Camilo asked a little disturbed.

"It's okay!" Mirabel held her hands up. "He does that. I think it calms him down."

Julieta chewed her lip. "He used to... Knock under the table sometimes. But it was never.."

"It was never this bad." Pepa finished for her also shocked.

"So he's insane then," Camilo concluded.

"Camilo!" Felix shouted.

"What?" Camilo asked. "Ten years inside of the walls? How couldn't that make anyone insane?" he asked.

And they all looked horrified as Bruno had finally stopped. Now he was just gasping for breath, taking big gulps of air in. And then his legs gave in under him and he sat down.

"It's okay," Alma whispered though she could barely hide her quiver. "As long as he's here… We can figure it out…. Together."

"Oh." Julieta swallowed. "Hermano." then inhaled and looked up. "Just rest Hermano," she asked. "You've done so well…" she sniffed. "You protected my girl."

"Yeah." Agustin smiled warmly. "You sure did."

And Bruno just sat there, inhaling and exhaling. Probably doing the smart thing concentrating on his breath, even if he was a little lost to the world... A lot lost to the world. Yeah... Tio Bruno had left the scene for the time being.

Just then sounds came and Mirabel looked up as she realized… People were approaching the rubble.

Multiple people, the people of the Encanto.

"You found her?" Old Cuaves asked and his eyes fell on Mirabel. "Oh thank god."

"Are you all okay?" Another woman asked. "Do you need anything? How can we help?"

"You're going to need beds for tonight right? I have a guest room. That room can take at least two people."

"Do you need food? I have some extra. Are you okay?"

And people just gathered, asking questions and offering their help and Mirabel smiled.

Of course, that was the moment someone saw the green-clad figure still sitting on the rubble just trying to breathe.

"Wait… Is that… Bruno?!" The man asked.

Everyone silenced and then turned to Bruno whose eyes widened as he looked up, and then shrieked in panic. Now with everyone looking at him.

"Oh now it makes sense." A man from the back suddenly stated. "He comes back and the devil is let right back in."

Suddenly… Alma stepped forward. She never had the gift of thunder like Pepa but that didn't seem to matter.

"Don't you dare!" Alma exclaimed. "That's my son!" she proclaimed loudly for everyone to hear. "And he never did a thing to hurt any of you!" she exclaimed. "All he ever did was trying to protect and serve! And he has made his Mama proud! Finally, he's where he belongs. Home! With his family! And he's not going anywhere!"

"Exactly." Julieta stepped up beside her mother in front of Bruno as to shield him. "That is Bruno Madrigal! My brother! What about it?!"

And Pepa stepped up on the other side of Alma so now all three women were standing side by side. Protecting Bruno from the mob.

That wasn't enough though. Agustin stepped up beside his wife and Felix next to his.

Little Antonio stepped forward, Luisa flexed her muscles, Isabela narrowed her eyes. Even Camilo as confused as he was, could recognize that this was something important to his family and stood with his sister who glared at them all making the people of the Encanto look rather startled.

Not being used to this family to talk back to them.

And Mirabel narrowed her eyes. "You're not taking my Tio away from us again." she simply stated and behind her Bruno gasped.

"But…" Gustavo with his gut gasped. "What is he doing here?" he asked.

"What is he doing here? WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!" Julieta shouted startling them all. Julieta was usually very mild tempered so to see her shout wasn't normal "He's where he belongs! With his family! And I don't want to hear another word out of you. Do you want to know why you grew a gut?" she asked making Gustavos's eyes blink. "Because you can't go one day without a Pandebone! They are made out of cheese! You always eat several a day! AND you drink at the tavern every Saturday! That's why! If you don't want to have a gut I suggest you man up and take some responsibility!"

"And you!" Suddenly Pepa was all up in the face of Father Mendoza. "Your father went bald in his late thirties. Your grandfather was bald as an egg! It's in your genes! Deal with it!"

"And you." Now it was Mirabel speaking and there seemed to be venom dripping off her words as she was glaring at a young woman with skin as dark as Felix's. "I remember now…. I remember," she said as she stepped forward towards the dark-skinned woman. "Do you want to know why your goldfish died? Do you?" she asked.

The dark-skinned woman's eyes widened as she stepped backward.

"Because you were keeping it in a small glass bowl and you were running around with that same bowl on the plaza," Mirabel growled. "A fish can't handle that. It gets stressed out. My Tio Bruno didn't kill your goldfish. You did!"

The dark-skinned woman looked absolutely shocked as her mouth just stood open, making her look like the goldfish she had lost.

"ALL OF YOU! You should be ashamed!" Mirabel exclaimed. "You just blamed my Tio so you didn't have to take any responsibility yourself! It's disgusting. You're all supposed to be adults! But nooo…. My mother has to heal your scraped knees. My sister has to capture your donkeys! My aunt has to make sure your anniversary has nice weather! My cousin has to listen to all of your bullshit all day every day so she can inform you right back what is going on in the town. Maybe you ought to do your own work for a change! And stop blaming my Tio! News flash! SOMETIMES A TREE DIES! They all have to die at some point! Life is inconvenient. Get over it! And leave my family out of it!"

There was stunned silence, everyone was gaping as they looked at Mirabel. No one seemed to know what to say.

And suddenly… A soft chuckle sounded.

Shocked Mirabel turned around to see Bruno sitting on the ground. Covering his mouth with his hands, but clearly, it was him laughing while tears streamed down from his eyes. "So-Sorry." he gasped. "You just… You truly are my Mama's granddaughter."

That made Alma's eyes open wide in shock, but then she smiled and she chuckled as well as she shook his head.

Bruno sniffed and Pepa sat down next to him gently placing her hands on his shoulders. Quickly joined by Julieta.

"You're feeling better Hermano?" Pepa asked in a whisper.

Bruno nodded as he sniffed. "Yeah… It's just… So much happening." he gasped well tears fell down his face. "Sorry... I'm sorry." he had to gasp for breath.

"It's okay," Julieta whispered. "We have time… We have all the time in the world. For however long it takes." she swallowed. "We're not letting you go again."

Bruno nodded slowly as he leaned his head on his sister's shoulder, looking like he had just exhausted himself while small tears still trickled down his face. And under her hand, Julieta could still feel his entire body shaking. He was shaking like a leaf.

"What do you need?" Pepa asked in a gentle voice.

"Just… Stay like this. Por favor." Bruno asked. "Sorry."

"No." Julieta shook her head. "You protected my daughter for ten years. This at least we can do."

Bruno nodded as he squinted his eyes.

And the townspeople, many looking ashamed. They started to quietly actually help. Moving a bit of rubble to see if they could uncover things to salvage and Bruno sighed deeply, melting into his two sisters' embrace finally, the sheer amount of exhaustion just overwhelming him and he fell asleep.