73. Chapter 73

Somehow… Somehow Bruno managed to survive breakfast. It was still very overwhelming. But people seemed to had gotten the general idea that they just needed to leave him alone when Bruno started to gasp for breath.

Julieta had put a specific plate with three Arepas next to Bruno and when Camilo had tried to take one she slapped his hand.

"Those are Bruno's," Julieta informed.

"Erh… Why?" Camilo asked. "What's different about them?"

"Those have extra butter in the dough," Julieta informed.

Bruno blinked as he looked up. "You didn't need to do that."

"And you didn't need to stay in the walls for ten years fixing the cracks so the house wouldn't fall down over our heads. Yet here we are." Julieta shrugged. "You don't need to eat all of them. Just eat what you can."

And Bruno nodded as he picked one up to quietly nibble on it.

By the end, Bruno could only get one and a half Arepa down, as well as half an avocado Julieta pushed over to him.

"I picked up some books the other day," Julieta informed. "Avocados are very high in calories and lots of beneficial vitamins. It would be very good if you eat at least one a day. If you can't eat bread at our meals At least eat an avocado."

The avocado was easier than an Arepa, so Bruno liked this plan. He actually liked it a lot.

Still, Bruno had to excuse himself early and flee back to his room. Honestly surprised that no one spoke up about it.

He was allowed to rest a little bit before Mirabel came in, holding a sort of cloth in her arms. "I asked the neighbors if they had an extra Ruana," she informed as she glanced at the blanket makeshift Ruana Bruno was still wearing. "Here you go." she put it on the table.

Bruno looked at it. It was brown…. So the colors were all reversed. His shirt was green, his pants were black and the Ruana was brown. Kind of… Weird. Then he looked at Mirabel.

"We are all going back to Casita in a moment," Mirabel said. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"No! I want to come." Bruno jumped up. "I… Need to." he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then exhaled. "I can't just sit here all day. I… I need to do… Something."

Mirabel nodded. "Okay." she simply said. "Don't overdo it though. You have already done plenty." and she left, allowing Bruno to exchange the blanket for the clean Ruana.

Soon after he joined the family who all wore different clothes to head back towards casita, or what remained of casita.

Though as they arrived, the townspeople were already at work. Moving rubble and try to clear it all away.

"Ah! Madrigals!" An older gentleman with dark sin came towards them with a big smile. Senor Corzo. "I hope you have all managed to rest well after such a dramatic day!"

"Yes. Thank you." Alma nodded. "We all had some very much needed family time."

"That's good." Corzo nodded. "As you can see we have started to try and clear things out," he said. "Any broken rubble and stones we are putting over there." he pointed at one spot. "And the items we find we put there." he pointed at another spot, this one though had a cloth suspended over it like a small roof. "We figured you guys wanted to go through it when you have the time. See what you want to keep and what needs to be thrown out."

They all looked at the pile, there was already quite the pile of items there. Furniture, multiple pictures with broken frames, a pile of cloth items. Maybe there were some clothes there?

"Well." Mirabel grinned as she pulled up her sleeves. "Let's get to it then! This is pretty straightforward isn't it?" she asked and they all nodded as they stepped forward and started to help out with clearing out the rubble and scavenge for items to put in the item pile.

And Bruno didn't hesitate either to help. To be honest, he was actually happy to have such a straightforward task! He knew what to do and had something to concentrate on.

So when people gave Bruno sideglances he could just concentrate on the work… All though when someone else realized that someone was whispering about Bruno.

Bruno kept being shocked how his family just went to town on the townspeople, glaring at them, putting themselves in a protective way between Bruno and whoever was looking. Even snapped at them.

Bruno had no idea what to say… Should he thank them or say nothing? It was… So weird. And sometimes he just needed to find a shadowy corner to collect himself again before he could continue.

Isabela sighed deeply as she looked towards Mariano Guzman, who just like always, met up like a real trooper to help whenever it was needed and act like a perfect gentleman. Moving rocks and rubble with all the others, even with his hurt nose, and didn't complain at all.

Isabela's heart sank. She knew what she had to do. But that didn't help that it sucked.

"Like a bandaid," Mirabel said as she stood next to Isabela. "You just need to get through it! Like yesterday with the family."

Isabela nodded as she swallowed.

"I'm right behind you," Mirabel assured and Isabela inhaled a deep breath to step forward, finally approaching the man.

"Erhm… Mariano," she said.

Suddenly Mariano turned around and looked at Isabela.

"Oh! Isabela. Hi." Mariano gasped as he turned around to face her.

"So erhm… Look." Isabela tried. "We… We need to talk."

"I know," Mariano said glancing down. "Engagement and all of that. My mama was hoping for a spring wedding and so forth."

"Actually." Isabela tried.

"Look… Listen." Mariano said. "Before you say anything. Please let me speak," he said.

Isabela quieted.

"I don't know how to say this." Mariano then said. "After yesterday. I got a little time to think and I erh…" he swallowed. "I think maybe… We should see other people."

At that Isabela blinked. "What?" she asked.

"Look! You are a really nice girl." Mariano said. "And beautiful! And you help those around you. It's just like… How do I put it? You never listen to me."

Isabela blinked.

"The truth is…" Mariano said. "My mama was so excited about me dating a Madrigal and getting married and I didn't know how to let her down! I want to get married. I really do! And I want to have kids. But… At least I want it to be with someone who appreciates me. Not that you're not!" he held up his hands. "It's just… I try so hard! I want to do good, I want to be there for the woman I am with. I want to shower that woman with love! But when I talk to you it's like talking to a wall! It's like you couldn't even care less about what I am saying!"

Isabela's eyes were wide.

"I set up dates and give you flowers. But you never return the favor! And it's like you don't even care and that… It really hurts my feelings you know." Mariano said.

"Wait a second. I do listen." Isabela said.

"Do you?" Mariano asked. "The other day I told you about the children of the Cuavos family. And I tried to tell you about the poetry book I read. Do you even remember what I told you? You didn't seem like you cared."

Isabela blinked wide-eyed. Her mouth wide open.

"I am so sorry," Mariano said as he took her hands. "I don't mean to hurt you. You are a good friend but… I just don't see this working out. Or us being happy. I don't mind working hard to be a good husband. But if we can't even talk together. How is that going to work?"

Again Isabela was just gaping.

"I'm sorry." Mariano squinted his eyes as he let go of her hand. "I'm just… Going to go now." And he turned around and walked away and Isabela… Isabela was just left standing there gaping like a fish.

"HAH!" Camilo laughed as he stepped up next to her. "You just got dumped."

"Watch it!" Isabela huffed at her cousin.

"You got dumped! And you deserve it. Cause you were a shitty girlfriend!" Camilo grinned only for Isabela to hit him over the head.

"AUW!"

"Well." Mirabel blinked as she stepped forward. "I guess that worked itself out."

Isabela looked at Mirabel and then, suddenly she snorted. And then she laughed. And Mirabel laughed as well as they both fell down on the ground crying from laughter.

"How would that ever have worked anyway?" Mirabel laughed loudly. "Neither of you liked each other that way!"

"Oooh I'm just glad it's over," Isabela smirked.

"So what are you going to do now?" Mirabel asked.

Isabela shrugged. "I just think I'll try to be me for a while," she smirked turning to her sister. "And you know. Connect with my family! COME HERE!" and she launched for Mirabel suddenly tickling her and Mirabel screamed in laughter as the two girls tumbled across the rubble, soon enough both being completely covered in dirt and dust. But neither cared. They just had fun.

Not far away Bruno was sitting on the top of a broken wall taking a breather as he sighed deeply.

Finally, Agustin approached him, glancing up at his brother in law. "Are you doing okay?"

Bruno yelped, nearly falling down from the wall. Then finally, he managed to balance himself and gasped before looking down at Agustin…. For once having to look down as he was on top of the broken wall.

Agustin looked up at him then glanced down. "I… Wanted to thank you," he said. "For what you did for Mirabel."

"Well… I…" Bruno swallowed. "She's my niece so. And she's such a wonderful girl." he looked at how Mirabel and Isabela were screaming and laughing rolling around just as Luisa came too. And threw herself at both of them and they all laughed. Bruno smiled… "That sure brings back memories." he breathed.

"You, Julieta, and Pepa?" Agustin asked.

Bruno nodded. "Yeah… We would tumble too." he quieted. "I erh… I don't mean to take her attention away." he swallowed. "Julieta I mean…"

Agustin looked up at Bruno. "You're her triplet! You were there before I was!"

"Well yes but…" Bruno looked down. "I'm not… Erhm." he swallowed. "She is right to be living her own life. They both are… I… Don't mean to hold them back."

"You're not! She always missed you!" Agustin said. "Bruno I… I love her," he said. "I love her so much. And I want her to be happy," he said. "Julieta is a triplet. I can't replace her triplet! That's not how that works! And if she wasn't a triplet she wouldn't be Julieta. Or at least not the Julieta I know or fell in love with."

Bruno's eyes widened and then he swallowed as he looked down. Pulling up his hood to cover his face.

"And you've been looking after my girls too…. I can never thank you enough for that." Agustin said lovingly looking at the three girls that were now all laying on their backs laughing.

"I…" Bruno hesitated. "I'm just really glad I was allowed to be a part of it…" he muttered. "For the birth… Watching them grow. It…. It has been the best part of my life… I… I could never let anything happen to them. Any of them."

Agustin glanced up at him, then smirked as he crossed his arms leaning against the wall. "Yeah, I think you proved that already," he stated. "I'm really glad you're back."

Bruno glanced at Agustin from under the hood.

"It's just not… right. Without you here. It never was." Agustin said.

"Oh." Bruno blinked then swallowed. "Sorry I… I mean."

"Don't apologies," Agustin asked in a deep sigh. "Julieta will kill me if she finds out you started apologizing to me."

Bruno looked down. "Sorry," he whispered and then blinked.

Agustin looked up at him then couldn't help but snort, and Bruno smiled a little nervously in return. Then finally smirked as well. "You know what I just realized?" Agustin asked.

Bruno shook his head.

"You are ten years behind when it comes to Telenovelas!" Agustin stated. "There's this one that came out last year you will love it. Let's get Felix and watch a recording this evening. Just like old times."

"Dolores would want to watch too. She loves Telenovelas." Bruno said.

"Sure she can. Whoever wants it." Agustin smirked. "If you're up for it that is."

Bruno nodded. "I'm up for it." he said and Agustin beamed.

It was probably a pretty good thing that that evening Bruno had planned for an event that didn't take a lot of movement because he was in pain… A lot of pain.

"You're sunburned!" Julieta exclaimed as she ran to get the Aloe cream and started to smear his hurting face with it.

Bruno grimaced. "Why?" he asked. "I never got sunburned before! It was always Pepa." he referred to his fair skinned sister.

"Ten years Bruno!" Pepa proclaimed. "Did you get any sun at all those ten years! Your skin is gray!"

Bruno halted, then swallowed.

"Dios Mios." Pepa rolled her eyes. "You need sun! For sure. But you also need sunscreen now!"

"Who uses sunscreen in this Encanto? Do we even have sunscreen?" Bruno asked.

"We'll find some!" Julieta stated. "And stay in the shadow when the sun is at its highest."

"But." Bruno tried.

"No arguments!" Pepa demanded and Bruno's mouth shut tight. Wide-eyed looking at his sister.

And then he was shaking again. Gasping for breath.

"Sorry! Sorry." Pepa gasped. "I didn't mean to trigger you."

"It… It's okay." Bruno gasped as he fumbled a bit with his hands but finally managed to find the wall and knock on it. "I need to learn how to get over this… It's not normal. I know it isn't normal! I just.."

"Bruno!" Julieta cut in. "If that's what you need then that's fine!"

Bruno looked at Julieta and then inhaled deeply and exhaled.

"Now I think you should go rest. Dinner won't be for another hour" Julieta informed and Bruno nodded slowly.

"You're doing great," Pepa assured stepping forward and kissing Bruno on the cheek. "Thank you for trying so hard to get back to us."

"Well… Heh." Bruno laughed nervously. "I am sort of starting to realize maybe leaving was… Kind of a bad idea. I… I never meant to hurt you. Either of you." he swallowed.

"It's not your fault," Julieta assured. "We're just glad you're here now"

Bruno inhaled and then finally nodded. "I… I'm really glad I'm here too."

The two sisters smiled and then there was another small sibling hug before Bruno was finally allowed to go to his room for a nap before dinner.