27. Chapter 27

A/N:

Sorry for missing an update last week! We had several doctors appointments, two birthday celebrations, and a few home projects we needed to work on. I spent HOURS weeding our garden and then darn little bunnies came and said "Oh! Our fav food is more accessible now! Yum!" Nom nom nom. My green bean bushes are now little sticks in the ground. T.T I am frazzled. Honestly, updates will be pretty sporadic from now until the middle of September when the kids go back to school and this whole gardening thing is over and I can write in peace XD. Probably not weekly anymore until mid-September, though I will have some updates between now and then.

Abrupt.

Annoying.

Embarrassing.

Scratch that.

Mortifying.

All good words to describe his family's intrusion into what had been a very brief but enlightening foray into the world of courting and the pleasure that accompanied it. He knew he was clumsy and inexperienced in the actual romance department (writing it for his telenovelas gave him theoretical knowledge, but practical knowledge? He'd have to work on that.) But Lord help him, he was going to be a fast learner.

Or he would be, if he lived through the awkward, expectant silence that currently reigned over the kitchen as he trailed into the room after Julieta and the rest of them. He'd almost died of embarrassment from Camilo's snark a moment ago. While he understood the need to break the news privately to Josefina, he desperately wished he had Lucía there at the moment to help him navigate...everything. This was all new to him.

Along with the whole...physical affection thing.

He subtly pressed his lips together, remembering the feel of Lucía's mouth on his, and his mind wandered for a moment. He blinked as Pepa slid her arm through his.

Nope.

He could do this.

It was good news.

It was the best news he'd ever shared with them.

Focus.

Focus.

Being the good older hermana she was, Julieta noticed the way Bruno hung back. She noticed the way his eyes darted around and that the expression on his face alternated between a goofy, nervous smile and the blank, blinking look that always indicated he was overwhelmed. She wasn't surprised - especially after Camilo called him out like that – and valiantly attempted to focus everyone's attention on preparing lunch. She thought perhaps if he had a chance to speak quietly with Mamá and Lucía's padre first, the rest would come more easily – or if Lucía would come back in after speaking with Josefina, they'd be able to say whatever they wanted to say, together.

"Mirabel, Dolores – can you start the rice, por favor? Isabela, Luisa - why don't you start chopping the vegetables? There are some peppers in the basket there that need to be used today – and an onion – Camilo, the – the – chick….en?" Julieta sighed, defeated.

No one was paying her any mind.

Pepa had already slid up beside Bruno with questions in her eyes, looping her arm through his and raising an eyebrow at him with an expectant, intimidating smile on her face. The rest of the family had made themselves comfortable, sitting or leaning on countertops or chairs or walls. They all stared at Bruno, waiting, and made no attempts to be subtle about it. Apparently, it was time for the latest installment of The Life and Times of Bruno Madrigal, and no one was going to miss it.

Señor Hernandez was leaning against a wall as well, nonchalantly polishing his glasses and blinking curiously at Bruno every now and then. Señora Guzmán looked slightly confused, but she'd obviously caught on to the current in the room and was waiting quietly with the rest of the family beside her son. Dolores held onto Mariano and he affectionately patted her hand on his arm, but her head was tilted slightly and her expression was the carefully blank façade she wore when she was listening to something no one else could hear.

Bruno cleared his throat, his eyes landing first on their madre and then Señor Hernandez, and with his free arm – the one Pepa was not clutching - he tugged nervously on his collar and then on the hem of his ruana. He was obviously happy, but also obviously still embarrassed about Camilo's comment earlier. "So…so…arroz con pollo, then, eh? Sounds – sounds good."

Everyone stared at him. Pepa narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

He squirmed.

This would have been so much easier for him if Lucía had been there, but Julieta couldn't fault her for needing to speak with Josefina first. Actually…thinking about the conversation the mother and daughter were having right now probably wasn't helping his nerves. She hoped Josefina was receptive to all this.

Isabela was the first to move. Julieta relaxed and breathed a silent sigh of relief as her eldest daughter turned and pulled out a cutting board from its place in the bottom cupboard, and then retrieved a large knife from the counter above it and reached leisurely over for one of the peppers her mamá had asked her to cut.

Perhaps everyone else would follow suit and Bruno would have a moment to collect himself -

Isabela sliced into the pepper a bit more aggressively than she needed to, and everyone jumped at the thunk of the knife hitting the cutting board. She looked over her shoulder and broke the silence, a small smirk on her face and a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Tío…we missed you at mass." She said casually, refocusing on the peppers – which she was still cutting rather forcefully. "How was your morning?"

- Perhaps not.

Everyone else looked between the two of them, and Isabela paused in her chopping.

"Heh. So…so…I guess…we're doing this now, then?" Bruno responded, looking around at everyone again – his eyes lingering on Señor Hernandez and the Guzmáns before becoming very interested in a spot on the floor and rubbing his arm. His cheeks were still bright red. Julieta was fairly certain if she held up the pepper Isabela had cut into, the shades would match.

Pepa leaned over him. "Answer the question, hermanito." It was almost a threat.

Bruno shifted on his feet and smiled at the ground. "It – it was – good. Really good. Great, really." The words were so quiet they were almost a whisper. "I mean – started out – a little rough, this morning, before - but – ah - heh - ended up – ah - five stars? All the stars. Glowing reviews. No complaints."

Camilo opened his mouth, but Félix put a hand on his arm and squinted at him. "Oh, no. Not a word out of you, mijo. You've said enough for now," he muttered under his breath. "Let your tío talk."

Camilo sighed and rolled his eyes.

"That's good," Mirabel said, encouraging.

"Yeah," Bruno agreed, nodding – still smiling at the ground. "It is – really, really good." He sighed and blinked and his mouth twitched up at some memory he wasn't sharing with the rest of them.

Pepa's nose wrinkled at his dreamy, definitely-not-detailed-enough-for-her answer and gave Julieta her most long-suffering make-him-talk-before-I-start-questioning-him-for-the-love-of-all-that-is-holy look.

"So," Julieta prompted. He was being so adorable right now with his blushes and his sighs but an interrogation from Pepa (or Mamá) was probably not in anyone's best interests at the moment. "Do you…have any news?"

Bruno looked up and blinked at her, and his lopsided grin made her grin right back at him. "Well – uh…now that you mention it, I do, actually – ah – have some news."

He paused.

"…well?" Pepa said.

He smiled, and darted another nervous glance toward Señor Hernandez. "Well…Lucía and I…we - we decided to…"

He paused again.

"Okay - now you're just doing this on purpose," hissed Pepa in his ear. The cloud that had lightened earlier was growing darker again.

He chuckled nervously and brushed her off, straightening his ruana again. "We're – ah - courting - " he announced, grinning at no one in particular –

The loud whoops and gasps and cheers and 'finally's cut him off and drowned out whatever else he was going to say, and Pepa's cloud disappeared in a burst of sunlight. Julieta clasped her hands together in delight and Agustín, beside her, pulled her close to his side and kissed her forehead, grinning – before pulling her toward the menagerie surrounding her hermanito.

Pepa nearly blinded Bruno with her light, pulling him up to her level – or attempting to – and pressing her cheek to his and squeezing him tightly. She squealed excitedly and let him go, but not before leaning forward and muttering seriously, "You'd better tell me all the details later. I want to know why she left you alone on the dance floor, hermanito. She'd better have a good excuse."

Bruno frowned at her but she was smiling, so he knew she was teasing.

Probably.

He didn't have a chance to respond, though, before he was engulfed in a wave of Madrigals. Bruno was swallowed up in hugs and congratulations and slaps on the back and he was manhandled and passed around the family and Luisa lifted him up off the ground at one point - but he was so incredibly, incandescently happy that he just went with it.

"Congratulations, Tío Bruno! This is the best news!" Mirabel beamed as she squeezed the life out of him.

Isabela kissed him on the cheek. "I'm so happy for you."

Mariano clapped him on the shoulder and shook his hand, grinning, and his madre nodded her congratulations with a smile.

Dolores embraced him and whispered, "You can relax, now. Josefina approves of you."

"Heh," he smiled, confused but glowing and grateful –

But Luisa whisked him away, pulling him up into a tight embrace. "Te amo, Tío Bruno," whispered Luisa as she carefully set him back down on the ground and he stumbled. "Congratulations."

Félix clapped him on the back and then slung his arm around Bruno's shoulders. "We're going out to celebrate, bro. Later this week. You, me, Agustín – we'll give you some important pointers on how to woo a lady – how to ignite la pasión -" he wiggled his hips and spread his free hand out flamboyantly before him in an arc, as though la pasión was an invisible rainbow above them.

Bruno's expression froze on his face. "Uh - "

Camilo snorted. "Yeah, might have agreed with you yesterday, but after whatever it was we walked in on, I don't think he needs any 'pointers' - " he used his fingers as quotation marks.

"Milo - " Pepa warned.

"What? I'm not allowed to say anything? If it was me coming out of my room with a girl looking like that I'd be dead."

Thankfully, at Pepa's narrowed gaze, Félix released Bruno, chuckled, and turned, swinging his arm around his son's shoulders instead and cutting Camilo off. " - and how to maintain respectful boundaries while courting the brilliant, beautiful jewel that is your amor, of course."

" – and what would Tío Agustín's pointers be, anyway? Fall into a bush and get stung by some bees, and maybe if you're lucky your amor will come running with an arepa?" Camilo laughed.

"Hey, maybe it was a little un-ventional - "Agustín began -

"Not a real word," Pepa said.

"Unconventional -" Agustín corrected, "- and mostly unintentional, but it worked," Agustín said. He shrugged and smiled affectionately at his wife as she pulled Bruno in for a hug, holding him so tightly he couldn't breathe. Her embrace rivaled Luisa's and she didn't even have super strength. "You can't argue with the results, eh?"

"Don't dis it till you try it?" Félix laughed.

"I – uh – think I'll pass on that one - " Bruno muttered, wincing, after Julieta had released him.

"…but that was just step one," Agustín peered over his glasses and gave a self-satisfied little nod. "Step One. And - " he winced and lifted his hand, tilting it side to side, "unintentionally Step Two. But Step Three - "

"Was what, tripping and falling down a well?" Camilo said.

Agustín paused and grimaced. "No. Well – no. But I did get very wet. And so did your tía. And it did cause a lot of screaming, but - "

Camilo's eyes widened and his mouth turned up into a curious little smirk. "Okay, do I want to know more, or - ?"

"Bro," Félix said, clapping Agustín on the shoulder. "Don't give him any more ammunition."

Bruno looked down as Antonio tugged on his hand and smiled shyly up at him. "Señora Rata and Lareina will be really happy. They like Lucía. Is courting the same thing as mates?"

"Heh heh heh!" Bruno blurted, laughing nervously. Camilo gestured emphatically to his brother with wide eyes and a see-its-not-just-me-the-whole-house-is-messed-up look on his face.

Félix laughed, and his voice was loud. "No, mijo, not quite. But you know what courting means. Dolores and Mariano are courting too. Courting - "

"I know what courting means!" Josefina announced with a giggle, her voice carrying across the room.

Everyone paused and turned toward the two in the entryway to the kitchen. Josefina blinked and shrank back for a moment, before a slow, hesitant smile spread across her face as all the attention in the room focused on her. Lucía looked around as well, thrown off slightly by the sudden quiet.

Bruno's heart swelled at the sight of the two of them there, and when Lucía's eyes met his across the room and she smiled at him – a small but genuine smile that made the corner of her eyes crinkle – his heart gave a little leap in his chest. He felt so warm, so happy to see her there, seeking him out in a room full of people – he was so happy to see them both.

Then the room burst into a flurry of sound and motion again. Pepa and Julieta pounced on Lucía, pulling her into quick, tight embraces. Lucía was quickly surrounded by the rest of the women in his family and Pepa shot him a triumphant glance that clearly meant 'I'll-get-those-details-one-way-or-another", but he was a little too preoccupied to rescue Lucía from their clutches. He watched as Josefina evaded hand pats to her shoulders and head and wove her way toward him.

Josefina stopped in front of him and stared at him with an inscrutable expression before she turned to Antonio and addressed him first. "Courting means not much changes except you smoochy kiss a lot and then maybe one day you get married and then things change."

Félix burst into laughter.

Bruno blinked and he felt a bit lightheaded, and he looked to Lucía across the room. She was still surrounded by Julieta and Pepa and all his sobrinas, as well as Mariano and Señora Guzmán, and Agustín was watching on the sidelines, now, waiting for his chance to congratulate her -

Her brows knit together and she gave a helpless little shrug of apology. He gave her a small smile and lifted his hand and gave her a little wave. This was fine. It would all be fine. The well-meaning harassment of his family was worth it.

She smiled and waved back.

He wished she was right next to him. He wished she'd take his hand and brush her thumb over the back of it and -

" - well she's not wrong," Camilo snorted. "They didn't waste any time with those smoochy kisses." He made little kissy noises at Bruno.

Bruno ducked his head, embarrassment plain on his face – not at all at kissing Lucía, but at the fact that Camilo's teasing was pretty spot-on. It wasn't even necessarily the kissing - though he wouldn't be opposed to pulling Lucía away to a quiet spot where they could continue doing just that. It was just - he wanted her next to him. He just wanted to touch her. It felt like they'd barely had any time together at all before everyone came crashing into Casita and interrupting them.

But Josefina misread his level of embarrassment and – a little embarrassed herself at how Félix and Camilo were both laughing, seemingly at her - grew a little defensive. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Camilo. "So? Kisses aren't bad. At least he gets kisses. How many you got today?" She looked him up and down with a judgmental frown on her face.

Félix guffawed and from across the room, Mirabel let out a hoot of amusement. "Oooh, primo, that cut deep. You need an arepa for that? Ma – make Camilo an arepa - "

"Ouch!" Camilo grasped his ruana dramatically over his heart. "You wound me, Josefina! I'll have you know I have gotten kissed today!"

"Yeah, by your mamí," Isabela called across the room.

"Oh yeah? Well - " Camilo stalked across the room, a mischievous smirk on his face.

Josefina wrinkled her nose at Camilo again, but she was smiling now. Bruno knew she'd have to adjust to the nuances of the madness that was La Familia Madrigal. They'd all been relatively subdued when they'd stayed at her house while Casita was being rebuilt. They definitely weren't subdued now.

Josefina turned back to Bruno, peering up at him with a thoughtful look on her face. She motioned for him to come closer, and he crouched down in front of her. "Don Bruno?"

"Ay, niña?" he said softly, and he smiled at her. He adored this kid. He suddenly remembered what Dolores said earlier and tentatively took her hands in his. Dolores said he had Josefina's approval, but he wanted to know for sure. "Are you – okay – with this? With me? Courting your mamá? I – I - "

Josefina nodded. "Sí. Mamá told me all about it. It's okay. Te quiero, ya 'member? You have my persimmons. You can court and smoochy kiss a little and stuff like that." She paused and frowned. "But - I do have a question."

Bruno melted into a puddle and he tried not to laugh in relief and delight at her seriously adorable mispronunciation and the solemn look on her face. "What is it, Josefina?"

"Are you gonna shave your beard?"

Bruno blinked. "Uh – what?"

She studied his face, her expression serious, and tentatively poked one of his cheeks with her finger. "Your face is scratchy. When I kiss your cheek it is too tickly." She wrinkled her nose.

"Actually," came Lucía's voice from above them as she appeared beside her daughter. "I happen to like his scratchy beard, Josefina. Don't go telling him to shave it."

He looked up at Lucía and she pressed her lips together and they curved up into a smile. From the way her eyes darted around his face before settling back on his eyes, he could tell she was remembering the way she trailed her lips along his jawline, earlier – and he blushed suddenly, shooting upright and stammering. "Uh – ah – yeah, heh – it's – um – I'm - sort of – attached to it. I'm keeping it. Sorry, kid."

Josefina released a long-suffering sigh. "Fine. I'll get used to it I guess."

Her brow wrinkled and she threw her arms around him suddenly, and it almost threw him off-balance. He hugged her back, and she said something into his ruana that he couldn't quite make out.

"What was that?" He crouched down to her again to hear her better.

"I'm glad you like my mamá. And it's okay you're keeping your beard for her, 'cause she likes it. But you like me too, right?"

His heart lurched. "Of course I like you too. Te quiero, remember?"

Josefina nodded and her shoulders relaxed and she smiled. "Te quiero."

"And between you and me, you're the best Josefina I know – my favorite Josefina. Josefina numero uno," he added, attempting to reassure her.

Josefina pulled back and gave him a look of suspicion. "How many Josefinas do you know?"

He grinned. "Just you."

She stared at him for a minute and then broke into a smile, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "Then – I mean – that's just - !" She looked up to her mamá, and Lucía looked down at them both, her face filled with gentle admiration and amusement.

"But," Bruno continued. "Even if I knew a million Josefinas, you'd still be my favorite."

Josefina looked away and smiled to herself, obviously pleased but a little embarrassed too.

The room was suddenly quiet again, and Pepa was sprouting rainbows.

Bruno cleared his throat and stood and patted Josefina awkwardly on the head, and Julieta once again attempted to draw all the attention away from him, trying to wrangle her children into helping her prepare lunch. Josefina heard and turned on her heel. "Ooooh, can I help?" She called.

"Sí, Josefina, that would be wonderful, gracias – if at least one of you niños would help me, we'll have lunch ready in time for dinner!"

The rest of the family and guests slowly moved toward the counters as well to offer their help. He watched Josefina run off to wash her hands and straightened, and Lucía moved to stand beside him, brushing her fingers lightly, reassuringly against his. A current of tingles swirled up his arm at the contact, and he turned his head slightly to look at her. He was so relieved she was here, next to him.

"She took the news well, as you can see," she murmured. "She gave us her permission to court."

"You mean her persimmons?" He muttered.

She smiled, deep and wide, at the floor, and she nodded. "Yes, of course. Those too."

He chuckled, a low, soft sound deep in his throat, and she sighed happily. "Did everything go alright in here? I'm sorry I left you there for a moment - "

"No, no – it's – I get it. And it – it went – well. As well as it possibly could have." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Did – did Pepa and Julieta – they were – nice, right?"

Lucía laughed, but at his anxious expression, threaded her fingers through his and lowered her voice to match his. "They were nice, Bruno. They love you and they want you to be happy."

He squeezed her fingers reflexively and pressed his palm to hers.

He could do this now.

He could hold her hand and stare at her like a fool and he didn't have to hide anything, anymore –

"Qué pena – pardon me for interrupting," Señor Hernandez said quietly, disrupting Bruno's thoughts. "But I wanted to congratulate you as well."

Lucía stepped forward and kissed her padre on the cheek. "Gracias, Papá."

Bruno swallowed. He bunched his ruana in his fist and stepped forward with her. "Um…" he offered him a nervous smile. "Um…gracias."

Josefina called for her madre to help with something for lunch. Lucía gave Bruno's hand an apologetic squeeze and left him standing there beside her padre. They were relatively alone, apart from the bustle of the rest of the familia preparing lunch. Well - as alone as one can be off to the side in a room filled with nearly twenty other people.

They stood staring at each other for a moment. "So…."

José nodded. "So."

"So…we…ah…heh." He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly feeling very awkward. His mamá had drilled into all of them at a young age that they were to ask permission before beginning a serious courtship. (In Bruno's case, he would have had to theoretically gain permission from the parents of his novia - or in his sisters' case, their suitors were expected to ask permission from Mamá before courting. And that is technically what Félix and Agustín had done.) But he'd kinda…screwed that one up. He definitely hadn't asked anyone for permission here. Except Lucía, of course. But he was fifty years old! So surely those rules didn't apply to him anymore?

If they did, he'd just started off on the wrong foot with Señor Hernandez. And he liked the man. He wanted his approval, even if he thought he was probably too old to be asking his permission.

"I - " he blurted, before he realized his mouth was on the verge of saying I need to permission – which would have been total nonsense – and then he thought perhaps he should say – sorry I screwed that up - but he settled on I really love Lucía –

He wrung his hands, and what came out was a soft, strangled "I – I really screwed Luc - "

His brain caught up with his mouth a split second before he finished saying her name, but the damage was done. He froze.

Across the room, Dolores dropped the pan she'd been filling with water to make the rice. She looked at him from the corner of her wide, disbelieving eyes, her face carefully schooled into a blank mask. Thankfully, everyone else was so busy they hadn't heard him. In fact, now they were all so occupied helping her clean it up no one was looking over at him.

Well, great.

That went perfectly.

José blinked at him.

Bruno screamed internally. He was going to die. Any minute now. Dead.

"No, no - no. I didn't - I mean!" Bruno stammered. "I mean – I – I screwed up. I messed that up. Asking - uh - a - p -p -p - Sorry! I wasn't - I didn't - I mean - I really love Lucía! I love her. And Josefina. And – and – obviously, I don't want to sc - ah – I want to take care of her, even though really, Lucía's been – heh - she's been taking care of me - "

Oh, help.

"No – that – that came out – wrong, again. I mean - "

"Bruno," José chuckled, squeezing his shoulder with one hand and shaking his hand with the other, effectively putting Bruno out of his misery. "I can see you love her. I think - we will be seeing a lot more of each other, sí?"

Bruno blinked. His hands were so clammy and he'd probably returned the handshake too hard or not hard enough and –

What was Señor Hernandez saying again?

"…you, too - I see it. You don't need my permission, but you have my approval, if that's what you were...looking for." Bruno nodded and sagged with relief and embarrassment and willed himself to focus on José's face, and the words coming out of his mouth. "Treat them both well, Bruno, and they'll love you forever. Even if you occasionally...screw it up." He released Bruno's hand and tapped the side of his nose with a knowing smirk.

Even the tips of Bruno's ears were burning. He was so red he was probably glowing right now. He'd had just about enough of this emotional ride for one day. Where was Lucía, again? "R-right. I - " Forever. Geez. "Okay. Well - " he whispered. "I – I will. I'll treat them well. I – I love them."

José smiled. "I know. And they love you, too. Congratulations on winning the love and loyalty of the loveliest, kindest, and most beautiful storyteller in the entirety of the Encanto. Though I may be a bit biased." He winked and left Bruno alone.

He took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh and then looked up to find Lucía. She was watching him with a concerned expression on her face, but when he offered her a weak smile, she beamed at him. She had her sleeves rolled up, chopping ingredients beside Pepa and Josefina. Julieta, Agustín, and his sobrinas were working on cooking various parts of the meal, and Mariano had taken up a place beside Dolores, helping her to form arepas from the dough she'd made. Dolores caught Bruno's eye and shook her head at him, eyebrows raised, but she was smiling.

He smiled at his family, glad to have a moment to observe them in peace -

- but he didn't get much time to do that.

His madre broke away from her conversation with Señora Guzmán as soon as she saw he was alone again.

He tried not to tense as she approached – but he was still working on healing those old self-defense mechanisms he'd used for decades of his life.

When she reached him, Alma took his hands in hers and squeezed them affectionately, and leaned forward to kiss both of his cheeks. She placed a hand on either side of his face and gently squished both of his cheeks. "Brunito – mijo."

And his face had just begun returning to its normal color, too.

He felt his cheeks grow warm again. "Ma," he hissed, trying to pull away.

She chuckled, releasing his face but holding his hands again . "I am so happy for you." Her smile reached her eyes, eyes that were full of love and warmth and tears. "Lucía – she is so – so – so – "

"You like her, Mamá?" He asked, his voice low and serious, searching her face for any sign of disapproval. It wouldn't change his mind about courting Lucía, but it would hurt if she didn't approve. Over the years he'd learned to expect it – to anticipate her disapproval, as though anticipating it would lesson the sting – and it was another old habit he hadn't grown out of, yet. It would take a lot more time for that. After last night, he knew she'd been a little worried about things between him and Lucía. But it didn't seem to stop her – or anyone else - from accepting the news that they were courting now.

Heh. He supposed after Agustín and Julieta's courtship, Mamá really wouldn't be fazed by a little misunderstanding on a dance floor.

"Brunito, if she makes you happy – then I love her."

He smiled at his mamá and hugged her tightly. "Gracias, Mamá. Gracias."

He pulled away. "And Josefina?" It was just as important that his mamá accept her.

His madre chuckled. "They are two peas in a pod – you get her madre, you get her - sí? I think she will fit right in." She nodded toward the rest of the familia, who were cooking and teasing and bickering and laughing, and Bruno smiled.

But after a moment, it faded, and he turned back to her, contemplating her warm expression. "I – I want you to love her too, Mamá. She can't just 'fit in'. I want you to treat her like – like - she – she - "

"Of course I love her too, mijo." Mamá observed him for a moment and then leaned toward him, her smile turning to a bit of a smirk. It looked strange on her – teasing and affectionate and it weirded him out a little bit. He leaned back a little, confused. "If you choose to one day marry Lucía, Bruno," she whispered softly, so only he (and most likely Dolores) could hear - "Josefina will be mi nieta as much as all the rest of them, lo prometo. I will love her and treat her as my own flesh and blood. She will be, to me, a Madrigal."

"Ah," he flushed furiously, unable to get more than that single sound out. He was thrilled at how seriously his mother was taking his protectiveness and love for Josefina but the fact that she'd so casually mentioned marriage already had him floundering. It was one thing for his heart to whisper that desire, that potential while in Lucía's embrace, it was another thing entirely for someone to speak that possibility in a room full of very…enthusiastic family members the very day they began courting. "Ah – sí. Gracias? Gracias. Uh - "

"- I will love her, Bruno. She is easy to love." She patted his cheek affectionately.

"Uh – right. Yes. Yes." He smiled sheepishly. "Um - "

His mother frowned over his shoulder at some commotion behind him, and she moved away from him. "Isabela? Please let your primo go. I'm sure he won't do that again, will you, Milito?"

Camilo's offended huff and Isabela's near-cackle of amusement sounded behind him, but he wasn't all that focused on the background noise at the moment. He sighed and his shoulders visibly sagged in relief that hopefully - hopefully - the hard part was over. He rubbed his arm, absent-minded, willing his heart to slow down, as he watched Lucía playfully scold Josefina for stealing bites of the peppers they were cutting, and the way Lucía hesitated before responding, with a shy smile on her face, to something Pepa said.

If he'd seen a vision of this ten years ago, he'd have never believed it would come true.

"Hey, Tío Bruno! Stop daydreaming about your new novia and come help me set the table!" Camilo called as he balanced a stack of plates in his arms.

Bruno shook himself out of his stupor. He grinned to himself as Camilo passed him several plates. "At least I have a new novia to daydream about," he muttered under his breath.

Camilo huffed. "What is it, roast Camilo day or something? Did I miss the memo?"

Bruno laughed and shrugged. "Hey, if you can't take it, you shouldn't dish it out, kid."

Lunch was warm and joyful and delicious.

Everyone let the teasing and the questioning die down, which was just the break Bruno seemed to need. Lucía could tell he'd been tense in the kitchen, but now it seemed he could breathe again. Lucía sat beside him with Josefina on her other side. There were so many people around the table today that they sat so close their knees were almost touching underneath the table.

About halfway through the meal, Bruno slid his hand off his thigh and let it hover in the space between their chairs, his fingers twitching slightly as though hesitant to reach any further. Lucía smiled, and without breaking eye contact as she listened to Julieta tell a story from her spot across the table, reached out and wrapped her pinky around his. After a moment, she moved her fingers to intertwine with his and tentatively rested their joined hands on her knee. They both continued eating, cheeks flushed as they spoke with the rest of the family at the table, joined by that small point of contact.

The three families spent the rest of the afternoon together, visiting and talking and then eating once more in the evening. They all made their way to town shortly before dusk. Selena was planning on revealing the murales before the fireworks ceremony, and they were all eager to see it.

Many of the townspeople had already congregated around it. Selena stood to the side, tugging nervously on the skirt of her dress. She'd cleaned up, washing all evidence of her work from her skin and tying her golden-yellow curls back with a red ribbon. She wore a faded red dress and black sandals that were cleaner but also appeared more uncomfortable than the ones she'd worn the rest of the week.

The murales was already visible, as she hadn't wanted to risk smearing anything by covering it up for a reveal. Instead, she stood to the side and waited for La Familia Madrigal and the rest of the Council Members to arrive, so that she could present it, give her thanks, and collect her payment.

Josefina stood on her tip-toes, attempting to see the murales, before jumping and failing again to see the finished piece. She huffed in frustration.

Bruno crouched down. "Want to climb on my back? You might be able to see better then."

Josefina nodded eagerly and scrambled up, piggy-back style, on his back. He grunted as he stood, attempting to keep her balanced on his back.

Lucía gave his cheek a small peck and Josefina swatted her madre away. "No smoochy kisses right now, Mamá! I'm tryin' to see!"

"Well then, Bruno," Lucía murmured as she stepped away, her eyes warm with amusement and her voice low with promise. "Guess I'll just have to thank you properly later, instead."

Bruno's crooked grin grew, and then he grimaced as Josefina tried to scoot herself up higher on his back, her heels digging into his ribs. "Oof, careful there, niña. I'm not a ladder."

"Lo siento, Bruno! But – you're kinda short. I still can't see very well."

Bruno snorted. "Hit me where it hurts, why don't ya."

"I already said I was sorry."

He laughed. "No, its – it's just – it's fine."

"Here, come sit on my shoulders," Luisa offered, and Josefina held up her arms. Luisa pulled her up and sat her on one shoulder and Antonio on the other.

"Wow!" Shouted Josefina, as soon as she'd settled on her perch. "Wow!"

Luisa winced.

"Not so loud, Sefinita!" Lucía said. "You'll hurt Luisa's ears shouting like that."

"Lo siento, Luisa," Josefina apologized, patting the top of her head affectionately.

Luisa blushed. "It's okay."

They watched from the side, a little ways back, as Alma and Mirabel made their way to the front to join Selena beside the murales. The rest of the Council members arrived shortly after, gave a little speech thanking Selena for her contribution to the Encanto, and directed her toward Tatiana Valencia to collect her payment for her services. Selena then came forward, thanking the town for their business, walking them through the presence of the Madrigals in the painting and her process in finishing the murales, and finally offering to return if anyone in town had a job for her.

When she was done, Alma thanked her again, thanked the village for a wonderful festival, and encouraged everyone to move toward the grassy hill for the fireworks display. Señora García, Dora's madre, would be singing the national anthem and several ballads while everyone waited for the fireworks display to begin.

Luisa carefully set Antonio and Josefina down, and Antonio took his parents' hands as they approached Selena to thank her and commend her for her work. Antonio's jaguar followed him, slinking along the tops of the roofs, having no desire to mix with the crowds.

Camilo approached Selena, who still stood beside the murales as villagers congratulated and thanked her for her hard work. She noticed him and gave him a brief, polite smile. "Hola, Señor Madrigal."

"Hola, Señorita de Leon," he smiled at her. "This is awesome. And it's Camilo. He's Señor Madrigal." He gestured with his thumb over his shoulder at his padre.

"Gracias, Camilo," she nodded seriously. "I think it turned out well."

"It turned out well? Don't sell yourself short. It's magnificent!" He threw his arms wide and grinned. "We've only seen art like this in books, before."

She looked away. "No need to flatter me. It's – good, but - "

"It's not flattery if it's true," Camilo insisted breezily, clasping his hands behind his back and stepping casually back into Selena's line of sight. "Mi Abuelo Pedro is larger than life now. Although," he frowned, "might be a bit harder to pull pranks in town feeling his eyes on me like that all the time. Giant Abuelos watching your every move? Not great for the conscience, am I right?"

She blinked warily at him.

Undaunted, Camilo continued. "One time, when I was a kid – and this is great – I convinced mi prima her stuffed unicorn was magical by moving it around when she wasn't looking. It was hilarious! I'd sneak around and have it make tea or read a book or - "

Pepa winced as she watched her son attempt whatever it was he was doing. "Mi amor - " she murmured to Félix, running her hands anxiously over her braid.

He laughed and held her back. "No worries, mi vida. He's doing just fine."

When she kept clutching at her braid, he stilled one of her hands and took it and kissed it. "Give me a little snow, mi vida? Let me feel what you feel, eh?"

Pepa paused and allowed the cloud above her to grow, mini flurries swirling about her. She closed her eyes and sighed and Félix pressed more light little kisses to the back of her hand and wrist.

She shivered and brushed the snow off of her shoulders and pulled her husband up to kiss him soundly on the mouth. "Gracias, mi amor. Much better, now." She smiled at him.

Selena blinked at Camilo as he finished his story, her brows drawn together slightly.

Camilo held his smile for a moment, and then his brow furrowed as well. "Okay. Pranks – not your thing. I get it. But - you're all done with work, now, obviously. And it's too late to go back to San Cristobál tonight. Are you going to go to the fireworks?"

Selena hesitated. "Well, I - "

"You should come, if only to hear Señora García sing. I'm not joking when I say her voice makes the birds stop and listen. She's the songbird of the Encanto; the voice of an angel. Everyone loves listening to her. If she'd gone to Bogotá when she was younger she'd have been famous."

"Oh," Selena said, and her lips twitched up slightly. "I see. It's not just me. You flatter everyone."

Camilo fumbled for a moment, but recovered quickly. "Eh, again - it's - it's not flattery if it's true!"

Selena contemplated for a moment.

"I mean, it's worth going just to hear her," Camilo said. "Even if you might have to stand next to garbage while you're listening." He gave her his most self-deprecating grin.

Selena pressed her lips together in an effort not to smile. "I didn't mean that, you know."

Camilo's grin grew. "I know. And it was a good one. I'm keeping it in my arsenal for later use."

She stared at him for a moment, apprising. "Okay," Selena nodded. "I'll go listen to Señora García."

"Great!" He stepped back, and bowed with a flourish. "After you. Have you met – well, I know you've met everyone in the village, but – have you talked to mi prima Luisa? She's the one with the unicorn obsession - " He walked beside her, chatting and sharing mildly embarrassing tidbits about all of his family members, still in an effort to make her genuinely smile - and most of la familia Madrigal followed.

Josefina stood very still as the crowd cleared out around her, and Bruno and Lucía stood beside her. Soon, it was just the three of them, staring up at the murales.

It really was a work of art. The Impressionist style of the town gave everything a peaceful, if a sort of sad, almost rainy-day feeling – and Pedro Madrigal, looking over the Encanto, seemed to stare into their souls. His expression was warm and sad; poignant and encouraging. He made you want to live up to his expectations, somehow.

Josefina tilted her head and sighed. Lucía and Bruno exchanged a look, and Lucía crouched down beside her daughter. "Mi amor – tell me what you're thinking, mmm?."

"He looks - sad." Her eyes never left the murales, and she swallowed. "But - I - like it. I still – " Josefina's speech was stilted. "I still – miss - " she paused and frowned. "I - wish - I could have - both. But - I can't have both."

"No," Lucía agreed softly. "You can't have both. But we still have your Papá's sketches and his book of fairytales. We will always remember him, Josefina. Lo prometo."

Bruno swallowed and stepped back, just a bit. He tapped one hand anxiously against the other, thinking. He felt – incredibly uncertain about how to navigate this particular aspect of his relationship with them. On the one hand, it was – awkward. If Alejandro was still alive, he wouldn't have them. Not like this. It wasn't that he was grateful the man had died – not at all – but he was grateful that he could be in Lucía and Josefina's lives, now, in this moment. But on the other hand – he felt so deeply for their loss. He felt a particular kinship with Josefina.

He took a deep breath. What would he have wanted someone to do for him?

"Would - "

They both looked to him.

He swallowed. "Would - would you – like to tell me about him, Josefina? We could – maybe – look through it all together. You can – show me? If you want to. I didn't – I didn't – know him, not – well, but – I did – meet him. I – I can – tell you what I remember - "

When he looked at them again, Josefina was looking at him, and her eyes were big and shiny and full of tears.

Oh, no.

"Lo – lo siento," he said. "You don't have to - "

"You knew mi papá, too?" She asked breathlessly, and large tears began spilling out of her eyes and down her cheeks. Apparently, she hadn't considered the fact that he and her padre had actually physically met and talked.

He looked nervously between Lucía and Josefina. Lucía's brows were drawn together and she blinked, her expression wavering between sad and grateful. She gave Bruno a trembling, encouraging smile.

"Uh – just – a – little. I – I sat, for those sketches he made. Of me, and my family. He was – really – nice. To me. When other people – weren't."

"Oh. I'd like - to do that," Josefina whispered, and she frowned, attempting to brush her tears away, but more kept spilling down her cheeks to take their place. "With you. I want to - " she stared at her fingers. "I don't – why – why am I crying, Mamá?"

Lucía blinked at her confused, emotional tone and some tears escaped from her eyes, too. "I think – it's just – a lot of things in one day, mi amor. A lot of change, and a lot of love, and - look, I'm crying a little too," she laughed lightly, and sniffed, and helped Josefina brush her tears away. "That was so – so kind of Bruno to say, wasn't it?"

Josefina nodded and started crying harder.

Lucía looked up at him and she smiled, and he blinked rapidly. "It's okay. It's okay. We can cry all we want, mi fresita."

"But I don't - want - to cry! I want to see the fireworks!"

"We can cry and still see the fireworks."

"But Dora's mamí hasn't even started singing yet!"

Lucía laughed again. "We're just getting a head start, mmm?"

Josefina nodded, and then looked back to Bruno and burst into full on sobs. She threw her arms around her madre's shoulders and cried and cried.

He froze, suddenly very afraid that she'd changed her mind about him. He forced himself to stay there - he would not run away from this child's pain - and then - carefully dropped down beside them and slowly placed a hand on Josefina's shoulder.

Josefina turned her head to look at him. "Te – te – te quiero!" She sniffled. "Te quiero, Mamá! Te quiero, Bruno! I just - te quiero!" She looked back up at the murales. "Te quiero, Papá!" She cried to the air around them. "Te quiero! Te quiero, te amo, te – te - "

Bruno sighed and pulled out a handkerchief from his pockets and handed it to Josefina. She wiped her face and blew her nose and handed it back to him, and proceeded to throw her arms back around her mamá's shoulders and sigh a long, shuddering sigh of emotional exhaustion.

"Te amo, Bruno" Lucía said, standing and lifting her daughter with her. The warmth in her words matched the warmth in her gaze.

He gave her a tiny, earnest smile in return. "Te amo."

Señora García had already sung the national anthem and had made it halfway through her first song when Bruno, Lucía, and Josefina finally joined the rest of the family, but no one said anything about it.

They quietly joined the group, and people moved and shifted until they'd been absorbed into it.

"Pssssst! Luci!"

Bruno and Lucía both looked around for the source of the sound.

"Bruno!"

Bruno nudged Lucía with his elbow and nodded toward the far side of the group, where Sofia, Lorenzo, and their children were waiting near Señor Hernandez.

"Congratulations!" Sofia mouthed and gave them both an excited grin, and Lorenzo gave them a double thumbs up.

Bruno flushed and they both grinned and waved back.

Señora García began another song, and a hush fell over the crowd.

"Eterna soledad

El tiempo danza en la madrugada

Y no puedes dormir

Si están todas las luces apagadas…" (1)

"Oh, no," Josefina whispered. "It's a sad one. I'm gonna cry again. Make it stop."

"That's okay, mi amor. I can't make it stop. But you can cover your ears if you really don't want to hear it." Lucía shifted Josefina to one side, using her hip to support her daughter's weight. As the song continued, Lucía leaned into Bruno, resting her head on his shoulder. After a moment, he darted a glance around and saw that everyone was focused on the singer. He swallowed, relaxed, and tentatively wrapped his arm around her waist.

They stood there together as the sky grew darker, the lanterns around the perimeter of the hill illuminating Rosa García as she sang her heart out to the crowd, her voice strong and mournful.

"Aprendiste a tener miedo

Pero hay que correr el riesgo

De levantarse y seguir cayendo…"

He rested his cheek on her hair, and she snuggled closer. Josefina shifted and reached out to latch onto his ruana, so that she was holding some piece of him as well.

He closed his eyes and sighed as the melancholy, bittersweet sounds of the music made some unnamed emotion well up within him.

"Yo sé, la soledad

Te da un cierto confort

No te deja mirar

Eterna soledad…eternal soledad

Sé que la gente busca tu consejo

Hay que correr el riesgo

De levantarse y seguir cayendo…"

He blinked and watched the flickering light of the lanterns and the setting sun cast shadows on the content faces of his familia surrounding him. His madre had her hands clasped around her locket, a few tearstains visible on her cheeks in the dim light. Julieta and Agustín were holding each other as they watched the performance. They were close enough for Julieta to reach out and touch Bruno's arm, and she did so once in a while, silently checking in on him. Félix was holding the umbrella he'd brought for this occasion over his and Pepa's heads to protect them from her small downpour as she allowed the music to move her. Isabela, Luisa, and Mirabel were leaning against each other, sniffling slightly themselves, and Mirabel in the center of them also held Antonio in her arms. Dolores stood wrapped in Mariano's arms, with his madre nearby. Selena stood by Camilo, and he kept stealing little glances at her. She was staring at Señora García in awe, her lips parted and tears streaming down her face. Camilo looked…satisfied, despite the fact that Selena wasn't smiling. Señor Hernandez stood near Sofia, holding one of her children on the opposite side of the group, swaying slightly to the beat. The warmth and weight of Lucía still pressed against one side of him, and Josefina's eyes were closed as she rested her head against her madre's shoulder. Josefina still had a grip on his ruana, near his shoulder, and Bruno moved his free hand to cover it gently. Josefina let go of his ruana and, without opening her eyes, released his ruana and clasped onto his fingers instead.

He tried to swallow the sudden lump in his throat.

What – what was the opposite of loneliness?

Whatever it was – he finally felt that.

A/N:

1) Lyrics are from the song Eterna Soledad by Los Enanitos Verdes.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I'm also now on AO3! This story is rated T on that site to give me wiggle room for spicier scenes between Bruno and Lucia later on in their relationship. This story on here though is keeping its K+ rating. The chapters will pretty much be exactly the same EXCEPT for those future scenes so you're not missing anything, and I'll make a note on the chapter if there ever is a difference.

Thanks so much for your reviews, you're the best and so encouraging. God bless you all and have a great week!