How Times Change

La misteriosa mujer:

'Mama, I didn't see anything. I didn't even look, you've got to believe m-'

'Silencio Bruno.' His mother commanded, stopping pacing for a second to look him in the eyes with angry desperation.

After the violent hurricane who's wrath raged through most of the ceremony, had ebbed, Alma had dragged her son into a back room that looked suspiciously like a cupboard.

Pepa had obviously explained the weak conversation she and Bruno had before the hurricane started, and how he had 'warned' her of this very situation.

'I cannot believe you would be so-' she continued, finally sitting down opposite him to drag her face along her palms.

'Listen Bruno. You know pepa, she can be... overly emotional and her gift is what can make that so hard.' Bruno looked up slightly, his mothers face was suddenly lit warmly by a slight candle light. 'So telling her that her wedding will be ruined is not the way to help that.'

'I only said-'

'I know Brunito, but the village they are worried about. The Marin's are worried about their baby, Julieta says she will be busy for the next few days with the injuries the storm caused... please. No more visions.'

Bruno stared at his mother with all the desperateness but none of the anger she had moments ago. Because, in theory, he should have been and probably was deep down, happy. It wasn't a secret that he disposed of his gift and yet, he found himself distraught over the ban. Using his gif was the only thing Bruno could do to help the village, and no matter how dark the future was, he gave the village a moment to prepare before each metaphorical hurricane. But now, especially compared to his sisters, he would be the runt of the litter, completely and utterly useless.

Bruno was forced to re enter the afterparty with what little respect he had left and clung to the wall for the rest of the evening, drink in hand undrunken.

A dark, pretty young woman approached him, coming to lean on the wall next to him in silence for a few seconds before holding out her hand.

'I'm Eva.'

'Oh.' It took Bruno a few moments to collect himself enough to reply. 'I'm um-'

'Bruno right? You did the whole storm thing.'

'NO. I didn't. Does everyone think I did?'

She gave him the kind of look that confirmed this.

'But hey, now you've got the chance to prove them wrong,and see the look on their faces when they realize you were right.'

He noticed this wasn't completely directed at him and that she was staring fixated at a family of people who were talking to Alma, laughing.

The family was an older woman and man, one as pretty as she was short, and the other unusually tall and thin for someone so rosy cheeked. But standing with them was not only Bruno's mother but his brother in law as well, holding his glass neatly in hand and looking fantastic in the low light of the evening.

Bruno realized quickly what a striking resemblance the two people made to him and recognised them to be his parents and, by the look on Eva's face, hers as well.

'I didn't recognise you.' He said.

'No one does, he's the one who married the woman who could heal any injury with one bite and I'm still living with my parents.'

'Not everything by the way. She can't heal everything: no obviously not death but not brain damage either and nothing that you were born with.'

'Hm. What about you? Can you see everything?' She half joked.

'Oh, no. The more prepared I am for the vision, the more accurate and I can't control it sometimes. You just get so used to doing it that well you- there are certain words, things that trigger...'

'And it's always negative.'

'I guess people just see it that way.'

'I guess.'

They both looked back at her family chatting away with ease and felt a sudden swell of relatability.

It, strangely enough, didn't take Bruno a lot of mustering to gain the courage to ask Eva to a family dinner and when the occasion did arise, it went relatively smoothly.

Once the usual conversation starters were excused, Eva found it easy to talk to the family without seeming awkward or bringing up anything gift related. Instead they spent most of the main meal reminiscing over when Eva and Augustin's family had first moved to the village: all high class and well mannered and ended up laughing over how much living there had changed them. For the better.

After the table was wiped clean and all that was left was empty glasses and dirty dishes, Bruno and Eva excused themselves, giving thanks to the chef and wandering into the courtyard to say goodbye.

'Your family is nice. I'd like to do it again, dinner I mean, if you want to?'

'Maybe something more private.' She smiled.

Silence.

'My room is just upstairs.'