Tío Bruno, la familia & the Fish Lady

Nighttime Nonsense

"Camilo!" Pepa scolded as the cloud above her threatened to pour. Bruno's eyes went wide like saucers as he felt all eleven pairs of eyes on him. He pulled a Mirabel-move by snatching his cup of water to his face, proceeding to choke violently on it. Many nervous glances were exchanged among family members while a gust of wind circulated the table. Agustín, who was sitting next to Bruno, stood up immediately to pat his hermano's back. As soon as the man regained the ability to breathe, he spoke despite betraying every instinct urging him not to.

"I-I haven't seen it or opened it yet, b-but I'll be sure to do that soon," He looked down at his place mat in discomfort while trying to rack his brain for the person that could've written it, but he was left with nothing. The sound of pouring rain prompted Bruno to shift his gaze at his sister who looked more saddened than anxious. Julieta resembled Pepa's current energy, and Abuela's eyebrows furrowed in the same way as theirs.

"Um, Pepa...Julieta𑁋mamá? Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you did nothing wrong hermano," Julieta said adamantly. "We're just worried about when you left after the party so suddenly."

"We just want you to be happy mijo, and we can tell that something is on your mind," Abuela paused. "but I think that can wait until after dinner" she looked at everyone seated on both sides, wanting to ease the tension in the air. Everyone went to their rooms apart from Luisa, Mirabel, Dolores, Isabel, and Camilo, who were already in Antonio's.

Bruno edged toward internal panic as the possibility of everyone knowing of his breakdown by the river crossed his mind. At this point, he was certain Dolores heard everything, but he hoped no one else knew besides his two nieces, which already bothered him enough. After semi-reluctantly stomaching the rest of his dinner, he pushed his chair in and hurried his footsteps so that he would be left to his own devices in his new and much-more-comforting bedroom. But he did not want to open that letter. He was sick and tired of the brutal pranks he'd experienced over the years.

Before opening the door to his room, Bruno immediately recalled Antonio would be playing telephone with his animals and the others who'd volunteered to join him. After knocking on his wooden door frame in an attempt to clear the negativity pervading throughout his mind, he smiled walking to his nephew's room knowing that he would be helping his family feel loved and appreciated; it was the least he could do.

Laughter echoed in between the trees surrounding the huge petrified stump that Bruno had his vision on. The random sentence that Antonio passed on in his circle was very far off from the original once it reached his brother. By the time Isabela spoke to Camilo, the last person in the circle, the sentence no longer made any sense.

"Hawks and Crocs lick socks?" Camilo asked, perplexed by what those words even meant strung together.

"What? No! Dogs and frogs kick rocks" Antonio burst into a giggle as everyone else around him laughed at Camilo's interesting conclusion. Luisa cackled into a bush as if it would hide her joy from seeing her younger cousin slighted. Dolores was uncharacteristically rolling around, snorting and borderline crying.

"It's all your fault, Isabela! You said the same thing!" He yelled, being no more threatening than a hamster.

"What? Me? Why would you say that?" She said in mock-contempt. "You could've changed the sentence for it to make some kind of sense,"

"That's cheating!"

"I was kidding, primo! And your ears are red."

Bruno and Mirabel turned to the clock hanging from the cypress tree to the right of them that read 9:00 PM.

"This was a great idea, kid! I had a blast," He stooped down to hug Antonio.

"Thanks tío Bruno," He murmured shyly as he moved side to side.

"Of course kiddo," He kissed his sobrino on his forehead. Mirabel walked out with Bruno while Dolores and Camilo tucked their hermanito into bed.

"Good night Mirabel." Bruno waved, smiling.

"Good night tío." She waved back and disappeared behind her bedroom door. When the door clicked shut, he sighed as if he was releasing stress he wasn't aware of bottling up before when playing with his nieces and nephews. He waited in his room by the entrance until he heard the last two doors close to step outside.

He brought one of his rats, Mariposa along with him and gently tucked her in his pocket as he climbed the roof surrounding the square outline of the corridor. Above the vibrant yellow glow from the doors were the lush green-violet mountains tinted by the light of the moon. If one listened carefully enough, the flowing river water could be discerned along with the herons and owls calling in the forest. This reminded him of when he was younger; on nights where Bruno wanted solitude, he would sit on the roof. Despite the slight danger of possibly falling in the corridor, casita was always there to assist him. He didn't like to remember just how often he had come, especially as he grew older. Casita's roof comforted the man as the river had done for him earlier today. His dark green eyes drifted up to the moon, illuminating them with a soft white color. Mariposa scurried onto his shoulder and nudged her head on his cheek.

"Gracias," he whispered to the little bundle of sweetness. She squeaked back, curled herself into a ball, and rested on top of his shoulder.

"Brunito,"

"Wo-AH!" He almost lost his balance as he hadn't realized someone was sitting on the roof along with him.

"What are you doing up here mijo?" Abuela asked curiously without her usual sternness. "It's beautiful isn't it?" She noted, taking in the view, and he nodded back in agreement. What on earth was she doing up here? Bruno thought to himself. Before he could begin to understand, Abuela spoke again, but her jovial expression faded into worry.

"I know something was bothering you earlier, but I didn't want to push you. If...you don't want to tell me, you don't have to, but I'm right here if you need to,"

A part of him wanted to tear up at her words, but he needed time to tell her why the mention of any letter addressed to him was triggering.

"Mamá, did anyone tell you where I went after the party?"

Spanish Translations

*mijo/a- my daughter/son

*cognato- brother-in-law (I may change it to "hermano" cuz it sounds less cold)