A Marriage of Convenience: A Bruno Madrigal Encanto Fanfic

Chapter 16

Pepa started realizing more and more things about Claudia after discovering the bandages. The girl jumped at the tiniest noises, and Pepa was starting to see why. The rest of the Madrigal siblings were also concerned. Which is why Pepa decided to find an excuse to keep Claudia at home when she felt better. In her words to Alma Madrigal she said, "We've been working so hard and we deserve to have some fun!"

Alma agreed, but reminded them that the Rojas were attending dinner and none of them were allowed to miss it. They had apparently been very worried about their sick child according to Alma. None of them knew what Pepa's plan was for the day. When Claudia had tried to duck out, Pepa had begged her until the girl had finally agreed.

Bright and early Pepa had banged on their door.

"Hurry up or we'll be late!" She yelled with furious knocking.

They quickly ate leftovers for breakfast, packed lunch, and then they began to follow Pepa. They walked for what seemed like forever.

"Pepa, are you sure you know where we're going?" Julieta asked as she ducked to avoid a branch.

"Of course. It's right around..Here!"

They walked into a large clearing of just flowers right next to one of the mountains.

"Perfect, now everyone sit!" Pepa said, looking proud of herself.

"Pepa, what are we doing here exactly?" Julieta asked as they all sat.

"I figured we haven't just sat and talked in a while, and where better then in a field of flowers," Pepa said as she began to pick and weave flowers.

"Uh that makes no sense….at all," Bruno said. A cloud appeared and boomed.

"At least I had an idea!" Pepa tried to shoo her cloud away, "Anyways I just figured we could just relax and enjoy the scenery. Plus we haven't done a sibling talk in a long time, and now that we've got Claudia we can have someone else to add."

"Sibling talk? What is that?" Claudia asked.

"It's where you share emotions, braid hair, and, today only, make flower crowns." She held up the small flower chain she had made so far proudly.

In reality Pepa had planned this as a way to get Claudia to finally admit what the Rojas were doing to her. Claudia still looked confused, so Julieta took pity on her.

"Here I'll start. So I had to deal with someone with a large forehead cut a few days ago, and I don't do well with blood, so….I almost threw up before I gave this person their queso. I wish I could just have mama hand out the food to people with bloody injuries."

Julieta sighed and then gestured at Pepa. Pepa took a deep breath before starting.

"Oh, so yesterday one of the boys in town came up to me and hit on me. Repeatedly. Even though I asked him to stop.  By the time he was done I had brewed up such a big storm that mama yelled at me. I can't control my emotions though. What am I supposed to do? Not feel or feel on command?"

Julieta gave her a hug and Pepa leaned into it. She gestured at Bruno and he thought for a second.

"Sometimes I wish I didn't have my powers," he began, "No one in town seems to want to hear what I have to say,  but if something bad happens I get blamed for not telling them. Then I also get blamed for telling them. I just can't win and it...it hurts. I just want to belong."

His sisters moved closer and pulled him into a hug on both sides.

"You do belong hermanito," Pepa said, plopping her finished flower crown on his head, "You belong with us. And if no one in town can see how amazing you are, then know that we do."

"We love you Brunito, never forget that," said Julieta.

Bruno smiled between his two sisters, and with his little flower crown he honestly looked adorable. Then they all looked at Claudia waiting for her to go.

"Oh it's my turn? Umm, I don't know what to say." She admitted.

"Just say whatever comes to mind," Julieta said encouragingly.

"Well I guess, I just….I don't know. I kinda always wanted a family of my own. I grew up in an orphanage until the Rojas got me. They never really felt like family, you know? They just felt like strangers I lived with. What I'm saying is uh, living with you guys makes me think that maybe I'm starting to find a family."

Pepa awed at that and a rainbow grew over her head. "Of course you've found a family! I couldn't ask for a better sister in law, but why didn't the Rojas feel like family?" She hoped that Claudia would open up.

"They just never seemed like what family could be. They aren't...they aren't very nice to me," Claudia admitted twisting her skirt in her hands,"Maybe it's just because I'm adopted."

"Sweetheart, just because you're adopted doesn't mean they should treat you badly. I just wish you could see that." Julieta got up and sat down in front of Claudia and reached out and took her hands. "Family shouldn't matter if you're related or not."

Claudia kept her eyes on the ground and removed her hands from Julieta's. "I guess so….can someone else go now?"

Julieta nodded. "Of course hun."

They sat there talking until the sun began to go down. Then they headed back, a flower crown on every head. The walk back was silent. After everything that had been said that day, no one felt the need to talk. There was just an understanding about it, everyone was emotionally tired so no one felt the need to talk. 

*****

That night Claudia removed her bandages. Her fresh wounds and bruises had finally healed up, though she was sure as she went back to the Rojas it would need to be bandaged again. She couldn't believe the things she had admitted to the Madrigals.  As long as they didn't bring it up at dinner tonight, she would be fine.

She had her back to the door and was pulling her shirt over her head when she heard a gasp.