My Best Friends Cousin

Where We Stand

When the door shut behind her silence rang through like a gong. Felix was the first to speak. "What are we going to do?"

"Well, for one, we can't let Abigail go home until Dante gets back. He'd kill us for leaving her alone," Agustin replied.

"Mira and Camilo would, too." The healer agreed with her husband.

"Speaking of Camilo, get out here. Now. Both of you."

Feeling like a kid that just got caught with their hand in a cookie jar, he listened to his mother, gently taking Abbi with him. The boy was courteous enough to have a sheepish look on his face. "How'd you know we were there?"

"I'm your mother. I know everything. What were you doing back there?"

"I thought you knew everything." That cheeky remark earned him a smack to the back of his head. Abigail giggled behind her hand.

"Clearly, you do find my pain amusing." He eyed the adults, rubbing his  head to sooth the pain. "You're not actually taking her home, yet. Are you?"

"Not until her father comes to get her. She's staying with us. As agreed."

The shape-shifter nodded. Satisfied with the answer. They'd have more time to figure out where they went from here.

"Carina, we do have to ask. Do you know where Mirabel is? Is she ok?"

None of them failed to see how the girl moved closer to Camilo. How she tightened her grip on his hand. The way he smiled and squeezed her hand in return. Something had changed between the teens and the four of them couldn't help the content smiles that spread across their cheeks.

"I, uh, I don't know. Lo siento mucho." Julieta came over and hugged the girl.

"Will you help us find her, then?"

"Si, lo hare." She turned to the curly-haired boy next to her. "Come with me?"

"I planed too. I'm not letting you out of my sight. Bueno?"

Making their way to the courtyard, Camilo heard his father say something along the lines of "It's about time." He smiled at that, a light blush crossing his cheeks. Agreeing with him wholeheartedly.

"Mira? Mira, where are you?!"

Abbi was starting to panic again. She knew Mirabel was still in the house, just exactly where was a complete mystery. And that scared her so much, that she unconsciously tightened her hold on Camilo, making him stop in his tracks.

"What is it, Mariposa?"

When she looked up at him, he saw how scared she was. How those big, beautiful eyes shone with unshed tears. How she clung to him as if he'd disappear.

"What if we don't find her?"

"We will." He tilted her chin up and kissed her forehead. Protectiveness still on high.

Just then, Abbi looked up and saw Mirabel duck down behind the railing upstairs. She wasn't alone either. Is that.........Senor Bruno?

"Mirabel?" The brunette saw the pleading look on her friends face as Camilo searched for his cousin. The bespectacled girl made an 'X' with her arms and gestured to another area of Casita. Abbi nodded, glad her friend was safe. "Mirabe-"

When Abbi turned around, what she saw stunned her to silence. It looked like Camilo had involuntarily shifted again. This time with the head and hands of an infant. The boy was not amused.

"MIRABEL?!"

That high-pitched voice would have sent her over the edge with laughter. Only Abigail just couldn't bring herself to do it. So instead, she followed him (keeping her distance a bit), waiting until he righted himself.