Fly High, Butterfly

Chapter Three

Since the Casita had been rebuilt and Bruno made his return, the towns people let up on the requests to ease their stress. There was always work to be done, but instead of solely relying on the Madrigals, they put forth more effort to do it themselves.

That didn't change the fact that they still whispered about Bruno. Horrible things, according to Dolores, saying he cursed everyone who dared ask for a vision. Before the first grandchild was born, he was relatively accepted but people still complained that his ritual took too long and 'why do we have to climb so many stairs just to be told something awful?'.

Bruno wouldn't ever admit it, but Dolores had mentioned that she could hear him whimpering and rocking at night while he was in the walls, and now in his room. They couldn't do or day anything because that would just make Bruno more upset.

He could feel the glares of the people he had given a prophecy to, the preacher who he told would go bald, the man who said he'd grow a gut, the woman who still claimed he killed her goldfish.

Everyone hated him. Except his familia. Dolores, finally pushed to the edge from listening to her tio quietly cry at night, stormed into town the next, dragging Mirabel and Bruno behind her.

Neither knew what she was going to do, but a determined Dolores was an undeterred Dolores. She climbed up onto the fountain, pulling her cousin and uncle up with her. Bruno was hiding in his ruana, fiddling with the edge of Mirabels skirt. Dolores whistled loudly to gain everyone's attention and began whispering to Mirabel.

"Oh. Oh! Okay. Soooo" Mirabel face the crowd with her hands on her hips "it has come to the attention of the familia that you've all been talking badly about Tío Bruno?".

Immediately the yells started and Dolores covered her ears. She never like yelling but this had to be done. Bruno rocked on his heels, mumbling under his breath.

"HE SAID I WOULD GO BALD!"
"HE TOLD ME ID GROW A GUT! LOOK AT ME!"
"HE SAID MY FISH WOULD DIE AND THE NEXT DAY, DEAD! DEAD I SAY!"
"HES CURSED US!"
"HE'S BAD LUCK!"

Bruno let out a choked noise and started to rock faster, Dolores squeezed her hands over her ears and shut her eyes. Mirabel glared at the yelling crowd.

"SILENCIO!".

They all looked at her in shock. Mirabel never raised her voice. "You have no idea how his gift works or how hard he's tried to please you!". She pointed at the preacher, "you, señor, are a man who's been under stress for years OF COURSE YOU LOST ALL YOUR HAIR. Ay dios mio!" She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You señora have been overfeeding and keeping your fish in a small bowl. No wonder it died! It doesn't take a prophecy to see that!".

She turned to the man that had giver her the 'The Not Special Special' gift, " and YOU senor have been overeating for muchos años!".

She spent the next ten minutes reaming into them angrily, no longer shouting but no less upset that they had been talking bad about her tio who was now watching her slack jawed.

Mirabel finally stopped with a deep breath and sat down " Bruno's gift is seeing your future and give you warning. You're able to change your future. Would you rather he kept all the bad possibilities to himself and let everyone else suffer the consequences? No! He won't allow it because he's a good man! Yes he makes mistake about so does everyone else!".

They all stood on silence as what the said washed over them. Bruno... Had been right. All of his predictions came true and the worst outcome possible because the didn't heed his warnings... All they'd done was shun him. Whisper about him. Mock him when his back was turned.

They spun an innocent man doing his best for the Encanto... Into a twisted warped villian... Someone to blame other than themselves.

" On behalf of the people of Encanto... I apologize Señor Bruno Madrigal."the preacher stepped forward. "I hope that with time you will forgive us.".

Mirabel smiled when she saw a small smile on his face, Dolores was beaming at her and flapping excitedly. Bruno took a deep breath and lowered his hood.

"Gracias señor. I will try better to help you understand what I'm saying, I know it's not always clear.. I'm not so good with... words." He didn't make eye contact with anyone, but had released Mirabels skirt.

She patted his shoulder, "sí Tío Bruno. But we will all try better. With time we will be."

She gazed out out the sea of faces, "Gracias everyone! You can go now. Lo siento about yelling!" She called as people left.

" Oh! Tía Julieta is yelling. Uh oh. One of your rats took an arepa. We better go."Dolores laughed.

Mirabel laughed with her as she followed her cousin and Tío up the path.

From now on, they will talk about Bruno.

Because he deserves to be talked about.