Crushing On A Madrigal | 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜

·15·

"Meeting Bruno and the twins"

Estella watched as she let Mirabel walk away from her, nibbling on her lips while she hesitantly tries going back to their village. She exits the woods and ends up near the barn where she heard some of the animals making a lot of noise. Thinking that something might be bothering them or that maybe the donkeys got out again, she makes her way there, planning to check on them since some people may still be asleep.

Or at least that's what she thought.

Estella freezes in her tracks as she spots someone wearing a green ruana struggling to get a horse out of the stables.

She didn't exactly remember a lot about him but she knew who he was and that was enough.

She runs over and helps him get the horse out without saying a word. Grabbing the leash, she hands them over to Bruno, puts her hands on top of his, and looks straight into his eyes.

"Please bring her back." She says, her arms dropping to the side. Feeling guilty about how she doesn't want Mirabel to be alone even though it was what she saw she wanted in her eyes.

After being a little dumbfounded, Bruno was surprised to hear the teen speak to him. It's been a while since he actually saw someone else, let alone talk to one but whoever she was, he knew that she was talking about Mirabel and that she was someone close to her to be this worried.

Bruno gave her a single nod, "Okay," He said to himself, trying to get on the horse and struggling a few times until Estella had to help him. "Here, Señor Bruno. Let me help you." She says, a little smile forming on her lips while a weak chuckle managed to escape them as well.

Bruno laughed nervously, thanking her girl mentally since he was still quite new to being back out to the world.

"Hyah!" He let out urging the horse to move but when it did, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise at their quick movement and sudden acceleration.

Estella watched as another Madrigal faded away from her line of sight when suddenly she remembered that Bruno has no clue where to look.

She clicks her tongue and facepalms herself. "¿Por que eres tan tonta, Estella? (Why are you so stupid, Estella?)" She hisses. "Ayy, Dios Mio."

★  ★  ★

"And where have you been?" Tacita asked, upset. Staring down at her daughter whom she found gone so early in the morning, impatiently stomping her foot while waiting for her answer.

"Mirabel had been gone since yesterday and her family's worried sick about her. I had to at least try to help look." Estella explained, fiddling with the strands of her hair as she stares at the floor, too guilty to face her parents.

"We were worried too." Benito pipes in, "You could've at least told us what you were planning rather than leaving in the middle of the night when the sun isn't even out yet."

"And you could've gotten yourself hurt in the woods," Tacita adds, the two of them fuming with disappointment and concern.

"From what, a thorn?" Estella groaned, "I'm fifteen, I can take care of myself in a place where I've spent my whole life wandering in." She huffed, trying to defend herself.

"And even if I tried telling you that I would leave and help look would you have let me?"  She asked, making both of her parents fall into silence as the three of them stare at each other with furrowed brows of frustration.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Estella sighed, looking at her parents apologetically as she asked for their sympathy.

The three of them amended with each other and ended up in a tight group hug. "I guess this is what happens when two stubborn people have a child." Benito chuckled, his arms wrapped around both his two favorite people, making the two of them let out a small laugh.

"Hopefully these two won't be," Tacita mentions.

"I doubt it." Estella chuckled, stopping mid-laugh and jolting her head up. "Wait, "these two"?" She asked, while her parents grinned at her in amusement.

"I'm having SIBLINGS? They're plural?" She questioned, eyeing her parents with an excited smile. "You're having siblings, yes since they're gonna be twins." Her mother nodded.

"I'm having siblings!" Estella said to herself. "'Cuz they're twins!" She exclaimed, jumping excitedly.

"But uhm, don't you think that I, as a soon-to-be older sister, to not one – but TWO children, should serve as a good example and I don't know," She shrugged, and mischievously smiled at her parents.

"Help out in finding one of the friends she cherishes most?" Estella grinned, making her father let out a laugh while her mother simply rolled her eyes at her in defeat.

"Alright, alright." Tacita says, "Just make sure to come back here to eat." She added as a condition.

"And rest." Benito chimes in, already walking casually to their kitchen for some coffee.

Estella immediately agreed to the terms and started dashing outside, causing her mother to do nothing but shake her head and sigh at her daughter. "If only I knew we'd produce a stubborn yet very helpful child." She muttered, loud enough for her husband to hear as she walked toward where he is only for both their attention to turn back to Estella as they found her head peeking through their front doorway.

"Did I mention how amazing parents you two are?" She smiled, trying to flatter her parents while Tacita just waved her off. "Go, go, before I change my mind."

Estella wore a triumphant smile on her way to go back to the woods to see if she can find Mirabel again. Or even help Bruno find her. 

"Wait a minute." She says, stopping in her tracks, "I thought they said he left?"