The Chameleon's Grin ll Camilo Madrigal

Chapter 26 : Charity Work

Carmen's pov:

Camilo must've left in the middle of the night, because a blanket was over me and somehow he managed to sneak a pillow under my head.

I smiled softly as I loaded my plate with breakfast.

"What's on your mind?" Julieta asked, bumping me with her hip.

I shrugged. "Nothing much, just thinking about the plan today."

"Yeah? Did Abuela tell you who would be joining you today?"

I shook my head. "Do you?"

"Mhm, you've got Luisa, Isabela, Dolores, Antonio, Diana, Mirabel, and Camilo. Isabela and Dolores are more than willing to codirect for you if you start to get overwhelmed."

I smiled. "That's a lot of people, are you sure I'm not burdening you all?"

Julieta put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. "Not at all, in fact, Abuela was happy you brought up the topic, otherwise we would be neglecting part of the community we had promised to take of."

I swallowed the urge to tell them that they were in fact neglecting us, but I shook it off, grateful that they would be getting the much needed help now.

"But what about school?"

"We're taking them off for the rest of the week so they can help and and get used to both you and your sister. I believe we forgot that this was a change for them too."

I smiled, trying to suppress some of the emotions I couldn't quite identify yet. "Thank you Tia."

Camilo popped his head in the kitchen. "No school?"

His aunt shook her head.

"YES!" He celebrated, turning into several different people in his excitement, one being me, then he recomposed himself. "Er- I mean, great to know, I look forward to helping out in Encanto."

He quickly walked away, and Julieta chuckled. "Such a strange boy."

***

My new team lined in the outer ring of Encanto.

The place looked sad and drab compared to the center of town, and the locals seemed on edge from the Madrigals, most of them resenting the rich family.

I went through the line, assigning each of them something to do.

"Luisa, could you build a little gazebo over there?" I pointed to an empty lot between two apartment complexes.

The bulky woman nodded and ran to get materials, and some people to help her.

"Isabela, could you make the place look a little more alive? It'll change the mood of the locals when seeing something so pretty and free of charge." She nodded and walked away, growing vegetation and blooms where she saw fit, and handed a passerby and single sunflower.

"Dolores, could you listen for any complaints around? And if it's not to much trouble, write them down?" I offered her the clipboard and pen I had brought.

Without a word, she gave me a toothy grin and took the clipboard, staying close to me as I moved to my next volunteer.

"Camilo and Antonio?" The two hermanos perked up. "I need you to entertain the children, and Camilo, possibly babysit if the opportunity comes.

"You got it bonita." The shape shifter shot me a wink and went to go find some parents in need of a babysitter.

I rolled my eyes, then looked down at my hermanita, looking longingly after Antonio. "You can join him in a second, but I just need you to create a few things first, beginning with a railing right here in case my gift decided to act up."