𝒮𝑒𝑒 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻 <<Bruno Madrigal>>>

Chapter 18

Rumors had spread throughout the village, not that Carina had expected differently from them. The only change to the conversations would be the way they depicted Bruno as the culprit to Mirabel's powerlessness. In her eyes, of course, that is fabricated. She was there when Alma had asked him to look into it, to see what it meant for her grandchild when she didn't get a door of her own.

And what's worse, even his own family turned a blind eye to him. No one knew of his answer and not one person saw him afterwards. He just.... disappeared.

Mirabel cried on her lap inside The Guerrera's house—in Carina's room— as she let out every ounce of bitter sadness she's feeling from what happened at the celebration. A girl her age is already aware of disappointment, and even that is too much to handle when all you'll hear from your own peers is back stabbing ridicule while your family give you the looks of pity.

"It's not your fault you don't have a gift," she said to the child. "It's okay. Cry it out, mija."

"Mom.... fought with Abuela. I can never help the village like they do..."

"Think of it this way instead," Carina uses her skirt to wipe her tears away, "Everyone in the village has their own roles to play. There's the smith, the farmer, the miner, the builder. And what do they have in common?"

".... They have... roles to play?"

"You're right, but what's the other important fact about that?" Mirabel sits up and wipes a few more tears from her cheeks. "They don't depend on any power to be useful."

"Exactly," Haidi abruptly opens the room to check on them, "Just because that candle never granted you anything doesn't mean that you should sulk and wish for it over and over."

"Mamá, it's okay. I'll handle this—"

"This child needs to know that. Don't be blinded by their words, their charade, it's not all about them. This village had thrived long before the first three had miracle given to them, it changes people to think of depending on them. What's next? As more and more powers get passed down, will anyone ever gonna do anything else? We might as well lounge about in our own homes and not lift a finger!"

"Mamá, por favor!" she yelled, ever so loudly that even both of them went quiet in shock. Mirabel seemed to have forgotten her problems in a few seconds as another thing rose up right un front of her. The air was thick, and there surely would be a pretty loud discussion following after if it weren't for Julio's interferance.

"Mamá, why don't you help me with the pasta downstairs? It's taking me longer than I anticipated," he chuckles, though the lie was never good enough to begin with, she heavily walked downstairs fuming—with her son following in tow.

Carina closes her eyes, unable to look the child in the eye right now, as she knows full well that Mirabel is staring at her figure like it's a ticking time bomb. "....I'm sorry for yelling."

The girl's hands reached for the ones on her lap, giving it a soft squeeze, "Tía Carina..." No words could comfort the grown woman, but she places her other hand on Mirabel's as an appreciation.

"Pst."

She though she heard that wrong, but looking at Mirabel's reaction, it looks like that wasn't just her imagination running wild again.

"Pst. Out here," the person whispers. And it came right out the window.

Carina stands from the bed and goes to peek outside, only to see an unexpected person sticking to her house's wall like a lizard. She leans casually on the window frame with a dumbfounded look, "Well, long time no see."

Angelo makes sure he's leaning his back straight, or he'll definitely fall off the small roof of this small house, "Are you alone? Pft— of course you're not, I heard a child just talk."

"What the heck are you even doing here? And how did you find the hidden rope?" she says after reaching for the dangling thing on the other side of her window. He thought she was making him reach it and holds his arm out, only for it to be placed farther away from him, an unexpected action that had nearly sent him falling from his spot if it weren't for his reflexes. "So much for an ear lender you are."

"Okay. Okay. You're mad at that. I get it, but could you please bring me the rope?"

"Not until I get to know why you chose to nearly trespass yourself inside my bedroom. It's what you were planning to do, isn't it?"

Angelo takes a deep breath, a but irritated that this conversation is still going on despite his helplessness, "...Yes."

"Tía Carina?" Mirabel stood beside her and peeks out the window, "Who is that?"

He glances back to the window and sees the little girl, an amused scoff etched on his face, "Heh, cute."

Carina blocks her view of the man and grabs her shoulders, "Mirabel, go find Tía Marina. Tell her I sent you to help make arepa paisa, okay? Don't tell anyone that there's a man trying to enter the house." Mirabel could only nod at her request and exits the room. Of course she could trust her to keep a secret, that child is a real observant angel.

Angelo grabs the window frame and helps himself climb in, dusting his back, "Phew. What a day."

She grabs her shoe and points it at him, "You even know where I live. I bet you're just here to spy on us after ten whole years. How many people know about this place already? Why come back now of all times? And what's in that bag?" Carina tries to reach for it, but Angelo dodges, keeping the bag in his arms.

"Now now, let's not be hasty here. Look, things just kind of got out of hand a little bit. But the good things is— I'm back, and I'm alive."

She starts hitting him with the shoe, "Who would care if your alive?"

"Ow, ow, alright, that's harsh— okay, stop it. Can we not do this here?"

"You said it'd work," Carina hits him even harder, "You said you'd help me. You said you'd lend your ear if something happens..." her hand trembles right as she finally broke into tears.

Angelo sees this and calms as well, cautiously reaching for her hand and removes the shoe, "I'm sorry. I really am. It was just.... a little complicated on my side, and I wasn't able to come back for a long time. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me.... I couldn't do anything." The woman wipes her tears away, silencing her own sobs as she wore her left shoe. "I'd really like to catch up with everything. Shall we go someplace quiet?"

Carina glances to the door of her room, and out the window. That rope was there for a reason, and that's when the woman sneaks out the house years ago while everyone is still in here. She gets her spare shoes and wears them. No matter how old she is, Carina wouldn't pass the chance to get away from all her current problems in life.

"Let's go."