Love Me for Eternity || Bruno Madrigal

Chapter 52: Bedtime Stories

It was quiet, an ambient kind of silence that would wash the veil of lonesome nights, draped only with the waves of light from the full moon. It was still early into the night, but Mirabel and Camilo were the first to to be lulled in a peaceful slumber with their silent breaths the only company of their lofty little bed, huddled together under the luminance of lunar bliss. Mirabel never did like sleeping alone—she always had to jump from one bed to another and sleep beside her primo if she wanted a good night's rest. Camilo didn't mind, in fact, he liked Mirabel's company whenever they fell asleep.

Your triplets, however...well, they were as hard to tuck in as a stubborn capybara.

"Are you sure I can't take Chica to bed? She'll be lonely outside." Angelina jutted her lips out with a quiver. Bruno sputtered and blinked, resisting the urge to give in. You sighed in amusement and immediately came to his rescue.

"No Angi. Chica can't sleep with you in bed. Abuela would get mad if she caught you." At the mere mention of Alma, Angelina immediately stopped her cute act and huffed. She was upset that her plan to coerce her father with her puppy eyes failed, but she knew better than to make her abuela upset. Her lamb sidekick would have to wait until morning until she could hug her again.

When you saw Ignacio trying to sneak out of bed, you wrapped him up in a blanket and scooped him in along with his siblings. You heard them squeal from underneath you as they all tried their best to escape. Bruno gave you a raised brow in amusement and had to hold in a laugh.

"Sshh, you're going to wake your cousins up." Bruno whispered to his adorable children. They giggled and squealed, muffled by the blanket that you had playfully wrapped them in. Ignacio popped his head out of your comfy blanket prison and batted his eyes innocently at your husband.

"Can we have another story, papá? Please? Javi wanted to hear more." You heard an indignant whine and restless shuffle from under the covers before a tiny hand nervously tugged on Ignacio's sleeve.

"It's alright if papá doesn't tell us a story..." Javier said quietly. His eyes—the same shade of emerald speckled hazel as Bruno—twinkled nervously under his older brother's pouting stare. Ignacio had always been the voice for Javier whenever he was too nervous to say anything, but Javi always denied anything Ignacio said. He was far too shy to admit that he wanted something, but Ignacio was ever the patient older brother.

"But you said you wanted to hear more stories about Hernando—" Ignacio was cut off by Javier leaning his head on his shoulder and shaking his arm softly. He mumbled words under his breath, anxious and embarrassed.

"D-don't tell them that..." Just as Javi trailed off, Angelina's head popped out under the blanket and poked Javier on the cheek with a grin. Your youngest son whined and buried his head under the pillows to escape Angi's teasing pokes.

"I like Jorge better. He sounds funny." Angelina giggled. Ignacio wrinkled his nose and stuck his tongue out at his older sister.

"Nuh-uh. He makes the spackle." Before Angelina could retort (just like any other time Ignacio would stir up a fuss with her), you pinched Ignacio's nose gently and lowered his head down to lay on his pillow.

"What did I say about sticking your tongue out, Nacito?" He puffed his cheeks out and grumbled.

"It's bad to stick my tongue out to other people..." He huffed. You nodded in content and kissed his forehead.

"That's right. That's why you don't stick your tongue out to your sister, si? " From the corner of your eye, you saw Angelina grin in celebration and sticking her tongue out to Nacito to claim her victory. However, it was Bruno's turn to pinch Angelina's nose and knock on her forehead gently; a habit that he had developed with his children when he wanted to tease them. Angelina whined but obeyed, crashing her head down her fluffy pillow. You shook your head and chuckled. "That means you too, Angi. No sticking your tongue out to your brother."