Bruno's Daughter

Chapter 14

Kristi's POV:

 I was sitting next to an elderly woman, my arm around her. She was Senora Hernandez. I was reassuring her due to a nightmare I'd seen.

 "It's alright, Senora Hernandez. Just because you are getting older and can't do a lot of the things you used to without help, doesn't make you useless. It doesn't mean your children love you any less. Besides, maybe they like helping you. Some kids enjoy helping their parents."

 "Si...I suppose you're right..." she spoke quietly.

 "Maybe you should talk to Maria and Jorge." Maria and Jorge were her children. They were adults now, married and on their own, but they come see and help their mother all the time. Maria is actually Senora Alvarez. Familiar? Exactly. Francisco's mother. So, yea, I'm helping his grandmother.

 "Si...It's a good idea. Gracias, Kristi." 

 "You're welcome, Senora Hernandez." I smiled and helped her get up. We hugged before she slowly walked away. 

 I sighed with a small smile as I watched her leave. Now, don't get me wrong, I love making others feel better with my gift. And seeing people's dreams is pretty fun. When they aren't nightmares. Sometimes dreams turn into nightmares, so abuela has me looking at those sometimes. But, as much as I like it, I feel so overwhelmed with it all...I really need a break, honestly. But I don't usually get one. Every day I have like, 20-35 people to see due to nightmares. That does include family, if they have nightmares.

 Anyways, I knew I still had three more people to visit, but I needed to meet up with Mirabel. Luckily last night there weren't many people with nightmares. Maybe like, 10? I walked towards the park and noticed Mirabel hadn't come yet. But, Senor Mendoza was here with his daughters. So, I had a chance to take care of two of my last remaining people. 

 I had just finished reassuring Elena and Emilia Mendoza about their nightmares when Mirabel came walking up. I waved to her before turning back to Little Emilia, who was about ten. 

 "You don't need to worry. Your family will always have enough love and time for you, no matter how many people come into your family." I smiled at her. She was scared because her family was wanting to adopt a little five year old boy named, Luis. 

 "Gracias, Senorita Kristi," she smiled at me. 

 "No problem, little one." I replied, walking over to Mirabel. "Hey, prima! What's the word?"

 "Well, for starters, you wouldn't believe how stressed she feels!" Mirabel began. 

 "Actually, I believe it. I have the ability to see dreams, remember? I've tried to reassure her, but it never works...Please tell me you did it?"

 "I really don't know for sure...I told her I think she's carrying way too much. And I hugged her. She can hug pretty tight." Mirabel and I laughed. It's true. I couldn't breathe once when she hugged me. "She did tell me that Tio Bruno had a vision just before he left." I froze at her words, my eyes going wide. "She said we needed to find it. If we find his last vision, we might find out what's happening to the magic." She then noticed my face and my tense state. "Oh, sorry...I forgot this was a sensitive subject for you...Are you ok...?"

 "Y-yea....I-I'm ok....So, we need to go to Bruno's room?" I asked in a slow, quiet voice.

 "Yes. But if you aren't up for it, you don't have to go..."

 "N-no...This is my family and it's my duty to help them..." I told her. "Let's go tell Andres." Mirabel nodded, giving a small frown. With that, we walked away towards Andres' house.

It took a few minutes to get there, but we finally did arrive at Andres' house. I did our special knock and the door was soon opened by my boyfriend. Andres put a finger to his lips, telling us to be quiet, before walking outside and closing the door.

 "So, what's up?" he asked.

 "We need to go to Bruno's tower and find his last vision." I said.

 Andres looked at me with a strange look before nodding. "Alright. Let's go then." 

 When we got to his tower, I froze in place. I honestly was just trying to force myself to go in, but my feet wouldn't move. I hadn't been here in....well....years....

 For the first few years after he left, I'd spend my days in here. Usually after chores. The day I woke up to him gone, I just locked myself in his room and didn't leave until the next afternoon. And that's because of Delores and Andres. I didn't do my chores that day or the day I actually left his room. Abuela was furious with me. She told me she understood why I was upset, seeing as I'd just lost my papa, but she still wanted me to do my chores. Which, I did. After the first few years, I stopped visiting. I did still wear his ruana every day. But, after six years, I stopped doing that. I will admit, I still sleep with it. I guess...it just grew to hurt to much....Either that, or I finally realized it wasn't going to bring my father back. Or both.

 Well, anyways, Mirabel opened the door and we were faced with a wall of flowing sand. "Casita, can you turn off the sand?" Andres asked. Casita lifted it's tiles in response.

 "It's always been like this since I was little. Casita can't help us in here or turn off this sand." I told him. "Come on, let's go!" I jumped through the sand and slid down to the bottom. I forgot how much fun that could be....

 It didn't take long for Mirabel and Andres to follow. Mirabel got sand in her glasses. I chuckled a little as I stood up and helped them up. I brushed the sand off my dress before looking up at all the stairs. 

 "Whoa...Kristi, your papa has a lot of stairs."

 "I know." I responded.

 "But, hey! At least we'll have a friend!" Mirabel smiled, a bird sitting on her shoulder. After she said that, he flew away. "And he flew away immediately....Never mind."

 "It's fine. We have each other. That's all that matters." I replied, taking her hand. "Now let's find that vision and....and get out of here...." I looked around at my father's old room. It looked different from when I last entered it. Andres gave me a reassuring smile before we all started up the thousands of steps.