Archive of Our Own

Dolores's POV

    "So–" Camilo took a bite of his arepa–"vha' 're ve doin' for our parents' 'irthday?"

     "Please chew with your mouth closed." Isabela requested, scrunching her nose as she dusted off stray arepa crumbs from her dress. 

     "We could make them dinner." Antonio suggested, eyeing a cactus under Isa's bed that was a unique shade of blue.

     "We tried that two years ago, and almost burned down the whole house. Remember?" Luisa piped in, pulling back Antonio's hand when he reached out to touch the plant. 

     "And, I'm pretty sure we gave Tío Félix food poisoning." Mirabel added with a wince. 

     "Maybe we could make them some new clothes or something." Camilo proposed, finishing up his arepa. 

     "Does anyone here besides Mirabel know how to sew and embroider though?" I asked, knowing I was helpless with a needle.

     There was silence, as we all looked at each other hopefully. 

      "Well, there goes that idea." Isa muttered, frowning.

     "Maybe a picnic!" Mirabel said.

     "That was last year's gift." I refuted, giving her a lopsided grin. 

      "Right." Mirabel pursed her lips, appearing to be deep in thought. 

     "Ooh! I've got it!" Antonio shouted. "How about a surprise party?!"

     Everybody perked up at that idea. 

     "That just might work." Camilo rubbed his chin. "A few of us can keep them out of the house for the day, while the rest of us get the decorations ready, and sneak in food from the town."

     "We could probably even get some of our parents' friends from town to come too!" Isa added, grinning. 

     "And I can help Abuela make a cake!" Mirabel offered.

     Everyone started excitedly planning out who was going to do what. I was about to join in, when I frowned, remembering that we weren't just planning a party for our parents this year. 

     "Guys, I'm not so sure this is such a great idea." 

     I winced as they turned to me, their faces falling. "It's just, it's Bruno's birthday too, ya know? And I don't think he's a very big fan of crowds." 

     "But Pepa told me that Bruno used to love parties." Isa argued. 

     I blinked in surprise. "She did?"

     Isa nodded, flipping her hair. The other kids cheered back up, beginning their party-planning again with renewed enthusiasm. 

     "I guess, if Mom said..." I mumbled, still not entirely convinced. 

     Shrugging, I joined the conversation, saying that I could gather some green decorations. 

     I can't wait to make this Bruno's best birthday yet. 

Bruno's POV

     Something's going on with the kids. I'm not sure what, but it's definitely something. I thought, narrowing my eyes at my nieces, who were whispering across from me at the table. As soon as they noticed I was looking their way, their eyes widened, and they quickly stuffed their mouths with food.

     For the past week I'd noticed them sneaking around the house, hiding boxes behind their backs. At this point, I'd easily realized it was something for Julieta's, Pepa's, and I's birthday today, I just wasn't sure what they had planned. 

     "Bruno! Could you do me a huuuuuuge favor?" Luisa asked, pretending like she hadn't just been behaving very suspiciously. "Can you come into town with me today and help me pick up some corn? We're all out." 

     "Really?" Julieta remarked, frowning. "I thought I just got some last week." 

     "Nope, all gone!" Dolores piped in. "But maybe you and Mamá could come along too! I've been looking for a new dress to wear on my date with Mariano next week, and I could really use your help!"

     Julieta and Pepa glanced at each other, before looking back at their daughters. They agreed to go into town, but only on the condition that we returned home after a couple hours, so that Julieta could bake a cake for tonight. 

     I shrugged. "I suppose a trip to town sounds okay." 

     It's only a couple hours. What's the worst that could happen?

•~•

     Is it too late to go back to living in the walls? I wondered, practically dragging my feet. Because if it means no more shopping trips like this, it might just be worth it. 

     We'd spent the last six hours since lunch going around town and trying to find a dress for Dolores, only to end up getting the first one she saw. Pepa was so angry, I was a little worried that she'd strike her own daughter down with lightning. 

     Even Julieta's angry, I thought, looking on in surprise as Julieta muttered about love-sick fools under her breath. 

     Finally! I grabbed the handle to the Casita's door hurriedly. I can go have some peace and–

     "SURPRISE!" 

     I shrieked, jumping back so far that I practically fell into Luisa's arms. She chuckled, pushing me into the house, where practically half the town's residents were waiting. 

     Pepa and Julieta walked into the house, their faces displaying twin looks of shock and delight. There were blue, gold, and green decorations adorning the house as far as the eye could see, and the dining table had been moved into the open area and piled high with so many different foods, I couldn't even count them all. However, most surprising of all, was the large torta de tres leches cake in the center of the room. 

     "How on earth did you do all this?!" Julieta asked Camilo, Antonio, Mirabel, and Isa, who were at the front of the large crowd. 

    "With a lot of planning." Dolores hurried into the house, running up to her room to put her dress away. 

     "And some help from Abuela." Mirabel added, gesturing to the cake. 

     "This is fantastic!" Pepa exclaimed, the rain cloud above her head being replaced with a rainbow. "Oh, thank you, niños." She pulled all of the kids into a hug. 

     I smiled as the townspeople surrounded my sisters, wishing them happy birthday and giving them gifts. Skirting around the crowd, I headed over to the food table, eager to see what the kids had managed to cook. 

      Or, more likely, buy. I shivered, remembering the chaos of two years ago, and the charred remains that even my rats wouldn't go near. 

     I looked in delight at all of the options, wondering what I should pick. Grinning, I quickly grabbed a polvorosa, knowing that if I didn't get one now, Camilo would come by and eat them all before I had a chance to take even a bite. 

      I stood in the background for an hour or two, happy that my sisters seemed to be enjoying the party, even if I had kind of hoped we'd have a smaller celebration with less people. Not that more people being here directly affected me much. For the most part, everyone steered clear of me, only a few "brave souls" wishing me a happy birthday in passing. 

     Not that I'm complaining. I would not want to be the center of attention. I shook my head, banishing the thought of having everyone's eyes on me. 

     Suddenly, I felt someone grab my arm, and start leading me to the front door. I almost pushed the person away, before I stopped, realizing it was just Luisa.

     "Come on, Bruno! We have one last surprise for you!" Luisa shouted over the noise of everyone walking out the door. 

     I chuckled, letting myself be dragged along, until I found myself at the front of the crowd, reunited with my sisters once more. Seeing me, they quickly hugged me, asking me if I knew what the surprise was, and why we had to go outside.

     I shook my head. "I have no clue–" 

     Boom. 

     My eyes widened, and I cringed at the sound. My sisters looked up at the sky in wonder as I untangled myself from their hug. I was about to try to make a strategic retreat back into the house, when another firework went off, the sound like thunder in my ears.

     "Uncle Bruno, look!" Luisa forcibly moved my head, making me face the bright explosion of light. "We added some green ones, just for you!"

     "That–that was very nice of you. I just–I need to–" I stumbled, gently removing her hands, practically running back into the house. Slamming my hands over my ears, I hurried into my old tunnel system.

     Luckily, the farther I traveled, the less I could hear the noise outside. Finally, I reached my old chair, practically collapsing into it. Faintly, I could hear my rats scurrying to greet me, running up the legs of the furniture and settling in my lap.

     Come on, get it together, I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to slow down my breathing. You can't panic, because if you panic, then you'll have uncontrollable visions, and if you have uncontrollable visions, you'll panic, and the cycle will keep on repeating over and over again until you pass out from exhaustion. At which point you'll have nightmares.

     Realizing this train of thought wasn't really helping me calm down, I tried to focus on thoughts of happy things, like my rats, and acting, and eating dinner with my family, and–

     I jumped at the feeling of a hand shaking my leg. Prying my eyes open, I smiled weakly at the sight of my sobrinita in front of me as I cautiously lowered my hands. 

     "Your eyes..." Dolores squinted. "Why are they glowing?"

     I winced. "Ah. That–that happens, sometimes. Well, you already know that I'm sure. What I mean is, it sometimes happens when I don't mean for it to happen if I'm really anxious, or scared, or panicking." I rambled, chuckling nervously. 

     Dolores wilted. "Was it the fireworks?" She asked, frowning. 

     I nodded, petting Julio. "Loud noises and I don't really get along well." I explained. "For some reason they always remind me of the townspeople who'd get angry at me and yell at me when I gave them a bad vision."

     I shrugged. "Not that there was really anything I could do to help it. I don't control the future, I just see it. But, most people don't really care about those kinds of details when you tell them something they don't want to hear." I muttered, wishing once again that I had been given a different, nicer power, like Julieta's or Isa's. 

     Dolores sighed, sitting down in front of me. She took a pandebono out of her pocket, splitting it before giving half to me. We ate in silence, both of use merely enjoying each other's company.

     "This year was supposed to be different." Dolores whispered, her eyebrows furrowing.

     "Hey, don't say that! It may not have ended on such a great note, but I got to spend the day with you, and Luisa, and my sisters, which is way better than what I was expecting for today this time last year." I protested. 

     "But, maybe next time you kids get it in your heads to surprise us, distract us with a picnic or something, okay? 'Cause if next year, I have to spend a small eternity looking at dress after dress, I will hide in the walls and not come out until I feel it's safe again." I threatened.

     Dolores laughed, raising her hands in a placating manner. "Alright, no more lengthy shopping trips, I got it." 

     I chuckled, stifling a yawn. "Thank you, by the way. For, uh, coming to check in on me, I suppose."

     Dolores rolled her eyes. "You don't have to thank me for caring about you, Bruno." She replied, giving me a warm smile. 

     "We could go join the family now, if you want? The fireworks are all done, and I can hear the townspeople heading home. We-we could see if there's any leftover cake." She suggested. 

     I winced. "I-I think maybe it'd be best if I just called it a night. I'm pretty tired." 

     She pursed her lips, but nodded, standing up. She gave me a hug, waving to me as she walked back the way she had came in. 

     I waited for her to leave, before slumping in my chair and closing my eyes. As I felt myself drifting to sleep, I smirked slightly at my last conscious thought.

     It's funny how, even with all the changes that have happened, birthdays with Dolores have stayed the same. 

Dolores's POV

     I frowned as I left the tunnel system on the second floor of the house, heading straight to the kitchen. Stomping into the room, I glared at mi familia, who was sitting around the table eating torta de tres leches. 

     At my entrance, mi mamá greeted me enthusiastically, motioning for me to come over. 

     "Dolores! We tried to call for you, but when you didn't come we figured you were with Mariano, maybe." My mother handed me a plate of cake, but I set it back down on the table, crossing my arms. 

     "Oh, I heard. But I also heard your brother hyperventilating in the walls, so I figured that was a bit more important." I sassed, noticing that everyone stopped talking the second I made my comment. 

     "Is he okay? What happened?" Julieta asked, standing up. "Does he-"

     "He's sleeping now." I interrupted, sharply. "So please, keep your voices down."

     "Dolores, it's not our fault that we didn't hear something was wrong. We don't have your gift. So please, be a little more understanding, hmmm?" Mi mamá suggested, her tone stern. 

     "I would understand if you didn't know that something was wrong. But what I don't understand-" I emphasized, placing my hands on my hips-"is how you didn't even notice he was gone! Not once did I hear any of you call his name-not when the fireworks were done, or when the cake was cut, or when the townspeople started to leave." I seethed, looking at all of them accusingly. 

     "No, it's you who don't understand! You don't understand, how every year, for the past ten years, he's sat behind that painting and watched as we celebrated Pepa's and Julieta's birthday, never even mentioning him. And you don't understand how, for the past nine years, I'd visit him once you all went to bed. I'd-I'd bring him a cocada, or arroz con leche, or solteritas, because there was never any cake left over for him."

     "And-and no matter what I brought, he'd treat it as if it was the most delicious food in the world. He'd actually insist on sharing it with me, saying that made it taste better. Because, to him, me being there was all that mattered! Dios mio, I tried to bring him a gift once, but he wouldn't even take it." I waved my hands emphatically. 

     "And you don't understand how, for nine years, I'd beg him to come out, because it was clear to me how much he missed you. All he ever asked from me was my secrecy, and to be given stories about you! I told him, over and over again, that you guys missed him, and that he should stop hiding. But every single time, he'd give me this look, as if he didn't believe me." I shook my head. 

     "And why should he! We brought in people who are scared of him and hate him, and then forced him to listen to and watch fireworks, which terrify him to the point that he went running off into the walls to avoid the noise. And we did this, on his birthday!" I hissed, running my hands through my hair. 

     "And yet, worst of all, you don't understand how awful it was to hear him this night, ten years ago. Because the first year, I didn't even think to visit him. But I could hear him sing happy birthday to Mamá and Julieta and himself. And I could hear him eating an arepa, pretending like it was the cake that all of us were enjoying. And I could hear him, when everyone else went to bed, crying himself to sleep because he loved and missed us, but thought that everyone else was better off without him."

     "You just--" I cut myself off, wiping away my tears. 

     "You just don't understand." I whispered. 

     The room was silent, the only sound the sniffling of mi familia as they lamented over how foolish they'd been. I stood there, feeling a grim satisfaction as I watched them realize the thoughtlessness in their actions. 

     At least they're finally starting to understand. And all it took was me blabbing on Mirabel to speed up getting Bruno out of those walls. 

     I frowned, looking at the crumbs of cake left on the table. 

     And a healthy dose of some cold hard facts. 

     "We--we need to apologize to Bruno. And make it up to him." Mi mamá croaked, rubbing her eyes. She didn't even try to shoo away the rain cloud that was down-pouring on her. 

     Everyone nodded their agreement, and I gave them a small smile. 

     "Now that sounds like a good idea." 

Third person POV

     Bruno was dumbfounded when he woke up the next day, and found his entire family waiting at the table for him, with an untouched torta de tres leches, and a large pile of gifts. He was so shocked, that he simply stood there as everyone came around him, making him the center of their family hug. 

     He tried to tell them that he didn't need any gifts, but Antonio, prepared for this response, told his uncle that his rats had been instructed to follow him around with his gifts until he took them. Bruno shook his head, telling them once more they really didn't need to get him anything, before accepting his defeat graciously. 

     Although, he did insist on sharing the cake, claiming that he couldn't eat it all on his own, and that it tasted better when eaten with family. At this comment, quite a few family members started to cry, to Bruno's great alarm. After much assurance that they were happy tears, the cake was cut, and Bruno was given the first (and largest) piece. 

     Time passed, and eventually, it was the triplets' birthday again. That day, there was no party, or fireworks, or shopping. In fact, the townspeople were a little alarmed when, that night, they noticed that no one had seen a single Madrigal all day. 

     However, if they would have knocked on the Casita's front door, they would have found that la familia Madrigal was very busy playing games together, sharing stories, opening gifts, and eating cake. Furthermore, that night, after everyone went to bed, Dolores fell asleep with a smile on her face as she listened to the sound of her uncle sleeping peacefully. 

     That year, there was no candlelight visit between uncle and niece. No food shared between just the two of them. No whispered happy birthday sung. 

     That year marked the end of the pairs' annual, special moment, but neither of them greatly lamented the loss. And if you were to ask them why they were so willing to give up their years-long routine, they'd smile at you, and say,

     "You have to understand--some traditions are made to be broken."