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No one dared to enter his room for days. Any visitors coming for a vision were turned away right away before entering Casita by the adults, including the ever determined matriarch. She knew the raw sense of loss too. There was no way she’d let her own son push himself like she had. Bruno was at least thankful for that.
The only times he ever came down were for laundry, food, and Mirabel’s bottles, and socializing the baby. The rest of the days were spent in his room comforting and caring for his new daughter. He knew the children were confused as to why their- and he bragged- favorite Tio Bruno had secluded himself. He knew he couldn’t hide from his life forever, he knew he couldn’t stay in his tower forever. As much as he wanted to stay up in it forever.
He would eventually need to get back into giving predictions. He would need to get back into a routine of “normal”. But what was normal when she was gone? His normal self had grown accustomed to having his wife. His sweet Vanesa. How he missed sharing laughter and smiles. Stealing kisses in the halls and dancing under the stars. Crying and tensing in pain in her lap when a new vision headache couldn’t be cured by an arepa. Making up when a disagreement or miscommunication had been solved. She was his life, he was her support.
Now she’s gone. Her life was taken after their child was born. Mirabel was the only proof he had that Vanesa was once alive.
Looking over to the crib he was mindlessly rocking with one hand, he saw that Mirabel was starting to stir awake. Stilling for a moment Bruno watched to see if Mirabel would actually wake up. She couldn’t be ready to wake up just yet, could she? He had just fed her, changed her, and did any necessary care that she would need. It hadn’t even been 20 minutes.
And that’s when her cries in the room started to echo. Bruno frenzied over the crib, his eyes wide and his hands not knowing what to do. He tried shushing the baby as he put a finger to his lips. “M-Mira! Mira! Shhh it’s okay it’s okay!”
Her cries only grew louder. Bruno winced as he started to gently pick up the baby into his arms and bounce her a bit, patting her back as her screams rang in his ears. He tried to rub her back, rock her a bit, even kiss her head. But she was only crying more. Bruno wanted to cry too. If only his wife were here. She would know what to do. She would know exactly how to calm the child.
Bruno plopped down onto the rocking chair in the corner of the room, trying so hard to rock Mirabel. He can’t do this alone, he can’t do this. There was no way he could calm her down. He could barely take care of himself as of right now. What was he thinking believing he could care for Mirabel by himself? Vanesa would be disappointed in him if she saw him-
That’s when an idea struck.
Looking down at Mirabel, Bruno dug deep into his memories of when a heavily pregnant Vanesa would sit in this exact rocker. A song she'd sing softly that she made up for Mirabel when her kicking would keep her up. Bruno cleared his throat as he tried to sing the best he could.
"Mariposa, Mariposa
Flying around in la Casita
Tell me all of your dreams
Though impossible they seem
I will help you achieve
Porque estoy aquí a tí"
As the last note was sung, Mirabel's cries were now whimpers. Her big teary brown eyes looked up at her father as he sang the lullaby again. Slowly and surely as he rocked the chair and softly sang to the girl patting her back gently to the song, her eyes began to droop. A few yawns slipped out. And soon enough, she was asleep. Bruno continued to hum, to rock, pat her back gently. Her light snores were a long telltale sign of her being asleep. Bruno smiled to himself planting a kiss on her forehead.
He can do this.