Chapter Text
Dolores and Mariano’s wedding had been beautiful. It rained a little, but everyone had brought umbrellas, just in case. The reception was held at La Casa Madrigal, there was food, pictures, and dancing. Once Bruno was no longer needed, he escaped from the courtyard before anyone asked to measure his belt or put one of his shoes under the bride’s dress. He climbed to the 2nd floor and leaned on the railing, watching the festivities below. It was amazing to be part of his family again and to be a part of big family moments. However, this was more people than Bruno had ever liked to be around and sometimes he was still more comfortable on his own. He watched the party rage on below him, couples young and old dancing around the courtyard.
Mirabel came up next to him and leaned on the railing.
“Come dance, Tío Bruno,” Mirabel said, shoving his shoulder with her own.
“No.” Bruno shook his head. “I don’t dance.”
Mirabel followed his gaze to where her parents and Pepa and Félix were dancing. “I’m sure we could find you someone to dance with,” she said slyly.
Bruno started. “What?! I mean, n-no, I’m too old to start dancing now.”
Mirabel laced her arm through his and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just want you to be happy, Tío.”
Bruno smiled, leaned his head on top of hers and patted her arm. “I have my family back, what more could I need.”
Bruno quietly slipped back into his tower as the party continued late into the night. His new magical room was different than before. The front room had light green walls with pictures of his family and drawings his sabrinos had made for him. It was simply furnished, but a bit messy. He had rat mazes along the walls and a nice little stage for his rat telenovelas. The hourglass doorway with the waterfall of sand remained, but behind it lay a flat, one level cave, perfect for visions, without all the stairs. Bruno had yet to use it. He slumped in his chair and watched his rats scamper across the room. Enrique the rat was courting Gabriella the rat, chasing her around the room and sharing his food.
“You guys have it easy,” he said, “lots of fellow rats to chase.”
Not me, he thought. His family had accepted him, and they were mending their relationships. The townspeople no longer seemed scared of him. But he knew that some prejudices could never be overcome. Besides, he glanced in the mirror on the wall, he was 50 years old, he couldn’t see how anyone was going to fall in love with him now. He looked around the room, watching his rats, until his eyes rested on the hourglass doorway. Well, there was a way he could see… He shook his head, ridiculous, he thought, I’m Bruno and I make bad things happen, what good would come of looking into my own future. But the thought kept gnawing at the back of his mind.
Mirabel was getting ready the next morning, and the house was quiet. It had been a late night and most of the family was still asleep. Then there was a hurried knock at her door.
“Mirabel!” she heard Bruno’s voice anxiously whisper from the hall.
“Tío Bruno?” she asked as she opened the door. Bruno hurried into her room and closed the door behind him, his eyes were wild, and he was clutching an emerald tablet to his chest.
“You had a vision?!” she exclaimed excitedly.
“Shhhh!” Bruno whispered. “I was hoping I could hide this here.”
Mirabel raised an eyebrow. “The last time you tried to hide a vision, I found it.”
“Right,” said Bruno, “so I thought if we hid it in your room, we could skip that step.”
“What is it?” Mirabel asked as she reached for the pane of glass.
But Bruno took a step back and clutched it tighter. “That’s not important, I just think we should hide it, and never tell anyone about it.”
Bruno seemed nervous. Well Bruno always seemed nervous, but this was different. This wasn’t an ‘end of the world’ kind of nervous, it was embarrassment.
“Ok, Tío, you can hide it here.”
Bruno relaxed a little and Mirabel grabbed the tablet out of his hands. She gasped; the glass showed Bruno dancing with a woman. The woman’s back was turned, but Bruno was smiling at her. Mirabel has never seen a smile like that on Bruno’s face, or in any family pictures. She turned the glass around and looked at Bruno, who looked terrified.
“Tío Bruno,” she whispered excitedly, “who is this?”
Bruno rubbed his arm nervously. “Well, you can’t see her face, so who knows, maybe I’m just dancing with Julieta.”
Mirabel gave him a look. “That is not Mamá. What else was in the vision? Did you see her face?”
Bruno began to pace around the room. “What I saw in the vision isn’t important. It doesn’t matter if we were dancing or…” Bruno paused and stared off into space. His face softened but then he shook his head. “Besides, we know everyone in the Encanto and I’ve never seen this woman before.”
Suddenly Mirabel’s door opened, and Antonio bounded in on his jaguar.
“Someone new just moved into town,” he chirped excitedly, “Abuela has gone to greet them.”
He rushed out as quickly as he had appeared, and Mirabel slowly turned to look at Bruno. His eyes were wide in horror as a big grin spread across Mirabel’s face.
“Mirabel…. No….” he started, but it was too late. Mirabel had run out the door and down the stairs before Bruno could catch her. He stood alone staring at the green piece of glass in his hand.