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"I can’t believe you, Tio!" Mirabel yelled over the music, as she dragged the man into the empty kitchen. They both looked furious, although Bruno was doing a better job of keeping his emotions at bay.
"How could you tell Carlos off for asking me to take a walk with him? Do you have any idea how long I waited for his move?!"
The girl shouted on the top of her lungs, her face red from anger and embarrassment. Unable to contain her indignation, she walked around the room as she spoke, throwing her arms vigorously.
“That boy –“ said Bruno, refusing to repeat his name. “He was drunk. It wasn’t safe. I mean, what if – what if he did something? To you?”
His niece rolled her eyes, making an impatient face.
“Maybe I wanted him to? Ever thought of that?”
Bruno’s stuffy expression told her everything she had to know.
"Are you done, mija? Because I have a party to enjoy."
Her brows furrowed, Mirabel stopped in her tracks, pointing a finger at Bruno's chest.
"Don't you patronize me, Señor! And stop acting like my guardian. Even my parents are less interested in my love life than you are."
"I bet they also wouldn’t want their daughter to disappear with some stranger," the man mumbled louder than he intended to.
His niece put her hand over her face, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You seem to have an answer to everything. Then surely you can tell me who I am supposed to have some fun with? Maybe one of your visions would clear that up? I wonder, is there even a guy you wouldn't run to scare away? Only because he blinked in my direction?"
Even though Mirabel stopped shouting, her every word was dripping with anger and sarcasm. He must have really crossed the line, Bruno realized. He believed it would be in his best interest to act oblivious.
"No idea what you're talking about," he said in a steady voice.
The girl snorted loudly. Clearly, she did not believe in his sudden memory loss.
"You don’t know? Then let’s start at the beginning of this party, shall we?" she said, as her hands landed on her hips. In her new heels and a matching blue dress, Mirabel was now standing taller than her Tio. "What about when Andres asked me if I’d like to dance and you told him that I was busy spending time with my family? Or, when Alex wanted to grab some snacks and you just had to butt in and tell him that I’ve just eaten? Or, when you accidentally bumped into David and spilled your drink down his front? Or, when you walked over to me any time that Ian −"
"Oh, please!" Bruno interrupted, having no desire to hear more. "Don’t tell me you liked them. I mean, any of these… men? With you? For real?"
He touched a nerve there, he could instantly tell. Mirabel's arms folded together across her chest.
"And why exactly wouldn’t I?"
The man shrugged, avoiding her gaze. After a short silence, when it was obvious that she wouldn't let him leave the question unanswered, he stated,
"Because! You – You're forcing yourself. That’s right! You’re pushing yourself – even though they're not your type. Not really."
"Oh, now you know my type, don’t you?"
Bruno shook his head with irritation. He wished his niece would just drop the subject, not delve into it.
"This’s going nowhere." The man straightened his jacket and pointed at the exit, toward the celebratory party that was in full swing. Hopefully, he added, "Can I go now?"
"You wish! You're not going anywhere, Tio. Not until you tell me who my dream boy is. Here, I'm listening."
Her Tio gave out a long sigh. She had him cornered. His first instinct was to tell a harmless lie just to escape this unpleasant situation. Although, the man figured, since they got this far, he might as well tell the truth. Maybe his niece would actually acknowledge his point for a change.
"Look, Mirabel. You deserve a man who knows he’s lucky to have you. A man – not a boy – for who you matter more than anything. Who can make you smile but wouldn’t leave you in tears – ever. Who likes you for who you are. You – not your family, not your status."
With raised eyebrows, Mirabel just blinked back at him. It struck her how solemn he seemed, with his voice low and eyes straight at her. The atmosphere was getting too intense for her liking. She was supposed to enjoy herself, not to have serious conversations with her uncle. So, she replied in a light-hearted way.
"Come on, Tio! Where am I supposed to find someone like you?”
Bruno’s face grew red from chin to forehead. His rapid stutter was hard to understand.
“L–Like me? Why m–me? Tha– That’s not what I meant! At all!”
“See? Not that easy,” said Mirabel with a small chuckle. “If I don't want Antonio to get married before me, I need to lower my expectations here."
If he was disappointed with her statement, he didn't show it. Actually, he didn’t speak at all. She used it to her advantage.
"So," the girl went on. "I would really, really, really appreciate it if you'd stop ruining my potential dates, okay?"
Bruno mumbled something inaudible that his niece took as an affirmation. Satisfied with the compromise that they reached, Mirabel kissed Bruno on the cheek and sped away to rejoin the party. Leaving her Tio alone with his conflicting thoughts.
"She has several fair points, you know."
The man jumped, nearly getting a heart attack, when another of his nieces suddenly appeared right behind him.
"Oh my, Dolores!" exclaimed Bruno in surprise, putting the hand to his chest. "You heard –? Everything?"
Dolores looked away as she contemplated something. Once she made up her mind, the girl replied,
"I heard even more than you think. Don’t give up, Tio."
This way, Bruno had another cryptic message to add to his figure-out-later list.