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Kate was eating her first breakfast with the Madrigals at the Guzmán's and managed to do everything right this time. She prayed with the family, kept her elbows firmly off the table, kept her hands visible, waited for Alma to say, "¡Buen provecho!", and didn't dare eat with her hands. The first dinner was such an embarrassing disaster in Kate's eyes. But, she tried to keep her mind off it and focused on her thankfully non-spicy huevos pericos. Yeah, eating that spicy arepa last night was pretty bad too. She's pretty sure the bathroom was still unusable without a gas mask.
"Would you like anything to drink, Kate?" Julieta asked.
"Yeah," she nodded, "What do you guys have?"
"Chocolate Santafereño, aguapanela, lulada, leche, café, and—" Julieta began to name before Bruno tapped her shoulder.
Julieta looked a little annoyed at being interrupted like that. But, she let it slide since Bruno's only been out of the walls for over a week. Social politeness has a tendency to fall by the wayside when you've been alone in the walls for over a decade.
"Sí, Bruno?" Julieta asked.
"Uh... Kate doesn't understand much Español." Bruno reminded her, "So... Can you try saying all that in English?"
"Oh..." Julieta groaned before giving herself a gentle facepalm, "I'm sorry, Kate. I forgot that you don't speak Español."
"It's okay." she shrugged, "I'll learn it eventually."
"Hopefully." Bruno muttered.
"Okay," Julieta tried again, "We have hot chocolate with cheese, lulada which is a juice that's both sour and sweet, aguapanela which is basically sugar water, milk, coffee, and water."
"I'll take some milk." she answered before recalling last night, "Uh... Please."
Some of the family couldn't help wincing a little bit at the memory of Kate's numerous breaches in etiquette and overall lack of basic manners. But, hey, living alone for 15 years will do that to you. Things like table manners tend to be nonexistent when no one is around to judge you for so long. Not to mention the fact that she's not even from Colombia. So, how was she supposed to know that eating with your hands and having your elbows on the table is no bueno?!
Julieta went to the kitchen and came back with a tall glass of something that gave Kate pause.
Is that... Milk?
She set it down next to Kate's dish and all she could do was stare at the drink
Kate took a discreet sniff at the glass and found that it was fresh milk if a little malty. The drink didn't smell the least bit sour. But, it doesn't look like milk to her.
It's thicker and...
Yellow?
Bruno was the only one to notice the discreet sniff. He looked a bit confused at Kate's reaction before realizing something. Now, it was all he could do to keep from snorting into his coffee which was honestly more milk than coffee. Pepa was quick to notice the change in Bruno's demeanor and curiosity had a hold of the former weather mistress.
"Is something wrong, nene?" Pepa asked.
"One hour..." Bruno muttered with a roll of his eyes before answering, "Nothing's wrong... I-I just... Remembered something funny, that's all."
"Well, let me hear it." Pepa smiled, "I could use a good laugh today."
Great... Now, Bruno had to make up—
No, he can't "make up" anything or he'll end up causing himself pain that Pepa will see no matter how hard he tries to hide it. Ugh, he wishes he could go back in time and tell his eight-year-old self to not ask the candle to take away his ability to lie. It would've probably made his life so much easier if he weren't so damned honest.
Sorry, Kate... Looks like you're getting even more attention called to yourself.
"Well... I-I saw Kate looking at her milk like... Like it was gonna bite her." he pointed out which made Kate wince a bit, "I wondered why she was acting like that before remembering a prophetic dream I had about... 32 years ago."
Everyone listening in were all almost too afraid to ask what it was about. Even Camilo was too afraid to ask. Getting Bruno to talk about his prophetic dreams is a bigger crapshoot than his involuntary visions. Mostly because his dreams often have him Seeing beyond the Encanto and even beyond this world in rare cases. So, his dreams could literally be about anything and everything. Luckily, nobody had to ask as Bruno continued without being prompted.
"That particular one was... A lot of random images." Bruno recalled, "Someone putting their keys in a cold box, a random street race that ended very badly, a bunch of kids playing, a rope holding up some kind of piano snapping, all kinds of images both good and bad."
"What does that have to do with Katherine?" Alma asked curiously.
"Well, I Saw a few images of some kind of machine that several dozen wagon's worth of milk was being..." he searched for the right word, "Pumped into. It got really... Really hot for a while before being pressed through some kind of screen and the milk came out white."
"White?" a few of them asked.
"Yep, white." Bruno nodded, "And it stays white from what I could See."
"You Saw milk being processed." Kate cut in, "We heat milk to a very high temperature before quickly cooling it down."
"Why?" Bruno asked curiously.
"Mostly to kill germs that make you sick." I answered.
"Well, the Sanchez's milk their cows in a room that's kept really clean." Bruno recalled, "When Elena Sanchez was alive, I used to go there to clean the area they milk their cows in. They would have me clean that place to within an inch of its life. They would even have me clean their cow's udders sometimes if I come in on the day they're gonna be milked."
"And you don't... Mind the animals?" she asked uneasily.
"Nope." Bruno answered easily, "I've been around farm animals most of my life and I've always been pretty good around them."
Bruno winced the moment he said that which made Pepa snicker. Bruno glared at his older sister and mouthed something at her. His "words" made her immediately blanch and look at her food as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. It must've been some kind of blackmail he had on her.
"Have you ever..." Kate was almost too afraid to ask, "Milked a cow?"
"Yep." Bruno answered as if it were obvious, "Everyone over thirty has done it at least once in their lives."
"Why?" Kate asked.
"Well, back then, every family had a cow to get their milk from." Julieta explained, "That was before the Sanchez's were put in charge of milk deliveries."
"Huh..." Kate commented before turning to her drink, "So... Is this... Safe to drink?"
"Should be." Bruno shrugged, "Never made me sick and I'm always the first Madrigal to get sick whenever something's going around."
"That's because you never take care of yourself." Julieta rolled her eyes.
"Even when I was taking care of myself," Bruno countered, "I was always the first to get sick."
"Maybe the germs are attracted to you." Pepa giggled, "You attract rats. So, why not attract germs."
"Like how you attract clouds?" Bruno grinned which earned him a spoonful of egg to the face, "Ah, ah, ah, can't eat solid food, Peps. Doctor's orders."
Pepa just glowered at him with no real heat.
Alma gave the both of them an admonishing look, but even Luisa who sat the furthest away could see the fond smile hidden in the expression.
"So, milk is white where you come from?" Camilo asked.
"Yeah, it's also thinner..." Kate nodded before turning to Julieta, "Are you sure this is safe to drink?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Julieta smiled patiently.
Kate still didn't touch the milk as she was peppered with questions.
"Doesn't the heat burn the milk?" Antonio asked.
"No, it doesn't." she answered, "It's only heated up for a short time. A few seconds at most."
"Oh..."
"Why do people in the future do that?" Mirabel asked.
"To keep people from getting sick."
"How does heating milk make it last longer?" Dolores wondered.
"Boiling milk kills germs that make it go bad."
"Why does it turn the milk white?" Luisa asked.
"I guess the heat destroys whatever makes it that off-yellow color." she shrugged.
The questions about milk eventually stopped and the conversations quickly turned to other random topics. Kate still hasn't touched her milk and kept staring at it like it was gonna bite her.
"Are you guys absolutely sure this is safe?" Kate asked again.
"Yes!" Everyone answered with a bit of irritation which made her wince.
She hesitated for a few seconds longer before willing herself to at least try a sip. It was a bit thicker than what she was used to, really creamy, and surprisingly sweet. She actually really liked it and quickly went from sipping to chugging. She decided that if the raw milk will make her sick then it'll be worth it just from the taste alone.
When she put the empty glass down, she saw the family all either staring or smiling a bit smugly at her.
"I take it you like it?" Julieta smiled.
"Yeah." she nodded before holding out the glass, "Can I have some more... Please?"
"Yes, you can." Julieta nodded before taking the glass and going back into the kitchen for more milk.
Alma began her announcements by the time everyone finished eating (or drinking/sipping in Bruno's case) and Kate had another two glasses of milk before finishing her meal.
"Family." Alma began, "Today is the final day of clearing out the... Remains of our home. I know that we have all lost much in the collapse. But..."
She looked directly at Bruno and Kate, "We have gained much more than we have lost. My son has returned to us and intends to stay. Now he has someone willing to assist us in improving both his physical and mental well-being. Her ways may be more... Unconventional than most due to her unusual origins. But, it has proven beneficial so far."
"Yeah," Camilo grinned, "I haven't seen Bruno throw up or run from the table once the entire time Kate's been here— Ay!"
Félix elbowed Camilo in the arm.
Alma gave Camilo a look before continuing, "Now, while we must work hard to rebuild what we have lost, we also must look after ourselves too. So..."
She glanced right at Luisa, "Remember to take breaks when you need it."
Her gaze turned to Mirabel, "Don't run yourself to the point of exhaustion."
Now, she looked at Bruno, "And don't do more than what you are capable of."
"With that said." she went on, "Julieta will aid Doctor Hernandez in treating our injured. Pepa, Félix, Agustín, and Dolores will finish recovering what can be salvaged. Camilo, Mirabel, and Luisa will clear the last of the debris. Isabela will finish repairs to our garden. Antonio will be visiting his friend and will not be assisting us. Bruno will give Katherine a tour of the Encanto and keep his word to see Señora Manas, Arias, and López."
"¡¿Perdone?!" Bruno shouted.
"No excuses, Bruno." Alma stated sternly, "You will go to the village and allow those three to help you."
"Mamá." Bruno argued, "You know what happens every time I... Every time I set foot in that village. The villagers... They won't stop... Whispering about me. Th-they keep looking at me like I... Like I did something wrong. The rumors... The ones about my Gift... They've only gotten worse. What if they... What if they hurt me? What if—"
"If they do then they'll have to go through me." Kate growled, "I know several martial arts techniques and anyone who tries anything will receive flying lessons from me."
"Well, there you have it." Alma nodded, "Katherine will protect you if anyone tries to lay an unkind hand on you."
"And if I hear one mean word from them." she snarled, "They'll learn real fast that Bruno is off limits when it comes to their stupid gossiping."
"And this is why I like her!" Pepa grinned.
"Besides," Kate took a breath to calm herself, "I kinda do wanna learn more about the Encanto and how things are run around here. Mostly to avoid a repeat of last night."
Everyone winced at the very mention of last night.
"That was a disaster." Camilo muttered and the lack of elbowing was a testament to the catastrophe that was last night's dinner.
"Yeah," Kate nodded in shame, "I really don't want to mess this up. I want to learn all I can about this place and not make people uncomfortable or disgusted by me. What better way than spending time with the walking Encanto Encyclopedia himself?"
"Oh..." Bruno hesitated for a moment before asking, "You'll... You'll keep the villagers away from me?"
"I won't let them come anywhere near you." she declared.
"You won't let them hurt me... Or my rats?"
Rosa and Pepita poked their heads out of his collar and looked at Kate expectantly.
"Nope." she shook her head, "Not even a hair on your heads."
"They won't start whispering about me?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it." she growled.
"Then I'll..." Bruno's throat bobbed, "I'll give you the tour and go to Señora Manas, Arias, and López."
Kate saw the entire family visibly sighing with relief.
"Just... Don't let 'em hurt me."
"By the time I'm through with them," Kate grinned, "They won't even think to lay so much as a glance on you."
Bruno nodded minutely with a fragile smile before knocking under the table while muttering, "Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock on—"
Kate grabbed his wrist before he could reach his head.
"Let's not knock on your head, okay?" Kate smirked a bit, "I'm pretty sure we all want that brain of yours to stay in one piece."
He looked across the table and saw everyone nodding with mildly concerned expressions.
"Oh..."
It made his knuckles itch to finish the ritual. But, he'll stop cracking himself on the head in front of his family since it seemed to worry them. He resolved to only do it in private from now on.
"Okay, let us all make today a productive one." Alma smiled before calling out, "La Familia Madrigal!"
"La Familia Madrigal!" The rest of the family called out... Except for Kate who barely resisted the urge to join in.
She's not family in her opinion.
Just Bruno's caretaker until further notice.
Everyone picked up their plates and put them in the sink to wash later before setting out to what they have been assigned to do.
Bruno and Kate headed into the village for a tour and some much-needed TLC on Bruno's end.
Here's hoping things don't go too badly.