I see you, Bruno

Chapter Sixteen

When Bruno opened his eyes again later, Lucia was already on her feet. She kept walking the length of the room and muttering something under her breath. Bruno sat up and watched her. He wondered what he would see this time if he caught a glimpse of her future. Another breakdown or an impending argument? Or would fate be merciful and apologise for past events?

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Mm?", Lucia stopped and looked at him. "Oh. I was thinking."

"About what?" he grinned. "About me?"

"As a matter of fact, yes.", she brushed loose strands of hair behind her ears. "Because I was thinking that I need to do something to piss Adella off."

"Lucia," Bruno said gently. "I think you already have."

"Yes, but no," she began gesturing with her hands again. It seemed to be some kind of habit of hers, Bruno noticed, because thinking back on it, she seemed to be constantly punctuating her words with her hands. "She tore up my application because she thinks I won't cut it at the theatre ... so I have to prove to her that I can after all."

"It's going to take you a while to do that, though," Bruno agreed. "After all, you have to send the application first, wait for a reply ..."

"Yes, yes," she wiped Bruno's objections away with her hands. "That's why I've been thinking ... remember when we first saw this room here? Before that, we had been talking about the theatre."

Bruno remembered. They had been lying on the floor and Lucia had more or less confided in him for the first time. "You mean ..."

"We're putting on a play!" she cried excitedly, jumping onto Bruno's lap. Bruno groaned, but Lucia didn't seem to notice. "However, I have absolutely no ideas right now"

"Really?", Bruno looked at her doubtfully. "Your brilliant mind is always full of ideas, isn't it?"

"I know," she complained, "But it seems like he's on holiday or something. Can't you think of anything?"

"Mm," Bruno mused. "I had a dream like that the other night - it was quite interesting."

"What was it about?"

"About the candle. I dreamt that there was a witch locked in the candle who was desperate to get out. She told me that I could help her help the family so they would be proud of me and I just believed her," he shrugged. "In the end, the witch had tricked me and I was banished to the candle while the witch was out in the world again. Then I woke up."

"Do you dream like that often?" asked Lucia, looking at him worriedly.

"Sometimes, why?"

"Oh, I'm just starting to worry about your mental health," she kissed him on the cheek. "Because I doubt that kind of thing is healthy. You shouldn't dream that you're going to make your family proud, because, in reality, you do."

"I'd like to know which family you're talking about," Bruno laughed. "Because you certainly can't mean my Mamá."

"I mean myself," she said. "I'm part of your family too, and very proud of you no matter what you do. And I always will be. Don't forget that."

Bruno swallowed and his eyes watered. Why was it that Lucia kept making him cry? He was beginning to think that she had a gift after all and could just make him emotional with her words. It was driving him crazy.

"I'm proud of you too," he finally said, wiping away his tears. "What do you think of my idea?" he then tried to change the subject.

"It's good, very good in fact," Lucia wrenched as she picked up Bruno's writing kit from the floor. "But maybe we should use something other than the candle, you know?"