Camilo x Reader -Broken Reflection

Chapter 5 (Freeloader)

I heard Pepa sniffling next to me and rested my head on her shoulder as the clouds started to recede. When the storm drifted away, I stood up and held Pepa's arm as we slowly walked to the house.

"Thank you," She said. I gave her a small smile.

"It's no problem," I replied, feeling a small pang in my heart. I hadn't realized how much I missed my brother. Leaving my old town was like leaving him there with it.

When we reached the back door to the house, Pepa turned to me.

"You said was," She said. "And that you had a little brother. What became of him?" She asked. It took me a few moments to gather the courage to say the one thing I'd never wanted to speak. It was hard; the words stuck to my throat and pulled at my stomach, but I still said it.

"He died," I replied and my voice cracked a little. I slid past the tall woman and set the umbrella down as a single tear rolled down my cheek and dripped to the floor just as the raindrops on my dress did.

+++

Pepa profusely apologized for the storm, but the damage was done. I didn't blame her for being upset, and even though it was her gift, she couldn't really control the weather. Despite the family forgiving her, the storm had caused a lot of damage. The village was lucky to be unharmed but the Madrigal's gardens were completely ruined. The house was able to repair its own damage, but Isabela had to redo the entire garden.

It could have been done within a week in small proportions, but Abuela insisted that Luisa and Isabela prepare it in time for dinner while the rest of the family went about their usual chores.

By the time I made it outside to see if the sisters needed help, Luisa was completely covered in mud. So was Isabela, but she somehow made it look like she was making a fashion statement.

"Luisa!" I yelled and the brawny teenager turned to look at me.

"Hey," She said and lifted three bags of soil, slinging them around her shoulder like it was nothing. I'd be lying if I said that she didn't intimidate me. Luisa must have been one of the nicest Madrigals but her mean figure and downturned brows were painfully misleading.

I glanced at Isabela who was sitting on her knees, bent over a patch of soaked dirt.

"I came to see if you needed help," I said, but it sounded more like a question than a statement. Immediately, Luisa's lips spread into a smile.

"Sure!" She said in a way that I could tell was much more than enthusiastic.

Even a strong woman like Luisa needed a helping hand and it wouldn't hurt to give it to her. She disappeared for a few moments and then returned with a large wheel barrel.

"Use these," She said and dumped her sacks of soil into a small fenced plot. "Pull out the dead plants and put them here, and then fill the empty holes up with dirt so that Isa can grow the flowers," She said.

I followed her instructions, wishing that I'd changed into an older one of Mirabel's dresses. I knew that I'd have to buy her a new one. Luisa built new fences because the rain had ruined all of them- one was even struck by lightning. 

By the time the sun had started to set, the garden was entirely transformed. The house used to hold five large gardens of pastel bulbs and flowers, but after the three of us had fixed it, it was full of an array of bright colors. Each plant was grown to better withstand rain in case Pepa caused another storm. It was evident that Isabela and I were exhausted, but after Luisa finished, she merrily went to her room to do an arm workout.

"That girl is crazy," Isabela told me as we walked inside. She went to her room to rest before dinner.

I had already gone to the kitchen to see if Maribel and her mother needed help making dinner, but when they didn't, I was stuck roaming the house. I could have gone straight to the bath to see if I could get the mud stains out of Mira's dress, but I found myself drawn to the halls of the Casita. Each hallway radiated magic and I feared that if I touched anything, I might break it or destroy the magic. The last thing I wanted was for the Madrigals to lose their gifts again.