A Thousand Words Heard from a Closed Mouth

Ratnovelas and Bruno

(Art not mine!)

Third Person View

     The family gathers around the table and sits in their chairs with food on their plates. Luisa gets another chair for the guest that was Y/N.

     Mirabel sits down next to Luisa, accidentally pushing Pepa who was supposed to sit there. She thunders and glares at Mirabel.

     "We are all thankful for Antonio's new--" Abuela was about to sit on her chair when some animals on it surprise her. "--Gift." She finished.

     Dolores and Y/N look at each other for a little bit, then hold in their giggles.

     "I told them to warm up your seat." Antonio smiles innocently. With every word the family is saying, Dolores is translating it to sign language for Y/N.

     As Abuela continues to make an announcement, Mirabel bangs on the table and points at Luisa. She immediately got scolded by Abuela and Casita moves her chair next to Abuela.

Dolores' POV

     "I've spoken to the Guzmáns about Mariano's proposal to Isabela." I blinked for a moment. "Dolores, do we have a date?" Abuela asks. I try to focus my hearing on Mariano's voice.

     "Mother, a date tonight with Isabela would be perfect for the proposal. I can't wait to have 5 beautiful babies when we get married."

     "Tonight. He wants 5 babies." I answered, sadly looking down to continue eating. Nobody knew about my secret crush on Mariano, but I think it's better if I keep it to myself.

     Then suddenly flowers popped out of Isabela's head as she breathes heavily. Abuela takes out the white flower from her hair, continuing with her announcement. She really wants her to be perfect, huh...

Y/N's POV

     I just continue eating after Dolores translated everything to me, knowing I'm not part of their family so I shouldn't meddle with the arranged marriages. When I look to my side, I notice Dolores looking down, a little upset.

     'Are you okay?' She nods. I know she has probably got a crush on Mariano due to her looking sad after responding to Señora Alma.

     Camilo shapeshifts into what seems to be Mariano, then teases Isabela, ending up with flowers thrown in his face and one out of his mouth. Just like Dolores said, he is pretty goofy.

     After the announcement, I finished eating and noticed Mirabel following Luisa all of a sudden.

     'Dolores, what if we eavesdrop on Mirabel and Luisa?' I ask with a sly smirk. She just chuckles, but nods anyway. I must be lucky to have someone with super hearing as my friend. Or best friend. What does she even see me as?
I think I'll ask her that later.

~~~~~~

     'Luisa was actually singing about the pressure and burdens always being put on her.' We look at each other with pitiful looks. I want to hug Luisa now, she's such a sweet girl even with her looks. Not that I'm bodyshaming.

     'Do you want me to eavesdrop on something interesting?' I raised an eyebrow. What does she mean by something interesting? Well she has super hearing, so she can hear everything miles away, she would probably hear a lot of... interesting things. I just nodded and she brings me into the Casita to discuss more about it.

~~~~~~

     'I'm sorry, but I have to decline inviting you to my wedding. After all, you are my fiancé's ex. I know better than to cooperate with the likes of you.' I giggled. When she said something interesting, I didn't think it would be Señor Bruno's ratnovelas, as she called them. We managed to finish an episode, it was truly melodramatic.

     'You're really cool.' I signed. She reddens from the sudden compliment and I just smile at her reaction. She raises an eyebrow at me as I keep staring at her, unaware.

     Then I realize I was staring for a long moment, so I quickly look aside and sign a simple 'Sorry'.

     She just smiles and I feel my face start to heat up. Then she was called by her mother to do a chore, phew. Didn't want her to think I have a fever. Dolores waves bye, and I wave as well.

     Well, now I'm alone again. Since the Madrigals accepted me to be in the Casita for a while, just to keep the children company, I guess I'll walk around and hangout with them.

     That was until I saw Mirabel walk into Señor Bruno's room upstairs, making me a little curious. I followed along, making sure no one sees me.

     I open the door and quickly close it, then turned to the room and saw falling sand. This made me a little nervous. I walk up to it and slowly walk in, making me fall over and land on a mountain of sand. Mirabel turns around to see me dusting off the sand and rubbing my eyes a bit.

     Since we couldn't talk, she tried to gesture what looks like 'Follow me', so I follow her up the... extremely long flight of stairs.

~~~~~~

     After what seemed to be a good, long, 45 minutes, we reach the top and I took deep breaths to prepare my lungs for the next obstacle. Mirabel was also taking deep breaths as I wiped sweat off my forehead.

     Since there was no bridge, we had to make adjustments. Mirabel was first to get to the other side, then it was my turn. I realized that I needed to prepare my heart, not my lungs...

     Thankfully we both made it to the other side-- until the sandstone cracks under me and I almost fall, surviving due to Mirabel grabbing my arm. That gave me a slight heart attack.

     We walk in the tunnel that had different carvings on the stone walls and noticed a big circular stone lid. While we walked over there, a few rats were squeaking and running around before going through holes that were on a carving of a man. Mirabel and I used our strength to push the lid open, only to reveal another room full of sand.

     She moves the sand around, finding green thick slab pieces. I help her in finding green pieces, til I notice the room was starting to shake and cracks were forming when Mirabel connected the pieces. We both got all of the jade green pieces in a rush but the lid was closed. I tried to push it or bang on it, but, nothing.

     After a while the room was starting to get filled with sand, then the lid moved open throwing us out of the room.

     Mirabel almost falls off the edge but I quickly pulled her up. We just sat there for a whole minute, trying to process what had just happened while my heart was beating rapidly from the anxiety.

     I wonder when the next episode of that ratnovela is.