Saving The Madrigals

Chapter 3

It's been a few weeks since I began having sessions with Bruno.

We had our first session in the base of his tower, away from his vision cave and bedroom.

When he became anxious, he grabbed a rat from his ruana and began stroking its fur, without thinking about the fact that I was there.

He became more nervous once he realized he was holding a rat in front of me.

He startled when I merely proposed he introduced me to his little friend. After that he opened up like a book. Telling me all about his rat friends.

We had stayed on that topic for the first few sessions, until one day he turned to me with a look that was a mix between curiosity and nerves.

"I thought Mama wanted me to talk to you about my gift. Not my rats."Bruno began as he toyed with the hem of his ruana.

"That is supposed to be the goal." I replied.

"Why aren't we talking about my visions? If that's the whole point anyways?" He asked.

"I find it rather counter-productive to begin with such difficult topics before the person is ready to talk." I answered. He tilted his head in confusion.

"¿Qué?"

"The point of these sessions is to encourage you to feel comfortable with talking about your gift and anxiety. Just like how I would lead the conversations when you had house calls. We would talk about the fortunes you gave, and I help them understand the fortune and how to handle it." He nodded, a thoughtful look on his face.

"If I begin right off by asking you about your visions, how do you think you would feel?" I give him a few minutes to process the question. Bruno observed the rats scurrying around us for a moment. Then he turns back to me. "It would be the same as someone pestering you, over and over, for a vision. You end up giving in, not because you want to, but because you don't feel like you have a choice." I see him nodding, directing his full attention to me. I resist the urge to blush.

"Ultimately, it will do you more harm than good. You would become more closed off, more isolated. I'm here, not to merely persuade you to communicate, but to help you feel more comfortable talking about things like that to your familia."

The sessions continued on, and eventually, even Bruno was opening up about how his visions affect him.

The first time he brought up his visions I was surprised. It was a couple of sessions after I had explained why I don't pressure him.

"That's what I appreciate about you, Y/n. You allow me talk at my own pace. You don't complain if all I want to do is talk about my rats or my gift of acting. You don't force me to talk about anything I'm uncomfortable with."

He explained how the magic used to sting and burn. He described the headaches he used to get when he had long lines of people at his door. The fear of agitating people, the loneliness he suffered when kids made fun of him when he was younger.

How useless he feels when he can't help people like his sisters do.

That was the most challenging part. Staying calm and collected as he talked about feeling useless because all he seemed to do was give bad futures, instead of good ones. He admitted to feeling better when I am there during the house calls, though.

I will admit, that I cried that night. Tears silently streaming down my cheeks as I hid in the guest room within Casita, while my home and office were being built.

As time moved forward, I began to amend the sessions slightly. I introduced Alma to a few sessions for each of her kids. Only one session out of four for each triplet.

I would use the session before the joined session to let the triplet know she would be joining us. We would use this time for the triplet to talk about what they wanted to bring up to her. The session after would be used to see how they felt about what was discussed or how they felt about their mother's reaction to what was discussed.

There were ground rules to make sure they ran efficiently. Fundamental things like no yelling, or interrupting.

Things went a lot better than I expected, especially with Bruno. It didn't take long for him to tell her about how the visions affected him and how the villagers treated him. She apologized for pushing him and promised not to do so in the future. She also assured him she would listen if he ever needed to talk.

It was obvious that this new understanding between mother and son meant a lot to Bruno.

I was glad to see the steady change in their relationship, as well as the relationships between Alma and each of her daughters.

I was even able to implement family sessions a lot earlier than I had expected.

The movie did not show just how strong the family ties genuinely were. Something I hope will continue holding strong even after the next generation came into their gifts.

Speaking of gifts, I brought up an idea I had to Alma and the triplets.

I explained my theory that eventually the gifts will begin to recycle. At some point a new madrigal could gain new versions of old gifts. The gifts may not manifest in the same way.

"Maybe a future Madrigal will get a new weather manipulation gift. This gift might not be tied to emotions or may only be rain." I explained as an example.

Each Madrigal should keep a journal of how their gifts work and how to use them. They were meant you explain how the magic feels to them. How the gift affects them or others. Or anything else the person might feel useful for a future Madrigal to know.

"Señora, I believe you should also document the story of how the Encanto was formed, for future generations."

They all loved the idea, so I handed each of them the notebooks that I was able to keep from my world. The notebooks I couldn't help but buy. To be honest I have no idea how I was able to keep them, but I wasn't going to complain. They were too perfect.

There was a pastel red notebook with a candle on the cover. This went to Alma. I gave Julieta a blue notebook with a mortar and pestle. Pepa received a yellow notebook with a rainbow. Bruno was handed a green notebook with an hourglass. I also had notebooks for each of the grandkids.

A floral pattern notebook for Isabela, an orange notebook with sound waves for Dolores. A notebook with a picture of weights for Luisa, chameleon note book for Camilo. Mirabel will receive a notebook with a butterfly, and even Antonio will get one with a toucan.

I looked up at the candle as I made my way to the guest bedroom. The candle was shining brightly. Just as bright as when Mirabel hugged Isabela in the movie.

I took this as a good sign that the small fractures in the family bonds are being mended.

I went to sleep that night with a cheerful smile.