Saving The Madrigals

Chapter 7

(Reader's pov)

It's been a four months since I told Bruno my big secret, and quite a few things have changed since then.

I've begun working with other villagers now. People have seen the changes I've made with the Madrigals. Along with Alma and Julieta's glowing reviews, others had come to me for help.

I've reduced my work with the Madrigals some too. I no longer have one on one sessions with Alma and Julieta, which frees up some time for other villagers. I've reduced my sessions with Pepa to an as needed basis. I still go to Casita once a month for family sessions.

As for Bruno, I still see him once or twice a month. Many of these visits end up being more about how things are going with the family. He would use this time to tell me how he feels we are doing with saving the family from the events of the movie. I did feel a bit lighter after telling Bruno about my reason for being here.

We would spend some days comparing how each member was doing as compared to their movie counterpart.

Every member of la familia Madrigal were more relaxed then their movie versions were. Alma was not the perfectionist she was in the movie, being much more like she was at the end when she had her heart-to-heart with Mirabel.

She was calm and caring now. Just like she had been before the triplets got their gifts. I hope that this behavior continues once Isabella and Dolores get their gifts.

julieta had more time to spend with her family, and going on dates with Agustin. The triplets would work together to prepare the food for the line. It seems that all she needs to do is season the food for the magic to work. Though serious problems like illnesses and broken bones needed more magic than other things. So the foods she made herself were placed in a separate basket for those people.

She would spend a little bit of time tending the line, before delegating to volunteers. Sometimes I would help her when I had a free morning or afternoon.

Pepa was also calmer, and only rained for the farmers when they needed it. That's not to say that there wasn't an occasional random snowstorm or thunderstorm, though. However, it wasn't as frequent as it had been since she got her gift, and they never lasted too long.

Even Bruno was showing improvement. While I believe that he will always be a shy, quiet man. He was a lot happier now than he was at any point in the movie.

There are still times when Bruno is struggling with his anxiety. It just wasn't a constant problem for him anymore. With a happier mood and no longer being forced to give fortunes to everyone who asked, he was doing better with his gift.

He tells me that a lot of fortunes he's been giving lately are good ones that pleases the people he is trying to help.

The most stressful time for him is when people ask him about their love lives or sick pets and family members.

"You have no idea how many people come to me to find out if their pet will come home, or if their sick mother will get better. And I can't tell you how many women have gotten angry at me for telling them that the men they have a crush on will marry someone else! It's like they honestly think I care who they marry, or that I don't want to see them happy! I can't make the future; you know that, but they don't seem to understand!" He would tell me, venting his anger.

He's always feels bad afterwards, of course. I would explain that his anger in understandable, and I am unbothered by his yelling. I assure him I know he is never angry with me.

That's where we are now. He was angry and upset about a few harsh reactions when he was unable to give clients the news they were hoping for.

"It's perfectly normal to feel angry about repetitive situations Bruno. Especially since you have explained multiple times, that you only see the future, not create it. Vent if you need to. This is a safe place, there is no one to hear you or judge you. Yell, scream, cry. Whatever it takes to feel better. If you need to hit something or throw things, I have a room for that as well." I told him, pointing at a door behind the chair he was sitting in.

I had ordered a punching bag and a rubber ball for people to use if they needed it.

He had looked surprised when I told him I found both to be useful in venting anger.

"I might be a Counselor, Bruno. But I am still a human being with emotions. I can feel anger, sadness and stress just like anyone else." He nodded in understanding.

Bruno stood up and walked over to the door, stopping just before touching the doorknob. He turned to me for a moment, as if asking permission.

"Go ahead, Bruno. Take your time. I'll be here when you return." I smiled. He went inside and closed the door.

The fact that the other room was also soundproof meant that I had no idea what he was doing in there. That was the whole point of the additional room, though.

It was meant to be a place for a person to release their frustrations away from judgemental people. He certainly wasn't the first patient to use that room, and he wouldn't be the last.

After ten minutes, an exhausted looking Bruno returned, and slumped wearily into the seat he had been in before.

I handed him a bottle of water to help him rehydrate and cool down.

"Feel better?" I inquired. He merely nodded, downing nearly half the bottle.

After resting for a few minutes, he straightened up.

"That did actually help. I hadn't expected that. I don't generally get violent or anything."

"Some emotions like anger, fear, and stress, are active emotions. They are fueled by adrenaline. Especially anger when it escalates to rage. That's why people usually feel the need to do something. Like how Pepa strokes her braid when she is stressed. Or how she paces when she is upset. Some people tend to run when they're afraid or want to throw things and hit things when angry. It helps to release that adrenaline. That's why people talk about stress eating, or the fight or flight instinct." I explained.

"I'm glad you have things like that to help people. I feel a lot better now than I was when I was just yelling." I smiled.

We talked for a little while longer, before finishing our current session. We both stood up, and Bruno turned to me.

"I just wanted to thank you, Y/n. Not just for helping me, but for everything you are doing for my family. You didn't have to come to this world. You didn't have to try to save us from the future you knew would happen. But you did, and I am so grateful to you. To have someone who cares about all of us. Who wants to help us heal so we can have a better future for my whole family. It means so much to me." He looked up at me, taking my hands in his.

"You never told me how you ended up in the multiverse, but I can't imagine it was easy to get there. I wonder sometimes, how you got from your dimension to the multiverse. Regardless, I know that it must have been difficult to leave your old life behind. To leave everything you knew, just to come to a new land, a new world. It must have been a terrifying experience. You are so brave for doing this. So strong. I can't imagine..." He trailed off.

"Me...brave?" Was all I could say. I hadn't even considered coming here. I wanted to help Bruno. I didn't see myself as brave, though. Strong? I certainly don't feel strong. At all. Half the time I feel like I'm going to fall apart like a fragile china doll.

Bruno nodded, a smile on his face.

"You are brave. You told me before that you expected Mama to kick you out of the Encanto. That means you came here to help us, but didn't expect to get the chance to help. You gave up everything for the simple chance to help us. You never said what you would have done if Mama didn't let you stay."

"Honestly, I never real thought I'd get this far. I expected her to kick me out that first day. I was surprised that she didn't..."

"That's exactly what I mean. All your plans here were solely towards helping my family and the Encanto. It was brave to go through with this despite not knowing if you'd be allowed to stay here. It was also brave to tell me the truth. You knew what I was like from the movie. You knew there was a good chance I'd run. I never did well in difficult situations. I just can't handle those things. I could have told people too."

"No. I don't think you would have, even if it freaked you out or upset you. You wouldn't have said anything." I was very sure about that. He looked surprised.

"How would you know?"

"Because you know what it's like. To be glared at, or disliked, because you're not like everyone else. To be feared and hated, ostracized. People would question how much I know about them. Their secrets, their fears. They would wonder if my knowledge of the Encanto comes from me spying on them or something ridiculous like that. You wouldn't subject anyone to that kind of treatment. It was why your movie counterpart hid away. To keep the vision a secret so Mirabel wouldn't be looked at like a curse on the family or magic."

"That's true. But you were still brave to confide in me. You had no way of knowing how I would react. You are also strong because you took on this job completely on your own. I don't think you had planned on telling me, or if you did, not until a lot later." I looked down at this, sighing.

"I don't know if I ever really planned to tell you or not. I had debated with myself for a good while whether I should tell you or not. I never wanted to burden you with this knowledge, because I truly hope to change things, make things better. But, I didn't want to lose your trust later on, if you should find out on your own. So..." I replied.

He grinned at me, and I couldn't help but smile back at him.

He made a quick joke, making me laugh, and breaking the seriousness. He left after that and I continued my day, helping people through their problems.

I felt much better during the rest of the day.