When Bruno and Catherine left the tower, they were met by most of the family, waiting for them with cheers. Mariano was there. Camilo was not. Luisa and Antonio were still out.
"Much better, Tío," Dolores said, tears in her eyes. "I'm so happy!"
"Did he give you the ring?" Pepa asked before reaching for Catherine's hand.
"It's beautiful," Catherine said.
"It was Mamá's."
"What?"
Catherine looked up at Bruno in shock.
"We found it going through her things. None of us had ever seen it before," Julieta explained. "We assume it was an engagement ring because she only had the two."
"We thought Bruno should have it," Pepa continued.
"Are you sure?" Catherine asked, suddenly feeling uncertain about the heirloom ring. "Pablo would have spent a lot of money on it."
"I think that ring is exactly where it belongs," Julieta said. "Two weddings to plan now. Miércoles."
"We can help each other," Dolores said and hugged her Tío and future Tía.
"As much as I would like to celebrate and get planning, we do still have work to do."
"Sí. Of course, Tía."
"Rain or shine, Encanto needs us. So let's get to work, Madrigals!"
"Yeah!" Mirabel cheered.
"Catherine, may I ask you a favour?"
Catherine had been looking at her ring when Julieta approached. She looked nervous.
"Of course, anything I can help with. What do you need?" Catherine asked.
"If you have time today, could you please work with Bruno and his gift again? Pepa and I will be busy today in the rain and I don't really trust anybody else with mi hermanito."
"Juli," Bruno mumbled in embarrassment. He hid in his ruana hood. "I can look after myself."
"Your visions have hurt you in the past, Bruno. We're exploring uncharted territories with our gifts. I just want someone to be with you so you don't get hurt again."
"Julieta," Catherine said. She reached back to take Bruno's hand though it was hidden under his ruana. "When it comes to Bruno, you don't need to ask."
"Thank you."
As the family dispersed to their daily chores, Catherine returned to Bruno.
"Let's get to work."
Catherine had been working with the Madrigals and their gifts over the past two days when she wasn't helping in the town, being sick, or painting. So far she had only worked with Pepa and Bruno.
With Pepa, they had almost given up, after two days all Pepa had been able to accomplish was rain, while keeping the air around her warm. A huge step, but also a small one.
Bruno was easier to work with, his gift is more... open. They had learnt that Bruno didn't need to burn leaves when he looked into the past, in fact, the leaves made it harder. Bruno had been able to see his own past easily, even that of his sisters with ease. Catherine had a theory it was because they were triplets and she was going to test the theory by having Bruno look for her past.
"Are you sure, mi alma?" Bruno asked as he helped her reach the vision cave. "It's your past."
"You already know so much of my life anyway, mi amor," Catherine said. "I don't have anything to hide from you."
They sat in the sand circle.
"Is there anything specific you want me to look for?" Bruno asked.
"Let's just go for the general past, for now, then we'll try for a specific event."
With a nod, Bruno closed his eyes.
"Oh, one more thing."
He opened his eyes in time to watch Catherine lean to him and kiss him, holding his head. He felt her fingers in his hair as their lips parted and she sat back on her feet in the sand. Bruno felt warm as he always did after she kissed him. His heart pumping blood faster as if he were young again.
"For luck," Catherine said. "Now focus."
She wanted him to focus after that? He tried to not think about how it always felt when her hands were in his hair. Tried to not think about her taste.
"Bruno, you're blushing. Focus or I'm leaving."
"You started it," Bruno mumbled.
Catherine rolled her eyes but bit her tongue so she didn't speak anymore. Bruno closed his eyes again and tried to focus on her past rather than just her.
Nothing happened.
"It's not working," Bruno muttered.
"Then try focusing on something specific," Catherine coached.
He didn't really want to see it, didn't want her to have to relive it, but he thought of a moment of her past he knew a bit about. Emma.
Bruno felt the familiar wind blow around him to pick up the sand but there was nothing behind his eyelids. He couldn't see anything. Still, there was nothing there.
When Bruno opened his eyes, though they were glowing, he saw nothing. Nothing was drawn in the sand.
So he closed his eyes and the sand fell around them.
"I can't see anything." He pouted a little. Partially sad and partially grateful.
"I don't believe you can't," Catherine said. She held out her hands.
Bruno took her hands and had to smile. He felt warm again.
"Close your eyes. I'm going to tell you a story and you're going to try and see it."
He did what he was told.
"It was 1928," Catherine began. "There was a girl, a middle child of a bit of a social-climbing family. It was a normal day for the Brown family. I was sitting in the sunroom of our home." The still draft became a gale-force wind, picking up the sand around them. "I was painting, of course, back then it was all I ever did. My younger brother, Thomas, came and sat beside me. As brothers are I honestly thought he was going to distract me and be a pain, but he had a book and just read in my company. While I painted and he read, it was the youngest of us... Emma... who wound up being the distraction."
"Argh!" a voice groaned loudly in the sands.
Bruno opened his eyes and an image of a young Catherine, sitting in front of an easel, with a young man sitting beside her with a book. They both looked up as a younger woman appeared. The sight of her baby sister and brother immediately made Catherine tear up.
"I'm so bored!" Young Emma said and threw herself onto Young Catherine's back, her hand hitting their brother. "Mother won't let me play outside because of the weather."
"Then be quiet and read a book or something," Thomas said.
"I don't want to! Thomas, Reene, play with me!"
"I'm busy, Emma," Young Catherine said.
Emma in the vision peered over her sister's head and grinned.
"Watcha painting this time?" she asked.
"It's our family, of course."
"Doesn't look like it," Thomas said.
"That's because I keep getting distracted and can't finish!"
Bruno chuckled. Catherine wiped a tear though she was smiling.
"Catherine!"
Madelaine, the eldest daughter, came into the vision.
"Save me. Mother's trying to convince me to marry Richard Clark."
"Tha banker's boy?" Thomas asked.
Vision Madelaine sat on the floor beside Young Catherine.
"You need to marry him, Madelaine. So I don't have to," Young Catherine said.
"Why thank you for your help and support," Madelaine said.
The eldest of the lot, Johnathon, stalked up to them from behind. Madelaine was the only one who saw.
He scared his brother by putting a hand on his head, making the sisters laugh.
"Story, Emma?" Johnathon said.
"That's what you can do so you're not bored!" Young Catherine said. "Tell us one of your stories."
"But I can't think of any right now," Emma said.
"Your best stories are the ones you think of on the spot," Thomas stated.
"Very well, then. Let's see. I think there will be a family."
"Like ours?" Johnathon asked.
"Not quite. They'll be magic."
"Of course," Madelaine commended.
"And they live in a small village, surrounded by enoooormous mountains! But there is a tragic past to this village and the family. Oh, the village is also magic, but not the villagers."
"Why not the villagers?" Catherine asked with her younger self.
"Because it's the family the tragedy happened to whose magic made the village..."
Bruno was distracted by Catherine's tears and the vision faded away. He reached to wipe the tears from her cheek.
(Art by r_a_bliss on IG [me])
"Why did you think of a memory that makes you sad?" Bruno asked.
"Every memory that involves my brothers and sisters makes me sad," Catherine explained. "But it's a good memory. One of the last peaceful memories of the five of us together before Madelaine married. Anyway, Bruno. You just saw a past that wasn't your own."
Bruno smiled with Catherine. In their shared happiness, they shared a kiss.
Elsewhere in Casita, Pepa stood with her eldest son. He was looking at one of Antonio's capybaras.
"It'll be okay, Camilo," Pepa said softly.
Camilo was determined to have his first attempt today. His first attempt at turning into an animal.
Camilo took a deep breath. Pepa held hers.
"I've got this... maybe..." Camilo muttered. "Three... two... one... Mamá what if I can't change back!"
Pepa smiled as her son ran to her.
"You've always found a way to be you again, Corazón," Pepa said softly. "When you turn into an animal, I know you'll be able to turn back. Te amo, mi niñito."
Camilo grumbled under his breath, embarrassed at his mother's words but stepped back, and looked at the capybara again.
"Okay, I can do this. I can... I can do this."
Camilo held onto his ruana.
"Three... two... one... change!"
In a blink, as if any other change, Camilo was suddenly so much shorter, had fur and was on all fours.
The real capybara panicked and ran.
Camilo turned to his mother, who seemed just as excited as he was. With ease, Camilo thought of himself again and with just as much ease, turned back.
"I did it, Mamí! I did it!" Camilo cheered.
He didn't see Sofia, standing in his doorway, staring in awe, until she began clapping. Without thinking Camilo ran up to her, still grinning.
"Did you see it? I turned into a capybara!" he cheered.
"I did," Sofia said.
"I'm gonna try something else!"
"Take it easy, Camilo," Pepa said. "Too much shifting makes you tired."
"I know, Mamí, just one more."
"What?" Sofia asked. "What are you going to try turning to?"
Suddenly, Parce stalked into the house without Antonio. It was the first time they had seen the jaguar without the youngest Madrigal, but it was perfect timing.
"Camilo?" Sofia asked.
"Yes!" Camilo shouted, startling the animal. "Focus, Camilo... focus... picture the animal..."
Catherine and Bruno came out of the tower and onto the balcony in time to see Camilo shift from boy, to jaguar.
"Ay, Dios Mio," Bruno muttered.
"Oh, my God, he can actually turn into an animal," Catherine said.
Camilo excitedly played with Parce, who was confused but quickly played along until Camilo turned back to himself. Though... his hair... instead of returning to his natural colour, his hair was the auburn orange of his mothers.
"Camilo? Your hair," Pepa said.
"My hair?" Camilo asked. "What about it?"
"It's the wrong colour," Sofia stated.
"Eh?!"
Camilo pulled some hair so he could see it.
"Oh... ah... yes, that's on purpose... I ah... felt like matching Mamá today. That's it. Yep! I wanted to match Mamá! Surprise!"
"Ay, Dios. Te amo, mi niñito," Pepa gushed. Rainbows popped above her head and she rushed to kiss her son.
"Mamá!" Camilo groaned and pushed away.
Bruno laughed and Camilo looked up. Catherine saw the slight glitter of his eyes and wondered if he really had intentionally made his hair match his mother's. She recognised the expression from when she first asked him if he enjoyed his gift.
"I think it's sweet," Sofia said and Camilo blushed deeply.
"You should show Mirabel your new talent," Pepa said. "She'll be so happy for you!"
"Ah, yeah. Okay," Camilo said.
"Come on, I saw her in the town with Señora Julieta!" Sofia said.
"Camilo?" Catherine said quickly. Camilo looked up at her. "Remember to breathe, okay?"
Camilo nodded before leaving with Sofia.
"Pepa!" Bruno said and rushed to his sister. "I saw Catherine's past."
"Really?" Pepa asked.
"Our gifts really have expanded!"
"Either that or you're finally uncovering aspects that you never realised you had before," Catherine said.
"That's amazing, Bruno," Pepa said and hugged her brother.
"And now, that Bruno's done and we know how to-"
"I would like to try once more, mi alma," Bruno said. "With an audience... so I know I can look into the past under pressure... if that's okay?"
Catherine looked at Pepa, who turned her eyes from her brother to Catherine.
With a smile, Catherine took Bruno's hand.
"Did you need me to tell you another story? Or did you want to try unaided?" Catherine asked.
"I'll try first," Bruno muttered.
He closed his eyes. Once again he let himself think of Emma. How Catherine had reacted after touching his mother, and her hollowing cries. He wondered how their relationship would have been.
The wind picked up. Sand flew to them from his tower and spun around them with dirt, mulch and dust. Pepa had to step back.
"Reene!"
Bruno opened his glowing eyes as Emma ran into a panicked, crying Catherine's arms. The moment the real Catherine heard the yell. Heard her old nickname, she felt hollow. And the shadow of guilt and darkness loomed over her with its hold on her throat.
"Emma!" Vision Catherine yelled. "Oh my God, Emma!"
The sisters held each other and cried.
"I'm sorry," Vision Catherine sobbed. "I'm sorry, Emma. I... I couldn't... they..."
"I know, Reene. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't. It's just like my story though, Reene."
Vision Catherine looked down at the short sister in her arms.
"The one I told before London was attacked. How... how there'd only be... two-two sisters left... this... this is my fault, Reene. This is my fault!"
"No, Emma. No, don't think that. Never think that."
Catherine tore her hands out of Bruno's, her heart burning with her eyes and throat. She had forgotten about Emma's stories... the stories she came up with at the top of her head always seemed to come true.
"It's just us, Reene. And it's my fault."
"Emma, none of this is your fault. You did not bring them here to bomb us and our homes! Okay? You didn't do this. You didn't do this."
Pepa and Bruno were too shocked to look away.
"You're my sister, Emma. I love you. Never, never think you caused their deaths. It is not on you."
"What does she mean?" Pepa asked. "That her story caused their deaths?"
"I... I can't see it," Bruno muttered. "I can't change the vision."
"Because... because you can't change the past," Catherine said between sobs.
Bruno looked at her as Catherine dropped to her knees. Clutching at her heart.
So he closed his eyes and ended the vision.
"Mi alma, lo siento!" He dropped to her side and held her as she cried. "Lo siento..."
"Señora Catherine, what did she mean by her story and caused their deaths?" Pepa asked.
Catherine shook her head and tried to wipe away her tears. Bruno tried to help.
"Lo siento," Bruno repeated.
"Señora Catherine... did your sister see the future?" Pepa asked.
Catherine could only shake her head as she tried to steady herself. Using the warmth coming off Bruno, to banish the cold she felt since hearing Emma's voice cry her name in 1941.
"I'll go try to make her some... tea..." Pepa mumbled and stalked away.
Bruno took off his ruana and like he did the last time she cried for her sister, he put it over her. Catherine laughed through her dark cries and let herself mourn, again, in his arms.
"Lo siento," Bruno whispered.
"Stop... a-apologising," Catherine managed to cough out.
"Lo siento."
Catherine weakly smacked his leg.
Pepa's tea was horrible, but Catherine was grateful she tried.
~~
You should check out my IG. @r_a_bliss . I'm posting sketches of small scenes from these chapters on there! I'm not the best drawer ever but I'm having fun drawing scenes of TotE and hope you enjoy them as well.
Sorry for the wait for this one guys. I'm experiencing what can only be described as Burn Out with University, a new job and writing. I'm determined to finish TotE though so please be patient with me <