Camilo was by Hanna's side, stroking her hair as she rested her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed and her hands in her lap. Not long after the troubling scene at dinner, he was on the balcony of the Casita, worrying if she would be alright going home with her father being in the state that he was in. He had tried reasoning with himself that her mother and sister were there and wouldn't let anything happen to her. But the next thing he knew, Dolores was running to his side, looking heartbroken.
"Camilo!" she said, desperately. "It's Hanna! She needs you!"
Camilo felt a chill down his spine, fearing the worst.
"Where is she?" he demanded.
"In the open fields! Where you had your first date!" said Dolores.
Camilo didn't say another word and bolted out the door. He didn't think he'd ever run so fast in his life. When he found Hanna, he was overcome with a mixture of emotions when she collapsed into his arms and finally succumbed to tears. He felt relief, for she was physically unharmed. Sadness, for she was hurting emotionally. Anger at her father for hurting her this way. Joy, for he now knew that she trusted him entirely. She said she loved him, which made him want to cry tears of happiness. And then came the overwhelming passion as she kissed him so fiercely. He discovered there was something about a kiss after professing love to each other that almost felt intoxicating. But he could tell that Hanna was very vulnerable in that moment. He needed to take a step back. When things had calmed down, he sat with her for a while, giving her time to relax.
Eventually, Hanna opened her eyes to see the stars were already shining brightly.
"Camilo," she said.
"Yeah?" Camilo asked, gently brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"I can't...go back," said Hanna. "Not now."
Camilo thought for a minute about what she meant and asked, "You wanna stay over at my house tonight?"
Hanna lifted her head to look at him. "Can I?" she asked.
Camilo nodded. "Of course," he said. "We've got a room you can use."
Hanna smiled. "I'd like that," she said, softly.
They got up and walked quietly back to the Casita. When the two of them were inside, they were met up with Dolores who sighed in relief at the sight of Hanna.
"You are welcome here anytime," she said to her. She put her arm around Hanna's shoulders. "You must be exhausted. I'll show you the room you can stay in."
"Thanks so much," said Hanna.
Dolores then looked over at Camilo and said, "Sorry to do this to you, but...maybe you should go tell her mama. Just in case. I'll make sure she gets settled in."
Camilo hesitated at first, looking at Hanna, but then he nodded in agreement. He turned around to head back out when Dolores said, "And tell her that Amalia is okay too."
Camilo questioningly looked over his shoulder at her. In the process, he briefly saw Hanna look down at the floor, frowning to herself.
"Okay," he said while shrugging. He was out the door again and made his way across the bridge to the summer house. When he made it there, everything was quiet. Almost all the lights were off except for one in the corner on the first floor where the living room was. Camilo almost rang the doorbell but thought better of it and ended up knocking quietly on the door instead.
After waiting for about a minute, the door opened, and Mrs. Engel peered out from the other side.
"Oh! It's you, Camilo," she said, quietly. She opened the door wider and stepped outside to join him while bundling herself up in her shawl.
"Sorry to bother you, Señora," said Camilo. "But I came to tell you that Hanna will be staying over at the Casita tonight."
Mrs. Engel blinked at him. "Is that so?" she asked.
"Si. She'll have her own room," Camilo said. "And...she'll come back in the morning..."
Mrs. Engel paused. "And Amalia? Have you seen her, by chance?" she asked.
"No, Señora," Camilo answered, truthfully. "But my sister told me to tell you that she's okay. She hears everything and all that."
Mrs. Engel nodded slightly. "I see," she said; her voice sounded tired. "Alright then. I'll take your word for it. This is a pretty safe place. I appreciate you telling me."
Camilo nodded back at her. "Is there... anything else you feel like you need to know?" he asked.
Mrs. Engel paused in thought before she asked, "I don't suppose you could tell me why Amalia and Hanna were fighting?"
Camilo shook his head in surprise. "What? They were fighting?" he asked.
"Yes," Mrs. Engel said, sadly. "Hanna was angry at Amalia. The next thing I knew, they were shouting at each other. It was shocking! They had always gotten along so well...until...we came here."
Camilo looked down at the ground, bewildered. What did Hanna's sister say to her? Whatever it was, it had to have been another reason why Hanna was crying. As soon as he was home, he would be sure to ask either her or Dolores about it.
"I'm sorry," Camilo said. "I don't know why they would be fighting."
Mrs. Engel sighed a little. "That's okay," she said. "Don't worry about it then."
"Okay," said Camilo, softly. "Was there anything else?"
Mrs. Engel tilted her head to the side and said, "Um...no. I don't think so."
Camilo nodded once more. "Goodnight, Señora," he said, politely.
He turned around and had already taken a few steps when he heard Mrs. Engel speak again.
"So, it was you," she said.
Camilo froze and turned to look at her questioningly, but Mrs. Engel merely looked down at the ground in front of her.
"It was you who came into our house the other day. Wasn't it?" she said.
Camilo's jaw dropped. "What? I...Did you... How did you...?" he stammered.
Mrs. Engel looked up at him. "You know?" she said. "The night of the house party, I happened to see something...peculiar. At first, I thought it was the drinks, but I could've sworn I saw two Hannas from a few feet away. When I blinked, there was only one Hanna, but I also saw you. Then you ran away and... she ran right after you. The next day, I was by the window, reading a book. And I saw whom I thought was Mirabel standing outside, looking up in the direction of Hanna's room. And she winked up at someone, who I assumed was Hanna herself. But...I don't know...I thought something was odd in the way Mirabel was smiling. When Hanna came home later that night, she almost said someone else's name before she said Mirabel's. That made me curious. I started to wonder if maybe I wasn't seeing things at the party after all. The next day after that, when Hanna was...' ill', who should show up on our doorstep, but you and not Mirabel. I thought I would take a chance and just invite you into our house. But I also wanted to see if my theory was correct. So, I asked you to bring Mirabel here and see how things would play out. When I opened the door again, sure enough, there was Mirabel. And yet, the way she spoke was very similar to you. Then Hanna saw you in our house and she ran up to you immediately. Her eyes looked like they were holding a secret. And the way you two looked at each other...I was pretty much convinced I was right. But I didn't say anything because...there was still a chance I was wrong. That maybe it really was Mirabel. But I doubted it. And the events of tonight revealed everything."
Camilo gaped at her, stunned into silence. His mind had gone completely blank. Mrs. Engel added, "She asked me if I invited you in. But I couldn't give her any trace of a hint that I had a secret of my own. Now, tell me something."
She then walked right up to him, looked him in the eye, and asked, "Are you in love with my daughter?"
"Um...Si, Señora," Camilo said, looking back into her soft, brown eyes. "She is everything to me."
Mrs. Engel sighed. "You must understand," she said, sadly. "Our family life is... complicated. I could tell that you were being honest just now when you said you love Hanna. I guess... what I'm trying to say is...I hope that you don't think I'm a terrible mother."
Camilo blinked at her. "Um...no," he said. "I don't think you're a bad mom. I think... you've been trying hard in your own way. Like you said...families can be complicated. But I think Hanna is the way she is because she has you."
Mrs. Engel gave him a sad smile. "You are much too kind," she said. "Actually, Hanna has been changing lately. She always had a knack for being very observant when it came to other people. Particularly outside herself and her own family. But now she's starting to be comfortable within herself. She's more confident than I've ever seen her."
Mrs. Engel paused before she asked, "Do I have you to thank for that?"
Camilo ruffled the back of his head with his hand. "I...don't know," he said, shyly.
"Kind and modest," Mrs. Engel said, happily smiling this time. "Anyway, I only ask that you continue to care for Hanna in your own way."
"I certainly will," said Camilo, smiling back. "Goodnight, Señora."
"You can call me Marie if you like," Mrs. Engel said.
"Um...okay. Goodnight...Marie," Camilo said, awkwardly.
"Gute Nacht, Camilo," Marie said in a motherly tone. She then walked away to head back inside the house.
Camilo remained where he stood for a moment before he began to slowly move his feet forward in the direction of Casita. His head was still reeling as he walked along the trail. "Jeez," he said to himself. "Tonight is just one surprise after another! I'm not sure how much more I can take!"
When he arrived home, he walked through the front door to find he was the only one at the entrance. He assumed everyone else had already gone to bed. No doubt that Hanna was in the guest room that also served as the nursery. Camilo wondered if she was awake so he could talk with her just a little bit more. But as he moved towards the stairs, he heard hushed voices coming from inside the kitchen. Curiously, he crept along the floor and pushed his back against the wall, standing right next to the kitchen doorway.
And then he heard Alma's voice.
"Honestly!" she said. "I expected better behavior from you two! Do I really have to scold you like you're children? And you, Pepa, have children of your own to think of!"
"I was, Mama!" Camilo heard his mom say in quiet exasperation. "What do you think we were arguing about?"
Then, Camilo heard Bruno's voice.
"I told you that you weren't going to like whatever I show you!" he said. "But no, you were so dead set on knowing!"
"That's enough!" Alma declared. "Now, explain."
Camilo heard Bruno sigh. "Pepa here wanted me to look and see if Camilo and Hanna would have a future together," he said. "I was against it, but she begged and begged me, so...when I finally did, she got mad even though she promised that she wouldn't! And that's why we were arguing."
Camilo's eyes widened in horror. 'No!' He thought, feeling sick to his stomach. 'Mami! Why? Why would you do that?'
"Um...No! We were arguing because you didn't do as I asked!" said Pepa.
"Yes, I did!" Bruno exclaimed.
"But the vision is all wrong!" Pepa exclaimed back.
"What!?" Bruno asked, incredulously. "You only proved my point just now!"
"I said that's enough!" Alma declared once more.
There was a short pause before she spoke again. "Alright, Brunito. Show us. What did you see?" she asked.
Camilo's stomach became even tighter. He didn't want to hear anymore and yet he didn't move away. He hid his face in his hands, feeling unable to cope with whatever would come next. There was a rustle of clothing and the tinkling sound of glass.
"But what's this?" Alma asked, bewildered.
Camilo then heard Julieta's voice. "Isn't that...?" she began to ask.
"Yeah," Bruno said. "It's Hanna's father."
Camilo lifted his head up, in confusion. Hanna's father? Why was he in the vision? What was he doing?
"My God!" he heard Agustín say. "But it looks like he's...crying! Look! He's down on his knees with his head bowed and everything! It's like he's in prayer or something!"
'What!?' Camilo thought in disbelief. Hanna's father? Crying? Just the thought of it was absurd. But then he smiled with excitement. 'That's... great actually!'
"I take it you've never seen him like this?" asked Félix, also bewildered.
"Nope," Agustín said simply. "I can't say that I have! And I can't even begin to fathom what would cause him to...have such a breakdown."
Camilo scoffed inside his mind. 'Sounds to me like he'll finally get what's coming to him!'
"So then, who is that?" asked Julieta. "Who is this other man in front of him?"
There was another pause. Camilo waited for the next person to speak.
"Well...," said Agustín. "That could be Cal's father. I can't say for sure because I've never met him. But I'm only guessing that because they look very similar. I mean, except that Cal doesn't have a big, ugly scar over his eye."
"Yes, and that's all very interesting," Pepa said, irritably. "But what does this have anything to do with my son?"
"I did what you asked! I swear!" said Bruno, quietly. "You said, 'Look into Camilo's future' and this is what I got!"
"But this doesn't make any sense! He's not even in the picture! And neither is Johanna!" Pepa said, rather angrily.
'Who cares!?' Camilo thought, feeling relieved. 'Finally, Tío Bruno saw something good for once!'
But then, he heard his own father. "Maybe Camilo is there," said Félix, thoughtfully. "He could be shape-shifting."
Now, Camilo's smile disappeared.
"As Cal or as his father?" Agustín asked.
"Why would Camilo shape-shift into either one of them?" Pepa asked, completely annoyed.
'My thoughts exactly,' thought Camilo in disgust.
"There's really no way to know if Camilo is either one of them," said Bruno. "If you remember, mama, you told me long ago to look into the future after Mirabel didn't get a Gift. That vision was for you even though you weren't seen in it yourself. Just Mirabel and the crumbling house."
"Yes," Alma said, regretfully. "I remember."
There was silence in the kitchen for a moment.
"Did you hear anything about...his father coming to the Encanto?" Alma asked. "What can you tell us about him?"
"Not much, I'm afraid," said Agustín. "Growing up, Cal was never one to talk openly about his family life. Especially after..., his mom died. But...I'm almost positive that his relationship with his dad was not a very good one. Because Cal would become completely silent if anyone tried asking about him. As for Cal's dad coming to the Encanto...I can't say."
"Um...excuse me!" said Pepa, sounding even more annoyed. "We are forgetting what's more important here! My son's future!"
"Well, did you see anything else, Bruno?" asked Julieta.
"No...," said Bruno.
"You sure?" Félix asked, skeptically.
Bruno sighed again. "Alright...I did see Hanna," he said, hesitantly.
Camilo could feel all his excitement dissolving. 'Oh no,' he thought.
"She...was walking away from Camilo," Bruno said, sadly. "Someone...a man, I think...was taking her somewhere by the hand."
'NO!' Camilo thought in despair. 'Why!? Who was it?'
Then he clenched his teeth together with fury. 'I'll kill him if he takes her away from me!'
"You kept that quiet!" Pepa exclaimed, sounding almost as angry as Camilo felt. "She's leaving him!?"
"Pepa, calm down!" Alma demanded.
"Hold on, Peppy," Felix said, calmingly. "I think you're overreacting. Whatever Bruno saw, I'm sure it's... not what you think it is."
"That's right!" chimed Julieta. "Things are not always as they appear!"
"Yeah! It's a mystery!" said Bruno.
Camilo heard his mom grumbling. He could tell she was glaring at Bruno right now.
"Well, I just know that darling girl loves Camilo!" Julieta said with finality in her voice.
"Whatever it all means, I agree that we should not assume the worst," said Alma. "And regardless of what happens now, no more taking it out on your family! Comprendes?"
One more pause.
"Yes, mama," said Pepa, sounding defeated. She added softly, "I'm sorry, Bruno."
"It's alright," said Bruno, kindly. "I'm sorry this wasn't the vision you had hoped for."
"In any case, it's late," said Alma. "We will save this discussion for another time. For now, we should all get some sleep."
Camilo took this as his cue to move away from the kitchen door. He ran up the stairs as quietly as he could and opened the door to the room in the corner. He crept inside and closed the door behind him.
When he looked around, there was Hanna, fast asleep in the bed on the left side. Feeling like this was against his better judgment, Camilo tiptoed across the room and went over to sit on the bed next to her. He gazed down at her sleeping face. Her chest moved slowly up and down with each deep, gentle breath she took. Antonio must've been here earlier, for his jaguar doll was lying next to Hanna's head. Camilo frowned a little as he looked down at her and gently brushed her bangs out of her face with his fingers.
At that moment, Hanna opened her eyes halfway. When she saw Camilo sitting there, she opened them wider and sat upright. "Hey," she said in a happy whisper. They both began to talk in very hushed voices.
"Sorry," Camilo whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay," said Hanna. "I had hoped I could say goodnight to you."
"Me too," Camilo said. "Well...goodnight, querida."
"Goodnight," said Hanna, smiling. "Thanks again for...everything."
Camilo nodded. He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"What's wrong?" Hanna asked.
But Camilo shook his head. "Nothing," he said quietly, looking down at their hands. "I'm fine."
Hanna placed a hand on his cheek. "Camilo, look at me," she said.
Camilo did as he was told and looked into her eyes.
"Just tell me what's on your mind," Hanna said.
Camilo placed his hand on top of hers as it rested on his cheek. "I ...I don't wanna lose you," he whispered, sadly.
Hanna's eyes widened a little. "What?" she asked in surprise. "Why do you say that?"
Camilo sighed. "I... don't know," he said. "I just... get scared sometimes, I guess."
Hanna cocked her head to the side, looking worried. She then moved herself a little closer to Camilo and pulled him into an embrace.
"It's okay," she said. "You're not gonna lose me! I promise!"
Camilo wrapped his own arms around her and closed his eyes. "I love you!" he whispered. "So much!"
"I love you too!" said Hanna, quietly. After embracing each other for a while, Hanna pulled away to look at Camilo who seized the opportunity to lean in and kiss her softly. Hanna gently cupped his face in her hands as she kissed him back. When they broke apart, Camilo placed his hands on Hanna's shoulders to gently lay her down on the bed. He took the blanket and pulled it up to cover her with it. Hanna yawned and closed her eyes as soon as her head touched the pillow.
"Good night, mi amor," Camilo whispered. He got up to quietly exit the room, but not before he looked back at Hanna's sleeping form once more. And finally, he stepped out, closed the door behind him, and, feeling completely worn out, went into his room to collapse into his hammock.