Disappeared once or twice

15. Dinner time

"DOLORES YOUR BOYFRIEND'S HERE!" Camilo yelled. "Time for dinner." The rest of the family exclaimed. They were moving quickly, Mariano's proposal was tonight. Everyone knew about it, except for Dolores, who was just incredibly oblivious for the things around her as she melted in his eyes.

There is something almost all people can, when they're focused on something they forget the background sounds. When you're taking a test you can shield yourself from the annoying sounds as you focus on your paper. Some people can't do so, they may find it harder to concentrate. However for Dolores, when she's with Mariano she can just listen to him and no one else. The townspeople mourning over dead fishes, guts and hair fade to the background.

Is this what falling in love feels like?

Mariano came walking from afar in his iconic slow pace, step by step with his mother beside him doing the exact same. Camilo briefly changed into him, mocking his walk before Dolores kicked his ass. He changed into Bruno, Mirabel and Abuela from the shock. He shook is head, his curls dancing around.

Bruno was caught in that movement. Not the changing, no no he couldn't care less. The bouncing curls is what captured his attention, he had the feeling he had seen that a thousand times before. However Camilo only did that when he was around someone he wanted to impress or when he has one of his 'changing issues' moments when he would rapidly changed into people because of stress or shock.

However this was different, the hair Bruno imagined was shorter. Equally curly, but styled like a poodle who is in real need of going to a hairdresser. Where had he seen those bouncy curls before. Bruno walked to the table deep in thought. He sat down, not even noticing the majority of the family had already taken their place. Even Mariano arrived after a little while, but Bruno did not notice a thing. He mindlessly forked his food and chewed it down. Who on earth would want a poodle's curls.

Life around him continued as usual, they hadn't even noticed the absence of Bruno's mind. "Dolores." After dinner Mariano catches her attention.

"When I met you
I met my destiny
My one true love
you'll always be
If you feel the same
And I hope you do
There's something very important
I want to ask of you
Instead of 'you' and 'I'
Let's become we

I'm asking you to share my life
Will you marry me?"

He randomly pulled roses out of nowhere, a beautiful bouquet with yellow and red roses. Isabella winked in Mirabel's direction who was already suspecting her of making those flowers. Camilo was joking and mimicking Dolores who was basically in tears. "Yes I will! Yes Yes YES." Mariano had already stood up when he started saying his poem. Dolores was now standing up to, stepping forward to give him a deep and long kiss in front of the whole family.

"I GOT IT." Bruno exclaimed out of the sudden. He stood up too, interrupting the lovely couple and went straight to his room. He remembered the boy with the poodle hair, it was the one from his dreams and visions. Why is everything reminding Bruno of him? His decision from earlier might not have been the best idea, to sit around and wait. But Bruno had a strong feeling it was time he stood up for his own needs and wants as well. Hernando shouldn't handle everything Bruno was afraid of. Horge should do some stuff around here too!

How could he even begin to help himself? He didn't know anything about that guy, at least he had a little information on his looks and-

He had information about his looks, this boy looked a little familiar. Curly dark hair, lighter than his but nonetheless a lovely brown color. Green eyes, that was a huge hint. A longer face, kind of like himself. Was this kid somehow family? Perhaps a distant cousin on his dad's side? Someone they didn't know about. Bruno had only seen old pictures of his father, so to tell accurately if the boy from his dreams could be his dad's family, was simply impossible.

This conundrum was nagging Bruno for way too long. Too long he had been left in the dark and now he was finally finding his own truth. Accepting the lost memories and making new along the way. Hoping that someday his old memories will return. That the woman Julieta told him about would return, that Dolores might remember some more conversations from around that time too. He hoped Pepa knew the woman in question, maybe even Augustin or Felix.

Bruno was beyond desperate, clueless of the awkward atmosphere he had left behind downstairs at the dining area. There was a party going on, but that was all there could be said about it. Everyone from town celebrated their proposal, asking about the future wedding, possible children, if they needed a nanny. Let's just say Dolores and Mariano were very busy with blushing, looking at each other in awe and avoiding questions.

Julieta and Pepa were more worried about their brother. Pepa was having a hard time calming down her emotions so she would not ruin anything for her daughter. Julieta was simply wondering what that was all about. Bruno acted strange these past couple of days and she had a feeling something important was coming. That would not only change him, but the whole family.  

{ UwU

Poem is not mine, nor is it Mariano's I found it online and I hereby give Vishal angel sharma the full credits :) }