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VALENTINE WOULD NEVER FORGET the day her father left. It was the night of her cousin Mirabel's gift ceremony which left everyone disappointed when she didn't get a gift. She remembered waking up the next morning, expecting him to be there like he always had been but was instead greeted by emptiness in his place.
She was raised by her Tía Pepa alongside her cousins Dolores, Camilo, and Antonio. The thoughts of where her father went plagued her mind, trying to use her gift to see into the past and where he went but was met with a wall each time.
Her fathers name became like a taboo around the town, not even his own family wanting to utter the name Bruno. Valentina felt hurt for she knew the bad things her father was blamed for wasn't his fault, but she knew that slowly their views on her father slowly spread to her. No matter how she used her gift they couldn't see past the fact of who her father was.
Valentina was first awoken by her Tía Pepa's thundering, one of the perks of having the room next to her. She was finally able to go back to sleep but it wasn't long she was woken up by Mirabel poking her head in. Today was her little cousin Antonio's gift ceremony, the last one since Mirabel's and the entire family seemed on edge.
Apart from their daily chores, the entire family helped decorate casita for the big ceremony. Her chores were minimal, helping a child who lost their toy or someone who sat down their hat and couldn't remember where. Valentine felt useless with her gift. She wasn't able to move buildings like her cousin Luisa or control the weather like her Tía Pepa, ultimately being told by Abuela to leave everything to the others.
Valentina attempted to help with the decorations, but eventually went to help her Tía Julieta in the kitchen with making plenty of food for the ceremony that night. She really enjoyed working in the kitchen for it was a chance to escape the constant tornados and rain in the other room. Occasionally she had to chase her pet Arepa out of the kitchen or Camilo who wanted to try the snacks being made before the ceremony.
She jumped at the door swinging open, revealing her cousin Mirabel struggling with a heavy box of party decorations. She dropped the pan de yuca she was making to help her unload the box onto the table. Mirabel thanked her to which Valentina smiled in return, just happy to be able to help.
"Whoa. Mi vida, you okay?" Julieta came over, placing a hand on her daughters shoulder. "You don't have to over-do it."
"I know, Mamá," Mirabel shrugged, lifting a heavy decoration onto the table. "I just want to do my part like the rest of the family."
"She's right, amor." Agustín kneeled down to his daughter, his hands and face covered in welts from bee stings. "First gift ceremony since yours, lots of emotions – and I've been there."
"Tía!" Valentina called over her shoulder.
"Bee stings!" Mirabel joined, shouting to her mother who turned around with a sigh.
"Ay, Agustín," Julieta sighed, turning around to quickly make a cure for her husband.
"Valentina!" Tía Pepa shouted followed by the sound of rain and thunder. "Valentina, where are you?"
"Go," Julieta laughed as she shoved an arepa con queso in her husbands mouth. "I can handle the rest."
Valentina hurried out of the kitchen, following the sound of thunder. "Ay, you look a mess!" Tía Pepa exclaimed, trying to dust the mess of flour off the girls dress. Her cloud grew bigger, about soaking the girl from head to toe.
"I'll go change," Valentina hurried, ducking from the cloud and hurrying to her room. She shut the door and got maybe two steps inside before she heard the ruffling of feathers behind the door. "Come on," she sighed, opening the door so her pet chicken Arepa could come inside.
She changed as quick as she could, choosing the ruffled lilac dress that Mirabel had made her one day after Valentina begged for days. She loved it, especially the embroidered hourglasses on the skirt that tied to her gift. She paced the floor of her room, doing her best to dry her almost unmanageable curls the best she could.
Valentina looked up as there was a soft knock at her door. She rolled her eyes, wondering if there would ever be a day she could get an ounce of peace. She shuffled to the door, opening the door to reveal her Tío Felíx. She stepped back, allowing him to come inside.
"Mi vida, the town is starting to arrive for the ceremony," he announced. "Are you gonna be okay? Especially since its gonna be almost ten years since your father," he trailed off, watching as Valentina visibly tensed.
"Ah, I'll be alright," she breathed, sitting down to slip on her sandals. "Today is about Antonio, not me," she smiled, truly adoring her tío for being concerned even though there were bigger things happening that night. He was the closest father figure she had after Bruno left.
"If you need me, I'm always here," he offered before leaving to join his wife. She gave herself one last glance over, hoping that tonight went as smoothly as possible.
She headed towards the door, jumping at the loud clucking and flapping from Arepa. She turned around to see Arepa chasing after a rat. She groaned, her room was the only one who seemed to have a problem with rats managing to infiltrate. She chased it off, picking up Arepa and holding the chicken under her arm as she made it downstairs for the party.
