Book 1- The Outsider to Encanto

Chapter Sixteen: Bodies (Abuela's Funeral Part 1)

I TRIED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON HOW COLOMBIA CULTURE DEALS WITH DEATH AND TRADITIONS AROUND THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE. I HOPE I DID A GOOD ENOUGH JOB. PLEASE TELL ME IF SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG!

(list of sites read will be available at the end of the funeral-related Chapters)

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Catherine felt lightheaded as she helped the guys cover the body. She had lost a lot of blood and her body was still recovering from it. Especially now the adrenaline had run its course.

"Are you alright, Señora?" Félix asked. "You don't look well."

"Just a bit lightheaded. I'll be fine," Catherine answered.

"Please, rest, amor," Bruno pleaded. "You've already helped us enough. Please sit."

Catherine smiled at Bruno and followed his request. She sat against a tree and watched the men fill the hole.

"So... you've done things like this before?" Agustín asked. Though he was looking a little green.

"What, bury someone in the woods?" Catherine asked. "Not exactly. But I have had to bury people myself. You don't exactly have a lot of time for funerals when you're in the middle of a worldwide war, and planes keep trying to drop bombs over your home."

"His family..." Agustín mumbled. "He... they... Miércoles... what are we doing?"

"Protecting our family, Agustín," Félix answered. "I'm not happy with this either."

"Its better he stays as missing presumed dead," Catherine said. "I know, it's hard. And foul. And wrong on so many levels. But as I said earlier, the war is still fresh in everyone's mind. Every murder is being looked at like someone wanting to start it again.

"I know his family deserve the chance to grieve, every family does. He's an explorer, he risks his life every day. If his family believes he got lost, or he finally met his match with a wild animal, they will grieve. And no one will come here. But if we had sent his body back where it could be found... with a bullet hole in his head? They'll come looking. And they won't stop until they find the village. They will bring more guns and more pain.

"And remember, Agustín, his sacrifice was to save the encanto. To save the family. All the families," Catherine finished.

"It doesn't make this easier..." Agustín mumbled.

"I never said it would. There is no way this can be made easier."

"I wonder," Félix said taking a moment to breathe. "How would it have played out if Abuela didn't hug you?"

"I'm trying to not think about that," Bruno said. "Let's hurry up here so we can go home. You should be checking in Isabela, Agustín."

"I'm more worried about Luisa," Catherine said.

"Luisa?" Agustín asked.

"Nothing that happened is Isabela's fault. Yeah, she's going to feel guilty. Luisa? She lost her abuela, and then not even half an hour later the guy she likes? Grief... that much of it... it can destroy anyone," Catherine explained. "I know a lot of people who gave on life because too many people that they loved, died."

"Didn't you lose your family, Señora?" Félix asked.

"I did. And yes, I became one of those people who gave up on life."

Bruno turned to look at her. The sadness in her eyes. He dropped his shovel and ran to her.

"I lost everyone and honestly... I couldn't see any other reason to live. Clearly, my attempt failed and not even the war killed me, but I'm grateful. I survived. I threw myself into my studies. Got invited to take the opportunity of a lifetime for the University and come to Colombia... where my life has finally been bright again." Bruno wiped tears from her cheek. "Because I had the privilege of meeting an adorable man with a very large nose." Félix laughed. "And his beautiful family."