The Gift Swap (DISCONTINUED)

🦋Five🦋

Soon, the dining room was nearly empty.

Mirabel hadn't moved from the table, and Dolores (looking like Antonio still) had stood up, but upon seeing Mirabel's miserable expression, she sat down again. "What's wrong?"

"It's just..." she sighed, dropping her hands onto the surface of the table. "Is it like that all the time for you?"

"The noise?" Dolores asked. "Yes, but you get used to—"

"No," Mirabel said. "People not listening to you."

Dolores frowned, clasping her hands together and avoiding eye contact. "Well...yes." She shifted from Antonio to herself, still not looking Mirabel in the eyes. "People don't listen to you because you're quiet. You're quiet because talking loudly hurts. It's an endless cycle."

Mirabel's eyebrows knitted together. "I'm sorry. I promise from here on out we'll listen to you, Dolores."

She smiled and reached out to hold Mirabel's hand. "Thanks, prima."

-Meanwhile-

Antonio had no problem going into the walls with Bruno. He'd done it before by himself, so this was nothing new. If anything, it was more fun. He'd had time to get to know Bruno as the months passed, and the two had become pretty close.

They entered the space Bruno usually visited, where rats were crawling everywhere. Bruno paused in the doorway, his eyes growing wide.

Antonio watched as Bruno kneeled down to let one of the rats scamper into his hand, staring at it with gleaming eyes as it squeaked at him. "Yeah?" He paused, a grin making its way across his face. "Oh—that's sweet of you. Um..."

Antonio tugged on his uncle's sleeve. "What's it saying?"

"He thinks I'm good at directing," Bruno said with a wide, proud smile. He blinked as the rat squeaked again. "Is that so?" He glanced at Antonio, clearly trying not to laugh. "He has a crush on his co-star, and he wonders how soon I'm going to write a romantic scene."

Antonio, enthralled, looked at the rat, who nodded matter-of-factly. He giggled and pet the rat on his head.

Another rat scurried over and hopped on Bruno's foot. He reached down to pick it up as well, putting the other rat on his shoulder. The second rat squeaked insistently at Bruno, who looked like he might start crying.

"What's wrong?" Antonio asked, and Bruno turned.

"Apparently she loves me a lot," Bruno said in a tiny voice.

Antonio grinned and hugged Bruno, who's eyes widened in surprise before he pat the five-year-old on the head.

Antonio let go and sat cross-legged on the floor, letting the rats sit on his knees, and Bruno joined him, looking excited to communicate with more of his friends.