Chapter Twenty-Two: Sí

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Two nights after the Madrigals began experimenting with their gifts, Catherine hadn't spent the night in Casita and that night she regretted her choice. She had the most vivid dream about her siblings, and the war and right at the end, during the peak of the London Blitz, were two little boys. They looked exactly like Bruno... but with smaller noses and they clung to Catherine's skirt tightly.

"Mamá?" one of the boys said.

Dream Catherine rested her hands on their heads as the sirens sounded a warning. Catherine looked up and saw the German plane overhead.

 Catherine looked up and saw the German plane overhead

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Catherine shot awake from her dream. She was in a cold sweat and struggled to catch her breath. It was dark enough that she couldn't see the other side of the room and... was it raining?

She hurried to be sick again. When she cleaned up she was startled by a knock on the door.

Bruno stood in the doorway. When she opened the door he was mid-yawn and rubbing his eyes. He was holding a small basket of something covered by a rug and his ruana hood was up.

"What are you doing here?" Catherine asked. "Is Pepa okay?"

"Pepa?" Bruno asked, still half asleep. "She's still asleep. Not all of Encanto's weather is her."

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know. It's the first time it's rained here without her being upset."

"Are you okay?" Bruno asked.

"Oh!"

Catherine stepped aside so he could walk inside and out of the rain. He stepped out of the rain but didn't do anything more than stare at her.

"Dolores woke me up," Bruno continued. "She said you were screaming in your sleep and that you were sick again."

"I'm guessing that's what that is for?"

She took the basket and went to put it in the kitchen, lighting a candle while she was there for at least a little bit of light.

"I'm fine, Bruno. It was just a bad dream. You didn't have to come out here in this weather," Catherine said.

Before she could turn around, Bruno put his arms around her stomach and buried his head into her shoulder.

"You need to tell me when you're sick or struggling, mi alma," Bruno mumbled. "I can't lose you."

"It's just morning sickness, Bruno," Catherine said, but she couldn't help but get emotional at his devotion to her life.

"Hm."

It surprisingly reminded her of a conversation with his sisters from the night they began trialling their gifts.

"Hey, Bruno, can I ask you something?" Catherine said.

"Hm?"

She laughed at how out of it he sounded.

"Come on, old man, I'll ask in the morning."

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