35. family dinner

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"Really, though." Your aunt says. "He had no right to break up with me over that."

"I agree." Pepa answers, helping her hang the clean laundry on the cord. "That was uncalled for."

"Now come on, girls." Julieta speaks up. "Lucía, you have to admit that time you threw a lamp across the room because he said he didn't like Diego's favorite book was uncalled for."

"It was deserved." Your father sips on his cup of tea, actually reading the favorite novel in question for the tenth time.

"Maybe he was just tired of you breaking lamps." Pepa shrugs, flattening a dress on the cord.

"Maybe. Anyway, that was the end of my story with Pedro."

Pepa and Julieta share a glance from across the garden. It was weird everytime they heard their father's name as Lucía told them about Pedro, but it was a wound that closed long ago.

"My sister is crazy." Your mother sighs next to Bruno, Félix and Agustín. They were listening to their discussion from the Madrigal's kitchen, while preparing dinner.

"Mine is, too." Bruno jokes, giggling as Félix and Agustín both shot their heads up, asking 'Which sister ?'.

As if to answer, Pepa screams frantically as Antonio, riding on his jaguar's back, and Mirabel and Camilo sprinting after him send some clothes flying from the rope. Behind them, Luisa follows, barely being able to run from too much laughing. On her shoulders, screaming, panicking, but secretly having fun, Alma.

"Get them, mija !" She encourages Luisa confidently, before calming down. "But put me down first ! I have to talk to Mariano's mother."

Luisa sets her grandmother on the ground carefully, before resuming chasing her cousins and sister. Alma giggles quietly, brushing invisible dust off her dress and walking to Abuela Guzmán, who just arrived with Mariano and Dolores.

"Welcome ! Dinner is not ready yet, we're working on it. I got a little... Distracted." She smiles slightly as Antonio and his pursuers pass behind Dolores, who covers her ears with a smile.

"It's all good, Abuela. I can hear (Y/n) is here." She says, Mariano helping his mother sit at the table with those who were preparing dinner.

"Yes, of course. She's with Isabela, her brother and his friend. They're setting the table in the patio. We're eating outside tonight, it's a warm day !"

Dolores nods and heads over to the patio, where Isabela just stopped you from accidentally dropping a glass. Jorge snorts at this, not realizing he was doing the exact same thing and unknowingly pushing a glass towards the end of the table with his elbow.

"Careful with that." Dolores catches it before it reaches the ground and puts it back on the table. Jorge sulks as it is your turn to laugh at him. He turns to Theresa, looking for support, but she laughs as well.

"Where is friendship when you need it." He groans, taking care of setting the plates down.

"Right here, Jorge." Dolores ruffles his hair. He sighs, letting her do. He didn't care much about it being perfectly styled anymore.

"Dolores, amor ?" Mariano's voice sounds from the kitchen.

"I gotta go. I just wanted to say, (Y/n), you were right."

"Of course." You nod. "About what ?"

"There really was something between Miguel and Carmen. They got together today."

To be honest, you had forgotten about them. But you were happy for them. "Ah, great, great. Good to know."

Dolores squeaks before returning to the kitchen, where your mother wanted to give her a pair of new earrings she had made. She had discovered this small hobby and gave herself the goal to make one for each of the Madrigals, having finished her own family's.

"Everyone !" Félix yells from the doorway, carrying a small basket of bread. "Dinner's ready !"

Bruno, your mother and Agustín follows, setting the food they had prepared on the table.

From afar, Camilo turns into a long-legged man and runs towards you, followed by Mirabel, Luisa and Antonio. They all scream as the shapeshifter trips on his own foot and falls face first into the grass, turning back into himself.

"Did he get hurt ?" Julieta asks, sitting next to you. On your other side is Isabela, holding your hand under the table. She leans her head on your shoulder while everyone sits around.

Camilo plops himself on his seat with a grim face, a bit of grass in his curls. Pepa giggles as she removes it delicately.

It's been seven months since the falling of Casita. Your family and the Madrigals had all gotten closer, as well as the Guzmáns, even though Mariano was still terrified everytime you were in the same room. You had calmed down, of course, and stopped talking about kidnapping him. But he was still cautious around you. Especially now that he had proposed to Dolores.

"Mariano, can you pass me the avocadoes please ?"

"Y-yes." He hands the plate to Dolores, who gives it to Isabela, who presents it to you. You gladly take it, only to place it next to you on the table.

"Sike." You whisper, only for Isabela to hear you. "I hate avocadoes. It was just a tactic to get your attention and give you this spooky smile." You flash him a wide grin, making him shiver. "You fell into my trap."

Isabela sighs next to you, smiling nonetheless. What surprises you the most is Julieta's quiet giggle. You had not planned for her to hear you.

"Are you sure you want him to fear you forever, mija ? He is your best friend's fiancé, you two are bound to see each other often." She whispers, making you think about it.

"You're right, Tía. I should be more friendly. Like this." You smile again, waving innocently. Mariano shrieks quietly. "Oh, shoot. I might have gotten too far."

Julieta laughs, tapping your hand softly with the tip of her fingers. You had noticed she liked to do that with the people she loved, and it was amazing when she did it to you for the first time.

You feel Isabela take your hand and trace a circle in it with her index finger. When you look down at it, you see a small cactus with a yellow flower. It was so cute ! You exchange a knowing smile as you discreetly place the plant on the table.

You had a small collection of Isabela's cactus, which she actually had to remind you to water from time to time. You had placed them by your window and took great care of it. You were actually proud that none of them died yet.

This one was going straight to your collection.
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words : 1105

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