Who You Are: Camilo's Story (After Encanto)

A Special Gift

Almost the entire town had gone into their homes, taking shelter from the rain which continued falling around the Encanto. Juancho, Alejandra, and Cecelia were outside, standing huddled together under the tarp that was their 'secret base' near Abuelo Pedro's mural.

"Do you think something bad is going on over there?" Cecelia asked, staring in the direction of the Casa Madrigal. Alejandra looked over at Juancho worriedly and Juancho gripped the handle of his coffee cup.

In the Guzmans' house, Mariano was in the kitchen bringing over a hot drink to his mother. He looked curiously out the window at the curtain of rain.

"There was no warning from Alma that it would rain today, was there?" his mom asked.

"I don't think so," said Mariano, shaking his head. He walked over to the window and said quietly, "Dolores, please be okay."

At Casita, Dolores smiled sadly and nodded to herself. Everybody in the Madrigals' home was getting drenched from the rain. But none of them moved. All of them had their eyes on Cal. He remained on the floor of the courtyard with his head bowed as if in prayer. And then he spoke some more.

"Vati...always saw my brothers as much better sons. They made him proud...and yet...I was the black sheep," he said. "Mutti...she was sick. She was always so tired...tired from coughing. Her cough was...so terrible."

There was a long pause.

"You loved your mother," said Agustín. "You were always there for her, even when her health was failing her. Weren't you?"

"Was I there for her?" Cal asked. "I was the only one there! Vati and my brothers were always quick to leave her and me behind! She...became my responsibility! I was eight years old. But I didn't mind. She...always had a smile for me. Even when she was...coughing up blood."

Hanna put a hand to her mouth in shock. She glanced over at Camilo who looked very troubled.

"I did everything the doctor said to do...in order to take care of her," said Cal. "I thought I was doing everything...perfectly...but she..." he trailed off.

Marie let out a gasp. Amalia stared down at the floor in disbelief and Isabela went to stand next to her to hold her hand.

"Vati... said it was all my fault," said Cal. "Because I was the only one there with her...all the time. He made sure I would never forget...that it was all because of me...she was gone. But...I thought I did everything right!"

He then clenched his eyes shut, looking like he remembered something excruciating.

"It was wrong of him," Agustín said sadly. "Her dying was nobody's fault. It certainly wasn't yours. You did everything you could! Your father was a horrible man. It was a horrible thing for him to do. But why do you take it out on your daughter? Why do you not want to look at her?"

Mirabel's eyes widened in realization, and she spoke up.

"It's her eyes!" she exclaimed. She had now made her way over to them, looking at Cal with her arms folded.

"Does Hanna have your mom's eyes?" she asked.

Cal didn't look up. When he answered her, his voice was very quiet.

"It's...not just the eyes," he said. "It's everything."

All of them turned to look at Hanna now. She gasped loudly and her eyes widened in complete surprise. "I...look like her?" she asked.

Though Cal didn't respond, Hanna found it unnecessary. She had the answer now, and it felt like something extremely heavy had just been lifted from her shoulders. The feeling was nothing short of miraculous.