24. Meeting the Family

Despite what her gruff appearance and devil may care attitude might suggest, Valentina was a woman who worried a lot.

She was prone to bouts of overthinking, or fits of paranoia where she’d be jumping at shadows and constantly looking over her shoulder. Which isn’t too surprising for someone with her particular background.

This last month she’d spent in the Encanto has been the most carefree Valentina’s felt in decades.

At first she was suspicious, as she always was. Sure, no one had tried to steal her kidneys yet. But one can never be too careful.

She eyed every smiling face with wariness, she ignored every warm greeting. Can’t have these people thinking she was friendly, then they’d think she was soft. An easy target.

It was Bruno, who showed her she could let her guard down.

At first, she just found the frazzled man amusing. It was so easy to get him flustered, she couldn’t resist messing with him. He was clearly no threat to her, and she got free food, so she figured there was no harm in going out with him a few times.

Soon though, she found herself charmed by him. His love of drama and theatrics, how devoted he was to his family, how soft and gentle and just…kind he was. She wasn’t really used to kindness.

With his help, she slowly opened up to the people of the Encanto. They were also nice to her, and all their neighbors. Something she truly didn’t understand. In all her 43 years, she’d never seen people act like this.

She figured she wasn’t gonna find a better place to settle down then this. Besides, her rat man was here.

She’d gotten a job as a bartender at a local tavern (Which to her looked more like a kindergarten, compared to the bars she’d seen) and even managed to get a small place of her own.

She finally allowed herself to…relax. It felt good, not being on edge all the time.

Those few dates with Bruno turned into many, and soon her infatuation blossomed into something more.

And now she was worrying again.

Bruno wanted them to be official, and she wanted the same. But being the family man he is, he wanted to formally introduce her to the Madrigals before that.

Over lunch.

Now, she’d met a few of them before. Mainly his oldest sister and his youngest niece, if only for brief moments. They seemed like good people.

But this wasn’t just running into someone on the street, this was a formal lunch where she needed to make a good impression.

And Valentina was not great at first impressions.

As her mind dipped into a pool of anxiety, she felt her woes briefly dissipate while watching her not-quite-boyfriend play with one of his rats.

It was a warm summer evening, and they sat on a bench in the village square. Spending the time talking, while watching people go about their days. Less and less people were troubled by Bruno’s presence these days, which was good. When the rowdy woman first learned of his past treatment from the town, it took a lot of convincing to stop her from breaking a few noses.

The scruffy man giggled with delight as the tiny creature scampered up the length of his arm, his grin illuminated by street lanterns.

“I’ll never understand why you like those things.” She spoke, arms crossed and grinning. Upon hearing this, he grabbed his furry friend and cradled it close.

“What? W-What’s wrong with them? They’re adorable!” He then began to nuzzle the rat, making all sorts of little coos to it. In response, the woman sitting next to him rolled her eyes.

“I’ve had bad experiences. The rats were nuts where I grew up, always biting your toes and stealing food in broad daylight. You’d hit ‘em with a broom, and they’d try to take the broom and hit you back!” Both Bruno and his rat looked mortified, and he frenetically shook his head.

“Oh no-no-no-no! These darlings would never do anything like that! In fact…” He began searching his ruana, before pulling out a white rat with grey spots from his pocket. “Here, hold him!”

The gruff woman leaned back, unsure. “I don’t know…” Until her scruffy partner gave her a sly grin.

“Aw, don’t tell me you’re scared?” The rat looked just as sly. She bristled at his insinuation.

“I ain’t scared of a stinking rodent!” He simply held the rat closer, with a look that said “Prove it.”

With a huff, she held her hands out. She suppressed a wince as she felt the warm, fuzzy thing being placed in her palms. She glanced at the small animal, sitting politely in her grasp. Looking up at her with those big, round eyes.

And she giggled.

It was quiet, and brief, but it was all Bruno needed to hear.

“You like him!” He declared, triumphantly. Valentina rapidly tried to explain herself.

“What? No! I was just-he was-his paws were tickling me!” She tried to fight the blush that was rushing to her cheeks, but it was no use. She silently handed the rat back to the laughing man, all while grumbling.

Wiping tears from his eyes, Bruno sighed. “It’s getting late, I-I better head back. Don’t wanna be late for dinner.”

Valentina smirked at him. “What’s gonna happen? Is your mom gonna ground you?” She taunted.

Bruno chuckled nervously. “Yeah, you joke but uh…” He then stood from the bench, and cleared his throat a bit. “A-Anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow, right? It’s a big day! Heh…” She could tell he was anxious, so she swallowed her own anxieties to assuage his.

“Relax, hombrecito! Everything’ll be fine!” She stood herself, and caught the man in a sideways hug. “Your family’s gonna be begging me to date you, once I’m done with ‘em!” She gave him a peck on the cheek, chuckling as he lit up in surprise, and then gently shoved him forward.

The two waved each other farewell, with bright smiles. But when Bruno turned and left, her smiled melted into an uneasy frown. Doubts creeping back into her mind.

She wasn’t about to lose Bruno, she had to impress these people.

But how?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Valentina was in the plaza. A multitude of shops, all advertising their wares with brightly colored signs.

She leaned against a wall, arms crossed. Waiting…

Though it was hard to lie in wait inconspicuously when so many friendly villagers stopped to say hello.

Finally, she spotted her target. A bespectacled girl with a curly cascade of dark hair, entering a clothing store.

Valentina sprinted after the girl, dodging townspeople and wayward donkeys, and caught her just before she’d gone inside. “Hey HUFF there PUFF Mirabel…” She panted from the exertion. She’d never admit it aloud, but she wasn’t as spry as she was twenty years ago.

“Hola, Valentina!” Mirabel greeted vividly. “Excited for later?” She smirked.

The older woman sighed. “Yeah, that’s the problem…” When she saw Mirabel tilt her head in confusion, she explained. “I really wanna make a good impression on your family. And I can’t do that looking like…” She gestured to herself. “…This!”

She crossed her arms once more, and avoided eye contact with the teen. “Look, I don’t know anything about clothes, or fashion, or whatever. But maybe you do, so could you…” Her lips trembled as she struggled to get the last words out.

Requesting assistance is something she never did, not since she was six. But, this was for Bruno.

“…Help me?” Ignoring how weak uttering those words made her feel, she looked to the younger girl expectantly. When she saw her flash a gentle smile, Valentina sighed with relief.

“Of course I’ll help you! Come on!” Grabbing the older woman’s wrist, Mirabel dragged her inside the shop.

“Dang, for such a little thing she’s got a strong grip!” Valentina thought.

They entered the store, its interior decorated with an assortment of clothing. All different sizes and colors and patterns. Basic, drably colored clothing was the norm where Valentina grew up. And it was a standard she’d carried throughout her adult life. No frills or ruffles or bows, either. She tended to wear clothes you could bust some teeth in.

“So, what are you looking for?” At the girl’s question, the gruff woman could only shrug.

“I dunno…something that’ll make me look good, I guess…” Though what exactly would make her look good, she had no clue.

Mirabel put a hand to her chin, squinted her eyes, and began to examine Valentina. Looking up and down, inspecting her from all angles.  The older woman stood completely still during the process, her eyes following the girl as she circled her.

Finally, the girl’s squinted eyes shot open as she was stricken with an idea. “I’ve got it!” Before Valentina to ask, she’d rushed off to the back of the store. An instant later, she’d returned. She proudly presented her findings to the older woman with a flourish. “Ta-Da!”

In her hands was a long flowing dress, jade in color. The sleeves and the skirt ending with ruffles. It was a beautiful dress, which is exactly what made Valentina unsure. “I dunno, Mirabel. I’m not exactly dainty, or pretty, or anything that would look right in that thing…” She’d never really cared about her appearance, before she met Bruno. Now all her physical flaws were at the forefront of her mind, and she wondered just how he could find her attractive.

Mirabel’s face fell upon hearing those words. “Valentina…you’re beautiful! And no, you’re not dainty. But there’s nothing wrong with that! Luisa’s huge, and she’s beautiful too!” She couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s encouragement. Bruno was right, this kid’s got a heart of gold.

Besides, maybe wearing something like that would smooth out some of her rough edges.

“Alright, hand it over!” She took the dress with a grin, and headed to the changing room

She observed herself in the mirror, and was honestly surprised to find she didn’t look half bad. She was also pleased to see that Mirabel thought the same. “Valentina, you look amazing!” She’d gasped.

The older woman smirked as she paid for the dress. “Yeah, I clean up nice, huh?” She accompanied Mirabel as they left the store, and Valentina spoke up before they parted ways.  “Hey uh…thanks for helping me. I never could’ve picked out a dress this nice.”

The bespectacled girl smiled earnestly. “Always happy to help!” She then smiled mischievously. “…Anything for you, Tia!”

Valentina sputtered, before cracking a grin. “Woah! Don’t ’cha think you’re jumping the gun a bit, Mira?” She laughed as she gave the girl a light punch to the shoulder.

Unfortunately for Mirabel, a light punch from Valentina is not very light.

The girl winced as she held her shoulder, but continued laughing all the same. And then the said their goodbyes. “See you later!” Mirabel called.

Valentina watched the girl as she left, a content smile on her face. A stray thought entered her mind.

“I wouldn’t mind being her Tia…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hours passed shortly, and soon the moment of truth had arrived.

The sun was situated firmly in the middle of the sky, not ready to set for another hour or two. Valentina, draped in her new ruffly jade dress, made her way up the hill to Casita. It took her a bit to realize she had to hike the skirt up so she could climb, she really wasn’t accustomed to dresses.

Approaching the front door, she was surprised to see Bruno waiting for her. In his usual green ruana.

His face lit up with excitement when he saw her coming. “Valentina. You made it!” She giggled, embracing him in a soft hug.

“You say the same thing every time we meet up!” As she released him, he shrugged nervously.

“I-I just still can’t believe you’re bothering with me…” He muttered, before quickly changing the subject. “But hey! Look at you, you look-I mean-you…” His words failing him, the most coherent response he could manage was. “Wow!”

She smiled, more timidly. Not used to being complimented so sincerely. “T-Thanks…”

The two stood in an adoring silence for a moment, before the strangest noise demanded their attention. Casita was clinking its tiles, a reminder that lunch was about to start. “Guess it’s showtime!” Bruno grinned, though she could see the nervousness in his eyes. “After you?” He gestured.

She declined. “You go on ahead, I’ll be right there!” The scruffy man looked a bit unsure, but he nodded and went inside. With a sigh, she procured something from a pocket on the dress. A small block of wood.

She knocked on the block of wood a few times, before knocking on her own head to end her little ritual.

She could really use some good luck right now.

She took a deep breath, placed the block back in her pocket, and entered Casita.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite her fears, lunch was actually going pretty great.

Every member of this family was so warm, and welcoming. Bruno’s sister, Pepa, had immediately embraced her upon seeing her for the first time. Tears spilling out of her eyes, and a rain cloud over her head. “I’m just so happy for Brunooo!” She’d wailed. Julieta embraced her as well, though this hug wasn't as wet.

His oldest niece and nephew, Isabela and Camilo, were immediately taken with Valentina. Utterly captivated by her stories of grizzly bar fights and near-death experiences. One of which she was in the middle of right now.

“So there I was…” She spoke dramatically. “Backed against a wall, me VS the five Blood Bandits…”

Luisa gasped. “Five guys ganging up on you? That’s so unfair!”

“Yeah, it was…” Valentina then smirked. “…For them!”

“I grab the first bandit in a headlock, until I notice another one coming at me. I swing him around and throw him into the other guy, knocking them both out!” She acted out the moves she’d preformed as she spoke.

“Next thing I know, I’m in the middle of two bandits. Both of ‘em ready to punch my lights out. What do I do?” Her smirk grew as she noticed the kids were enthralled, desperate to know the answer to her rhetorical question. “I duck, and let ‘em punch each other out for me!”

“It was pretty funny, so I laughed at ‘em for a bit.” Some members of the table laughed as well. “Big mistake!” All laughter stopped, after her exclamation. “I wasn’t paying attention, and the last Blood Bandit snuck up on me! He had a knife coming right at me! It was too late for me too dodge, so I brought my arm up to take the hit- “She then proudly presented the long gash on her left forearm, faded with time. “That’s how I got this baby!”

Camilo regarded the scar with wonder and fascination. He held out his own arm, and morphed a scar onto it. He gazed at it, admiring his handiwork. “What about the last bandit!?” Cried Isabela, sweating in suspense.

“He kept coming at me with that knife, and I dodged his strikes. Waiting for an opening! There was an old tree, nearby. I stood in front of it, waiting for him to charge at me…and jumped out of the way, just in time! His knife got stuck in the tree, and while he tried to pull it out, I gave him a roundhouse kick straight to the face!” She soaked in the children’s cheering, arms crossed with pride. “And that’s how I took out the Blood Bandits!”

She could barely believe it. Here she was, being her rough and tough self, and yet they were enjoying her company. Her gritty stories, her less than pleasant life up to this point, they didn’t judge her for it. They really just seemed to…like her.

All except one.

Alma, the head honcho, hated her.

She didn’t say anything bad to her. She never sneered at her, or side-eyed her, she was perfectly cordial.

But Valentina could tell. That woman did not want her dating her son.

And that was really unfortunate, because as far as Valentina was concerned, Alma was the one she needed to impress the most.

Soon, lunch had concluded. It couldn’t last too long, everyone still had duties to attend to.

Valentina felt like she could safely say that she and Bruno had everyone’s approval. His siblings were overjoyed that their brother had found someone, the kids found her tales of danger riveting. And when Bruno announced that they were official, they actually received cheers.

Her heart swelled at the thought. Bruno, that wonderful man, was now her boyfriend. She felt like a teenager again, giggling at cute boys.

Yes, everyone seemed on board. Except Alma.

And while she could’ve just let things be, an anxious twinge in the back of her mind wouldn’t let it go.

“What if she hates me? What if she convinces Bruno to dump me? What if she forces me to leave?”

Her fears working in overdrive, she set off to find Alma and get on the woman’s good side. Before all was lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Valentina caught Alma just before she’d left the building. She scampered to Casita’s courtyard, once more forgetting to hike her dress up.

“Hey, hey! Alma! Big A! Double A! The double being both ‘Alma’ and “Abuela’, heh…” As the old woman eyed her with befuddlement, she tried to get a hold of herself. She hadn’t felt this awkward in years.

“I just wanted to talk to you! About me! And Bruno! I kinda got the feeling you didn’t like us being together…” The old woman nodded with understanding.

“I don’t.”

Well that took the wind out of her sails. Sputtering, she replied. “W-What? I don’t-hold on-WHY NOT!?”

She stood firm, despite Valentina’s shouting. “You’re much too…rough. You’ve involved yourself with the violence of the outside world far too much. I always thought my Brunito needed a gentle woman.”

Valentina felt it, that familiar anger rising from within. As if she decided where to be born, as if she wanted to live in that dump. Constantly fearing for her life from the moment she could think. She was ready to shout, scream, and go on a verbal rampage…

Until she realized Alma was right.

Who was she kidding? She wasn’t a dainty little lady, she used to get into street fights over candy bars. She was covered in scars, she probably smelled like sweat all the time, and this dress didn’t even look good on her…

She slumped over, defeated. “So…I guess you want me to stop seeing him, huh?”

She was shocked to see the old woman gain a look of confusion. “I didn’t say that.”

Valentina herself was shocked as well. “But-But you just said you didn’t like me?”

“I don’t, but Bruno’s a grown man. He can decide who’s right for him by himself.” Valentina really couldn’t say she expected that. “Let me ask you something…” Alma started again. “What do you see in Bruno?”

The gruff woman pondered this question for a moment. “He’s…soft.” She grew a faint smile as she begun to explain. “Every man where I grew up was the same. They walk around, flexing their muscles and pumping out their chests. ‘Hey, baby! I’ll show you a good time girl!’ It was obnoxious! And it wasn’t much different in the other towns I visited…” Alma listened, intrigued.

“But Bruno’s not like that. He’s small, and quiet. And so kind, and he cares so much. About everyone he holds dear. He just…listens. Whenever I wanna rant about something he’ll just let me go off, and then hold my hand when I’m done. And he’s really good at acting, too! He’s just…” She sighed. “Amazing…”

Alma smiled, gently. “You speak so highly of him. He talks about you the same way…” She placed a hand on the gruff woman’s shoulder. “You don’t need my blessing. You two can do whatever you want. But if that’s what you’re looking for…you’ve earned it!”

Valentina was so happy she could’ve cried.

But she wouldn’t. Not in front of anyone else, anyway.

Except for Bruno. Her Bruno.

Instead, she grew a teasing smirk. “Aw, that’s real nice of you…mom!” Alma’s smile fell and she immediately retracted her hand.

“Don’t push it…”