·38·

"Something Special"

"What? Why am I the only one going?" Camilo questioned his sister after she just asked if he could do her a favor and do measurements for everyone.

"C'mon, hermano, just one last favor?" She smiled, batting her eyes at her brother with her hands put together. "It would be so much faster if you do it. Plus, I know how much you want to get Estella all for yourself more," Dolores mentioned, making him get flustered.

"Why are you making it sound like that's a bad thing?" He pouted, sighing afterward as a sign of defeat. "Fine, fine. I'll do it."

Dolores squeezes her little brother in a tight hug, and even plants a kiss on his cheek, saying, "Gracias, hermano!"

"Don't forget, her birthday is in two weeks," She tells him, before skipping off. "Though I doubt you forget about it," She adds, a little less volume in her voice, talking to herself.

Camilo knocks on the Cortez's front door, making Tacita smile as soon as she answered.

"I should really get used to seeing you come in the front door sometimes," She said, letting him in when all of a sudden their children start crying from upstairs in the nursery.

It's how most infants start the day, after all, right?

★ It's just based on my experience though, I'm not really sure 😂 ★

"I got it!" They could hear Estella yell from upstairs after the sound of heavy footsteps.

"Camilo, would you mind waiting for a little bit in the sewing room? We'll only be a minute," Tacita says, needing to tend to her children while her husband was already on his way upstairs.

The boy did what he was told and waited upstairs after he got escorted by Estella's mom, catching a glimpse of the girl trying to lull one of her siblings in the nursery.

It didn't take long before Estella came into that room with him, while her parents tried calming down their children.

"Sorry about the noise," She said, making him shake his head and insist that it was alright. He had his moments with Antonio.

Grabbing a pen, paper, and some measuring tape from one of the drawers in the room, Estella asks, "Should we do the bride first?"

"One bride, coming up," Camilo said, turning into Dolores as he smiled at her. "Don't be shy now," He winked, saying it in Dolores's voice and her face, making her laugh.

Swiftly, Estella measures everything she'd ever need for the dress to be as comfortable as possible. After Dolores, they went to Mirabel. Then Isabela, Luisa, Julieta, Pepa, and then Abuela Alma.

"Tell me if you get tired, we could take a break or get yours first," The girl tells him, referring to his measurements as he shapeshifts back into himself. She knows how tired he can get from using his powers too much.

"I love how you think about me more often," He smiled, making her scoff. "But I'm alright, just tell me who's next. Is it Lover Boy Mariano?"

The girl laughed, ever since Dolores and Mariano have been dating he's been telling her how he's been witnessing Mariano's seductive moves on his sister when in reality he was just being a little overprotective. But it's not like he'll admit to it.

"No, we're doing you," She said, writing his name on her paper.

"'Stel, I'm really fine. You don't have to put me up first," He tells her, getting surprised when she suddenly puts her measuring tape around his neck and pulls him close. "Oh, but I want to," She smirked, making him blush which she found amusing.

She's learned a few tricks over the past year or two.

The two quickly move away from each other as soon as they heard the door creak as it opened, revealing Estella's mother.

"Sorry, Mija, but do you think you can do all those by yourself?" She asked, smiling sheepishly at her daughter.

"Don't worry, Mama, I got it," She smiled back, making Tacita thank her and blow a little kiss as she closed the door.

"Don't be shy now," Estella tells him, using his line on him as she grinned. "Arms please," She says tapping his arms, asking for them to be raised.

Although she's been doing almost literally the same thing to him for seven times now, the boy couldn't help but feel different while she wraps her tape around certain areas of HIS body.

Noticing his stiff posture, Estella jots down the last of what she needed and decides to ask: "What's up? Why do you look so tense all of a sudden?" She said, letting out a short laugh.

"Nothing," He answered, chuckling nervously, making her arch a brow at him.

"Okay..." She trailed off, taking a long pause before saying, "Well, if you're sure that you don't wanna take a break, we could do Mariano next."

"Yup, gotcha. One Mariano coming up," He said, sweating nervously which weirded her out a bit but she decides to just shrug it off.

★ ★ ★

It's been more than a week, since that day of measuring. Meaning, that there was only a week left until Estella's birthday and Camilo has been thinking really hard about what to give her.

To him, it needed to be more special than the last, thinking that she deserves the best.

Today he was helping out with building the theatre somewhere in the middle of town so everyone would be able to go there – the construction area needed an extra person who could shapeshift into someone strong, after all.

"Hey, Luisa," He called out to his older cousin. "What?" She asked, putting down the multiple planks of wood.

"Just a hypothetical question, what would you give one of your favorite people as a gift for a specific special occasion?" He asked, smiling sheepishly.

"You're wondering what to give Estella for her birthday again, aren't you?" She shoots at him, flashing him a hopeless look with a sigh.

Camilo took in a deep breath, about to deny her accusation when he just gave up on the idea and breathed out, "Yeah, pretty much."

"I'm pretty sure she'll like anything you give her," Luisa said, smiling sideways. "Besides, you know how she doesn't care about presents that much."

The boy groaned, unsatisfied. He still wanted to give her something for her special day. And it's not like she's the one courting him, so then he could just give her a sweet "yes" as a present, but unfortunately for him, it's the other way around.

Secretly though, he wishes he had that as a present from her. Instead, she helped plan the design of the theatre they're currently building right at this moment which to him is still super amazing. Especially since the theatre was specially built for Camilo and everyone else who want to entertain others on stage.

Would've just loved a simple kiss though, He told himself as he sighed.

The whole day, pretty much the only thing the boy thought about was what to give as a present, until dinner, when it finally hit him.

"Aha!" He exclaimed, involuntarily hitting the dinner table and causing a scene with everyone looking at him like he was a madman.

"Lo Siento," He chuckled weakly before they all went back to their food.

If I can't think of a thing to give her, I could always do something else! He thought to himself, mentally patting himself on the back proudly.

Wait a minute, what is"something else"?

The next day, Camilo wakes up with the sun shining; It's a beautiful day today. But, he was still pretty distracted as the time passes by.

Estella's birthday is in two days and he still has nothing. The only thing time is doing is making the day after tomorrow come faster.

Exiting his room with a look of misery and defeat, he gets questioned by his other, older, cousin, Isabela.

"Ugh," She groaned, crossing paths with the boy. "Seriously, primo, you need to stop frowning. It doesn't suit you and it makes your face longer," She tells him, crossing her arms sassily.

"Spare me the sass, Isabela," He said, waving her off as he started walking away, "And just so you know, I'll bet I'll still look good with any face shape."

The woman laughed, "Okay, okay. I'll spare you the "sass", just tell me what's going on," She paused before adding, "Because just between you and me, I really prefer your face being the way as it is."

"Estella's birthday is–"

"Oh... I see," She said, not even bothering to let him finish since she already knew just those three words.

"You're wondering what to get her, aren't you?" She asked, pointing at him, before placing her hand above her mouth, "Wow, who knew you were still this childish?"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" He retorted, the two of them walking together.

"Look," Isabela started, getting serious, "Estella doesn't care whether you give her something or not. She's literally a nice, simple, person. But if it keeps you up at night just give her something with sentimental value," She shrugged, glancing at the wall before deciding to add more color to it. And when I say "color", I meant more colorful and diverse flowers.

"I already know all that, that's why I'm not just getting her A thing, I'm giving her something else. I just don't know what yet," He tried explaining, asking, "Do you get it?"

"Well," Isabela said, pausing for a moment to think before suggesting something. "Why not try writing her poetry? A lot of women love poetry," She said confidently but was met with an unconvinced look from Camilo.

Sighing, Isabela starts giving out examples: "Mariano won Dolores over with his poetry, Papa did the same with Mama," She paused, "Sort of...?"

Isabela waved it off to dismiss that part, continuing her list, "Both Mirabel and Luisa think poetry is interesting, and even Tia Pepa reads about poetry which is in fact in a lot of her romance novels."

"What about you?" Camilo tried asking with a grin. "Please, like I'll admit to anything you can use against me," Isabela smiled.

"Well," Camilo breathed out, "Maybe I could try poetry," He said, adding in a more hushed tone, "It is for Estella, after all."

"Thanks for the surprisingly helpful advice, Isa," He smiled, putting up his thumbs making her scoff.

"No need to thank me. I already know I'm great," She jokingly said, doing a hair flip before taking her to leave.