Easter - A Gus and Bruno Drabble
Bruno and Gustavo reclined out on the hillside, watching the kids run around and play games with one another as the twilight set in. Dinner was over, and it was a miracle itself none of them went into a coma after the feast of Easter dinner Julieta and Gustavo prepared for the whole family. Bruno felt like he was about to pop and Gustavo wasn’t too far behind.
“How they have all that energy after a meal like that is beyond me,” Bruno said to him. “You and Julie really outdid yourselves.”
“Pleasure’s all mine.” Gustavo waved back to Mirabel who waved from down the way, hoping they were watching her as she tossed a bean bag into a target hole across the way. “You’ve always made me feel like an honorary Madrigal.”
“Please don’t bring the journal up again,” Bruno groaned, embarrassed.
Gustavo smirked, looking over at him. “I wasn’t, but now who’s bringing it up?”
“It was almost forty years ago, and it was just a stupid crush. But, you are an honorary Madrigal regardless which makes Ozzy one too.”
Gustavo and Bruno looked down over the hill where Ozzy and his sister were talking with Julieta, Alma, and Anne Pinheiro by a fire pit. Gustavo felt his heart flutter a few beats.
“His birthday’s coming up at the end of the month,” Gustavo noted. “I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to do for him.”
“Any ideas so far?”
“Not one,” Gustavo laughed. “But I’ll run the ideas by you when I come up with them to see what you think.”
“I think Ozzy has you,” Bruno told him. “As long as he has you, he has everything he needs.”
Gustavo tilted his head to look at Bruno and gave his friend a sincere, thankful smile. “Between us,” he said, “about what we talked about...”
Oh right, Bruno thought. The vision...
Gustavo continued, “I just want to know he’ll be taken care of when I’m gone. He’s...sensitive, and I’m scared he won’t take care of himself...”
Bruno reached over to pet his friend’s hand to relax him.
“Don’t worry,” he assured him. “We’ll all be here to support him, but it’s Easter Sunday, Gus, let’s focus on life today and celebrate.”
Gustavo smiled and nodded in agreement.
