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Calling Dibs.
The Madrigal triplets sit along the fountain in the center of town. Julieta wraps an arm around Pepa, who has her face buried in her hands. Bruno sits next to them, ice cream in one hand and the other gently patting his sister on the back.
“I’m never going to find someone to love me!” Pepa whines, a small cloud appearing above her head. The twenty-three-year-olds have been thinking about their futures ever since their recent birthday. They aren’t getting any younger, and their mother has been wondering about their love lives. Julieta sighs and shakes her head.
“Yes, you will. Good things come to those who wait.” Julieta assures. Bruno hums in agreement and nods his head, taking a bite of his ice cream.
“But mama doesn’t want us to wait!” Pepa throws her hands up in frustration, her cloud thundering. “She keeps talking about her friend’s sons and wondering if we find them interesting. It is so draining.”
“That’s because she cares for us. You know mama means well.” Julieta shrugs. “It isn’t like any of us are actively looking for people to date. So, mama is just doing what we aren’t.” Pepa runs a hand down her face and groans in annoyance.
“You’re right. I just wish our future partners would just show themselves to make it easier for us.”
The moment is interrupted by the sound of a donkey screaming. The triplets all look in the commotion’s direction. A well dressed, thin man with glasses is holding onto the neck of a panicked donkey. The donkey runs through a crowd of people as the man on the back screams at people to get out of the way.
“Move! Everything is under control! She is simply on her morning run! Watch out!” The man screams and ducks as the donkey rams into a cart full of corn. The donkey continues to run and soon its screaming fades away. Before the triplets could say anything, another set of screaming is heard. A short man with dark skin is riding a horse chasing after the other man on the donkey.
“Agustin! Try to slow her down!” He calls out, flicking the reins of the horse to catch up.
The triplets blink at the scene playing out for several minutes. Pepa’s cloud disappears as she purses her lips in an attempt not to laugh. Julieta’s face is morphed into a mixture of worry and amusement, her hand placed over her heart. Bruno shrugs and returns to his ice cream.
“Julieta.”
“Pepa.”
“I call dibs on the man with the horse.”
“Dibs on the man with the glasses.”
The sisters look at each other and nod. They turn to their brother. Bruno looks at them mid bite of ice cream; he raises an eyebrow.
“I call dibs on this ice cream.”
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