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achitka · 8 months ago

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Doors: Chapter 49

Recién Llegados (Newcomers)

Alma does not appreciate surprises. Isa is working extra hard at imperfection, while honing the newer aspects of her Gift. Bubo's family is coming to grips with a non-existent money system. His Tío Jose is up to stuff. Mirabel is trying hard not to let things freak her out. Tuli is almost settling in and there be a ghost in the Encanto - go figure. This is the first half of a longer chapter I decided to break into two. I'll probably post the next sooner and not later. Not sure how it managed to get so big... For those still reading - thanks! It's been a busy time, that has hopefully settled back into its usual boringness. Oh and btw I don't like Miguel... he's a jerk.

Recién Llegados (Newcomers)

Rodrigo Iguarán came out of his tent to stretch his legs and clear his head. He could not wait to interview Alma Madrigal about this place, and had spent the last two hours formulating several questions he wanted to include. While it was obvious she was the matriarch of her family, the Madrigals were all looked to as leaders of this place. He was surprised how easy she and her family were to talk to. In his experience, people in charge tended to be a bit more arrogant, but not this family. Rodrigo wished there was telephone service here or even just postal service of some kind, but since there was not, he’d have to be patient. Of course, he would need to think about how he would tell his abuela about her sister. Finding out someone you thought was dead, was not, would be a bit of a shock.

He walked the short way toward the center of town. There were still a few people out in the plaza, which for some reason surprised him. Not sure why he was expecting it to be deserted. There were no children, just people having a night out. It was a welcome change to the life he’d been living up until now. He used to enjoy camping during the holidays, but after his trek through the mountains… not anymore. He saw there were a few food vendors still set up near the shops that had closed for the day and feeling a little peckish, he went over to one hoping he had enough to buy something small. He was surprised that the elderly man running it did not ask for money. He instead asked him for his name and his promise.

Rodrigo was confused by this but told him his name and explained that he had just arrived today and only had a small amount of money on him. This made the old man smile then after taking a few wrapped sandwiches out of the warmer he said, “Ah, since that’s the case, please take this as my welcome gift, Señor.”

“Welcome gift? Your little town has already given us so much, I couldn’t impose further,” Rodrigo said, holding up his hands.

“Of course you can,” he said and set them on the edge of his cart, then added, “There is a standing request from Doña Alma to use our Gifts to assist our newcomers as we can.”

Still taken aback, Rodrigo decided it would be impolite to refuse and said, “Thank you, Señor.” He took the sandwiches, which were a little warm, and said, “You must allow me to repay you in kind. You mentioned a promise?”

The man paused a moment and replied, “Will you be remaining in the Encanto?”

“Only for a few months. I have to get back to my university to complete my studies.”

“A scholar then. Well let me think on it. I am not in need of anything right now.”

His curiosity got the better of him, and Rodrigo asked, “Pardon me for asking, but have you always lived here?”

“Yes, I was fifteen when the Encanto was born.”

“Born?”

“Yes, it was a miracle born from Doña Alma’s grief and despair...or perhaps it was the spirit of Don Pedro protecting her and his newborn babies after he was murdered.”

Rodrigo blinked. He'd said it so easily. No hesitation at all. Given the number of people he’d interviewed about that time period, he should not be surprised. Still, Rodrigo’s shocked expression must have shown because the man quickly added, “My pardon, Señor. I did not mean-”

“Oh no no, Señor, please forgive my ignorance. I only know small bits of the story, and I’ll admit I am already quite intrigued to learn more. I am a student of history and personal stories.” Rodrigo looked down at his watch and realized it was getting pretty late and asked, “Would it be possible for me to speak with you again?”

The old man thought on that for a moment, then nodded and said, “Yes.”

“Gracias Señor...” Rodrigo paused, waiting.

“Tabarez,” the man responded once he realized what Rodrigo was waiting for.

“Señor Tabarez,” Rodrigo nodded and pulled the meaning up from somewhere in his head and thought, a strong family name. “How will I find you?”

“I’m here most nights,” he said and patted his cart.

“Then I will look forward to it. Good night, Señor Tabarez.”

“Good night, Señor Iguarán,” the old man said and sat back on the small bench.

Rodrigo turned and started back toward his tent. The warm sandwiches he was carrying smelled absolutely delicious, so he carefully unwrapped one and took a big bite. He delighted in the taste of guava paste and melty cheese. It was something he'd not tasted since his last visit with his Mamá. He also did not recall a time when he’d come to a place as a stranger and been met with so much kindness. Halfway back, he heard a ruckus behind him and turned.

As he did, he saw Miguel running a bit crookedly, then falling into a bush on the side of the road. Given the way Miguel was moving, Rodrigo assumed he was drunk again, so did not go over to see if he was all right. What in the world was he running from, you would have thought he had the devil on his tail. When they were on the road, his primo had asked him to make sure Miguel didn’t fall off the trail or some random cliff. There were a few occasions when he’d found this one almost too drunk to walk. It stopped happening once Gabi told him he could either turn over all the liquor he’d brought, or he’d be forced to leave their group.

Miguel had drunk a fair amount during supper and his behavior during the meal was pretty appalling, but was actually better than Rodrigo was expecting. Given that he’d found time to get drunk, it was a good bet he’d already told his mother about that event. He took another bite of his sandwich and was about to leave when the bush moaned then shuddered. Rodrigo sighed. Here he was just thinking of the kindness of the people here, so he walked over and looked down at Miguel as he rolled over and groaned.

Definitely drunk, Rodrigo thought. Where did he find enough drink to be this inebriated? Then he remembered the welcome gift he was just given. Leave it to this one to take advantage. He wondered how many promises Miguel had offered in exchange, knowing full well he’d not remember a one. Irritated now, Rodrigo said as he dragged Miguel to his feet, “Come on then, Miguel.”

“I don’t need your help,” Miguel sputtered as he shook Rodrigo’s hand off his arm.

“Of course you don’t,” Rodrigo said, “What was it you were running from anyway? Black cat cross your path?”

“Brujas,” he said, trying and failing to dust off his rumpled clothes.

“Brujas?” He had Rodrigo’s attention now.

“Yes, I barely escaped. Those... those witches, tried to kill me,” he added with a shudder.

“Kill you? That’s a pretty serious accusation, Miguel. Where were you when this happened?” Rodrigo asked.

Miguel shut down as he realized he’d said more than he wanted to, but Rodrigo was curious now, so repeated the question.

“It was near the edge of town,” Miguel said cautiously.

“Edge of town… does that mean you were down near the Madrigal home.”

“Why would I go there?”

Rodrigo shrugged, he knew Miguel was lying but resisted the urge to say so. He got Miguel moving again then said, “Here take this, you should probably eat something,” Rodrigo said and offered Miguel the other sandwich, “It’s pretty delicious.” Rodrigo didn’t think one sandwich would be near enough, but he thought it best to distract him before he could wander off.

Miguel was still swaying some but took the sandwich and asked, “Where did you get this? None of these devil people accept money.”

Rodrigo actually took offense to Miguel’s choice of words. He had never met such an ungrateful… He certainly was not about to waste time explaining anything to Miguel while he was drunk, and probably wouldn’t bother when he sobered up. Irritated, Rodrigo asked, “Does that matter?”

Miguel shook his head and seemed to calm down some. As they walked, they finished the sandwiches and Rodrigo took the wrappers as he walked Miguel back to his tent. He waited for him to go inside and heard Miguel trip. The tent was silent after that, so Rodrigo headed back to his own. He emptied his pockets onto his journal, then quickly undressed and laid on his cot. He was going to need to talk to Bubo about how things worked around here. No wonder, Bubo didn’t have a job. He didn’t need one.

“Was that Miguel’s voice?” José asked.

“Yes.”

“Drunk?”

“Unfortunately, and I thought you were asleep.”

“No.”

“Something bothering you?”

“Other than feeling like we’ve brought a darkness with us to this place? No.” He was silent for a time and added, “I’ll not fail my sister a second time. Tuli won’t be safe here if Miguel and his mother remain, and getting them to move on might be difficult.”

Rodrigo agreed, but didn't have any solutions either but said, “Perhaps there is a magical solution to that problem.” José didn’t answer, he only grunted, so Rodrigo let himself relax and went to sleep.

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Alma woke to a gentle tapping on her door. Today was finally the day. Alma got out of bed and pulled on her robe when the gentle knock repeated. The door swung open, and Mirabel was there, looking concerned.

“Good morning, Abuela. Are you feeling rested?”

“I’m doing well, Mirabel,” Alma replied. Her nieta had a nervous look and set to swinging her arms. This reminded Alma of when Mira was small and had done something she shouldn’t, so she asked, “Is something wrong?”

Mirabel shrugged as she folded her hands up in front of herself, and Alma decided something was definitely up. Mira took a deep breath, and all the fidgets stopped, and she said, “Well, I have something to tell you and I wanted you to hear it from me first. Can I come in for a minute?”

“Of course,” Alma replied and glanced at Mira’s door. The smaller butterfly was resting on its hand, and nothing appeared out of place, but Alma noted that Casita closed the door as she guided Mirabel to the bed. “Now, what did you need to tell me.”

Mirabel sat down and fiddled with her skirt for a moment then said in a rush after a deep breath as she adjusted her glasses, “I did something really dumb last night… ”

“Surely, it couldn’t have been that bad.”

Mirabel let out some nervous laughter and said, “Oh no, it was… I kind of snuck out of the house last night.”

“Mirabel Valentina Rojas Madrigal, that was so dangerous. You could have been hurt.”

“I know, I know, but I just wanted to look at that tree Isabela grew yesterday…” Alma felt that all too familiar stab of fear that used to rule her thinking as Mirabel continued, “and I did… but while I was out there…” Mirabel hesitated and took another deep breath.

“While you were out there… ” Alma said bluntly. She could not hide the anger in her tone but decided she might as well hear all of it.

Mirabel flinched slightly but took an even deeper breath, closed her eyes then said even faster, “While I was out there, I ran into Señor Rodriguez, and I’m pretty sure he’d been drinking because he was swaying and smelled like alcohol.” As each word came out of Mirabel’s mouth, Alma’s alarm was rising. “And from the direction he came… I think he was by Casita,” Mirabel stopped at Alma’s look of horror.

“Such a reckless and foolish thing to do, Mirabel,” Alma said curtly as she put a hand on her chest. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she said a little breathlessly, “I thought I made it clear to you, that you were not to leave Casita by yourself.”

“You did, Abuela-”

“But you did it anyway?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry, I know I didn’t think that through, but I just wasn’t expecting there to be anyone out there. Nothing happened, Isabela-”

“Isa went with you?” Alma asked, her confusion increasing as Mira picked at some imaginary lint then said with a nervous laugh, “Ah, actually no. I went by myself. Through a window, and told Casita not to rat me out.” When she noticed Alma’s frown deepen, she quickly added, “Yeah, not the best idea, thankfully Isa saw me and followed me.”

Though Alma felt relieved, she was now a little uncomfortable. This was not how she wanted to start this day and there was something else she wanted to do today, but it wasn’t coming to her as she responded, “Well, thank goodness for that.” She tried to calm herself and breathe through her nose as she twisted slightly. “You must use better judgement, Mirabel. Please do not do that again.”

“Oh, I definitely won’t,” Mirabel said as she stood up. When she turned back, she tilted her head and asked, “Are you okay, Abuela?”

Alma nodded, but doing so made her feel a bit dizzy and she wavered slightly. Mirabel moved closer and said something else, but Alma didn’t catch it. She felt a little hot as she tried and failed to undo the tie of her robe. Mira knelt in front of her, saying something, but her voice was muffled. Mirabel gently touched her forehead with the back of her hand, then helped Alma lie back against her pillows. Alma did not resist as she yawned. Casita opened the door and Dolores was there. She said something to Mira that made Mirabel nod.

This was all so disconcerting. Alma’s heart had not slowed, and she wondered why it was beating so quickly. She didn’t feel concern, but she remembered the Doctor’s warnings as she yawned again. So tired, it felt as if she’d run all the way around the Encanto. She turned on her side as she yawned a third time but resisted the urge to sleep. She remembered now. Noon... that was it. She needed to get through that yellow door.

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Julieta was working on breakfast and keeping an eye on Tuli as she and Antonio set the cutlery and glasses on the table. It was a beautiful day, so she’d asked Luisa to deposit the table on the patio. Her daughter’s overt yawn after doing so caused Julieta to ask how Tuli had slept. Luisa told her how often Tuli had awakened, even with the medication. Each time, it was obvious she was terrified, but seemed to easily settle back. Sometime after midnight, Tuli woke one more time, but on that occasion Luisa had her climb into her bed and Tuli stayed asleep after that. Helping Isa with her chores and the stress of seeing her Tío again had taken a lot out of her.

Bubo looked exhausted at breakfast the day before, and Julieta was thankful he'd asked to stay with her overnight. Though Tuli did not sleep well, she seemed less drained this morning and did not appear to be as fatigued as she seemed to be yesterday. She’d sent word to Bubo and his Tío to come this morning for breakfast. They would need to accompany Mira to register Tuli for school. That, and Gus needed to speak with them about the shoe shop. Julieta was not really concerned that they would reject living there, but she knew those townsfolk that were aware of the house's history would, of course, comment. Hopefully, no one in town would do more than whisper about the fact that Jorge died there, and that the place was haunted. Pepa being so in tune with the weather, always said there was a cold spot.

Julieta paused in her work when Casita shifted a few tiles. She listened as the house relayed that Mira was with her Abuela. Dolores had been alerted to Abuela’s heart beating very quickly and had already contacted the Doctor. Isa came into the kitchen with Agustín, and Julieta waved her over to her. Her hair was in mild disarray, and her outfit was as mismatched as she’d seen of late, and this amused Julieta. Gus didn’t stop after giving her a peck on the cheek, instead he continued out onto the patio to mediate a disagreement that had broken out between the children.

“What can I help you with, Mamá?” Isa asked.

“I need to meet the Doctor, he’s on his way here. Your Abuela is not feeling well this morning. Could you please finish up breakfast for me?” Julieta asked her oldest. Isa appeared a little taken aback but nodded as she took the wooden spatula from her. “Thank you, mija,” Julieta said and gave Isa a quick squeeze before she headed for the front door. She hadn’t told Isa about Bubo and his Tío coming for breakfast, and Julieta noted that her daughter had only barely brushed her hair. As part of her bid to be imperfect, her once perfect daughter had come down for breakfast in the most interesting outfits since the breaking. Less so since they’d moved back into Casita. Something about this house, she supposed.

Doris and Inez would be coming after breakfast to register Lucia and Sophia. Both girls had been out of school for almost two months because of the strife Colombia was currently experiencing. Inez, though softer spoken than Doris, was very keen to get them back into school, even if it was only for the time being. Julieta glanced over at the tree Mirabel had left the house to look at last night. It was a mighty oak, that was for sure. Her thoughts were interrupted when Dolores began to provide her with a little more information as she picked up her pace toward the town. She pulled up short when the Doctor appeared around a corner. He looked a little disheveled, and Julieta wondered if they’d inadvertently pulled the Doctor from his bed. She immediately tried to apologize, but the Doctor waved her off, and together the pair headed back toward Casita.

“So, tell me, has your mother had any other episodes?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” Julieta replied.

He nodded and asked, “And the child?”

“Still having nightmares, but I believe she slept better.”

Again the Doctor nodded. They reached Casita and the Doctor paused, seeing a set of stairs in the middle of the courtyard. He took it in stride as Julieta nudged him forward, and Casita opened Mirabel’s door as they reached the top. They entered her mother’s room to find Alma laying on her side, yawning but not sleeping, and Mirabel pacing near the window. Julieta collected her daughter, and together they left the room as the Doctor began his examination. She pulled the door most of the way closed and guided Mira to the sofa. After they both sat in silence for a bit, Mirabel asked, “Is Abuela going to be okay?”

Julieta glanced over at Mira’s door and said, “I believe so.”

“I mean, is her health okay… really?”

Julieta paused, trying to decide how much she should tell her daughter. Mirabel’s apparent ‘destiny’ as someday matriarch still made Julieta a little nervous. Almost grown was not the same as all the way grown. Still, it was probably better for her to know than to not know, so she replied, “Since her illness, your Abuela has been having trouble with her heart.” Mirabel’s change of expression made Julieta think, Mira was blaming herself, so asked, “What were you two talking about?”

Mirabel sighed as she rubbed her hands on her skirt. “Well… ” she started, then went silent as she stared at her lap.

Julieta put an arm around Mirabel and asked, “Were you telling her about your little adventure last night?”

Mirabel let out a small groan in response, but Julieta noted that Mira only nodded. She didn’t hunch in on herself or attempt to make excuses. Julieta gave her a squeeze and said, “Your Tío told me about it. I’m glad you see how foolish that was.”

“I’m sorry, Mamá. I didn’t mean to frighten Abuela. I know I didn’t think that through. I just wanted to let her know about what happened before someone told her a more embellished version,” Mirabel said with a shrug.

“By someone, did you mean your sister?”

Mira snorted and said, “Maybe?”

Julieta let out a chuckle. Mirabel’s propensity for ratting her sister out when she was younger was something Isabela had held a grudge about for a long time, even after Mira grew out of that stage. “Did she say something or shout at you yesterday?”

“No, actually. She hugged me and asked if I was okay.”

“Maybe, Mira, you need to let go of who your sister was so you can help her be who she is.”

“Yeah, I see that now. Just so different. Thanks, Mamá. Guess I really do need to grow up a little more.”

Julieta nodded, even though it hurt her heart to admit her last baby really was no longer a child. “Now go help your sister with breakfast while I talk to your Abuela and the Doctor.”

“What’s Luisa making?”

“Isa is handling breakfast.”

Mirabel let out a giggle snort as they stood up. “This ought to be interesting,” Mirabel said and was out the door. Julieta turned back to her mother’s room as the Doctor came out and beckoned to her. Her mother was now sitting up in bed, fussing with her blanket. The Doctor indicated Julieta should sit on the bed as he pulled up the only chair. Her mother took her hand as the Doctor began, “To start, I am not a heart specialist, just a general practitioner, but what you experienced, Doña Alma, is called tachycardia. An excessively rapid heartbeat. I am glad that it’s resolved itself quickly, and you're back to a normal rhythm. Your blood pressure is a little elevated, so I’m going to ask you to take it easy for today.” Her mother just nodded, and the Doctor said quietly, “I know how frustrating this must be for you, but there is some consolation. The murmur that was present previously is much less prominent. To me, that suggests that you are improving, but as we discussed, it is important you let your children know if something like this happens again.”

Her mother nodded again and said, “Thank you, Doctor.”

“You’re most welcome, Doña Alma. I’ll check on you later when I come by to speak with the child if that is acceptable.” Her mother, again, nodded, so he rose and put his equipment back in his bag. Julieta joined him as he headed toward the door. He exited, and Julieta sighed when she turned back. Her mother appeared to have only waited until the Doctor was through the door before she’d thrown off her blanket. She was quickly up and out of bed as she took off her robe and cast it toward the chair. Casita caught it in a basket and Julieta just sighed and said, “Oi, Mamá, at least let me help you.” Her mother only hurumphed as Julieta helped her out of her nightgown.

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Isabela finished making the arepas her mother had started and moved on to carefully peeling eggs while the beans and rice were warming. She never liked this chore, so when Mirabel came into the kitchen asking if she could help, she took her sister up on the offer to take over. Isa thanked her as she dried her overly wrinkled hands and handed her an apron. Mirabel got to work, humming to herself as she peeled. Working quickly, she made Isa a tad bit jealous since the eggs looked ten times better than her efforts. Isa moved back to the stove and stirred the pot of last night’s beans and rice, as Luisa came into the kitchen. She seemed aghast to find Isa cooking and asked, “Where is Mamá?”

Her tone was almost horrified, and Isabela frowned at her sister as she felt the petunias sprout. Isa let the flowers fall apart. She knew they were petunias since her sister returned the frown. Luisa knew she never liked those flowers – always so finicky, and she dreaded any order that requested she make them. But before she could answer, Mirabel said, “She’s with Abuela and the Doctor upstairs.”

“Is something wrong with Abuela?” Luisa asked.

Mirabel looked startled as she realized then that the question hadn’t been for her and cleared her throat before she replied, “Casita told me Dolores called the Doctor because she said Abuela’s heart was beating really fast.”

“But she’s alright?” Luisa asked.

“Mamá seemed to think so,” Mirabel said as she focused on the egg in her hands. If Isa didn’t know better, her hermanita was blushing. Which meant she was either straight-up lying or wasn’t telling them everything, and why would Casita need to tell her that? Dolores would have had to call the Doctor on the map in her room. She didn’t get to ask, since Dolores walked into the kitchen then with her mother. Both stopped as the three sisters were now staring as a cloud formed over Tía Pepa’s head as Antonio ran into the kitchen and wrapped her legs up in a giggly hug. Their Tía’s cloud evaporated, and she knelt down and thoroughly kissed his face.

She stood and Dolores leaned in and said something that made Tía’s cloud return, and she caught Antonio’s collar as he tried to sidle away with an anxious look. Isa had no idea what was happening but just then her father came in off the patio carrying Tuli who had her head buried into his shoulder. Given that Tuli was not a fan of men in general, everyone’s attention went back to Antonio. He took a quick step behind his mother as her cloud became a small thunderhead. Tío Félix came in and took one look at his wife’s cloud, raised an eyebrow as he noted his wife’s grip on their son’s collar. With almost a sigh, he motioned to Antonio. Tía Pepa released him, and together the trio left for the courtyard.

Camilo came into the kitchen from the opposite side with a box of books that he set near the door. He was wearing his new clothes since he would be testing at the school to see if he got the apprenticeship. He looked up and noticed everyone standing around, not doing anything, and asked, “So what’s going on?”

Isa started and realized the beans and rice were burning. Mira resumed her egg peeling with vigor, and Luisa moved over to help her. Dolores did not answer her brother's question either. She instead picked up the stack of plates and headed for the patio without saying anything. Her father watched all this as he set Tuli down and said softly, “It’ll be alright, Tuli.” He then motioned to Camilo, who gave them all a look then followed their father out onto the patio.

Tuli remained where their father put her, hands scrunched up in the folds of her skirt. Mirabel dried her hands, then went over and coaxed Tuli onto the nearest chair and asked, “You okay, Tuli?” Tuli responded with the barest of nods. What did he do? Isa wondered. Her thoughts were again interrupted when the front doorbell rang. She handed off her spoon to Luisa and went to see who it was, ringing the bell at this hour of the day. She had no fond memories of the people who would turn up at all hours. Just because they wanted something that only one of the Madrigal Gifts would provide. This thought left her mildly irritated, so as the door swung open, she was ready to dress down whoever was there. Isa froze, seeing Bubo there with his Tío and felt the roses sprout in her hair. Bubo's initial look of surprise changed, as he smiled and said, “Buenos Días, Isabela.”

She immediately blushed and though the greeting was echoed by his Tío José, Isa was a bit stunned by the fact that they were standing there and jumped a little when her Tío Bruno put a hand on her shoulder and said, “Buenos Días, Señors. Please come in.”

Completely mortified, Isabela’s blush deepened, and her embarrassment was worsened when Bubo’s Tío nudged him and tilted his head in question. Isa let out some nervous laughter as she silently thanked the heavens her Tío had appeared and said, “Yes, Señors. Please come in.”

They did, and Isa noticed then that her Tío Bruno was not wearing his ruana, nor did he appear to have any rats with him. His hair was neatly combed, and he was smiling. What the hell was going on? It was odd enough that it made her a little more nervous. Before the breaking, something like this would never have broken her composure. A few unusually random thoughts popped into her head as the pair moved past her into the courtyard. She didn’t get much of a chance to contemplate those thoughts either, as her mother appeared. She had a small smile on her face and Isabela absently smoothed her clothes and thought, ‘Oh good God, I’m still wearing this stupid apron’ her mother glanced down at her feet, and Isa had a second realization... she was wearing her pink fuzzy slippers. She closed her eyes as her mother’s smile broadened. She patted her daughter's cheek, then she and her Tío guided their breakfast guests to the patio.

Isa’s shoulders drooped as she watched them go and thought, ‘Well, so much for appearances.’ There was no way her Mamá didn’t know Bubo and his Tío were coming for breakfast. She could have at least told her. She sighed. That was probably the furthest thing from her mother's mind with Abuela not feeling well. Isabela decided to head to her room to change, but stopped when she saw her Abuela coming out into the courtyard. Isa noticed that she looked a little tired, and her steps seemed just a little slower than usual... If what Mira said was true, then Abuela might need some help, so Isa went over and asked as she held out her hand, “Good Morning, Abuela. Mind a little company on that long walk to the patio?”

“Thank you, Isabela,” was all she said as she took Isa’s hand. Isabela noted her Abuela’s hand was cold. What was her mother thinking, letting Abuela wander around by herself when it was obvious she wasn’t feeling well? Isa paused in her thoughts. Less than a week ago, she would have simply gone another way to her room to avoid Abuela altogether. She actually felt a little guilty about that, but at the same time, still felt some of that anger, though it was very muted now. Being the first grandchild, she’d always had a bit more responsibility. A bit more of Abuela’s time and attention. She didn’t miss the attention to detail, but more the companionship. None of which she actually hated. Well, until the end, but Isa had to admit, even then, she'd enjoyed herself to a small extent. She didn’t want to get Mirabel into any trouble with Abuela, though she toyed with telling her Abuela about her and Mira’s run in with Señor Rodriguez. In the end, she decided she’d let her mother handle that. Chances were good that if Tío Bruno knew, then her mother and Tía Pepa did as well. No one asked her about it, but someone would have told her Abuela about it by now.

After the breaking, Isa found that certain people she’d thought of as friends treated her differently once she was bereft of her Gift. Worst of all were the ones that blamed Mirabel and would say the most hurtful things. It was, at that point, she realized that she’d once thought similar things about her sister. Eventually, most of those folks fell away whenever Isa would defend her sister and she decided, they were not the people she thought they were.

This was when Isabela found herself shifting blame to her Abuela. She’d also begun to avoid her, much to her mother’s dismay. More than once, her Mamá dropped a few 'suggestions' that Isa chose to ignore. Even her Abuela Valentina, who had no lost affection for Alma Madrigal noted, that even with everything that had happened, it was clear Isabela missed her Abuela Alma and should go visit. Instead, Isa let her anger fester. She also didn’t want to burden anyone with her dark thoughts while they worked to rebuild Casita. That and she felt like she’d already caused a lot of unnecessary pain for a certain other person in her family. It was why she’d started cutting herself. She wanted to mar that perfection her Abuela valued so much. Just little cuts to start. Never where it could be seen, never more than a few millimeters, and always perfectly straight lines. As she thought about that, she felt the vine sleeve begin its march down her arm.

That was something she never expected when the magic revived. The first time it happened, it startled her, but it had afforded her some relief by taking her mind off that anger she still stubbornly clung to. Even now, she was unsure if Abuela actually did approve of the new ways she’d been using her Gift, and there was no way she would have missed Isa’s interest in Bubo Márquez. She knew that Bubo had already met her Abuela, and she did genuinely seem to like him, so why was she so nervous about that then?

Her thoughts were interrupted when her Abuela asked as she pointed, “Isa, where did you get those shoes? Are they something new?”

Isa’s heart sank as her vine sleeve sprouted a thorn and gave her a poke. Stupid slippers, she thought, and she said a little nervously, “Yeah, ummm, they’re not actually shoes… I got them from my friend Juanita. She’s one of the newcomers from a year ago. She gave them to me after I helped her and her husband revive some of the cassava cuttings she brought with her...” Isabela realized she was talking too quickly so took a breath and said in a more normal tone, “I was just going to get something more appropriate… ”

“Can I get a pair?” Abuela asked.

“Wait, what?” Isabela replied.

“Do you think I could get a pair? Those look very comfortable.”

“Ummm, yeah, they are, but not very practical. Great for in the house though,” Isa said and smiled a little as she wiggled her toes. She needed to stop overthinking things. “You know, I may be able to get a hold of another pair. They may not be pink like these, but maybe I can trade for them. Would you like me to see if I can find some?”

Her Abuela smiled as she nodded. They reached the kitchen and Isa paused long enough to take off that apron before she followed her Abuela to the patio. Isa stopped in the doorway as everyone said good morning. Tía Pepa had already made a plate for Abuela, so Isa guided her to her seat. She got herself a plate and turned to find Luisa smiling as she looked knowingly at the empty seat next to her. Bubo was on the other side and Tuli was between him and their Tío. Luisa elbowed her as she sat down, then winked. Bubo hadn’t noticed she was sitting there yet; he was speaking quietly to Tuli who did not appear to be listening. Instead, she was staring somewhat blankly across the table at Antonio, holding her fork but not eating. Her primo usually sat with Mirabel and would talk non-stop, but not today. Today, he was sitting, looking angry between his parents, eating but not talking to anyone. Come to think of it, she didn't see any of Antonio's usual entourage. Except Parce, he was lying in the sun, near the gate. Now she was really curious. Was it Antonio, or did Tuli say or do something? What were those two arguing about that it required her father to go out and break it up? Isa was mulling this over, pushing her food around with her fork, when Bubo asked, “Isabela, do you have any plans for today?”

“I have some requests I'll be working on this morning.”

“Requests? Oh, right. Are they for some occasion?”

“At least one is. That’s for an upcoming wedding, the next is actually for a friend, then after lunch, I get to examine some sickly turnips and the last... I'm not exactly sure. Señor Sanchez is requesting a plant I'm not familiar with, but he says he has a book with a picture and a description so-”

“Wait, Isabela, you said that before. Do you remember all the plants you create?”

“Yes,” she replied and smiled because he’d said her name with that peculiar accent.

“Have you always been able to do that?”

Isabela's smile broadened as she nodded.

“How?”

“I’m not sure, really… It’s more the feeling I get when making them. It’s unique to each, but related plants do feel similar, like they’re family. That sounds weird, doesn’t it.”

“Not at all. Insects are much the same, they tend to look similar if they are from the same order. I believe plant groups are referred to as a genus.”

His acceptance of the small things she could do was still so surprising to her. It really wasn't that big a thing. The first time she did it, she spent days recreating flowers and plants from a book of herbs her mother had. Once she learned the names, she could make them anytime she wanted to. She only started doing it on the down low since she was thirteen. That was when she'd begun her training to be Señorita Perfecta. Her vine sleeve, that was thankfully hidden under her shirt, poked her a little deeper than usual and Isa had to take a moment to make it retract. This caused her to close her eyes as she clenched her teeth. She was no longer smiling and Bubo, eyebrows raised, was probably thinking he’d said something wrong. He cleared his throat and picked up his coffee then after a drink, he turned his attention to Tuli. He spoke to her softly. Isa noticed their Tío José was watching her and felt herself blush as she too, picked up her cup, hiding her face. His expression was unreadable, but she still felt like he was summing her up.

As far as she knew, Bubo probably didn't know much about any of the things that happened before the breaking, but was already aware it was a subject she avoided. Isa knew she would have to tell him about it. That all by itself seemed like an almost insurmountable task. While she didn’t want him to think less of her Abuela or her family, she also didn’t want those thorns stabbing her every time her thoughts wandered in that direction. She wondered then what he'd heard from the villagers, Mariano especially. Sometimes it felt like the ghost of Señorita Perfecta was something she’d probably never get rid of, but damned if she wasn’t going to try.

Tuli, she noticed, was now eating some of her breakfast. Bubo was again drinking his coffee, and Isa decided she needed to make him understand he was not the cause of her frown. She did not want him leaving thinking she was angry with him, so to change that, she touched his arm and asked, “So, Bubo, what will you be doing today?”

He set his cup down and said, “Since Tuli will be remaining here, my Tío and I will be registering her for school, and your father wants us to look at a small house that Tuli and I may be able to use.”

“Oh, I wonder which house it is.”

“I’m not sure, but he said it is near the school.”

Isa pondered that, but just then a dog could be heard barking near the gate. More people? Then she remembered Doris and her brood. Those girls of hers were going to be attending school while they were in the Encanto. Tuli heard the dog and leaned forward a little to look past her Tío toward the gate. Isa remembered Doris’s reaction to her Tía telling Doris that Tuli was actually a girl and Dolores mentioned She’d called her mother a witch, just because she healed her. Tuli was back to staring at Antonio and Isa asked, “Tuli, I bet you're excited about your first day at school, yes?”

Tuli nodded, but had a hold of her locket again. Her Tío leaned in and said something that made Tuli nod then as she let her hand drop to her lap. Since breakfast was over for the most part, the family began getting up from the table. Today was Luisa's dish day, so Isa got up and said, “Well, good luck, Bubo. Maybe we can have lunch in town later and Tuli,” Isa paused until Tuli looked up at her. “I'll see you after school?” Tuli smiled a little, nodded, then got up from her seat and promptly disappeared. Bubo watched her go, then asked, “Did something happen? She seemed so withdrawn.”

“I’m not sure exactly what took place, but she did have some sort of disagreement with Antonio this morning.”

Bubo nodded and looked over at her primo who still sat frowning between his parents, “Okay, well, thanks for telling me. Where should I find you for lunch?”

Isa grinned and said, “Near the oak in the plaza?”

He nodded then said, “I’ll see you then, Isabela,” and moved away with his Tío over near Isa’s mother, who was talking to Doris and Inez.

Isa crinkled her nose when the dog came around the corner, spotted Parce and started furiously barking. Antonio, who had been released by his parents, went over to the dog and said quietly, “Bruno,” the dog went silent and sat back on his haunches waiting, “You’re safe here. Parce’s not going to eat you or your people. He says you’re all far too stringy.” The dog let out what sounded like a whine of relief, then laid down at Doris’s feet. Doris looked at the dog, then smiled at Antonio and thanked him. Antonio smiled and nodded as he called to Parce. The jaguar came over, Toni climbed up, and the pair left the patio, Isa assumed, so he could get his school bag.

She went inside and up to her room to get ready for her appointment with Señora Martinez. Her youngest daughter's wedding was to happen in a few weeks, so she was itching to get the flower arrangements decided. Isa was happy to visit with Juanita. Her baby would be coming any day, and Isa really liked the farmer’s wife. She was easy to talk to and knew so much about farming and the outside world. After lunch, she would be meeting up with Luisa to see Señor Ortiz. One so Luisa could visit with the donkeys, and two to check on the turnips Señor Ortiz was growing to feed them. He was worried it was a bug infestation. Hopefully, none of that would take too long. She was actually more interested in getting to Señor Sanchez’s home. He’d never asked her to create anything in the past, and the plant he’d asked for sounded intriguing. The name itself was exotic enough to get her interested. Bonsai. She had no idea what sort of plant that could be. After she changed into something more appropriate for her first meeting, she headed out the door toward town.

----------------------------

Mirabel watched Tuli pick at her breakfast. Tío Bruno, who was sitting beside Mira, was becoming increasingly fidgety but was trying to act ‘normal’. Well, as normal as he could be. Tuli had said nothing about what happened on the patio prior. Mira also did not get a chance to speak to Bubo. Tuli did appear happy to see her cousin and didn’t shy away from her Tío when they came. She even got up and went over to greet them. Once breakfast was underway though, Tuli caught sight of Antonio, then she barely touched her food. Tuli’s Tío noticed where she was looking and seemed concerned that she was not actually eating. He motioned over her head to Bubo. After a moment, Bubo said something to Tuli very softly. Tuli glanced up at him, then in her Tío's direction. When she started to eat again, she didn’t look like she was enjoying it. Whatever had happened between her and Antonio, had left her very sad.

While it was unlike her primo to be unkind on purpose, his blunt honesty could be painful if you weren’t used to such things. She decided not to ask Dolores, since it was clear Tía Pepa and Tío Félix had already talked to Antonio about it. She was not the boss of anyone, and it was probably why her Mamá asked her not to listen in on private conversations. Mira still felt a little guilty about that, and it was what prompted her to ask Casita to promise not to tell her all the random things her family did. If she really needed to know, she could always ask the actual people involved. When she thought about it, they might not tell her anything. She was determined to try because she was sure she could help if she knew what the problem was… maybe.

She noticed, when Isa was talking to Bubo, she quite suddenly gritted her teeth and closed her eyes for a long moment. Mirabel wondered why she was doing that but remembered that Isa had taken to longer sleeve shirts after the breaking. Probably to hide the thin line of cuts on her upper arm. Now, with those vine sleeves sprouting when Isa was upset, it made Mirabel wondered if that was what caused her sister to grit her teeth just now. Bubo noticed Isa’s change of expression as well and was now sipping his coffee. To her credit, Isa restarted her conversation with Bubo. Just like her, her sister was still dealing with the remnants of their past.

Mirabel refocused on her breakfast and was lost in thought. She started slightly when her Abuela touched her hand. She hadn’t noticed her sitting down and realized Tío Bruno had left. Her Abuela leaned in and said softly, “Mira, thank you for telling me about your encounter with Señor Rodriguez. It is important everyone knows to be wary of that one.”

Mirabel nodded, but was again, feeling really embarrassed and said, “I’m so sorry Abuela, I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“I will say the same. I believe your mother explained?” Abuela asked. Mirabel nodded and Abuela continued, “Good. I actually planned to make a sort of general announcement this morning, but I had forgotten we were having guests. So that can wait until supper. I am not needed in town today, so I think I will rest until noon.”

“Oh? Is there something happening at noon?”

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

It was a mild rebuff, and very reminiscent of past treatment, but Mirabel accepted it because she really did have a lot going on today. When she was younger, her Abuela would dismiss her, turn away and expect her to leave. These days, her Abuela kept her hand over Mira’s and gave it a little squeeze. Mirabel relaxed a little, though she realized that even though her Abuela had changed so much, she still needed to remind herself that things were different now and asked, “Is there anything I can do for you this morning, Abuela?”

“No, you already have your hands full helping with Tuli and aren’t you working on some costumes for Camilo?”

“Yeah, I really do need to check in with the twins. I’m also stopping by Abuelo Joseph’s shop to work on some things while Tuli is in school.”

Her Abuela smiled and said as she gave her hand another squeeze, “You see, you already have much to accomplish this morning. Don’t forget to take a break, Mira. I know how focused you can be.”

Mirabel nodded again and couldn’t help but smile. So different… “I won’t, Abuela.” Mirabel said as she got up and collected both her and her Tío’s dishes. She went into the kitchen and set the plates on the counter for Luisa, then walked out into the courtyard. She noticed Tuli was standing near the front door that was slightly ajar. Her expression was tense as she watched the folks gathered on the other side. Mirabel went over and put a hand on her shoulder and said, “You look worried.”

Tuli only nodded. Mirabel could see she was watching Doris and Inez, who were off to one side with their two older girls. Both were dressed in some of the clothing they’d received when they arrived that was not too dissimilar to what Tuli was wearing. Luisa had braided Tuli’s hair into two pigtails, tied off with yellow ribbons. Antonio had selected a light yellow shirt that he paired with a pale green skirt decorated with similarly colored yellow ribbon. Tuli was still watching the others when Doris looked around. Tuli ducked back so as not to be seen and since Doris did not seem to find what she was looking for; she returned her attention to Tuli’s Tío who was speaking to her.

Tuli looked up at Mirabel and said, “Do you think Tía Doris is mad at me? I feel like she’s mad at me.”

“For what?”

“Being a girl.”

“That seems an odd thing to be mad about, and she did take you in when you were on the mountain.”

“I know, but I was Fernando then... ”, Tuli faltered, then grabbed her locket.

Mirabel knelt in front of Tuli as she turned her to face her. She took her hands and said, “That’s true, but your circumstances were different. Plus, you haven’t talked to her since you left them, and you don’t know how she feels about it,” Mirabel said with a shrug, “It was probably a surprise to her as well. Sometimes folks just need a little time to think about stuff, and besides, you shouldn’t let that stop you from being who you are.”

Tuli’s worried expression faded, and a more determined one took its place as she nodded. Mirabel got up and Tuli said in a rush, “Do you know where Toni is? I need to talk to him. I thought I would see him before he left… I need to apologize... I said something awful this morning and... ”

“Hey, hey, Tuli, he’s probably already on his way to school, so you’ll have to do that later.”

“Okay, but if you see him before, could you please tell him for me?”

“Apologies are best done in person by the person, Tuli,” Mirabel said as she tapped the door, which Casita opened. “School starts in less than an hour, and I’m sure Bubo and your Tío are starting to wonder where you are. You don’t want to be late on your first day, and we have to get you registered this morning.”

“Yes,” Tuli said as she smoothed her skirt, “I’m staying, so I need to do this right.”

Mirabel stood up and held out her hand. Tuli took it, and together they went through the front door. They were met on the other side by Bubo, his Tío, her Mamá and Papá. Only Inez was there with Lucia and Sofia. Doris was gone, and so were the boys and the dog. The group started toward town and after a short while Tuli had taken a hold of Mirabel’s arm but released it when Bubo gently touched her shoulder and offered her his hand. She took it, and Mirabel could see she was trying to walk without looking like she wanted to grab hold of his arm.

Her mother was speaking with Inez, while her father was answering questions about the Encanto as he walked with Tuli’s Tío. Well ahead of them were Camilo and Toni. Antonio was speaking animatedly to his friends. Camilo was carrying the box of books he’d been studying, probably listening to his brother's conversation. Her group wasn’t close enough to hear what was being said and weirdly, Parce was not with them, so Mira wondered where the jaguar was.

Camilo happened to look back and saw her. He did not pause but raised one finger on his left hand then tapped the box. Mirabel automatically responded to this by pushing her hair behind her left ear. Camilo smiled a little and returned his attention to his brother. Camilo wanted to tell her something important, but didn’t want anyone else to know about it, meaning his sister Dolores. This was just one of the weird little hand signs they’d come up with over the years when they were planning some shenanigan.

Mirabel looked over and saw Tuli talking to Bubo. She had visibly relaxed and though she still had a death grip on his hand, she was not as tense as when they’d left Casita. They really were more like brother and sister than cousins. Tuli even asked him if he was going to go on another date with Isabela. To which Bubo did not respond. Tuli’s Tío was paying attention, but trying not to be obvious that he was. Mirabel watched him a little longer. Tuli's description of him made her think he was an oft angry sort, but he'd been nothing but polite since she met him. The way he was watching Tuli made her think he was trying to get to know this 'new' Tuli.

Her thoughts were interrupted when one of the girls with Inez came over and Tuli’s expression turned to one of concern as the other said, “Hola Tuli!”

“Hola, Lucia,” Tuli responded. The other girl with Inez drifted over and said hello as well. Tuli’s look of concern increased as she replied, “Hola, Sofia.”

“Is it alright if we walk with you?” Lucia asked. Tuli blinked but nodded, and Lucia smiled and said, “I really like the color of that skirt better than the one you were wearing yesterday.”

Tuli blushed and smiled a little and said, “Thanks.”

Lucia’s reddish blonde wiry hair was tied in a multitude of long thin braids with colorful wooden beads at the ends. The lot of them were pulled into a ponytail with some orange ribbon that matched her skirt. Sofia's skirt was a bright red and her black hair was separated into two braids, tied off with red ribbon. Lucia looked a little nervous as they got closer to the center of the town and asked Tuli, “There are so many people here. I know you’ve only been here a couple of days, but do you know any of them?”

Tuli’s expression relaxed a little more, and she said, “Some of Toni’s friends but mostly just the Madrigals.”

“Are they Madrigals?” Sofia asked, pointing at Bubo and her Tío. Her Tío was now talking to Mira’s parents as the group came to a short halt when they reached the plaza. In the distance, a bell rang.

First bell, half an hour to go.

“This is, Bubo,” Tuli said as she pointed up. He nodded to them as Tuli started to add, “the other is-”

“Is he part of your family?” Sofia interrupted as she grabbed Tuli’s arm. Tuli only got the chance to nod as Sofia said, “You’re so lucky, Tuli. I wish I could see my family, but they are so far away. We at least have Tía Inni and Doris. They said it’s gonna take a whole nother couple of months to get to Cartagena from here. It just seems so far away, and I’m so tired of walking. Someday though,” Sofia said wistfully. They walked along in silence for a bit until Lucia elbowed Sofia. Both girls moved a little closer, and Sofia leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “Tía said why you were a boy before.”

Tuli stopped abruptly and Bubo, having heard that, paused but after looking at Tuli seemed to decide to give her a little space, so he released her hand and continued on. Mirabel only stopped because Tuli touched her arm as she passed her. “You okay?” Mirabel asked.

Tuli nodded, but she looked frightened and had hold of her locket. Tuli’s expression made Mirabel think she was going to bolt. Tuli glanced up at Mirabel, took a deep breath, then hesitantly released the locket and only started walking again because Lucia and Sofia pulled her along. They ignored Mirabel as they walked on either side of Tuli and with their heads close to hers, Sofia said, “Last night, before bed, Tía Doris said it was always obvious that you were a girl.”

Lucia nodded and Tuli asked, “What? Tía Doris told you that?”

The girls didn’t let her stop when she hesitated again. Lucia leaned in and said with a look back at Inez, “Actually, we were kind of in another room, but that doesn’t matter. What she said is true.”

And Sofia added, “We just want you to know. We talked about it last night, we’re not going to tell anyone you used to be a boy.”

Again, Tuli stopped, and Lucia said quite matter-of-factly as she pulled her along, “Why are you stopping, we’ll be late, besides you were terrible at it anyway.”

“The brothers agree,” Sofia added.

The brothers… Mira decided that must be the boys who were traveling with them. She also realized she didn’t know any of their names. She wondered if they were triplets. They were all about the same size and looked very similar. Mirabel looked over at Inez, who was walking a short way behind with her Mamá. She likely could clearly hear everything that was being said. She smiled and looked away when Sofia looked back at her. Mirabel was starting to think that overheard conversation was a planned thing. She’d only spoken with Doris very briefly, and at the time Mirabel had assumed she was not at all happy that Tuli was a girl. Mirabel was glad she was wrong in her assumptions, but that only emphasized to her to not judge other’s intentions. Mira thought then of that vision tablet of an angry Doris and the kids she had behind her. Was Tuli one of them? Mirabel determined she was going to need to look at it again, knowing what she knew now.

“But...” Tuli started to say.

“But nothing, Tuli. You’re the only reason we made it here, and we finally get to go back to school and,” Lucia said lowering her voice as she poked Tuli for emphasis, “you got away from that horrible smuggler all by yourself. I could never be that brave.”

“I didn’t do anything. The Madrigals did all that.”

Sofia and Lucia both rolled their eyes, “Not without you. If you hadn’t told Tía about that guardian tree, we never would have been able to find this place,” Sofia said with a grin.

Lucia nodded and said, “Yeah, we’d still be wandering around on the mountain, starving to death.”

Tuli had her hands knotted up in front of her, and Mira realized that’s what she looked like whenever she did that. Anxious and unsure of herself. No wonder, Isa and Luisa were constantly poking her.

“Thanks,” Tuli said, “But I still don’t think I did all that much. I just got really lucky.”

Sofia took one of her hands as Lucia waved her hands in front of herself to end that topic. “Even if you don’t see it, it’s true and enough about that,” she said then turned to Mirabel and asked, “You think since we’re all the same age, we’ll be in the same class together?”

Mirabel was not expecting to be included and said carefully, “Probably, it all depends on what the principal does. Though they’ve tried to keep the kids who arrive together and are the same age in the same class.”

Lucia nodded, and she skipped a little in front of them. Sofia pulled Tuli along, and it was clear Tuli was still trying to process everything the girls had said. Mirabel hoped these two would be staying for a while. Tuli needed friends her own age that she could trust. In the distance, another bell rang. Second bell, school would be starting in fifteen minutes. The adults that were keeping watch over the kids, who had been playing in the school yard, called out to them. Children scrambled to get their book bags and headed for the open front door.

Everyone, including Tuli started walking just a little quicker. Once inside, she noticed Camilo come out of Señor Gonzalez’s office. He was holding a small notebook as he headed down the opposite hall. Since he was walking into the school and not out, Mirabel hoped his testing went well.

Each of the girls was handed a small lunch basket, as they sat on a bench outside the principal's office while the others went in to complete some forms. The door was not closed, and Mirabel noted that Bubo was the one that completed the form for Tuli. His Tío would point at something, Bubo would listen then fill in whatever. Once done, his Tío simply looked it over, signed it and had Bubo do the same. Inez, they discovered, could neither read nor write, but did not hesitate to ask her mother for help with the form. As they went over it, Inez watched her mother a little nervously, but thanked her for this opportunity for her girls to go to school, free of charge. Did kids really have to pay to go to school on the outside?

Her mother also told Inez about the small class Esteffi Martinez ran for anyone who was beyond school age. She taught what she called readin, ritein and rithmatic and met in the evenings three times a week and there was also no charge for that. Tía Pepa often joined her mother-in-law in this and did not alter that schedule after the magic came back. She instead only worked with the weather during the morning hours. With the new irrigation system that had been put in place after the breaking, she only made sure the natural reservoir has sufficient water. Still, Mirabel wondered how many of the other newcomers had similar challenges.

Everyone who was in the Encanto before the breaking could at least read, write and do basic sums. Her Abuela had made it a priority that a school be established once the original refugees got past the surviving day to day thing. That was one of the things she genuinely admired about her Abuela. It was something Mirabel wanted to emulate. Her Abuela's ability to motivate others. Mirabel wanted to add to that her wish to bring about change when it was needed.

With everything turned in, Señor Gonzalez stepped into the hallway and gestured for the girls to follow him. After they disappeared around a corner, the rest of the group went back outside. Inez thanked her Mamá for her help and said she was looking forward to attending the evening class, then said goodbye to the group and headed back toward the house she and Doris shared. Her father, Bubo and his Tío also left.

Mirabel was trying to decide if she should go to the twin's house first, or Abuelo Joseph’s shop, when her mother touched her shoulder and said, “I’m glad that went well, Corazón. Thank you for helping with Tuli. I’ll see you after lunch, Mira. Will you be at the shop?”

“Yeah, but first I’m going to head over and talk to Bea and Bri. I need to thank them and see if there is anything they need me to do for those costumes for Camilo’s play.”

“Alright, I’ll see you later, mija.”

“Adios, Mamá,” Mira replied, and realized her mother had been talking to her like she was an adult all morning. While that felt a little weird, it was nice, but also made her a little anxious. She’d been expecting a right and proper scolding from her mother for leaving the house last night. That never happened. Mira also realized that she should have spoken with her mother before talking to her Abuela as she went over that conversation in her head. While she hadn’t known about her Abuela’s heart problems, she realized her motivation for doing it was selfish. Either way, she was feeling just a little more confident about her day, so when she turned and saw Mariano waiting nearby. Her Abuela and Tío’s admonition to not go out by herself settled in her head. Her mother had likely noticed him, and that was probably why she was okay leaving her here ‘alone’. Mirabel looked around, but no one seemed to be paying her any mind as Mariano came over and said, “Buenos Días, Mirabel. Dolores requested I be your personal escort for the morning.”

“Escort?”

Mariano leaned down and said in a low voice behind his hand, “She thought that would sound better than babysitter.”

Mirabel couldn’t help but giggle and said, “A little.”

“So, where are we headed, Señorita Madrigal,” Mariano asked as he straightened and held out his arm.

“To check on some costumes,” Mirabel replied, taking it, “and thanks for taking the time out of your day. I know this is a hassle.”

“Not at all, Mirabel. So it is to the Ramirez home then,” he said as they turned back toward the center of town.

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