22. Campaign 3- Quinceañera Gifts

Isabella stood in the main open area of casita and forced herself to remain utterly still. She was aware of how the rest of the family was moving and twitching and she knew that she needed to be as motionless as a statue. Shoulders straight. Feet planted. Hands placed in front of her and fingers laced together. Just as she practiced in her room, making sure that even resting she was a study in grace. Still and poised and perfect.

Perfect.

She had to be perfect because nothing else was and she knew that it was only going to get worse the moment her hermana came down the stairs.

Why had her mama rushed this? It wasn't even Mirabel's birthday, that had long past! They should have given it a few months to plan things out so that they could have ironed out every wrinkle. The food wasn't as special as it could have been, being rather ordinary fare (she ignored the voice that whispered those were, according to Tio Bruno, all of Mirabel's favorites). Camilo had hung the decorations crooked and she was sure everyone had seen them and were whispering about how shoddy they were (the voice asked if she really wanted the respect of people who cared only about decorations and not the event itself). Everyone was fidgeting as they waited (the voice needled her that if EVERYONE was fidgeting could she really claim that was a problem?).

But her biggest concern was Mirabel herself. Why oh why had mama and papa decided to make this a surprise party? Mirabel should have been told so that they all could have sat her down and gotten her to understand how important the party was and how she HAD to make a good impression. This party, thanks to how quickly it had sprung up and what had happened during the last party that had focused on Mirabel, would be something that people remembered forever, good or bad. And Mirabel would be key to that. Tio Bruno had told Mirabel that they were having a fancy dinner and she needed to dress up but Isabella knew that her hermana wouldn't listen. She would come down in those ugly overalls of hers and her hair a frizzy mess and… and that would be only the start! The party couldn't be canceled just because she looked like a terror and that meant that everyone would see how little her hermana respect decorum and manners…

Isabella clenched her jaw so tight she was sure that her teeth were going to break. She had to come up with some excuse they could use to sneak Mirabel away. Find some way to get everyone to leave and spare them all the embarrassment. Maybe a sickness? There were plants that could create mild poisons… nothing harmful and if her mama had poured her gift into her food then they could easily heal someone up. Perhaps Luisa…no, she needed to do it to all of them, just to be safe…

"Now, there is one more thing I should tell you about tonight's dinner," Tio Bruno said and Isabella tensed. This was it…

And Mirabel came into view… wearing a pretty if rather standard pale yellow dress. Oh no… where was the special dress they had-

"And what's that?" Mirabel asked.

"Well…"

"SURPRISE!" Everyone cried out… just as Tio Bruno waved his hands, creating a burst of magic that caused Mirabel's dress to alter into her quinceañera dress, leaving Mirabel shocked… but not as much as Isabella.

Mirabel was wearing the dress mama had commissioned for her and… and it was gorgeous. The top started out pale blue that slowly bled into purple with trim done in dark orange that reminded Isabella of a sunrise. The ruffles on it flowed down like multitiered waterfalls and the gloves that Mirabel was suddenly wearing did not have a single crease or wrinkle. She'd kept her glasses but now the slightly tinted lenses utterly worked, looking completely perfect with her outfit. Her hair was loose, flowing down to her shoulders in beautiful curls without looking too overdone.

Mirabel started in surprise at the cry of, well, surprise, and then looked about as if she thought someone else was the one being called out to. But then Tio Bruno was pressing his hand onto her lower back and guided her down the stairs and by the final step there were visible tears in her eyes as she pressed her hand to her mouth.

"I… I thought this was a party for Isabella," she said softly, looking about at her family. Thankfully her eyes only briefly swept over Isabella… because her gaze was like a knife to Isabella's heart.

Mirabel… had thought the party was for her. She had dressed up and done up her hair and made sure she looked beautiful… because she thought the party was for Isabella and she wanted to do all she could to make the party a success.

For Isabella.

"No, sweetheart," mama said, walking over and taking Mirabel's hands into her own. "This is all for you. We missed your birthday… but that doesn't mean we can't give you the quinceañera you deserve."

Mirabel managed a watery smile at that. "I… I never thought…"

"It's okay, sobrina," Tio Bruno said, giving her a sidearm hug. "It's okay."

Mirabel's pulled her lips in slightly before giving a firm nod. "Right. Yes… I don't want to spend the entire party crying!" She cleared her throat before hopping back up onto the first step. "Everyone… I can't express how much this means to me. Thank you… thank you all for this party. This homecoming. I have missed you all so much and this… there are no words." And with that she stepped down, accepting a hug from her father.

"Didn't you give a 10 minute speech at your party?" Camilo jested at Isabella, who merely glowered at him. He quickly held up his hands and joined in the line to wish Mirabel a happy belated birthday.

When she reached Isabella, she gave her a hug and whispered, "I thought this was all for you and you were so nervous… that's why I was trying to get your mind off the party today! But you were distracting me... thank you for the lovely day."

Isabella barely managed a 'You're welcome' and what she did get out felt like bile on her tongue.

"Come on, Isa," Pepa said, grabbing her arm once her hermana had moved to Luisa, the two giddily talking to one another. "We need to get the rest so Mirabel can be presented properly." Isabella nodded numbly at that, still in a daze, as Tia Pepa and Tio Felix gathered up the family while papa went back to Mirabel, whispering to her softly. Isabella remembered her own words with her father, how much he had told her he loved her and she knew her father was doing the same.

The two walked forward and Mirabel sucked back tears again as each member of the family presented her with jewelry to finish her outfit.

"This represents how no matter where you go, you will always return home," Tio Felix said as he and Tia Pepa gave Mirabel a fine silver bracelet that she slipped onto her wrist. "Happy birthday Mira."

Camilo, Dolores, and Antonio were next. "Mirabel…" Dolores said, choking on her words, "…this isn't enough for all you've given me." She placed a ring on her ring hand.

"Its fine," Mirabel assured her.

"You clean up good prima," Camilo teased before giving her his own ring.

"I hope you like it," Antonio said as he gave her the final ring.

"Thank you both. I do."

Luisa stepped forward with Isabella and though it should have been her that spoke the words, being the eldest, she looked to Luisa and nodded, understanding that her younger hermanas simply had a better bond than she had with Mirabel.

Isabella ignored how her guts twisted at that thought, missing what Luisa said.

Their abuela was next and she looked at Mirabel with a face that was not cold but not warm as well. Isabella remembered how her abuela had smiled at her quinceañera; it was one of the few times her abuela had actually blessed her with a smile.

"Know that your family loves you," abuela said and Mirabel dipped her head to allow abuela to put the necklace around her neck. Isabella caught Dolores' eyes and was she shocked at the fury that flashed through them. She understood why, of course: the necklace was as understated as it could possibly be without looking improper. Isabella, Dolores, and Luisa had all received ones made of gold with highly detailed pendants on them. Mirabel's… was a simple chain with a cross on it. And then there was the words their abuela spoke; none of the words of advice she had given the other girls about life and love and what it meant to be a woman. She hadn't even said that SHE loved Mirabel… only that she should know the FAMILY did.

"Thank you, abuela," Mirabel said though with utter sincerity. "I will always think of you when I look at this." She smiled. "There were days where things were… very rough. I got through them by remembering the family. Mama and Papa… Isa and Luisa… and you. Sometimes I'd close my eyes and hear the stories you'd tell me and… they made it easier to go on. Thank you." She leaned in and gave her abuela a kiss before moving on and Isabella wondered if she was the only one to see the startled look in her abeual's eyes. The head of their family swallowed and for a moment, just a moment, a look of shame passed along her features before she forced it away.

"Mirabel," Tio Bruno said, stepping forward, "it wasn't easy getting this. I called in a lot of favors…" From behind his back he pulled out the most beautiful tiara Isabella had ever seen.

It was a simple band as the base but who cared about it lacking design when the metal GLOWED. It was like Tio Bruno had captured moonlight and woven it into a physical form. And embedded in the band were crystalline flowers though to Isabella they were more like stars for they twinkled like those above them. The moment it was upon Mirabel's head Isabella had a feeling she'd never dealt with before. It made her feel ugly and small compared to her sister and she wanted to hide in the shadows rather than stand in contrast with her,

"Mithril," Tio Bruno explained. "With enchanted Feywild Moonstones. They grant insight, allowing you to understand better people's true nature, to know their lies when they speak them, and predict what they might do."

Mirabel swallowed. "Its-"

"Exactly what you deserve," Tio Bruno said, kissing her cheeks.

"Now then," papa said, guiding Mirabel out of cassia and towards the dance floor set up in the backyard, "may I have this dance?"

"Yes papa," Mirabel whispered.

As the band began to play Isabella's mama came up to her. "You did a wonderful job today helping."

Isabella merely swallowed, unable to nod.

Because she had done nothing.

And she'd never felt more like an imposter.