21. The idea of a person

Alma sat in her room that night, looking out of her window at the mountains surrounding the Encanto. The mountains that her son had crossed. The mountains that had separated him from the rest of the family. The family that her son had abandoned. The family that Pedro had sacrificed himself for. He had left, stealing Mirabel away with him.

Alma had missed him, of course. He was her son. She had to miss him. But just because she missed him it didn't mean that she... didn't like not having him around. Every time she looked at him she was reminded of the man that she had lost just months after Bruno's birth. But when she looked at her son, no matter how much she looked like her husband, she only saw the snuffed potential that he had. The frequent arguments he would drag the two of them into. The bad luck that he pulled on his own head.

So yes she missed him, but she didn't miss a majority of his actions.

She didn't know how someone who resembled such a brave and strong man as Pedro... could be so weak. So much of a pushover. There were many things she could say about her son, but she couldn't say that he had much of a spine... Unless it came to things that Alma wanted him to change.

So no. She didn't miss his actions. She was happy that he had left. What she wasn't happy about was that he had stolen Mirabel.

Mirabel was different. Alma hadn't talked with her yet, but she could already see that she had taken some of Bruno's stubbornness against Alma's rules. But that was to be expected. Alma had little doubt that Bruno hadn't raised her properly. She didn't know when to stop, and she had gained ridiculous ideas about the magic and town.

Bruno would tell her that the town was dangerous. To him it was. But only because he wouldn't properly communicate with them.

It was times like these that made Alma really wish that Pedro was there. She had no doubt in her mind that Pedro would know exactly how to handle these situations. He would know exactly what to say to Mirabel to get her to see the truth.

The truth about Mirabel. Mirabel had been raised to believe a lie about herself. A lie that Alma had never thought Bruno would do. He was gentle towards the rest of the family, save Pepa, and Alma found it hard to grasp just how awfully he had treated his other sister.

Pedro would have cleared things up. Said the right words to their granddaughter to help her readjust. See the truth about her so-called 'Papá'. If he was there then everything would be fine.

But Pedro wasn't there. He hadn't been there for fifty years, and he would never be there again. He was a distant memory. A product of a bygone time.

But Alma missed him more than life itself.

Julieta made her way to the kitchen. It was Dolores's turn to cook that morning, but it was also one of Julieta's town days. She had to just finish a last couple batches of empanadas before she set out later that day.

She reached the kitchen, the room that was more 'home' to her than the rest of Casita, and started her work. She knew that none of her other family members would be up for at least an hour, and that gave Julieta time to just exist in silence before the bustle of day-to-day life begun anew.

But every day life was different now. The old norm was thrown away once again, for the first time in five years. The combination of Antonio's gift ceremony and Mirabel's reappearance was enough to shake the foundation of their family that Julieta held in her mind.

Not that it hadn't been shaken before. No, that had happened once a long time ago. Ten years ago, when Julieta had nearly shattered into pieces. When she had sent away her daughter. When she had started her lie.

But now that lie was off her chest; at least when it came to her husband. She didn't know how Pepa would react if she told her the truth. And, with her sister already as stressed out as she had been the past week, it would be cruel to subject her to that knowledge right then.

No. Julieta would wait until Mirabel's presence became normal again. She would wait until they all felt normal whenever they saw her around the house. Julieta had waited before, and she could wait again.

Before she knew it two hours had flown by, and dozens of empanadas rested in little covered baskets for her to take to the village. Julieta was torn from her thoughts by Dolores entering the kitchen, looking extremely tired.

"Buenos Dias Dolores," Julieta said in a quiet voice. Dolores's gift was always slightly more sensitive in the mornings, and Julieta knew to keep her voice down whenever around her Sobrina. "Did you sleep well?"

Dolores adopted a slightly terrified look on her face, and Julieta prayed that everything was okay. But Dolores nodded and said, in her naturally quiet and sweet voice, "Yes I did Tia, thank you. What about yourself?"

How had Julieta slept? Agustin had been incredibly worried about something that he continued brushing off whenever she asked about it, and had made sleeping very difficult. But she had slept enough to feel somewhat rested, so she responded, "I slept decently. It hasn't been easy... readjusting."

Dolores nodded, and grabbed an empty mixing bowl. "I was thinking of some huevos for breakfast... and maybe some sort of cake..." she said, and Julieta smiled. "Anything you make will be good Dolores. If Camilo can eat it, then we can too."

That earned Julieta a small chuckle from her niece. "Camilo isn't the standard I'm judging my food off of." Dolores said, and Julieta nodded. "Of course not," she replied, and the two of them stood there in silence for a moment.

Without another word Dolores started working on breakfast. Julieta began cleaning up the evidence of her own tenure in the kitchen, and felt grateful for others old enough to cook besides her. Her siblings, bless their hearts, were never really... talented kitchen-wise. But Bruno was admittedly leagues better than Pepa, mainly due to him missing so many meals and having to fend for himself.

And he had to have been the one to teach Mirabel to cook. Mirabel would have grown up following him around the kitchen... slowly forgetting the woman who had used to fill that role...

Before she knew it Juileta was in the dining room, sitting next to Luisa, and across from Isabela, who looked... well...

Isabela looked tense. Stressed out and like if you said one wrong word to you she'd grow a rose bush inside of you. Julieta tried to get her eldest to open up before Abuela got there... but...

"Hey! Isa... Look, I know that I kinda-" Mirabel popped into the dining room, her hair a mess, her clothes hanging a little off from how they were supposed to be. She looked like she had slept in her day clothes... but that couldn't be the case right? She would...

She had been raised by Bruno. What did Julieta expect?

Mirabel slid into the chair next to Isabela, who took one look at her and stiffened. A strange look filled Isabela's eyes, and Julieta longed to pull her into a hug and ask her what was wrong.

But Mirabel didn't know... social cues.. so she continued on. "I know that I kinda... messed up your proposal, but I wanted to make that up to-"

"Buenos Dias," Abuela entered the room, and Julieta saw Isabela straighten noticeably. Julieta had tried talking to Isabela about it, but her eldest always assured her that she was fine.

Julieta didn't feel fine...

"Today is another big day. Now that we're getting... accustomed... to the new family dynamic we've had present itself..." Abuela was looking at Mirabel the entire time as she spoke, and she sat down at her usual spot at the head of the table. Mirabel was... not maintaining great eye contact.

Dios, it reminded Julieta of Bruno.

"Do you have any ideas who you want to go into town with today?" Abuela asked, and Mirabel perked up noticeably. She sat up straight and answered, "I was hoping I could go with Isabela.-"

"No!" Isabela said, a little too loudly. The entire family turned a stunned look towards her, who was breathing heard. "I'm sorry... But I need a little bit more time before... Just no."

It hurt Julieta's heart to see her daughters like this. Isabela should want to go into town with her sister. But at the same time Julieta understood what she was getting at.

It seemed that Abuela did as well, and she said, "Perhaps another day. Isabela still needs time after her ruined proposal." Mirabel flinched at the word 'ruined', or maybe it was just Julieta's imagination.

Without thinking Julieta said, "I could take Mirabel into town today. It's a passing day, and I could use some extra hands." Mirabel's eyes flew to Julieta's face, and a strange look built up in them.

"Perfect!" Abuela said, and Julieta felt her heart seize up. She saw a tiny cloud appear over Pepa's head from down on her left, but it was quickly evaporated. Julieta heard the word 'perfect' a few too many times from her mother for it to really mean much anymore. "Mirabel will go in town with her mother, and the rest of us will work on our assigned responsibilities.

The strange look in Mirabel's eyes continued throughout breakfast.

As soon as Julieta and Mirabel got into town, a line started to form at Julieta's stand. Mirabel couldn't believe how many injured people there were in the village. It seemed like every other person was getting in line to get at Julieta's food.

The shear amount of work that was ahead of Julieta made Mirabel start to feel anxious. She had difficulty taking care of just herself and Papá, she couldn't imagine how Julieta handled the dozens of people who were relying on her.

As soon as Julieta got everything ready, she handed Mirabel a plate stacked with empanadas, while she held a plate of arepas. Julieta smiled at Mirabel, and then the two of them turned towards the townsfolk.

Mirabel gasped as she saw the first person in line. It was a young man... probably. He had a messed up face, a large patch over his left eye, his corresponding arm in a makeshift sling. He had dried blood in his short hair, but there was a smile on his face.

"Oh Alejandro," Julieta said, letting him take an arepa. "What did you do this time?"

Alejandro chuckled, and a flash of pain crossed his features. Mirabel's eyes were glued to his cheek, which had a deep gash inside of it. If she focused she could almost swear she saw some of his teeth... "Oh, you know," he said, taking a bite of the arepa, "I was on the roof... And gravity's a idiota."

Mirabel's eyes were fixed on him as Julieta's gift did its work. His cheek sealed up, his arm, previously in a weird position, turned the right way around. Alejandro slipped his arm out of the sling, flexed his muscles, and then reached up to take his eye patch off.

"Welp, that does it." he said, smiling at Julieta. "See ya next week!"

Mirabel watched him in shock as he just turned and went on his way. She cleared her throat loudly and asked, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Alejandro froze, the next person, who had a bloodied jaw, watched the three people in front of them. Alejandro turned towards Mirabel, then asked, "Excuse me?"

Mirabel huffed, then asked with a snap, "You forgot to thank Señora Julieta. She just healed you, the least you could do is be grateful."

Julieta was frozen next to her. "Mirabel," she said quietly, "It's not that big of a deal." Mirabel glanced at her, and then looked back at Alejandro. Alejandro glanced between Julieta and Mirabel, then said awkwardly, "Uh... GraciasSeñora Madrigal..."

Without another word he turned back and made his way to wherever he needed to go, Mirabel's eyes glued to his back. When Julieta healed the next person and kindly accepted their own thanks.

"Mirabel, its not really that important." Julieta said, leaning towards the younger member of her family. Mirabel looked at her with disbelieving eyes. "Have you always done this without thanks?" She asked, and Julieta shifted awkwardly, letting the next person take an empanada from Mirabel's plate.

"Gracias," the woman said, and Julieta responded with an uncomfortable, "De nada." It seemed so... weird for her. Like she was unaccustomed to gratitude. Mirabel felt her heart pang for her... She remembered how Papá acted whenever she praised him, how he always tried to push her compliments away...

Maybe Bruno wasn't the only triplet to feel that way.

After the last of the townsfolk were healed (each and every one pushed into thanking Julieta), the two Madrigals closed up shop and packed everything up.

They decided to have a small lunch of some of Julieta's leftovers. Julieta led Mirabel to the town's small garden park and the two of them sat in the shade of the palm trees.

Julieta watched Mirabel eat an arepa with curious eyes. If Mirabel had her Tia's power she would have a storm cloud no doubt, but all Julieta could see was the angry look in her eyes.

It felt awkward, talking after what Mirabel had done for her. But Julieta tried anyway.

"Hey, Mira, thank you... for standing up for me." Mirabel looked up at Julieta, her eyes filled with an emotion that confused Julieta. But all of the emotions Julieta was feeling right then were confusing. Mirabel nodded, taking a bite and answering, with a half full mouth, "No problem. I'm tired of seeing you guys pushed around."

"Mirabel, please swallow first." Julieta said calmly, and Mirabel gave her a confused look. She swallowed, clearing her mouth and making Julieta feel a little more comfortable. "Now," Julieta said, "Do you mind explaining what you mean by that?"

Mirabel froze, then looked up at the trees looming above them. "When I was in town yesterday with Luisa, she was getting asked to do everything. No breaks, no time to calm down, it was just one seemingly impossible task after the other. I got her to slow down... and now I see that you are holding the same responsibility."

Julieta felt her breath catch in her throat. Mirabel picked at her arepa and continued. "I can't believe you've been serving all these people... without thanks. I mean, I think I'd have just throw the food at them if they had the gall to do that! It's just like Papá with his visions. He hates having those... but he always feels like he needs to or he'll let everyone down!"

Mirabel had her arms thrown out in front of her in frustration now. Julieta felt a sob start to build up in the back of her throat. She was this girl's mother, yet it felt like Mirabel was mothering her at the moment. Julieta was supposed to be the one to impart wisdom to Mirabel, not the other way around.

She had just gotten so used to thinking of everyone else's needs before her own. Who cared if they thanked her? It wasn't like she was someone who had a purpose outside of what she did. If anything, she should be thanking them for giving her a reason to have her gift in the first place!

If she wasn't the perfect Julieta... who was she?

Since when did she need to be perfect?

"Tia Julieta... are you... crying?" Julieta registered Mirabel's hand resting on her arm. She wanted to reply that she was fine, that she wasn't crying, but the unbidden tears were sliding down her cheeks and choking her up. She felt Mirabel wrap her arms around her shoulders and just sit there.

"I... I had become... the idea of Julieta..." Julieta said quietly. She was an idea. The perfect daughter, the 'good' triplet. The perfect wife. The perfect mother who didn't grieve the loss of her child. The perfect Madrigal.

Julieta was perfect. And that made her flawed.

And Mirabel was showing her her flaws, and it hurt to see them.

"You are so much more than an idea." Mirabel said, her face nestled in Julieta's shoulder. Julieta finally hugged her back and said, "Thank you Mirabel... Thank you..."

Who cared if she was thirty years Mirabel's senior. Right then Julieta needed a hug, and Mirabel Madrigal was the perfect person to give them.

That was when Julieta Madrigal became a person again.