9. Chapter 9

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"So let me get this straight" Mirabel was leaning against a wooden beam of the barn arms folded gaze following Dolores as she paced back and forth "Abuela wants Isabela to marry this Mariano guy but you want to marry him yourself."

"¡Sí! ¡Exactamente!" Dolores exclaimed a little to loud making her wince "But Abuela would never stand for it you should of heard her last night. Perfect proposal, perfect wedding, perfect bride, perfect groom.."

Mirabel shook her head in sympathy "And once again you're cast aside. Staying in the dark so the princesa can be in the spotlight."

"Exactly..I knew you would understand Mirabel. I talked to Mamá a bit..but I didn't tell her everything."

"Yet you told me."

"It's...different with you." Dolores stopped her pacing sitting on a hay bale "Most others would just think I'm jealous of Isabela and trying to ruin her moment..but..you understand how it feels to be pushed aside...you're not blinded-" Dolores put her hand over her mouth "Well you are..but I'm not talking about blinded in that way..mean blinded like not being able to see-" Dolores cut herself off "Oh I'm making a fool of myself...I'm sorry if I offended-"

Mirabel chuckled in amusement "It's fine, prima. I know what you mean just relax. It's ironic isn't it? I'm the one with the bad vision yet I see more than all of them." she joined Dolores on the hay bale the older girl grabbing her hand to steady as she lowered herself down.

"What am I to do?" Dolores threw her hands in the air "I'll be forced to watch as the man of my dreams marries my own cousin."

"Oh, Dolores. I'm so sorry." Mirabel patted her shoulder "I wish there was something I could do."

"You were right...about what you said that night.."

"What was that?"

"You said I would always be living in the shadow of Señorita Perfecta." Dolores took a deep breath "And you were right. I will never be good enough." throwing her arms around Mirabel she began sobbing "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you all these years..I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Mirabel shook her head as she placing her hands on Dolores's shoulder "Oh, Dolores we been through this. I forgive you. I get it Abuela made everyone stay away from me. You don't need to apologise every time."

"I do care for Abuela, I do but sometimes I just want to ugh..Mamá cooked last night to give Tía Julieta a break. And when Abuela asked your mother to do the cooking for Isabela's proposal dinner and basically insulted Mamá's cooking saying it wasn't good enough for such a special occasion."

"Maybe Abuela should do it herself in that case." Mirabel growled "She constantly makes demands yet never volunteers herself."

"She says it's our duty to serve the community and earn the miracle."

"If you ask me." Mirabel crossed her arms "It's not a miracle it's a curse. Look what it's done to me-look what it's done to you."

Dolores's eyes widened "A curse? But Abuela always says it's a miracle because of the sacrifice of Abuelo Pedro that we got-"

"Yes yes I know the story." Mirabel interrupted "But do you really think Abuelo would be proud of this? Happy he died for this? His own nieta is living in a barn as an outcast for crying out loud." Mirabel stood up "Maybe if this 'miracle' never existed we would all be better off! I would still have my family!"

"Mirabel..." Dolores began pausing see the hurt on Mirabel's face "I know you've been hurt but.."

"You know it too, Dolores. Is your gift even really a gift? I don't mean to be brash but what purpose does it have exactly? How does knowing all the towns gossip help them? All it really does is make you miserable." Mirabel placed a hand on Dolores's shoulder "It's time you stood up to Abuela. Enough is enough mi prima. She won't see you the way things are, so MAKE her see you."

The sound of Dolores's quiet sobbing filled the barn. She knew Mirabel was right. She hated her gift, she hated only being noticed when someone wanted to know the latest gossip and she hated how no matter how hard she tried she would never be good enough for Alma. More more, it was always more.

The sound of footsteps and humming startled both of them. Dolores jumped up and Mirabel pushed her towards her stall. "Lay down and cover yourself with the blanket." Mirabel whispered.

Dolores obeyed and peeked out from under the blanket as Mirabel picked up her embroidery settling herself in front of her as the barn door opened.

"Who is there?"

"Mirabel?" Señor Pérez called out "Everything okay in here?" leading a donkey behind him.

"Si, Señor Pérez."

"Who were you talking to?" the man asked placing the donkey in it's stall.

"The donkeys, they are good listeners."

"To you maybe, stubborn beasts they are for me. " Señor Pérez laughed "Well I won't bother you too much just come on knock on the door if you need something."

Mirabel waited until the sound of footsteps faded before nudging Dolores "You're clear."

Dolores sat up wiping straw off her clothing "How do you sleep here every night?!"

Mirabel just shrugged "It's quite comfortable after a while, actually." carefully putting the embroidery away "And I don't exactly have access to a nice feathered bed like you do."

"Why do you even sleep in the barn?"

"There's no room for me in the Pérez house and no one else would take me. They would of known something was up, the great Alma Madrigal wouldn't get rid of her own granddaughter for no reason. They thought I would bring a curse upon them or something." Mirabel exited the stall Dolores trailing behind "They do call me La Diabla del Encanto after all."

Dorlores's gaze dropped to the ground "I heard that..I heard all the things they call you." sighing heavily "I should go..I promised Antonio I would pick him up from the schoolhouse today I don't want to be late."

"Of course,I think I might go for a walk myself. Adiós Dolores."

Dolores began to walk towards to the door when Mirabel's call stopped her.

"Oh, Dolores? Do think about what I said."

"I-I will.." Dolores stammered leaving quickly. As she walked to the schoolhouse she let her mind wander. She been sneaking around to meet with Mirabel everyday lately and each day Mirabel got more and more bold in encouraging her to rebel. But Dolores was frightened of the consequences for all she know Alma could throw her into the barn alongside Mirabel. I can't Mirabel..I can't do it alone. Reaching the schoolhouse she sat under a tree humming a small tune to calm her jittery nerves until the bell rang and all the children come running out.

Antonio spotted her and ran over throwing his arms around her "Dolores! Guess what!"

Dolores smiled down at her brother "What is it, Toñito?"

"Señora González gave us a quiz on all the animals around the Encanto. And I got everything right."

"¡Eso es maravilloso!." the two siblings walked hand in hand back to the Casita "You know more about animals than anyone I know."

"You're my favourite sister in the whole world."

Dolores let out a small giggle "Well that's not too hard since I'm your only sister."

"I know, I just wanted to say it-"

Antonio stopped at the sound of a crash and yelling the pair turning towards the sound to see two men standing over a fallen person on the street.

Dolores's instantly knew who the person was. She watched as the purple hooded girl tried to stand only to get shoved back down. Dolores couldn't stand it anymore not thinking about the pain she was about to cause herself she screamed.

"MIRABEL! NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!"

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Work, work and more work. And what was her reward for doing all that work? Why even more work. This was Luisa's life, day in and day out. From sunrise to sunset. How many times do they need her to move the church? Or move the bridge? When does she get a chance to relax for five minutes?

She tried to bring it up to Alma again, asking if she could have a break time only to be dismissed and made to felt like a spoiled child so she never bothered again. Always obeying, never questioning, never thanked just called away for the next task. Luisa move this building. Luisa move these boulders. Luisa the donkeys got out again.

Always with the donkeys she could see Mirabel watching her with an amused smile on her face when she returned them. Always mumbling something about not securing the stalls properly and 'accidentally' leaving the barn door open. Luisa never believed her but it was a harmless little game. Annoying? Sure. Adds more to her workload? Sure. But harmless nonetheless.

Luisa tried not to think about her baby sister too much, it pained her to do so. It was bad enough seeing her when she would go to the barn to drop off the donkeys, seeing those scars and being reminded how she failed her. How she couldn't protect her. She failed she was supposed to be the strong one and she couldn't even protect her sister. She was a failure.

Now Mirabel was an outcast her name basically forbidden in the Madrigal household. She could only stand by helpless as she watched their mother cry begging Alma to let Mirabel come back only to be told Mirabel was a danger over and over. And the events of Mirabel's reappearance in Casita and the cracks that followed just seemed to prove Alma's point.

Did Luisa really believe the sister she once let ride on her back like a horse was a monster? Luisa still remembered Mirabel as the bright happy girl who would skip around the courtyard singing and dancing, the girl who would knock on everyones door each morning, the girl who was always eager to show off her latest embroidery project. That one night couldn't of changed her that much could it?

No, but the past five years definitely could have. Luisa was relaxing in a hidden grove of trees her one escape from the constant demands. If they can't find her they can't bother her. Is this my destiny? To be the towns personal packmule just to please Abuela?

Maybe if she was Isabela life would be easier, all Isabela had to do was parade around growing flowers and getting admired. The golden child of the family and Alma didn't even try to hide she loved her more than her other grandchildren. Alma only seemed to remember Luisa exists when she needed some heavy lifting done. Like the night of Antonio's party everyone else got to have fun while Luisa was assigned the task of parking all the carts and wagons.

I can't sit here and just wallow in my own self pity..better get back out there. With a grunt she pulled herself to her feet and began the walk back to the marketplace where no doubt someone would find her something to do.

She paused seeing five people on the path in front of her one getting shoved back to the ground. She could see the fourth person drop the hand of a child and run forwards. Edging closer she now instantly recognised three of people.

Her heart dropped as Dolore's voice rang in her ear.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

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World'snumber1scaredycat: Dolores knows Mirabel is right, she's pointing out everything everyone else is too scared too.

FlowerChild23: Mirabel knows her key to victory is through her words, and all she has to do is call things as they are.

KaliAnn: I do like writing the little family time scenes and I do plan on going deeper into Alma's grip on the family and how it affects them.