38. An Outing with Abuela

Mirabel had been waiting for this moment for most of her life.

Eleven years since that awful day, the day that set the course for the rest of her life. Eleven years of being ignored, overlooked, unneeded.

All she’d ever wanted was to be acknowledged by her abuela, the way everyone else seemed to be.

And Mirabel would finally get what she’s wanted for over a decade.

Just a few moments ago, her Abuela had asked her if she wanted to go into town with her today.

And it took every fiber of her being to keep from screaming in elation.

Her abuela wanted her, she wanted to spend time with her. Not to use her nonexistent gift for anything, just because she wanted to bond with her.

She was being seen. Appreciated.

The very thought seemed incomprehensible, just a few months ago.

As she scrambled to get ready for the day, excitement making her movements sloppy and unfocused, she couldn’t help but recall the last time they’d enjoyed each other’s company.

She remembered it vividly, as if it was only yesterday.

It was just a few days before her gift ceremony, and she was bubbling with excitement. Constantly imagining what her gift would be, how she’d use it, and just how proud everyone would be of her. She needed a new dress for the occasion, and she was out with her grandmother to purchase such a thing.

On the way, they’d had tons of fun. She was taken to the playground, where she frolicked with reckless abandon. Then, they got some ice cream. Though she was only allowed one scoop, as to not spoil her dinner. She was even taken to the toy store, and given a beautiful stuffed doll. That same doll sat in the nursery today, salvaged from Casita’s wreckage.

When they’d gone home that day, new dress in tow, she’d always remember what happened next. After dinner was over, and right before she went to bed, her grandmother had pulled her aside and wrapped her in the warmest hug imaginable. Whispering about how proud she’d make everyone, in just a few days. She could hardly sleep that night, she was so happy.

Until very, very recently, that was the last positive memory Mirabel had of her abuela.

But all that was about to change! Today they were going to rekindle that lost connection. Yes, they’d been making steps towards this ever since the magic catastrophe. Big steps. But there was still just a bit of awkwardness between them. Over a decade of emotional issues don’t just disappear in an afternoon, after one talk.

Mirabel resolved to get their relationship back on track. Today! And from the looks of it, her grandmother had the same idea.

Now fully dressed, she went to leave her room and awaken the rest of her family. After breakfast, it’d be time to go out with Abuela.

She couldn’t fight the excited squeal that left her mouth as she thought that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…

This was not what she was expecting.

It was a bright, sunny day. As if the weather was blessing their outing…or Pepa was doing her best.

Once breakfast had concluded, Mirabel and Alma left their home and strolled into town. Both with bright smiles.

“I am so excited for today, Mirabel!” Her grandmother had said, grinning from ear-to-ear. “I can’t wait for you to see what I have planned!”

“Neither can I!” Mirabel responded.

They walked side by side, as Alma directed them to their first destination. She had a whole list of fun ready, and it was time to cross the first item off.

The anticipation was building within the bespectacled girl, and she wondered just what they’d be doing. Would they be eating something? Maybe shopping? She could hardly stand the wait!

Finally they arrived, and Mirabel’s excitement…turned into confusion.

They were now at the local playground. Scores of children scurried about the area, climbing up the brightly colored play structure, hopping through the grass, or swinging on the swing set. Their parents observing them from the nearby benches.

“Here we are!” Alma declared, cheerily.

“This…is it?” Asked Mirabel, almost in disbelief.

Her grandmother nodded, obliviously joyful. “Si, this is it!” She moved to take a seat on a bench, and pulled out a book. “Go on, have fun! I’ll be waiting over here.”

The old woman had already begun reading the book’s contents, as Mirabel stood there, dumfounded.

Did she…really expect her to go and play like a child?

“Er…Abuela…” The teen spoke, confusion evident in her tone. “Don’t you think I’m a little too big for this?” She asked.

Alma looked up from her book, surprised. She seemed to think for a moment, before her smile returned. “Yes, you are a big girl now!” She agreed. Standing from the bench, she began to lead the way to their next location. “How about we get some ice cream, then. Hm?”

Now that got Mirabel excited. There was nothing like some good ice cream.

Smiling as well, though a bit less brightly, the girl followed her grandmother. Certain that this weirdness was just a fluke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was not a fluke.

There was definitely something going on here.

Upon reaching the ice cream vendor, Alma hadn’t even asked Mirabel what she wanted. She immediately ordered for the both of them.

Oh well, no big deal. Mirabel was open to pretty much any flavor.

But the problem she soon faced wasn’t the flavor, it was the size.

The vendor handed Alma a full cone, with three bountiful scoops. Topped with sprinkles.

Mirabel received one miniscule dollop of ice cream, in a teeny tiny cup.

“Enjoy!” The vendor cheered, ignorant to the injustice he’d just carried out.

She couldn’t eat this, there was nothing to eat! One lick, and it was gone. If she looked at it funny, it’d be gone. Mirabel was sure that if she ate it, she’d wind up less full than before.

“A-Abuela, this is barely anything!” Mirabel stated, trying very hard to not sound ungrateful.

Her grandmother just chuckled. “We wouldn’t want to spoil your dinner!” She laughed.

Mirabel was at a loss for words.

She was sixteen! She could eat ice cream before dinner and be just fine.

But…she didn’t want to seem unappreciative for the opportunity she’d been granted. The one she’d been dreaming of for years. So she ate her ice cream without a fuss.

It was gone in one lick.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mirabel’s incredibly excited mood had dampened now. But she was still just so happy to be with her Abuela, that she continued to ignore the weirdness as they went to their next activity.

They were now in the bustling plaza, and were making their way to one of the many stores in the area. The toy store, specifically.

A sense of nostalgia itched at the back of Mirabel’s subconscious, but she didn’t pay it any mind.

“So…what are we doing here?” Asked Mirabel.

Once more, her abuela smiled. She couldn’t help but feel that the smile looked a bit patronizing. “What does it look like? I’m getting you a new dolly!”

That made the girl stop in her tracks.

A new dolly?

Mirabel wasn’t opposed to a cute and perhaps cuddly toy, even as a teenager.

But the way her grandmother had phrased it…made it seem like she was buying something for a baby.

“Actually, I’m good! Don’t need any more dollies, heh…” She tried to soften her rejection of the toy with an awkward chuckle.

Alma furrowed her brow at this. “Nonsense! Here, take it.” She handed her granddaughter the doll, and was already moving to pay.

The bespectacled girl gave the toy back. “Abuela, I really don’t- “

She was cut off by a stern glare. “Mirabel!” Alma snapped, in a tone that left no room for discussion.

A tone the girl was all too familiar with, one that filled her with dread every time she heard it.

She shrunk down, an instinctive fear of her grandmother activating for the first time in months. She did as she was told, and took the doll without any further questions. Head held low.

Alma saw this, and immediately regretted her actions.

“Mirabel, I…” She began to speak, softly. But she just couldn’t find the words she needed.

The old woman was confused, most of all. Why wasn’t Mirabel having fun? They were doing all the things Alma remembered her enjoying.

She needed to fix this, and fast. She needed to mend her bond with her granddaughter, that much she’s known ever since that fateful day.

She looked around, desperate for anything that would improve the girl’s mood. Outside the shop’s window, she saw several children walking somewhere in a group. All with little books in their little hands.

“You think he’ll tell us about the Zippleback today?” One child asked.

“I wanna hear about the Skrill!” Said another.

As she watched them walk by, Alma was struck with an idea.

Recently, the children of the Encanto were enraptured by tales of dragons in some far-off land. All taught to them by that Hiccup boy.

If that’s what the kids were into, surely Mirabel would like it too!

“Come, Mirabel!” She called, as they left the shop.

The two then followed the children to wherever it is they were going.

Mirabel was now significantly less excited than she was this morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the two arrived, Hiccup was already in the midst of a lesson. A group of children all listening intently.

Mirabel grew a small smile upon seeing the boy, and sent him a little wave. He waved back, while still talking about oversized lizards.

This only reinforced Alma’s thinking that this was a good idea. See? She was already enjoying herself!

They stood at the back of the class, and observed.

The scrawny teen held up a sketch he’d made, of a fish-like dragon with a very rotund body. “So, after everything I’ve told you about the Scauldron. Its habitat, and method of self-defense…do you guys think it’s boulder class, stoker class, or tidal class?” Hiccup asked the children.

The kids took a moment to think, until one child raised a twitchy hand in the air.

“IT’S GOTTA BE BOULDER CLASS BECAUSE IT’S FAT AND ROUND LIKE A BOULDER!” He screamed, before taking a sip of something meant for people much older than he was.

Hiccup gaped at the boy. “…Interesting reasoning, but no. Anyone else?”

The class went quiet, it seemed they were stumped.

Sensing an opportunity, Alma shoved her granddaughter forward.

Mirabel stumbled in shock at the sudden push. She looked back at her abuela, baffled. The old woman just gave her an urging nod.

Hiccup, though he looked confused, was giving her a gentle and encouraging smile. With a sigh, she examined his sketch.

The creature had large fins at the end of its tail, but they didn’t look like Toothless’. They seemed more…aquatic.

“Tidal class?” She guessed, shrugging.

She supposed that was the right answer, as Hiccup’s smile grew. “That’s right! Scauldrons can be found in oceans all throughout the barbaric archipelago.” He stated.

“I wanna see the archipelago…” Spoke a child.

“Me too! I wanna see some dragons up close!” Cheered another.

“Will you take us there?” One of them asked Hiccup.

“Well considering its hundreds, if not thousands of miles away…Not to mention its incredibly cold, dangerous, and littered with insane Vikings…I’ll think about it.” He answered.

With that, class was dismissed.

As the children dispersed, Mirabel and Alma stepped forward. “You really seem to have captivated them!” The old woman grinned.

“The dragons have captivated them, I’m just the messenger.” Hiccup sardonically replied. “So what are you guys up to?” He asked.

Mirabel was about to respond, but her abuela placed a hand on her shoulder and interjected. “Just some bonding between grandmother and granddaughter! We’re having a wonderful time!” She spoke.

The two smiled, though Hiccup couldn’t help but notice that Mirabel’s seemed a bit forced.

“In fact, we really need to get going. There’s still more we have yet to do today!” She spoke excitedly. Gently grabbing Mirabel’s wrist, she led them elsewhere. “Say goodbye to your little friend, Mirabel!”

The girl balked at that.

Little friend? They’ve kissed!

Multiple times!

Hiccup watched them leave, confused, and a bit concerned. Before they were out of earshot, he had something that needed to be said. “I’ll be at the forge if you need me!” He called out to the girl.

He hoped she’d heard him. And he hoped she’d have a better time than…whatever time she was having now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mirabel, excitement now virtually absent, trudged after her abuela. Almost dreading what she had to show her next.

And when she was presented with a street puppet show, meant for literal toddlers…

She knew this was where she had to put her foot down.

“Abuela…” She was trying really hard to hide her exasperation. “Do you think we could do something more…mature? I’m not a kid anymore…”

Her grandmother’s eager smile fell. “What do you mean? I thought you enjoyed these things?”

“Yeah, when I was four! When’s the last time you saw me do any of this stuff?” She asked.

Alma sputtered for an answer, but she couldn’t find one.

Because if she was being honest, until recently, the last time she paid attention to Mirabel was when she was four.

“Erm…mature, yes. We can do something mature…” Mirabel looked to her, expectantly. Awaiting her answer.

Another idea struck her, and she grinned. “I know just the thing!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mirabel would have taken the puppet show over this.

She was sitting in a store beside her abuela. The previous owner was stepping down, and leaving the family business to his son. As leader of the Encanto, Alma had been brought in to discuss…something.

Mirabel wasn’t sure what they were talking about. She heard them rambling about taxes, contracts, percentages…

It was all a jumbled mess of nonsense to her.

She was fighting to stay awake in her seat.

Sluggishly, she glanced over at the clock on the wall, tuning out the mind-numbing conversation.

Big mistake.

What had felt like at least an hour, perhaps two, was really only ten minutes.

That tears it.

Standing from her seat, she muttered a brief “Excuse me.” Before heading outside.

Stunned, Alma excused herself as well and followed her granddaughter.

Once she caught up to the girl, she spoke. “Mirabel, what’s wrong? That was very mature!” She tried.

“Yeah, and it was boring me to tears!” She huffed.

Her grandmother looked lost. “I just…I don’t know what you want me to do.” She admitted.

The two stared at each other, for a short while.

Mirabel felt a deep sadness wash over her, as she realized the day she was dreaming of for years just hadn’t worked out. Something wasn’t clicking, and the two of them weren’t bonding.

It wasn’t unsalvageable, not yet.

But she needed to figure this out.

“I-I’m sorry, abuela…I just need a moment to think. Please.” She sighed.

Reluctantly, Alma nodded. And the two parted ways.

Mirabel sulked through town, knowing exactly where she was heading next.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I just don’t get it!”

Mirabel was currently slumped against a counter at the forge, ranting about her woes as Hiccup polished some forks and spoons he’d made.

“She says she wants to spend time with me, which is great! But all she wants to do is baby stuff! What’s the deal?” She asked, agitated.

“Maybe she still sees you as a baby?” Hiccup offered.

Mirabel considered his words, before shaking her head. “I don’t think that’s it…” She grumbled.

The boy took one of the spoons he was holding, and tapped it against his chin as he thought. “…Didn’t you say the last time you really hung out was when you were a kid? Maybe she’s just trying to relive that day, because she knows it made you happy?”

Now that made a bit more sense. As she thought it over, it honestly warmed her heart to think that her abuela also recalled that special day.

But it also annoyed her.

“I don’t want to relive old memories, I wanna make new ones! I want new experiences with her we can look back on!” She declared, finger pointing to the air as if she was making a statement to the heavens.

Hiccup gave her a deadpan stare. “…So what are you still doing here?”

When she gave him a confused glance, he grew a wry smirk. “We both know you’re gonna run out there, find Miss Alma, and make everything cool like the amazing person you are. So stop wasting time, and go find her!” He prodded.

She crossed her arms, a grin of her own forming. “You think you’ve got me all figured out, huh?” She asked.

“Not everything…” He responded. “Just enough to know that you always make things better. It’s just who you are.” His smirk turned into an earnest smile.

She approached him, speaking airily. “Flattery…will get you everywhere…” She kissed him, very briefly. Yet it still left both their faces red-hot.

“See you later, Hiccup!” She began to exit the building. “I’ve got an abuela to find!”

He watched her leave, a dopey smile on his face.

…Until he heard the chuckles.

Ignacio and Toothless were both sitting at the bottom of the staircase, laughing mischievously. “So when’s the wedding, kid?” asked the blacksmith.

Hiccup returned to polishing the utensils, and tried to ignore his snickering roommates.

Emphasis on tried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I just don’t get it!”

Alma groaned, as she stood next to Julieta’s food stand. Venting her frustrations as her daughter healed the sick and injured.

“I tried to do all her favorite things from when she was a child, thinking it would be a nice, nostalgic experience. But it only seemed to upset her!” She groaned.

“I think what upset her…” Julieta spoke as she handed a man with a broken hand some food. “…Is how you treated her.”

Alma faced her daughter, confusion evident. “What do you mean?”

“You treated her like a child the whole day! You patronized her, made decisions for her, pushed her into doing what you wanted to do…She never had any choice!” She elaborated.

Alma stuttered. “B-But I was just doing what I thought she’d want to do!”

“Maybe, but in trying to do what you thought she’d want to do, you forced her into doing the exact opposite…” Julieta responded. “Mandatory fun isn’t very fun, mama.”

The old woman could only sigh, as she realized her daughter was right.

She was demanding, overbearing, controlling, and oblivious to her granddaughter’s feelings.

In an attempt to atone for her old habits, she’d ended up falling right back into them.

She supposed that’s why it’s said they die hard.

“I have to make this right…” She uttered.

With a faint smile, Julieta shooed her away. “Then go find her! Go on!”

She began to leave, but not before facing her daughter one last time. “…Thank you, Julieta.”

And with that, she set off to make up for the trouble she’d caused in a misguided attempt to help her family.

Not the first time that’s happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The old woman walked through town, looking for her granddaughter.

But as it happens, she didn’t need to look for her. Mirabel bumped right into her.

The two staggered for a moment, regaining their bearings.

Mirabel began to mumble an apology, before she saw just who she’d knocked into.

Alma could see it, the unwavering determination in the girl’s eyes. She knew what was coming.

But she had to speak first.

“I’m sorry.”

Mirabel was not expecting that. “Wha-uh…what?”

“I’m sorry. This was supposed to be our day, and I ruined it. I shouldn’t have treated you like I did, and I should have asked you what you wanted…” She took her granddaughter’s hand. “Can you forgive me?”

“Uh…yeah. Yes, of course!” The girl then chuckled. “Jeez, Abuela. I had a whole speech ready and everything! Just had to take the wind out of my sails, huh?”

Alma laughed as well. “Lo siento, Mirabel. It had to be done…” She sighed as the laughter died down. “Now then, we still have some daylight left…what do you want to do?”

Mirabel beamed at the question, and her excitement returned in full force.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was beginning to set, though it wasn’t quite dark yet. It was still bright enough to see.

Bright enough to fly.

“And you’re sure you’ve got this?” Hiccup asked, eyeing her warily.

Mirabel rolled her eyes from her seat on the dragon’s back. “Yes, I’ve got this! We’re not gonna do anything crazy, just a little gliding! I can handle that!”

Hiccup didn’t look convinced. “Can you? Can you really?”

“Oh yeah, because you were immediately the flying master on your first attempt…I’ve been practicing, Hiccup. I can do this!” She insisted.

Hiccup sighed, before nodding. “I know you can, I trust you. I’m just…worried, I guess.”

Her exasperation became appreciation, as she saw just how concerned he was for them. “Hiccup, we’ll be fine. I promise!”

“Yes, I’m sure this will be perfectly fine…” Alma spoke, sitting behind Mirabel. Though from how nervous she looked, it was more like she was reassuring herself.

“You’re gonna want to hang on, abuela!” Mirabel grinned, before leaning over and speaking to Toothless directly. “Alright, let’s go buddy!”

As the dragon spread his wings, Mirabel looked back to her grandmother. “Trust me, abuela. There’s nothing like this in the world!”

Alma, despite how anxious she was about the oncoming lift-off, allowed herself to smile. “I do…I trust you.”

After that, they launched into the air. Though…not as fast as Toothless usually launched.

And as they soared through the clouds, her grandmother being overtaken by wonder, Mirabel felt her heart swelling with joy.

They were making new memories. They were bonding.

She’d gotten exactly what she wanted.