1. La Familia Madrigal

The Madrigal family was of course far from what you would call a normal family.

For one thing, it was big.

It was also loud and colorful. And of course, everyone who was born into it from the line of Alma and Pedro Madrigal was given special gifts by their magic house, which they called Casita.

Well… Everyone except Mirabel.

It was often so easy to be completely overlooked in this big house where everyone was moving around. Talking and yelling. Sometimes outright dancing and singing.

There was a rule though; At breakfast and dinner, the family would sit down together to eat together. As a family.

One day though, Little Mirabel, just ten years old, couldn't help but notice there was someone missing. Or at least she thought there was.

Mirabel glanced round at her mother Julieta happily chatting with her father Agustin.

Auntie Pepa was breastfeeding the new baby, little Antonio, while waiting for Abuela Alma to arrive.

"Mama." Mirabel pulled on Julieta's sleeve to get her mother's attention.

"Yes sweetheart?" Julieta smiled kindly.

"I just… Didn't there used to be someone else sitting at the table too?" Mirabel asked.

Suddenly there was absolute quiet. Dead quiet from one moment to the next. Everyone was looking at Mirabel.

Julieta swallowed. "What do you mean sweetheart?" she asked.

"There used to be a man. Right?" Mirabel asked. "And it's his door that doesn't actually light up… It's a bit away from the others. He used to be here, right?"

Again there was stunned silence.

"Oh she means Bruno." commented Dolores, her slightly older cousin.

"Mirabel!" Pepa suddenly snapped. "We don't talk about Bruno."

Mirabel blinked. "Why?" she asked. "He was here right? And then he wasn't? What happened?"

"Mirabel. Sweetie." Julieta swallowed as she put a hand on her daughter's lap. "It's true you had a Tio Bruno but… we don't talk about it," she said. "Especially not when your Abuela is in the room."

Mirabel blinked.

"Dear… You have to promise me." Julieta said. "When your Abuela is here. Don't talk about him. Can you do that for me?"

Cold ran up Mirabel's back. The way everyone was so quiet and took it so seriously. It made it all sound so scary and she nodded, intimidated.

"Thank you, darling." Julieta kissed her beloved daughter on the forehead and Mirabel swallowed.

That afternoon Mirabel looked at their family tree again. There was a portrait of Bruno there. Standing between mother Julieta and Tia Pepa.

There was a door like the others had, but it didn't light up like the others… And it was boarded up. Tio Felix said it was very dangerous to go in there… So don't even try.

And don't talk about Bruno. That was the rule. Don't ask about him. Don't say his name. Just… Don't talk about him.

Why was it like that though? Why couldn't you even talk about him? It hadn't always been like that though.

There had been a time when Bruno had been as important as anyone in the family... To the family.

No one had ever said it was easy being a single mother.

Perhaps then try being a single mother of triplets! Barely just above twenty years old. And already this young woman had seen her old home burned to the ground. Her parents dragged away never to be seen again. And her husband… The love of her life and the father of her children. Killed… right in front of her eyes.

So now young Alma Madrigal was all alone in a big house with three babies who had yet to speak their first word or take their first step.

But Alma didn't mind… Of course it was a lot of diapers and a lot of bottle feeding. Her poor breasts didn't have enough milk for three small miracles.

They were Her miracles though. And Alma Madrigal loved her triplets with all of her heart and then some.

Julieta, Pepita and little Brunito. When they smiled at Alma her heart sang. The warmth spread through her body and every hardship and every tear had been worth these smiles.

These three smiles that each reminded her of Pedro. They had that same warmth and that light in their eyes.

Her miracles were… Perfect.

The triplets were rarely ever apart. They would snuggle up to each other in their crib. As toddlers, they would continue to snuggle up in the same big blanket.

Brunito in particular hated to sleep alone. And Julieta, always the caretaker, would often make sure that her brother was tucked in just right.

Pepina was quite the tornado, so full of energy and emotion as she ran around the house.

You think being the single mother of three babies is hard? Try being the single mother of three four-year-olds!

Now all the children would run all around the house. Shout and scream at each other, swing from the balconies, jump on the couch. It was chaos!

"PEPITA! Get down from there!" Alma demanded. "Now! Julieta, I know you just want to help but there is flour everywhere! How did you get it from the kitchen to the veranda anyway! DON'T TOUCH THE EGGS! Brunito! You're covered in mud! Clean yourself up before going inside the house!"

And of course, there were three children all wanting their mother's attention but only one mom and it could become stressful.

"MAMMA! MAMMA! Look! I made a cake!"

"That's very nice Julieta." Alma grimaced over the cake that looked like a crater and had made the entire house smell like burned ashes.

"Mama! LOOK AT THE CLOUDS! Aren't they cool?!"

"Yes Pepita. The clouds are cool." Alma sighed.

"Do you think maybe it'll rain? Can I go out if it rains?"

"NO!" Alma shouted. "No you can't!" and then the little boy came.

"Mama! Will you watch a telenovela with me? I can't wait to see what happens next!"

"I would love to Brunito, but I need to clean up the kitchen after Julieta." Alma groaned.

"But Mama! You said you would watch last time and then you fell asleep!" Bruno begged while pulling her hand.

And Julieta pulled the other and Pepita pulled in her skirt.

"Mama!" "Mama!" "MAMAA!"

"QUIEEEEEEEET!" Alma suddenly shouted. Shocked, all three children stood back.

"You are all growing up now. You need to behave!" Alma demanded. "Julieta! If you want to bake you must clean up after yourself! Pepita! When watching clouds you clean yourself before going inside! I don't want mud in the house! Brunito you can watch your telenovela but I don't want to hear a sound from you while it's on! And if you three don't behave there will be consequences. Understood?"

Frightened, all three children looked at Alma then slowly nodded. And finally… For what seemed like the first time in four years Alma had a bit of quiet. As the children all left she just sunk down on her knees. Relishing the calm in her head.

A little afterwards Alma did feel the guilt. She walked into the living room to watch a last little bit of a Telenova with Bruno. It was a nice way to relax.

Only to be met with the most precious thing Alma had ever seen.

Her three small miracles sitting on the couch. All tucked up and asleep leaning against each other and cuddled up in the same big green blanket.

Bruno was sitting in the middle, snoring, with his wild dark curls obscuring his face.

Pepita was using his shoulder as a head rest. A small line of drool traveled from her mouth and landed on Brunitos collar bone.

And then there was Julietta almost laying on her back as her head was on Bruno's lap.

Alma's heart melted on the spot… and with a smile she quietly turned the television off

She looked at her children again with a smile on her face. Gently Alma raised the blanket just a bit to cover Brunito's collar bone and then she kissed each of them on the forehead.

"My little miracles." she smiled at them and then quietly left the room. Only to go to her own room and her own bed to get a well-deserved afternoon nap before evening came and the children would be running around everywhere again.

"Dios mío." Alma sighed deeply as her head hit the bed and she was out like a light.

Little did any of them know. This was nothing... It was not easy being a single mother of three.

Try being the single mother of three who each had a magic gift.