13. Dolores and Julieta

Julieta sat on her bed, staring at her hands. Her tears had long been spent, and she knew that she would be in for a rough conversation with her husband.

Mirabel was back. She was just down the hall. She was back in their home, back in their family. She was here, and Julieta knew she would never be able to give her up again.

She knew she should have told Agustin. She knew that he loved Mirabel more than anything. She knew she had screwed up. But now, now that the biggest issue in their family was right in front of them, she wouldn't hide anymore.

She waited patiently, wringing her hands, she wished she had some sort of dough in her hands that she could knead. She just wanted to be useful. She just wanted... to get this over. She just wanted to get the most difficult conversation she'd ever had out of the way.

Her eyes flew to the bedroom door, and she stiffened as her husband walked into their room. Agustin had wet eyes, and he slumped down next to her and threw his arms around her waist. He pressed his face into her neck and she felt her own tears start to build up in her eyes.

“Agustin...” she said softly, guilt building up inside her. “I... I need to tell you something...” Her husband stiffened, and looked up into her eyes.

“Julieta...” he began, and tried to press his lips against hers.

She shook her head away from him. “No... Agustin... Please... listen to me.” she hit him with the most pleading eyes she had, and pushed him away from her gently.

Agustin sat up, and nodded slowly. He was always so sweet. So understanding. So... normal and dear and... Dios Mio, she was falling in love again with him every time she stared into his eyes.

She remembered him holding Mirabel as a baby, and the love and adoration he had for her. She remembered, remembered trying to tell him that Mirabel was okay, that Julieta had let Bruno take her. That she was gone for her own safety.

But he always told her to not speak about it. That later would be better, once the painful feelings had died down a bit. That they should focus on the positive. That it wasn't Julieta's fault. That... that... they should just try to be happy...

She hadn't meant this to happen. She just wanted to protect her family.

“Agu- Agustin...” her voice was choked up and breaking as she tried to explain a distant yet clear memory. She gazed into his face, trying to maintain this caring expression in her memory. He would have every right to stop loving her when she told him the truth. He would have every right to get up and leave.

“Agustin... Bruno never kidnapped Mirabel.” Julieta let her statement hang in the air. Agustin was still, his face was pale and he leaned towards her. “What?” he asked under his breath, and Julieta felt like crying.

She bit her bottom lip, then continued, “Bruno never kidnapped Mirabel... because he got my permission to take her.” Agustin's eyes went wide, and his mouth hung open. He stared at her in pure shock, and she went on with her tale. “Bruno came to me the night... the night Mirabel didn't get her gift. He said that she was in danger... and told me he was leaving.”

His brown eyes stared into hers, searching... scanning... for the answers. Answers that she would have to give.

“You... let him take her?” He asked, sounding completely heartbroken. His hand, previously resting on top of hers, was jerked away, left on top of his thigh. Julieta nodded, wiping a tear from her eye.

They sat there in silence, then Julieta said quietly, “I never... I didn't... I tried... I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you so badly... But... There was never a right time...”

Agustin's eyes fell to the floor, and he looked ready to get up and storm out of the room. Julieta knew that she didn't deserve forgiveness. She knew that she should have told him years ago. She knew... that she was the biggest screwup in the family.

“Alright,” Agustin said, standing up and starting to pace the floor in a small circle. “Now I want to murder him less... Did you tell him to replace me?”

Julieta gasped. She'd never even thought of that before. She had trusted her brother to tell Mirabel the truth. The very notion was absurd. “No!” she said, standing up to join her husband. “To be honest I didn't tell him much. I told Mirabel that I loved her... and then Abuela...”

Her husband stopped his pacing right in front of her and stared her down. She felt dirty, like she was covered in soot and ashes. She stared at Agustin, the man she married, the man she had had three children with, the man she loved more than life itself... and he looked... disappointed... in her.

“Julieta...” he said, then grabbed her hands. “I... I don't know... wow.”

They stayed that way for a minute, then Agustin dropped her hands and took a step backward. “I need to go... I need to be alone for a while.” Julieta found herself nodding. She knew that Agustin needed to be alone... but she didn't want to be. She wanted nothing more than to fling herself into his arms and beg for forgiveness.

Instead she watched him leave their bedroom, and felt the world grow a little darker.

Cracks formed in the inky blackness.

Dolores showed Mirabel the rest of her room. Consisting of a room full of non-journal/secret-keeping books, complete with ceiling-high bookshelves and window looking out on the town, a bedroom, decorated with soundwaves that matched the pattern on Dolores's shirt, and a room that was nothing but a green field with a stream running through it.

Dolores, though not as calm and relaxed as when she was in the muffling room, seemed very glad to be in the stream room. She explained that it had formed when she was twelve, and she had needed a new space to escape to. The grass and water made the perfect sensory dullers, while allowing her to still hear things.

They lay down on the grass, staring at the dark sky that reflected the actual night sky. Mirabel was so relaxed she started to drift off.

She was nearly fast asleep when she felt Dolores grab her arm.

She sat up instantly, grabbing her glasses from the pocket of her skirt. “Wha- What's wrong? What do I need to punch?” She held up her fists, and blinked at her cousin, who was now covering her ears.

“Dolores? Are you okay?” Mirabel asked, uncurling her fists and placing a hand on Dolores's shoulder. Her cousin shook her head, and then stood up.

Mirabel followed her a second later, and Dolores started walking towards the door of the room. “Hey!” Mirabel shouted, chasing after her. “Where are you going?”

“There's something wrong...” Dolores said, but her voice sounded... off... like she couldn't hear what she was saying. Mirabel blinked at her, then responded in a quizzical tone, “Whaaaat... do you mean?”

“It's like at Antonio's ceremony...” Dolores answered, throwing open the door and walking out. “My ears are ringing... I'm going to get some of Tia Julieta's food...”

Mirabel followed her blindly, not really knowing what else to do. They left Dolores's room behind completely, and then she stood in the breezeway flabbergasted.

There were cracks... everywhere.

“Dolores...” she said, concern seeping through her voice. “Is this... normal?” Dolores seemed to be in just as much shock as Mirabel and turned towards her, hands still firmly over her ears. She shook her head, and then began walking faster towards Julieta's side of the house.

Mirabel followed her, and soon they were right in front of Julieta's room. She was about to knock when the door was flung open wide and Agustin was found, breathing hard and looking flustered.

“Dolores! Mirabel!” he said, then cringed quite noticeably. “What are you doing?”

The two girls were left speechless for a moment, then Dolores said in a quick voice, “I need to get something from Tia Julieta... Mirabel's just with me...” She smiled at Agustin, then winced, clamping her hands over her ears again.

Agustin nodded dumbly, then pushed past the two cousins. Dolores stared at him as he left, and Mirabel shifted awkwardly for a moment. Then the two of them entered Julieta's room and Mirabel felt herself in awe at how... homely it felt.

This was what Papá felt like. That warm feeling of being completely safe and secure. It was a room that made you feel like you were being hugged as soon as you walked into it.

Dolores was rushing over to a room that held a mini kitchen, and Mirabel watched as she grabbed an empanada off of a small plate and took a big bite of it.

Mirabel walked over to her cousin and stared at the plate full of empanadas. It looked... exactly like the plates Casa would bring them. That didn't mean anything, right? That couldn't mean... Maybe Casa and Casita came with these plates...

But the food that Casa brought always made them feel better instantly... Papá always said that it was like Julieta was back with them... Casa hadn't... stolen Julieta's food... right?

“That's better...” Dolores said, closing her eyes and leaning back against the counter. Mirabel nodded, then froze as Dolores stiffened.

“What is it?” she whispered, and Dolores blinked twice before crossing the room and saying, “Tia Julieta is... crying.” Mirabel's eyes widened, and she followed her cousin towards another room, this time watching Dolores knock.

After a quick tap from Dolores Julieta was at the door. Her eyes were puffy, and there were tears still on her cheeks, but she smiled at the two girls. Julieta glanced at Mirabel, then back at Dolores. “Are you okay?” she asked, and Dolores shook her head.

“My ears hurt again,” she said, and Julieta's eyes widened. She wiped her eyes, then started to make her way out of her room. “I'll make you some-” Dolores cut her off with a shake of her head. “I already ate... I just heard you crying. Are you okay?”

Julieta's eyes went to Mirabel, and she nodded. “I'm fine... there's just... a lot that happened today.” She smiled at Mirabel and sighed deeply.

Mirabel felt extremely uncomfortable. She wished she could just go into the walls and get lost forever. She was happy she'd met her family... but she wished she hadn't brought these awful emotions to them. She made Agustin angry, Julieta sad... Her family was...

Better off without her?

Would she be better off with just Bruno?

Was this how they had felt before they left?

Should... should she just go back? Was there anything actually wrong with the magic? How could she figure that out?

The image of the cracks came back to her. She couldn't put that kind of pressure on Julieta, not after what she had already done to her. She was surprised that Julieta wasn't on the ground already. If Papá was in her position he'd probably be in an involuntary vision...

She just wanted him there to explain everything.

She grabbed Dolores's hand and was about to apologize to Julieta for upsetting her when her cousin said, “There's something wrong. There's... there's... cracks. Everywhere.”

Julieta's eyes widened. Her sad features were completely replaced by fear. “Cracks?” she asked breathlessly. Dolores nodded, and said, “We'll show you.” Julieta nodded, and Mirabel was dragged along by her cousin back out to the breezeway.

The two cousins stared in shock at the place that had been very broken just moments before. Casita was perfect once again. The two of them had their mouth's hanging open as Julieta glanced around, obviously looking for the cracks they had mentioned.

“What... They were everywhere!” Dolores said, and Mirabel nodded. “Yeah Tia Julieta,” Mirabel said, motioning around the house. “There were cracks here and there... What happened to them? Where did they go!?”

Julieta sighed deeply, and she said calmly, “I think we should all go to bed. We're very tired... and... and... emotionally wrung out...”

Mirabel shook her head. “No. They were... You've got to believe us! I think that's what Papá-” She stopped as she saw Julieta wince. She closed her mouth and stared at the floor.

She felt a warm hand cup her cheek, and she looked back up at Julieta, her eyes full of love. “Mirabel... I believe you. I don't think you and Dolores would lie about something like this. I know... I know you wouldn't do that.”

Mirabel felt tears start to build up in her eyes. Julieta smiled at her and said, “You should get some sleep. If you want I could...”

“Mirabel's staying in my room tonight.” Dolores said, gaining Julieta's attention. Julieta sighed in relief and said, “Thank you Dolores. Now, I... We'll figure all this out tomorrow... Or... later. I think it's tomorrow already.” She pulled Mirabel into a quick hug, which left her flustered, then said, “Buenos noches, get some rest... Breakfast will most likely be at the normal time... Dolores will get you up in time.”

Julieta let her go, then told Dolores, “And we'll figure out what's going on with your gift later.”

Mirabel knew that when Julieta made a promise like that it would come true. Papá said that there was nothing that Julieta couldn't fix.

And she would always believe that.