9. What Else can I do?

MIRABEL- "Isa? Hey. I know we had our issues, but I'm ready to be a better sister… to you."

"By faking that I care so I could fulfil a prophecy." Mirabel said in the same tone to her on-screen self.

"At least you can laugh at it." Bruno said.

"True."

MIRABEL- "So we should just, hug. Let's hug it out. Huh?"

ISABELA- "Hug it out? Luisa can't lift an empanada."

"Hey! I could to lift an empanada!" Luisa said, turning to her sister with a frown.

ISABELA- "Mariano's nose looks like a smashed papaya."

"For the record. That wasn't my fault. Let the records show that it was in fact yours miss perfecta." Mirabel sat up straight pulling a face and plumping her lips out.

"Why the British accent?" Isabela asked, referring to the second half of her statement.

"Don't know." She shrugged. "Just felt right."

ISABELA- "Have you lost your mind?"

MIRABEL- "Isa, I feel like you're upset. And you know what cures being upset? A warm embrace."

ISABELA- "Get. Out. Everything was perfect. Abuela was happy. The family was happy. You wanna be a better sister? Apologise for running my life! Go on. Apologise."

"Isabela, you didn't need to taunt." Her Mamá chided.

MIRABEL- "I. Am. Sorry."

"Was it really that hard to apologise to your sister?" Her Papá questioned, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes." All of the family, except for Abuela, Dolores and Félix, answered.

MIRABEL- "That your life is so great!"

"Way to get that hug Mira." Luisa laughed. "So how did it happen from there?"

ISABELA- "Out."

MIRABEL- "Wait. Fine. I apologise. I wasn't trying to ruin your life! Some of us have bigger problems, you selfish, entitled, princess!"

"Mirabel. That wasn't very nice. Name-calling is never the right thing. You never know what someone else is going through."

"Yes, Mamá." Mirabel apologised.

ISABELA- "Selfish! I've been stuck being perfect my whole entire life and literally, the only thing you've ever done for me is mess things up!"

MIRABEL- "Nothing is messed up! You can still marry that big dumb hunk!"

Mirabel could hear a few of the family laughing and the offended gasp that Dolores let slip.

"He is not dumb." Dolores defended.

ISABELA- "I never wanted to marry him! I was doing it for the family!"

As Isabela's rage with her youngest sister grew a small cactus appeared from beneath them.

"What!" The family yelled out.

"Oh… so that's how that happened." Camilo said, his hands gesturing around both Isabela and Dolores.

"Isabela, Mi flor. You didn't want to marry Mariano?" Agustín placed a hand on his eldest's.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Abuela stood up. "I never would have forced you. I may have been bad but not that bad."

"Because I didn't want to disappoint you. I'm the eldest grandchild. Everyone expects me to be perfect. I just… didn't want to let everyone down."

"Isabela, mi amour, you would never disappoint us for not loving someone. You know that right?" Her Mamá said.

"I know that now Mamá."

MIRABEL- "Oh my gosh. Isa, that is a very serious confession. Okay, get over here. Bring it in. Isa?"

"Really? Still trying for that hug?" Luisa shook her head in disbelief.

Isabela:

(Singing)

I just made something unexpected

Something sharp

Something new

Mirabel:

(Speaking)

Isa? Uh, this is the part where we…

Isabela:

(Singing)

It's not symmetrical or perfect

But it's beautiful

And it's mine

What else can I do?

Mirabel:

Wait! Bring it in, bring it in

Good talk! Bring it in, bring it in

(What else can I do?)

Let's walk! Bring it in, bring it in

Free hugs! Bring it in, bring it in

"Stop with the hugs Mirabel!" Luisa yelled.

Isabela:

I grow rows and rows of roses

Flor de mayo

By the mile

I make perfect, practiced poses

So much hides behind my smile

"Isa…" Her parents turned to her with a sad smile.

Julieta's deepened the longer the film went on. So she had failed all three of her little girls? How could she fail so badly as a mother?

Upon seeing her mother's upset state, Isabela placed her hand on her thigh.

"I'm so sorry, mi dulce chica." (My sweet girl.) A tear escaped Julieta's eyes.

"It's not your fault Mamá." Isabela reassured.

Isabela:

What could I do if I just grew what I was feeling in the moment?

(Do you know where you're going? Whoa!)

What could I do if I just knew it didn't need to be perfect?

It just needed to be? And they let me be?

A hurricane of jacarandas

Strangling figs (Big!)

Hanging vines (This is fine)

Palma de cera fills the air as I climb

And I push through

What else can I do?

Can I deliver us a river of sundew?

Careful, it's carnivorous, a little just won't do

I wanna feel the shiver of something new

I'm so sick of pretty

I want something true, don't you?

Mirabel:

You just seem like your life's been a dream

Since the moment you opened your eyes

(How far do these roots go down?)

All I know are the blossoms you grow

But it's awesome to see how you rise

Isabela & Mirabel:

How far can I rise?

Through the roof, to the skies

Let's go!

A hurricane of jacarandas (Whoo!)

Strangling figs (Go!)

Hanging vines (Grow!)

Palma de cera fills the air as I climb

And I push through

What else, what else?

What can you do when you are deeply, madly, truly in the moment?

(Seize the moment, keep goin')

What can you do when you know who you wanna be is imperfect?

Isabela gasped as she watched one of her plants hit Mariano in the nose once again.

"I'm assuming by your reaction that that wasn't intentional." Dolores pointed at the screen.

"No! Absolutely not!" Isabela defended herself. "I may never have wanted to have married him but I would never want to hurt either." She said.

"Looks like your plants have a mind of their own then." Félix shugged.

"Well…" Mirabel said. "One tried to literally eat me earlier so… unless Isa wanted to kill me or eat me…" She trailed off.

Isabela:

But I'll still be okay

Mirabel:

Hey, everybody clear the way (Whoo!)

I'm coming through with tabebuia

(She's coming through with that booyah!)

Making waves (Making waves)

Changing minds (You've changed mine)

The way is clearer 'cause you're here, and well

I owe this all to you

Isabela wrapped her sister up in a warm hug showing her gratitude.

"Oh. So that's how the hug happened." Luisa commented.

"Not bad girls." Bruno approved with a thumbs up.

Isabela:

What else can I do?

Mirabel:

Show 'em what you can do

Isabela:

What else can I do?

Mirabel:

There's nothing you can't do

Isabela:

What else can I do?

The two girls landed on a bed of flowers that Isabela had placed there for a soft landing.

ISABELA- "You're a bad influence."

She flicked a flower at her sister as the two laughed.

ABUELA- "What is going on?"

The girls froze as they heard their Abuela. Isabela more than Mirabel.

"Oh no…" They heard Abuela whisper.

MIRABEL- "Abuela, it's okay! Everything's… we're gonna save the miracle! The magic…"

ABUELA- "What are you talking about? Look at our home! Look at your sister!"

"Girls, I am so sorry." Abuela said.

MIRABEL- "Please, just... Isabela wasn't happy! And she didn't-"

ABUELA- "Of course she isn't happy. You ruined her proposal."

"I should have just listened for once." She continued to apologise.

MIRABEL- "No, no, no. She needed me to ruin her proposal. And then we did all of this. And the candle burned brighter and the cracks… "

ABUELA- "Mirabel."

MIRABEL- "That's why I'm in the vision. I'm saving the miracle!"

ABUELA- "You have to stop Mirabel!"

Bruno, next to Mirabel, let out a large breath as the tension raised to breaking point.

ABUELA- "The cracks started with you. Bruno left, because of you."

"Woah. Hold on just a second." Bruno said as he stood up. "How could you say that Mamá?" Bruno asked, anger clear in his voice.

"Tío… It's okay." Mirabel tried to reason, tugging on his hand to pull him back down to his seat.

"No. It's not okay Mirabel. How could you let her think it was her fault?" Bruno insisted.

"Tío, she's already apologised. It's okay. I swear."

"I mean…" Pepa's voice piped up. "It kinda was."

"Pepa!" Julieta seethed.

"What?" Pepa raised her hands defensively.

"It wasn't Mirabel's fault!" Bruno yelled. "I made that choice! I chose to leave!"

"Because of the vision about her." Pepa added.

"It doesn't make it her fault!"

"Bruno…" Julieta tried to calm her brother. As always, she played mediator between her younger siblings.

"No! How can you guys sit there and act like what Mamá just said was right?"

"Tío, it's really okay. Words said in anger, that's all, she didn't mean it."

"No. She meant it! How long have you been treating her like this?" He pressed.

No response.

"How long?" He yelled eye louder as his eyes began to glow a dim green.

"We have never treated her like that Bruno! It was a one-time thing. A one-time thing that I will forever regret. And I am so sorry."

The screen flashed behind them.

"Bruno left because of you!"

It repeated before skipping again.

"Tía Pepa? Did I do something wrong?" A young Mirabel asked, as her Tía was creating a small hurricane.

"Did you do something wrong?" Pepa said in disbelief. "Look around Mirabel! Everything is wrong and Bruno is gone!" She yelled.

"I'm sorry." Mirabel flinched as she shrunk in on herself.

"Oh, 'I'm sorry.'." Pepa mocked. "My brother is gone because of you and all you have to say is sorry?" A strong wind blew, knocking Mirabel over.

"Pepa!" Julieta yelled at her sister. "How could you do that? She was five!"

Pepa stared at the screen in disbelief, shocked that she had done such a thing to her niece.

"I… I…" She started. "It's not like you didn't!" She yelled, obviously trying to find an out

"I did not!"

Flash.

"Mami… am I in trouble for not getting a gift?"

"No Mirabel."

"Then why is everyone so mad at me?" She asked as tears filled her eyes.

"They're not mad at you. They are just upset."

"Because I didn't get a gift?" Her voice quivered.

"No Mira. Because your Tío Bruno is missing. And they are all blaming you. Everyone is just jumping to conclusions."

"Is it my fault Mami? I'm sorry."

"No. It's… well…" Julieta stuttered, trying to find what to say. "I don't know Mirabel." She didn't sound angry just… lost. Hurt.

"I didn't want Tío Bruno to go away. I can go away instead if that will make everyone happy."

"Mirabel just stop okay. You don't need to go away amour. It's not… it's just…" She let out a small breath. "Please." She looked up at the sky "I can't do this right now."

Once again another flash and the screen was back to its original state.

"How could you treat her like that!" Bruno yelled as he slightly began to levitate off the ground. "She was just a child! She didn't do anything!"

"We just lost our brother Bruno!" Pepa yelled. "Hate us all you want but we just lost our brother. And no one knew why. You didn't even leave a note."

Pepa let her tears pour down her tears as the storm cloud above her soaked her clothes.

"You disappeared and left us behind wondering why." She cried.

Bruno stopped and dropped back down to the ground as his eyes returned to normal.

He watched as his sister dropped to her knees and sobbed. She couldn't say anything. He couldn't say anything.

Now it was Julieta's turn.

"Pepa's right Bruno." She started. Before he could protest she carried on. "She's not right when saying that it's okay we treated Mirabel like that because it's not. But that's not what she meant."

She walked up to him.

"Bruno, we lost our little brother. We didn't know what had happened. Or where you went. We didn't even know if you were okay. We didn't even get to say goodbye. We spent every day together ever since we were born. Then, suddenly a piece of us was gone. We were lost, angry, sad, confused." Her voice broke as she spoke, doing her best to hold in tears.

"We just wanted our brother back." She said as she fell into his arms holding onto him tight.