camera shy (camilo madrigal)

chapter 5

"The Family Madrigal"

"Y/N— Are you done?" Mama stepped outside to see you sulking while petting Bianca the donkey. The smell of the bunuelos reached Bianca and Bruno Jr, which caused them to abandon their petting session to sniff at the plate of food. Mama had to gently swat them away.

"I can't find it." You sigh, still sulking. "We'll be able to find it later, after the party." You sigh. "But there isn't a crowd to impress later.." is what you wanted to say. But you held your tongue. "Now, let's go meet Bruno and your new friend Mirabel, hm?" You nod. "Yes Mama." Maybe they won't notice the state of your naked face.

As you approached the house, your eyes opened wider. What the hell? What was this? The door to the house was.. glowing?!

An image of Mirabel holding a candle with a smile on her face was engraved into it, emitting a gentle golden glow from within. Her family stood behind her in the image, all joyous. The glowing seemed to pulse, like it was alive. You stared at it in wonder and shock at the same time.

Was this what Mirabel meant by her unique family situation? You reached out a shaky hand to touch it when— "You're here!" Mirabel opens the door with a smile. You exclaimed in shock and stumbled back a bit. Your mother simply laughed and came forward.

"Thank you for holding this celebration in honour of us two. We are truly honoured to have this." Mama smiled gracefully. She was the most beautiful woman in her hometown, capturing many hearts in her youth. She aged like fine wine too. Mirabel grinned. "We're just happy to have new people here, especially friends of tio Bruno!"

Just then you realised something. "Mom, how come you're not as affected by the weird glowing door as much as you are?" A little bit of embarrassment seemed to show on her face as she answered. "Well.. I never told you but Bruno had magic. He could tell the future. In fact his whole family has magical abilities. They're known as gifts."

Wait what?

Mirabel chuckled awkwardly. "So yeah! That's what I meant by what I said this afternoon." Your jaw dropped and you were unable to close it. "HOW COME YOU NEVER TOLD ME?! THIS IS SUCH A HUGE THING!" You couldn't help the words from spilling out.

Blushing, you shrunk back and cleared your throat. "Never mind. That still doesn't explain the door." Mirabel grabbed your hand then. It was warm. "Let me explain that." She then pulled you and your mother into the house where you saw several other people who looked like her somewhat doing several tasks in it.

Was that lady lifting a piano? WITH ONE ARM?! THAT GIRL JUST GREW FLOWERS OUT OF NOWHERE?! You watched in awe as Mirabel's family members went about party preparations.

There was a woman around your mom's age with a cloud hovering over her head. A man following her saying comforting words. A woman who just healed a man with an arepa. It was almost unreal. "Oh my god I think I might faint." Mirabel laughed but also panicked at your statement.

"Please don't." She took you up the stairs, leaving your mother to walk around and make conversation with the adults. Several glowing doors lined the balcony. Each had an image of a person engraved into it. "When one of us Madrigals come of age, we get a gift ceremony. In that ceremony, we gain our gifts and a room of our own." So the doors were rooms of ever Madrigal who had a gift.

You stared at it, absorbing all of this new information. As Mirabel went on, you began to understand. The image on a madrigal door represented the gift of that person. Also, her house was sentient and was named Casita. After having a cup of water, you quickly realised that your life here was never going to be the same again.

"Mirabel. Your family is insane."