Encanto: After

But Words Lie

Time: 09:11 AM

"Isa, you're daughter wants your attention."

Isabela kicked and ruffled through the blanket, methodically uncovering her flushed face from the folds: her skin - needing the whole damn sea to cleanse it; her hair - it was mum hair at it's finest. Isa scrambled with the blanket until eventually unveiling herself completely. Her little daughter's little fist pounding on her leg bruised it numb after the first couple little hits - so excuse her not getting to her little daughter in a timely fashion - and excuse this excuse.

Isabela sat up and fumed, "Could you please stop hitting me, Belle? That'd be very much appreciated.", as if in a flash fire, the tiny girl's reflexes came in and she quickly sent her small, slightly chubby hand back to herself - shining a face puffing with restlessness. "What is it?"

Little Belle flicked through her notebook for a blank space to write on, then dribbled on whatever she was thinking, and held it up high for her mother to read, 'I need your flowers to make my notebook look pretty.', her eyes sparkled citrine.

Isa scanned the walls and floor of her room: filled with glaring green and orange and navy and every other infinite colour of the universe - and no - her humble box wasn't drenched with bright flowers in every crevice like a decade ago - but last time she checked - there were plants everywhere. Her room was a plant oasis - and she came to her.

Isabela hopped off from the mattress and stood at her mirror, beginning to comb her luscious hair straight away, and as she did, she felt a calming sensation rush over her, "Sweetie, you can pick anything in this room and nobody cares."

Another one of small Belle's sentences popped up, now a reflection in the mirror, making it even more of a struggle to read, 'But it's better fresh.', and a heinous, little, innocent face cropped up. Another one.

"I think it'll look nice as a cover."
"If you do, I'll remember to wave at people when they come in."
"You know I'm not a people person."
"It'd be pretty - just like you!"

A small shock.

"Just...like...her?"

No. Isabela couldn't let those ugly faces and sounds torment her again. As much as the word stung, she could only pester and fester more lines from here - and anyways - she was a cute kid; her kid. How could she say no? Isabela put her palm out to her, and waved her over palm over it - and like that - a beautiful assortment of flowers: yellow roses, irises, gardenia, daisy, tulip. It was all there, "Choose.", Belle snatched the irises and yellow roses and gave her mother a faint smile before hurrying out like a mouse. Isabela disintegrated the others.

Arthur embraced her from behind, wrapping his arms around her lower back and poking belly, picking kisses at her neck and tracking his lips down to her shoulder, "Mhm. Morning."

Isabela lifted her chin up and let out a terrible roar, one that equaled even Mirabel's - which was an undoubtedly large feat, "It's still morning?", she asked groggily, trying to push Arthur back with the little energy she gathered from her sleep, "The plan was to oversleep!", she banged her head on the lilac desk.

Arthur pulled her up, his arms gone from her abs to her shoulders, and let his hands soothe and flow down her, "Well, you didn't get close to 10AM."

Isabela put her comb down and formed a vine, having it travel to her wardrobe, open the handle doors, and pick out any dress - this time it was a royal blue with a low skirt highlighted with green and yellow, then take it back to her. Isabela took her dress and started changing.

Once fitted, she twirled around her room...with no Arthur. He must have just left; he was already ready to go. That didn't matter. Isabela slipped her heels on and sprung out the door, lashing out a vine and latching on to it to be swung down to the empty foyer. She ran through the kitchen and outside into the garden where everyone was sat on the table: (well, except Sebastián - but he was never here anyways) Alma and Bruno at ends, Julieta, Arthur, Belle, Agustín, Carlos, Luisa, at one side, and Pepa, Félix, Camilo, Mirabel, Desirae, Álvaro, Dolores, Mariano and Antonio at the other side.