The Lost Miracle

Chapter 30: The Found Miracle

 Alejandro's lips curled up into a relieved smile below his furrowed brow. He glanced at Abuela Alma, making his lips flatten to a frown. He ran to his fiance and cradled her cheek in his hand.

"Corazon," he asked. "are you okay?" Mira smiled awkwardly from the intimate interaction happening just a few steps away from her abuela.

"Yes..." she answered, elongating the "Y" in the word. "Ah- I'm fine," she took his hands in hers and stepped towards her Abuela. "Alejandro, this is my Abuela Alma," She smiled at him and turned her gaze to the elder. "Abuela, esto es Alejandro, mi prometido." Alma smiled and stepped towards the two. She held Alejandro's hand and smiled.

"Hola, senõra," he said with a confused smile.

"Gracias por cuidarla de mi Mirabel," her smile faltered for a moment. "y lo siento por cuando no lo hice." Mirabel hugged her grandmother and looked at the woods, towards the Encanto. Alma followed her gaze and stepped in front of them. "Come," she said. "let us go back." She began walking back up the hill, her cane steadily holding her with each step. Mirabel was about to help her walk up, but Alejandro held her shoulder.

"I take it you guys are okay now?" He whispered. Mirabel smiled and patted the hand on her shoulder.

"More than okay." She answered. Andro shook his head and smiled and rushed up the hill, ushering Alma to let him help her. Mirabel smiled at the two above her, happy that her two lives seemed to be merging together. Two fabrics sewn into one .

•••

"Mama you can't do that!" Julieta said as Alma settled in the wooden kitchen chair. "You can barely walk and all of a sudden you want to go for a run in the woods!?" Julieta scolded her mother while Agustin served her aguapanela.

"Mija," Alma began. "I once traveled for three whole days with three babies in my arms. I think I can handle the forest." Julieta turned around to face the wall and rolled her eyes. She couldn't count the times her and her siblings heard this lecture on both hands. "Our girl's safe. Can't you just be happy about that?"

"Mama, it's my job to worry about Mirabel." Julieta argued.

"Yes well," Alma looked out the window where the rest of the family and Alejandro had gathered. "I had something important I had to do." She paused for a moment. "For mi nieta." She hobbled out through the door and out onto the dry grass, now barren from the previous day's dew drops. As she walked up, the others noticed and quickly took their seats. She stood at the head of the table, Julieta and Agustin to her left, along with their oldest daughters and their nephew and his wife, and Mirabel and Alejandro to her right.

Bruno sat next to Alejandro, who had decided that of Mirabel's tios, Bruno was his favorite. Thought he'd never say it. Next to Bruno was Dolores and Mariano with their children sandwiched between them. Felix sat next to his son in law and across from his wife who chatted happily with her daughter in law. At the opposing end of the table, quietly sat Antonio, sliding bits of his food to the birds that swoop behind his seat.

"Now familia," Alma began. "We have many things to discuss. But most excitingly-" her eyes lit up with excitement. "There's a wedding that's to be planned!"