The Lost Miracle

Chapter 34: A New Miracle

Isabella stared at the still plant. Pepa smiled at the cloudy sky. Luisa's attempt to lift the donkey was unsuccessful. Dolores could only hear the murmurs around her. The Madrigal gifts were not back, but Casita was. The magic was not back, a new magic has arrived.

Abuela Alma followed her youngest granddaughter into the house and the floor boards tilted, sliding her into the home. "Mirabel," Alma said "you are a candle holder." Mirabel's breath shook as she turned to face her grandmother.

"Abuela I..." Mirabel could not find the words, she could barely find the emotions that she was feeling at the moment. "I... I don't know what to say..." Alma took her granddaughter in her arms, embracing her face after the hug.

"Say that you will always help those around you-" Mirabel interrupted her.

"I'll earn this miracle that found me." Mirabel tried to finish determinedly.

"Corazon, you've already earned this miracle..." Alma said. "And I know you will always help those around you. It was written into your heart since you were a young girl that you would aid anyone in need. I've seen what you've done to this town and I remember how you helped your sisters." Alma took her hands and sandwiched the crook of her elbow, walking her through the house. "Say that you will always help those around you, especially the ones who will be opening these doors. Make them feel wanted and loved and..." Alma sucked in her tears, not wanting to ruin the special moment. "Be better. Mirabel, vow that you won't be like me."

"Abuela," Mirabel began. "I can't do that. I can't vow to you that I won't be a strong, fantastic woman who created a beautiful family. A woman who's hard work and dedication kept this miracle burning. Because that is the woman that I want to be."

•••

Antonio clutched the messily wrapped gift in his hand as he watched his prima dance across the floor of her new home. He did not care for tearing tio or his sobbing cousins. His focus was on her smile. Antonio raced through his mind, searching and scanning for the last time he saw a smile like that from Mirabel, a genuine smile. Not one of pity or one that was painted on her daily mask, but true smile of happiness. He could not find it. He couldn't think of a time when he saw her truly smiling. But this one, the smile that would morph into a grin before her lips reconnected to that smile.

Antonio smiled. It took him a minute but he realized he was smiling and wiped it off his face. But he was still joyous. His cousin was happy. He finally understood why she left. She simply wanted to be happy. She wanted to smile like this all the time, and now she can.

The boy looked down at the present in his hands and ran out of the house. He couldn't possibly give something so careless to his cousin! He turned the corner and ran into Alejandro's sister.

"Oh, hi Antonio!" She said. Antonio internally cringed at the realization that he did not know this woman's name.

"Uh, hey!" He began. "What's going on?"

"I was just going to get the gift I got for Mira and my brother." Mercedes answered. She looked down at the tattered present in the boy's hand. "Oh, is that yours?" She asked.

"Yea-" Antonio began, stopping himself. "Err, no- ugh!" Antonio gripped the gift in his hands. "It was her gift but I- I can't give this to her!" Mercedes surprised look from the sudden outburst softened.

"C'mon," She said, nodding her head towards her house. "I think we can salvage it before the sunsets..."

•••

"Mama, Pa, thank you so much!" Mirabel said as she hugged her mother.

"It's truly beautiful," Alejandro agreed. He flipped the pages through the teal journal, handwritten recipes scribed in Julieta's loopy handwriting along with heartfelt sketches of the different ingredients at the corners of each page. "Uh, wait- the last pages are blank..."

"Yes, those are for you two," Julieta said. Agustin curled his arm around the curve of her back and finished the explanation.

"When you two make a special recipe with your family, write it down in there."

"Oh Pa, that's so sweet!" Mirabel walked around the table and hugged her father, Andro following close behind her.

"Who's next?" Alejandro asked as he let go of his father in law.

"I thought my parents were last?" Mirabel asked.

"Actually," Mercedes cut in. "There is one more..." She stepped aside to reveal Antonio, nervously holding a long rectangular box that was tied with a rainbow of strings. Mirabel's face changed from one of excitement to one of questioning. Alejandro's face matched, looking more disgusted than confused. He remembered how the boy guilted his Mirabel into going back home, and while it had ended well, there was a haunting question in the back of his mind. What if it didn't?

"Here," He shyly handed the box to his cousin. She accepted it and pulled away the yarn, letting it fall behind her onto a table and lifting up the top of the box. She set the top of the box beneath the bottom and pulled out a handwoven blanket, teal blues stitched with ivory whites danced along the fabric. The ends of the blanket had pink tassels, which matched Mirabel's favorite part of it. The butterflies.

Magenta pink butterflies were sewn along the skies of the fabric. Although they were honestly horribly made, the yarn uneven on almost all of them and one was notably horrendous, it even being a darker purple than the rest, it was obvious that there was love stitched in the clouds of the blanket. Mirabel handed the blanket to her groom and set the box on the table, running to her primo and smothering him in a bear hug.

"...Am I forgiven?" Antonio asked.

"Absolutely." Mirabel answered. Antonio closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his prima, finally understanding her.