Careful What You Wish For, Abuela

Pepa

Day 2

Pepa wasn't too keen on the plan. She really wasn't. But, she agreed to it anyway.

To avoid suspicion most of the family would go into town like normal. Pepa would let Antonio talk Cas into going to catch frogs with him at the river, with Pepa to supervise. With everyone gone Camilo would sneak into Cas' room to look around.

Dolores seemed convinced Cas was hiding something. Whether that was her knowing how to get Mirabel back or something else she wasn't sure but something seemed off with this new Madrigal.

Regardless, Pepa was now walking behind Cas and Antonio as they were heading to the river. Though honestly Pepa was starting to hate walking behind the two. Pepa's eyes keep drifting to the hourglass on the back of Cas' ruana.

Yesterday she had been too in shock to really study the girl but now she was over analyzing everything about her. Her straight hair tied in a short ponytail today, the way she would occasional fiddle with her glasses, but mostly the gold hourglass that was displayed proudly on the back on the ruana for everyone to see.

Thinking about it hurt her heart, the hourglasses had always been Bruno's symbol. But Cas seemed to also use it. Was there something connecting them?

"Is...Is Bruno around in your world?"

That seemed to cause Cas to stumble a little as she glanced back surprised, "What?"

"Bruno is around in your world?" Pepa again softly.

"No. Tio Bruno left cause he hated how he was treated. He thought he wasn't helping the family," Cas muttered sadly, "At least that's what Abuela told me."

Funny, Pepa thought her Mama tried to blame it on Mirabel. That Bruno had a vision about the future concerning Mirabel and disappeared afterwards. Obviously Agustin and Julieta had been quick to shut that down. Logically Pepa knew it wasn't little Mirabel's fault but sometimes her mother's words come back that Bruno must have left because of his vision about Mirabel.

They continued as Antonio rambled on about what frogs he hoped to catch and what he was going to name them.

Pepa watched Cas interact with her youngest son. It was different from Mirabel, Mirabel would have her arms swinging as she skipped along, a bright wide smile on her face, and asking Antonio questions about all the frogs. Cas had her hands in her pockets, a small smile on her face, and was just quietly listening to the boy occasionally nodding. The lack of Mirabel was becoming more noticeable.

A dark cloud was above Pepa but she decided to ignore it and so did Cas.

Felix was being optimistic. He was sure Mirabel would return in no time, maybe they just needed to learn a lesson or get to know Cas. Pepa hoped her husband was right.

Eventually they got to the river and Antonio tried to run immediately into the river but he seemed to slow down, surprising Pepa.

Cas' hand was up and she walked over and snatched him before he started moving normally again.

"No fair! You used your gift," Antonio grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, Mateo and Jaime say the same thing," Cas replied as she walked back to Pepa, "Shoes and socks off first."

Pepa noted the names Cas said in her head but drew a blank on who they could be. She didn't know anyone in town with that name, "Aye, Tonito. I don't want to hear anything about squishy shoes on the way home."

Antonio pouted as he sat down and took them off with his mother's help.

Cas nodded as she removed her shoes as well as her ruana and wrist watch she was wearing and put them next to Pepa. She then rolled up her shelves and her pants legs. Another thing that was different from Mirabel. Mirabel would have jumped into the water not a care for if she got wet or not.

Pepa watched as Antonio dragged Cas into the river. Cas was very careful with him. Very different than the annoyed look she had yesterday when she said she had to babysit him. What had changed?

Pepa thundered at the thought and to distract herself she started folding Cas' ruana but paused as the watch fell. She picked it up and studied it. It was rather large, it had a gold butterfly and heart intertwined on the face and had a well worn brown band around it. She flipped it over and saw some words on it and gasped as she read it.

To Pedro,

You'll always be our Miracle

Love, Mama & Papa

Was...was this her father's watch? Did her father have a watch? Why did Cas get it out of them? This was so confusing.

"Ouch! Wah!"

Pepa dropped the watch and turned to see Cas carrying Antonio out of the river as he held his knee crying. She thundered loudly as ran forward, "My baby, what happened?"

"Sorry, Tia," Cas apologized as she put the crying boy in Pepa's arms, "he slipped when I was putting the frogs in the bucket."

Pepa started soothing the boy, "Accidents happen I suppose. Come on Antonio, let's go see your Tia Julieta to heal this."

"I'll go take your frogs to Casita okay, Tonito? That way they're waiting for you when you get home," Cas smiled at the boy and ruffled his hair .

In that moment Cas looked also exactly like Mirabel with that same smile. Antonio nodded as he hugged his mother.

Pepa sighed and looked at Cas, "See you at home, sobrina."

The woman headed into town to see her sister, only a gray cloud above her head now. She was so focuses on the crying Antonio not even remembering that she was suppose to be keeping Cas away from the house.

....

Abuela was very sad. She looked at the mural. The lack of her granddaughter was deafening now. The brightness was gone. How could she do this to them? She had prayed to the candle, to Pedro, but Mirabel was still gone today.

Cas wasn't awful, she just wasn't Mirabel.

Luisa and Isabela were doing the bare minimal today, the sadness lingered around them.

Abuela can only manage how worse it was for Mirabel, who loved her family so much. Abuela blinked as she saw a flash of red and yellow.

"Pepa?"

Indeed it was her daughter with Antonio getting food from Julieta, "You were suppose to be watching Casandra."

A storm started above Pepa's head, "Oh no. It completely slipped my mind."

....

Cas smiled briefly as she entered the house and watched as Casita closed the door behind her, "Thanks, Casita."

The titles rippled happily at actually being thanked for a change. Usually only Mirabel or Abuela talked to him.

Cas put the frog bucket down along with Antonio's shoes down, "I wondered if he actually has a tank for them...."

She glanced up and blinked as she saw her door was open, "Who would....Oh no..." she rushed up the stairs, the frogs forgotten.