Mirabel Had To Go

5. Give you up

"Julieta!? Julieta where are you going?!" Alma was shocked to see her eldest daughter shove things in a bag haphazardly that she forgot what she was about to say.

"I'm going to look for my daughter Mama." Julieta packed clothes and other necessities, it has been 3 days yet her youngest is still out there, it's unknown whether she's safe or not, as a mother how could she just stand still?

"We're already looking for her Julieta, I'm sure that child will return." Alma frowned at her daughter, seeing her eldest child act in such way.

"It's been more than a day! What if my daughter is out there hurt?" Julieta shoved more packed arepas in her bag, panic was storming her mind, her youngest is somewhere out there because the one place she was supoosed to feel safe led her to make such a drastic decision! She's only 16!

"We can't keep being sloppy like this, we can't keep acting like this! we're neglecting our duties to the community--" Her mother said in such a disappointed voice, annoyance dripping from her sentence, as if it wasn't her granddaughter that has run away, as if it wasn't her family that run away!

"¡Que se joda la comunidad! My mija ran away from her home because she felt she was a burden! My baby is out there because I didn't care for her enough to not think that way! Because I'm busy healing these people who can't take care of themselves!"
Her voice grew in anger, worry and frustration mixing in her brain, why? Why did she realized it so late? How could she put the welfare of the people she didn't give a damn about above her daughter?

Alma gasped, brows dipping low as her expression darkened, "How dare you raise your voice at your mother! I didn't raise you this way!"

"You raised us as servants to the people! And just because my baby didn't get her gift you treated her differently! It's all because of these cursed gifts--"

Julieta paused as her mother slapped her accross the face, eyes wide in shock as her cheek started to red from the force.

"You-- DONT YOU DARE SAY THAT! These gifts is the miracle given to us by your father's sacrifice!" In her anger, Alma didn't notice her black shawl dropping on the floor, her shoulders trembled indignantly, mind flashing to the back of her husband facing those monsters. "THIS miracle, is the last piece of my husband! And I will not! Let anyone destroy it." She spat hysterically as her vision blurred in her tears.

"Papa is dead Mama! Why do you keep on holding on to a something that destroys of family?!" Julieta cried back at her but Alma did take none of it, she slammed her fist on the table, hand gripping her chest as she screamed.

"HE'S HERE! IN THAT CANDLE AND IN MY HEART! Pedro is here!"

Both mother and daughter were full of tears, the magical house who was usually full of life was deadly silent.

Alma heaved but as her tears fell from her face, she saw the look of hurt in her eldest daughter's face, a twinge of something, a pang in her heart as her shoulders felt cold-- empty, as she realized without the comfort of her black shawl.

"If... If he's there, what about me?" Julieta looked at her mom, tears streaming down her face, heart torn and wounded, a feeling her arepas couldn't fix.

"What about us who's still here? Where do we place in your heart mama?"

Alma opened her mouth but no words came out, she could only stare at the shawl on the floor, as she reached down to pick it up, she heard her daughter picking up her back and stepping out.

Sigh.... Oh Pedro...

...What do I do?

Agustin hugged her wife as she cried in his arms in their room, whispering comforting words in her ear as he soothes her back.

"Don't worry my love... It'll be okay."

Kissing her hair, the man repeated those words softly as if convincing himself too.

Agustin held Julieta tighter, feeling the weight of her despair. He realized their daughter had been searching for validation outside their home. It was more than just a missing gift. Mirabel had felt unseen, unworthy. Agustin's heart sank. He should have been more present, more aware of her struggles.

"We might not be perfect parents but we'll fix this. " he murmured, his voice cracking. Julieta nodded, her tears soaking into his shirt. She felt the same guilt. They needed to make things right. They needed to find Mirabel, to show her she was loved for who she was, not for what she could do. The thought of losing her was unbearable. They had to act, to find her before it was too late.

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"Marvelous!!! You're saying you sewed this yourself?" A woman in her 60's loudly appreciated the garment in her hands, it's was a laced skirt created by Mirabel.

Mirabel shyly smiled, after reading the pamphlet, she saw a job looking for seamtress, sewing was one of her proud hobbies so she decided to try her luck.

She was nervous at first, while the lady looked really kind, she knew from experience how one can change easily when expectations arent met. She didn't expect the lady to be so impressed.

She was asked to perform by the lady for different stitches first, then if she knew how to operate the sewing machine, if she knew how to measure and cut then finally if she has any piece she's done before.

"Look at this stitching! It's really made for daily use!" The old lady hummed to herself, she turned to Mirabel and smiled.

"When can you start?"

Mirabel beamed like the sun.

....