Encanto

Mirabel

Julieta and Agustin had finally agreed to the arrangement. Casita gave everyone the illusion that her future Cuñada was pregnant. Bruno would go to the heart of the house once in a while to check on her, seeing Casita's baby bump appear over the months. The two had even got Julieta and Agustin to be witnesses at the church to marry.

"Since you know it's a girl, mi vida, what shall we name her?" Bruno questions one night. Casita sat with him on her library couch, "Hmm... How about Milagro?" Bruno shakes his head, "Mm, no... Oh! How about Mirabel?"

"Mirabel...?" Casita glances up at him in thought. She rubs her stomach and smiles, "Mirabel. I love it." Bruno grins and kisses her passionately. The two snuggled together in silence.

Julieta and Agustin were sitting in their room, processing how the family would one day realize the truth. "What about Abuela Alma? She won't like this at all." Agustin whispered, lying on the bed. Julieta was lying on her side, looking at her husband in worry. "I know. But they both want us to do it. For them."

"If they've been secretly together, how come no one noticed your brother secretly visiting her all this time?"

Julieta frowns, and then realization crosses her features. Nobody noticed them leave the kitchen. Didn't even hear them. "Casita must have a way of getting us to never hear or see. Even when we left the kitchen earlier today. The children and Mama never noticed we were gone until we came back and announced that I was the one pregnant."

"That is true..." Agustin mutters.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks came by, and Casita hummed to herself in her room. She sensed Julieta in the kitchen, making arepas. She makes herself known by pushing a tray of flour to the healer. Julieta smiles and takes it, "Gracias. Casita."

CLINK! The counter tile moves. Casita moves a few more ingredients over to her and smiles. "Oof!" Casita returns to her room, gripping her stomach. At first, she shrugs it off as a passing symptom, but then, she looks down to see water. Casita moves the tiles rapidly in front of Julieta.

"Bruno. Where's Bruno?" She communicates by tapping rhythmically. Julieta blinks, "He's in his tower."

"GET HIM!"

Julieta turns from the kitchen and sprints up the stairs to Bruno's tower while also grabbing her husband on the way. Casita summons her door in the courtyard and sits on her bed. The woman leans against the headboard and pants, "Mmm..." She squirms and gasps as a new form of pain washed over her.

"Casita! Where are you?" Julieta's voice rings out in the hallway. Not a moment later, she, Agustin, and Bruno appear. The seer runs up to her side in panic, "What happened?" Julieta goes to her other side and moves her hair back in a plaited braid.

"She's... coming." Casita pants, gripping his hand. Agustin grabs a blanket and drapes it over her legs, "All right, Casita. Just breathe." Bruno holds her hand and watches Julieta hand her an arepa to help with the pain.

"Okay, here we go." Julieta moves in front of Casita, and Agustin helps Bruno from panicking even more. "AHHHH!!!" Casita yells out.

"Push, Casita! Push!"

After a few more pushes, Casita throws her head back in exhaustion. A new sound enters the room, making the two men look into Julieta's arms. A healthy baby girl, wrapped in a blanket, was handed to Casita.

Bruno stares lovingly at the new life, and a smile grazes his features, "Casita..." Casita turns her attention to Julieta and Agustin, "Gracias,  lo aprecié." The two nodded their heads. Bruno takes the girl in his arms and runs his thumb over her cheek, "Mirabel."

"Mirabel? That's a lovely name for her." Agustin grins at his Cuñado. Bruno chuckles and hands Mirabel to Julieta, letting her hold her new sobrina, "She is hermoso." Casita giggles, "Gracias." Bruno turns to Casita, and they both share a look.

"Spend as much time with her. I know when she will meet me."

"Casita..."

The woman shakes her head at him, "Bruno, po favor, do this for her, for me."

Julieta sadly looks at the two, knowing how hard it is, "Casita?" The woman turns her head to her. "Mirabel might not see you in your physical form, but you will always be around her in the house."

Casita lightly grins, "That is true," She looks at Bruno for a moment, "She will have us around. Right now, everyone thinks that you... well..." Bruno nods and turns to Julieta, "Once you leave the room and open the door, you will see your room is closer. Hurry in there." Agustin nods, "They think Julieta's giving birth."

"Si."

Julieta sighs and hands Mirabel to Casita so she can hold her one last time.

"Adiós, hija mía. Por ahora."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Five years later:

"Abre los ojos... open your eyes..." 

The closed eyes of five-year-old Mirabel Madrigal sat on her bed. The light of a candle reflects in her oversized, green-rimmed glasses. Mirabel opens one eye, then the other, to find a wondrous, Magical Candle rippling with firelight magic. 

"This is where our magic comes from?" Mirabel asks. Abuela Alma nods her head, "Mm-hmm, this candle holds the miracle given to our family." Casita watches her young daughter look at Abuela in confusion.

"How did we get a miracle?"

Alma pulls Mirabel onto her lap, and the light of the candle grows. "Long ago, when my three babies had just been born, your Abuelo Pedro and I were forced to flee our home. And though many joined us, hoping to find a new home... we could not escape the dangers... and your Abuelo was lost. But in our darkest moment... we were given... a miracle."

Casita remembers how she met Alma and her children. "The candle became a magical flame that could never go out, and it blessed us with a refuge in which to live. A place of wonder..." Alma describes.

"An Encanto..." Mirabel whispers.

"An Encanto. The miracle grew... and our house, our casita itself, came alive to shelter us. When my children came of age, the miracle blessed each with a magic gift to help us. And when their children came of age..." Abuela chuckles.

"They got magic too." Mirabel grins.

"That's right... and together our family's gifts have made our new home... a paradise."

Casita watches her young Mirabel staring at the candle in awe. Abuela smiles at her, full of love, "Tonight, this candle will give you your gift, mi vida. Strengthen our community, strengthen our home. Make your family proud."

Casita's smile slowly drops. She had noticed over the years how Alma treated Bruno and her sobrinas and sobrino. Their gift is not for chores or to be used by the other people in the community.

"Make my family proud." Mirabel nods, solemn but bursting with pride. Abuela beams. As fireworks explode, Casita knocks a clock toward them, nudging that it's time to start the ceremony. "Yes, yes, Casita, we're going." Abuela Alma chuckles.

Casita brings her daughter her shoes. She giggles, then helps Abuela to the door, holding her hand, excited and nervous, "What do you think my gift will be?" Abuela Alma bends down to Mirabel, full of love and pride. "You are a wonder, Mirabel Madrigal. Whatever gift awaits will be just as special as you."

Mirabel is standing in the courtyard as the curtain opens on her Gift Ceremony. As Mirabel stares at her undulating door, full of wonder, its glittering magic blooms brighter and brighter as her hand reaches for it.

"I am sorry, my daughter."

(Miracle)

(Thank you, I appreciate it)

(Beautiful)

(Goodbye, my daughter. For now)