Encanto

Antonio's Ceremony

Mirabel, carrying way too much, enters the courtyard where preparations for Antonio's gift ceremony are in full swing: flowers everywhere, Casita creating stairs, and moving furniture. She nearly knocks into passing musicians. "Oh sorry... excuse me..."

Mirabel tries to balance the groceries as the wind picks up. Pepa is creating a tornado as she nervously paces, "My baby's night has to be perfect, and it's not perfect, and people are going to be coming, and nothing's ready, the whole town will be here-"

"Pepi, Pepi, Pepita - you're tornadoing the flowers - the flowers!" Felix calls out, calming his wife. "Did someone say 'flowers'?" Isabela descends above Mirabel on a flowering vine, and flowers bloom all around her like a goddamn angel. "Please, don't clap." Isabela lands next to Mirabel but doesn't see her as she turns and bumps into her, covering both in flowers. As they walk side-by-side, Mirabel tries to get the petals off of her. Isabela makes herself perfect.

"Uch, a little sisterly advice: if you weren't always trying too hard, you wouldn't be in the way."

"Actually, Isa, this is called helping, and I'm not in the way, you ar--oof--" Mirabel collides with a post, and Isabela rolls her eyes. Casita follows Mirabel and helps as she hefts a ton of supplies onto the kitchen counter.

Julieta notices Mirabel is clearly overcompensating. Concerned but trying not to show it, Julieta sidles over, "Whoa. Mi Vida, you okay? You don't have to overdo it." Knowing Dolores's hearing and her lack of secrets, Mirabel falsely grins, "I know, Mamá, I just want to do my part like the rest of the family."

Mirabel lifts a heavy object on the counter, and Casita shuffles it away. Agustin appears; his nose is covered in gross welts that are impossible not to stare at. "She's right, Amor--" Both Casita and Mirabel cringed, "Eee--"

"First gift ceremony since yours, lot of emotions - and I've been there--"

Mirabel turns to Julieta, "Bee stings." Julieta turns around, "Ay, Agustín." Julieta sighs and starts working on a cure. "--when me and your Tio Félix married into the family - outsiders who had no gift, never ever would, surrounded by the exceptional, it was easy to feel... 'un-ceptional'--"

"--Okay, Papi --"

"--I'm just saying I get it--" Julieta jams an arepa in Agustín's mouth, healing him, and shoves him away, "Eat." She turns to Mirabel, "Mi amor, if you ever want to talk --"

"I gotta put out the stuff. The house isn't gonna decorate itself -" Mirabel spoke before noticing the decorations fall slightly, "Sorry, you could. You look great." Casita raises her decorations back up. As Mirabel leaves with a bunch of stuff, Julieta looks on.

Casita follows Mirabel in worry. Her daughter arranges a bunch of candles around the second floor, and she is really working hard. As Mirabel lights the candles, she pulls out a decoration for Abuela that she's worked extra hard on. Next to Mirabel are... pictures of her extraordinary family. She's not on that wall. Mirabel stares at it for just a beat.

"One hour!"

Mirabel startles and drops the candle, which ignites the candle doily she made for Abuela, "No, no, no--" As Mirabel tries to put it out, Abuela Alma's voice is heard above her, "Maybe you should leave the decorations to someone else?" Mirabel peers up to see... Abuela watching her, who couldn't look more incompetent as she stomped the fire.

"No, I actually made these as a surprise - for you-- ooo--" As Mirabel holds up the doily, it smolders. Abuela sighs, "Mirabel, I know you want to help. But tonight must go perfectly. The whole town relies on our family, on our gifts. So the best way for... some of us to help is... to step aside, let the rest of the family do what they do best. Okay?"