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Alma smiled as she entered the kitchen pausing in surprise when she saw it was Pepa cooking "Buenas noches, Pepa." surprise in her voice looking around the kitchen "Where is Julieta? Everything alright?"
"I told her to take the night off from cooking." Pepa responded stirring a pot of sancocho "I wasn't going to take no for an answer you know how I am Mamá. I'm just looking out for my hermana."
"Well isn't that lovely." Alma smiled taking her usual seat "Did Julieta mention anything else to you? She hardly looks at me these days."
"You know why that is. She hasn't forgiven you for-"
"Mirabel I know." Alma interrupted "But I did it to protect our family. However I'm not wanting to talk about Mirabel."
Pepa looked over her shoulder "If you mean what's going on with her and Agustín it's the same thing. And stay out of it Mamá, you'll make it worse." pouring some sancocho into the first bowl "Don't say anything, unless you want to drive Juli away just for once keep it to yourself."
Alma let a hmph "Well I got some news that will cheer her up." seeing Pepa's curious face she added "I'll be announcing it once everyone is seated."
Pepa just stared as her mother sat there smiling before shaking her head as she finished serving dinner picking up and ringing the hand bell that was to signal the household to come eat.
One by one the family filed into the kitchen grabbing a bowl and taking their seat. Julieta was the last to enter looking more relaxed and freshened up after a soak in the tub. She gave Pepa a smile of thanks before grabbing her bowl and sitting down next to her sister without a glance at Alma or Agustín ignoring her husband trying to reach out to her.
Bruno sitting on the other side of Pepa looked from Julieta to Agustín and back again. He glanced at Pepa who just shook her head for him to keep quiet. Bruno slightly shrugged his shoulders and began eating.
Alma cleared her throat and all pairs of eyes turned on her expect for one "Julieta, your attention please."
Julieta turned her gaze to her mother "Yes, Mamá?"
A smile spread across Alma's face "Now I got everyones attention, I have some exciting news. I spoke more to Señora Guzmán today about Mariano's proposal to Isabela." she beamed over at her granddaughter "There's still a bit more to arrange but we are both hoping to have it soon."
Dolores felt a pang, she had a crush on Mariano for the longest time but she had no chance. Who would want her when they could have Isabela? She closed her eyes to fight back the tears. As long as Isabela was around she would always stay in the background neither seen or heard. Mirabel was right. Mirabel understood. But Mirabel wasn't here.
You'll always living in the shadow of Señorita Perfecta.
Opening her eyes wide in shock hearing Mirabel's voice her head she glanced around to see the whole family staring at her.
"Dolores." Alma said sternly "Did you hear one word of what I said?"
"Yes, Abuela.." Dolores lied "I'm sorry I got lost in thought..."
Camilo sitting across from her gave her a knowing look as Alma turned her focus back to Isabela. Camilo stopped listening, the sooner this stupid proposal dinner was over with the sooner they could stop hearing about it. No then all we will hear about is the stupid wedding.
Alma didn't seem to notice no one else was adding to the conversation standing up to go put her arms around Isabela "You are going to make a beautiful bride Isabela. You'll make this family proud."
"Of course, Abuela...I look..forward to it." Isabela forced a smile on her face. Inside she was screaming, she didn't want this at all but she had to do it for the family. She had to be perfect for the family. She had to marry Mariano for the family.
"Excellent!" Alma exclaimed turning to her first born "Julieta I want you to start thinking of a menu we can serve at the proposal dinner. Preparation and cooking will be your responsibility."
"Of course, Mamá. But may I enlist Pepa for help? Between that and my usual duties it's too much for one." Julieta smiled at her sister.
"I suppose that will be fine but Pepa please leave the actual cooking to Julieta. It will be a special occasion and cooking isn't...exactly your forte now is it?" she waved a hand at all the bowls "No offence."
Bruno noticing the cloud starting to form about Pepa's head as she stared at Alma in stunned silence began to shoo it away like he seen Félix do many times "Ah, your cooking is fine Pepa. It's edible, which is more than I can do."
"It was delicioso, mi vida." Félix chimed in from across the table.
"I loved it, Mami!" Antonio added a coati nestled under his chair.
"She'll be fine." Julieta touched her sister on the shoulder before turning to her eldest daughter "And Isabela you can have a say in it it's your dinner after all. You should get to help pick the menu."
Isabela just smiled and gave a silent nod.
"Well now that's sorted family dismissed." Alma clapped her hands together.
"Is it okay if I go for a little walk?" Dolores asked
Alma looked at her "At this hour? Why on earth would you want to do that?"
"It's peaceful I won't go far. I just need to clear my head."
Alma opened her mouth to reject but Pepa interrupted her.
"I'll come with you, we can spend time just us two like we did when you were younger."
Alma frowned "I'm still not sure why you would want too but I suppose so."
Without a word Pepa slung her arm around Dolores and guided her out the door "Alright let's go mija."
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"You didn't need to come with me." Dolores said quietly "I would be fine on my own."
"I know but I wanted to come. We haven't spent time just madre and hija in a long time." Pepa still had her arm around her daughter her other hand held a lantern "Besides I needed to get out for fresh air myself. I was about to unleash a thunderstorm in that kitchen."
"Has Abuela always been like that?"
"Like what?"
"You know..controlling."
Pepa sighed heavily "Yes but she has gotten worse since.."
"Since what happened with Mirabel." Dolores finished for her.
"Since what happened with Mirabel." Pepa confirmed "She's worried about what Mirabel might do."
Dolores didn't respond letting Pepa guide her down the path from the Casita, breathing in the cool night air. If only it could always be peaceful like this.
"You know...when your Tía, Tío and I were just children we would sneak out at night once your Abuela went to sleep and go sit on this rock by the river to gaze at the stars." Pepa smiled at the memory. "I always wanted to take you and your siblings but...I never got the chance." giving a sideways smile at Dolores she asked "So what you say?"
"I would love that, Mamá."
Pepa guided her daughter until they reached the rock, sitting side by side Pepa placed the lantern between them "This brings back memories, one day I'll have to convince Julieta and Bruno to come out here..." her voice trailed off hearing her daughter sigh heavily "What's wrong Dolores?" she asked caressing her cheek "You seem so down lately."
"It's nothing Mamá."
"Dolores...you can tell me. It'll stay between us I promise."
"I don't want Isabela to marry Mariano." Dolores admitted that much was true but she couldn't tell Pepa the other thing on her mind. Her secret meetings with Mirabel would have to remain..well secret.
"You like him don't you?"
Dolores nodded "It's just like Tío Bruno said...the man of my dreams would be just out of reach betrothed to anothe'."
Pulling her daughter in a hug Pepa whispered "Oh, mi vida. I'm sorry. I wish I known sooner."
"There's nothing you can do about it, Isabela is going to marry him. The perfect bride." Dolores spat out the word perfect "I'll always be living in the shadow of Señorita Perfecta-" Dolores cut herself off surprised to hear Mirabel's words come out of her own mouth.
"Dolores-" Pepa began in shock "Where would you get an idea like that?"
Dolores didn't answer just put her face in her hands.
Pepa frowned "Dolores..please tell me mi amor."
"I don't want to talk about it..not right now, por favor mamá."
"You know you can tell me anything."
Sorry Mamá, I just can't tell you. You'll blame her. Dolores looked up at the sky trying to change the subject "It's..beautiful. I never knew there was so many stars in the sky."
Pepa knew Dolores was avoiding the subject on purpose but decided it was best to drop it for now smiling "Yes it is. I miss this. I didn't realise just how much. This is also where I took your father when we first met. Only for us to fall asleep and get woken by a very angry Mamá. If looks could kill your father would of dropped dead on the spot." she chuckled at the memory "Never seen him run so fast before or since."
Dolores giggled at the thought "You never really told me stories about Papá and you before."
"Well, I'll have to tell you some time you and your hermanos." Pepa pulled Dolores into an embrace "You know you can tell me anything right?"
Dolores nodded she wished she could tell Pepa about Mirabel but she couldn't not now. "Mamá?"
"Yes?"
"You're not going to tell Isabela..or Abuela about what I said about Mariano are you?" the glow of the lantern allowed Pepa to see her panicked eyes.
"Your secret is safe with me, Dolores."
"Gracias, Mamá." Dolores leaned her head against Pepa with a sigh of contentment "I love you."
"I love you too. So much just remember you are perfect to me. Always was and always will be."
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Review responses:
Avian: Give him time, he'll realise. Mirabel knows how to get to him.
World'snumber1scaredycat: I feel Pepa is torn, on one hand she does still care for Mirabel and does feel guilty. On the other she's worried about the safety of her own children and if keeping Mirabel away keeps them safe then that's how it has to be.
KaliAnn: No she hasn't, she just made everything so much worse for herself. It's karma though.
FlowerChild23: Oh, Alma don't know the half of it.
Z-King: Honestly I do see Julieta just being totally done with everything and just destroying the candle herself. Don't think she actually would do that to everyone though.