Disclaimer: I do not own Encanto. This story is not for profit.
CW: One instance of foul language
Chapter 26
November 7th
Mirabel woke up in the dark as Bruno fumbled out of bed. "What?" she groaned.
"I really need to pee," Bruno whispered.
Mirabel's eyes snapped wide open as her body responded viscerally to the word 'pee'. "Me, too. Wait for me."
Bruno used the toilet first, followed by Mirabel. The house was quiet at this point, and still dark, but there was a faint band of paler sky forming. Mirabel estimated that it was around 4 o'clock in the morning. She also noticed that she and Bruno had been left alone to sleep.
They crept back into the bedroom.
"I can sleep on the floor if you want," Mirabel whispered.
"What're you talking about?" Bruno yawned and climbed back into the bed. "Get over here." He waved an arm.
Mirabel didn't feel as drunk, and her head was aching. "Wait. We need to get some water. Water will lessen the hangover. And you vomited. That means you're extra dehydrated." She crept down to the kitchen and got a pitcher of water from the pump. Then she grabbed a couple arepas. They weren't magic, but they were calming food to put back in her tio's stomach, which would also help the hangover.
Bruno opened the door for her as she arrived, and they drank a cupful of water together, sitting on the floor. He pushed one of the arepas at her. "You eat, too. What's good for me is good for you, sobrina."
Mirabel gave him a small, crooked smile, wondering if he would say the same thing if they both had to leave the Encanto. "Thanks." At least it's possible to run away now. The mountains being pretty tall won't matter anymore. We can slip between them, through the pass, down to the river and across to safety. Her chest ached. Who would've thought we needed to run away from miracles?
They got another glass of water down apiece and then crawled back into bed together. Mirabel supposed it was strange, her being 15 years old and sharing a bed with her tio, but she felt safe with him, and she knew what a huge compliment it was that he felt safe enough with her to fall asleep with her in his personal space.
When Mirabel woke up, the sky was pink with dawn. She heard sounds downstairs of people stumbling around, groaning, cursing, and moving pots and pans around. Mirabel lay on her back and glanced over at her tio. Bruno still looked like he was asleep. "Do we get up?" she whispered.
Bruno groaned. "Gimme five minutes."
Mirabel bit her lip to hold in a chuckle. "You sound like Camilo."
"A compliment. That boy's one of the wisest people in this family. Do you see him overworking as much as the rest of us? He always knew when to run away and hide until the endless mountain of chores blew over."
"What?" Mirabel had never considered Camilo in that light. She had swallowed the family line of being irritated at Camilo's laziness. "I guess you're right."
"Dolores would stop by at night and tell me everything that was going on," Bruno said with a yawn. "She made sure that I didn't lose out because of needing to stay hidden." He looked guilty and more alert suddenly. "Or, becoming convinced that I needed to stay hidden. The more people refused to talk about me, the more I thought coming back would be–would be–"
"Bad for the family," Mirabel said. Several things made more sense now. "You would have given up hiding a long time ago if you'd thought that it was safe to show Abuela and Mamá and Tia Pepa the cracks you found between the walls. But the way they reacted, the way the whole town reacted…" She rolled onto her side facing him. "You never intended to hide for very long, did you? Not at first. You started by dodging Abuela's demand to see the vision about me. I bet you wanted breathing room to come up with a way to play off the vision. You were sick of everything to the point of leaving, but once you had time to yourself…you wanted to come back, didn't you?"
"It's complicated." Bruno groaned and laid an arm over his eyes. "I thought so many things. I wanted so many things. They didn't all go together. I didn't know what to do. So I stayed hiding. I wish I hadn't. You needed me. Sometimes I even heard you talking to Casita, telling Casita things that you couldn't get any human beings to listen to. I felt so terrible. And then I would convince myself that popping out of hiding would terrify you, and you would only run away from me." He chuckled weakly and let his arm fall away from his eyes. He looked at her with tired kindness. "It's ironic that the first thing you did when you saw me was run toward me. I wasn't expecting that. I was the one who ended up terrified."
A pang of sadness pierced Mirabel's chest. "You ran from me because you were scared of me?"
"You did, ah, sound pretty angry."
"You stole the vision that was the only proof of my destiny that I had," Mirabel said. "I know it was a bad destiny, but it was mine, you know? I never thought I was destined for anything. Your vision was proof I had a fate. It made me feel real, somehow."
Bruno wrapped an arm around her. She was struck again by how wiry and strong he actually was. "You are real."
Mirabel snuggled up to him. "I just wanted to understand the vision. I think I understand part of it now. But I wish I could see it one last time." It had been destroyed by the house's collapse, like so many other things.
"Breakfast's ready!" Antonio shouted excitedly through the door, startling them apart.
"Mi vida, don't shout," Pepa's voice called.
Bruno and Mirabel ruefully got out of bed. Antonio met them right outside the door of the bedroom and planted himself in the middle, taking each of their hands. "Tia Julieta said to let you sleep until breakfast was ready and then come get you." He beamed up at them, which quickly changed into a look of concern. "I'm sorry about what happened at the party. Are you okay?"
Mirabel squeezed his hand as they walked down the hall toward the stairs. "We're just fine." She giggled. "I'm more worried about your papi. You know how he is the day after a party."
Downstairs, Julieta, Luisa, and Isabela were working on breakfast. It was obvious neither Julieta nor Luisa had touched a drop of alcohol last night.
Señora Guzmán was setting the dining room table with help from Pepa.
Bruno was still yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Some party last night, huh? I'm surprised you didn't choose to sleep in. You could have. No one would have minded."
"What everyone needs is fresh coffee, not to sleep in like lazy bums," Pepa said.
"How are you this morning?" Julieta asked him. "Are you sure you should be up?"
"Sorry I…got a little…excited last night. My first party in ten years." Bruno smiled wanly. "Mirabel was nice enough to keep me company all night and make sure I was all right. She takes after you."
Mirabel glanced at him for a split second, unwilling to take her eyes off her mother. She sensed a fight brewing between the two of them.
Julieta frowned at her brother. "Mirabel also had a little too much party spirit herself."
Mirabel was incensed. Burning heat swept through her face and down her shoulders, into her arms. "So I enjoyed the party for once. So what? This is the first birthday for you all that Tio Bruno is back. It deserved to be a very special time. I don't usually drink, and you know that."
Antonio looked from Julieta to Mirabel with wide eyes.
Julieta glanced at Antonio and then looked guilty. "It's all right." She dried her hands on her apron. "I just wish you weren't suffering now for it."
Félix dragged himself into the kitchen supporting Agustín, and right behind them was Mariano, who was sighing dramatically.
Félix clutched his head as he dropped into his chair at the table. "Mierda."
Pepa smacked his arm and shook her finger in his face sternly. "Language!"
Félix straightened. "Sorry, mi Corazon."
"I wish I could whip up a cure for everyone's hangovers like I used to," Julieta said with a wistful tone.
"Ay, we got too used to that," Félix said.
"Maybe it's better that we all have to face the consequences of our actions," Isabela said. "Like my sore feet."
"And mine," Pepa groaned.
Abuela entered, moving more slowly than usual. "More restraint may be necessary. Overreliance on Julieta's Gift has made us decadent."
"An occasional dose of overindulgence isn't going to kill us," Señora Guzmán said in a humorous tone. "I think it was good to cut loose. And I'm glad to see that you aren't much worse for wear for it, Bruno. Mariano told me that you were resting, so I made sure that no one disturbed you."
"Thank you, Señora," Bruno said gravely, sitting at the table. "You are a gracious hostess. I hope that you will allow our family to repay the favor when the new house is complete. We would all be honored if you were to be our frequent guests."
Mariano lit up and looked from one person to the other like a hopeful puppy. "I would like that."
"Delightful!" Señora Guzmán said with a clap of her hands.
"And I'll make sure my animal friends behave," Antonio said, beaming. "I'm sure the toucans are sorry for swooping at you. They were scared of Mamá's storm. And I won't let the coatis eat with us anymore."
Camilo entered the kitchen, groaning and holding his head. "Tia Julieta, I know you don't have your Gift, but you still know plenty of hangover cures, right?" He gave his aunt a long-suffering look. "Papá said it was time for me to drink like a man, and I feel like I'm going to die. If I die of a hangover, does that mean I die like a man, too? Is dying of a hangover manly?"
Julieta rolled her eyes, suddenly good-natured. "Camilo. You won't die." She gave her daughter and Bruno sharp looks. "All right, I'll whip up enough hangover cure for everyone. It's not magic, but it's something." She got busy at the counter chopping onions.
As soon as her back was turned, Camilo straightened and winked, then held up a finger to his lips in a motion for silence.
Mirabel's jaw dropped. You're not hung over at all! She clenched her jaw to keep from blurting something out.
Camilo quickly reassumed his posture of suffering, holding his head and dropping into a chair at the table as if his body were fragile.
Julieta expertly put together Leche de Tigre, and Mirabel made a face as she realized that this was the concoction that Tio Félix complained about her Mamá making him drink, saying it was for marinating fish, not people. She served it in narrow, tall glasses. "All right, drink up. It's good for you."
"Very refreshing," Mariano declared. "I think I feel it working already."
Mirabel resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. You're always complimenting everyone and being so…nice. Why does Dolores even like you? I'd want to strangle you after five minutes. Dolores' infatuation was making her think about what kind of person she would want, a subject she hadn't spared any thought for before. After all, she wasn't beautiful like Isabela or Dolores, and Luisa should really get married first, so it wasn't her place to worry about it yet. But briefly, she imagined someone who could be blunt like Camilo, gentle like Bruno, and sweetly honest like Antonio. She didn't care much what they looked like, as long as they could get along with her and respect her. Anyone who made fun of her or made her feel self-conscious was out. She'd put up with enough of that already. And someone who was always complimentary of everything like Mariano was definitely out; she didn't trust a word Mariano said. But, since he's going be my cousin-in-law, I'm going to end up tolerating him.
However, as she sipped the citrus drink, she did feel better by the end.
Camilo grinned at her.
Mirabel smiled uncertainly back. Camilo hadn't been nice to her in years, and now he had unexpectedly manipulated her Mamá into helping everyone, including her.
Over breakfast, everyone discussed the mountain of work to do out at the building site. The second story floor needed to be laid so that the walls of the bedrooms could be constructed, the stairs to the second story needed to be put in, they needed windows and a roof…the list went on. And the plans for the second story bathroom were a headache.
xxx
Once everyone arrived at the building site, they broke up into teams. Isabela, Mirabel, and Luisa worked together to fix some of the storm damage, propping an outer wall up that had shifted due to the softened ground. Luckily the mortar had cured, the wall staying in one piece. Luisa's confident, steadying movements allowed the other two sisters to help correct the wall with ease.
"It's a dream when we work as a team," Isabela remarked. "You're so strong."
Luisa looked guilty. "Yeah, but sometimes I cry –"
Isabela and Mirabel jumped in at the same time to try to comfort their sister. "So do I," they said in unison.
Luisa hugged them. "I may not be as strong, but I'm getting wiser."
Isabela turned her attention to the decorative planter that had been moved into place in front of the house. She transferred the potted cacti into it. "Yeah, and I need sunlight and fertilizer." Mirabel and Luisa grabbed some of the other pots, helping. Isabela smiled at them. "C'mon, let's plant something new and watch it fly –"
"–right up to the sky," Luisa finished with her, smiling.
There was so much work to do, but at least everyone had the drive and motivation to do it. The hurricane blowing through had left a fresh scent everywhere along with the needed repairs. "Let's go!" Isabela, Luisa, Mirabel, and Dolores all managed to say somewhat in unison. They raced off to the next project.
Later, Mirabel heard a sigh and caught sight of Mariano sitting on the partial staircase left over that had once gone to the second floor of Casita. He had his chin in his hands. Mirabel couldn't say Mariano was her favorite person, but she'd finally relented inside of herself that he was sweet and not totally stupid. "Hey, Mariano. Why so blue?"
"I…just have so much love inside…" Mariano's tone made it clear that he meant romantic love.
A flash of red alerted Mirabel that Dolores was nearby. She grinned. "Y'know, I've got this cousin, too. Have you met Dolores?" she teased. We stayed at your house during the hurricane. Come on, buddy. How could you not notice she likes you?
Dolores charged, startling Mirabel, and gently but firmly pushing Mirabel out of the way. "Okay, I'll take it from here. G'bye."
Mirabel hid behind a nearby donkey cart and discovered Isabela already doing the same thing. Isabela shushed her. They both watched, hoping no adults came up on them from behind and scolded them.
Dolores clasped her hands to her chest and rapidly confessed, "You talk so loud. You take care of your mother and you make her proud. You write your own poetry every night when you go to sleep. And I'm seizing the moment, so won't you wake up and notice me?"
Mariano stood and stared at her with an expression of star-struck amazement. "Dolores…I see you."
"And I hear you," Dolores said with besotted adoration.
Mirabel and Isabela couldn't contain hushed cheers as Dolores and Mariano took a stroll together. Isabela startled Mirabel by high-fiving her.
"Let's get married," Mariano said.
Dolores gave him a look and patted his hand, though she was smiling. "Slow down."
Antonio found Mirabel and Isabela. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," Mirabel said quickly. She laughed and patted the back of the donkey.
"Can I talk to you?" Antonio whispered.
Mirabel nodded. "Always." She offered her hand. "Come on. Let's take a walk."
Antonio took Mirabel's hand with an anxious expression.
They left the building site going north, entering a patch of jungle. Mirabel knew how calming the jungle was for Antonio.
Antonio looked up at her with a fear in his eyes similar to the afternoon of his birthday party. "Do you really think the magic is coming back?"
Mirabel dropped to her knees and hugged him. "I know we're all working very hard to make that happen."
"What about you? You don't have a magic to come back."
Mirabel felt stabbed through the heart. "Well…no…but…"
Antonio hugged her tightly, and when their gazes met, there were tears in his eyes. "I kind of like everyone having to live without magic," he whispered.
Mirabel couldn't keep from gasping in shock.
Antonio's expression was sad and pure and resolute, his 5-year-old face a window to his soul. "We all have to live like you, now. If you can't have a door and be like us, then we should all be like you. We shouldn't leave you behind anymore."
Mirabel hugged him tightly.
He clung to her. "Camilo left you behind when he got a Gift and you didn't. He told me so himself. No one made him. It just happened. That's what he said. It scared me. I don't want to leave you behind. Te amo. You've always been here for me. No matter what they said after the house fell down, I knew you weren't running away. You just went somewhere to think, right? Like you always do. You would have come back. Even if Abuela hadn't gone and found you. You didn't need finding."
Mirabel sobbed. "You always think the best of me." She knew now that her fantasies of leaving with Tio Bruno if things went back to the way they were before could never be acted on.
"I wish you could see you the way I see you."
Mirabel ruffled his hair and wiped her nose on a handkerchief, taken from her skirt pocket. "Thank you."
Antonio looked confused. "For what?"
"For letting me cry." Mirabel was a little embarrassed to have done it.
"You always let me cry if I need to," Antonio said. He took her hand. "You said it's normal to cry."
"It is. I just worried about upsetting you."
Antonio shook his head. "Please don't. Don't worry about that."
"But I'm 15 and you're 5," Mirabel said, tucking the handkerchief back into her pocket. "It shouldn't be your responsibility to comfort me."
"But I want to," Antonio said.
Mirabel was struck by the irony of having this discussion with Antonio shortly after her own discussion with Tio Bruno. "You're my best friend. And no matter what, we're going to stick together. Okay?"
Antonio nodded. "Okay. If Abuela makes the magic come back, then I'm not going to let her give me a Gift unless she gives you one this time. And a door. And your own room."
"There's already a room for me on the blueprint of the new house, so I'm guaranteed to have my own room," Mirabel said.
Antonio's face scrunched up with determination. "Good. And it's going to be awesome. I'll make sure."
Mirabel smiled genuinely at being reminded there was one family member who had never given up on the idea of her having her own room. Even if he was the littlest, it still mattered to her. "We'll make my room awesome together."
Part 1 End
Coming Next… Part 2
Author's Note: I took such a long time to post this because I was writing ahead and troubleshooting, and I have finally figured out that a big change needs to happen in order to move forward to the conclusion. Part 2 will still be in this same fic-space and not in a new fic.
