AN: Here you guys go, chapter 2. I love Luisa and I hope I did her character justice in this. Please let me know what you think and I hope you like it :)
Disclaimer: Disney owns Encanto
It was getting late by the time Luisa returned home. Out of everybody in her family, she seemed to have the most work to do, often leaving Casita as soon as breakfast was finished and not returning until after sundown. The donkeys played a reoccurring role in her troubles as, no matter what she did, they continued to escape. She'd once offered to build a better fence to contain them so that she wasn't constantly being forced to round them up, but old man Ramírez refused. He'd told her in no uncertain terms that he wouldn't waste the money when she could just haul them all back for free.
It had taken a lot of restraint not to give him a piece of her mind. There were so many better ways she could be spending her time rather than rounding up the donkeys every day, even if she was fond of them. She could have re-routed the river so that the farmers had better access to the water. She could have moved the blacksmith so that it was on higher ground where it wouldn't flood every time Tia Pepa made it rain. She could have even helped build the new foundation for the house that was being constructed at the edge of town.
'Maybe I could have even relaxed for a bit.' A traitorous part of her brain decided to add, causing the young woman to shake her head to rid herself of such thoughts.
Luisa knew that, because of her strength, there were many things that only she could do. It would take others so much longer to accomplish the tasks she takes on each and every day. She's been doing this for as long as she could remember. If you needed something heavy moved, then you find Luisa. That's just how things worked in Encanto. Sure it was stressful and most days she felt like pulling her hair out by the end of it... but it was also rewarding in its own roundabout way.
Yawning deeply, the strong Madrigal climbed the stairs of her home. She made sure to be as quiet as possible, knowing the others would most likely be sound asleep by now. The exhaustion was so much that Luisa nearly ran into her door as her eyes slipped closed of their own accord. It was only thanks to a sudden noise causing her head to snap up that she didn't bash her face right into it. Taking a moment, she peered around but couldn't see anything in the darkness.
'Must have been a rat.' She thought to herself as she yawned once more. 'Oh well, someone else can deal with it. I'm too tired.'
With that thought, she turned to handle to her door and entered her room, determined to rest while she could. It seemed that as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out. Her dreams that night were filled with opinionated old men and laughing donkeys.
Morning came all too soon and Luisa sluggishly dragged herself out of her comfy cocoon of blankets. If she wanted to use the bathroom to wash up before the others awoke, she had to get going. Her aching muscles protested the movement as she rose from her bed and stretched. Reaching into a nearby drawer, she drew out a piece of candy from the stash her mamá had given her the last time she'd complained of aches and pains a few weeks ago. Popping it into her mouth, she sighed in relief as the pain resided. She was still tired, her madre's cooking can only do so much, but at least it didn't hurt anymore.
Grabbing a change of clothes, Luisa headed towards her door and swung it open. In the corner of her eye, she noticed a flash of white and turned her head. A note was pinned to the outside of her door and she felt herself take a steadying breath. It's been a while since she'd received a note. She knew that her prima Dolores had gotten some a while ago and she, along with the rest of their family, had noticed the newest additions pinned to the board. Taking it in her hand, the nineteen-year-old resumed her pace... heading with purpose to the bathroom. It wasn't until she was safely inside, where no one could cut her off from her goal, that she took the time to read it.
You can't be expected to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, no matter how strong you are.
She felt tears trace her face and let them fall. She could tell that whoever had written this note understood the pressure she felt in her everyday life. It was a relief to know, honestly. With all the expectations placed upon her, Luisa finds it hard to talk to others about her fears and anxiety. This note helped alleviate both, if only just a little, and she feels better equipped to face the day.
After washing and getting ready, she heads downstairs to join her family for breakfast. She had slept later than usual and decided to forgo her morning workout routine since she'd been so tired. Upon entering the dining hall she noticed that she was the last to arrive. Apologizing to Abuela, she swiftly took her seat at the table.
The day continued as normal from there and by the time lunch rolled around she was already pushing the point of exhaustion. Luckily, she had a moment of downtime and decided to take advantage of it. Finding a seat near the town well, Luisa sighed as she lowered herself down. Closing her eyes, the young woman tilted her face towards the sun, basking in its warm rays. She was nearly asleep when a hand landed on her shoulder, effectively startling her so badly that she ended up sprawled on the ground.
"Geez, Luisa, I didn't mean to make you jump like that." Came the voice of her younger sister, Mirabel, moments before a hand came into view. "I was calling for you... guess you didn't hear."
"Yea, umm, sorry bout that." She replied, taking the offered hand and climbing to her feet. "Did you need something, Mira? I was just about to get back to work anyway."
"No, no, don't cut your break short on account of me." The younger sibling exclaimed, her eyes widening behind her glasses. "I was just wondering if you wanted to join me for a snack. I grabbed some of mom's cookies from home. I know you've been working super hard, hermana. You deserve some downtime."
She contemplated the question for a short moment. There was nothing she'd like better than to spend some quality time with her baby sis. It seems as if they never get to hang out at all nowadays and that didn't sit right with her. Just as she was about to agree, she heard someone shout her name and sighed. Looks like her break was over whether like wanted it to be or not.
"I really should get back to work, Abuela won't be happy if she realizes I'm not helping." She explained, reluctantly turning away from the goodies and the promise of sisterly bonding.
"Oh, okay, see you at home... I guess." Luisa walked away, not missing the sad look in her sibling's eyes... it matched her own.
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
Luisa got home earlier that night, though she felt just as exhausted as she had before. That didn't matter, though, her family expected her to sit down and have dinner with them... even if she'd rather collapse into her warm bed and simply sleep. She knew that would have to wait. Her tia started up a conversation with her nearly as soon as she'd sunk into her seat and the larger female did her best to pay attention to what the other was saying.
"That's when I told him that I wasn't going to make it rain just so that his vegetable garden will be watered. He can go down to the river like everyone else." Pepa spoke strongly, a cloud appearing above her head which was quickly shooed away. "Seriously, the nerve of some people. Demanding I change the weather to what suits them and not taking the rest of the village into consideration."
Here, the redhead paused, glancing over at her sobrina with a quirked eyebrow.
"You still haven't gotten the blacksmith moved so, in the end, the rain would have had to wait anyways... even if I'd been so inclined as to grant his wish." Luisa felt her cheeks turn red as her aunt resumed eating.
It wasn't her fault that she has so much work. There are only so many hours in the day and she knows that if she takes on any more of a workload then she'll just end up further behind. Still, she can't help but feel ashamed of herself. She's supposed to be the strong one, the person everyone relies on to get things done. Taking a deep breath, Luisa decides she'll just have to work more efficiently and hope that it'll help get the work done in a timely manner.
The remainder of dinner passes in a blur and she soon finds herself wandering around Casita. She's tired, it's true, but her mind can't seem to turn itself off. Luisa is just about to head back to her room when she catches sight of another note. This one is tucked under one of her dumbbells that she'd left in the courtyard the other day and she smiled gently as she reached down to scoop it up. The moon provided just enough light for her to read the slightly shaky script and she felt her breath catch.
You're allowed to say no, people will understand.
It wasn't the longest note, or the most eloquent, but it was exactly what she needed in that moment. Those were words she'd never had anyone say to her before but she'd wished she had. Now, someone had seen her struggles and taken it upon themselves to make sure she knew it was alright and that meant more to her than she could say. With her mind finally settled and the piece of paper held securely in her hand, the strongest Madrigal retired for the night.
-XXX-XXX-XXX-
By the time morning came, Luisa was fighting to hold back a hacking cough as she made her way downstairs. Her head felt hot and there was a tickle in her throat that she couldn't seem to get rid of. Slumping down into her chair, she softly laid her head on the table, fighting to keep her eyes open. It wasn't until she felt a smaller hand against her forehead that she realized she'd dozed off.
"No work for you today, I think." Her mamá spoke with a soft tone, gently rubbing her other hand over Luisa's shoulder.
She tried to shake her head in denial, planning to convince her mother that she could still help but found it was too much effort as a cough wracked her large frame.
"Why don't you head back to your room and get some rest, cariño?" Julieta commented, gently pulling her daughter to her feet. "I'll bring you up some soup in a little while."
Luisa knew in her heart that she would be no help to anyone in her current condition but it still made her feel as if she were letting everyone down. Maybe she wouldn't be sick right now if she'd gone to bed instead of milling about in the cold air the night before. Still, when she remembered the new note sitting on her bedside table, she couldn't bring herself to regret her decision. If she'd gone to bed she may not have found the note at all. She could have been left tossing and turning, not getting any rest throughout the entire night. At least the note had given her enough comfort so she could sleep. Hearing her name being spoken in a slightly worried tone, the brunette realized she still hadn't answered her mom. So, with a hoarse voice, she spoke the feelings that were circling in her mind.
"Yea, I think that would be best. I don't think I can work today." She begrudgingly admitted, vision swimming slightly with tears.
"And that's okay," Julieta confirmed, drawing her middle daughter into a hug. "No one expects you to work when you're sick, mija."
"I just don't want to let anyone down, people are counting on me, I shouldn't be acting so selfish." She gasped out, the tears falling as she voiced her insecurities.
"No, no, mi corazón." The older woman spoke, tightening her grip on her daughter. "Hush, everything will be all right, there is no need to feel that way."
The sound of footsteps alerted the two women to the fact that they were no longer alone before a third person joined the hug.
"Listen to your mother, Luisa," Agustín spoke soothingly, reaching up to swipe the sweaty hair off of his daughter's forehead. "She knows what's best for you."
The teenager let herself relish the embrace for a few moments longer before stepping away, a slight smile on her face.
"Okay papá," She spoke at last, bowing her head in a slow nod.
"Good, now let's get you back to bed, mi hija." The man declared, looking at his wife as he continued. "I'll get her tucked back in while you finish breakfast."
"Thank you, mi amor." Was the response as her father herded her from the room.
A short while later she was in bed once more, listening silently as the remainder of her family headed off to their assigned tasks. She still felt slightly guilty about that but figured she would work twice as hard once she was feeling a little better. That way she could make up for the inconvenience she'd caused everyone. With her mind made up, she settled down and was soon sleeping soundly. It wasn't until mid-afternoon when she awoke once more. She was already feeling a bit better and, upon noticing the bowl of soup waiting on her nightstand, Luisa couldn't help but smile. There may be a lot of pressure put on her and she may not always like it but she had a family that cared for her and that's what mattered.
Taking the bowl in hand, she was about to take a hearty bite when she noticed the paper attached to the side. If she didn't know better she would say that her mamá had put it there. But no, that writing was not her mother's though it was nearly as familiar after the years it had graced their familia with its presence. Now, glancing at what was written, she felt her smile grow wider.
Make yourself a priority once in a while. It's not selfish. It's necessary.
'Maybe it's okay to take breaks sometimes.' She decided, finally taking a bite of the delicious-smelling soup. 'After all, the escritor misterioso is correct. There's no way I can help others if I'm laid up in bed from not taking care of myself.'
Slowly eating the rest of her meal, Luisa knew that as soon as she was feeling a little better she would be taking a trip down to their encouragement board. She needed to add her newly acquired notes. After all, they'd helped her so much these last few days, they deserved the recognition. Hopefully, they'd be able to find who was leaving the messages one of these days. When that day comes, Luisa decided that she'd give them a big hug. It was the very least she could do after the literal years they'd put into this small act of kindness.
AN: Hope you liked it :)
