Chapter 3

(Isabella POV)

- 3 years later -

The entire town was here at Casita waiting for Antonio to get his gift. Everyone in the family was so happy for him including me. I hoped he got a good one. I continually feel guilty for Camilo who I check in on every day know because I know that his gift is like mine. We are a source of entertainment for the town constantly on display for them to examine the strength of the Madrigal family miracle. He seemed more withdrawn today than usual, but he was probably just worried about Antonio. I knew a lot of the family was.

Still I had made the rounds in town this morning, help with decorations hand out a never-ending supply of flowers all with a smile on my face. In town I could feel Abuela watching me... she was always watching me. I was her Perfect Isabella. I was dating one of the most sought out men in Encanto and would be a uniter of two great families. I just wanted the part to be other with though. At Casita Dolores gave me the signal that someone mentioned flowers and I descended down on a vine causing more to grow with each movement. This earned cheers from those around me. I was now dancing in a circle handing out flowers to the people who were around me.

I worked the room during the party and was standing alongside everyone else as Antonio got his gift. Talking to animals. That seemed to suit him. I never really got to know Antonio like I knew Luisa, Dolores or even Camilo, but now that he got a gift I'm sure that I would. I was supposed to be able to enjoy the rest of the party and dance the night away enjoying the little bits of freedom I had left, until Mirabel came in telling us all that the miracle was breaking. I looked towards Dolores and Abuela and neither seemed to be worried so I choose not to be either. They would tell me the truth. Right?

I let these thoughts go and enjoyed the rest of the night.

- the next day -

No one mentioned anything about Mirabel's outburst. I guess we were all just letting it go. I didn't understand why she would take the attention away from Antonio though. I thought that she at least like him. I didn't think she would want to ruin his night, but maybe I was wrong. Abuela was starting with her announcements and Mirabel was acting strange again. She kept wanting to go to work with Luisa. Why was that so important today? She had spent all this time with Antonio didn't she want did spend the first day he had with his gift with him. I really wasn't sure what to think so I decided to stop thinking about it altogether.

"First, an announcement," Abuela started as she walked directly behind me, "I've spoken to the Guzmáns about Mariano's proposal to Isabela." His proposal? I knew that it was coming soon. We had been 'dating' for several years but I don't think I would have ever been ready for it, "Dolores, do we have a date?" I looked over at Dolores spoke, "Tonight..." I guess I would be engaged tonight, "He wants five babies." 5? I gulped. Kids and I had a complicated relationship at best and he wanted 5.

I could feel flowers sprout in my hair, "Wonderful!" Abuela exclaimed. She plucked a flower off my hair and I knew I needed to pull myself together. I always knew that this was going to happen, "Such a fine young man with our perfect Isabela will bring a new generation of magical blessings and make both of our families stronger." She began giving me subtle clues to fix my posture as she repositioned my hair to make me look perfect. Even with family I always needed to look perfect.

I finished my breakfast and was about to head into town when I ran into Abuela, "Isabella where are you going?" I smiled, "Just going into town. You know working twice as hard for the miracle." She smiled shaking her head, "You already work twice as hard for the miracle my Perfect Isabela. Let's walk and talk." I nodded my head as she took my arm. "You and Mariano. Such a perfect match," she said as we walked within our home, "So perfect." I echoed. "And so good for Encanto," she continued. She stopped me and looked me up and down, "This is the key to a perfect life Isabella. I am so happy that you will have it all. A perfect husband, perfect children, a perfect family." I nodded my head. She then stopped herself, "I'm going to get ready to fetch the Guzmáns. You might want to get ready as well. Your engagement dinner will happen sooner than you think." If that is possible, I thought to myself.

As she walked away I saw Dolores. I needed to know what she meant by 5 kids. It wasn't going to actually change anything but, I needed to know what was expected of me, "Hey Dolores can we talk?" She nodded her head and we walked into my room. I sealed the door with vines to make sure no one else came in or heard what we were talking about, "Dolores you hear everything... What exactly did you hear Mariano say about having kids?" She looked at me and I felt like there was a sadness behind her expression, "He was talking with his Mamá and she mentioned wanting grandchildren," I nodded my head as she explained it. I took a long breath, "So everyone is expecting kids right away?" She nodded her head and I was becoming more anxious suddenly this future that I have been told to want my entire life was coming closer and I, "Um Isabella..." I looked at Dolores who was almost completely covered in flowers, "Oh sorry."

All the flowers disappeared. "Isabella?" She started to ask but I placed on my best perfect smile, "Thank you for clearing that up. I wasn't really sure what you meant this morning." I had become the best at this persona. I knew that Dolores could hear everything but, I knew not to give any indication of anything beyond the perfection that was expected of me. "Isa..." She started but I shook my head letting the vines fall, "I have to go help everyone get ready. See you later." I left my room for a moment before realizing that Abuela had told me to clean myself up and waited for Dolores to leave before going back in. I began to brush my hair as I looked at myself in the vanity. This was the first step into my future and this would make everyone happy.

Antonio had gotten his gift, the date for the engagement was set, everything was perfect for the family. I kept reminding myself all of this as I looked in the mirror getting ready for my engagement dinner. I didn't have time to think about all of Mirabel's outburst recently about the miracle and only hoped she would leave my proposal dinner out of it. I looked in the mirror as I carefully placed flowers in my hair, "Perfect." I whispered.

I went downstairs hating myself for every step I was taking towards a future I never wanted. I thought back to Tío Bruno's vision wondering what he meant:

"He told me that the life of my dreams would be promised and someday be mine. He told me that my power would grow like the grape that thrives on the vine."

I guess that I would be happy. That was all that I ultimately wanted. Mariano was nice enough. I would get married, he would move in here, we would have a family (5 kids according to him and what Abuela seems to want) and we would carry on the miracle. It was the perfect life that I had been taught about my entire life. It was the life that Abuela told me I had to do everything in my power to get. It was the life of my dream? I could never quite convince myself that it was but, I guess it had to be. Bruno's visions were never wrong.

Tía Pepa kept coming over to me reminding me how great this was going to be as we set the table. Everyone seemed to be looking forward to this. Maybe I had been overthinking everything? Maybe this was actually the life of my dreams and I just didn't know it yet? Maybe this was the only way that we could all be happy one day? I wished Tío Bruno was here so that he could tell me more about my vision and what it had meant.

All those thoughts came to a grinding halt as the Guzmáns entered Casita and came over to the dinning room. I sat there at the table waiting to be proposed to. I couldn't think about eating, I couldn't think about drinking, I couldn't think about why Mirabel was acting so strange this time. At the end of the night I would officially be engaged which meant in a year maybe 2 I would be married. Which meant that by 3 years from now I could be expecting my first child. Why did all of this have to happen now? I was 22. No. I couldn't think like that.

Perfection. Perfection. Perfection.

I was brought back to reality as Mariano cleared his throat and got down on one knee, "Isabella, most graceful of all the Madrigals." A loud thud as Mirabel through herself on the ground. What was she doing? "You're doing great." she said. I painfully painted on another smile, "The most perfect flower in all of Encanto." I could hear people talking and moving in the background but my eyes were glued to that ring as I thought about everything that it meant. And then I saw Abuela's smile in the corner of my eye. When Abuela is happy the family is happy. Welcome to my perfect life, "Will you marry..."

Suddenly I became hyper-aware of my surroundings as Luisa was sobbing, Dolores was covering her ears, animals were going crazy, there was a giant storm inside and Dolores spat out, "Mirabel found Bruno's vision. She's in it. She's gonna destroy the magic and now, we're all doomed!" Suddenly cracks came all around us and the control over my gift that I worked so hard for was gone and a flower sprout up and hit Mariano in the nose.

I looked angrily at Mirabel as Señora Guzmán was ushering Mariano out of there and Abuela was going after them, "I hate you." I said running upstairs to my room. Why did she always do this to me? What did I do to make her want to ruin my life? I know that she didn't have a gift but, why didn't she get everything I had to do for the family? I went up to my room. I didn't want to talk to anyone. Everything was so wrong. I could hear the turmoil outside my room and I just wanted to stay away from everything as I made my bed ascend off the ground and out of view.

I don't know how long I sat there as I tried to think everything over. When I heard someone come into my room. I thought it was going to be Abuela or something but then I heard Mirabel, "Isa. Hey I know we have had our issues, but I'm ready to be a better sister... to you. So we should just hug it out. Huh." Was she being serious right now? "Hug it out?" I let the vines start to bring me down, "Hug it out? Luisa can't pick up an empanada. Mariano's nose looks like a smashed papaya," I looked up at her, "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" She brought her hands together, "Isa, I feel like you're upset. And you know what cures being upset? A warm embrace." Was she being serious? Did she think that we were just going to hug it out and everything would be fine. She tried coming closer to me but I used my vines to block her path. I wanted to be alone right now, "Get out."

She didn't move. Why wouldn't she just do one thing for me? "Everything was perfect. Abuela was happy. The family was happy," I looked at her and she didn't seem to realize all that she had done, "You wanna be a better sister? Apologize for ruining my life." That was all I had ever wanted for Mirabel, "Go on. Apologize." I had my arms crossed over my chest as I smiled at her. I was finally going to get my apology, "I... am... sorry..." I smirked, "That your life is so perfect." Was she serious, "Out." I commanded my vines to drag her away as I walked back over to my bed.

I could hear Mirabel behind me trying to fight the plants, "Wait! Fine! I apologize!" That wasn't enough anymore, "I wasn't trying to ruin your life. Some of us just have bigger problems, you selfish..." I gasped as I turned to face her, "entitled princess." How dare she say that to me, "'SELFISH?!'" No I wasn't going to take that. Not after everything I have done for this family, "I have been stuck being perfect my whole entire life! And literally, the one thing you have ever done for me was mess it up!" She rolled her eyes, "Nothing is messed up! You can still marry that big, dumb hunk!" Was she really so short-sighted that she thought that was what I actually wanted, "I never wanted to marry him. I was doing it for the family!" Suddenly something grew and I was taken aback. What had I done?