Shut In

The storm was getting worse. Rain slapped the side of buildings in the rough sway of the wind, and thunder became stronger and more frequent with every flash of lightning. Mirabel and Abuela hurried through Casita's doorway, closing it quickly behind them.

Abuela wrapped her shawl around her tightly. "Is everyone here?" She asked, scanning the room. "Where is Julieta?"

Just then a harsh knocking was heard on the door and Félix and Bruno immediately pulled it open. Agustín stumbled in with Julieta, their hair drenched over their eyes.

"We're okay," Agustín assured them, hugging Julieta close. "The town's okay, too. Most of them are hiding out in the church."

Abuela visibly relaxed. "Come, hija," she said softly, drawing Julieta to the kitchen. Agustín stood awkwardly by the door until Isabela offered him a blanket, and thanking her he went after his wife.

Mirabel jumped when Antonio gasped suddenly. "My jaguar!" He lurched to the window, staring out at the pouring rain. Dolores shared a look with Camilo and pulled her brother close.

"It's just a toy, Tonio." She murmured.

Antonio looked absolutely crushed. "Mirabel gave it to me. And I lost it."

Mirabel leaned down to hug him. "It's okay. I'll make you a new one," she promised, forcing herself to sound cheerful. Antonio nodded guiltily but said nothing.

"Casita, seal all the doors and windows," Abuela instructed from the kitchen, and the tiles led a trail of cartwheels to lock every opening in the house.

It had gotten so dark outside it was hard to believe it was still morning. Casita had pulled a covering over the courtyard allowing the Madrigals to walk freely without getting poured on. Consequently no natural light could get in, and Mirabel and her sisters helped light candles in every room.

"Imagine it like a fun sleepover." Isabela said excitedly to a nervous Antonio.

"I hope mami is okay." He mumbled.

"How long do you think this one will last?" Camilo wondered. A loud crack of thunder answered him and everyone flinched.

"Might as well get comfortable." Luisa muttered reluctantly.

Mirabel settled on the couch and nestled Antonio in, who leaned into her embrace. "Looks like we're stuck with each other, whether we like it or not." She prodded him playfully, and Antonio giggled.

"And don't worry about tía Pepa, Tonio." Isabela was sprouting flowers for Dolores, deciding which shade matched her best. "Sometimes, you have to let out all of your emotions before you feel okay. This one?"

Dolores observed the flower and scrunched her nose disdainfully. Isabela tossed it aside before noticing Antonio's doubtful face. "You'll understand one day."

Mirabel stared at Dolores. She had her hands clamped firmly around her ears, but they looked abnormally large. Seconds later, Mirabel noticed they were not Dolores's hands, but Mariano's, who was almost completely shrouded in darkness. She didn't even know the Guzmán had been at their house. He seemed to know what Mirabel was thinking and waved at her with a finger. Feeling silly, she gave a small wave in return.

A particularly loud crack of thunder seemed to shake the very foundation of Casita. Antonio buried himself against Mirabel. "I'm scared." He whispered.

"That's just the angels." Camilo assured his brother. "Thunder is actually them bowling. And the lightning is them taking pictures of us."

That earned a chuckle out of Antonio, and Dolores rolled her eyes. Mariano seemed unsure how to react, but Isabela had no problem cuffing Camilo over the back of the head.

"Don't let Abuela hear you say something like that." Luisa warned good-naturedly, though Camilo was hardly bothered.

The morning dragged on with no shift in the weather, and Mirabel was certain they would be shut inside for the remainder of the day. She was content to sit with her sisters and cousins at first, but Camilo's jokes were starting to rouse irritation in Isabela and Dolores, consequently making Luisa restless and Mariano uncertain and awkward.

The grown-up's voices drifted in from the dining area. Antonio had fallen asleep on the arm of the sofa, and not caring to involve herself in the grandkids' squabbling, Mirabel got up and joined the adults. She sat by Julieta at the table, who smiled and pulled her in a one-armed hug.

"How are you?" Julieta whispered under the other's conversation. Mirabel noted how she had dried off since she last saw her.

"Okay," Mirabel replied, snuggling close. "I was with Abuela when the storm came. We got home right before you did."

Julieta nodded and wrapped her blanket to cover Mirabel. They sat quietly in the dim lighting and Mirabel felt herself drifting. She couldn't have slept for longer than a few minutes when a loud thunderclap startled her awake.

"Pepa must not be doing any better." Julieta muttered, and Mirabel wondered if there was any bitterness there. She looked up at her mamá but only saw concern.

"She'll be alright," said Agustín, sipping some coffee from the opposite end of the table. "This is just another one of her spells. They don't last more than a few days."

A few days? Mirabel couldn't remember many times where Pepa would stay upset for long, at least not to the point of a day to day hurricane. Her uncle Félix came in at that time, looking flustered.

"She needs some alone time, I think." He explained, scooting beside Agustín. "I can't get anything out of her."

Mirabel was surprised by Abuela's patience. "We will make do."

They talked idly and Mirabel caught herself staring into one of the candles. The way the flame distorted itself reminded her of an hourglass, and glancing around she realized Bruno wasn't there.

"Where's tío Bruno?" Mirabel asked, and they fell in a brief silence.

"I thought he was with you children," said Julieta, the beginnings of concern creeping in her voice.

"He was here when we got back." Agustín said blankly. As an afterthought he added, "He's probably in his tower."

However Félix shook his head. "I was with Pepa all morning- nobody came upstairs." Upon everyone's increasingly worried expressions, he said, "I'm sure he's fine!"

Abuela stood and left the room without speaking. Exchanging glances, the others followed her, and pretty soon she had the whole family searching for Bruno. Mirabel was glad Pepa was shut in her room and oblivious- to find out her brother was missing would have brought even more distress. Casita was large, but with eleven people searching, it didn't take long to realize Bruno wasn't inside.

"Maybe he went back to the walls." Camilo joked, ignoring Luisa's unimpressed eyebrow.

"Maybe who went back to the walls?"

Everyone froze at the sound of Pepa's voice, and turning they saw her standing from the threshold, hands on her hips, bags under her eyes, and a dark cloud overhead. They didn't need to explain who. The look on her face told them she already knew.

The storm got progressively stronger. Apparently Pepa couldn't bear being at fault for now causing her brother to be at the weather's mercy, which very possibly and ironically was making it worse. Félix, Abuela and Julieta were doing everything in their power to calm her down, though Mirabel could tell their words fell on deaf ears.

"He has to be here somewhere!" Mirabel reasoned loudly, though she knew she sounded desperate. It didn't make sense for him to go out in the storm, especially not without telling anyone. Granted, he couldn't have been used to explaining his comings and goings, given how distant he was with the family even before living in the walls for ten years.

Mirabel was starting to consider going out herself when something thumped against the door from outside. A collective hush fell among them when a moment later there was rapid knocking, and Abuela was the first to rush forward.

"Casita, abierta." She ordered, and as the door swung open its knocker fell forward unceremoniously. Bruno caught himself before falling completely but almost fell again when he was yanked aside by Pepa, and Casita made sure to lock the door again.

"Ah! See? There he is!" Félix chirped, folding his arms together. "I told you he was fine."

"What were you thinking," Pepa snapped, backing away from her brother to avoid the flood he brought with. "What was so important for you to go out on a day like this?" However Mirabel knew she was relieved, and she swore the storm got a little bit lighter.

Bruno didn't look like he appreciated being scolded, but he wasn't given the chance to reply.

"Oi, mijo." Abuela was examining his face, ignorant to his attempts at pulling back. "You're much too pale. You must change out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold."

"What were you doing out there?" Agustín asked, more curious than anything. "I could have sworn you were here when we first arrived."

"I was." Bruno confirmed, seemingly relieved that someone wasn't fussing over him. "But, then something Antonio said jogged my memory, and…"

Mirabel already knew where this was going. She smiled at the stuffed jaguar Bruno pulled out from his ruana, and smiled even brighter by the way Antonio's face lit up like the sunrise.

"You found him!" Antonio took the toy with glee, which Mirabel noted was completely dry despite Bruno being waterlogged. The older women sighed while the uncles and grandkids laughed.

"Next time, tell someone before you choose to disappear like that?" Julieta asked, and Bruno shrugged non-committedly.

"Heh. Sorry, Juli. Pepa."

Agustín tossed a towel around Bruno's neck and Félix patted his back with a snort of amusement. Bruno smiled gratefully and went to dry off in the bathroom, his mother shaking her head at the lakes he left behind. Mirabel watched Julieta seem to think twice before following after him.

"If you catch a cold, I'm not going to heal you." She heard Julieta threaten, though Mirabel could hear the fondness in her voice.

A/N: You know those pangs of random inspiration you get? This is the result of one of those.

Hope you enjoyed this little drabble!