Chapter 12: Pressure
45 years before Encanto
The children played in their new rooms, laughing and running through one door to the next.
Alma smiled, carrying the candle as she went to get their bed ready. She went to open the nursery, but the door shut in her face. Alma frowned, trying again, but this time Casita kept it closed tight.
She slapped the door.
"You know, for a house you are really bossy." Alma muttered.
Casita clattered it's tiles in a gesture that Alma could only imagine was laughter.
"Yes, yes, very funny." She rolled her eyes, then tried the nursery door again, but it was stuck.
This time the tiles clattered behind her, leading along the balcony. Alma watched, and when she didn't follow the tiles came back, waving to her.
Alma sighed and followed them.
She came around the corner and stopped, surprised to discover another glowing door. Alma frowned a little in confusion, slowly heading over.
Alma touched the doorknob and the door lit up, a glowing picture forming on it.
She watched, eyes bright with wonder, then once the picture formed her face dropped.
"Um." She frowned, turning to the laughing house. "Who is that supposed to be?"
There was an old woman holding a candle, with the word Abuela over it.
"Is that supposed to be me?" Alma demanded, and Casita shook with laughter. Alma exhaled in a puff, kicking the balcony railing.
"Okay first, she is ancient." Alma complained, throwing a hand to the door. "Second, I am not an Abuela. I'm thirty. This isn't funny, Casita."
The candle's flame pulsed brightly too, almost as if it were joining in on the laughter.
"Oh, don't you start." Alma scoffed. "I'll blow you out. Don't think I won't."
Alma's room felt like the inside of a tree. She looked around at the dark wood and rough bark that covered the round walls and lead up into a canopy, and the way leaves and foliage hung down from an opening above.
When she'd climbed up to the very top of the tree Alma found a secret room, very similar to the bedroom she and Pedro had back at their old home. She recognised their old bed, the desk with his books and papers, the guitar. Even some of the paintings Alma had made for Pedro hung on the walls, including a smaller version of their mural, the words "to love at all is to love entirely" hanging over their bed - No, her bed. Alma reminded herself. Just her.
Alma felt a tear run down her cheek as she took a shaky breath, stepping through the room like she was stepping through a memory.
Reaching the window, Alma flinched, almost expecting to see the people on horseback riding outside. But this window overlooked the foyer of the casita. Alma looked down at the children's bedrooms below, then up at the mountains of the Encanto. It was similar to the view from Casita's roof.
Alma gently placed the candle down on the windowsill, then stroked the wood.
"Thank you, Casita." She whispered, leaning against the the windowsill and closing her eyes. The curtains moved to drape over her shoulders in an embrace.
Later
Alma sat cross legged on her new bed, holding the candle as she tried to navigate the situation. She was used to having the children in bed with her. Alma hadn't slept alone in ten years.
This is normal, she told herself. Children grow up. What did Alma expect? They'd be adults and still climbing into bed with her? Alma shook her head at the thought. She couldn't recall one time she'd ever slept with her mama.
Having their own rooms was a good thing. The children needed to learn independence, and truth be told so did Alma.
"Mami!" Voices called from below.
Alma came to the window, looking down to see them lined up on the balcony, frowning up at her.
"I already tucked you in." Alma called to them. "Time for bed."
"We want to sleep in your bed!" Bruno called back. "Let us up!"
"No." She told them. "You are big now. Go to your own beds."
Julieta glanced at her siblings, then back to Mama, her dark eyes trying to figure it out.
A cloud appeared and thundered. Alma flinched, worried eyes watching while Pepa scowled.
"I don't like being big!" She told Alma. "I want to sleep with you forever."
"Yeah, Mami!" Bruno agreed. "We want your cuddles."
Alma felt her heart sink, because she wanted that too. But she was too stubborn to back down now.
"No." Alma told them, pushing down her feelings, every fibre of her being longing to hold them. "You have to grow up."
Pepa's eyes were wide with hurt, while Bruno pulled his hood over his head, hugging Pepa's arm. Julieta quietly watched, seeming to take Alma's words on board.
"Pepa, no cloud." Alma called down to her. "Get rid of it, right now."
The other two flapped their hands over Pepa until the cloud went away, and Alma sighed in relief. Pepa just stood there with a frown, her arms crossed.
"Come on." Julieta encouraged the other two, taking their hands.
Alma watched them leave, swallowing but keeping her sadness to herself until she was away from the window. She then came to the bed and lay down, gathering pillows and hugging them tight as she began to cry.
The next day
The sun was barely up when Casita shook Alma awake.
"This better not be a regular thing." Alma grumbled, then stopped as she realised something wasn't right.
Tiles clattered loudly and with urgency, leading Alma from her room and along the balcony to Pepa's room.
Alma's heart dropped as she found her daughter shivering under a raining cloud, her cheeks flushed and hair slicked with water. The room was drenched and it looked like shed been crying and raining in there all night.
Alma ran to her. She gathered Pepa into her arms, terrified because her daughter's skin was so cold, her face burning up.
"Mami." Pepa gasped, trembling hands clinging to Alma's nightdress. "I can't find the rainbow."
"Shh..." Alma whispered, kissing her daughter's face as Pepa cried in pain.
"I was so sad." She sobbed. "And the rain kept coming."
"Shh... I know, baby." Alma spoke softly to her. "I know. Sana sana, colita de rana... Shh..."
Alma wiped Pepa's sweating forehead, rubbing her little back and arms in an attempt to warm her up.
Pepa coughed, and Alma recognised the congestion blocked up in her chest. Dios, no.
No, no, no.
"Come on." Alma scooped her little daughter up out of her wet bed, carrying her to the bathroom. A trail of rainwater and cloud followed.
"Shoo!" Alma hissed at the cloud, holding her shaking daughter tight to her chest, her gaze fiercely protective. "Leave her alone!"
Julieta and Bruno came to the bathroom door, worried eyes watching their sister. Pepa coughed again, tears streaming down her hot cheeks and dribble running down her chin.
"Is Pepi sick?" Bruno asked quietly.
Alma tried to respond but all that came out was a sob. She hid her face against Pepa, unable to stop herself from crying as she fought back the panic. It felt like the entire world was closing in on her.
Alma filled the bathtub with hot water. She tried to help her daughter undress but Pepa screamed in protest, trembling and refusing to take off her pyjamas, so Alma just put her in.
The clouds thundered and sparked and Pepa flinched in fright, hugging Mama because the thunder scared her. Cold wind blew at Pepa's hair, the weather becoming worse with her fear.
Alma looked around at the storm, feeling heartbroken. Why was the magic doing this to her baby? It wasn't fair.
Pepa coughed and hacked, gasping as the cloud continued to pour cold rain over her shoulders and back.
"Stop it!" Alma shouted, waving at the dark clouds. "Leave her alone! Just leave her alone!"
Alma took shuddering breaths, leaning over Pepa to block the rain with her own body. She hugged Pepa close and sobbed, her body shaking with every breath.
"You're supposed to help us." Alma sobbed, her eyes gleaming with betrayal as she looked up at Casita. "Why are you hurting her? Why?"
Mama's reaction just made Pepa more afraid, the storm above them worsening. Thunder and lightning swirled around the ceiling.
Steam rose from the bath water and still Pepa was shivering, her cheeks flushed and sweat dripping down her face. She moaned, pressing her little hands to her face.
Julieta came closer, gently stroking her sister's hair.
Alma took a shaky breath, knowing this was a lot to ask of her, but she didn't know what else to do.
She needed the village. Alma never asked for help, but pride be damned. She wouldn't lose her baby. She wouldn't let the clouds take her. Not again.
Alma tried to decide which was worse, sending Julieta into town alone to fetch someone, or leaving her behind while Alma went. Both weren't great.
"Look after your siblings." Alma instructed Julieta. "I need to go to town. Casita will stay with you."
Julieta felt her heart drop in terror. By herself?
"I need you to be a big girl." Alma's sobbed, "Okay?"
"Okay." Julieta whispered, feeling panicked and overwhelmed.
Julieta watched Mama go with wide watery eyes. Bruno frowned a little because Mama hadn't asked him, but at the same time relieved to have avoided the terrifying pressure that had just gotten dropped over his sister's shoulders.
Pepa cried out in fear and Julieta turned back to her, continuing to stroke her sister's hair.
"Shh, Shh." Julieta copied what she'd just seen Mama do. "You're okay, Pepi. I'm here."
Pepa hugged her sister. "Don't leave me."
"I won't." Julieta reassured her.
Pepa coughed, while Bruno came over and rubbed her back too, the three of them getting soaked in the rain together.
Later
Alma returned with a group of villagers to find the triplets still huddled together in the bathroom. She sobbed at the sight of vomit next to the tub.
"I don't know what to do." Alma whispered, clutching Pepa tight as her baby vomited again.
"She has a fever, Alma." Sofia Guzman gently held a hand to Pepa's sweating forehead.
"I know." Alma snapped, her voice coming out harsher than intended. "I don't need you to tell me. I need you to help me."
"You need to cool her down." Another person suggested. "Get her out of the water and those wet clothes, into a dry towel."
Senora Guzman helped Alma put a cool wet cloth over Pepa's face, wiping her hot skin. Pepa sobbed, the black clouds thundering and sparking above them.
Alma tried taking the pyjamas from Pepa and she screamed, the sky lighting up above her. Pepa looked up with terrified eyes and screamed again, but her fear just made the storm stronger.
"She's about to do it again." Señora Guzmán warned, grabbing a bowl for Alma. Pepa vomited, Alma bringing the bowl under her and holding a hand to her forehead. From beside them, Bruno and Julieta held eachother and watched.
"Shh, shh..." Alma hugged her little daughter as Pepa shuddered and cried. Alma shook her a little, feeling panic rise within her. "Mija, look at me. Don't fall asleep, okay?"
Julieta and Bruno leaned in, worried eyes watching their sister and the adults in the room.
Alma turned to them, seeing they were soaked to the bone now, the wind blowing their hair. Black clouds thundered over their heads.
"Somebody help them!" Alma sobbed. "Get them out of here."
"Is Pepi gonna die?" Bruno asked.
Alma took a shaky breath, trying not to scream from the pressure.
"I said go!" Alma shouted, her harsh tone making Bruno and Julieta flinch.
"Come on, cariños." Sofia encouraged, taking Bruno and Julieta's hands and leading them out. "Let's get you into some dry clothes."
"She she gonna die?" Bruno asked again.
"No." Sofia told him. "She'll be okay."
"But I saw it in the green." Bruno's insisted. "She wasn't moving."
Alma's eyes flashed as she slammed the door and shouted, "Out!"
She sobbed, turning back to Pepa and holding tight as her daughter coughed then moaned, her little body shivering under the clouds.
"I'm sorry, baby." Alma whispered, kissing Pepa's face. "I'm so sorry."
Sofia took them to Bruno's room, because the stairs made it further away. She changed Julieta's clothes, while Bruno sat with his eyes closed, hands clasped together as he whispered under his breath, praying for the green to come.
"How to we help her?" He whispered. "Please, I need to see."
Suddenly, the room began to shake, and a new section appeared, more stairs rising from the floor and a big stone hand pointing up. On it said 'your future awaits.'
"Gracias." Bruno whispered, making the sign of the cross as he finished his prayer, then ran up the stairs. Julieta ran close behind him.
The vision cave was dark as they entered, but then Bruno saw the green man appear. Bruno grinned, running to him.
The green man lit a match, lighting leaf piles in a specific pattern. He sat and concentrated, and then the sand began to spin, showing the man moving pictures in the lights.
"I know what to do!" Bruno announced as his eyes stopped glowing. He hurried to the piles on the sand and lit the match, copying the green man.
As the fires were lit and Bruno took his position, the entire room began to glow. Julieta gasped, clutching Sofia's leg as the sand in the room rose up and swirled around them, lighting up and turning into images.
Bruno opened his glowing eyes, but this time it was like he was still in the room. He turned to his sister with an excited smile.
"That's you!" He announced, pointing to a green and glowing Julieta. "Look, Juli!"
She watched as her green self went to the kitchen and prepared food. She cooked it on the stove, then when it was ready she took it to Pepa. As their sister ate the food, the clouds disappeared.
The sand dropped and the glow focused into Bruno's hands, the sand turning to green glass. Bruno's eyes lit up in excitement at what he'd just done. He handed the slate to Julieta, pointing to the image of her giving food to Pepa.
"It's you, Juli." Bruno said again. "You save her."
Julieta took a deep breath, then ran as fast as her little legs could carry her.
Alma sat on Pepa's bed, holding her tight and rubbing her back while villagers held umbrellas over them. The black clouds thundered and sparked while Pepa shivered, hands weakly gripping Mama's sleeve.
"Mami."
Julieta entered the room, holding an arepa con queso in her hands. Sofia Guzman had helped her, but it still looked wonky and a little burned, obvious that a young child had prepared and attempted to cook it.
"Go back to your room." Alma told Julieta as she made her way through the crowd, Bruno by her side. "Julieta, please. Go."
"No, Mami." Bruno insisted, the two of them coming to their sister's side. "The green told her to do it."
Pepa slowly turned and opened her goopy eyes, whimpering weakly at the sight of her siblings.
Julieta wiped Pepa's fringe back from her sweaty forehead, bringing the arepa to her mouth.
"Eat it." She said softly, while the townsfolk all leaned in with curiosity.
Pepa did, and the rain stopped. The colour returned to her face and the black clouds faded away. Everyone in the room gasped.
"Mija?" Alma asked softly, checking Pepa's face. The fever was gone and her breathing went back to normal. Pepa grinned, the room lighting up with sunlight.
"Thank you." Pepa smiled to her sister.
The crowd cheered and clapped, and a rainbow appeared over Pepa as she sat up, then was immediately knocked back over by Bruno who cuddled her, the two of them laughing in relief.
Alma turned to Julieta, who smiled up at her.
"Mami." Julieta said softly, while the crowd cheered and patted her back. "I think I know what my gift is."