Chapter 22: Gift

19 years before Encanto

"Mine." Isabela frowned, grabbing at the toy Dolores was playing with. Her cousin made a soft peeping sound, her lip trembling as she turned to Alma for help.

Alma held her breath, recognising the same look that Pepa used to get when she was little, right before she screamed. Alma remembered the crying and tantrums, and decided that this time she would stop that behaviour early. She would prepare her girls with life skills they needed to be strong in this world.

"Share with your prima." Alma told Dolores, stroking her granddaughter's hair. "You can't just cry when things don't go your way, Dolores. Life is always going to be unfair, and you have to accept that. You won't always get what you want."

Dolores watched Abuela with a soft expression. She looked down at her toy, then took a deep breath, handing it over to Isabela. Isabela took it quietly, hugging it to her chest as she watched her cousin's sad face.

Isabela wondered what Abuela's lesson meant for her. Abuela let Isabela get away with absolutely everything, so what she'd just said didn't make any sense. Unless that lesson had only been meant for Dolores.

There was a thundering sound and Dolores looked up, her smile returning.

"Mami." She said in a soft voice, watching as Pepa and a very pregnant Julieta came through the front door, Pepa helping her sister who moved slowly.

Dolores and Isabela tried to run to them, but Alma took the girls' hands, keeping them close.

"Wait for the cloud to go away first." Alma reminded them, eyes on the sparking cloud. "You don't want to get hurt."

Pepa turned to Mama with a heartbroken expression, and it began to rain.

"Mami sad." Dolores looked up at the rain.

"I know." Alma kissed her face. "But Mami doesn't have a reason to be sad," She turned to Pepa, words directed at her now. "Not when she has two beautiful girls waiting to cuddle her. Hm?"

Pepa looked at Dolores and Isabela, recognising that they were waiting for her. She took a deep breath, then exhaled.

"Clear skies." Pepa whispered, ignoring the dull ache in her heart as she pushed her weather down and covered it with a smile. "Clear skies."

Julieta frowned at Alma, then winced and held a hand to her belly. Pepa turned back to her, the cloud returning. That had been the reason it'd started in the first place. She was worried for her sister.

"Pepa." Alma scolded again. "The cloud."

Pepa turned to Mama with wide and furious eyes, her cloud thundering now.

Alma put protective arms around Dolores, remembering all the times her daughter had made mistakes when raising Dolores, the baby screaming and crying while Pepa had a breakdown, thunder and lightning crashing around the Dolores because Pepa didn't know how to stop it.

The thunder stopped as Pepa watched Alma making sure Dolores was safe from her. She stroked her braid, heart sinking because she felt like a monster.

Isabela could see the family was distressed, so she put on a big smile, knowing that always made people happy.

"Tía, Mami!" Isabela called out in a bright voice, starting to twirl and dance. "Look!" She blew two kisses. "For you."

Pepa and Julieta couldn't help but smile as Isabela danced for them. Julieta laughed and Pepa's cloud slowly faded as they watched the little girl leap and spin. Alma watched too, feeling proud of her granddaughter.

"That was great, mija." Julieta praised, stroking Isabela's hair as her daughter ran over to hug her legs.

"Up, mami?" Isabela asked with sparkling eyes, reaching for Julieta.

Julieta's face saddened as she shook her head, hand on her aching tummy.

"Mami is too fat." Pepa told Isabela, earning a side eye from her sister.

Isabela giggled, then tried again. "Play, Mami?"

Julieta glanced at the kitchen, then to Mama, her eyes worried now.

Alma sighed, knowing Julieta hadn't done any of her night cooking yet. In the physical state she was in, it was already going to take Julieta all night.

"I cant, cariño." Julieta said quietly. "I have a lot of work to do."

Pepa rubbed Julieta's back in sympathy. Her sister didn't get openly emotional during this pregnancy like she had with Isabela, but Pepa knew she was upset.

The new baby had Julieta eating like crazy, perpetually hungry and exhausted as she struggled to keep up with the big bump which grew at a rapid rate. Julieta's body ached from the way it kept kicking her, and sure that this time it was going to be a boy.

Isabela watched Mama and felt disappointed that she didn't want to play with her, but then she remembered what Abuela had said earlier. She couldn't always get what she wanted. Maybe that lesson had been meant for Isabela too, after all.

"Okay." She let Mama go, smiling again because she knew Mama liked when she did that. She hoped if Mama saw her smiling bright enough she might change her mind.

"Such a happy girl, hm?" Pepa praised, bending down to pick Isabela up. "Buena."

Isabela's face lit up and she wrapped arms around Tia and got lifted, Pepa holding her against her hip. Isabela kissed Tia's face. She loved to be picked up, she loved seeing the world from up high.

Dolores clung to Abuela as she watched quietly, but then Mama caught her eye and smiled, reaching her other hand out. Dolores smiled too, coming over.

Pepa made a whooshing sound with her mouth as she picked up Dolores, holding both girls together in her arms while they laughed.

"Careful, Pepa." Alma warned, always on edge when she thought the girls might be in danger.

"I know, Mama." Pepa's smile was strained as she tried to ignore how annoying Mama was being.

Isabela played with Tia's hair, while Dolores admired her golden sun earrings. Pepa turned back to see their little faces.

"Sorry about the cloud." Pepa whispered to them.

Dolores tapped a finger to Pepa's nose and grinned. "Mami boom boom."

Pepa couldn't help but smile back.

"Hm. That's me." She sighed. "Clever girl."

2 years later

Alma woke to the familiar smell of flowers, opening her eyes to see her two little granddaughters standing over her bed. She smiled sleepily at them.

Now Isabela had her gift, the tree climb entrance of Alma's room no longer held them back from getting to Abuela.

"The vines made us fly." Isabela explained in a bright voice, waving a hand to surround them with more flowers, while her cousin watched. Dolores smiled, bouncing a little in excitement as flowers covered her hair.

"Such a good girl, Isabela. My perfect girl." Alma praised, while Isabela glowed with pride.

Alma turned to Dolores, her expression warm with love. "And our sweet, beautiful Dolores. Happy birthday, cariño. We have a big party for you today, hm? The whole town will be there, just for you."

Dolores made a peeping sound and nodded, unable to contain her excitement.

Alma chuckled, then gestured for them to join her. The girls' faces lit up and they climbed into bed, their little bodies soft and warm as they cuddled up against Abuela.

Alma put the blanket over them, covering their faces with kisses. They smiled up at her with shining eyes and Alma felt a tug at her heart.

She stroked Isabela's long black hair, taking a moment to remember her sisters. It was like how she used look into the mirror and see Cora, only this time she saw the both of them in her granddaughter's eyes.

"I love you." Alma told both her granddaughters, eyes bright with sincerity as she held them in her arms. "My sweet, perfect girls. I would move the world for you."

"We love you too, Abuela." Isabela told her, conjuring a Flor de Mayo in her hand and tucking it behind Alma's ear.

Alma smiled. "Thank you."

Isabela beamed proudly. "Anything for you, Abuela."

Dolores reached over to the bedside table, taking Candle with both hands and bringing it to the bed, the light reflecting in her eyes.

"Thank you for my flowers, Candle." Dolores whispered, kissing it.

Alma smiled, cuddling Dolores.

"I don't think you will be getting flowers, mija." Alma told her. "All the children's gifts have been different so far. I think Candle will surprise you with something new."

Dolores thought about it with a smile.

She longed for her prima's gift, but if it wasn't that then she hoped it would be something similar. Dolores wanted to fly, too.

Alma stroked her granddaughter's fluffy hair. Dolores loved music, playing the guitar and accordion and piano and anything else she could get her little hands on. Alma wondered if her magic might have something to do with that.

"Do you already know my gift will be?" Dolores asked Abuela.

"I don't." Alma admitted, holding Dolores close. "But I'll tell you what I do know." She kissed her forehead, smiling as Dolores watched with bright eyes. "You are a wonder, Dolores Madrigal. And whatever your gift is, it will be just as special as you."

Dolores snuggled into Alma, Candle in her arms and Isabela by her side.

"I love you, Abuela."