Chapter 24: Book
15 years before Encanto
"I just don't see why it still hasn't been done."
Alma sat at the town meeting, one granddaughter on either side of her.
"It's a lot of work, Señora." One villager tried to reason with Alma. "Beneath the riverbed is rock, impossible to dig through. We don't have that kind of strength."
"If the river is diverted, the crops could thrive on their own." Alma insisted. "We could get the water to flow through more fertile soil. We could make greenhouses, with reserve supplies of crops. It will be better for the Encanto."
"More like, when Pepa messes up we don't have to starve." Someone whispered from up the back, their voice no more than a breath.
Dolores peeped, eyes turning to Abuela.
"Tell me." Alma said softly, leaning in so Dolores could whisper in her ear, little hand covering her mouth. Alma frowned and stood up, shooting the villager a fierce look.
"Out." Alma pointed a finger away. "I won't have anyone disrespecting my family. Not when we are working so hard to serve our community. You are no longer required at these meetings."
Sofia watched as the villager left, then turned back to Alma with a worried expression.
"So," Alma sat back down, calm as she addressed the village. "What did we have next on the agenda, Isabela?"
Isabela proudly held up Abuela's notes, squinting a little as she attempted to read them. "Ba..."
"Review." Alma softly helped her.
"Review... to a... ga...
Alma kissed her forehead. "Of the food delivery."
"Of the food delivery..." Isabela took a breath, waiting for Abuela to tell her the next word.
"Service."
"Service."
"Now put it together." Alma quietly encouraged. "Review of the food delivery service."
"Review of the food delivery service." Isabela announced with a smile, then tossed a handful of rose petals, letting them flutter down.
The villagers all called out and clapped in encouragement. Isabela was a terrible reader, but she was cute, so they all found it endearing.
"It's not the best." Someone said, and was met with a furious look from Alma. They quickly added, "The food delivery service, I meant. Isabela's reading was perfect."
They gave Isabela an adoring smile and she smiled back, even though deep down having to read the notes at each meeting stressed her out. Isabela didn't understand how anybody could read when the words were all so blurry and mixed together on the page.
"Agustin delivered to the wrong house, so I was waiting almost an hour with a broken finger." One man told Alma.
"Can't he just run a food stall in town?" Another suggested. "Like Julieta."
At the mention of Julieta, the room was filled with murmurs and agreements. They missed her.
"Agustin ends up eating through the supply himself if we leave him at the stall too long." Alma sighed. "The bees are back in season, and he sunburns easily, even with the shade cloth."
"None of which he can help." Valentina Rojas pointed out. "I'm proud of Gus, stepping up for Julieta."
"How is she doing?" Someone asked, while others nodded and gathered in, eyes bright with sincerity. The town adored Julieta.
Alma went to speak, but Valentina got there first, which Alma found infuriating.
"Julieta's doing good." Valentina smiled proudly. "She's had a very healthy baby girl. Mirabel Valentina Rojas Madrigal."
The town applauded, voices overlapping as they all praised Valentina.
"Felicidades!"
"Another miracle."
"A beautiful name. You must be so proud, Valentina."
Alma exhaled slowly, fighting back the internal panic that rose whenever Valentina looked like a better Mama than her. Alma pushed the feelings of shame and inadequacy deep down, convincing herself they were feelings of annoyance and impatience instead.
She hated that her granddaughter had been named after the other woman in Julieta's life. She didn't like that someone else acted like Julieta's Mama.
"Yes, it is wonderful news for the Encanto." Alma smiled, redirecting their attention back to the meeting. "And Julieta will be back to work soon."
Seeing Valentina's look of concern, Alma quickly spoke again before she had a chance to interfere any further.
"In the meantime, I have a food solution." She gestured to her grandchildren. "We will be taking over Julieta's duties until she is ready to return to work. Dolores will be listening for healing requests while Isabela will be handing out the food. I will escort them."
The crowd murmured in approval. Dolores glanced at Abuela, while Isabela just put on a smile.
"Does that mean we get a flower with our healing?" Someone asked in an excited voice.
"Of course." Isabela told them. "Flowers for everyone."
With her words, Isabela raised her hands and everyone cheered as pink flowers fell all around them.
Alma chuckled, standing up. Her granddaughters stood too.
"And will that, our meeting is adjourned."
She left, granddaughter on either side of her as they headed back to Casita.
"Can we go and play now, Abuela?" Dolores asked softly, and Isabela's face lit up as she nodded.
"20 minutes." Abuela agreed. "That will give me time to prepare the food baskets for our deliveries. She glanced at her pocket watch, then turned to Isabela, "Lets hope your Mami got them done in time, hm?"
The girls took eachother's hands and ran for Casita, hoping to fit in every minute of playtime they could get.
"Alma."
Alma turned back to see Sofia Guzman hurrying after her. She smiled at the sight, slowing down so her friend could catch up.
"Hola stranger." Alma grinned, linking arms. She'd been so busy with work and the grandchildren that she hadn't spent a lot of time with her friends lately. "How are you? How is Gabriel?"
"We're worried for you Alma." She admitted.
Alma frowned, feeling offended. She thought she'd been doing very well?
"Everything is under control." Alma reassured her. "The town, the family-"
"That... Isn't always a good thing, Alma." Sofia said carefully. "You work those little girls very hard. And then I hardly see you with Luisa. I know she doesn't have a gift yet, but that doesn't mean there isn't magic in those early years. It's important you don't miss that."
"I know what I am doing." Alma muttered, continuing to walk. "If you even knew how much pressure I am under-"
"I just know that the Alma I remember, my best friend, would never go a day without seeing her triplets." Sofia told her. "Ever since you had your grandchildren, it feels like you are drifting away from them. You know what Julieta said to Valentina-"
"I don't care what Valentina has to say." Alma snapped without thinking.
Sofia's expression softened.
"Well, you should." She pressed. "Because she loves them, Alma. We all love them, and we are worried."
Alma exhaled slowly. Why was it no matter what she did, how hard she tried, she was still getting this wrong? Alma was almost 60 now. She was tired of people telling her she can't raise her children.
"I'm done with this." Alma frowned, letting go of Sofia and walking ahead.
"Julieta thinks you don't care." Sofia called after her.
Alma stopped walking, closing her eyes. Again? Alma thought she'd proved to her children how much she cared. Why did it always keep coming up?
"Julieta said now that you have grandchildren, it feels like you don't care about her, Bruno and Pepa anymore." Sofia explained, returning to Alma's side. "Like you gave up on them, and now all they are to you is their gifts."
"That is not true!" Alma exclaimed, feeling hot anger rise in her. "I care about my triplets more than anything, everyone knows that!"
"Do the triplets know?" Sofia pushed her luck, only because she loved Alma. "I noticed you don't make speeches at the meetings anymore, now that you started bringing the girls. How does Bruno feel about that?"
"I wouldn't know." Alma frowned. "He does not come down from his tower."
"Talk to them, Alma." Sofia urged. "Please. Before it is too late."
That night
"Papi, watch this!" Luisa tossed oranges into the air, attempting to juggle them. She caught a few but the rest tumbled to the floor. "Whoops."
Casita clacked tiles in praise, then flipped the oranges back onto the table. Luisa grinned.
"Keep at it." Agustin encouraged. "You're getting so good!"
"Did you see it, Mami?" Luisa turned to Julieta, who gave her a sleepy smile, head resting on Agustin's shoulder as she nodded. Julieta held baby Mirabel in one arm, her other hand resting in a bowl of arepa mix she was preparing.
"So good, mija." Julieta praised, though truth be told she could barely keep her eyes open.
Luisa seemed to notice, so she came close to Mama, concerned eyes searching her face. "Are you okay?"
Julieta nodded, blinking slowly as she felt little hands begin to stroke her hair. Luisa knew Mama liked getting head rubs when she was sore.
"You know, I'm going to be five soon." Luisa reminded Mama in a proud voice. "And then, I'm gonna help you all day, Mami."
Julieta smiled back. Their daughter was always so caring and thoughtful.
"What do you think your gift will be?" Agustin asked Luisa with a smile.
"Cooking." Luisa decided, taking Mama's hand in hers and gently moving her fingers for her, opening and closing over the arepa mix as she helped her prepare. "Because then I can make it easier for Mami."
Julieta kissed her daughter's face.
"You already do that, mija."
A rainbow filled the room as Pepa and Felix entered, carrying baby Camilo.
"Mija! Time to go!"
Pepa had done her makeup and had her hair loose, while Felix wore a sombrero. Pepa's smile and rainbow faded as she looked around, but didn't see her daughter.
"Where is Dolores?"
"Still out." Julieta told Pepa in a tired voice. "Same as Isabela. Mama took them out."
"To do what?" Pepa had a cloud now. "It is almost dark. And they have been gone all day! Did they get any play time?"
"I don't know." Julieta sighed.
Luisa gave Mama's hand a supportive squeeze, seeing that the family was sad and wanting to help.
"Tía, Tio. Guess what!" Luisa spoke up in a bright tone, gathering up oranges. "I know how to juggle." She tossed the oranges and dropped a few, while Felix and Pepa smiled, the cloud fading.
"Buena, Lu." Pepa praised, coming over and kissing her sobrina. "You can do anything, hm?"
"Our clever girl." Felix agreed, rubbing Luisa's hair. "Buena, Buena."
Luisa smiled and shrugged, enjoying the compliments but not wanting to take all the credit. "Papi taught me."
"No me diga." Pepa laughed, the room brightening as she shot Agustin a teasing look. "But your Papi doesn't know how. Too clumsy. He will drop them."
Agustin scoffed, throwing a hand at Pepa while she grinned, picking up two oranges into her hand.
"Imagine a window." Pepa drew a square in the air with her finger. "See? Your hands wait at the bottom corners, and you toss the balls to the top corners, then let them drop back into your hands. Don't grab for them, only catch."
Luisa nodded, watching closely.
"Toss, toss." Pepa demonstrated, the oranges going up and crossing over, then landing back into Pepa's waiting hands. "Catch, catch. See?"
Felix grinned, holding Camilo who watched Mama with bright eyes, intrigued by what she was doing.
"Practice like this," Pepa smiled, taking another orange, "Then, when you are ready, you add one more."
Luisa bounced a little as she watched Tía juggle the oranges for her. Casita waved tiles and shutters in applause, while Candle glowed bright. Julieta grinned, glancing back at Agustin who had his arms crossed, annoyed to be shown up.
The front door opened and Isabela and Dolores ran in, laughing in excitement as they saw what Tía was doing. At the sight of her Mama, Pepa's hands slipped and she dropped the oranges.
"What are you doing?" Alma smiled, trying to keep the mood light despite Pepa's growing cloud. She came over, waving it away for her. "You will bruise the fruit like that, mija."
Pepa exhaled slowly, turning to Felix. He gave her a look of encouragement, one arm holding Camilo and the other slipping around Pepa's waist.
"You look nice, Pepi." Alma tried again, Sofia's words from earlier making Alma determined to reconnect. "My beautiful girl. Why are you so dressed up?"
Pepa frowned, one hand gripping her hair while the other held tight to Felix. Alma felt hurt, recognising the same guarded expression Pepa used to have as a teen.
"We are going out for dinner tonight." Felix explained with a smile, then glanced at Dolores, a twinkle in his eye. "Pa caught some fish for the grill today. Nice fat ones."
Dolores peeped in excitement.
"Oh." Alma felt hurt. "I just thought we could all have dinner here, as a family. I could make dessert and drinks for after, and we could play a game together. I could even read the children a book before bed."
The grandchildren's faces lit up in excitement at Abuela's plans, but their parents weren't as impressed. Julieta looked exhausted, while Pepa's hands twisted her hair until the ringlets straightened. She glanced back at Felix with pleading eyes.
"That sounds great, Abuela." Felix chuckled. "Next time. We already have plans for tonight." He gently rubbed his wife's back as he led her and Dolores out the door. "Thank you for the offer, though."
Alma's face fell in disappointment as the door closed behind them. It felt like she was trying, but it wasn't making a difference.
"You can still read to the children later tonight, Mama." Julieta offered. "And tuck them in? I've got a lot of work left to do, so it'd help me a lot."
Alma turned gratefully to Julieta, suddenly being reminded of what a good girl she was. So dependable, so perfect.
"Thank you, mija."
Julieta gave Mama a tired smile, cheek resting against Mirabel as she closed her eyes in exhaustion, Agustin gently stroking her back.
Later
Alma entered the nursery with Isabela and Dolores. Luisa quickly moved aside stuffed toys for them to sit on her bed, then gathered up her books from the shelf.
Luisa glowed in excitement, because Abuela didn't usually pay her so much attention. Luisa decided it must be because her special birthday was coming up, and soon Luisa would be able to help the family, too.
"This one is about donkeys that find their way home." Luisa told Alma, eyes shining bright as she put the book in her lap. "And this one is about unicorns. It's a really good one."
Isabela and Dolores leaned into eachother, eyelids already growing heavy from all the work they'd done today. Luisa smiled, piling more books onto Abuela's lap.
"This is about dragons," Luisa's chest was puffed with pride now. "And it was a present from Tia. And Tio gave me this one too, about rats." The pile got bigger and bigger as Luisa continued, so excited she forgot to take a breath as she listed them. "Princesses, dogs, capybaras, flowers-"
"I want to read your favourite." Alma chuckled, liking the way her granddaughter's eyes lit up at her words.
"My favourite?" It took Luisa by surprise. Alma nodded, her smile warm with love.
Alma gently put the books down on the dresser while Luisa hurried off.
"Well, there is one..." Luisa called from beside her bed, glancing back at Alma before slowly pulling a book out from under her pillow. "I don't keep this one in the shelf, because you know, it's too important."
Alma watched her granddaughter carry the book over like it was made of glass.
Luisa carefully placed the book onto her lap and Alma's expression softened. It was a homemade book, written by a child, though Alma recognised that this wasn't made by Luisa.
"This is your favourite?" Alma whispered.
Luisa nodded, hopping up into Abuela's lap and cuddling her. "My favourite in the whole world."
Alma carefully opened to the first page, recognising her daughter's neat illustrations and writing.
"The lonely horse." Alma began to read. "By Julieta Madrigal."