It's been over 2 weeks since Julio left, and there is still no sign of him returning. Though it hasn't been for lack of trying on his end.

Mirabel uses the time to get closer to her sobrinas y sobrinos as well as the rest of the family.

A/N: Hey... yeah it has been a hot minute (*cough almost 4 months cough*)

This chapter really gave me a hard time. I knew how I wanted the ending of the chapter to go, but I could not get passed the first page for the longest time!

There has also been some huge things going on in my personal life, which made having motivation to continue writing this fic super difficult.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck by and waited patiently for this next chapter! Your support means so much! And special shout out to Alejandra on IG who was so sweet to check in with me and offer some helpful ideas

This was not fully proofread so if you see an error, please let me know and I will be happy to change it. And as always, I do not speak Spanish, so feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

"What happens next Tía?" Adoria asked, bouncing on her knees where she is perched in front of Mirabel on the floor. In fact, all the children were seated in front of Mirabel on the floor as she told them a story. All except Felipe, who was snuggled into the crook of her arm, head tucked onto her shoulder. He had long ago fallen asleep, while the other niños were still listening to the story.

"Hmm lets see. The brave farmer boy stood in front of the soldier, he would not allow more of his sheep to be taken…" Mirabel continued the story about a boy who protected his sheep and in turn his village by running the soldiers out of town using tricks, outsmarting the soldiers, and with help from his friends.

As Mirabel wrapped up the story, her tía entered the room.

"What's this? Story time without me?" Pepa said, coming to stand behind the couch and leant over to place kisses on Mirabel's head.

"Hola Tía." Mirabel said with a smile as she glanced up, only to then receive kisses on her forehead too and anywhere else Pepa could reach.

"Tía Pepa, Tía Mira was telling funny story!" Eduardo said, his adorable hazel eyes twinkling just like his mamá's did when she got excited.

"It wasn't funny, it was brave!" Adoria added.

Aleta nodded along. "It was both! And he was smart too!"

"Ay, it sounds like a perfect story. You will have to tell me all about it later, mis pequeños." Pepa said with a bright smile, a rainbow appearing over her head making the children giggle. "But it is time for dinner now, so let's go get you all washed up, sí?"

The older children helped the toddlers down the hall.

"We should go help them." Mirabel said, despite feeling comfortable where she sat with Felipe in her arms.

"Dolores and Mariano are waiting for them, I came to check on you, mi dulce nubé." Pepa replied, placing kisses over her sobrinas face again.

Mirabel rolled her eyes fondly.

"The three of us are doing fine, even if they both are able to sleep right now." The two women glance down at the sleeping child in her arms, resting on top of her baby bump.

"Not long now, hmm?" Pepa asked, lightly running a finger over the soft black hair on Felipe's head, gentle enough not to wake him.

"No, but I am hoping bebé can at least wait for their papá to return." At the mention of her esposo, Mirabel frowned. "Julio's been gone longer than he thought. Do you think he is okay?"

"I'm sure he is just fine, mija. He will be back before you know it." Pepa squeezed her sobrinas shoulder in comfort. "Let's join the familia for dinner."

"Are you sure about this hombre? You don't have to do this."

Julio ignored his colleague and long-time friend. He continued boxing up everything that was his personally in the office he had held for the last four years. His jaw was clenched as he shoved projects he had started into the box, unsure when or if he would ever be able to finish them now.

"Julio…"

The man in question snapped a pencil in half by accident before flinging it into the trash bin. "Lorenzo, it wasn't even an option." He spun around and met his friend's eyes. "They wouldn't even offer to hold my position here longer than another week. There is no way that I am spending any more time away from mi familia, especially not with Mirabel so close to giving birth and in her situation." He was lucky enough to have not slipped up yet about her miraculous recovery. "I know she is with her familia, but she hasn't seen them for almost 8 years, and I have always been at her side for our bebés."

"I know, mi amigo. I just wish they weren't idiotas and saw that you are worth waiting for."

Julio cracked a little smile. "Gracias. You have been a wonderful friend to me since we were young. You will understand my devotion to mi amor when you have your own novia."

"I only hope to find someone as lovely as your Mira. Eres realmente afortunado, mi amigo." Lorenzo clapped him on the back. "Let me help with the rest." And so, the two got to work on boxing up the rest of his office.

When finished, Lorenzo preceded him out the door, and Julio took a moment more to look around at his office. Despite being bitter with the University on their decision, he knew he would never once regret choosing his family first. He left and bid some of his other colleagues goodbye on his way out, as well as some of the students he knew.

Lorenzo kindly offered to drop him off in his truck, so they piled the boxes in the back and hopped into the cab of the truck. It was a clunky, noisy thing, but Lorenzo loved it. Julio and Mirabel had never seen the appeal, happy to walk wherever they needed, or take Margarita with the cart if it was too far.

"Give Mirabel and your niños my best. Te deseo lo mejor."

"Muchas gracias mi amigo!" Julio nodded to him once the boxes were just inside the house. He stood and waved goodbye to his friend, before sighing once he was gone. Julio entered the house and shut the door. He then set about organizing bags and boxes he would bring with him on his trip back to Encanto. He would leave tomorrow, and was unsure when they would officially move back.

Julio found the last photograph he had taken of their little family as he pulled it out of one of the boxes from his office. There Mirabel sat, Aarón on her lap and their hijas on either side, all smiling widely at the camera. This was taken about 8 months ago, around the time they had found out that they were expecting again, but they hadn't told the niños yet. He ran his ink stained finger over the sepia toned photograph. He wished that he could just leave right now to be with them.

"Soon, mi amor. I will be there soon."

Mirabel sank down with a tired sigh onto the couch in the living room. She was so tired, but she knew she would have little sleep that night - she hadn't slept well since Julio left. Not to mention the slight aches that told her that her baby would be here soon. If she had to guess, it would be in the next few days, just based on the light cramping she had had over the last day or so. Even just this afternoon it had gotten a little stronger, but nothing to concern anyone else with yet.

She had just finished tucking in her niños and was looking forward to a little quiet family time without the children of the house.

"Here mija, some tea. You look like you could use it." Her mamá said as she handed her a steaming cup that smelt of mint, lemon verbena, lemongrass, and maracuya aromática.

Mirabel took a deep inhale of the soothing fragrances, letting out a comforted sigh at the relaxing scent. "¡Gracias Mamá!"

A hand brushed over Mirabel's curls and she looked up to once again see her tía behind her, but this time she walked around and took the seat next to Mirabel. Her mamá sat on the armchair beside the loveseat after handing her hermana her own cup of tea.

"How are you feeling mija?" Julieta asked, pulling a knitted throw onto her lap.

The younger woman ran a hand over her baby bump. "Other than the usual pregnancy woes, I am very ready to meet this pequeño. I just wish Julio was back already. It's been over two weeks now." She pouted, tears filling her eyes from the heightened emotions coursing through her.

"I know, mi amor, but I am sure he will be back any day now." Julieta replied with an understanding smile.

"I can't wait to meet mi pequeño nube. Sobrino or sobrina, I don't care, I just want all the bebé snuggles!" Tía Pepa said, leaning over to rub Mirabel's belly.

"I can't wait either." Mirabel responded with a smile. "Though it's also because there is no more room to grow." She poked her belly. "I swear I am bigger than with mi mellizas." She gruffed a little.

"What was it like to care for mellizas as a new mamá?" Julieta asked, wanting to learn more about the life her hija had lived away from her.

Mirabel bit her lip. "I'm not going to lie, it was very difficult. I was barely 18 and newly married. Almost our whole marriage was spent with me being either very ill with nausea or in pain from the extra weight of mi bebés. Julio, mi amor, was amazing. He was able to get off work for 2 weeks after nuestras hijas were born." She smiled in remembrance. "But once he went back to work I was alone caring for our niñas, as well as caring for Tía Rosa, who was nearing the end of her life." Her smile was now bittersweet. "I wouldn't change those last days of her life though. I am so happy that she got to hold both Aleta and Luna, she was so proud of them and loved them just as fiercely as we did.

"Having mellizas was definitely interesting. I felt like I was constantly pulled in two directions. I would get one down, and then the other would be awake, wanting a feeding. When Aarón came along over 2 years later, he seemed like such an easy bebé in comparison. But that was probably because it was just him. The niñas were then into everything being toddlers of course."

Julieta and Pepa laughed fondly. "All of you were into everything at that age. Especially you and mi Camilo." Her Tía said.

"And we definitely understand about the babies having different schedules. Isabela and Dolores, and also you and Camilo too, were so close in age that it sometimes felt that you were mellizos too. Just with two different sets of padres." Julieta added.

Pepa gave her belly a rub, which earned her a foot to her hand. A rainbow formed in the dark room as the red headed woman leant over and placed her cheek on her sobrina's belly. "Hola mi pequeño nube. You are a healthy little thing aren't you." A delighted titter bubbled from her chest when she received another kick, this time to her cheek.

"Ay Tía, you are getting them all wound up." Mirabel said, but there was no anger or annoyance in her tone. She shared a look of amused exasperation with her Mamá, who had experienced what Pepa was like first hand as well as with their hijas.

Pepa stuck her tongue out at them both and resumed her little chat with the little one.

Mirabel sipped her tea, relaxing a little more with the warmth of her Tía and the fragrant tea.

"So mija, do you have any names picked out for mi nuevo nieto o nieta?" Julieta asked, eager to know the answer.

"Hmm, we have a few different ones picked out. But I like to wait until I see mi bebé to make sure that the names suit them." Mirabel looked down at her tía who had sighed in disappointment and was pouting. "Tía, I promise, you will be one of the first to know besides Mamá y Papá." She said, fingering one of the reddish-white curls that were near Pepa's face.

The rainbow above them glowed a little brighter as Pepa sat up and pulled her sobrina into her arms. "Oh mija, I love you so much!"

Mirabel rolled her eyes a little at her tía's enthusiasm, but snuggled into the warm embrace. "Te amo Tía Pepa." She replied, ignoring the ache that tightened her belly again. It still wasn't strong enough to alert anyone yet; a part of her also didn't want to accept that this baby may come before Julio could return.

Mirabel tossed and turned all night, only managing a few hours of sleep. Eventually she was just too uncomfortable to keep trying to sleep. She dressed in a soft, loose dress and wrapped a purple shawl around her shoulders to keep the early morning chill away.

She made her way to the kitchen, deciding to be useful in her early rising and make some mojicones, which her niños loved. Being in a large family, Mirabel quickly realized she would need to make way more than she usually would. She let herself get absorbed into the process of making the dough. The kneading really helped to distract her from the pain she was in.

As the dough rested, Mirabel felt a contraction hit her once more, this one stronger. She gripped the counter near the sink and breathed measured breaths, like she had twice before. She realized she would need to say something after breakfast. The baby wanted to greet them today.

Mirabel was filled with anxious excitement and worry. She couldn't wait to meet this new person made from the love she and Julio shared. But she just wished he was here to meet their bebé.

The rolls had just come out of the oven when her mamá came in to make desayuno.

"Ay, mija." Julieta held a hand over her heart to calm herself as she had not noticed Mirabel already in her cocina. "You startled me."

"Lo siento, Mamá." Mirabel said, offering an apologetic smile. She placed down the thick cloth she had used to take the pans out of the oven. "Would you like me to make you some coffee?"

"Are you feeling okay, mi amor?" Her mother asked instead of answering. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Oh you know, no comfortable position. I'll be fine." Mirabel responded, waving off her mamá's concern. "I made mojicones to go with breakfast."

"They look delicious mija. Why don't we have one now, and then I can get started on today's stock."

So the two sat and chatted over some tea and coffee, while each having a mojicón each. Mirabel was able to hide her bouts of pain behind her tea cup or when her mother turned to make a large amount of arepas.

Julieta eventually finished packing up the last of the baskets and turned to offer Mirabel another cup of tea, wiping her hands on a towel. She noticed a grimace that appeared on her hijas face. She instantly moved over to her, and brushed Mirabel's curls from her face.

"What's wrong mija?"

Mirabel gave her mother an attempted reassuring smile. "I'm fine, just some cramping."

"You were having some yesterday too?" Julieta said with concern. "Are you in la-"

A frantic knocking sounded at the front door, and Julieta dashed to go answer it, figuring it was someone who needed healing. It turned out that there had been a rockslide that had tumbled down and knocked into the Javier's house and barn. It had also knocked over an oil lamp and there was a fire.

Julieta called out to Casita to wake up the family while she hurried back to the kitchen to grab a couple baskets of food, unsure if they would be needed.

"I'm sorry, mi amor, but I have to go. We'll talk later. Take it easy today, okay?"

"Si Mamá. I will just start a quick breakfast for the niños."

"Mija…" She hesitated, not wanting to let her hija cook when she wasn't feeling well.

"I'm fine Mamá. Go, they need you." Mirabel ushered. Casita helped her and moved Julieta along.

Tía Pepa and Luisa followed her mother out of the house, still in their sleepwear with robes wrapped haphazardly on top. Isabela, Antonio, Dolores, and Camilo followed not long after.

Mirabel set to work finishing breakfast. Tío Felix came in shortly after and helped her finish and plate everything for the niños.

The men were supposed to take all the kids on a small adventure to the river today, so Felix packed them up a meal, with Mirabel and Abuela helping.

Soon it was just Mirabel, her Tío Bruno, and Abuela left in Casita. The three began cleaning up the dining room and kitchen from the mess of breakfast. Mirabel was wiping down the last of the counter space when she felt a pop and then a gush.

"Mirabel?" Tío Bruno asked, turning to her at hearing a gasp leave her lips.

"Uh…" Mirabel looked down at the mess of her legs and the floor. "I think we may have another problem on our hands today."

Abuela instantly was at her side and guided her away from the wet spot. "Come, let's get you cleaned up. Brunito, please clean that up, and then I will need you to meet me in Mirabel's room." She said, instantly taking charge of the situation.

They didn't make it far into the courtyard when the first tougher contraction hit. Mirabel stopped moving and leaned on one of Casita's posts - the same one she had walked into on the day of Antonio's gift ceremony.

"Breathe, nieta. That's it." Abuela gently guided her.

Mirabel did as she was reminded and soon the contraction lifted. She allowed Abuela to lead her to the bathroom.

"Here mija. Let's get you out of this and into something clean and dry." Abuela said, drawing some warm water and a washcloth. Casita also delivered one of the new nightgowns Mirabel had gotten recently.

"Gracias Casita." Mirabel said, leaning down with a grimace to pick it up. She conceded defeat of being able to clean herself up by herself, and allowed her Abuela to help. She couldn't help the flush that had risen to her cheeks due to her grandmother seeing her like this.

"Don't be embarrassed, corazon. I have helped both of mi hijas with all of their labours. I was the first one to hold each of mi nietos, except Antonio, did you know that?"

Mirabel slid into the nightgown, and then looked at her Abuela in surprise. "I knew about Antonio as I helped Mamá during Tía's labour. But I suppose it makes sense that you were there through the rest of us." She then grunted as another contraction hit her. Once it eased, Mirabel let out a sigh of relief, despite knowing they would be getting worse as the day wore on.

"What would you like to do, mija? Would you like to have a walk around Casita, or do you want to try and have some rest?"

Mirabel blinked, taking a moment to observe the sincerity on her Abuela's face. It was still hard for her to get used to seeing this new, warm Abuela against the cold one of her memories. She noticed a concerned look grace the older woman's features and realized she hadn't responded. "Oh, uh, walking is probably a good idea."

"Alright." Alma offered her nieta a warm smile. "I can have Brunito join you while I prepare your room with Casita, ok?"

"Sí Abuela." Mirabel braced one hand on her belly, feeling how tight it had become, and one on her lower back.

The rest of the morning was spent speaking quietly with her Tío Bruno between contractions that were progressively getting worse. The green eyed man was surprisingly very good at keeping her distracted from the pain, though Mirabel realized that he probably had lots of experience dealing with his hermanas, and then his sobrinas, over the years.

After a particularly painful and long contraction, Mirabel felt unable to move anymore.

"I think we should get you to your bed, Mariposita." Bruno said, supporting her physically when she had thrown her arms around his neck and leaned into him. He rocked them gently to help ease the pain.

Mirabel could only muster a nod, and allowed him to guide her slowly to the room, her weight being heavily supported by the surprisingly strong arms. She would never have suspected her diminutive Tío to be so sturdy under his loose ruana. The trip across the courtyard took much longer than usual, and they had to make several stops between either contractions, or Mirabel just needed a moment.

As they neared, Alma exited the room and helped them with the rest of the way. Once Mirabel was settled against the extra pillows her Abuela had gathered, Abuela wiped a damp cloth against her sweaty forehead.

"Mirabel are you okay if I check how you are progressing?"

The younger woman, instead of answering, groaned loudly as another contraction hit. Abuela soothingly ran her fingers through Mirabel's sweat damp hair. She spoke encouraging words while her nieta breathed through the pain.

When it eased, Mirabel breathily asked her to repeat the question, and then gave her permission to check.

Bruno helped Mirabel to sip on a glass of cool water while Alma laid a blanket over her propped up legs. She made sure that Bruno was facing away, which he had Already turned and was quietly speaking to Mirabel, as he removed her glasses that kept sliding off her face anyways.

Alma, washed her hands in the basin she had prepared and then gently checked her nieta. She gasped in shock as she realized Mirabel had progressed more than expected. "It looks like you are almost ready to push already."

"No!" Mirabel said, sitting up in a panic, causing her Tío to almost drop the glass of water on her - he thankfully caught it and quickly moved to set it aside. "No, I can't. He's, he's not here. He's always here!" She sobbed. "I can't do this!"

Alma washed her hands quickly and then sat next to her nieta, cupping her face. Mirabel's hazel eyes met her brown eyes, and she could see the pain of not having her esposo here with her. "I know you want Julio here, but you are so strong, querida. You can do this."

"No, he promised. Mi amor promised to be back by now. Where is he?" Another contraction hit her then and it caused her to sob harder, unable to catch her breath.

"Breathe, mija. Look at me, breathe with me."

Bruno sat beside Mirabel on the side he had been standing on and took her hand in his. "Squeeze my hand if you need to." He winced a little when she instantly took him up on that offer, but he just took the damp cloth from the side and wiped her brow with his free hand.

"Where is he?" Mirabel sobbed as the contraction eased. "What if something happened? What if he isn't coming back?"

"That boy loves you!" Bruno said quickly. "The way he wasn't willing to compromise you or your bebé's health and brought you back home because he knew that your mamá would be able to ensure both of your safety."

"But… But he's always been here… Ahh!" She cried out with another contraction.

The madre y hijo duo talked her through it, making sure she breathed.

"It burns." Mirabel whimpered.

"Querida, this bebé is coming. We will be with you the whole time. But it's time to have your bebito."

Mirabel cried, but nodded. She was scared and wanted her Julio. But she knew her Abuela was right, her bebé was coming, and there was no going back or stopping, no matter how much she wanted.

Alma leant forward and placed a kiss on Mirabel's forehead. "You've got this, mi fuerte mariposa." She then stood and gave her hijo a nod of encouragement. She was so proud of how he was handling the situation, and she knew that he was helping keep Mirabel calmer.

She quickly washed her hands once more and made sure she had towels ready and that everything was ready beside her. Then she checked Mirabel once more, and she didn't even need to check with her fingers again, as she could see the head.

"Alright Mirabel, I can see the head. On your next contraction, I need you to push. ¿Entiendes?"

Mirabel shakily nodded and took some calming breaths. She then beared down when the next contraction hit, letting out a loud groan as she squeezed both her eyes shut and her hand tight around Bruno's. She couldn't hear his small yelp of pain over the pain she was enduring.

"¡Eso es mija, empuja!" Abuela Alma said, encouraging her nieta.

It took only a handful more pushes, and then Alma was holding her newest bisnieto. She quickly cleaned the airways and soon the room was filled with newborn crying, which made Mirabel sob in relief.

Alma then placed the bebé on Mirabel's chest. The joven mamá instantly wrapped her arms around her infante, uncaring of the tears streaming down her face, smiling widely at the beautiful little person she had grown.

Just as the door to the room slammed open, Abuela exclaimed, "it's a boy!"

Translations:

Eres realmente afortunado, mi amigo - You are truly lucky, my friend.

Te deseo lo mejor - I wish you the best

maracuya - passion fruit

Aromática - aromatic (also used to refer to aromatic fruit and herbal teas)

mi nuevo nieto o nieta - my new grandson or granddaughter

mojicones - plural form of mojicón which is a Colombian style sweet roll

nuestras hijas - our daughters

mi fuerte mariposa - my strong butterfly

¡Eso es mija, empuja! - That's it mija, push!

bisnieto - great-grandchild