Cambios

Prologue

"Tina!"

"Mirabel!"

Mirabel's best friend, Valentina Lopez, was waiting with their mutual friend, Diego Martinez. Mirabel happily ran toward them, followed by her cousin, Camilo. The four friends were around the same age. Camilo was a few months older and was about to turn 5 in the winter.

"Race you to the pond!" Valentina called out before taking off down the small hill toward the pond. Camilo chased after her but made sure not to catch up to her so she could win. Once she had reached the pond's edge, she turned around and smiled triumphantly.

"I won!" She squealed in delight. Camilo turned to see Mirabel and Diego catching up. He heard a squeak behind him, and he turned to see Tina slipping into the pond, her hands desperately grasping at the surrounding tall grass.

"Tina!" Camilo yelled, ripping off his ruana. He jumped into the pond. Diego didn't stop running until he was standing at the edge of the pond, looking for his friends. Mirabel turned away and yelled.

"Dolores! Send help!" She turned back to stand next to Diego. She sighed in relief when she saw Camilo's head pop out of the water, clinging to Valentina. Mirabel and Diego pulled their friends back onto the dry land. Tina was coughing as Camilo wrapped his dry ruana around Tina's shoulders.

"Mirabel!" Julieta, Mirabel's mother called out, kneeling to examine her daughter. She was followed closely by Camilo's mother, and his sister. "Mirabel, you scared me! What happened?!" Julieta asked.

"Tina fell in the pond…Camilo got her out…" Mirabel explained, rubbing her hands together.

Julieta turned to examine Tina, who was no longer coughing, but she was crying and shivering. Julieta sighed in relief and picked up Tina, still wrapped up in Camilo's ruana. "Let's get you all inside. The sun is going down, and you've played outside enough today."

She carried Tina back to the house, Mirabel and Diego followed, tugging at the woman's apron.

"Is she going to be okay?" Diego asked.

"Of course, she will." Julieta replied. "Thanks to Camilo."

Pepa, had picked up her son as well, and followed her older sister back to the Casita. Her oldest daughter, Dolores, was following her, tugging on her mother's dress, like how Mirabel and Diego tugged on Julieta's apron.

"Mama…are you mad at me?" Camilo asked, noticing the cloud above his mother's head. Pepa had a gift of controlling the weather. Consequently, her different moods would cause a cloud or a rainbow to form over her head. She was currently thundering. It happened mainly when she was stressed. Now was one of those times. She took a deep breath, and the cloud began to disappear.

"No Camilito." Pepa said. "I was just frightened. But I'm proud of you, Sunshine. You don't even have your gift yet, and you still helped someone in the community. Your Papa will be proud, and so will your Abuela. Your family will be proud."

Make your family proud…

That was something that stuck with Camilo for the rest of that evening. He thought about it as he tried to draw, absentmindedly tapping a crayon onto a piece of paper. The toddlers were sat at the kitchen table with arts and crafts to keep them busy. Valentina was wrapped up in a blanket while Camilo's ruana was being washed and dried. Tina sneezed a few times before wiping her nose on her arm. She looked miserable. She was trying to do some embroidery with Mirabel, but she seemed tired and out of it.

Even though he had saved her from drowning, Camilo still felt bad for Tina. He pushed his drawing away from him and reached for the beads. He took time making a simple beaded necklace with the Colombian flag. He handed her the finished necklace. She smiled and giggled as he placed it around her neck. Seeing her smile made him feel better.

Make your family proud…

The words were still burning in his mind, as he and Mirabel went to bed in the nursery.

"Milo…are you awake?"

"Yeah, Mira?"

"I'll miss you after your gift ceremony." She admitted. Camilo climbed out of his bed and cuddled up next to Mirabel.

"It'll be okay." Camilo reassured. "We'll get our own rooms and it'll be amazing! And we'll have awesome gifts! And we'll still be best friends forever!"

"You promise?"

"Mejores amigos por siempre," Camilo replied. "I promise- pinky promise!"

Make your family proud…

Camilo remembered his ceremony. He was dressed in a white ruana. His Tio Bruno knelt and told him it was the same one he had worn for his gift ceremony. Camilo's room could change and shift to his needs. Most of the time there were theater decorations. But the first night, his room had been a huge playground, with hammocks. Diego, Mirabel, and Tina had spent that night in his room. It was the best sleepover ever.

Mirabel's ceremony was different.

There was no sleepover. There were no fireworks or celebrations. Camilo had to wait for his parents and Abuela to fall asleep before sneaking into Mirabel's room. She was still in her ceremony dress, crying on her bed. He stayed with her, hugging her for what felt like a long time.

"Camilo…" Mirabel sniffed. Her sobs had finally stopped, but tears still fell from her face. "You should… go to your room…"

"No!" Camilo protested. "I won't leave you! I won't stop until you smile!"

He stayed with her, telling her funny stories until she was laughing. They stayed in the same bed and fell asleep.

Make your family proud…

Ten years had passed. Casita had fallen, and then been restored. They had a celebration, and they noticed the doors where blank slates. The family decided to have a large ceremony that night. Before Camilo had put on white clothes, he made sure to look at his reflection for a long time. He wanted to make sure he remembered himself.

Abuela went first, her door was still of herself, holding the candle. The triplets went next, their doors were still the same. Bruno's room had changed slightly. There were no stairs, but there was still a wide-open space for him to have visions. There was another door, leading into a small room with a bed and a chair; a place for him to get space and watch his telenovelas. Isabela's had changed slightly. Instead of flowers, the door was covered in various plants. Dolores was also the same, but the inside had changed. Her room had become fully soundproof. Antonio's was also the same. Luisa's room was still like a gym, but there were nooks and crannies for her to take a break and relax. After she had restored her gift, the family cheered.

"I'm glad I got my strength back." Luisa admitted. "I like using my gift to help others. I like working too."

"But your gift should not be exploited as it was before!" Abuela said.

"It's a good thing you like to help others, but just remember to take breaks. Don't overwork yourself." Julieta added.

"Eat lunch!" Isabela added as well.

"And drink lots of water!" Mirabel insisted.

"Okay," Luisa blushed. "Anyways, it's Camilo's turn."

Camilo turned to his door. The door glittered with light. Camilo thought for a moment and took a deep breath. He made a silent wish before placing his hand on the door, filled with a new determination.

I'll make my family proud…