Mirabel looked on as Antonio was welcomed into Abuela's embrace and she felt her world shift slightly. She looked on as her family gathered for a picture not even seeming to notice she wasn't in the group. She was used to it, her mother treating her as if she were a fragile infant, her sisters giving her scorn and over protection in equal amounts. Dolores and Camilo acting as if nothing was wrong with her but always giving her the lightest load of chores and Tia Pepa and Tio Felix hovering to ensure nothing bad happened to her but once at home, ushering her to the nursery, out of sight. Then worst of all was Abuela who condemned everything that she tried with gentle and tired words as if she was not trying to hide how reviled she was with Mirabel's existence.
Antonio locked eyes with her and his whole face fell. She realized she was crying. He reached out to her and she fled, barely seeing Antonio calling for her and Tia Pepa holding him back whispering into his ear. She ran and tripped onto the floor and the casita dropped a roof tile at her feet. Horrified, she picked up the tile in her hand and gasped as it cut her. She looked around and saw cracks spanning up toward Abuela's room and the magic shimmer and nearly fade. She stifled a scream and turned around to meet Abuela's unapproving gaze
"Abuela, the casita-" she started but was stopped by a warning hand from her grandmother.
" Mirabel, mija, today has been very harrowing for you. Before you begin wailing like a madwoman, perhaps you should sleep. Ill have your favorite meals ready for tomorrow and i'll even give you a day off from chores."
"Abuela, I am fine. You saw what I saw."
"I saw you having a panic attack, mi querida." sighed Abuela slowly descending the stairs and taking Mirabel's injured hand in her own. " I told Julietta that today would be too hard on you, that we should have had your father entertain you in the nursery. And now look, no one listened to me and in a fit you have hurt yourself."
"I DID NOT-" Mirabel shrieked trying to pull out of Abuela's grasp but was stopped by a vine, Isabela's vine.
"Mirabel that is enough," Isa snarled, tightening the vine on her wrist. "people are going to hear you."
"ISABELA, do not hurt your sister," hissed abuela and the vine let go immediately at Isa's castigated face.
"I'm sorry, Mira, I didn't mean-" tried Isa, attempting to reach out to her little sister.
"LEAVE ME ALONE" cried Mirabel rubbing her injured wrist and whirling around to face Abuela "ALL OF YOU"
She dashed up the stairs and slammed the door to the nursery shut. She shoved her bag into her armario and caught her reflection in the mirror, tears falling from beneath her glasses, unsure of what she was sad about. Antonio's gifting ceremony had gone beautifully resulting in him getting the wonderful gift of talking to animals. She looked past her eyes in the reflection and saw a tapestry with la Virgen, la reina de Cielo.
Mirabel approached the tapestry and fell to her knees before it, the lit candle on her night stand flickering in the night air.
"Our lady, full of grace and mercy, help me," she whispered, her eyes sliding shut as the tears slid down her cheeks. "I just want to be loved in this family. Please, My Lady, tell me what I have done wrong to deserve your scorn; to be unworthy of your miracle."
Mirabel felt the wind blow more fiercely and she opened her eyes to shut the window and before it stood a woman encased in glowing golden light.
Her hair was a curtain of ebony silk cascading down to her ankles, eyes golden and sparkling, and her skin mocha and unblemished. Her robe was pure white silk and she had a halo of gold encircling her head.
"Oh, Mirabel, mi vida, you have been so brave," she said, her voice like milk and honey, dripping warmth. "You have done absolutely nothing to deserve my scorn. I did not give you a gift, that is true, but it was not because you were not worthy of one. I have a much more powerful destiny for you, mi amor. Be patient and continue to love with your heart wide open. Not only will it heal the cracks in the casita, but also the cracks in your familia." she pressed a kiss to Mirabel's forehead, and was gone as quickly as she appeared.
She let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. Great destiny? Her? Was she dreaming. Perhaps she was too overly tired with the day's events and imagined the whole thing. She closed her eyes and imagined she could still feel the Queen of Heaven's lips on her brow.
