Mirabel awoke the next morning with a headache like none other and her wrist and palm were throbbing. Gentle hands were wrapping said wrist. She opened her eyes and saw Tia Pepa putting bandages on her.
" Mirabel," she gasped seeing her awake and caressed her cheek "are you ok? Isa told us that you had a fit and hurt yourself. After the ceremony, Julietta and Abuela had a row. The fiercest I'd seen and then we couldn't wake you. Your mother fainted and your sisters have been tending to her. Oh, Mira, I am so sorry we forced you to watch Tonito's ceremony. We should have known what we were asking of you."
"But,Tia, it wasn't-" just then the door opened revealing Dolores with a tray.
"Oh, Mirabel, i heard you wake up and Abuela wanted me to bring you some food. Sopa con arroz for strength and some pan that your mother made. Hopefully it will help your hand." said Dolores looking at the floor as if she were ashamed. Mirabel looked around the room and saw her father passed out in a chair by her bed. She smiled softly. The one person who treated her like a normal person was here for her.
"Please eat, Mira." said Tia Pepa firmly but gently putting the bun to Mirabel's lips. She chewed automatically and she felt her flesh in her palm knitting itself back together and the bones in her wrist mending as she chewed " oh, praise Dios, Julietta's magic is still in it." Pepa's whole face relaxed and the literal clouds that formed above her head vanished. Dolores stood at the door still looking at the floor. Tia Pepa raised an eyebrow at her.
"Isabela hurt her," she said quietly and Tia Pepa's eyebrows shot towards her hairline. Thunderclouds began to form above her head again. "I heard it. Mirabel and Abuela were fighting and Isabela used her vines to hurt Mirabel when she pulled away from Abuela." Pepa's face was stony and the clouds began to swarm like a cyclone above her head. She rose from the bed and took Mirabel's hand gently and walked her to the door. She then took Dolores' hand in her other. She then walked down the stairs with both girls, a hurricane slowly swarming above her head. Luisa and Isabela were at the bottom of the stairs with Abuela talking in low voices, but froze when they saw Pepa walking toward them with a literal storm above her head waiting to break.
"ISABELA ROSA MADRIGAL" Pepa thundered as she approached the trembling slender girl. Isa's eyes widened as Pepa let go of Mirabel and Dolores's wrists and stormed toward her, "you used your gift to hurt your sister? You were gifted a miracle from Our Lady and you used it to cause harm?"
"Mirabel was causing a scene." stuttered out Isa backing away from her aunt "everything had to be perfect and if they saw the deficient Madrigal losing her mind they would-"
"Don't call her that!" snapped Dolores approaching Isabela with her mother. Mirabel shrank into Luisa who held her tightly as if she would protect her from this whole episode.
"Why not?" Isabela finally snapped, pointing at Mirabel "she is deficient. No one else is so useless in this family. Oh yeah, Isa is so mean for not coddling poor baby Mirabel, but let's face it; as much as you're getting angry on her behalf right now, I am the only one in this family that treats Mirabel her age. I hold her accountable. It's not my fault our Lady thought Mirabel was useless to us! She even thought Bruno was worth more-"
"Do not bring up Bruno!" thundered Pepa. "I never treated him the way you treated your sister. I protected him from the villagers that called him a maldicion, but all you care about is yourself. You've always resented Mirabel, since the day she was born. If she is deficient it is your fault for-"
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" screamed Abuela "Isabela is sorry for what she did and she will be disciplined for her words today. Pepa calm yourself and take Mirabel back to the nursery. She will stay there until we can figure out how to move ahead from this nonsense."
Mirabel's heart dropped as the whole family went silent. Antonio, Tio Felix and Camilo had joined by this point. Camilo's usually sarcastic grin was gone as he gaped at his grandmother.
"We're going to lock her up?" he asked "because of a panic attack? Because Isabela can't control her temper?"
"No one is locking her up," snapped Abuela "but it's very obvious that there is a sibling rivalry that must be resolved and Mirabel cannot defend herself-"
"Oh, just admit it, Abuela, it's because you can't have anyone think your perfect little Isabela is a monster. She's the perfect flower child. You need her; you don't need Mirabel!" growled Camilo balling his fists at his sides. "You feel the same way about Mira as Isa does. If it wasn't that Tia Julietta would leave for you hurting her daughter, you would've thrown her out of the casita by now."
"Camilo-" gasped Abuela only to be cut off by Pepa
"No it's because the casita wouldn't let her throw Mirabel out," she growled through gritted teeth "She tried to pay Augustin to leave with Mirabel. She paid him enough money to live comfortably with her, but the casita revolted and tried to tear itself apart when they tried to carry a sleeping Mirabel over the peldano. She had no choice but to let Mira stay."
"Pepa!" gasped Abuela "we were all trying to do what was best-"
"No, mama," said Pepa, becoming scarily calm," I kept the secret because you promised Bruno, Julietta, and I that Mirabel would be safe. Bruno left to protect her from you."
Mirabel felt as though her world was shifting in a very bad way and the floor was catching up to her very fast through all this and she faintly heard Luisa scream her name.
Mirabel awoke in a very dark place, standing in ankle deep water. Where was she? Did Abuela throw her into a swamp? She took calming breaths and looked around trying to see any clues as to where she was. Suddenly she saw a golden mariposa flutter past her and she followed it through the water. The little butterfly led her toward a blinding light and when they reached its zenith, the light began to take the shape of a woman. The same woman who had visited Maribel last night. La Virgen.
"Mirabel, mi amor," she greeted warmly, taking Mirabel's face in her hands, "I know that was not easy for you. I am so sorry you must endure this."
"My lady, not to sound ungrateful, but how am I supposed to heal this family?" asked Mirabel, nervously wringing her hands "after today I'm not sure we're worth saving. Isabela and Abuela hate me and only tolerate me because casita made it clear I had to stay, Tia Pepa, Tio Felix, Mama and Papa have lied to me my entire life and everyone else simply have no use for me and I-"
"Hush now, Mirabel" said the Mother of Heaven, "you have every right to feel this way, but you do not see what I see. Alma y Isabela do not hate you despite what their minds tell them they feel. Remember, I can see their hearts. They are terrified that if everything is not perfect that they will lose everything. Your casita did not stop Alma from throwing you out, I did. I could not let her fear ruin everything that I had planned. Your parents and your tios y tia love you so much. It may seem smothering but they simply do not know what to do, and that idea has carried over to their children. They love you. They all do. They just do not know how to show it properly. And as for not deserving it, you are right, they do not. However, that is the basis of our beliefs is it not? El Dios loves and forgives us for our shortcomings, and commands we do the same for others. He loves you so much Mirabel, and he knows what he is asking of you, so he gives you this choice, stay in the casita and fight through all the hate and terror sorrounding your family to bring peace or he will allow you to leave and guide you to a place where you can have a much easier quiet life. He will not condemn you for either choice, and I will not be angry with you. You need to make the choice for yourself. No one can force you to fight this fight."
Mirabel looked up into la Reina's eyes and saw true compassion there. She knew that if she chose to walk away from her family she would still have her favor. She wanted all the pain to just stop, but at the same time she remembered when she was much younger and her family seemed whole. The love she felt was immense. If she could bring that feeling back it would be well worth everything she would go through.
"I choose to stay," she said with as much confidence as she could muster looking into the Mother of Heaven's golden eyes. La Reina smiled softly.
"I will be with you every step of the way, mi vida," she said, embracing her "even when you feel the most alone. Even when the darkness that threatens your familia y su casita threatens to engulf you and you cannot feel or hear me, I will be there. That is my promise."
She let go of Mirabel and stretched out her hand, the golden mariposa reappearing in her palm. It fluttered up and began to float away. Mirabel looked at it and knew for better or worse, this butterfly would lead her to her destiny. She squared her shoulders and followed it to where she was meant to be.
