A soft knock sounded through the room. Isabela turned from her vanity to watch her mother Julieta enter.
"Abuela's gone to fetch the Guzmans for dinner. I'm making your favorite," she said, walking up to her daughter. Isabela nodded, turning back to her mirror. "Are you excited? Nervous?"
"Why would I be nervous?" Isabela asked quickly, eyes darting up to meet her mother's reflection.
"It's perfectly normal," Julieta laughed, putting her hands on Isabela's shoulders. "When your father proposed to me, I was nervous."
"Why?"
"Well, he had been coming to my line for food for nearly three weeks straight, always with smaller injuries. Papercuts and stubbed toes. Bruises from tripping and, of course, many bee stings. It wasn't until your Tia Pepa mentioned that Augustine might like me that I even considered him romantically. And then he was here with flowers and gifts…"
Julieta drifted off, lost in memories. Isabela watched her mother look off into the distance, schooling her features.
"I'm fine. This match is perfect. For me and the family," she replied, grabbing a vial perfume.
"Yes, Mariano is a good man," Juileta continued, brushing Isabela's hair with her fingers. "I just want to make sure you're happy. This proposal seems to be happening awfully fast."
"Well that's just how it's done."
"I know, Isa, I know. The amount of women your Abuela tried to set Bruno up with…"
"And look how that turned out," Isabela replied, fingers shaking a bit as she spritzed perfume onto her neck. "If he had just listened to Abuela, everything would be fine."
"I suppose…But if you ever need anything, know that you can always come to me."
Isabela snorted. She hadn't meant for it to fall out but it had. "Right. In between you caring for the Encanto, and calming Tia Pepa, and caring for Pa, and making sure Mirabel doesn't fly off the handle. I'm sure you can fit me into your schedule, Mami."
"Isa…I've always tried to make time for you all…"
Isabela turned around sharply and Julieta stepped back. "But you didn't. Luisa has been latched onto Pa since the moment she was born and Mirabel has been such a problem that you're always chasing after her."
"Your sister is trying her best," Julieta snapped.
But Isabela just laughed. "See? I can't even say one thing against her! You're always so concerned about your other daughters while you just let me figure things out by myself."
"Your Abuela…"
"Has made me who I am. Not you. Or Pa."
Julieta blinked against the sudden onslaught of emotion. "I just want you to be happy, Isa. That's all…all I've ever wanted."
Isabela was standing straight, eyes full of fire. At her feet, roses trembled, turning from pink to a bright scarlet. "I am. Of course I'm happy."
She spun back to face her vanity again, pulling out a pad of lip coloring. "I have to finish getting ready. And you should get back to the kitchen."
"Oh, Isa. I wish…"
Isabela looked up, their eyes meeting in the mirror before Julieta left.
"I wish you didn't have to be so perfect all the time."
And once the door clicked shut behind Julieta, Isabela finally let her tears fall.
