With another flash of green light, the vision had ended.

The glittering sand fell back onto the ground. In his hands, Bruno was holding an emerald plate that wasn't there before. He looked at its content with a smile.

"Oh, your sister, that's great!"

But Mirabel thought otherwise. She stared at the vision plate in disbelief that quickly turned into pure anger.

Bruno's face fell. Despite being so understanding just a moment ago, now his niece acted towards his vision as everybody else. She hated it, he noticed not without pain.

"Every time," the man complained, throwing the plate away as if it was garbage.

Resigned, Bruno turned his back to Mirabel and walked away a few steps. Heavily, he sat down on the floor, his head low, his shoulders slumped. He looked miserable.

Antonio was reluctantly approaching his uncle, the jaguar still on his side. He wanted to help but had no idea how. Comforting an adult he'd just met was scary. The boy stopped midway and looked at Mirabel with the same expression that he gave her before receiving his gift.

He needed her help.

Putting her complicated emotions towards Isabela aside for now, Mirabel's eyes went from Antonio to Tio Bruno. Only then had she realized how her reaction affected him. This was like a bucket of cold water.

Mirabel's face softened as she slowly walked up to Bruno.

"Tio Bruno."

There was no response. Mirabel moved around and kneeled before him, hoping to talk face-to-face. But Bruno was deliberately avoiding her gaze.

"I didn't mean to sound ungrateful," she said, looking out for his reaction. "I know you performed the ritual against your better judgment and only because I asked you to. I pretended not to see how much it cost you to use your gift again, how afraid you've been of what you could see."

Bruno huffed, tilting his head slightly to the side. But he still refused to look at his niece. Mirabel reached out to hold his hands just the way she did when they were both looking into the future. This earned her a sideway glance.

"But you didn't falter," she continued with new-found earnestness. "You pushed through and helped me find my way forward. And you did this all for me."

She gave him a soft smile, lightly squeezed his hands.

"What I'm trying to say is, thank you, Tio Bruno. For being on my side now, and also back then. It means a lot to me."

Bruno lifted his head at last. His face expressed utter disbelief. His eyes widened even more when Mirabel leaned forward to embrace him.

The gesture was unexpected but not unwelcome. It had been years since he could hug someone. His arms found their way around Mirabel, pulling her even closer.

Before long, there was another pair of arms joining in. Now that uncle Bruno was not scary anymore, Antonio jumped at the opportunity of a group hug. So did the jaguar, who had apparently forgotten that he's not a little kitten anymore.

His weight tipped them over. They all landed on one another. Except for the big cat, who stretched out right next to Antonio, his belly up and his head on Bruno.

Everyone laughed, even Tio Bruno despite having trouble breathing.

"Um − Uh, you can get off. I'm okay now."

Mirabel stood up and helped him get to his feet. Antonio stayed on the ground to rub his pet on the chest.

"Right," said Mirabel, as she straightened her glasses. "It's time to save the miracle!"

"Can I go too?" asked Antonio.

"Thanks, hombrecito, but you'll have to leave this one to the grown-ups. You'd better stay here and pretend you didn't see us."

Her cousin didn't argue. He seemed okay with his assignment.

Now that everything had been dealt with, Mirabel could go back to her most pressing matter.

Why on earth did she need to hug Isabela of all people!?