It was a busy day at Madrigal's house. It was Antonio's gifting ceremony day and everyone was getting ready. Isabella was growing flowers in the entrance, Pepa was making the weather perfect, and Julieta was making the food.
Mirabel was carrying a box down the hall, she stopped in front of Abuela's door and laid a candle holder, that she designed herself, in front of it. Doing the same with Luisa's, Isabella's, and Camilo's. At Dolores's door, there was a big potted plant.
Mirabel tried to move the plant, but it was too heavy. She tried from the side. Tried planting her feet. Tried with her shoulder. But it wouldn't budge.
What's in this plant Luisa's weight? Mirabel thought. Then her foot slipped, she fell to the ground and sighed. She heard someone coming down the hall. The person stopped.
"Uh, hey sis," the person said, "Watchya doing on the floor?"
Mirabel looked up and saw her older sister Luisa looking at her.
"Just hanging out," Mirabel responded.
"Oooookkkkk," Luisa said slowly. She started to walk off. When Mirabel suddenly realized that Luisa was the exact person that she needed.
"Wait!" Mirabel called out. Luisa turned around. "Can you help me move this plant?"
"Sure," Luisa responded. She picked up the plant with ease and set it to the side.
"Thanks, Luisa," Mirabel said.
"No problem," Luisa insisted.
Mirabel took a candle holder out of her box with Dolores's name on it and placed it in front of her door. She then lit the candle on it.
"What is that?" Luisa asked.
"Just a thing I made to decorate Casita with," Mirabel responded.
"They look pretty intricate. How did you make them?" Luisa questioned.
"Well," Mirabel started, "I took some paper then…" She was interrupted by a call from Abuela.
"Luisa!," Abuela called. Mirabel looked at Luisa, for a brief moment she saw a flash of orange go across her sister's eyes. But as soon as she saw it, it was gone.
"Yes Abuela," Luisa called back and she ran off to Abuela.
"W-well-ll I'll just t-tell you later," Mirabel stuttered after her older sister.
What was that in her eyes? Mirabel pondered.
She brushed it off as a trick of the light and went back to place the candle holders in front of the doors. When she was done she headed to her room aka the nursery. As she was heading there she saw Abuela and her mother Julieta talking on the stairs.
"Mama, please be nice to Mirabel. You know this night will be hard on her," Julieta asked.
Abuela stared into Julieta's eyes and said in a low voice, "Don't tell me to not do something."
Mirabel's mother's eyes flashed the same orange that Luisa's did. "Yes Mama," she replied and walked off.
Thunder sounded and Mirabel's aunt Pepa had a storm cloud forming over her head.
"Pepa," Abuela said, "The cloud."
"Mama I can't find Antonio," Pepa thundered, "what do you want from me?"
Mirabel opened the door to her room and saw Antonio sitting in the corner.
"What are you doing here Primo?" She asked him. He didn't answer. She approached him and sat down. "Nervous?" He nodded. "You've got nothing to worry about. You're going to get your gift and open that door and it's going to be the coolest ever… I know it.
Antonio looked at her and whispered, "What if it doesn't work?"
"Well," Mirabel answered, " Well in that impossible scenario you'd stay in here in the nursery with me… Forever. And I'd get you all to myself."
Antonio turned all the way around and said to Mirabel, "I wish you got a door."
Mirabel felt slightly pained but put on a brave face for her cousin, "You know what? You don't have to worry about me, 'cause seeing you get your special gift and your door... that's gonna make me way happier than anything."
Mirabel got up, opened a drawer, and pulled out a present. She handed it to Antonio. He unwrapped the package and pulled out a hand-knitted jaguar.
"I know you're an animal guy so I made this for you," she said.
"I Love it," Antonio said, hugging Mirabel.
"Now let's go get you to your ceremony," Mirabel said.
The two proceeded out of the room and down the stairs where Pepa, Felix, Camilo, and Dolores were.
"Antonio!" Pepa exclaimed, hugging him, "So grown up." A cloud started to form above her head and it started to rain on the two.
"Ah Pepa you're going to get him wet," Felix said, fanning the cloud away.
Dolores leaned her ear up then said, "Abuela says it's time."
"We'll be waiting at your door," Felix said and they took off.
Mirabel was forced to stay behind the flower curtain. Abuela started talking about the candle and the miracle, but Mirabel tuned it out and focused on Antonio.
Suddenly the curtains opened up showing Antonio. He stayed there and didn't move. Casita tried to encourage him to move by pushing plates up but it didn't work and he stood frozen to the spot. Antonio then turned to Mirabel and held out his hand.
"I can't," Mirabel whispered.
"But I need you," Antonio whispered back.
Mirabel really didn't want to but her cousin needed her, so fighting against every instinct, she took Antonio's hand.
The crowd gasped and Mirabel caught Abeula giving her a disapproving glance but she put her head down. Memories of her own ceremony flashed back to her but she shut them out. They walked up the stairs to Antonio's door. She backed off and stood beside Felix and Pepa.
"Thank you for helping Antonio get up here," Felix whispered, "He's really close to you."
"It was no problem," Mirabel responded.
Abuela then held out the candle and said, " Do you promise to use your gift to help the community?"
Antonio nodded. She then pointed to the door. Antonio reached for the doorknob but as he touched it he jumped back.
"Ow," he said, clutching his finger.
"What's wrong?" Abuela asked.
"It pricked me," he said, showing her the dot of blood on his finger.
"Oh it's natural," Abuela responded.
"It happened to me too," Pepa said, showing him a dot on her hand from the prick.
Mirabel remembered a prick when she touched her door but the dot didn't stay; it went away with the door.
"Just hold it there," Abuela reassured.
Antonio went back to the door, took a deep breath, and touched the door. Everyone was holding their breath. Then the door turned vibrant yellow. A toucan came and landed on Antonio's arm and squawked.
"Uh-huh," Antonio said, "I understand you." The toucan gave another squawk, "Of course, they can come!" Suddenly lots of birds came flocking to Antonio and his door became a carved out picture of him with animals on it.
The crowd cheered. Mirabel noticed Abuela looking at Antonio giving a weirdly sinister smile.
That smile isn't creepy at all, Mirabel thought sarcastically.
Antonio opened the door and it formed into a rainforest with a giant tree in the middle.
"WE have a new gift!" Abuela exclaimed.
