Summary:

Julieta and Agustín have a surprise for Gabriela that moves her to tears.

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Written in Gabriela's POV.

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I don't remember when I fell asleep last night. I stand up and stretch, looking out the window and seeing a clearer day. Pepa's mood must've improved a little bit, though I can see that the sun is still hiding behind the clouds.

I glance at the fabric draped over my table that I unknowingly slept on. I have been restless all night and decided to work on my project, just to keep my mind off the voices in my head. I hope I didn't drool on it.

I almost jump when I hear a knock on my door. "Gabriela, are you awake?"

"I am now," I don't bite my sarcastic remark back in time. Julián chuckles from the other side of the door. "Good to know you're back to your old self, bruja. Now come quickly, you have a guest downstairs."

"A guest?" I quickly put my clothes on, keeping my black shawl. I open the door to find Julián shifting his feet. He eyes me. "Well, that'll do. We're still mourning after all."

I give him a confused look. "Why? Should I be in darker clothing?" He shakes his head. "No, no, you look fine, hermana." Julián pulls me out of my room and drags me down the stairs. "Ay, Julián, I can walk down the stairs on my–" I swallow the rest of my words when I come face to face with Julieta's husband, Agustín. "Agustín!" I stare at him, surprised. He looks…exhausted. Like he's been in an ordeal of some kind. "Buenos dias! What brings you…" I cough to clear my throat. "...here?"

Agustín gives me a sheepish smile. "Buenos dias. I'm sorry for barging in so early in the morning, and for intruding knowing you and your family are…" He eyes Papá and Julián, who are quietly observing us in the corner.

I shake my head. "No. Está bien. Why? Did something happen?" He nods. "Mi amor would like to see you. There's something that…she wants to tell you in person."

I feel myself start to sweat, though I don't know if it's because the shawl around me is keeping me warm, or the thought of bumping into Bruno at La Casa Madrigal is giving me anxiety. Agustín looks oblivious to my reaction, though. I glance towards my family, and they both shrug at me. Guess they don't know the reason why another Madrigal showed up in the last twenty-four hours. I swallow to keep the nervousness in my stomach from coming up. "Okay. Lead the way, Agustín."

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Casita clicks its tiles at me in greeting as Agustín and I enter the threshold of La Casa Madrigal. "Hola, Casita," I greet the house as it whisks me and Agustín away and towards Julieta's door. I try to suppress a giggle at Casita's enthusiasm. I'm not supposed to laugh. Agustín gives me an apologetic look. "Sorry. I think you've been gone for too long. Casita isn't normally that excited." The floors creak as if disagreeing. Agustín laughs. "Okay, maybe you do get excited from time to time."

Julieta's door glows softly as Agustín turns the doorknob. I recall a year back over the excitement when Isabela and Dolores both got their doors, how their rooms are so much larger on the inside. I've seen the girls' rooms when I attended their ceremonies, but I've never seen the individual rooms for the rest of the family. I try not to think about Bruno's room. Julián had once described it to me as full of sand, but I didn't want to paint whatever picture in my mind of whatever Bruno does in his private quarters that I refused to hear any more about it.

"Mi amor, Julieta?" Agustín calls out as he leads me in. "Gabriela's here." I look around and stare in awe at Julieta's magical room. It starts as normal as you would expect, but then extends to a beautiful garden filled with fruits and herbs and other plants I've never seen before. In the corner is an outdoor kitchen, where I assume Julieta tests out all of her healing recipes. The room smells comforting, and I breathe in the scent. It invokes nostalgia in me, triggering memories of my mother when I was younger, back when the world was a whole lot less complicated.

We find Julieta peering over a crib, cooing sweetly. She turns and smiles when she sees me. "Gabriela, I'm so happy you're here." Julieta hugs me. "I'm so sorry I wasn't able to offer my condolences sooner. I'm sorry about your loss."

I nod against her. "No, it's fine, Julieta. Your room smells like my childhood," I say, earning a giggle from her. She lets go to look at me. "Ay, it's a part of the gift, you know? Because what heals a lonely heart more than with good food and even better company?"

I shake my head at her remark. "I'm not supposed to laugh, Julieta. You're making it very hard for me to keep a straight face here."

She chuckles. "I'm just kidding, Gabriela. But I do understand what you mean. I'm surprised you caught the scent. I'm not making anything at the moment, but Mamá does have a theory of why some people smell something specific when they enter my room. It varies from person to person because isn't smelling and tasting part of what triggers a specific memory? Anyway, that's beside the point. If you can't laugh, maybe you're okay to settle for tears of joy then?"

"Tears of joy?"

Julieta holds my hand and leads me to the crib. "I'd like you to meet my baby."

My eyes dart to Julieta, then to Agustín, then back again to her. "I knew you were pregnant, but…when did you give birth?"

Agustín shrugs. "She gave birth last night." He nods at my shocked expression. "Magical wife, magical kids. Julieta was already up and about right after and wouldn't calm down until I brought you here."

"How so?" I peer into the crib, watching the tiny baby sleep. "Boy or girl?"

"Girl," Julieta says. The baby looks so peaceful. I turn back to the proud parents. "She's beautiful. Congratulations, you two. I'm sure Isa and Luisa are excited to have a new sibling, but I don't understand why I would be crying tears of joy."

Julieta smiles. "We haven't told you her name yet." Agustín coughs, trying to keep himself from blurting out the answer.

"Okay, what is the little angel's name?"

"Mirabel."

I blink at Julieta. I'm not sure I heard her correctly. "Excuse me?" Agustín nods. "We named her Mirabel, after La Encantadora Mirabella."

I barely register the wetness that's rolling down my cheeks until Julieta wipes away my tears. "You…both named your daughter…after…?" I whisper.

"We thought it would be a great way to honor such a wonderful woman who's gone away too soon. So we'll always remember her." My heart melts. "No wonder you couldn't wait to tell me." I chide, but I finally smile, the first I've smiled since Mamá passed away.

"I knew you'd be crying tears of joy!" Julieta sniffles as the baby in the crib starts to fuss. Agustín immediately picks up his infant daughter with practiced ease and rocks her. "Would you like to hold her, Gabriela?" He offers.

I hesitate, but Julieta nudges me. "It's okay, Gabriela. You'll do fine." I nod and Agustín places her in my arms. Mirabel immediately stops fussing and yawns.

"Oh, she likes you," Agustín chuckles. I stare at the little angel. "The only other person she calmed down for was Bruno."

I purse my lips at Agustín's remark. I hope I'm not blushing. "Hello, little Mirabel," I murmur. Mirabel smiles as she settles back to sleep. "I'm so very happy to meet you."

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