Chapter 34:

(Isabella POV)

"How-how did you know it was my Birthday?" He held up 2 pieces of paper, "I was invited to a Birthday Party at Casita." I looked at him skeptically, "By who? Not that you aren't welcome here anytime, but I didn't even know about the party until today, so you were invited by who?" He rolled his eyes and pulled me in to a kiss again. I smiled against his lips and when we separated I again asked, "By who?" He sighed, "You aren't going to let it go? Even for a minute?" I smiled, "No, that wouldn't be me and you know that." He smiled, "Yeah I do, but I also know that we have a party that you are clearly ditching." I shrugged, "I didn't want a party, I barely like my birthday, I stayed for the kids but as soon as they were gone so was I. Besides the party was so wild at that point no one will notice I'm gone."

I then looked at him and lightly shoved his chest, "Don't try to distract me, who invited you?" He gave me a half smirk, "Your Abuela." My eyes widened, "Not funny." He held up the letter for me to see, "Not a joke." I glanced at the note and saw that it was signed by Alma Madrigal. "Why would she..." I started and he shrugged, "I don't really know, but judging by what your Abuela wrote you have missed me and I know that I missed you and the birthday party seemed like a good chance to come here and see you. Unless your Abuela was wrong and you didn't miss me."

(Caleb POV)

I looked over at Isabella as she smiled at me and wrapped me in a hug, "Yeah I missed you." I held her tighter as I rested my head on top of hers, occasionally kissing the top of her head. We stayed like that for a while and I was just glad to be around her again. She leaned back, "How have you been? How are your grandparents and everything?" I let out a breath, "I've been alright. My grandparents and I have caught up a lot and I'm apparently a lot like my Papa. In some ways my Grandma wished I wasn't. Things have been alright, I actually got a job down at the shipyard. I work for my Papa's old boss, he's a better boss than Enrique at least. He actually had an interesting proposition for me, but I'll tell you about that later, but yeah it's been good." She smiled at me, "That's great. I mean if you're happy." I nodded my head, "Yeah, I mean I'm-I'm getting there. How have you been?" Her smile weakened slightly. "Isabella?" She shrugged slightly before pulling me into a deeper hug, "I've been alright. I've missed you." I held her closer, "You know that there is always a room for you with me too, right? You don't even need an invitation just come." She just nuzzled herself closer.

I smiled at her, "Do you want to go to Casita?" She shook her head against my chest, "There is going to be a bunch of people there for my birthday party." "Do you want to go to the shack?" I asked. I saw her smile at me, "Never thought I'd miss it." I smiled at her, "Maybe you missed the company that came with it. So do you want to go?" She shook her head, "No I kind of want to stay here with you." We heard the rustling through the trees, "Isabella." I saw her lean back and close her eyes, "This is what I get for showing people my secret spot." We turn and see Mirabel climbing up the tree.

"Isabella everyone from town went home, will you please come..." she saw me there as I had my arms wrapped around her. Isabella laughed nervously, "Hey Mirabel." I raised a hand, "Candleholder." Isabella clasped a hand over her mouth suppressing a laugh. Mirabel just looked at both of us, "Come to Casita please." Isabella nodded her head, "Ok." Mirabel started to climb down and I whispered to Isabella, "I thought you said..." She just shook her head, "They know where i am, she knows where we will go, it is just simpler this way." She looked over at me, "Which way do you want to go down? Climbing or vine?" I smirked, "Let's take the vine." I smiled as she grew a vine that let us down.

(Isabella POV)

We walked back to Casita and I kept looking over at Caleb. As we entered Casita my entire family turned to look at us. Caleb raised a hand, "Hi." He then turned to Abuela, "Thank you for the invitation Señora Madrigal." "Mama, what did you do?" My Mama asked. She looked over at me, "I heard your talk with your Mama about why you are still here." I looked around at my tíos, parents, siblings and cousins. "This feels like a dinning room discussion," I said and they all nodded in agreement as we sat around the dinning room table.

I looked around at everyone starring at me, including Caleb, "Ok can someone start talking, please?" I asked looking down at my hands. Abuela let out a breath, "Well Isabella, I guess I just want to know if it is true." Caleb looked confused, "If what is true?" Mama stepped in, "I had asked Isabella why you didn't come, why she didn't stay and why she didn't go back?" Caleb nodded his head and then placed a hand on my arm, "And what did you say?" I swallowed hard, "The truth. That you needed to be in Santa Marta for a while and that you deserved to have that time with your family. That I promised Tío Felix that I'd be back here in a month. And that I couldn't leave because no one would ever forgive me for leaving this place and abandoning everyone." Abuela cleared her throat and I cringed at the thought of my words, "Especially Abuela."

The table went quiet and no one knew what to say. Camilo clicked his tongue, "Isabella none of us would stop you if..." I let out a choked breath, "It's not that you would stop me Camilo. It's about whether or not you would be able to forgive me. It's that you would have to deal with this for the rest of your lives. Having one of the Amazing Madrigal abandon Encanto, what would happen to the town? What would happen miracle then? I can't do that to all of you not after everything." Tío Bruno tried to give me a half smile, "I left." I let out an amused breath, "You never left Casita." Mirabel smiled at me, "Isabella we would figure it out. You know that we would. Do you want to go Isabella?" I let out a shaky breath as I ran my hands through my hair.

I looked over at Caleb as he looked intently at me, I looked the room and saw everyone's eyes on me. I couldn't handle all the eyes on me and quickly diverted my gaze back down to my hands, but even that didn't distract me from everyone looking at me. I knew they were asking for me, looking for me to say something but I couldn't. I stood up and started walking out of Casita. My vision tunneled as I just continued to put more distance between myself and my family.

(Caleb POV)

All of us watched as Isabella left and I stood up to go after her when I was stopped by her Abuela standing in front of the door, "I think that she needs a minute." I sighed, but turned back to look at her family, "Well while I have you here, there is something that I need to talk to you all about." As I finished explaining everything the pieces of my plan were falling into place. I just needed to talk to Isabella now. With her family no longer safe-guarding the door I went after her.

I started to head towards her tree but then I saw a tiny cactus that stood up in the opposite direction. I began to follow the cacti to the shack. It was still technically mine as my year wasn't up yet so I opened the door and saw Isabella inside. I smirked knocking on the doorframe. She looked up at me and I could see the stress still on her face, "Hey, you're ok." I said making my way over to her.

I sat down next to her, "So, I kind of owe you an apology." She looked up at me confused, "For what?" I smirked, "Do you remember that day that you were freaking out because you found out that your family was looking for you and I didn't get why you were freaking out?" She nodded her head, "I get it now." She laughed a little bit, "You're grandparents?" I nodded my head, "My Grandma treats me like a little kid when I didn't immediately agree with her." Isabella laughed a little more, "Yeah I get that." I smiled to myself, "There is the smile."

She looked at me, "So how did my family respond to me storming out?" I cocked up my brow, "Storming out. You stood up and calmly left the room." I started but she rolled her eyes at me, "You know what I mean." I nodded my head, "Yeah I know." I let out a breath, "Well it was pretty much exactly what they said in front of you. If you want to leave they will support you." I then looked at her, "I think it is time that I tell you about the proposition I got from my boss."