Ficlet of the night Mirabel decided she was gonna save the miracle...but it's just Abuela
The Magic is Strong
What did you show her La Candela? What did Mirabel see? Earlier, when Antonio received his Gift, she thought that everything was going to be okay, the magic was still strong…but now. All the party goers had left and Alma sat on her bed staring at the candle as it flickered in the window. Alma realized she was rocking and rubbing her locket so she stood up. It had been a while since she'd done that and she could feel her fear rising within her. If only Mirabel had brought this to her privately instead of bursting in scaring everyone, was the girl that in need of attention? Perhaps she should have let her put up her decorations.
Looking past the candle she stared at the lights of the Encanto and Alma rose then moved to the window. With everything happening of late she'd not spoken to Pedro for what felt like ages so she opened the locket and the sharp pain that always accompanied seeing his beautiful face came this time laced with guilt for not having spoken to him for so long. "Ay, Pedro. I need you. Cracks in our casita. If our family knew how vulnerable we truly are…if our miracle is dying…we cannot lose our home again," Alma said this with determination she did not feel and sighed, "Why is this happening? Open my eyes. If the answer is here, help me find it. Help me protect our family. Help me save our miracle."
Alma looked at her beloved one last time before closing the locket and kissing it gently. Closing off that broken part of herself, she turned from the window and looked at her empty bed as she had for fifty years and decided she would not sleep, not yet. She sat in the room's only chair with her back to window. The wall she faced had pictures of her children and grandchildren. Casita had stubbornly kept her son's picture where it had always been, no matter how many times she took it down. Ay, Brunito, is this what was in your vision? Had they been taking their miracle for granted? Why would Mirabel be involved? Alma had done her best to keep Mirabel at a distance. She needed a plan and decided that starting tomorrow they would work twice as hard, but even as she thought it the candle flickered ominously and Casita groaned. Alma pulled her shawl tighter around herself and whispered, "Mirabel, what did you see?"