Pasando La Pruebra

Alma listened to the smattering of conversation going on in Mirabel's room. Putting herself to the side over the past year, rather than at the center of things, she found she had gained a different perspective of her family. This first test showed her, Mirabel's way of dealing with things right now was somewhat on the meek side. That was understandable, but she knew that would not go well with the townsfolk. They would steamroll her into doing what they wanted. Alma did not believe this would last long, but that was something she would need to work on. Speaking with confidence with them was going to be key, but once Mirabel found her voice, it was a given she would speak her mind, but also knowing when to let others with more experience take the lead in things would be important as well.

She was a born leader, and it hurt Alma's heart that she overlooked this aspect of her, actually Alma had to admit she'd overlooked everything about her granddaughter. Shutting her out of her heart out of fear just because she was not given a magical Gift. When Bruno disappeared she assumed the worst, because, and this was hard for her to also admit, she really did only see the worst outcomes in his visions. Somehow missing the beauty all around her because she was always afraid tomorrow would in fact be the end of it all. And then it was, but it was not. She was determined to move into the future, unafraid. It was turning out to be the hardest thing she'd ever done since Pedro was killed.

During the rebuilding, Alma worked hard to get to know her nieta all over again. The girl was very smart, had a ridiculous number of talents, but it was Mirabel's capacity for forgiveness that could sometimes be difficult for Alma to understand. After everything that had happened, after every hurtful thing she'd said to Mirabel in those ten years, Mirabel still found it within herself to choose love and help Alma begin the difficult process of letting go of her dead husband. It was almost as if she was able to put herself into another person's shoes, see the missing or broken parts and help that person find a way to accept, repair and move forward.

While Alma had not specifically told the council she was planning to step aside, she planned to make it even more obvious she was choosing Mirabel to succeed her as the head of the Madrigals. She'd started that process during the rebuilding and had already caught wind of gossip with regard to it. Some of it good, some of it highly doubtful, this being primarily from those who were new to the village. Having the family's support was going to be what mattered the most, and that new front door was a clear indication Alma was on the right track. No one lives forever and to be honest she was relieved that she would be able to step aside knowing the family was in good hands.

By allowing the grandkids to manage their Gifts in whatever way they chose, the Encanto was reaping unforeseen benefits, though there were potential problems. Camilo and Dolores were clearly capable of so much more than she ever imagined, highlighting again her own short-sightedness. Luisa was, once again, easily fatigued, but only when she used her Gift. Isabela's plants, like Antonio's animals, were everywhere. While Alma preferred things to be ordered and neat. Mirabel seemed to do better when things were in a state of chaos. It was something Alma worried about, but when she thought back on it, Mirabel's chaos was always delightful.

As for her own children, Bruno was nearer to exhaustion than he was letting on and should probably rest for several days. She hoped he'd allow himself time to recover, but Bruno was more like Pedro than just his appearance. Gentle and kind, but ridiculously stubborn and usually right. Though she'd tried to keep Bruno close to her, she found he was reluctant to stay in any one place for long and had dropped hints that he wasn't going to move back to Casita once it was rebuilt. Mirabel would find things for him to do, and Bruno would always 'help her out'. Each day pulling him back into his family, but on his own terms.

Since the breaking, Julieta and Pepa had been making sure their brother was eating at least two meals a day. Whether it was with the family or just a basket of food from Pepa. Experimental meals, she called them. Alma had never really considered Pepa to be much of a cook, so never spent much time teaching her how to make things. While living with Félix's family, her suegra, at Pepa's request, had been teaching her daughter how to make the things her children liked the most.

After seeing the room Casita had made for her and Félix, Alma could see having other outlets for her anxiety was something Alma never fully considered, her reasoning in the past being that it had little to do with her Gift and would just be a distraction. Of course, she now realized that was what was needed. There was an area set aside for just games. Board games, cards, dice, dominoes, even marbles. Another consisted of various embroidery tools, a hoop stand and a basket of threads. Alma could see how her thinking had been too narrow. Pepa was always a hard worker, but she often let her emotions override her good sense. Alma knew she'd not given Pepa enough credit for just how intelligent she was. Always minimizing her accomplishments by comparing them with Julieta's.

Julieta was Julieta, and Alma was thankful that her oldest daughter was not one to hold a grudge. Alma had not only hurt her children, but rejected her choice of husbands. Almost married her nieta to a man she did not love nor want, all so that Alma's dream of perfection would be fulfilled. She was sure now that it was Julieta that asked Casita to create that door.

But her purpose tonight was to see how Mirabel handled the family. She was not going to learn that sitting in her room. Alma came out just as Dolores announced that Camilo had one of the children with him and was asking what he should do next. There was a short silence, then Pepa suggested to Mirabel that they see if that path in the tower would be of use. She nodded, and Félix and Agustín immediately volunteered to see where it led. Juli and Pepa then left Mirabel's room to go make buñuelos for Camilo to eat when he got back, knowing he would likely be near his limit. The husbands returned saying the path led to the woods directly north and that Casita was just barely visible. The problem then became how to guide Camilo and Parce to it. Dolores suggested that Antonio call to Parce. The jaguar's hearing would surely be attuned to him. Antonio, eager for a chance to help, was in agreement. Mirabel didn't want to involve Antonio, but she couldn't argue against it. So, plan decided, Antonio went to the tower with Félix, Isa, and Luisa. Mirabel said she needed to use the bathroom and went downstairs.

Only she and Dolores were still in the room, and Alma closed the hallway door. She looked at the trees depicted there and felt relieved. The smaller tree was once again growing flower buds and was just a little fuller. There was now a jaguar in the tall grass, moving in and out of sight on either side of the tree. A tiny chameleon sat on its head, sometimes larger, sometimes smaller, but it was the cacti at the base that caught her attention. They surrounded the smaller tree, like a wall. A very prickly wall, and Alma sighed.

Of all her grandchildren, Isabela was turning out to be the hardest to reach. She would not speak to her unless spoken to, nor would she remain in a room with her for any length of time. Alma ticked back in her head for the thousandth time how her influence had made Isabela into the paper princess she'd become before the breaking. Her fear and longing had led her to want perfection from her family, most of all from her precious Isabela. She reached out and lightly brushed her fingers along the cactus. She felt a slight stinging sensation and pulled her hand back. Alma did not know how to undo what she had done, and she rubbed her hands against her skirt and sighed.

"She doesn't hate you, Abuela," Dolores said behind her.

Alma turned and said, "What do you mean, mi vida."

"Isabela. She doesn't hate you."

Alma said nothing but nodded.

"She's afraid and Isa doesn't like being afraid, so it always comes out as anger. Kind of like you used to be."

Like I used to be, Alma thought and saw the truth in that statement and asked, "Afraid of what?"

Dolores paused and took a deep breath, she was splitting her attention now as she spoke, "She thinks you see her as a disappointment. An imperfectly perfect failure, she called it. She's frightened that you don't really like the person she actually is." Alma went over and sat on the chair next to Dolores that Casita pushed in her direction as Dolores continued, "She's also determined that Mirabel will never end up like she was, stuck with no real choices."

"I am trying very hard to make sure nothing like that will happen again."

"I know," Dolores said gently, "And hopefully Isa will see that too. I heard Tía when she asked Casita to make that door," Dolores tilted her head toward the hall and shrugged at Alma's look of bewilderment, "Everyone seems to forget I really do hear everything. Anyway, that night we had the door ceremony for Mirabel, Luisa told me what she thought, but it wasn't until I saw it that I realized its actual purpose. That's why I made that promise to not listen in on family conversations, I don't want to know what everyone is talking about unless it's actually needed. To be honest, it used to be depressing."

Alma realized a few things in that moment and asked, "Did you know that Isabela did not want to marry, Mariano?"

"No," Dolores said and Alma could tell she was holding something back as she added, "Tío Bruno had already told me that the man of my dreams would be betrothed to another, so when you announced that Isabela would marry Mariano, I…I was crushed, but I didn't think there was anything I could do about it…so, you know."

The conversation stopped when Casita opened the door and Mirabel came back in carrying a tray with some cups and a pitcher. Alma's door was still missing from the wall, a weird quirk they noticed was that if they were looking at it, it would stay missing. Mirabel knelt down and looked carefully at her prima.

"You okay Dolores? I brought some juice…"

It was then Alma noticed Dolores's apparent fatigue.

"I'm good," Dolores said, "just a little tired, but thank you for asking."

Mirabel nodded but did not look convinced. She stood up and turned to Alma and asked, "Juice?" Alma nodded, and Mirabel set the tray on the table near the bed. She poured Alma some and asked as she passed her the cup, "So how do you think I'm doing so far, Abuela?"

"Very well, mi vida. You've been very thoughtful and supportive, with your decisions," Alma said before taking a long drink of the juice. She got up and put the cup back on the tray and said, "Tomorrow I'm going to have you go with me a little early. There are a few council members I want you to get used to talking to ahead of these meetings."

Mirabel nodded, but looked a bit stressed. They heard the door to Alma's room open and Julieta was there, and she asked, "Are they close, Doli?"

Dolores nodded, pointing to the tiny Camilo head as it rushed toward the spot she had Casita mark with a tiny star as the entrance to the path in the tower. "Any minute now."

Julieta nodded and reclosed the door.

Mirabel was once again focused on the little head and said, "You can do it, Cam..." The head intersected with the star and vanished. Dolores pointed at the picture of Casita and the little Camilo head had joined the ones in the tower, and all three watchers let out a sigh of relief. Dolores covered her yawn with the back of her hand and looked back over to the Doris head. She noted they were no longer moving and were back with the others. When they did not move from that spot, they decided the group probably stopped for the night. Mirabel stood up and held her hands out to her prima and said, "Oh my gosh, Dolores. That was amazing. You're amazing."

"Yes, mi vida, you handled that so well," Alma said.

Dolores, blushed as she smiled and took Mirabel's hands but got up slowly. When she wobbled a little, Alma reached over, poured her a cup of juice, and gave it to her. "I know, you're fine," Alma said, "humor me." Dolores hesitantly took the cup and after a few dainty sips, tried to hand her back the cup, so Alma added, "All of it, please, Corazón." She hesitated for just a moment and took a longer drink, paused and seeing Alma was still watching drank the rest.

Dolores thanked her and the door to Alma's room opened, and Luisa waved them all in and closed the door behind them. Casita had provided a cot that the child was laid out on. They were still unconscious, and Julieta was just finishing washing the exposed skin of the child, who was definitely in need of a bath. Looking at the pair of threadbare sandals next to the cot made Alma wonder, how long had they been wandering in those mountains?

Alma stood at the end of the cot and looked at the small child in front of her. Her fears of what was happening on the outside were there, laid out on that cot. The group of young men she'd sent to the river had returned for the meeting that was to happen earlier that day. She'd met with the leader of the group, Señor Marquez, to let them know about the delay. He said that things were pretty quiet, and they'd seen no activity in that area. She truly had not considered the mountains behind Casita to be scalable. Perhaps the changes to the mountains around the Encanto were greater than she thought. It appeared they would need to broaden their focus.

"How are they, Julieta?" Alma asked.

Julieta dropped the dirty washcloth into the bucket next to her but her expression was grim. "Apart from being dirty, bruised and far too thin, they look to be physically healthy," Julieta said as she pulled the blanket over them. She swept the child's wispy dark hair from their forehead. "I'm really worried about the others out there."

Alma nodded, "I agree, we need to bring the rest of them here soon." She turned and went with Mirabel and Dolores through the door that Luisa had reopened. They walked through, and Alma noted the air in the tower was warmer and damper than her bedroom. Camilo was being hugged by his mother, who released Camilo in time to hear his stomach growl loudly. Pepa retrieved a basket from Felix and handed it to Camilo and told him to eat. She then knelt down to hug Antonio, telling him how proud she was and that it really was time for bed.

Camilo passed the basket to Mirabel and came over to thank his brother for his help. Dolores went over and Camilo thanked her too. Then Antonio launched himself at the pair. Camilo caught him and Antonio pulled his siblings in for a group hug. Camilo's stomach again reminded him he needed to eat, so Pepa collected Antonio, and left with him down the stairs. Everyone else exited through the door back to Alma's room. Camilo looked around nervously, and Alma realized he'd not been in her room since he was a baby. Camilo, she knew, would be loyal to Mirabel to a fault and though Alma hoped she could build a better relationship with her grandson, she knew the reason she did not have one, and that was most definitely her fault.

When Camilo was seven, he brought her out into the plaza to give her what he called a 'special' gift for her birthday. Alma was never sure what or how to make Camilo's gift useful to the Encanto. In the end, her grandson found his own way, and he was so happy and excited to show her what he had learned. He said he'd been practicing for a whole month, and then he did the one thing she never expected. Camilo shifted into his Abuelo Pedro. He had his arms out as if to say, "ta da" and Alma instantly flashed back to that terrible night at the river and something inside her snapped. Camilo was smiling at his accomplishment, but Alma's reaction was not at all what the boy expected. Her tirade only ended when Mirabel appeared, and she instantly came to Camilo's defense. Inserting herself between them, Mirabel shouted at her to stop, that it wasn't his fault, that it had been her idea. She focused then on her nietos. Seeing the shame and terror she'd inspired in her grandchildren snapped Alma out of her rant and she realized what she'd done just as Pepa came in.

Pepa, already tired after working in the fields, was already thundering. But when she realized what was happening, her cloud grew even darker. She stared at Alma for a moment with an expression of disappointment. She did not know what had set Alma off, but she didn't need to. Pepa's expression softened as she looked at the children. She then silently collected her son and sobrina leaving Alma behind without a word. The only ones who really knew what happened that day were Camilo, Mirabel, and possibly Dolores, but none ever talked about it. As a consequence, Camilo never tried to use his Gift to make her happy again, and Alma's pride would not allow her to apologize. From there on out, he avoided her whenever he could, but would be polite and respectful if he could not. And that was it.

Alma now looked at her grandson with new eyes, and she was looking forward to the play he was directing. The children often asked her if they too could have a part, and she would have to tell them it was not up to her. The whole thing had been his idea from the start and Camilo and his friends had already begun to build the tiny theatre. He cared a great deal for the children of the Encanto. That's why she knew Camilo's earlier angry words were aimed at her, not Mirabel. She moved next to him and said quietly. "Nieto, thank you for helping this child. So many new things you are learning," She paused because she knew she sounded awkward but asked hesitantly, "I never got to ask, did your interview go well?"

Camilo smiled and said, "Yes, I've been accepted as an apprentice at the school."

"That's wonderful news, Camilo," Alma said. She wanted to give him a hug, but was not certain he would accept one from her. So could only smile instead.

"Yes, that's my boy," his father said and put an arm around Camilo's shoulders. "Good man."

"Yeah, congratulations, primo." Isabela and Luisa said.

Julieta was up from the chair near the bed and said, "That is wonderful, Camilo, but you all need to leave, or you'll wake this child." As she passed him, she handed him his ruana. She then went to the door and Camilo's mouth dropped open a bit, amazed it was not the tower, but Mira's room. Everyone moved into her room except Alma and Julieta. Alma sat back on her bed taking a few moments to collect her thoughts then asked her daughter, "So tell me what you are thinking about tonight, Julieta."

"Everything worked out, but whatever is happening in the mountains is turning out to be far more dangerous than anything we've dealt with in the past."

Alma nodded and asked, "And Agustín?"

Julieta sat back in the chair, an unusually surprised expression on her face. Alma knew why. She'd never asked for Julieta's husband's opinion, but Alma and Bruno had had quite the conversation earlier that day. They were sitting in his room, waiting for Julieta and Pepa before going up into the tower to examine the doors. Alma was not used to asking for or taking other's advice, but knew, now that the magic had been restored, things would have to change. Alma asked Bruno, since they were all living under the same roof again, what things she could do to help heal the rifts that still existed in the family. He told her if she really wanted to show, she was serious about relying on the family more and showing Mirabel the same. She needed to take everyone's opinions into consideration. Alma knew he meant Agustín's opinion.

Agustín never said anything directly, but it was clear he was less forgiving with regard to what had happened before the breaking and he, too, would likely be keeping tabs on her. Mirabel and her father were very close, so there was no chance she would not ask his opinion. When working in his father's shop, Agustín would often take Mirabel with him. It was her Abuela Valentina who had taught her, first lace making, then how to use a sewing machine. When she started school, Agustín would take her to see her mother as she worked in town. Julieta would often stop what she was doing to spend a little time with her youngest.

"Agustín thinks we should put together a delegation to speak with the folks in the camp. If they are close enough for Dolores to hear and Parce to reach them within a few hours, they are close enough for us to find them and vice versa."

Alma nodded and asked, "And the women with the children?"

Julieta frowned and looked back at the child asleep in the cot and a rare expression of anger crossed her face before she said, "I'll be honest, if they've taken these children for…nefarious purposes...then we'll need to be extra careful with what we allow them to see of our Gifts. Did you see Bruno's sketch of the older woman? The one that triggered his first sponty?"

Alma nodded but she already knew where her daughter was going with this.

"Pepa believes that you are the woman in that sketch. You've lost a fair amount of weight while you were sick, and your appetite still seems to be off," Julieta paused and took a deep breath, "Anyway, I don't think we should have any of the men confront them. I don't think those two would react well to that. But, if you do go," she paused again knowing that if Bruno saw it, sponty or otherwise it was going to happen. "And I can't believe I'm saying this, but myself and one of my girls should go. Either Isa or Luisa, or both, but do not go alone."

"You've given me something else to consider, mi vida. I was planning to discuss this very thing at the meeting that was postponed. I'm bringing Mirabel, Pepa and Bruno with me early to talk things over with Sylvia and old Arturo."

"Bruno?" she asked.

"Yes, he has far more insight into his visions than any of us," Alma said this quietly.

"You asked him?" Julieta asked in disbelief.

"I brought it up," Alma responded with a touch of irritation, "He did not immediately say no, but that he would consider it. I believe he'll go if only to support Mirabel. He is also very good at reading people."

Julieta nodded as she looked back at the child who was fidgeting and had partially kicked off their covers. She pulled it back in place and tucked the blanket.

"I'll sit with the child for now," Alma said, "You need to get Mirabel to go to bed, and please get some rest as well. It will all work out, mi vida."

Julieta got up from her chair near the cot and replaced her frown with a smile before heading through the door to talk to Mirabel. Alma knew that she did not have to do everything, but she was tempted. That door in the other room was a blessing she'd not looked for. But like so many other things in her life, the blessings found her just the same. Alma noticed the child was still asleep but now breathing very quickly. They were clearly having a bad dream. She went and sat on the edge of the cot and gently rubbed the child's shoulder, hoping to soothe them and said gently, "You are safe now pequeño and soon your companions will be too." The child didn't wake but did curl up and settled back into that deep sleep. Alma then got on her knees near the cot and started praying to the Virgin for the safety of all the children. Alma heard Julieta exit and saw the lights in Mirabel's room dim and go out. She then got ready for bed and lay down on her side to face the child. So many things to do, she thought.

Julieta pulled the door closed and smiled to herself as she walked toward her room. The door that Casita created was most definitely doing its job. Still, it was nice to hear a touch of the old Mamá in that conversation. This made her happy because she missed her mother's confident way of speaking. Her mother's confidence had taken a hit when the magic unexpectedly returned. Her mother was now leading with love not fear even in the face of this new challenge. She hoped she'd remember they all were here to help.