Fractured Encanto Ch. 03

"Can't… Breathe…" Mirabel lets out as Luisa crushes her with a hug.

"Sorry," the muscular woman sets her little sister down before wiping away some tears. "It's been so long, Mirabel. I just missed you so much."

The youngest of the siblings smiles. "I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss you," the smile then slightly faulters as she turns to Isabella. "Both of you," she then glances back inside. "Um… I just made some tea. Would you guys like to come in?"

"Yes! Of course!" Luisa rushes inside and the remaining sisters just watched as Mirabel tilts her head.

"Never thought she'd be this excited for tea."

At that, Isabella shakes her head. "It's less about the tea and more about you," the eldest sibling looks down. "We really did miss you."

Mirabell glances at her older sister. "Let's talk about this later."

.oOo.

Isabella and Luisa walk into the family room and marvel at the inside of the house. The inside is filled with numerous works of art and décor that the two had seen during their search for the lost Madrigal. But that's not what stood out to them the most.

"Isa," the muscular woman turns to the colorful one. "This house looks exactly like Casita."

"I know. It's been so long but it's the same down to almost the last detail. I'm surprised."

Mirabel then walks in carrying a tray with a teapot and some cups. "Imagine my surprise," she sets the cup down in front of her sisters and poured the drinks. "I told Edrick everything about you guys and home, but I never expected him to rebuild it here in Corona. He would have given me the moon if I asked."

Luisa took a sip but Isabella just held the cup in front of her before asking a question.

"I'm guessing Edrick was…"

The youngest looks down with a nod. "He was my husband."

Luisa and Isabella glanced at one another and the middle child began. "We heard that he passed away. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. The last thing Edrick would have wanted to be mourned forever," Mirabel lets out a chuckle. "After settling here, he still went out for work regularly. Even though he has people to run things for him, Edrick still insisted on giving everything his own personal touch. Whenever he left, he always joked that if he never returns that I should walk out the door, find the most handsome man in the kingdom and marry him," the smile drops. "I never expected him to not come back but I just couldn't find someone else even if I wanted to."

Isabella gives her youngest sister a sad smile. "Edrick sounded like a great man."

"He was," Mirabel's smile returns as she stands to go and look over the various décor. "We met early in my travel. I had just gotten to DunBroch and had already seen a great deal of the world and wanted to see more. I said goodbye to my friend, Merida, who compensated me for the work I had done on her ship and just went back down to the docks looking for a ship going anywhere and there was Edrick. He was a beginning merchant with only a small boat and a crew of five. He gladly accepted more help with his business from someone who only wanted payment in travel. We traveled to so many places. Agrabah, China, Thebes—"

"You've been to Thebes!" Luisa jumps up and is then lightly slapped in the arm by her older sister.

"Luisa!"

"Sorry," the muscular woman sits back down. "That's just where Hercules lives."

Mirabel smirks knowing how much of a fan Luisa is of the demigod. "Yeah. We were there. While there, Edrick was having a tough time bringing people in for business. I decided to help by grabbing my accordion and a little song and dance latter, he nearly sold everything," she walks back over to her sister to take a seat. "It then became a routine for me to bring in customers while he sells and eventually we grew. The business and us. Went from a small merchant ship to having four large ships. Then one day, we were in Paris. Neither of us really planned it," Mirabel shrugs. "We just found ourselves at Notre Dame and we spent our first night together married," she then laughs. "Practically the entire crew applauded us when we got on the boat the next day. Apparently, they all knew that we'd get together eventually."

"Sounds like guys had a lot of fun, traveling," Isabella finally takes a sip of her tea. "What made you guys decide to settle in one place."

Mirabel looks up. "Well. It was decided that I was no longer in the best condition to travel."

"What!?" Luisa then gets up and picks up her little sister. "Are you okay!? You're not sick are you!?"

"I'm fine, Luisa," the youngest sibling insists while struggling to get out of the muscular woman's grasp. "I wasn't sick or anything. I was only—"

"Mama?"

A small voice brings the sisters' attention to the doorway where a little boy is standing with a bag in hand.

"Is something wrong?" he then glances at the muscular woman and the woman in the colorful dress.

"I'm fine…" Mirabel manages to pull herself away from the shocked Luisa. "Miho!" and walks over to the boy. "I want to introduce you to someone. These are my sisters. Luisa and Isabella," she then turns to the stunned women. "Guys. Meet Diego."