Chapter 8: Tricks played on the mind
By Now Miguel and the Madrigal Family had become used to a routine, most of them went to get their chores done while the others would stay back and enjoy their days off or spend time with Miguel or just spend time in town.
Today was no different while Mirabel was set on trying to find a way to get Miguel home, working and helping out in town She barely had time for herself and just like Miguel predicted he was set on making her come out of her shell.
"At this point watching you pace Mira is making me dizzy ". Miguel pointed out
Mirabel smiled shyly and stopped pacing.
"Lo siento, I'm just worried". Mirabel replies
"I can see that". He chuckled
Mirabel rolled her eyes at his comment and picked up another book. Miguel sighed he knew this was going to be a challenge but he was determined to make it work and make her see herself in a new light.
"You already went through that book ". He sighed
"Well, I'm going back again is that okay with you?" She snapped
Miguel put his hands up in surrender as if she was going to threaten him he didn't know she had a fierce bite the sight reminding him of his Mamá Imelda or Pepita. Mirabel then realised what she had done and looked at him apologetically.
'When's the last time she had time for herself and had some fun?'
"Lo siento, I just… I'm stressed ". She breathed
"Estas bien, Mira ". He smiled at her
For some reason Miguel's smile eased her stress it was one of understanding and calm somehow it made her heart beat a little faster.
' What's Happening to me? Why am I blushing? No, it's just the heat, yeah that's it.'
Miguel somehow saw right through her and smiled he knew what it was like to be stressed and sometimes forget to relax. But he needed to show Mira what it was like to have fun and let her hair down.
"You need to put the book down ". Miguel said
"Huh?" She coaxed not sure what he meant
Miguel walked over to the table and shut the book for her, he knew She heard him she just refused to listen.
"There, now let's do something fun". Miguel asked
"I don't know". She shook her head unsure
Miguel sighed but he wasn't giving up on this he was determined.
"If you open that book, I will use my boot I swear to god ". He threatened
You wouldn't dare". She laughed
"Oh, I would ". He threatened jokingly
Mirabel smiled and somehow it made Miguel's heart faster something was happening he just wasn't sure yet. Her laugh set a fire off in him that he wasn't sure what about all he knew was that it made him smile.
"Come on what relaxes you?" He asked
Mirabel was a bit taken aback by the question no one had ever asked that before at least to her so she was surprised.
"I-I-I singing Maybe?" Her answer turned into a question as she stumbled
Miguel laughed softly chuckling.
"Is that a question or an answer ". He replied
She smiled and laughed as her voice echoed through the room and Miguel blushed a little.
"An answer, it's just no one's ever asked that to me". She admitted turning her head away from his eyes
"Oh". He saddens
'What!? That can't be true no one's asked her, she never has time for herself oh Mira '.
"What do you say to some singing?" He asked
" I don't know, I haven't sung since…" She drifted off
"Que?" He coaxed curiosity getting him
"Never mind it's stupid". She shrugged off
"Mira, it's okay trust me I know it's hard but I can't help otherwise". Miguel sighed
Mirabel couldn't believe what she just heard someone wanted to help her. Maybe care for her? Let alone someone like Miguel. She felt like crying but she knew she couldn't it wasn't helping her she'd never been so vulnerable.
She then realised she was crying she tried to stop the tears but it was no use.
"Lo siento, I didn't mean to " He rambled
Mirabel smiled and wiped her tears away from her eyes beneath her glasses sniffing Miguel hugged her as an apology for making her cry.
"Estas bien, I just…" She sniffles
"It's hard to bring up sometimes it just hurts". She adds
Miguel sighed he knew exactly what she meant, Sometimes it was hard not to miss Mamá Coco and the rest when he was away.
"I know". He nodded
Mirabel coaxed her head up at him as she wanted to know what he meant.
"It hurts when you want to tell them how much you love them and hug them but yet you can't ". He stopped
Mirabel's eyes widened as he told the story and he looked so sentimental in doing so and vulnerable like this and it broke her heart.
"Lo siento, I didn't know how much-" She stopped
He shook his head.
"It's nothing to be sorry about it's okay". He smiled
"I haven't sung Mariachi since they passed, I don't sing very often anyway and even if I do it's usually by myself ". Mirabel admits
Miguel understood that but then again she had her hair down.
"How about we start with small steps?" He offers
"I'd like that". He agreed
Miguel smiled and nodded and grabbed his gituar and started plucking the notes to La Llorona smiling he thought of his Mamá Imelda. Mirabel recognised the tune so vaguely but she did like the way it sounded.
The only problem is she remembers very little of the words since it happened so long ago, but she hummed the tune without thinking.
' Ay, de mí, Llorona Llorona de azul celeste
Ay, de mí, Llorona Llorona de azul celeste Y aunque la vida me cueste llorona No dejaré de quererte No dejaré de quererte
Me subí al pino más alto Llorona
A ver si te divisaba Me subí al pino más alto Llorona
A ver si te divisaba Como el pino era tierno, Llorona Al verme llorar, lloraba
Como el pino era tierno, llorona Al verme llorar, lloraba'.
He smiled as he looked at Mirabel she had her eyes closed listening intently to the song. When she opened them she stopped and chuckled when she noticed Miguel was looking at her.
"See you do know how to loosen up". Miguel chuckled
Mirabel chuckled and smiled at the comment.
"Ha, Ha very funny ". She rolled her eyes
"Where did you learn to play like that?" She asked
"Oh, I used old tapes I learned by ear". Miguel answers
"That's amazing, what song is that?" Mirabel Continued very curious
"La Llorona, it was my great-great-grandmother's favourite I play it Sometimes just to be reminded of her". He sighed
"That's beautiful ". She sighed
Miguel sighed he knew that his Mamá Imelda was proud of the young man he had become as were the rest. She would however be very disappointed in the fact that he got lost and was trying to make it home for his sister's birthday he knew if she were here right now she'd probably smack with her boot if she found out.
" What about you any songs you like?" He asked her
"Not anything too particular, usually something that just makes me happy". She said
"Oh like this?" He then picked the cords To poco loco
"Si, like exactly like that". She smiled
"Where did you learn that?" Mirabel Continued
"It was one of my grandfather's songs I had to play it for a talent show when I was younger, It was written for my grandmother". He explains
"Wow, he must have loved her". Mirabel sighed
Miguel nods reminded of his grandparents and how head over heels Papá Héctor was with his Mamá Imelda when she called him the ' love of her life '.
"Yeah, he did". Miguel smiled thinking about them
Miguel wondered how Mirabel could be so wrapped in others that she forgot about herself, he sighed and thought about how he was going to make this work.
"Do you ever take care of yourself ". He blurts aloud
"What?" She hummed
"Sorry I just thought that-" He stopped
Mirabel hummed as she tried to think about the last time she took care of herself and wasn't so busy but the memories came fuzzy.
" No not the memory is a little fuzzy I don't think I ever remember the time when I took care of myself and I haven't had to worry about the rest of my family or anyone else unless you count me when I was little". She chuckled
Miguel was shook he couldn't believe that she had never taken time for herself in that long, that somehow that just made him more determined to help her.
"Wait, you're serious?" He gasped
She shrugged and nodded softly.
"Never?" He coaxed
" I wouldn't say never I mean I do end up getting some time alone for myself sometimes if I'm not running around helping everyone or spending time with my family I rarely ever get free time for myself. Even if I do have free time it's usually just design or sketch something it makes me happy I like creating things from nothing see?" Mirabel then got out her sketchbook and opened to a page of beautiful designs of many different things
Miguel looked in pure amazement at the sketches and gasped Mirabel couldn't help but stifle back a laugh at his face.
" You made these?" He gasped still in pure shook
Mirabel smiled and blushed at his questions she never thought someone would be interested in her work outside her family of course.
"Si". She smiled blushing
"From scratch?" Miguel coaxed
Mirabel nods and smiles appreciating the fact someone loves her work and talent.
" Wow that's incredible have you shown this to anyone else?"He asked
"No, apart from Señora Fernandez no one's ever looked at these no one's ever bothered". Mirabel answers
" You're kidding, well they should because they're incredible I mean the detail that's gotta count for something right?"He smiled
Mirabel only shrugged.
" I think they're amazing ". He comments
Mirabel felt something special was said in those words something she had never heard before, maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her?
Miguel smiled that bright-eyed smile of his and suddenly she stopped breathing she couldn't think straight at what he said.
'Yep, definitely playing tricks' she sighed
Whatever her mind was up to you she had to get this under control and quickly…