Help Me, Abuela

Chapter 2: Fighting With Abuela

A/N: There are some triggering topics in this chapter, please read with caution. Also definitely some plot twists.
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I hear screaming coming from downstairs, surprisingly from someone I don't expect to be yelling. I go to the stairs to see what is going on, I see Dolores screaming at Abuela, "You treat my prima like trash even though she has powers, powers that could help you more than most of ours. You treated Bruno like trash too and made him leave because he thought you all hated him. You cause so much damage and abuse, then don't care what it does to any of us. You don't have to listen to the others crying at night, you don't have to hear anyone saying how they wish they weren't born at all."

I hear everyone gasping and see the pure shock on Abuela's face, it takes her a moment before she can even respond and her response fully shocks me, "I didn't realize that I was causing so much pain to anyone, I have wanted to protect everyone so I didn't lose anyone else that I have been hurting and pushing you all away. I am so sorry."

Everyone is staring at her in shock now, Dolores and Camilo are the first to say simutaneously, "You need to apologize to Mirabel." I see Abuela nod and then stands to come find me. I quickly and quietly dart back to my room so no one would see that I was eavesdropping. I sit at my desk confused by what just happened, I hear a knock on my door.

"Yes?" I reply, "Enter." I wait already knowing who it is, Abuela pokes her head in my room. "What's up Abuela?"

"May we talk?" She asks, the tone of her voice kinder than it has been to me in about 10 years. I nod cautiously and she sits on my bed, "I am so sorry for how I have been treating you. I know it is not an excuse but I have been so terrified of losing anyone else and the two powers is so different I was so scared of what it could mean for all of us, but I never should have pushed you or even Bruno away. And for that I am so sorry."

By the time Abuela finishes they both have tears in their eyes, and as Mirabel responds, "I forgive you," they hear a second voice saying the same. They turn to look and standing in the doorway is Bruno.

"Brunito!" Abuela exclaims, she runs over and hugs her youngest triplet tightly sobbing. Everyone is standing in the hallway staring in shock, Juiletta and Pepa run over and hug their youngest brother and mother tightly all crying tears of happiness. Meanwhile, the rest of us leave to give them their private moment, I get pulled into Dolores' room by Camilo and Dolores.

"We need to talk to you, Mira," Camilo replies and Dolores continues, "We know you heard me go off on Abuela, and we know what you were doing in the bathroom too. I heard you, I heard the crying and I heard the whimpering."

I avoid making any eye contact with either of them, Camilo responds, "Mirabel, let me see your arms." I mentally panic I try and use my telepathy to hide the cuts on my arms, weirdly it works and I reveal my arms that have nothing on them. They both stare at them and shrug, "I guess we were wrong. Sorry, Mirabel, I guess we had it wrong. We thought you were self-harming."

I shake my head no. They nod, "Okay, we are sorry, now come down and eat breakfast." I mentally panic again, but follow them down anyway. By now the triplets and Abuela are downstairs, they are talking and laughing like Bruno had never been gone at all. I sit next to Isabela, who gives me a weird look that I cannot place, it looks like a mix between worry and slight irritation. I look down at my plate and quietly eat my food promising the voices I would purge later.

I don't notice several sets of eyes watching me worriedly, Abuela decides to make an announcement, "Today we will be taking a break from our usual tasks and I will be talking to each of you. I want to actually get to know each of you and your true feelings and I promise I'll listen no matter what. I want to say that I'm sorry to all of you for my behavior to this point and I promise I will do better." Everyone looks at her in utter surprise, wondering about this sudden change. Then Abuela continues, "Those I am not spending time with though please feel free to relax. If you rather keep yourself busy and want to help set up for Antonito's gift ceremony then you can though I would prefer everyone relax and spend time together today."

I decide to set up for Antonio's gift ceremony, and I see mama, Bruno, and Pepa are planning on helping with that as well. I hear Isa whisper to me, "I will help you, I want to talk to you, Mira." I mentally curse as I think, "Why is it today that everyone now shows interest in the fucked up girl?"

Bruno makes eye contact with me at that thought and panic shows in my eyes, knowing he heard my thoughts. Everything becomes blurry and I struggle to breathe as a panic attack starts, I don't even notice when Bruno gets next to me, "Mira, focus on your breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly." I slowly calm down and then notice the rain falling on everyone, which also slowly stops. Everyone is staring at us.