Tía's Little Helper

Disclaimer: I do not own Encanto. All rights belong to Disney.

From the day Julieta acquired her Gift, la cocina was an area of the Casita she was majorly occupied in. Thirty-five years were committed to prepping and cooking food, serving the family and community. Like any other Madrigal, her role held significant value since the tragedy resulted in the miracle granted to them, a miracle so extraordinary and, perhaps, rare. This huge fortune had led the Madrigals to respect it by using their talents for the virtue of the Encanto. Helping others was prominent among the magical family and a sign of their noble tone. A true nurturer, Julieta spread compassion everywhere she went; she was a pure woman who withheld a kind heart. But the mother could not be blind to the fact that, out of all her family, she was the busiest. If not at her village stand, Julieta stayed in the kitchen, working strenuously at her job filling stomachs as well as preparing for the needy. She cooked long hours, from very early until suppertime, while her relatives were primarily the most active outside Casita. Daily tasks at hand were usually done alone, which could be tiring on some days, to say the least. Everyone understood how much effort she contributed and was highly thankful for what she did overall. Her ever-so-loving daughters assisted in making meals sometimes. Her endearing husband managed to help on one occasion, but his klutziness went a smidge too far, proving why the man wasn't seen often with Julieta in her space. However, he wasn't afraid to encourage breaks every now and then so that she could have enough quality time with their loved ones. Julieta was serious about using them when needed, as family was her greatest treasure.

Despite having to work constantly, she genuinely adored her power because cooking was her specialty. The Gift she received let her treat others through the activity she had always favored rather than doing it in an entirely different way. Julieta felt lucky to frequently cook for the better, not to mention it gave her the opportunity to express more burning love for that skill. Happiness from within accompanied the intense feeling, shown by Julieta's content smile. Cooking made her happy generally, whether mandatory or whenever she pleased. Even something small like baking chocolate chip cookies just radiated a good mood. And she definitely adored crafting food for the people who savored it. They simply could not get enough of her food, and Julieta would gladly accept requests, with the buñuelos and arepas being popular. The younger Madrigals requested a lot. Camilo liked basically anything, and bandeja paisa was Luisa's favorite. Knowing that, Julieta would at times cook that dish without an offer. All in all, Julieta very much indulged her position.

After setting the most recent batch of arepas aside, Julieta pulled out a bowl and cracked several eggs on its edge. She then added the usual seasonings and whisked the contents together before emptying them into the frying pan. As she began dicing a tomato, she glanced behind her shoulder at the majority of progress made. On the left side of the table sat bountiful baskets meant for the village. The other side showed breakfast food, meant for a large family. Only one more basket of arepas needed to be done, and this morning's meal would be ready soon.

"Tía?"

Proceeding to chop the tomato, she turned her head back in response to the small voice. Standing nearby the entrance was Pepa and Félix's four-year-old lively son, Camilo. He had a particularly cheerful expression from, what she assumed, the strong aroma he scented. Typical for him, hence his big appetite.

"Buenos días, Camilo," she greeted warmly.

"When is breakfast ready? I'm hungry!" Camilo walked up to the table and eagerly eyed the breakfast food.   

Julieta tossed the diced tomato into the pan, grabbed a spatula, and scrambled the eggs. "It'll be ready soon, dear. I suppose you want something to eat until then?"

Her nephew nodded energetically. "Oh, yes!"

Grinning, she chose an arepa from the last basket she finished, then handed it to Camilo. She couldn't retain her chuckle when he gobbled it up. It was amusing how the boy reacted to food. She swore that if two eating contests were held on the same day, he would win both of them effortlessly. Camilo sure did eat plenty for being this young, beating his sister, cousins, and even the adults. Not surprisingly, he was the main person asking her for food. And Julieta really admired his avid devotion to her cooking; she would give him all the treats in the world. Camilo's appetite could get him into trouble, though. There were a couple of times when he feigned an injury in order to receive additional food, much to his parents' dismay. But in truth, he could become quite clever about what he wanted. Camilo had a daring and mischievous side to him.