Saving The Madrigals

Chapter 9

I stared at my reflection nervously, my husband of 13 years standing beside me.

It was the night of Mirabel's gift ceremony, and I was on the verge of a panic attack.

"You look pale, mi vida." I heard Bruno's voice, as he wrapped his arms around me. His concern for me was obvious, even without having to see his reflection in the mirror.

"Did I do enough? What if Mirabel doesn't get a gift?" I question, my mind running over everything I could remember from the movie and everything I have done during my time in the Encanto. It has been a long time since I had seen the movie, another lifetime really.

Everything was leading to this moment. My arrival to the Encanto, my work with Alma and the triplets. Even my work with the rest of the villagers.

Things were better in the family. Alma hasn't begun acting like she did in the movie. Isabela doesn't have to be perfect every single day. Dolores didn't have to spill every secret she learned to Alma, and Luisa isn't the village pack mule like she was in the movie. So there is that.

But will everything change if Mirabel's door disappears again? Will Bruno have the same vision that he did in the movie? Will he leave if he does? Will her lack of a gift cause the family's bonds to weaken? The magic to weaken?

"Everything will be fine Y/n. I promise. Deep breaths mi amor." I took a deep breath, trying to focus on him instead of my anxious thoughts. The feel of his arms around me. The sound of his voice.

"Did you see anything?" I ask, marveling on how he can be so calm right now. He shook his head, as he turned me so that I was facing him.

"We have done everything we can to alter the future. My mother doesn't see us as just our gifts anymore. There is less pressure to be perfect. Even the kids lives are better than what you were telling me." He assured me, smiling lovingly as he brushed a wayward curl away from my face.

Casita let us know it was time to go, and I start following my husband out of our room.

I grasped his hand suddenly, causing him to stop and turn to me.

"If you leave, I'm going with you. I can't handle ten years without you. You can't stop me either. I know where you'll be." I told him seriously. He smiled softly and pulled me close.

"I wouldn't dream of leaving you, even if Mirabel doesn't get her gift. I love you so much Y/n. I wouldn't survive without you either." He gave me a tender kiss, putting in his honesty and devotion into it. I felt myself melt into his arms as I kissed him back. I poured my fear and love into the kiss in response.

I gave him a worried smile as we pulled away, before taking a deep breath. We walk out of our bedroom.

Our ten-year-old twin sons, Pedro and Carlos, are standing in front of the door, waiting for us.

Our firstborn, Pedro gave me a hug.

"You're worried Mama. I could tell. Don't worry, though. Everything will be okay." He spoke softly. I pulled him close, thanking him and letting him know that I'll be fine.

Pedro looks just like his Papa, and he got the gift of Empathy. He just understands how people are feeling and knows just how to make a person feel better. He was a lot like me in that regard.

Carlos, however, looks like me. He is clever and enjoys art, so much so that his gift was creating art. His room has different areas in which he can work. A desk that he can draw, a sculpting station and a painting area.

Our boys work well together, creating art that can help people with easing strong emotions.

They even created artwork for Bruno to use in his vision cave to bring good luck and ease anger and anxiety. It has worked wonders for the formally anxious man.

I am currently wearing a necklace the boys made me to ease my own worries about not being good enough. It does make me feel better.

We all gathered in the inner courtyard and listened to Alma give her speech on how we got the miracle. Then it was time for our youngest niece walk to up to Alma and her door.

Alma spoke softly to the child, and we could see her nod before placing her small hands on the candle and turning to the glowing door.

I watched with bated breath as Mirabel's door glowed at her touch. This time however, the door did not vanish like it did in the movie.

The image that appeared on the door was remarkably similar to Alma's door. It showed Mirabel as she was in the movie, bearing a smaller candle. There were lines around her image, just like Alma's. There were butterflies throughout the door as well.

"WE HAVE MY SUCCESSOR!!!" Alma called, and I sighed gently, smiling lightly. Bruno and I hugged each other.

Mirabel looked over everyone and I could see a barely noticeable glow in her fingertips. Without even looking at her door, she starts walking down the stairs.

The little girl first stops at her Tia Pepa, and hugs her, which causes the woman to gasp in surprise.

Dolores is next to receive a hug from the birthday girl, and she slowly removes her hands from her ears, looking shocked.

Finally, the kind-hearted child stops in front of Bruno, and he kneels down to her level. She hugs him, and even I can sense the shift in his magic.

I can hear my husband quietly thank the remarkable little girl, causing her to smile brightly before running back to Alma and her new room.

When he stands back up, I can see tears in his eyes. He pulled me close for a hug and whispered that he'd tell me later.

Mirabel opens her door, and we get a glimpse of her room. The room is fairly large and has several sections.

The front of her room looks kind of like a standard bedroom. There is sky blue wallpaper with butterfly and candle designs. There are a couple of dressers, a desk with writing utensils. There was a bookcase next to the desk, and I saw copies of the notebooks I had gifted each Madrigal on the bookcase. The ones that was for them to document their gift.

On the other wall a bookcase had paraphernalia for each gifted member of the family.

Her bed sat beside this bookcase. A little farther back I could see a craft area, with yarn, embroidery string and various kid friendly needles. This reminded me of her love of sewing and embroidery in the movie. I was glad that this didn't change for the young girl.

Further down the room was a very peaceful looking waterfall and sandy area. There was a meadow with butterflies near the waterfall, just adding to the peaceful atmosphere.

All in all, the room was perfect for the sweet little girl. I was so glad that she wouldn't need to stay in the nursery this time around.

This also meant that my husband wouldn't have to see the vision he had in the movie. The vision of Mirabel destroying, and then fixing the magic.

Once we retired for the night, he gave me a look of absolute wonder.

"She calmed my magic. It's not going to cause any more bad or involuntary visions. I can only guess that she did something similar to Pepa and Dolores."

"It makes sense. It was theorized back in my world that the magic picked her as the next matriarch. It was like she became the embodiment of the magic. Her gift is probably being able to sense the magic. She could tell that you, Pepa, and Dolores struggle with your gifts. She was able to use her magic to soothe yours." I thought out loud. He laughed joyously and enveloped me in his arms.

"Well, we don't have to worry anymore, mi amor. You did well in healing our familia."

"We did well mi vida. I couldn't have done it without you." I mumbled into his ruana as I hugged him.

"My life has changed in so many way mi amor. You healed our family. Healed me. I never thought I could be as happy as you've made me Y/n. I am eternally grateful that you chose to come to the Encanto. To me. I love you, with everything that I am." He mumbled into my hair.

"You've changed my life too Bruno. I'm so glad I have the chance to be with you. To love you and our wonderful family. I'm so happy to have you by my side. Always. Te amo mucho Bruno." I smiled.

We went to bed that night, with contented smiles and hope for a happier future, for all generations of Madrigals.

Everything worked out in the end.