One year later...
Some days, I feel blessed. Others, I feel cursed. Does it matter? Who am I fooling, of COURSE it matters.
After all...
"We can't just talk ourselves." My prima (cousin) Mirabel said to the small group of kids out the window. "We're only part of the amazing Madrigals."
"Who's all the amazing Madrigals?"
"Ah, you're not gonna leave us alone, are you? Casita, help us out."
Oscar:
¡Gavetas! (Drawers!)
¡Pisos! (Floors!)
¡Puertas! (Doors!)
¡Vaminos, Mira! (Let's go, Mira!)
Let's go!
Mirabel: This is our home, we've got every generation
So full of music, the rhythm of its own design
This is our family, a perfect constellation
So many stars, and everybody gets to shine
Whoa! Let's be clear, Abuela runs this show
Whoa! She led us here so many years ago
Whoa, and every year our family blessings grow
It's just a lot, you've simply got to know, so
Welcome to the Family Madrigal,
The home of the Family Madrigal (We're on our way!)
Where all the people are fantastical and magical
We're part of the Family Madrigal
"Oh my gosh, it's them!" The children exclaimed.
Alejandra: What are the gifts?
Cecilia: I can't remember all the gifts!
Pumped Juancho: But I don't know who is who!
"Alright, alright, relejan (relax)!" I said with an amused chuckle at their excitement.
Alejandra: It is physically impossible to relax!
Cecilia: Tell us everything! What are your powers?
Juancho: Just tell us what everyone else can do!
"And that's why coffee's for grown-ups!" Mirabel said, taking Juancho's cup of coffee. Then, transitioning to a mural, she took over singing.
Our Tía Pepa, her mood affects the weather
When she's unhappy, well, the temperature gets weird
Our Tío Bruno (Ensemble: We don't talk about Bruno!)
They say he saw the future, one day he disappeared
Oh, and that's my mom Julieta, here's her deal
Woah, the truth is she can heal you with a meal
Woah, her recipes are remedies for real
If you're impressed, imagine how we feel (mom!)
Mirabel and Oscar: Welcome to the family Madrigal
The home of the family Madrigal (hey, coming through!)
We know it sounds a bit fantastical and magical
But we're part the family Madrigal
Mirabel: Two guys fell in love with family Madrigal
And now they're part of the family Madrigal
So yeah, Tío Félix married Pepa, and my dad married Julieta
That's how Abuela became an Abuela Madrigal (let's go, let's go)
Abuela Alma: We swear to always help those around us
And earn the miracle that somehow found us
The town keeps growing, the world keeps turning
But work and dedication will keep the miracle burning
And each new generation must keep the miracle burning
Alejandra: Wait, who's a sister and who's a cousin?
Cecilia: There's so many people!
Juancho: How do you keep them all straight?
Mirabel:
Okay, okay, okay, okay!
So many kids in our house
So, let's turn the sound up
You know why?
I think it's time for a grandkid round up (Ensemble: Grandkid round up!)
Cousin Dolores can hear a pin drop
Camilo shapeshifts, Antonio gets his gift today
My older sisters, Isabela and Luisa
One strong, one graceful
Perfect in every way
(Isabela...) grows a flower and the town goes wild
(Isabela...) she's a perfect golden child
(Luisa, Luisa, Luisa!) and Luisa's super strong
The beauty and the brawn do no wrong
That's life in the family Madrigal (woah...)
Now you know the Family Madrigal (woah...)
Where all the people are fantastical and magical (woah...)
That's who we are in the Family Madrigal!
"¡Hasta luego!" (See you later!) I said, waving with my tail. I hopped on Mirabel's shoulder as she turned to leave. But one of the kids were in front of her. "But what's your gift?" The little girl asked Mirabel. Someone tossed her an ácordeon.
Ha! Well, I gotta go, the life of a Madrigal (woah...)
But now you all know the Family Madrigal (woah...)
I never meant this to get autobiographical (woah...)
So, just to review the family Madrigal
Let's go! (But what about Mirabel?)
It starts with Abuela, and then Tía Pepa, she handles the weather (But what about Mirabel?)
My mom, Julieta, can make you feel better, with just one arepa (But what about Mirabel?)
My dad, Agustín, well, he's accident-prone but he means well (But what about Mirabel?)
Our gato Oscar, he has his super speed to offer (But what about Mirabel?)
Hey, you said you wanna know what everyone does, I've got sisters and cousins and (Mirabel)
Our primo Camilo won't stop until he makes you smile today (Mirabel)
Our cousin Dolores can hear this whole chorus a mile away (Mirabel)
Look, it's Mr. Mariano
Hey, you can marry my sister if you want to (Mirabel)
Between you and me, she's kind of a prima donna
Yeah, I said too much
And thank you but I really gotta go (Mirabel)
My family's amazing (Mirabel)
And I'm in my family, so (Mirabel)
Well...
"Mirabel!"
I winced at Abuela calling her name. We turned around. "What are you doing?" She asked. I sheepishly giggled. "Oh, nothing, really." I answered. "They were just asking about the family and..." One of the kids cut her off.
"She was about to tell us about her super awesome gift!"
"Oh, Mirabel didn't get one." Dolores said. She shrugged with a squeak before turning away. Then the children turned to us. "You didn't get a gift?" Cecilia asked. "Well, you see..."
"Mirabel! Delivery!"
Ay, Osvaldo. Typically, a nice fellow, he is.
"I gave you the special, since you're the only Madrigal kid with no Gift." He handed Mirabel a gift basket full of... Let's see, party hats, paper weathervanes, pots, candy, clappers... All kinds of stuff. How gentlemanly of him— Wait, what was that last part?
"I call it the "Not Special" special since, uh, you have no Gift."
Well then...
"Thanks." That smile was fake. I know her too well.
I honestly felt bad for her. He basically just said that she wasn't special, since she doesn't have a gift like everyone else. Personally, I believe that your gift doesn't define who you are.
If only I could get Abuela to understand that...
"Oh, and tell Antonio good luck. The last Gift ceremony was a bummer... The last one being this yours, and it didn't exactly work out." Osvaldo gently tapped my nose before he left. "Thank you for that arbitrary comment, Osvaldo." I snarled quietly as he left.
I inhaled, then exhaled a gruñido (growl). I think his gift is unbridled insensitivity. Did not think about how she felt about not having a gift, and bashing me because I didn't get a door. Like that's my fault. Like it's Mira's fault for not having a gift.
"If I was you, I'd be really sad." Cecilia said, looking and sounding as though she genuinely felt bad for her. "Well, my little friend, I am not. Because the truth is, Gift or no Gift, I am just as special as the rest of my family." Mirabel replied. I nodded, "Don't need a gift, nor a puerta (door to be special."
Then we saw the family going about their business.
"Who wants more pink?"
"Alright, guys, where do I drop the wagon?"
"Maybe your gift is being in denial." Cecilia said, watching with us. I sighed. She's pushing it...
"Vamos." I muttered in her ear. "Had enough of these niños (children) for now." And inside we went. Just about everyone in town was getting the Casita ready for Antonio's gift ceremony tonight.
Sí, I'll never forget mine. I was muy nervioso (very nervous). Glued to one spot, could not move... I wonder if Antonio feels the same way... It's not easy when you got everyone in town staring you down.
"Luisa, the piano goes upstairs!" I heard Abuela call out.
Luisa put the barrels down, "I'm on it!" And nearly knocked us over. "Careful, sis!"
Then wind blew in our faces. Now, who do you suppose is the cause of this?
"My baby's night has to be perfect, and it's not perfect. And people are going to be coming. And nothing's ready." Yep. Tía Pepa. Good ole Tía Pepa.
Stressed out Tía Pepa... Sheesh.
"You're tornado-ing the flowers! The flowers!" Tío Félix tried to settle her down.
"Did someone say flowers?"
Cristo, she scared me!
EVERYTHING scares me, what am I saying?!
"A little sisterly advice, if you weren't always trying too hard, you wouldn't be in the way." Isabela said, scratching me underneath my neck. I purred, but I didn't agree with her.
"Actually, Isa, this is called helping." Mirabel shot back. "And I'm not in the way. You are—"
"Wall."
She didn't notice in time. Mirabel bumped into the post. Isabela rolled her eyes.
A few moments later, we took the gift basket into the cocina (kitchen). She sets it on the counter as her mother, and my aunt, Julieta, notices her overcompensating. Concerned, but trying not to show it, she slides over.
"Whoa, mi vida, are you okay? You don't have to overdo it." She said. "I know, Mamá. I just wanna do my part like the rest of the family." Mirabel answered, setting a heavy object on the counter. Casita shuffled it away. Then Agustín appeared out of nowhere, welts on his nose and hands (from bee stings), but he somehow didn't scare me...
"She's right, amor--"
"Eee---"
"First gift ceremony since Oscar's, lots of emotions, and I've been there--"
"Bee stings." Mirabel said to Julieta, looking and sounding uncomfortable. She turns around, "Ay, Agustín." She sighed, then went to making a cure.
"-- when me and your Tío Félix married into the family. Outsiders who had no gift, never would, surrounded by the exceptional. It was easy to feel... un-ceptional." Agustín went on.
"Okay, Papí." Mirabel said. "I'm just saying, I get it."
"Sí. I felt as though I didn't even deserve a gift, because I wasn't born into this family. I was adopted." I mused, tapping an imaginary cup across the counter. "I wasn't convinced that... Pets... Could be blessed with a gift. You all remember the disappointment that followed when what was supposed to be my door... Disappeared into the wall."
"Mi vida, por favor, don't talk like that." Mirabel said softly, cupping my face into her hands, rubbing it with her thumb. "You deserve a gift as much as everyone else does."
"As do you, dear prima of mine. And yet here we are. But see to it that I'm glad we have something in common."
Julieta stuffs an arepa into Agustín's mouth, healing him of his bee stings. "Mi amor, if you ever want to talk--"
Mirabel cut her off. "I gotta put out the stuff. The house isn't gonna decorate itself." And as if on cue, the serpentinas (streamers) drooped, signifying that the Casita was offended. "Sorry, you could. You look great!" Mira immediately apologized. The serpentinas lifted back up again.
"Corazón (heart), remember..."
"Yeah, remember..."
"You have nothing to prove!"
"Nothing to prove!"
Mirabel gave her parents a thumbs up as she walked away with the basket, but she wasn't really paying attention.
They're right, though...
..........
I sat on the railing as Mirabel arranged candles around the second floor. "Hey, uh, Mira, mind if I talk to you about something?"
"Of course, mi amor, anything."
I sighed, repositioning myself so I was now laying down on the railing. "You ever feel... Well... How do I put this nicely? Uh..."
"Useless?"
My ear flickered when I heard the upsetting tone in her voice. "Yeah... See, my point is, I want the same things you do. Recognition. To make your family proud of you. To feel like you're doing something right. Just once. It might be asking for a lot, but that doesn't mean it's impossible."
I paused for a moment. She finally decided to make eye contact with me. "I know how much you wanna be like the rest of your family; having a gift and all that. But, personally, I think you're perfect just the way you are, gift or no gift. I'm not really happy with the gift I have, anyway."
"Really?"
I nodded. "I could already run fast before my ceremony. Just wanted to help the family out. That's all I sought to do. To be honest, just standing here talking to you today, is the biggest gift I could—"
Mirabel cut me off by scooping me up and squeezing me in a tight but warm embrace. "Ask for..." I finished. "Being alive... Being a close second."
"You understand me, Oscar." She said.
"I do. And..." I sniffed the air. It had... A smokey smell to it. Evidently, Mira smelled it, too. "Is something burning?"
"Now that you mention it, my tail does feel kinda warm..."
She looked behind me and gasped. "Oscar..."
I got scared. "¿Sí?"
"Your tail is... On fire."
Nothing more needed to be said. I sprang out of Mirabel's arms and bolted around the second floor, hoping that the flame on my tail would go out. Unfortunately, it didn't. Not until Mirabel put it out with the candle doily she made for Abuela, subsequently setting THAT on fire.
Speaking of Abuela...
"Maybe you two should leave the decorations to someone else?"
Poor Mira couldn't look more incompetent as she continued to stomp on the fire. "No, actually, I made these as a surprise, for you." The doily smoldered. Abuela sighed.
"Mirabel, I know you and Oscar want to help. But tonight must go perfectly. The whole town relies on our family, on our gifts. So the best way for..." Abuela turned to me slightly. "... Some of us to help is... To step aside. Let the rest of the family do what they do best. Okay?"
Abuela looked at Mirabel with a tight-lipped smile. Mirabel nodded, "Okay."
I breathed. It pains me to see Mirabel treated like this, all because she has no gift. She strives for perfection. Don't get me wrong, I understand why. After... You know what happened you know when...
Regardless, I wonder if the phrase "Nobody's perfect" holds any meaning to her...
"Oscar." Abuela snapped me out of my thoughts. "May I have a word with you?"
"O-oh... Of course, Abuela."
..........
"You want me to do WHAT, exactly?"
"I would like you to sing at the ceremony tonight."
"But... Abuela, you know about my stage fright, right?" I asked her, praying that she was joking. "You know, I start trembling, my ears twitch like crazy... And in front of people no less. I'm not sure if I can handle a thing like this."
Abuela gave me an understanding look and placed a paw underneath my chin. "I know you're afraid to perform in front of people... But tonight has to go perfectly. You can't let your fear get the better of you. Practice for now, and be ready for tonight. Okay?"
I gotta admit, she's right... For the wrong reason. I CAN'T let my fear get the best of me.
So... I guess I'll go...
The wind picked up. Surely enough, on the other side of the balcony, was tía Pepa. With a thundercloud over her head. "Pepa! You have a cloud!" Abuela called out. Then Pepa responded, overly emotional like, with "I know, Mamá, but now I can't find Antonio! What do you want from me?!"
I watched with concern as she stormed off. Hey... I made a funny! Stormed off! She has a stormcloud over her! I snickered at myself. Abuela gave me a look, "What is so funny?" She asked me. I fixed my face, "Nada (Nothing). I'll just... Be on my way. Don't wanna ruin Antonio's night..." I trailed off as I walked away. "... just because I'm a scaredy cat..."
I meant what I said to Mirabel before. We both want the same things. But... I'm having my self-conflicts, too. I mean, I never actually felt as though I was a part of this family. Think about it; I was adopted into this family. I wasn't born into it like everyone else was.
And on top of that, I've always been afraid of my own shadow... Afraid of the world, ever since I had to go my separate ways with my parents. I worried that I wouldn't make it on my own. All wild cats go through this, I know... But...
I feel like being brought into the Madrigal family, just because I was too scared to face the world, was the most cowardly thing for me to do. When I have so much untapped potential. Abuela... Just doesn't realize that. I can't just stop being scared of everything with the snap of my fingers. And considering I can't snap because I don't have opposable thumbs, that's saying something.
Well, I've chickened out enough times in my life. I'm gonna stop being scared, and I'm gonna stop now! Starting tonight, I'm gonna be a whole new minino (pussycat)!
And I'll finally make the family proud...
..........
Well... It's now or never. My ruana is on, everyone in the Encanto is here... Not many of them are watching me...
No! Stop being a scaredy cat! This is for the family!
Just do what Camilo used to tell me, "When you're scared, taking deep breaths usually helps."
And I trust Camilo with every piece of fur on my body.
Deep breath in... Deep breath out...
Hey, it's working!
But why is it working? I can't keep being scared... I'm gonna let everyone down that way...
STOP YAMMERING AND JUST START SINGING, OSCAR!
¡Colombia!
Out the corner of my eye, I saw Camilo, motioning with his hand to tell me to keep going. And so, I did.
This is for you, Abuela...
Noche de fiesta, todos vienen a celebrar
Noche de fiesta, todos llegan para gozar
Sigue bailando, contento en mi paraíso
Y revelando, milagros en cada piso
(Ah-eh-ah-eh-ah-eh) Encanto, Encanto
So far so good!
Colombia, te quiero tanto
Que siempre me enamora tu encanto
Colombia, te quiero tanto
Que sigas bendiciendo tu encanto
¡Colombia!
Encanto, Encanto
Abriendo puertas, va llegando la madrugada
Siguen abiertas, y el café se cuela en la casa
Canción alegre, para que gane el bien sobre el mal
No me despierten, que esto parece un sueño real
Colombia, te quiero tanto
Que siempre me enamora tu encanto
Colombia, te quiero tanto
Te sigue bendiciendo tu encanto
¡Colombia!
Encanto, Encanto
(Ah-eh-ah-eh-ah-eh)
Encanto, Encanto
Y es que a ti Colombia yo te quiero tanto
Que siempre me enamora tu encanto
Colombia, te quiero tanto
Te sigue bendiciendo tu encanto
(Ah-eh-ah-eh-ah-eh)
Encanto, Encanto
(Ah-eh-ah-eh-ah-eh)
Encanto, Encanto
You know what? After singing all of that...
¡Me siento genial (I feel great)!
And I have the round of applause to prove it! "I... I did it... Hah! I just performed in front of the entire Encanto!"
The convenience of Mirabel being right next to me as I hopped off the railing of the staircase and onto her shoulder is impeccable. "You sure did. And I'm so proud of you."
We walked Antonio to the foyer. Pepa, Félix, Dolores, and Camilo saw him and cheered. "There he is!"
Pepa began to tear up. "Look at you, all grown up." A rain cloud formed above her as it started to rain. "Pepi, amor, you're gonna get him all wet." Félix said gently, shooing the cloud away and pulling his wife back.
Camilo shapeshifts into a shorter Félix. "You make-a your papa proud." And imitating him. You should see Antonio's adorable smile. Camilo's such an awesome big brother!
"I don't sound like that!" Félix said.
""I don't sound like that!""
I got a good snicker out of this. Dolores tilted her head, "Abuela says... It's time." She said. "We'll be waiting at your door!" Pepa said.
"Okay, okay, vamo, vamo, vamo."
Camilo had to imitate his father one last time. ""Okay, okay, vamo, vamo, vamo.""
Félix yanked him away. "Alright, I'm done!" Camilo said in his normal voice.
Tonight will go well for us all... I'm hoping...
No, it will. I'm sure of it!