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After 5 years of waiting, the day has finally arrived for Mirabel to get her gift.
Bruno stands among his family, yet a bit distant, waiting for the ceremony to begin. He had already been there for his older nephew and nieces’ ceremonies, so this one isn’t going to be any different aside from the type of gift Mirabel will receive. It’s just something he has to go through and just like that it’s over.
He was never close with his nieces and nephew. They always just stuck with their parents and their side of the family in general. But he also suspects that Pepa and Julieta have already told their children about the incident at the former’s wedding.
Regardless, Bruno feels proud of his youngest niece that today is her time to shine.
The ceremony finally begins. As usual, Alma tells the townspeople the story of how they have gotten the magic and Casita, yada yada. After she’s done, Alma turns to the 5 year old girl, and carefully gives the candle to her.
As Mirabel holds the candle, the magic slowly creates her bedroom door. However, Bruno notices that her name and illustration don’t appear on it. When the magic has done it’s work, the door doesn’t glow with magic. Mirabel doesn’t notice this, and gives the candle back to her abuela and immediately runs to her door to open it. She grabs the doorknob, turns it, and…
It doesn’t open…
Mirabel pulls and pulls, but the door doesn’t open…
Realizing that the door won’t open, the girl turns to her abuela, looking sad and confused. But Alma just stands there, looking shocked. Mirabel then turns to look at the townspeople, who only look at her as they look shocked as well, all wondering what’s going on. Then they begin to whisper to each other, about “The Madrigal who doesn’t have a gift” and what just happend.
Looking at the townspeople and her family, and processing the fact that she hasn’t gotten a gift, Mirabel bursts into tears. She runs towards her abuela to seek comfort, but she steps away from her as if she’s a tiger. The girl then runs towards her parents and sisters, calling for her mother while reaching her small arms, only wanting a hug, but her entire family back away from her. It only makes the 5 year old sadder.
Bruno sees it all, and almost boils out of anger. They seem more concerned and afraid to loose their gifts then to comfort a 5 year old girl who’s in tears. It will only traumatize her and make her feel awful in the future.
So, he does the first thing that comes to his mind.
“Mira.” Bruno calls out, kneeling down at the ground with his arms open. The townspeople may stare at him for this, but he doesn’t care. There’s a 5 year old girl to calm down.
Luckily, Mirabel sees him, and runs up to him to seek comfort, though she fears that he will back away from her too. But unlike the rest of her family, he hugs her, and even lifts her up! That small gesture of kindness doesn’t stop her tears though.
“Everything is gonna be fine, niña.” Bruno says in an attempt to comfort the crying child, but it doesn’t help. He then glares at the rest of his family, clearly remembering how they rejected to hug the girl in favor for their own gifts.
The townspeople however, just turn around and try to leave Casita, finding no more reason to stay for the celebration if Mirabel won’t ever have a gift.
When all the townspeople have left, there’s silence…
An agonizing, painful silence…
Bruno is still holding the crying girl, who soon falls asleep. He can’t really blame her, not after everything that just happend.
“Mamá?” Julieta asks Alma, her expression unsure. “What should we do now?”
Alma takes a deep breath, trying to think of what they should do next.
“We will go back to our normal routine, helping the townspeople, just like we normally do.” the woman decides, looking at her family. She then shifts her gaze to Bruno, who she just sees is holding the sleeping girl. “Bruno, can you bring Mirabel to the nursery to put her in bed?”
“What?” he asks, keeping his tone to a whisper so he doesn’t wake up his niece. “You’re making her sleep in the nursery after all this-“
“Now, Bruno…” Alma says in a threatening tone.
Not wanting to argue with his mother anymore, he just walks out of the room towards the nursery, while trying not to wake Mirabel up.
He doesn’t wanna do this. He doesn’t want to disappoint his niece further by making her sleep in the nursery instead of a new room. He’d rather present her with an old room they don’t use anymore. Bruno really hopes this is just for one night.
When there, he slowly opens the nursery’s door, turns the lights on, and walks inside. He scans the room, and quickly finds a small bed that obviously is Mirabel’s. He carefully places the child on her bed, pulls the covers over her, and gives her a green female troll plushy. Bruno is about to leave the room when the girl slowly wakes up.
“Tío Bruno…?” Mirabel asks, half awake and her eyes half open.
He immediately returns to her bed, sitting on the edge.
“Sí?” He says in response.
“When will I get my gift…?”
Bruno doesn’t know what to answer. He can lie, and safe his niece the harsh truth. But he can’t bring himself to tell her that, no, she will never get her gift.
He chooses the former.
“Soon, Mira.” Bruno says, reassuring her before she will fall asleep again. “You will get your gift soon…”
But he already knows his niece is a star that won’t shine…