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"Hey, everybody... I'm gay. I think."
Mirabel blinks at her reflection in the nursery mirror. Sighing, she turns away and shakes her head. "Okay, no, that was terrible."
She draws herself up, facing the mirror again. "I like girls, okay? And I'm-- I'm pretty sure about that!" She rolls her eyes after a moment of staring at herself, then closes them in exasperation.
"That was a riveting performance."
Mirabel opens her eyes to see Dolores standing in her doorway with an amused expression.
"I would ask if you were eavesdropping, but you sort of always are, so," Mirabel snorts.
"Mm. Looks like you could use a hand with your coming out speech." Dolores shuts the door behind her, leaning against the wall of the room casually.
"Yeah, it's… it's hard," Mirabel admits.
"You need to be confident, and tell them exactly how you feel. How will they believe in you when you don't believe in yourself?" Dolores' gaze rests on her.
"You're right, I'm just… terrified. Of how things might change."
"But what if they change for the better? You don't know until you try." Dolores offers a small smile.
"How do you have so much advice to give, anyway?" Mirabel sits on her bed, gaze downcast.
"Well…" Dolores sits beside her, looking out the window with pursed lips. "I had to come out, too."
"You what?" Mirabel's jaw drops. "How did I never hear about this?"
"Because it wasn't to the Madrigal's. It was to Mariano and his family."
"Wait, but you're still with Mariano. Does that mean…?"
Dolores' lips quirk up fondly. "Yeah, I'm bisexual. Never got around to telling Abuela, though. Thought she might… I don't know, freak out." She shrugs.
"Do you think she's going to freak out?" Mirabel cringes.
"Only one way to find out. Now, let's work on that opening line."
-
The dinner is the same length as it always is, but it feels like decades pass as Mirabel chews at her bandeja paisa. Abuela has just finished a lengthy speech, telling the family how much she loves them.
We'll see how long that lasts, Mirabel thinks to herself nervously.
Dolores gives her a pointed look, and she gives a helpless one in return. Isabela notices the exchange and raises an eyebrow. Camilo notices the eyebrow raise and follows her gaze to Mirabel. Luisa's eye starts twitching; she must be able to guess what's about to happen. The curiosity spreads like wildfire across the dinner table, until even Abuela is giving her a look.
Miraculously, Pepa is the only one that seems unaware of the tension as she reaches for another empanada. Félix taps her shoulder and gestures at the whole table, eyes on Mirabel. She freezes mid-chew, wisps of cloud forming above her.
"I--" Mirabel stands up a little too fast, jostling the whole table. "I have something to say!"
A tense silence falls over the family, and Mirabel tries not to panic now that it's actually happening.
"I… am…" Mirabel's voice quavers as she squeezes her eyes shut. "A lesbian. I like girls." Not as confident as she and Dolores practiced, but it'll do.
The silence continues for quite some time. Mirabel opens one eye to peer at the reaction. Everyone looks pretty normal, except… Abuela is missing from her seat. Mirabel swings her head and watches her retreat into casita.
Luisa and Isabela are the first to get up, offering a comforting embrace, but Mirabel feels numb and distant. Her blood runs cold despite the warmth of her sister's arms.
She just… walked away.
Mirabel's parents rush over shortly after, holding her hands.
"We love you so much, cariño. This doesn't change anything." Her mother looks at her with a warm, loving expression.
Despite all the support, despite the assurance from everybody else, Mirabel starts crying, tears streaming down her face as she wails. This only causes the hug to get tighter, for more consolation to be doled out.
"She was probably just… overwhelmed. Don't worry," Isabela holds Mirabel's face, wiping the tears away.
Mirabel sniffles, lip wobbling. "She must hate me now."
"She doesn't hate you, Mirabel," Her mom assures.
Suddenly, Dolores pushes her way into the throng, and her presence is calming to Mirabel.
"Go see her. I don't think anything else is going to help." Dolores gives her a knowing look, and everything feels a little less chaotic.
Mirabel rushes forward to give Dolores a quick hug, then darts off into casita without another word, leaving most of her family bewildered in her wake.
-
Mirabel climbs the stairs, heading for Abuela's door. She stops in front of it and stares at the carved outline of her face, tracing her fingers along the design.
With a sigh full of dread, Mirabel gives a light knock. "Abuela…?"
Silence.
"Abuela, I know that it isn't easy to have a grandkid that's so different from all the others. I wish I was like everybody else just as much as you do. But…" Mirabel trails off. "But it's not because of that, is it? It's because I can't give the family more gifts." Her voice is softer now, eyes brimming with tears as her forehead gently rests against the door.
After a long pause, Abuela opens the door, expression stern. "It is not that, Mirabel. Not at all."
"It's not?" Mirabel blinks away the tears as best she can.
Abuela studies her for a moment, then steps aside. "Come inside. We should talk."
Mirabel hasn't been inside Abuela's room very many times. It's neat and orderly, everything in its place. Abuela settles into a cozy looking rocking chair, gesturing to the bed beside her for Mirabel to sit.
"It was never about the gifts, you know that," Abuela begins.
"But then, why else would you be mad?" Mirabel frowns.
"I am not mad. I am… afraid." Abuela clasps her hands together, looking to the floor. "Afraid that the town will not be so accepting, and that you will no longer feel safe here."
Mirabel stares at Abuela with wide eyes, unsure how to process this new information.
Abuela goes on. "This family loves you, and nothing will ever change that. However, the town doesn't have that special connection to you. I fear how they will react to the news."
Mirabel gives Abuela an earnest look. "I don't care. If people cover their kid's eyes when I walk by or whatever, that's their problem."
Abuela smiles faintly, gaze fixing on the candle in the window. It's glow is brighter than ever, warming the evening.
Mirabel stands up and gives Abuela a tight hug where she sits. "It's okay, Abuela. I'll be fine. I promise."
-
A MONTH LATER
-
Isabela is tending to the plants in the front yard one evening, going around with a watering can and making sure everything is as it should be.
"Um, excuse me…?"
Isabela glances up from her plants, and just stares for a moment with wide eyes, watering can clattering down onto the stones below.
It's her.
"Whoa, are you okay? Let me help you with that." A girl Mirabel's age crouches down beside Isabela, picking up the can and handing it back to her.
Isabela tries very hard not to act any differently than she would with anyone else from the town. "I don't know if I've seen you around before."
"Oh, yeah, my parents were weirdly strict about me leaving the house, and I live on the far side of town. Like, the part that's expanding at the edge sort of deal?" The girl is the perfect kind of odd to match Mirabel, and Isabela smiles.
"Welcome to our casita," Isabela says, "can I help you with anything?"
"Actually, yeah, you can…" The girl bites her lip, looking nervous.
-
Isabela sprouts another rose petal, and then another, setting them down all the way to the nursery.
Valentina (she had properly introduced herself after the water can incident) had very adorably asked her for help with a surprise since Mirabel was out for the day, and Isabela was, of course, happy to assist. Apparently, the two had known each other for a few weeks now, and they really liked each other.
Heart warm with joy for her hermanita, she gets to the nursery and stands up straight, looking down on her work. The petals make their way to the front door in a loose line, and it's just then that Isabela realizes…
It's the vision. The last part of the vision.
Isabela walks into the nursery and grows roses all over the walls, trying to make a romantic atmosphere.
Her baby sister is getting kissed tonight, and Isabela is going to catalyze the process, whether Mirabel likes it or not.