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When you're pushed aside for years, forced to stay in your room for hours on end, you tend to find ways of occupying your time.
She didn't mean to zone out like she did but she couldn't help it. Sometimes when Abuela walked in the room, if Mirabel wasn't expecting it, she'd freeze. And suddenly she felt like she wasn't in her body. Like she wasn't sitting in Casita. She wasn't sure where she felt she was but it wasn't here.
Sometimes it was a loud sound that shocked her into that space. Someone raising their voice or something breaking. She'd feel a rush of fear and then she'd stop thinking. Everything in here head went quiet.
During these moments she'd be frozen in place, breathing so shallow it almost seems like she isn't breathing at all. Her face didn't change from blank and emotionless. Sometimes her eyes widen as she stares at the last place she looked, unblinking.
Moments go by and she is silent, only for the silence to be broken with a sudden intake of breath and furiously rubbing her eyes.
She finds a solid item to rest against and she slowly comes back to herself.
During the years between her botched ceremony and Casita falling, no one noticed when she did this. They were too busy after all. No one noticed when they had a million things they had to do and thousands of things they were worried about in their own life.
No one noticed when speaking to Mirabel, there were times that she'd look right through them, not quite hearing what was said. That sometimes she never responded and they tossed a hello to her.
There were a few times that Julieta noticed her daughter's behavior. When she had made snacks and called for Mirabel, she watched as she seemed to move automatically, not quite aware she was doing it. She'd walk right up to Julieta and as she was given her food, it seemed to take a second longer to respond than it should have. Mirabel numbly took the plate, not registering the heat in her hands until the pain brought her back.
Julieta would always move to ask her what was wrong but she knew that Mirabel would not want to be asked in front of the family and Julieta never could find the time to step aside and confront her daughter. She reasoned that it were bad enough, her daughter would seek her out. So it went unasked and ignored.
Until the day Casita fell.
It took two full days to find Mirabel. Worry had eaten away at the family's hearts and no one knew where she could have possibly gone. Until Abuela had spoken up about a place. She insisted on going alone, for what reason, she wouldn't say.
When they had returned, Mirabel at her arm, they all wept with joy. Their little Mira was back and seemingly unharmed.
During the construction of Casita there was too much going on to see when these spells happened. Mirabel had her hands busy and when things got monotonous, she'd tune the world out. She didn't always notice when her task had been completed and she would stand there motionless until the next thing was handed to her.
Some people chalked it up to shock as she had been within Casita as it fell and no one really walks away from that unscathed. They never brought it up with her. Always silently guiding her to the side when they needed to get through.
They were never harsh about it. Always kind and gentle.
When their casa stood tall and proud before them on the final day of construction, they brought her forward before the door.
They noticed then, when Antonio handed her the doorknob marked with the M. It could have easily stood for their name but they all knew it was meant for Mirabel. She did too or at least they could see when it registered in her mind the intent. She stood in place staring at the door before her and they all watched as her mind retreated.
Her lips were parted slightly and her breathing shallowed to near stillness and her eyes ceased to focus on what was in front of her. She swayed a little as her body settled in place and her family grew increasingly worried something was wrong.
It was Isabela that stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Mirabel's shoulder and Antonio on the other side gripping the beautifully embroidered dress. He looked at her with worry, not knowing what had suddenly happened to cause his favorite cousin to seem so...lifeless.
Isabela stepped in front of Mirabel and gently grasped her face a look of worried love flickering across her face.
"It's alright Mirabel, my beautiful sister. We are here for you now. Let us in."
Tears were falling before Mirabel could fully take in what that meant.
She was finally seen, and never again would she be ignored. It wouldn't stop the spells but she'd always have her family there when she needed them most. Never again did she spend long in her world away from Casita, as her family learned after a while her tells and how to gently bring her back to the present.
She'd always be met with a hug.