Chapter Text
Not even Isabela’s brightest flowers pierced the greyness of her everyday life.
At age thirteen, she had learned a very useful lesson: a smile made her emotions invisible. She could tuck the fear and fatigue and stress behind a grin, however forced it was; and no-one noticed. Abuela didn’t bat an eyelid. In fact, she seemed delighted that Isabela was so obedient, so desperate to please her.
Isabela had been happy, too. She really had! The pride which Abuela had, a few years ago, reserved only for Mirabel was directed at her. She wanted her grandmother’s love; her grandmother’s attention.
It had been enough.
She just couldn’t put her finger on when she’d relinquished all control over her life. Did she really have any in the first place? She wasn’t sure. After Mirabel’s disastrous ceremony — which her littlest sister had somehow managed to screw up — Abuela had been on her like a shadow.
At what point did she begin to simply start going through the motions?
The routine was so deeply ingrained now that Isabela didn’t really have to think.
“He wants five babies.”
Terror, cold and sharp, shot through her. An automatic smile fixed itself on Isabela’s face, as Abuela squeezed her shoulders and said something she couldn’t hear. Mirabel was frowning at her. What did she want? Ah, Camilo — a distraction. Abuela thankfully walked away, just as Camilo coughed up flowers.
Five babies! Isabela thought. Mariano can’t be serious, can he?
He shouldn’t be allowed to say things like that. Why was everybody treating it as if it was just fine? From the time she’d spent with him, Isabela knew that her soon-to-be fiancé never lied. He was annoyingly earnest and kind. An endless source of compliments, poems, and songs. She just wasn’t attracted to him; and her best efforts to love him had been failures.
Not that she thought Mariano would ever make her do anything against her will. But it was her body. And by just thinking that, Mariano was laying claim over it, wasn’t he?
Just like Abuela and the town have, a tiny voice whispered in her mind.
Taking a deep breath, Isabela clenched her fists in her skirt. She couldn’t spiral here, in front of everyone. Was breakfast over? Tio Felix and Papa were getting up to clear the plates. Great! She arose, nodded in Abuela’s general direction, and strode gracefully towards town, with a wide smile plastered across her face.
Five babies meant five more gifts; and the Encanto needed more gifts. The family had been blessed with the miracle to help people. She couldn’t be selfish, could she?
How much more of yourself can you give before there’s nothing left? the tiny voice whispered.
Isabela permitted herself a vigorous shake of the head. This was a dangerous line of thinking. Abuela had the family’s best interests at heart, and Isabela Madrigal would do anything for the people she loved. She could scream and cry at night, when Dolores was asleep in her soundproof room.
Now she had to fulfil her duty.