Chapter Text
Hidden from sight, Mirabel Madrigal listened in anticipation as her tia let out an exhausted sigh. The sound of Antonio’s wails had been ringing through Casita for almost two hours at this point. She saw watched as tia Pepa still periodically attempted to rock the infant despite having long since given up seriously trying to calm him as she talked with abuela.
“I can’t just leave him mamá! Between watering the crops and dealing with everyone’s requests for the weather, I barely see him.”
“I understand Pepa,” Abuela responded, “but you and Félix are both needed in town today. I don’t see why Camilo can’t watch him.”
“Did you forget that you made him go into town this morning to watch the children there? Besides, he doesn’t know how to take care of them when they're this young,” Pepa shot back.
“Then what about Mirabel?”
The aforementioned girl stopped dead, why would Abuela bring her up?
“I don’t know Mamá…”
“I think it will be fine Pepi,” Félix interjected, “Mirabel knows how to take care of him.”
“Then it’s settled!” Abuela declared, “I’ll go get Mirabel-“ but she was cut off as Mirabel felt the floor move under her feet, bringing the girl right in front of her grandmother.
“Thanks a lot Casita…” she mumbled as she looked down in embarrassment. The effect of her presence was immediate. Abuela brightened, Antonio stopped crying, and Pepa’s look of uncertainty grew.
“Perfect! Mirabel, you can handle Toñito for a few hours, right?”
“Of course Abuela!” the eleven-year-old said as she straightened up, attempting to adopt a stoic expression. Inside, however, her mind was racing with excitement. The family family hardly ever needed her and now she was being entrusted with the well-being of one of the most important people in her life! She couldn't— no, wouldn't fail.
After a little more convincing and few reluctant glances from Pepa, Mirabel wished her family goodbye with a now calm Antonio deposited in her arms. Looking around at the newly empty house, a rarity for a family like them, Mirabel felt excitement well up.
“Looks like it’s just you and me, hmm hombrecito?” she said with a grin as she held him close. As expected, the baby only cooed in reply. With new precious cargo, she moved toward their shared nursery. She quickly laid him on a mat and pulled out a few toys. It would not do to have him cry again so quickly. Soon, the room was filled with a playful air as Mirabel atemped to help his speech.
"Come on, you can do it Toñito. What's my name?" Mirabel asked while he rolled around.
“M-m-mamá!” he said through giggles, making her jaw drop.
A grin stretched across her face with this new development. “You just said your first words! Tia Pepa, did you hear, you were his first words!” she said in excitement as she turned around. Excitement quickly gave way to confusion though when she registered that there was no one there. But it had to be tia, she thought, why else would he say ‘mamá?
"Mamá!" he said again when she didn't give the reaction he wanted.
“No Toñito, Pepa is your mama. I’m Mirabel," she tried to insist with rising discomfort.
“Mamá,” he agreed.
“Mirabel.”
“Mamá.”
The former discomfort made way for panic as Mirabel's mind started racing with frightening possibilities. What if someone heard him call me that? she thought as her heart decided to start racing as well. They’ll probably think it’s my fault for not correcting him! Then they’ll hate me forever and I’ll never be a true member of the family because they’ll kick me out and forget all about me like tio Bru-
But her darting thoughts was silenced when she heard a whine from the little bundle in her arms. As brown eyes met brown, he gave a gummy smile that melted Mirabel’s heart. She would not be the reason he became upset.
“I love you so much, you know that?” she said, giving his head a kiss. This resulted in giggles from the little boy that made everything worth it. Being around someone who didn't care that she wasn't special like the rest of her family felt like a breath of fresh air. Someone who didn't yet know what a disappointment she was. Yes, said someone was still a baby, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Antonio would stay with her until he was old enough to see for himself how much she didn't belong. They stayed like that for a while, in a comfortable silence as he continued to play with the toys she had previously laid out for him.
Eventually, however, he started to whine again. His whine gave way to a fit that seemed bent on rivaling his earlier tantrum as he started wailing once more .
“Shhh, it’s ok hombrecito,” she said softly, trying to comfort the inconsolable baby. “Que pasó mi corazón? Are you hungry?” she asked as she picked him up, trying to quickly to look for a bottle and milk. After a few minutes of searching and preparation, the bottle was finally ready.
She sat in a rocking chair and the baby went blessedly silent when the nipple met his lips. He fed for a few minutes, but it seemed her arms were just too comfortable. Antonio began to yawn, then his eyes started drooping. Soon, he was fighting off sleep while the bottle lay and forgotten. Mirabel hummed a lullaby as she continued rocking the child in her arms. He looked up at her with his brown eyes shining before they fluttered closed for a final time.
“Mamá,” Antonio said softly as he snuggled into Mirabel’s chest. She smiled as his breathing evened out and he went still. When tia first announced that she was pregnant, Mirabel never imagined she would even be allowed near the baby and now here she was with that very baby asleep in her arms.
She rocked absentmindedly as her mind, now free from distractions, pondered something she had almost forgotten. Antonio thought she was his mom. What could she do about that? Should she correct him? Should she just let it be? She raked her memory of the past few months for what had made him possibly think that. It was Pepa, not her that put him to bed nearly every night, tia Pepa that birthed him. True, she hadn't been caring for him as much lately and it was Mirabel that got him up, ready, and changed every morning. It was Mirabel that had cared for him when he had that fever and cold last month. Yes, that had to be it. He was just confused and would grow out of it. She didn't know why this conclusion filled her with a sense of disappointment.
With that settled, she rose from the chair and made her way to Antonio’s crib.
“Buenas noches mi principito,” she said quietly as she placed a final kiss on his head. She set him down as he slept on.
She felt a small smile grace her face as she gave the baby one last look, his earlier words still ringing in her head. He would grow out of it, but right now he needed someone to protect him. What was the harm in filling that role until he did?
“I love you mi vida.”