Chapter Text
When Mirabel returned to Casifa, she didn’t expect to find her abuela waiting for her. She just knew it wasn’t going to be good.
“Abuela,” Mirabel was confused, she could tell by her abuela’s expression that she’s disappointed. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re grounded and you will stop working under Estrella.” Alma said firmly.
“What?” Mirabel was shocked, she just came back just to get in trouble and told this. Estrella did say she needed to stand up for herself more. “What am I getting grounded for? I didn’t do anything wrong. I minded my business all day. And no, I won’t stop working for Estrella even if I did do something wrong. I’ll accept being grounded, but not that. You don’t get to choose what I do or not.”
“You’re telling her some lies about us! It’s unacceptable! You will stop working for her!”
Mirabel snapped. “I don’t need to tell her anything! She said it herself! The others might be blind, but she’s not! You don’t control my life!”
“As long as you’re living here, you will listen to me, Mirabel!” Alma exclaimed. “I don’t have time to deal with your petty little tantrums! You will stop telling lies to people at this once! You will apologize and stop working under her!”
Mirabel looked annoyed. “Petty little tantrums?” She scoffed. “Nobody is throwing a tantrum, I’m only arguing back for what’s right! You’re the one throwing a tantrum because I’ve finally stuck up for myself and had enough! You don’t get to make demands of me either. I don’t owe you anything! I don’t want to listen to you because you won’t even listen to me! What’s the point of having a conversation when I can’t even be heard!? If I have to listen to you like this then I’ll just leave!”
Everything and everyone went silent.
“I will.” Mirabel glared, she turned around and started walking towards the front door.
“Mirabel, if you leave this house, you’re dead to me! You won’t be welcomed back!” Alma exclaimed as the other Madrigals gasped. Yet nobody said anything to stop Alma. “Stop this nonsense!”
As if this situation wasn’t familar.
Mirabel rolled her eyes. “As if I weren’t dead to you already! You sure didn’t treat me as family or human! I might as well just walk out the door either way!” Mirabel opened the door, nobody stopping her or trying to get her to stay.
She didn’t expect them to.“What a great family this is…” Mirabel muttered, only Dolores hearing, who flinched.
The door slammed as she left.
The first thought in Mirabel’s mind was to go to Estrella. She really hoped that Estrella would let her stay with her. She couldn’t go back.
She was getting punished for something stupid and she wasn’t going to let that happen.
Fortunately, Estrella was still in her shop. She seemed to be tidying up the store, before she could close it.
“E-Estrella?”
Estrella turned to Mirabel. “You’re back.” She said slowly. “Not that I’m not okay with that. What happened?” She looked at the distressed expression on her apprentice.
So, Mirabel told Estrella everything that went down and what was said.
To say that Estrella was angry was an understatement. She did her best to calm down.
“I knew I hated them, but didn’t want to say anything out of respect for you—“
Mirabel blinked in surprise, Estrella was usually composed around her. “What?”
“—What’s wrong with her—“
“That’s what I want to know.”
“—I wish I could just—“ Estrella grunted, making a strangling motion.
“…nice?”
“You’re staying here with me.” Estrella stated, scowling at nothing.
Mirabel smiled. “Oh that’s also nice.” She was happy that Estrella was letting her stay with her. She really didn’t want to return back to Casita after that.
“You don’t need to talk or interact with any of the Madrigals if you don’t want to. They won’t force you to go back to Casita if you don’t want to while I’m here.”
“Thank you…”
“It’s nothing, really. I just care about you and want the best for you.”
Mirabel was near tears. “It means a lot to me.”
Estrella hugged Mirabel.
After a few days, the Madrigals realized that Mirabel wasn’t going to return. Nearly everyone noticed how Mirabel didn’t enter Casita again.
Rumors began to spread.
Alma showed up to Estrella’s shop, right outside the door. She needs to get Mirabel back and put a stop to the rumors.
Estrella looked displeased at the sight of seeing Alma. “Yes?” She smiled, it was anything but pleasant.
“Is Mirabel here?” Alma asked, as she peered into the shop.
Estrella walked up, blocking the door so that she wouldn’t enter. “Why?” The smile was replaced with a small scowl. “If I remember correctly…your words to Mirabel was ‘if you leave this house, you’re dead to me.’ That doesn’t sound appropriate for someone way older, who’s supposed to be their grandmother to say to their granddaughter. Even if Mirabel was here, I wouldn’t tell you. You Madrigals are banned from my shop. I don’t want any of you coming here.”
Alma was shocked that Mirabel told Estrella, she doesn’t know why she didn’t expect Mirabel’s to not say anything. “I…” She didn’t have much of an excuse. “Mirabel’s my granddaughter.”
“That didn’t seem to matter when you practically kicked her out.”
“I didn’t kick her out, she ran away!”
“You gave her no choice, Alma.” Estrella glared sharply at her. “It was either to be punished when she did nothing wrong. Alma, get your head out of your ass. You don’t treat Mirabel like a granddaughter. Who the hell says that to their own granddaughter!? You can’t expect Mirabel to come running back to you.”
“Mirabel needs to come back to Casita immediately. People are being to question—“
“—Oh screw their questions!” Estrella cut her off. “You fucking kicked her out! That’s that! You sure as hell didn’t think about that when you kicked her out! You only care about your reputation!”
“No I didn’t, she walked out the door.” Alma said firmly.
“Let’s say that she did walk out that door. My answer is still no.” Estrella said.
“I don’t believe Mirabel is safe there if she goes back, Alma. She also thinks the same. I don’t want to think about what you’re going to do if Mirabel comes back. She’s staying with me. It’s final.”
“You make it sound like I abuse her!”
“You think you don’t!? Especially after what happened to Bruno!?”
“Bruno made his decision and chose to leave! I don’t abuse her! She’s just being dramatic.”
“Sure.” Estrella glared at her, her tone clearly sarcastic. “Alma, I never said anything at first because our relationship isn’t personal. It’s strictly business. Now I just have to say it. I don’t like any of you Madrigals.” Estrella hissed, as Alma looked at her in shock. “Especially you.”
“W-what?” Alma stammered. She never heard that before. Someone not liking them? It was never her. She’s the head of the Encanto. The matriarch. “Why?”
“Let’s start with Julieta and Agustín.” Estrella laughed. “What a sorry excuse for parents they are! Mirabel told me everything! Including how they just fucking stood there and didn’t do anything! They never were there for Mirabel when she needed them! They think that a few reassuring words will stop the bullying! That Mirabel will magically be better because of their words! Only for them to forget about it the next day! What a useless pair of parents if I say so myself?”
Alma gasped, having an angry expression. “How dare you—“
“Oh I dare! It’s the truth! Julieta is hardly in any of her daughters’ life despite living in the same house! Both of them are the same! You’re practically Isabela’s mother with the amount of time that you hover over her! Luisa might as well live in the barn because she has to return those donkeys everyday because of their owner! When is she not working because of you!? And don’t get me started on Mirabel!”
“That’s not true! I will not stand for you talking about them like this!”
“Then sit down! I’ll go grab a chair right now if it’ll make you listen for once! Your other daughter, Pepa literally handed her son to a ten year old at the time! What mother does that!? She’s fifty now! Mirabel doesn’t need to be spending more time with Antonio then his own mother! She shouldn’t have the responsibility when she’s only fifteen years old! Ten at the beginning! You let it happen too! Did nobody see the problem with letting a ten year old be left alone with a baby? Surely your duties aren’t more important than being a parent? I would think that if I hadn't met Mirabel because I already knew the answer to that. Félix is just there to make sure she doesn’t snap.”
“Mirabel was the one that offered!”
“So!? It’s okay to let her hang out with Antonio, but not let her take care of him as if she’s his actual mother!”
“Pepa is there for Antonio!”
“Barely! Her gift and constant mood changes made it difficult to be around him when he was just a baby! She’s far too concerned with watering the fields than taking care of her child!”
“It’s not her fault! She needs to get her emotions under control!”
Estrella rolled her eyes at Alma. “Let me get started on Isabela! Her oldest sister is twenty-one yet she bullies her youngest sister! She’s fifteen! How immature can she be!?” Estrella exclaimed. “You’d have to be stupid not to know what’s happening behind the scenes in your own house! Oh right…I keep thinking that you’re smarter than… this. Isabela isn’t perfect, Alma. You spoil her too much. Keep this going and she’ll be a spoiled brat taking out her frustration on Mirabel….as if she isn’t already doing it.”
Alma hadn’t known that. She didn’t see them interact at all despite being sisters. Isabela has better things to do than messing with Mirabel. She just thought that it was a simple little sibling rivalry. That Mirabel was the one causing problems for Isabela.
“Let’s talk about your little listener next. With all the things that she hears, she doesn’t do anything about the others bullying her youngest cousin. No, she stays quiet. She’s eager to blurt out everything, but the fact that Mirabel is getting bullied. She doesn’t even help her.” Estrella scowled. “She chooses to ignore her. Doesn’t even say anything about it. If she didn’t want to blurt it out, she could’ve at least helped Mirabel privately. Then that could’ve been something. Things would change from that point on. Mirabel would know that she has someone on side.”
Alma realized that Estrella was going to talk everyone down.
“I don’t really have anything to say about Luisa besides that I wish she could spend more time with her sister. Which isn’t her fault because you and the town want her to constantly work. At least someone actually tries to be there for Mirabel.”
“It’s her job to help the town! She doesn’t need to waste any time because Mirabel wants to bothe—“
“—Don’t care. Next, Camilo. It’s Camilo and his little group of minions that bully her. That’s his cousin and he has no shame. What would I expect from the son of Pepa? Pepa clearly didn’t have any problem talking bad about her brother.” Estrella let out a laugh. Clearly humorless. “None of your family members stop him. It’s just harmless teasing. Calling Mirabel names is teasing. Pushing her down is teasing. Making Mirabel cry is teasing. He was already banned from coming near my shop after that prank he pulled. He doesn’t care as long as he impresses and makes his friends laugh. Even if it meant leaving Mirabel behind in the dirt.”
Estrella was looking at Alma with an expression of disgust and anger.
…
“…Mirabel is a Madrigal.”
“Of course. Mirabel is a Madrigal. How dumb am I to forget such important information?” Estrella grinned. “You certainly didn’t treat her like family. You didn’t think of her as family when you excluded and neglected her. You didn’t think of her as a Madrigal when you ignored her. You sure as hell didn’t think Mirabel as a Madrigal when she had enough of your bullshit!”
“No—“
“You still don’t see Mirabel as a Madrigal! The only reason you’re here today is not because you regret what you said and done and wanted to make things right—no! You came here because people are noticing that Mirabel isn’t in Casita anymore and is with me! They noticed that Mirabel refuses to interact with anyone but Antonio! You don’t care about Mirabel, so don’t show up to my shop and act like you actually care about her!”
“Mirabel’s just throwing a tantrum! She needs to act right and stop being dramatic and causing a scene!”
“God…I wonder how she dealt with you for so long.” Estrella didn’t bother to lower her tone. “Mirabel isn’t going back to Casita.”
“You don’t get to make decisions for her.”
“The same applies to you.”
“Well—“
“Alma, we can do this the legal way. This is abuse. You did the same thing to your own son. I’m not going to look stupid and surprised when Mirabel actually runs away.” Estrella said harshly. “Get that stick out of your ass, Alma. You made your call and I told you I would step in when I have to. Mirabel’s not returning back to Casita. That’s final. If you want her back then, let’s speak to the council. With all the evidence, we’ll see if Mirabel is safe to stay in that household. I’m not sure you want that to happen, hm?”
“…Are you—are you threatening me!?”
“Yes, I am. That shouldn’t be surprising. If the council doesn’t believe that you Madrigals are capable of abuse. Then I will ruin your reputation. I’ll fucking drag your name through the mud. You and your family members. With no hesitation either.”
“I—“
“Would you rather have Mirabel back with a ruined reputation and nobody that likes you and your family? Or would you rather have Mirabel’s stay with me and still have a ruined reputation and nobody likes you and your family?”
Alma was baffled by Estrella’s boldness. “T-that’s not fair!” There wasn’t even a reasonable option.
“Life isn’t fair.” Estrella had a sharp smile on her face. “You won’t have an easy time either way. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Y-you…”
“Personally I would go for the second option. It’s your call, Alma.”