1 June is International Children's Day, established as the international day dedicated to protection of children by the Women's International Democratic Federation in 1949.
a/n: And with this, we've finished rewriting the original 4 chapters! Officially, we're taking off on our own now.
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She sighed as she bent down to pick up another wooden clothespin. It wasn't even her turn to do the laundry, but her mind was so noisy and her head hurt so much that she just couldn't stand another day of doing nothing, so she told Mirabel she'd take care of her turn, she had some towels to wash anyway. Her daughter didn't ask and simply went off with Isabela and Luisa to the fields for a picnic. It hurt her a lot that not even her daughters had thought of inviting her, but she told herself that she shouldn't be selfish, her girls deserved to spend time together, and it was good for their relationship.
Agustín was another story.
He no longer spent time with her unless the girls were present; he no longer joked, smiled at her, offered to help her, or sang softly to her; he didn't even say good morning, only nodding gratefully at the breakfast offered to him, eating in silence, and then disappearing to who knows where, reappearing only for dinner. She suspected that, were it not for their current situation, he wouldn't even be interested in sharing a bed with her. She was becoming invisible to her husband.
It was terribly painful to watch the man who had sworn to spend the rest of his life by her side slip through her fingers, while she drifted amidst a sea of familial indifference where, little by little, her voice faded away. She didn't want to, she truly didn't, but she was becoming a ghost while she was still alive, and she didn't know how to stop it, she didn't know what else she could do.
"That's a very deep sigh, mija, are you okay?"
"Jesus Christ!" Julieta jumped, dropping a couple of clothespins.
She felt as if her soul were leaving her and had to bite her tongue to keep from letting out a small curse. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed the approaching shadow, which she now knew belonged to a very amused Laura, who was trying to hide her amusement behind her hand.
"I'm sorry, dear, I didn't mean to scare you" the older woman apologized, though her tone was laced with affectionate teasing. "I thought you heard me coming"
"It’s ok, Laura" Julieta said, offering a small smile as she placed a hand on her chest to calm herself. "I'm sorry, I'm a little distracted today."
"Is it a bad time? I can come back later"
"No, no, don't worry" she said quickly, forgetting about the clothes in the basket on the floor as she gave the woman her full attention. "Is something wrong? Is Y/N okay?"
She didn't even care that your name slipped from her lips so easily, and judging by the older woman's smile, Laura didn't care either. She genuinely wanted to know how you were doing, beyond Félix's teasing and the tightness in her chest that she still refused to acknowledge whenever she saw someone approach you with leering stares and fake smiles. She truly wanted you to be settling in.
She herself was having a hard time adjusting to the borrowed house where her family was living, and deep down she knew it was temporary. She couldn't imagine how difficult it must be for you, coming from another country, to be there permanently.
"She's doing as well as she can" Laura said calmly "though she definitely could do without all those pesky mosquitoes buzzing around her every time she goes out."
Julieta snorted and stifled a small laugh at the woman's obvious annoyance with the wave of suitors who were clearly only interested in the novelty of your presence. It was good to know she wasn't the only one who thought it was pathetic, even if she wouldn't say so out loud.
"I take it that making friends isn't proving so easy" she joked lightly.
"Let's just say it's a work in progress" Laura agreed with a smile. "My lily really needs to be able to talk to someone who sees her, not just her pretty face." She sighed. "So far, there have only been poorly disguised carnal intentions, and little more than strained smiles and polite greetings from the few people who only acknowledge her because they know me. Honestly, you're the only one who's actually managed to make her smile genuinely. I'm afraid you set the bar very high, Julita"
The brunette didn't know whether to be happy or feel sorry for you. On the one hand, a small, particularly selfish part of her was proud that she'd made such a good impression on you that you were using it to judge all the other introductions you'd had in town so far. But on the other hand, it saddened her a little that the village founded by magic couldn't even offer a warm and proper welcome to someone like you. It seemed that with the disappearance of the miracle, much more had been lost than she had thought.
"...But I'm worried this wave of unwanted attention will make her shut herself away at home" Laura continued, pulling her from her thoughts. "It took me a year to pull her out of that hole, and I'm terrified she might fall back in...so I thought you could help me, dear"
"Me?" Julieta blinked, surprised by the request. "What could I possibly do?"
"Well, I was wondering if you could teach her to cook" the older woman smiled. "My lily is talented at many things, but heaven knows that cooking...it was never her strong suit. She can't even go near boiling oil" she chuckled.
The younger woman smiled softly without realizing it, imagining how cute you must look trying to fry something, only to jump when the boiling oil made strange noises. Would you scream like Pepa used to? Or would you go as far as you could like Bruno? Maybe you would use a pan lid as a shield like herself when she was learning to cook at 6. Either way, she was sure you'd look absolutely adorable, and that alone almost made her accept without second thought.
"At least she knows how to chop the ingredients, right?" she asked playfully, but with a hint of interest underneath.
"Oh, yes, don't worry" Laura laughed. "It's the fire she’s afraid of. If it were up to her, she'd survive on cold recipes."
"Mmmmm, I can work with that" the cook chuckled.
“Are you sure? I know the family is busy rebuilding” the older woman asked more seriously. “I wouldn’t want to interfere with-”
“No, no” Julieta interrupted. “I…I’m not helping much with it anyway. I have a lot of free time…perhaps more than I know what to do with” she admitted.
If your aunt noticed the slight tremor in her voice as she said it, she was kind enough not to mention it or ask, which the brunette greatly appreciated. She wasn't in the mood to discuss her lack of connection with the rest of her family.
"Well, lucky us” Laura smiled warmly “because I can't think of anyone better than you to teach her. After all, no one can deny that your cooking is the best in town, and since she already knows you, I can trust Y/N not to get nervous and try to escape from you" she joked
"I'll take it as a compliment" Julieta returned the smile, grateful for the woman’s ability to lighten the mood with maternal teasing.
"You should, you really left a good impression on my girl"
“W-when does she want to start?” she cleared her throat, pretending not to notice the woman’s knowing smile
“Whenever you say, dear”
"Does tomorrow work for you?" Julieta asked after thinking for a second "Around 10? The family leaves for construction at 9, which gives me time to clean the kitchen before she gets here"
“It’s perfect” Laura agreed. “I’ll tell Y/N to be on time. Thank you so much, Julita, you’re an angel.”
The brunette simply smiled, letting the older woman gently stroke her cheek as a farewell, trying to cling to the small comfort the gesture offered, and watched silently until she disappeared from sight. If her head was already spinning and aching before, now it was undoubtedly getting worse. She didn’t want to think about how much she longed for tomorrow to see you, or about the reassurance Laura gave her, a reassurance her own mother hadn’t provided in months.
“...too many confusing thoughts and feelings” she sighed and turned to continue with her task "I wish Casita had fallen on me"
She knew that if Félix found out she was having those thoughts, he probably wouldn't leave her alone. Her best friend hated seeing her in these states of sadness and deep self-loathing, but since he wasn't there and Dolores could no longer snitch her, she would allow herself a moment of darkness.
____________________
"Say it"
Julieta sighed. Aaaaaand of course Félix would find out.
She truly didn't know how he'd done it, and honestly, it was starting to worry her that he knew her so well that he knew even her deepest thoughts...and probably her most embarrassing ones, but that last part was her own fault, and she was aware of it. She really had to stop telling him everything, if only to maintain some semblance of dignity.
"Say it"
"Félix-"
"No, you know the rules, say it" he smiled at her mischievously.
"I'm two seconds away from hitting you with this rolling pin" she warned
"You can do it later" he shrugged "now say it"
She crossed her arms and stared at him for a few moments before she sighed again in defeat. She knew there was no human power to dissuade him when he made that stupidly optimistic face and looked with that hopeful glint in his eyes. The man really was a ray of sunshine at all hours, ready to illuminate everything in his way, and she was grateful for that, even though he was insufferable with her at times.
"I'm sorry I spoke ill of myself" she said reluctantly.
"And?" Félix smiled
"And I won't do it again" she rolled her eyes, feeling like a little girl being scolded.
"And?"
"And...and I didn't really mean it?"
"AND?"
"What else do you want?!" Julieta frowned
"You forgot the 'and I have the best friend in the world, who reminds me of the spectacular woman I am, therefore I owe him juicy gossip'" he joked, wiggling his eyebrows.
"...You're an idiot" she laughed and playfully smacked his arm.
"Ouch, that hurt, Madrigal" he laughed "now you definitely owe me some juicy gossip"
"Don't be such a crybaby" she raised an eyebrow "besides, you know I hardly leave this place, I'm not exactly the best person to tell you gossip."
"I don't know, Laura's visit seemed pretty serious."
Julieta froze in place, almost dropping the rolling pin from her hand. Félix simply smiled at her smugly, clearly enjoying her surprise and having the upper hand on his sister-in-law. It really had been a coincidence; he'd returned home a little early because he'd forgotten his tool for the fields, and he'd seen Laura talking to Julieta in the distance. He'd been polite enough not to interrupt, but there was no way in the world he wasn't going to get the story out of his best friend.
"She just...came to ask me a favor" Julieta cleared her throat.
"What kind of favor?" he pressed. "Something to do with Y/N?"
"I'm going to hit you" she growled under her breath.
"Aha! So it is about her" the man laughed. "Spill the tea, come on"
"There's no 'tea'" Julieta rolled her eyes. "She just asked if I could give Y/N cooking lessons, that's all."
"Cooking lessons?"
"Apparently, the girl might need help with her fear of fire..." she sighed. "And Laura says she tends to shut herself off when she's alone, and she wants to avoid that."
"I know the type" Félix hummed.
Julieta shook her head slightly and turned to put down the rolling pin, picking up a knife to chop the vegetables. She knew he was giving her space out of respect, but it was only a matter of time before he brought up Agustín again and suggested divorce...and she really didn't want to have that conversation just yet.
"So..." Félix asked casually, picking up another knife to help her "Did you agree? To teach the girl to cook, I mean."
"...Yes." She shrugged. "We both know I'm not helping with the rebuilding anyway, I have too much free time."
The man just looked at her from the corner of his eye for a moment. He was sure she didn't realize it, but he knew her better than anyone, and the slight tremor in her hands as she chopped vegetables, or the constant shifting of her weight from one leg to the other, told him there was more to what she was saying.
"Are you sure that's the only reason?" he insisted gently.
Julieta stopped her movements and stared silently at the knife in her hand for a long time, trying not to cry as her chest felt terribly heavy but empty at the same time. She couldn't lie to him, not to Felix; he would get it out of her sooner or later, and honestly, she was tired of pretending she was fine, so she decided the easiest thing to do was to be honest.
"I... I feel alone, alright?" she admitted softly, sighing "I feel like I'm drowning in this house, Félix, with nothing to do, unable to help with Casita because everyone thinks I’m too fragile now that I don’t have my gift, unable to reconnect with my siblings because I don't want to intrude their time together…if they didn’t think it necessary to include me, there must be a reason…and I can’t tell my daughters what’s happening between Agustín and me for fear of hurting them…” She gripped the sink tightly, trying to hold back the tears that were already stinging her eyes. “I feel so lost, so tired.”
"Juli…" Félix rubbed her back gently, not expecting such a sudden venting from his friend.
“So I thought…if I can help Y/N even a little bit, even with something small like cooking, then I…wouldn't feel so empty and useless”
"You're not useless-" he tried to assure her.
"I need to distract myself" she interrupted him "I just…I need to do something, anything but stay here like I’m part of the scenery"
Félix looked at her with concern, but he felt that she was not in a position to continue talking about this, that this was not the right time to push her further, so he simply sighed and nodded, squeezing her shoulder gently as a silent support.
"You're right, a distraction would be good for you" he smiled slightly.
Julieta weakly smiled back at him and let him pull her into a warm, comforting hug she hadn't known she needed until that moment. She closed her eyes to focus on his familiar scent, not caring that she still had to cook, there would be time later. She also tried not to think about the other reason she had agreed: she wanted to see you. As simple as that, and yet, so complicated for her.
I have gained some new followers since I originally posted this on here and over on AO3, so I thought I would repost it just in case anyone wanted to check it out! Just my take on what the Madrigals' lives would have been like if the magic hadn't returned. It has two chapters at the moment, but I have quite a bit of it planned out and I am so excited about what is yet to come for it! (There will be a lot of triplet moments, Dolores has an exciting life-change coming up and Isa and Juli finally get to bond the way I want them to!)
[Synopsis: It has been three years since the fall of Casita. Since the loss of the magic. The family has picked up the pieces and come to terms with the fact things are going to be different from here on out and are nearly settled into their new life. Things are never simple for the Madrigals, however, and with a new baby on the way, a new romance beginning to blossom and a difficult situation Julieta involves herself in, things are bound to start changing...]
TW: Brief mentions of domestic violence.
Tag-list: @miss-kk
You can read chapters one and two over on AO3 at this link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60572455/chapters/154649629
Or you can read chapter one here under the cut!
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Julieta sighed, settling into the chair in front of her vanity with the cup of tea her husband made for her so she could set about doing her hair for the day. It was another early start today, what with her and Isa having one or two things to attend to before they headed down to the clinic, but she didn’t mind. Her days no longer began anywhere near as early as they had back when she still had her gift. Back when she would get up before sunrise to go and make sure she was fully prepared to go healing and then get breakfast ready for the familia. It was a lot of work and it wore her out, but she never dared complain, not when she knew how much of a privilege it had been. She adored her gift. When it was taken from her back when the original Casita fell, for a while she had felt as though she’d lost her purpose. She felt as though she was only half the person she once was, what with life with her gift being all she had ever known, but eventually things had improved. She and the others had begun to adjust to their new way of life and she had to admit that, in a number of ways, she actually preferred it like this.
She had far more time to spend with her daughters now, Isa especially given they worked alongside one another at the clinic, and she knew all three of them like the back of her hand. She couldn’t believe how little she’d truly known about them before. They were her children! She loved spending a quiet afternoon with Luisa on the day the clinic was shut, either sitting side by side reading in el salon or simply talking. She loved doing little crafts with Mirabel, listening to her talk about how much she loved helping out at the schoolhouse. It wasn’t only her girls she was able to spend more time with either, but her marido as well and it made her happier than she could put into words. He’d always been so patient and understanding. Back when she still had her gift, there had been evenings when he had wanted to take her out for dinner or make love to her when they went to bed, but more often than not she’d been too tired for anything. Not once had she had to deal with him complaining, but it had been annoying for her and so she couldn’t even begin to imagine how much more so it must have been for him.
Thankfully though, things had improved on that front and their marriage was stronger now than she could ever remember it being. They made sure to go out for dinner together at least once a month – sometimes Pepa and Félix came too which was fun – and their evenings had gotten a lot more…entertaining…to say the least. It reminded her of the earliest days of their marriage, the way they could barely get enough of each other some nights, and falling asleep with him running his fingers through her curls made her feel so content. It had taken a long time to get to this point, it had been nearly three years since things changed and she was still trying to sort some things, but she was so happy. She was at such a wonderful place in her life and she didn’t want to change a thing about it genuinely.
Reaching into the little box on her dressing table for her hairclip, she quickly ran her fingers through her curls to separate them before putting the clip in to keep them out of her face. She no longer bothered with all her hairpins. Not on the mornings she had clinic and Señora López came to take care of breakfast at any rate. She was still so thankful to her mamá for arranging the support. It made her life that little bit easier and meant she had one less thing to worry about on her more hectic days. She could just wake up and eat breakfast with the family before gathering her things and going down to the clinic with her hija for the day.
It was a far better arrangement than it had been before when she’d had to manage it all alone.
She got up from the chair once her hair was done and headed across the room to the wardrobe, pulling out her pale blue blouse and blue skirt before making her way over to the bed and setting them down at the end of it. She knew she was running a little late and so she quickly found herself some undergarments before shedding her nightgown and pulling her clothes on. It wasn’t long until she was ready to face the day and after slipping her feet into her shoes she left the room. She said a quick good morning to her papá when she passed his photograph on her way downstairs, something she did every morning, and as she got closer to the kitchen she heard the many sounds of her familia. Isa and Mirabel were bickering about something or other, Valentina was fussing – they were experiencing a heatwave at the moment and much like her mamá, nearing six months pregnant, she was struggling – and she could hear her mother telling them to hurry up a little. Palming a curl from her face, she decided to head into la cocina to see Dolores instead of going straight outside and she could tell she was feeling stressed.
It was clear she was trying to get a bowl of ice water sorted, hoping to cool her little girl down a bit to stop her fussing so much, but Valentina was refusing to let go of her and so she imagined it was taking longer than it should. “You sit down, corazón, let me,” She told her sobrina, letting her know she was there. Dolores gave her a smile of thanks before walking over to the table with her daughter and pulling out a chair so she could sit down, settling Valentina carefully in her lap. “Rough morning?” She inquired as she looked over her shoulder at her while filling the bowl up with some fresh cold water, her niece sighing gently in response.
“Rough night too,” Dolores told her. “She wouldn’t settle on her own in the nursery, she screamed every time I left the room, so we agreed to let her come in with us. I don’t know if it was because she was too warm or too crowded, but she refused to sleep,” She smoothed a hand softly over her one-year-old’s fiery curls. “Mariano said he’d get up with her if I wanted, see if he could cool her down, but he had to be up earlier than normal this morning so I didn’t want to bother him. Mamá did help when I brought her down the first time. She managed to get her to sleep for me, but she was up again after a while and she hasn’t slept since.”
Julieta got some ice from the icebox and added it to the bowl of water before turning in place to look at her. “Maybe she’ll go down for a nap after breakfast then if she hasn’t slept,” She said. “Once she’s eaten and she’s cooled down a little, she should start to settle. You should try to get some sleep too when she does.”
“Mmm…” Dolores agreed, bringing her hand to settle upon her bump. “Hopefully this little one will let me. I swear, if it’s not the nausea then it’s them wriggling.”
Julieta chuckled. “I remember it well. How are you doing with the sickness?”
“Better since I’ve been having your ginger tea, gracias,” Dolores smiled. “I’m not struggling with it as much now as I was before.”
“Good,” Julieta replied before testing the water in the bowl behind her and realizing it was cold enough. She opened the drawer next to her and pulled out a cloth before walking over to the table and setting them both down in front of her niece. “You get her sorted out and I’ll make sure we save you a plate of something, alright?”
Dolores nodded. “Thank you, tía.”
Running the back of a hand down her cheek, Julieta smiled before turning and making her way out of the kitchen and outside to where the rest of the family was getting seated around the table. She wandered over to the table the food was laid out on and began fixing herself a plate before Pepa came walking over. “Is Lolita alright?” Her hermana asked, concern written across her face. “She was struggling with the baby but she wouldn’t let me help. She said I did enough last night.”
She nodded. “She’s okay. I think both of them are just tired and the heat is getting to them. I told Dolores she should try to rest when Val takes a nap later.”
“Ay, I wish she’d let me do more,” Pepa shook her head. “She thinks she has to do it all herself.”
“She’s always been this way though. Independent,” She reminded her. “She’s going to be fine, I promise.”
Pepa gave her a hum in reply before they made their way to the table together. She set her plate of food down on the table before pulling out the chair between her husband and Mirabel and sitting down, the corner of her mouth curling into a smirk when Gus laid a hand on her thigh. She risked a glance in his direction to find him looking at her and she gave him a look that told him to behave. She had no idea what had gotten into him, but he had zero self-control at the moment. One wouldn’t think he’d had his way with her more than once last night, the way he was conducting himself. She couldn’t complain though. She rather enjoyed it.
She began to eat while her mamá gave her usual speech about making sure they all worked hard and did their best for their community. She was no longer quite so forceful about it, but it was still important to her that none of them let their standards slip just because the magic was gone. She understood though. Their family was the pillar on which the Encanto was built. People looked up to them and they couldn’t let them down. “Mamá?” Isabela speaking up from opposite her pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up, catching her eye. “I was taking a look at the book earlier and I think we’re running low on one or two things. Equinácea and capuchina oil mainly. We should be alright for the time being, but I think we should think about making some more when we get home later on.”
She nodded. “I agree; Señora Rodriguez will be needing more by the time it’s ready. Mira, I have some for her at the clinic. Could you take it to the schoolhouse?”
“Sí, Mamá,” Mirabel replied, sipping at her orange juice. “I’ll walk down with you and Isa and go from there.”
“Gracias, mi vida.” She smiled, resting a hand on her arm.
Breakfast came to an end relatively quickly after that and the family got up from the table and began to make their way back inside the house. She and Isabela made their way into the kitchen to get the box of supplies from the counter and Dolores was still sitting at the table, a very nearly asleep Valentina snuggled against her. “That didn’t take long.” She remarked as her daughter grabbed the box and tucked it under her arm, Dolores chuckling under her breath in reply.
“I’m waiting until she’s asleep and then I’ll eat something and try to get an hour or two,” Her niece told her. “She’s in a way better mood now which is good.”
“I don’t blame her for being in a bad mood,” Isabela said. “This heat is awful.”
“Try being pregnant in it.” Dolores told her.
Isabela made a face. “Yeah, no thanks.”
“Come on, we need to get going so Mira can get to the schoolhouse on time,” Julieta reminded her niña with a nudge. “We’ll see you later, Lolita.”
“Adios.” Dolores gave them both a smile before the two of them turned and made their way out of the kitchen together.
“Do you think we’ll be busy today?” Isabela asked while they walked through the courtyard.
Julieta hummed. “I think we’ll be busier than yesterday, but it’s mainly people coming for follow-ups or more medication. There aren’t too many new patients.”
“Could we go for lunch at Señora Castro’s cafeteriá then? We haven’t done that for a while.”
“That sounds nice. I don’t suppose it has anything to do with Emiliano being there today though, does it?”
Isabela rolled her eyes. “Emiliano and I are just friends. We’re barely even that.”
“If you say so.” Julieta smirked.
“Ay Mamá…”
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They closed the clinic for lunch earlier than normal. It was getting hotter as the day went on and neither of them could stand being inside much longer, so once Señor Gómez had left they had closed up for an hour and made their way further into town to the little café. It was their favourite place to come together on clinic days. Sometimes they had lunch and sometimes, when neither of them were feeling particularly hungry, they would sit and have a drink and just talk about life. Julieta was glad the bond she had with Isa had improved since they began working together following the rebuild. Before, things had been rather strained and Isa had preferred to confide in her abuela about things, but she was finally opening up to her more and involving her in her life. It made her happier than she could put into words. She wanted to know what was going on in her life. She wanted her to come to her when she had problems and she was finally beginning to do so.
Looking across the table at her daughter, she watched her drink the last of her orange juice and she could tell by the way she was looking back at her that she had something on her mind. “Mija? You okay?” She asked with a raise of a brow, causing her to sigh.
“I have something to ask you.”
“Okay.”
“I was wondering if you would consider allowing me to see some patients sometime,” Isa said, her hands twisting together under the table. “You have way more experience than I do, I know that, but I must have read all your medical books a dozen times and watching you has taught me so much. I think I can do it, Mamá.”
Julieta leaned back in her chair as she thought for a moment. It was quite a big thing she was asking. Caring for the people of Encanto was a big responsibility and there were times when she herself found it hard, more so now without her gift, but at the same time she knew how capable her daughter was. She helped out so much at the clinic and she was aware of all the reading she’d done recently. She probably knew more than she did now.
“Let me have a think about it.” She told her.
“If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can be in there with me the first few times,” Isabela continued. “That way, if I need help with something then you’re right there. I can just ask you.”
Julieta smiled. “Alright. We’ll have a real talk about it tonight.”
“Really? You mean it?” The happiness was clear on Isabela’s face.
“Don’t go thinking you’ll be seeing patients by tomorrow because that’s not going to happen,” Julieta explained. “There are some things that need to be sorted before we get there, but I agree. I think you can do it. You know how it all works and you are so wonderful with the patients. You’re also the best assistant to me.”
Isabela chuckled. “Gracias. I won’t let you down, I promise.”
“I know you won’t.” Julieta assured her, taking her hand in hers.
It was moments later when Emiliano appeared at the table with a tray in hand and they both gave him a smile. “Mi abuela wanted me to come and tell you that there won’t be any charge for lunch,” He informed them. “She says it’s on the house.”
Julieta shook her head. “She doesn’t have to do that, Emil.”
“She knows, she just wants to give back.” He explained.
“That’s kind of her. Tell her thank you for me.” She said.
“I will,” He smiled before lifting something wrapped up in a napkin from the tray in his hand and holding it out to Isabela. “Uh, this is the last piece so I thought you might like it. I…I remember you saying once that it was your favourite.” He said while she accepted it from him curiously. “It’s just ponqué.”
A small smile crept across her face. “Gracias, Emil.”
“De nada,” He replied. “I should get back inside. “Adios.”
“Adios.” She and her mamá replied together.
Once he had gone back inside, she glanced across the table at her mother and saw the look she was giving her. She tutted. “Stop.”
“That boy is loco about you.” Julieta told her in a quiet voice.
“So he remembered the cake I like,” Isabela shrugged. “Big deal.”
“Isa…” Julieta said. “You really don’t see it at all?”
Isabela looked down at her lap for a second before sighing gently. “I know he likes me. Mi amigas tease me about it all the time. I like him too, but in more of a friendly way. The Mariano thing just made me see that I’m not ready for that commitment yet. It was years ago, I know, but I still feel the same way and I don’t want to do anything to…to lead him on or make him think I want more.”
Julieta nodded. “I get that. I think you’re being very sensible.”
“You do?” Isabela asked.
“Mhm,” Julieta hummed. “You want to make sure you court the right person. Not the first one who comes along. Courting leads to more, as you already know, and before you get to that point you need to be certain that person is the one you want to spend the rest of your life beside. It’s the most serious commitment.”
Isabela looked at her. “Did it take you long to realize it with Pá?”
Julieta chuckled under her breath. “No, I already knew I was going to marry him when we started courting. He made a lot of extra work for me at my stall – I once thought he was putting himself in dangerous situations intentionally just so he could come to see me – but those moments made me see how special he was to me. I loved having him in my life. I loved seeing him every day, so I agreed on the spot when he asked me on a date and that was it.”
Isabela gave her a smile. “I don’t know if that’ll happen with me.”
“It might not,” Julieta told her. “I think your tío Félix spent almost two years trying to win your tía over. She made him wait all that time because she didn’t think she was ready, but when she was it all happened quickly for them. It’s different for everyone, amor.”
“But…but you do think it’ll happen for me at some point?”
“Oh, mi vida, of course.”
Isabela smiled when her mother reached out to stroke her face. “I love you, Mamá,” She said gently when she pulled her hand back.
“I love you too,” Julieta replied. “Now, I think we should go.”
Giving her mother a nod, Isabela took hold of the ponqué in her lap and rose from her chair before the two of them began to walk away from the café and back in the direction of the clinic. Her mother put an arm around her while they walked and she allowed her head to fall against her shoulder, sighing when she felt her bury a kiss in her raven hair.
She had to admit, she felt a little better about things now.
Her mamá always knew exactly what to say to cheer her up.
And that was something she adored the most about her.
----------
Julieta sighed to herself as she locked the clinic door behind her after leaving that night. She had sent Isabela home a little while ago now, telling her to tell the others not to wait for her to have dinner because she had something she had to do. Her first patient after lunch had been Catalina Sanchez. She had come to see her to see if there was anything she could give her to help her anxiety and aid her in sleeping, so she had given her some lemon balm and suggested she make tea with it. While she was there, she had asked her if she was aware of the cause of her anxiety and she was adamant she had no idea. She said it was something she had always had a hard time with, but she had a feeling she was concealing the truth from her. Her concern only intensified when the sleeve of her cardigan rolled up and she spotted the bruises on her forearm. She hadn’t commented on it at the time, the way Catalina yanked her sleeve back down right away told her she didn’t want to get into it, but now she regretted that. If her assumption was right, if something was going on at home, then that meant she was in danger.
She couldn’t sit back and do nothing about it.
Not when it was her duty to care for her.
Luckily for her, she had forgotten her shawl since she had been in a hurry to leave after her appointment and that meant she had an excuse to go and look in on her. She wasn’t going to force her to talk about the situation if that wasn’t what she wanted, but she wanted to make it clear to her that she had a friend if she needed one. She was so young and she had no family other than her husband, Señor Sanchez, and if what she thought was happening at home actually was then she wanted her to feel as though she had someone in her corner. She wanted her to feel she had someone on her side and someone she could talk to about it.
She palmed a curl from her face and draped the garment over her arm as she started walking away from the clinic, making her way further into town to where the little casitas were. It took her little time to reach Catalina’s, what with her casita being closer to the clinic than others’, and the candle burning in the window let her know that at least one of them was home. If Señor Sanchez came to the door then she would leave the shawl with him and go home, knowing there would be no chance of having a talk with Catalina with him there, but if she was the one who came then she knew she would be asked inside. It was just the way she was. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves a little, she knocked on the door and waited for a second or so before the door opened a little and Catalina looked out.
“Señora Madrigal,” She greeted. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
“Lo siento, I wouldn’t have come but you left this at the clinic earlier.” Julieta gestured to the shawl still draped over her arm.
Catalina gave her a small smile before opening the door properly. “Please, come inside.”
Doing as she said, Julieta entered the house before Catalina shut the door behind them again and turned to her, rubbing her arm gently.
“Would you like some tea?” She asked.
“I don’t want to put you out.” Julieta shook her head.
“Don’t be silly,” She chuckled. “Eduardo went to see a friend, so we have a little time before he comes home. Come through to la cocina.”
Julieta waited for her to start making her way down the hall to the kitchen before she followed her, draping the shawl over the back of a chair at the table before making her way around to the other side and sitting down when Catalina told her to. She watched her bustle around the room for a time then, filling the kettle with water and putting it on the stove, and eventually the young woman came and sat opposite her at the table while they waited for the water to boil. “I wanted to thank you for the lemon balm you gave me,” Catalina told her while picking at a tiny loose thread on the skirt of her dress. “It helped me feel much calmer.”
“I’m glad,” Julieta smiled. “You said your anxiety has always been a problem?”
Catalina nodded. “Since I was a child. It just seems to be getting worse rather than better as time goes on.”
“And you have no idea what the cause could be?” Julieta pressed gently.
For a minute, Catalina sat there in silence as she looked down at her lap and it was clear to her that she was deciding whether or not she should say something. Her demeanour had changed and she could see her worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “No…” She eventually heard her reply, her voice barely a whisper.
“Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer.” Julieta said.
Catalina lifted her head and gave her a look that told her to continue.
“Are…are things alright for you at home? With Eduardo, I mean?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I saw the marks on your arm earlier.”
Catalina instinctively laid a hand on her forearm through her cardigan. “Oh, those? He doesn’t mean to do that. He gets annoyed with me at times, that’s all it is.”
“Catalina,” Julieta’s voice was quiet and she hesitated for a moment before continuing. “If he’s hurting you then you can tell me. I won’t tell anyone.”
It was then that the young woman’s eyes filled with tears and she dropped her gaze a second time, sniffing as she leaned back in her chair and stared at her lap. “Things were fine in the beginning,” Catalina began in a trembling voice. “I mean, we fought sometimes, but all married couples have fights. When he started coming to church though, that was when he started changing. I couldn’t go out of the house without his say so. I could only wear the things he chose for me because he was worried I would ‘lead men into temptation’ or something like that. He controlled everything I did and he still does,” She shook her head. “He wasn’t violent back then, but he is now. If I do something wrong or I speak out of turn, he hits me. I told him the first time he did it that I would tell someone if he did it again, but he said no one would listen. He told me they would see it as him putting me back in my place. That they would say he was in the right.”
Julieta shook her head. “There is nothing right about what he’s doing to you.”
“He seems to think there is,” Catalina shrugged, wiping a tear from her cheek with the back of her palm. “He sees nothing wrong with the way things are between us, so much so that he…he told me not long ago that he wants to have a baby. It makes me feel ill thinking about it. How can I bring a baby into a situation like this? I tried to tell him that I don’t think he and I are ready for that yet, but he wouldn’t listen. He told me I have no choice and that all I’m good for is bearing his children,” She was interrupted by the sound of the kettle whistling on the stove and so she got up from her chair and walked over, removing it from the heat so she could continue making tea for her and Julieta. “I always wanted children growing up. I still do want them, but not like this and not with him. Not with the way he is. I can handle it, but babies are so fragile and the last thing I want is a child of mine growing up in an unsafe home. It’s not something they deserve.”
Julieta stood from her chair and took three small steps towards her, running a hand across her back through her cardigan and sighing deeply. “You don’t deserve it either.”
Whether it was her touch or the weight of her emotions catching up to her, she had no idea, but Catalina broke down then and she did the only thing she could think to do in that moment. Turning her, she pulled her into a hug and held her tight while she sobbed into her shoulder. It was at times like this that her motherly instinct kicked in and she was so grateful for it. “I don’t know what to do.” She heard Catalina choke out before she ran a hand tenderly over her long black curls.
“I do,” She said while moving her back from her a couple seconds later so she could look at her. “I think we should speak to Señor Flores.”
“No, you promised you wouldn’t tell anyone! Eduardo will kill me if he finds out I said anything.” Catalina shook her head, taking a small step back from her.
“He’ll be able to give you some guidance as to what to do and anything you say to him will be in confidence, just like with me,” Julieta soothed while laying a hand on her arm. “I know you’re worried, but there are steps that need to be taken because he can’t keep doing this. You can’t live like this, Catalina, it needs to be sorted out and I think talking to Señor Flores is probably the best place to start.”
Catalina said nothing, going back to worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, but then she looked at the clock on the wall and realized the time and her heart sank. “He’ll be home in ten minutes.”
“I’ll go then. The last thing you need is me to be here when he gets back,” Julieta told her, getting a slight nod of acknowledgement before the two of them left the kitchen together and made their way back down the hall to the front door. She opened it herself and stepped out onto the doorstep, turning back to Catalina before she could close the door behind her. “Promise me you’ll think about it.”
“I’ll think about it,” Catalina agreed. “I do appreciate it, Señora Madrigal, I…I just…”
Julieta gave her a gentle smile and reached for her hand. “I get it. In the end, the decision is yours to make. I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
“Gracias,” Catalina breathed a soft sigh of relief. “I should go back in.”
“Sí. I’ll see you soon.”
“You will. Buenas noches.”
Julieta heard her shut the door behind her as she turned her back and began walking away from the house and she sighed deeply, her hands wringing together with worry as she headed in the direction of home. It made her feel uncomfortable, the thought of her being alone when Eduardo came home, especially after what she’d just told her about him, but there was nothing she could do. Not at this moment in time at least. She hoped that she would come to her soon and tell her that she’d decided to go and speak with Señor Flores about what was going on, but a small part of her was worried that she would keep quiet. Her fear made sense to her. She was scared that if she told someone about it then Eduardo would find out. She was scared that if she told someone, they would side with him as he’d told her they would and she would be looked down on. She just felt as though there was far too much at risk at the moment and that, for the time being at least, she needed to keep it all to herself.
She knew that the longer she kept quiet about it the worse things would get for her though.
Eduardo would have no reason to stop and she was worried about the state she would end up in if she remained silent for too long.
Like she had said before she left though, it was her choice.
She had to be the one to decide when she was ready to talk about it, no matter how long that took.
She was just going to have to be patient and hope for the best.
It was all she could do.
----------
She was hungry by the time she made it home, having not had anything to eat since her lunch break with Isabela hours ago, and so she headed straight for the kitchen once she’d entered the courtyard. No doubt, the familia would have made sure to save her something and it wouldn’t take her long to sort out. Raking a hand wearily through her curls as she approached the doorway, she stopped a moment later at seeing her husband sitting at the table with a small glass of vino. It was clear he had been waiting for her to get home and it made her smile. “Hola,” She said quietly, making him aware of her presence before he turned on his chair to look at her and got to his feet. She ventured further into the room when he began to walk toward her and once he was close enough for her to do so, without even thinking about it she slipped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. Her hands curled into the back of his chaleco as she breathed in his smell, a feeling of security washing over her when she felt him wrap his arms tight around her and bury his nose in her hair. She loved him so much. Her talk with Catalina had only made her realize how incredibly fortunate she was to have him, even though she knew that already, and she just needed a second to hold him like this before they continued with their evening. “I missed you today.” She told him, her voice slightly muffled.
“I missed you too.” He replied, bringing a hand up to stroke her curls. “You okay, amor?”
She tilted her head back then, letting her chin settle upon his chest, and ran the back of his hand down her cheek she let out a gentle sigh. “I’m okay. Today has just been one of those days, you know?”
“I know the kind,” He nodded. “How about we have something to eat and get an earlier night for once?”
“You haven’t eaten yet?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
He shook his head. “I thought I’d wait for you. I didn’t want you eating on your own.”
She tutted. “I love you. You know that?”
“I have an idea,” He teased, kissing the end of her nose before taking his arms from around her. “You go and sit. I’ll get you a drink and sort dinner out.”
She wasn’t going to argue with him about that, so with a smile she patted his chest and stepped around him before walking across the kitchen to the table and pulling out a chair so she could sit down. Her gaze followed him as he moved around the room, first finding a wine glass and pouring her a drink before he brought it to her and walked away again to go and get their dinner. He honestly took the greatest care of her. She had lost count of the amount of times he’d made dinner for her when she got home later than expected. Not only that either, but the amount of times he’d gone and sorted a bath for her when she’d been achy and the amount of times he’d sorted the bedroom so all she had to do was tumble into bed when she came up. She’d been a little ignorant in the past. She simply thought it was something all husbands did for their wives, but she knew different now. She realized how lucky she was. Her husband cared more than some and he truly went above and beyond for her.
He was wonderful.
It didn’t take long for him to come back to the table with their dinner and, after sitting down across from her at the table, he lit the candle next to them with a match from the box and she chuckled as he put the flame on the match out before reaching for his fork. “How romantic.” She teased, putting a forkful of paella in her mouth and leaning back in her chair as an amused smile spread across his face.
“I try.” He shrugged.
She shook her head at him. “She’s probably already told you, but Isa asked me if she could have some more responsibility at the clinic earlier.”
“Yeah, it was the first thing she said to me when she came through the door,” He replied. “She said you told her you’ll sit down and have a talk about it?”
“I did. She’s not a child anymore, as much as I hate to say it, and she’s right. She’s more than capable enough to manage it. I just want to be sure she knows what she’s taking on.” She explained.
He hummed. “She had the best teacher, so I think she’ll be okay.”
She gave him a tender smile before the two of them fell into comfortable silence while they went on eating their dinner. Once they were done, she reached for his plate and set it down atop hers before standing from the table and making her way across the room to the sink on the other side. She was just about to turn the tap on so she could wash up, but then she felt her husband wrap his arms around her waist from behind and she sighed when he pressed his lips to her neck. “You can leave them for the morning,” He mumbled against her skin. “I know you. If you start washing those up then you’re going to find a million other things and it’ll be midnight by the time I finally get you upstairs. I’m sure Señora Lopez will manage a couple extra things when she gets here tomorrow, amor.”
Leaning back against him, she closed her eyes for a second.
She knew he was right.
If she started now, she knew full well she wouldn’t be able to stop herself and she was tired enough as it was.
“Alright,” She agreed. “Let’s just go to bed.”
“No argument?” He feigned shock, prompting her to turn her head in his direction and give him a look. “You sure you’re alright?”
“Very funny,” She made a face at him before leaving his arms and holding a hand out to him. “Come on.”
He took her by the hand then and the two of them made their way out of the kitchen together, turning the light off before they walked through the courtyard to the staircase and began heading upstairs to their bedroom. Once they were inside, she dropped his hand and reached up to remove the clip from her hair, allowing her curls to tumble down her back as she approached her dressing table in order to return the clip to the little box on there. He already had her nightgown laid out on the bed when she turned back around and she gave him a smile of thanks, unbuttoning her blouse and taking off her skirt before placing them in the hamper and changing into her nightgown. She practically fell into bed once it was on, her eyes closing the second her head hit the pillow, and she only opened them again when she felt Gus climb into bed himself. She watched him prop himself up on his elbow and hummed with satisfaction when he stroked a curl out of her face, tucking it behind her ear so it was out of the way. “You really are exhausted,” He chuckled, tracing the curve of her cheek with his fingers while she gazed up at him. “You sure you aren’t working too hard down there at the clinic?”
“No,” She assured him. “Today has been harder than normal, that’s all, but I…I’d rather not go into it.”
“Amor, if something was wrong you would tell me?” He had a look of concern on his face.
“I would,” She reached up to rest a hand on the side of his neck, letting her thumb graze his skin. “But you have nothing to worry about, I promise.”
“Good.”
“Now, can you just kiss me so we can get some sleep?” She asked.
Unable to refuse her anything, he gave her a smile before leaning down to brush his lips warmly against her own. Her lips clung to his for a moment when he pulled back, her hand lingering on his neck, but she eventually released him so he could lay down next to her and he turned the lamp off before opening his arms to her. She went to him on instinct, tucking her head into his neck and tangling a leg with his beneath the quilt, and he was unable to keep from burying his lips in her hair when he turned his head her way. He had a feeling there was something she was keeping from him, something a little more serious than she was letting on, but he knew better than to push her. If she wanted him to know then she would tell him and he trusted that she would tell him if there was something that he needed to be worried about. Until she told him – if she ever did – he would happily be there to support her silently. As he always did. “Buenas noches, Juli.” He mumbled softly into her wild dark curls.
“Buenas noches…” Came her barely audible reply as she began to fall asleep in his arms. “Sleep well.”
----------
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How about… baby Mirabel taking her first steps towards Agustin after following the trail of flowers that Isabela made?
Baby Mirabel, a tiny whirlwind of energy, had declared war on stillness. Waking from her nap, she found herself alone in Casita, a vast and exciting playground. "Goo! Gah!" she babbled, her voice echoing in the sun-drenched rooms.
Her little limbs propelled her forward, a clumsy, determined crawl that left a trail of overturned trinkets and scattered dust bunnies in its wake.
Casita, usually so patient and accommodating, found its patience tested. A strategically placed floor tile would nudge the baby away from a precariously balanced stack of books.
Mirabel would just giggle, an infectious sound that made the house almost forgive the chaos, and crawl right back for another round.
But even boundless energy eventually wanes. Mirabel’s crawling slowed, her little arms growing heavy. She dragged herself forward, her attention caught by something new.
A trail of delicate pink flowers adorned the floor, each petal seeming to glow in the afternoon light. "Ooooh," she cooed, reaching out a chubby hand to touch one. Maybe her sister, Isabela, had made this beautiful path just for her.
Driven by curiosity, she continued forward, the flowers beckoning her onward. Her knees ached, and crawling suddenly felt like the hardest thing in the world.
She planted both hands on something solid – Casita, always there to lend a hand, had shifted a low stool closer.
With a grunt of effort, she pushed herself up. Her legs wobbled, threatening to buckle. For a heart-stopping moment, she teetered on the edge of a fall. But she didn't.
She stood, tiny and triumphant, a wobbly little soldier on a mission. Giggles erupted from her, pure, unadulterated joy. This was new. This was amazing!
One small step. Then another. Casita subtly shifted the stool along, providing a silent, supportive hand. "Ooh... Ah!" she squealed, her little legs shaking with the effort.
She clapped her hands, as if rewarding herself for this incredible accomplishment.
The flower trail led her on, past sunbeams dancing on the floor, out into the cool shade of the garden, her wobbly steps didn’t falter, propelled by the pull of something she couldn't quite name.
Each step was a victory, a burst of giggles and happy squeals punctuating her progress.
And then, she saw him.
Underneath the shade of the ancient oak tree, Papa sat on a small stool, wiping his brow with a towel, he was taking a well-deserved break from his chores, sipping water from a clay cup.
"Papá! Papá! Papá!" Mirabel chanted, her voice filled with excited urgency. Her little legs pumped faster, eager to reach him, she didn't need the flower trail anymore. Papa was all she needed.
Agustín, startled by the sound of his name, looked up, he expected to see Isabela, perhaps wanting help with her latest floral experiment, or Luisa, needing a moment of quiet, but what he saw stopped him in his tracks.
His youngest daughter, his Mirabel, was walking towards him, he watched, mesmerized, as she took her first, unsteady steps, her face alight with determination and joy.
A lump formed in his throat, a wave of emotion washing over him.
He set down his cup, leaped to his feet, and crouched down, his arms outstretched. Tears welled in his eyes.
"Come on, Mi vida," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Come to Papa."
"Papá! Papá! Papá!" Mirabel squealed again, her little legs working furiously.
They weren't fast enough, not nearly fast enough. She just wanted to be in her papa's arms. She sensed his pride, his love, radiating towards her like the afternoon sun.
With a final, determined wobble, she launched herself forward, right into her father's waiting arms, Agustín caught her easily, spinning her around in a circle, showering her face with kisses.
Mirabel dissolved into peals of laughter, her tiny body wriggling with delight.
He held her close, unable to believe what he had just witnessed. His little girl, his baby, had taken her first steps, and he had been there to see it, he looked back at the trail of pink flowers, a silent testament to her journey.
His baby had taken her first steps by following the trail of the pretty pink flowers.
He sniffled, trying to compose himself, it was a good day, a wonderful day.
He hugged Mirabel tighter, burying his face in her soft hair. "I'm so proud of you, Mirabel," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "So, so proud."
Requested by: @starlightmeadowbloom
Heh, thank you and sorry for writing for so late, I hope you like it ^^
I once wrote a one shot about smol Isa climbing into Mira’s cot with her when she cried when she was a baby and giving her snuggles because her mama and papa were busy and she was the best big sister. A friend of mine drew it for me (I loved it) and I can’t find it and I’m so sad 😭
Is pepa jealous of Juileta in terms of Boob and ass size meaning does she want to have them bigger and also how does Julieta feel when it comes to her assets does she want them to be smaller or bigger and lastly out of all the women in the family who has the largest assets?
Oh my…I’ve seen you ask two similar scripts before😂
I think that
..I cannot make that really. I mean I feel like it’s a bit of ah not important. Why should sisters feel jealous..these women are very beautiful as they are 😅
So I was rewatching the music video to Dos Orugitas when I noticed something.
We all know that each family members room (with the exception of Mirabel) is unique to them and their likings. Antonio likes animals and his room is a jungle. Isabella likes plants and her room is a garden and so on and so forth.
Well…………look at Abuleas
It looks just like the one her and Pedro shared in their old home!
It’s not big and spectacular like the others. It’s small and simple and reminiscent of the life she once had. A small bit of familiarity, where after a long day of duties and responsibilities she can go back in time to the life she once had. When she didn’t have an entire town depending on her. When she didn’t know miracles existed because she never needed one. When she was just a young girl living in a small boring completely ordinary house with her loving husband and beautiful children.
Because THAT is what she likes most.
a rightful Julieta simp @julietas-basil - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
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