the lost madrigal

part 4

Maria froze. "Ma- señora I'm not-" "I call everyone it when im annoyed with something" maria nodded. The two talked for hours on end, Maria told julieta about the outside world and how she got here. "Tia, it's time"dolores stuck her head around the corner. She nodded and led Maria to the crowd. She stood in jt as julieta stood on the stairs. Maria saw antonio, he was nervous. "Fify years ago we were blessed with a miracle. Now for generations thus magic has passed on in our family now, let us welcome him as he steps jnto the light!" The curtains swung open. Antonio didn't move as the lights were on him and everyone stared. All of a sudden he looked to the side behind the wall and was whispering to someone. Mirabel stepped out, gasps and whispers came from the crowd, Maria saw mirabel freeze up so she got to the front of the crowd ajd looked to them both. She nodded and smiled. "Help?" Antonio held his hand to Maria aswell as he was across from her. Maria just took his hand on instinct and led them both down the line. The whispers and murmers didn't bother her. She saw alma's glare and knew she'd be yelled at, she let them forward at the staircase and merged into the crowd again. Alma pushed mirabel slightly making her go behind pepa and felix out of the light.  Maria sighed and watched. The small boy reached for the candle and took it in his hands holding it. Alma held it as he did aswell. He let go and turned to his door. He hesitantly raised his hand. The silence seemed to be yelling then. He took a hold of the door knob, suddenly the light intensified making several of the people look away. Antonio was shocked. The light dimmed a little. "Whats the gift?" Maria thought when a toucan landed on the boys shoulder? "Uh huh uh huh I understand you!" Antonio smiled. "Sure they can come!" He responded to the birds caw. The floor shook and the doors were threw open! Several types of animals ran,flew or scurried inside. They ran up to Antonio's new room. Once they were all inside "WE HAVE A NEW GIFT!" Alma yelled. Everyone cheered and entered the room. Music grew from what seemed to be nothing. Everyone cheered as a jaguar ran inside and lifted him up. Maria didn't want to enter the room, it was alot of people and it frightened her. Julieta came out and saw her. "Scary seeing so many new faces?" She aske. "Si señora" she replied. "Call me julieta" she smiled comfortingly. "Come inside when yiur ready. Want me to stay with yiu for a bit si you aren't alone?" She asked. "I'll be ok alone" she nodded "have a good night maria" "you to julieta" the woman left. Maria sighed as the night breeze hit her. It was cold. Propably her aunts doing from akm the excitement then antonio nearly tripped maybe. She peeked inside to see them taking a photo...Wheres mirabel? She entered as time seemed to slow around her. "Dont be upset or mad at all" she went towards the front "don't feel regret or sad at all" she saw mirabel, she was singing, "Hey I'm still a part of thr family madrigal and I'm fine I am totally fine, ill stand by the side ad you shine" she looked to Maria. "I'm not fine, I'm not fine" she moved towards her family. "I can't move the mountains" she went around luisa. "I can't make the flowers bloom," then isabella "I can't take another night up in my room-" "waiting on a miracle?" Maria joined in. "I can't heal whats broken, can't control the morning rain or a hurricane! Can't keep down the unspoken invisible pain! Always waiting on a miracle" "a miracle!" Theh both left the room. "Always walking alone" they went down down the stairs "always wanting for more" "like I'm still at that door wanting to shine like all of them shine!" Mirabel exclaimed as maria did the same. "All I need is a change, all I need is a chance!" The candle formed then changed into Alma. "All I know is I can't stay on the side! Open your eyes, Open your eyes, Open your eyes!" Alma formed into several figures but spread out. "I would move the mountains! I would make the flowers bloom! Someone please just let me know where do I go? I am waiting on a miracle, a miracle!" Suddenly they were on the roof, they both ran ti the front. "I would heal whats broken, show this family something new!" Maria took over. "Who I am inside but what can we do? I'm sick of waiting for a miracle!" "So here we go!" Mirabel sang,"I am ready! We've been patient and steadfast and steady! Bless us now like you blessed us all those years ago when you gave us a miracle!" The music slowed. "Are we to late for a miracle?" The girls looked to eachother. (Surprised i writ the entire song but for you all)  They now sto9d in the courtyard. "Mirabel I-" suddenly the sound of something shattering, a roof tile? Mirabel and Maria walked to it. Maria picked it up. "Casita-" she dropped the tile as she cut the palm of her hand. Suddenly the house started to shake and crack. Mirabel stood up and ran upstairs. Maria ran with her as they got to the banister and the cracks went to the candle. Mirabel ran inside the room as Maria froze. Suddenly the cracks dissappeared? "What?" She whispered as the door opened. "Th they were right here!" Mirsbel exclaimed at the bottom of the stairs Maria looked quickly to her. She wasn't aloud to go as isabella stopped her, "abuela you-" alma raised her hand silencing her as whispers emerged. "There isn't any cracks, the magic is strong. And so are the drinks" the crowd went back into antonios room. Maria forced her way Pst isabella and to mirabel. She led her to the kitchen and started looked for one of julieta's arepas when julieta herself entered. "Mama you believe m-" "you believe us right?" Maria asked. "I believe that, tonight was hard for you both" she replied. "How couldn't it be real I hurt my hand" mirabel asked as Maria sighed and left the room. She went to the nursery and sat and sat on her bed. She pulled the blanket over the bed decided to tidy it when the door opened. It was Alma madrigal. She was  furious. "What did you say to them!?" She exclaimed. "I said nothing!" Maria exclaimed standing up. "You didn't argue the fact that mirabel is wrong!" "SHE ISNT!" Alma slapped her. Maria froze again." She is wrong, casita is fine, yell at me and you'll be gone" she stormed out. Maria saw the guests starting ti file out as mirabel got into her room. Maria took the small toy from her pocket. It was the gift she had made for antonio. She threw it across the room and sat on the bed. She was gonna tell mirabel the truth