The Lost Miracle

Chapter 35: Alma Madrigal

         "Is this where our magic comes from?" the young girl asked, looking away from the candle resting on the deep cedar wood of the table. Mirabel nodded and hummed an uh-huh while smiling wistfully at the little girl. "How did we get a miracle?" Mirabel picked up the candle and sat on the bed of the nursery, gesturing to her skirt and allowing the child to sit on her lap.

"Long ago, three babies had just been born and your bisabuelo Pedro and bisabuela Alma were forced to flee their home. Though many people joined them, hoping to find a new home they couldn't escape the dangers and... and your bisabuelo was lost." Mirabel paused, hiding her immense sorrow for the man she never had a chance to know. "But in her darkest moment my grandmother was given a miracle. The candle became a magical flame that could never go out and it blessed her and her familia with a refuge live in. A place of wonder..."

"An Encanto..." the girl whispered, mesmerized.

"An Encanto." Mirabel said, agreeing with the girl. "The miracle grew... and her house, casita itself, came alive to shelter them." Mirabel paused to hold up the candle. "Now, when bisabuela Alma's children came of age, the miracle blessed each of them with a magic gift to help their village. And when their children came of age-"

"They got magic too!" The girl said excitedly. Mirabel laughed at the joy.

"Yes, exactly. But..." She continued the tale. "There was one child, who didn't get a gift..."

"Why not?"

"Well, no one truly knows. Maybe she didn't need gift. Or maybe she did something wrong when she was supposed to get one. But whatever the reason was doesn't matter. She didn't get a gift and that was that. Just like the miracle, it was a mystery.

"Since she was the only one without a gift, she felt shunned, as if she were nothing, so when the chance came for her to prove herself, to show her family that she was more than an- a gift less child she took it."

"But the magic wasn't supposed to be saved..." the child said.

"That's right, and when she couldn't save the miracle, she ran away. And in my darkest moment, I was given my own miracle. This village. I cared for this village the way my family taught me. I was selfless and tried my best in everything I did, and after all that, I got my own gift. Mija, listen, whether you get a gift today or not, you need to know that you are enough of a miracle. You are everything because I know you. You are a gift yourself and with or without magic, you are special." Mirabel pressed her forehead to her daughter's and flutter her eyelashes against the smooth skin below her hairline.

"Well..." the girl began. "If I do get a gift, what do you think it'll be?" Mirabel giggled at her daughter.

"Only time will tell, Alma." A creak from below them turned their attention to the floorboards. The girls gazed in usual amazement as a clock danced across the tilted wooden panels. "Thank you, Casita." Mirabel said with a laugh. "We're on our way."

"Woah, relax!" said a muffled voice from outside the bedroom door. More creaking was heard before Alejandro's head popped in from between the door and the door post. He entered the room and scooped up his daughter. "Y'know, when I learned we'd be living in a sentient house, the last thing I thought was that this place would be so punctual." Mirabel lowered her brows and smiled at her husband.

"I told you, Casita doesn't like us being late to its own parties!" She said before she pecked him on the lips. She turned to her daughter as Andro lowered her to stand on the floor.

"Ready?" Alejandro asked his daughter. Little Alma nodded as she grabbed her parents hands in her own. "Remember, we don't have to do this big party if you don't want to." Alma nodded her head again.

"I wanna do it!" She said with a grin. Her mother smiled at her.

"Let's get you to your door." Mirabel said as she looked down.

•••

"Sixty-seven years ago," Mirabel began, standing at the right side of the door. Alejandro stood at the right side of the golden rectangle, smiling down past all the people on the lower level of his home. "In my familias darkest moment, we were blessed with a miracle. And the greatest honor of our family has been to use our blessings to serve this beloved community. Tonight, we come together once more as another steps into the light..." A curtain at the end of the path through the house pulled back to reveal Alma, standing proudly in a pearly white dress. It shimmered silver in the candle light of the house. Lilac embroidered butterflies danced at the bottom of her dress, the skirt swaying as she stepped past her familia, the younger ones gathered at her left and the other ones at her right.

Her three tias stood at the post of the stairs, Isabella tearing up as her sobrina walked up the first step. Her cousins, Paula and Tomas held their parents hands, gazing in wonder as she walked up the middle of the steps. Each pairs of her grandparents looked up as she stepped on the final step, smiling as she met her mother.

"Ready?" Mirabel whispered to her daughter. "We can still send everyone away and do this privately..."

"I want to open it..." Mirabel smiled at her daughter and held the candle up towards her, letting the girl feel the wax as magical golden specks stained her hands. Alma wiped her hands on her dress and turned towards her door. She grasped the doorknob, which quickly warmed under Alma's hand, drawing her eyes from the now glowing knob to the golden door.

"We have a new gift!"

•••

     Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank you for reading The Lost Miracle. I never would have thought that some AU I thought of when I was 17 would grow so big! All of your comments, kudos, and bookmarks have made me feel so happy because it shows that you all care about my writing. I hope you all enjoyed the story and will stay tuned for more. I'm planning another Encanto story along with other Disney AUs that you all may be interested in. Thank you so much 

🦊🌻🦊

     Also, for those wondering, Alma Madrigal II's gift would be to bring whatever she draws, embroiders, or sculpts into life. For example, if she draws a picture of a capybara (even if it has no effort in it) a capybara will appear. It will help aid the town along with being extremely convenient for her family and herself.