Chapter 3
Isabela had been an inconsolable mess of tears ever since the accident. She ran to her room the second she finally processed what happened and she when she felt Abuela grab her arm she panicked. Her upper arm was bruised horribly, the red ring of fingerprints wrapped around her made her shake. It was only a matter of time before she opened that door and she had to face what she had done.
The image of her baby sister's tear-stained, fearful face haunted her every time she closed her eyes. She didn’t mean to. She really didn’t. She panicked. Mirabel had all that stuff packed, and she was about to walk out the door, she didn’t know what else to do. At first, all she was going to do was use her vines to grab her and pull her back, but she just snapped. She just blacked out. She didn't mean to do all that, but when she heard Abuela scream, she instinctively retracted her vines. Every time Abuela screamed at her, her first instinct was to immediately stop what she was doing, and turn all her attention to Abuela, or she’d get in even more trouble.
She only wanted to stop her, she never meant for all that other stuff to happen. She doesn’t even remember half of what happened, she blacked out when her vines reached Mirabel.
Isabela released one more loud, ugly wail, the kind that would make Abuela look at her in disgust. She was truly sorry. Sorry for everything.
Isabela’s door creaked open, revealing an eerily silent Abuela, who was radiating fury. Isabela shot up from her bed and stood. Abuela’s face was neutral, with her anger just barely concealed. She looked Isabela down and started walking towards her. Isabela wracked with worry and terror, began begging. “I’m so sorry, Abuela! I didn’t mean to! I just meant to grab her, and-and, I don’t know, I just blacked out. I have no excuse, I am so sorry. Is she okay? Is she awake?” By the time she was done with her rambling, Abuela was standing in front of her, looking at her with a cold, angered expression. Isabela shrunk under her gaze and curled in on herself. “I’m so sorry, Mirabel.”
Isabela cried and never looked up. “Do you know what you have done?” Abuela's voice was calm but harsh, cutting through the tense air. “Do you know the damage you have done to your sister?” Isabela remained quiet. “Do you understand how hurt your sister is right now? You could have killed her!” Still she was silent. Isabela didn’t dare look up at her grandmother. She knew what she had was unforgivable.
“You will be punished accordingly. Your courtship with Mariano will continue, but you are forbidden from using your powers unless I specifically say so. You are confined to the walls of Casita, and until Mirabel wakes up you are to stay away from her, to prevent any more of these ‘blackouts.’”
Isabela continued to spew apologies. She sank to the floor after her knees gave out. She wailed so loud Abuela recoiled in disgust. “You have no right to cry! Your sister is in her bed with a shattered arm and collarbone, fighting for her life!” Isabela stopped and looked up at her grandmother with wide red eyes. “What?”
Abuela sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Mirabel is in a coma. Because of the injury to her head, she will be unconscious for the unforeseen further. Your mother is unable to heal her.” Isabela cried out her sister's name and clenched her stomach. She was horrible. A terrible sister. She didn’t deserve Mirabel. She had been nothing but mean and catty towards her. Jealousy blinded her.
Abuela scowled at her oldest grandchild, and rage overtook her. She reared her hand back and brought it down hard on Isabela’s cheek, knocking her to the ground. Isabela yelped in shock and looked up at her grandmother in shock, her hand held on the red mark on her cheek.
“You have no right to shed tears. Your sister could die and it will be all your fault! You’re lucky your mother wasn’t there to see what you did. They think she fell from the roof, and as far as they know it will remain that way.”
Isabela just stared at the old woman in shock and horror. She… lied? She lied to mama? “Why? Why would you do that? Why would you lie?”
“To save you and prevent more stress on your mother. What would the town think if they found you were the cause of your sister's near fatal injury. You would be shunned, ostracized. Our family's reputation will be shot. Your reputation will never be the same. I am doing this for our family. The least you can do after the trouble you’ve caused is be silent and follow orders.”
Isabela could only just stare. This was wrong. So wrong. “But what about Mirabel? When she wakes up, she’ll tell the truth. We need to tell mama.” Abuela shot her a harsh look, “you will stay silent about this. Mirabel won’t say a word. I will handle that,l. You won’t breathe a word of this to anyone or so help me, Isabela.”
Isabela shuddered in fear. She wanted to say no and run out the door and tell the truth to the whole family, but she knew just by the way Abuela was looking at her, it was better for her to stay silent. Her cheek still stung from the slap. “Yes, Abuela.”
Nodded and started her way back to the door, but stopped l. “Isabela. Don’t disappoint me.” And with that she was gone. Isabela sat on the floor, her hand on her cheek. This is wrong. This was so wrong. She stared at the door and silently cried.
She wishes she had run away with Mirabel when she had the chance.