A Place of Wonder

Isabela glowered down at the notes on her sketchbook thoughtfully. On the double page, she had drawn out the pond, colored it and had noted down the issues; her plant list to get it… alive and clear and so far, she was struggling to know where to start.

The restriction of her freedom was…frustrating when she had to rely on someone else to take her and…that someone else was Dolores.

Now, she could get someone to take her down to the pond but that opened up risk of people knowing where she was going and who she might interact with… but of course, if she had other friends, maybe a female friend then that’d take the immediate suspicion the Mateo was like… a secret boyfriend away to anyone that stumbled across. Two is company, three is a crowd.

She needed someone else who… would be open to getting muddy and tolerating her.

“What’s got you frowning?”

Isabela let out a heavy breath. “You started me.” She flipped the book she had closed and began to gather up her notes.

“Hey, you don’t need to move.” Tio Felix set the basket down. “Sorry I startled you.”

Isabel shrugged, “It’s fine. I should have set up in my room anyway. Mama’s going to come back and…want the table set for dinner.” A warm hand touched at her elbow, making her pause.

“You’re not confined to your room for everything, Isa.” Tio said, “don’t leave on my account. What are you working on?”

Isabela weighed her options for a split-second; rebuffing would almost certainly be suspicious and set her looking moody… Tio had been very civil with her out of everyone other than Dolores so… it would be rude and right now, she needed a…adult on her side too. Dolores was…very much like her father in that sense. Maybe he might…be useful in making her life just a little more easier.

Carefully, Isabela picked up the notebook and opened it up, letting him take it before she gripped the hem of her shirt as he looked through it.

“Ah, that pond.” He smiled, “it’s been a while since I’ve seen it.”

“You know about it?”

Felix looked up. “I proposed to your Tia Pepa there. It used to be stunning but… an overpopulation of fish and the locked flow of water killed it. You planning on reviving it?”

“I’ve…been getting back into non-gifted gardening.” Isabela swallowed. “I...thought it would be a good project to…get me out of my room.”

Tio Felix nodded, smiling as he took in the notes, “You’re got a good start… though it might take some time.”

“I know. I’ve been…talking with Dolores about timings she can take me down there but… I have to work with her timetable.”

“Dolores? Can’t you ask Luisa or your father?”

“No and…no.” Isabela replied tightly, “Luisa’s keeping her distance, and… I…don’t want my father involved. I want to enjoy my projects without my parents breathing down my neck.”

Felix’s eyebrows pulled in after a moment, glancing down to the book and then to the table. “Is that…why you’re so nervous? You don’t want them to know about the project.”

“Si.” Isabela swallowed, “I want…some privacy in something. I don’t have that in my own room so…I’m trying to find it elsewhere.”

Tio Felix’s frown lingered before he pulled out a chair and sat, gesturing her to sit. Isabela did though watched as he closed up the book, but kept a hand on it with a more thoughtful look filtering onto his face

“Is…that everything you’re so worried about, Isa?”

Isabela said and did nothing except tug back her notebook and hugged it to her chest.

“Isa, you can trust me.”

Isabela inhaled deeply, “I’m…working on this with a friend… but I don’t want people to assume the worst. Abuela said no boys… and I don’t know what context she meant here, Tio. I just…want to keep the only friend I have.”

Felix looked a little concerned though his face turned a little soft, “what happened to your other friends?”

“They….didn’t want to be seen with an attempted murderer.” Her voice turned sour, “they just…liked my reputation in town. My Gift. Not for me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Isabela waved his apology off lightly, “But… with this friend, he’s someone who is genuine… and he can be very helpful in getting this project going so people can enjoy the pond again. I know you may not approve of me having a male friend and that…it might be going against what Abuela set for me but…I need friends. I need him and… hopefully someone else who’s willing to overcome my actions.” She hoped still for that. “So far, it’s only him.”

Tio let out a heavy sigh. “I see.”

“Please don’t tell Abuela…” Isa begged softly, “or my parents. They’ll just assume.”

“Isa-“

“Tio, please. Since my confinement, I’ve done what I’ve been told. I haven’t complained… it’s been almost two months and Abuela hasn’t even decided when even one of those punishments will be lifted. My family doesn’t trust me... Do you know how isolating that feels, Tio?” She whispered, setting up the string that would either convince him to respect her needs or…shatter that little slither of trust she had. She inhaled deeply, rising to her feet. “I will be in my room….for however you decide on my trust in you.”

She grabbed the rest of the stuff and left her Tio at the table and straight into her room though she felt the slight slither of dread in her gut as she shut her door behind her; that she had said so much when… she had planned with Dolores behind everyone’s backs; that she was risking Mateo’s trust in her. He had his reasons but…she hadn’t exposed his identity so he was safe and… she supposed it was early enough that they could change plans.

Abandon her pond project entirely… as disheartening as it was to lose out on a project that could… make people happy. Ultimately, she had hoped to allow people to have access to the pond again; enjoy the sights of beauty and labor she had put in and the craftsmanship of Mateo would certainly be valued.

Not all was lost.

 -

 Dinner had been a tense affair, though she didn’t look at her Tio once, and mercifully, he was seated beside Abuela at the far end of the table with Tia Pepa. Dolores sat next to her though she looked…somewhat tense as well.

“Risky move,” Dolores whispered as she idly picked at her corn.

“I know.”

“Smart, but risky.” Dolores clarified. “Thank you for trusting him.”

“If he tells on me, I won’t trust him for much longer.” Which was what she still feared; all she could do was wait and see. “I still want to go out tomorrow to the pond and start getting the water clear.”

“He won’t be available. He’s working on that box and his parents have him redesigning a set of cupboards.”

“I know, but it’ll be a good start to the project nonetheless. I don’t have to spend all the time there just for him.”

Dolores relaxed a little, “I suppose… I’m just…worried. You didn’t want to let anyone else know and now you’re telling my papa.”

“I’m…trying to make use of a tough situation, Dolores.”

Dolores hummed softly, delicately cutting her corn. “Francesca Lopez.”

“What?” Isabela blinked at her younger prima at the sudden change in topic. “What’s she got to do with this?”

“You mentioned only having him… Francesca Lopez could be another.”

“Isn’t her family the primary family that…hates our family? Why would I befriend a girl like that? I don’t need that antagonistic nature in my life right now when I’m already living with it, Dolores.”

Dolores snorted, “They don’t…hate us. Displeased more with your mother’s job than anything but… Tia’s healing put them out of business.”

The idea of anyone hating on her mother for her gift… it made her feel a little iffy. “You’re hardly selling her to me.”

Dolores’s lip curled. “I’m just saying… it’s complex. She doesn’t have a lot of friends either so.. if you can overlook her issues with us, she might overlook your…problems.”

Isabela opted to get back to her corn than get involved. “Which one is Francesca? Does she have really nice skin? Or really long hair?” Lopez's family had a few women, after all, Dr. Lopez only had boys himself but he had all granddaughters now…

“Francesca is… a few weeks older than us. Long hair but slightly curly.”

Isabela ran through what she knew though she vaguely recognized the description. “You think she’ll actually like me?”

“I think it’s no harm to try. Abuela has yet to ask but there are a few medicinal herbs not available in Encanto that could…be useful.”

Isabela perked up a little, straightening up. “Like, they need me to supply them?”

“More like…give them the seeds to grow themselves after the initial batch. They don’t like gift reliance.”

It didn’t matter too much, the idea of…being useful for something more productive was far more exciting than décor. Should she make her own herb farm in her room? Isabela made a mental note to look into that extra space she had left over as a possibility. She knew a fair bit now so it would be…fairly simple to create seeds and saplings for things…

“Should I wait for them to ask?”

“Maybe until Abuela asks?”

Isabela could hear the warning behind that so she chose to nod. Right, the last thing she wanted to do was…undermine Abuela and she’d rather not do the same as she had with the whole cactus issue and she had learned that lesson swiftly.

“Isabela.”

Isabela froze as Abuela’s voice echoed loudly from the far end of the table. Her eyes turned down, setting down her corn and wiped her hands onto her napkin before she lent forwards with a passive expression. “Si, Abuela?”

“With Antonio’s ceremony coming up, I want to get on top of the planning. As such, your decorations for the event.” Abuela continued, “Tomorrow morning, I want you to go through a few designs of flower arrangements with your Tia and myself.”

“Just flowers?” Isabela asked, sparing a look to her extended family, “because I could add some interesting plants that might—“

“Just flowers.” Abuela interrupted tightly. “No berry bushes, things with thorns and spikes and no obnoxious colours that will draw away from Antonio’s night.”

The list would no doubt be longer in the subtext. Abuela wanted everything as…plain as she possibly could make it. It was disheartening to see the shut-down but not unexpected; a part of her had hoped that she could perhaps use that opening to show the others she was more than just the flower-girl. Clearly, Abuela still held onto the memory of her room after she had changed it.

Isabela nodded softly. “Si, Abuela.”

“Mama, does she really have to do it?” The voice was quiet, a soft whisper even but yet it carried easily, enough to make Isabela’s hand pause on her cutlery but it flared the ache in her lungs that had somewhat soothed over the last month back into unease. Her eyes remained to the tabletop but she forced her mask to stay on.

“Antonio, that’s not a nice thing to ask.” Tio Felix spoke, his tone was underlined with a firmness as he turned his attention to his youngest son, Pepa’s cloud flickering above her head with thunder but Isabela elected to ignore it; not like it really mattered.

“But…I don’t want Isabela to do the decorations. I want the flower-shop people.” Antonio stated, almost confused at them for their reactions, like he thought what he was saying was alright. “Camilo said they have the best natural-grown plants that would look better and that it was better value for money and helps the- the econnimommy by helping with the town’s goods. ”

Even Isabela spared a look to her primo who was just casually eating his plate with a lot more confidence than what Isabela expected for being outed by Antonio. It was also clear not all those words were his either given how proper he sounded for a four year old.

Abuela sighed heavily out, giving a disappointed look at eldest grandson. “Camilo, as much as I’d love the idea that you’re thinking about the town, don’t feed your brother those sorts of ideas that will undermine me.” Her tone remained firm. “Isabela will so the decorations.”

“Si, Abuela.” He nodded though Isabela resisted rolling her eyes at his fake pretense.

The rumbling cloud above Tia Pepa’s head certainly continued so Isabela hoped she’d give her son a lecture.

 -

After her usual curfew came, Isabela took some time to change her room around, settling a new area for her herb garden and to be adventurous, she decided to branch out into the spices as well, like Vanilla. It was a rare commodity in Encanto, but one that could be interesting to introduce to the farmer down town. Maybe earn some good favor by dropping off a fresh batch?

Idly, Isabela grew a few palm trees, watching the coconuts grow quickly and drop off with heavy thuds to the grass. One escaped into the river but Isabela began to pick them up and set them onto her desk for later. Encanto didn’t have coconuts anymore, a few old husks from the first who had been here but it hadn’t been able to grow here as no one had living coconuts that could be planted.

She eyed a new area before waving her hand, cotton plants springing up before opening up with the white balls of fluff. She eyed the plants with a frown; at how…easy this was.

Here she was…able to make the raw materials for…a wide variety of plants, foods, and goods…. And all Abuela wanted was for her to make things pretty. Like she wasn’t…good for anything other than that and if she ventured from that ideal…it was bad.

Her lips pursed though she reached forwards, plucking the little ball of fluff from the pod and rolled squidgy the softness around her palms. If…she needed to earn favor, maybe she needed to… do more at least. If Abuela wouldn’t let her use her gift out so freely, maybe she could…send boxes of supplies to those who could process them?

New flavors and…fabrics.

Was it really worth it? Her mind touched on the demands of Luisa… of her mother. Would she be faced with that once people knew what she could create? Would she be…reduced to her use if gift still?

She let the cotton plants wither away, keeping a hold of her little cotton ball and bringing It up to her cheek and let it’s softness run over her skin as she padded around her room again, listening out for the waters before she found herself beside her newly made farming patch again, glad that her room had set half-wall borders to keep things in order.

Was she wandering because she was bored?

Very much.

Why did the curfew have to be at eight? Why not nine? Or half past? Couldn’t…Abuela just slowly integrate it out?

Her eyes wandered the herb patch before she took a seat next to her more recent creation; the herbs not only grown but she figured it was a start and let nature take it’s course. She had plenty of time, it seemed. She could always restock her mother’s supply when it came to harvesting… but it felt odd.  Would her mother accept her creations when Abuela hadn’t? Would her mother be interested in the vegetables, like potatoes? Corn?

Isabela tucked away the little fluff ball before once again forming a small potato into her hands, though she began to idly experiment with it’s shape; turning it from oblong to something with little arm and leg nubs, before she snorted at the idea of a veg creature, darkening a little of its skin pigment to show two little eyes in the main body where the ‘head’ should be if a potato has such a thing.

“Hm, cute.” Isabela smiled at the little thing. A little potato person. “You are Bubo the first and shall guard my herbs.” She set it down at the corner of her borders, making sure it was fully balanced. It looked… ridiculous and definably a little malformed but… it had character about it that…Abuela certainly wouldn’t approve of given it wasn’t perfect but… Isabela loved it.

“Should I make more of you?” She asked the potato before the thought of reality hit her. “Why am I talking to a potato…” She shook her head. “Dear me, I’m going nuts.”

She rose smoothly to her feet though a thump caught her attention, her head whipping down to see the potato had fallen off its border. Isabela rolled her eyes, bending down to pick it up and set it straight when suddenly, the potato wiggled and pushed itself up onto its nubby little ‘feet’ and up straight before she could touch it

Isabela froze in alarm, her jaw dropping though her pulse sped up as she watched it as it began to waddle around the soil, tramping the herb buds—not doing much damage—and seemed to wander aimlessly away from her.

“What the…” Isabela followed it easily with her eyes, her mind trying to fathom the sight in front but… couldn’t.

A potato? Wandering?

“Why?”

The notion was easy rationally to understand given she hadn’t used her gift as extensively since her room remake… but this was new wasn’t it? To bring a potato to a form of…life? Isabela immediately doubted it. This was hardly intelligent… it didn’t have a brain.

It was a potato!

Reaching the other end of the potato clambered up the border and with far too much enthusiasm for…anything, it belly flopped off the end and little out of sight before there was a sharp squeak half a second later as it hit something.