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Her heels began to ache as they paced down the floor once again, the floor showing and any flowers that were once there severely trampled. Usually, she’d freak out at the prospect of something being ‘wrong’ in her room, but she was much too focused to even acknowledge it. Her mind was running a million miles a minute and had been for a while now.
If she didn’t know any better she would have thought Dolores could hear it.
Logically, she knew that most everyone would take it well. The news isn’t anything horrible, really it doesn’t make her any less than she was before. But it was Abuela she feared. Abuelita was so….so….opinionated? She had such a clear view of the family, their casita, and how it would grow. And Isabela would be lying to say she wasn’t worried about ruining that for her.
This house was Abuelita’s heart and soul, this family was her heart and soul.
But she couldn’t not say anything, it would be lying. Hiding such an important part of herself was miserable, especially when her…’boyfriend’ was brought up.
No, she had to do this.
“Dolores,” she whispered, knowing damn well the girl could hear her. “Call a family meeting, please.”
It only took a minute for the sounds of doors opening and closing to happen, and she could hear her siblings, her family walk down to the family table. Waiting for her. She can’t go back now, it was too late. She made her bed, she had to lay in it. She would be okay, Abuela was her only obstacle. And Isabel was perfect, she could conquer anything.
Gently, she padded out of her room, taking deep breaths and calming herself. She needed to appear prepared, ready, calm. Be composed, her Abuela’s voice whispered.
“Hello, welcome to my family meeting” as she dragged herself over to the head chair, where Abuelita usually sat, flowers bloomed behind her. It was a nervous habit, whoops. “I have called this meeting because I have something I need to get off my chest. To be honest, because our familia deserves to know.”
She took her seat, waving away the flowers that had followed her, and smiled perfectly, hiding her shaking hands by folding them in her lap. The eyes of her family stared back, Louisa strong, carefree. Mirabel, a bit annoyed but still loving and concerned, Julieta. Her mom. Frowning, she hated to see her kid so scared.
She couldn’t bring herself to look at Abuela.
“As we all- as we all know. I am meant to be engaged, soon.” she saw some nods, more faces twisting into confusion as she spoke. “But, I can’t. I can’t” she shook her head, taking a shaky breath.
“I do not love him.”
“...not in the way you need me to”
Her Abuela, bless her heart, spoke up first. “Isabel, what do you mean?”
“I- Abuela. I’m...I don’t like men...not in that way.”
She felt some tears fall from her eyes onto her hands, forcing herself to look up at the faces she knew and love. She almost expected to see hate, disgust, fear. Anything. But no, only love, pure love.
“Me too” Mirabel stated calmly, “i-I mean I still like men! But also women, so…”
“Closet was clear as glass mija” Julieta hummed to her, smiling as Mirabel look around in shock.
“It’s true” Pepa chimed in,
“I heard you crying about it when you found out” Dolores chuckled.
“Are you kidding? Was I THAT obvious about it?” Mirabel asked, looking at herself like it would provide an answer, eyes locking with her pin. “Oh.”
“Oh, indeed” Julieta chuckled, “Thank you for telling us Isabel, this changes nothing.”
“You are still just as lovely as before mija” Abuela chimed in, “still just as perfect.”