Mrs. Mary Margaret Blanchard shook with laughter as she recounted the story of her husband, David and the time he tried to cook dinner for her and ended up nearly setting the house on fire.
Emma Swan, her co-worker at Storybrooke Middle School and best friend sat opposite her, face in hands as she ruptured in laughter at the story. "Wait, wait, wait," She chuckled as she brought herself back, "So you just walked in and he was just standing there, staring at the fire?!"
MM erupted in new giggles, "Yes! He didn't start panicking until I yelled 'David! There's a fire!' and you wanna know what his response was?!" Emma motioned her to go on. "He just shrugged and said 'I know, I'm not blind' as if this fire wasn't a big deal! Ugh! The fireman came shortly after and put it out, we ended up ordering pizza instead."
Emma wiped tears from her eyes. "Well, so much for men being heroes." She smirked as MM nodded her head before taking a drink of her coffee. Emma mimicked her, drinking her hot chocolate with cinnamon, and sat back in her seat, eyeing her classroom. She taught creative writing and art ¾ so her walls were adorned with beautiful artwork and stories from many of the students in her classes. She glanced at the lesson plan sitting on her desk and stood up, grabbing an expo marker.
"So unm…" Emma heard MM start from behind her. She stepped up to the whiteboard and began writing today's assignment. "So how's the White's kid doing?" Emma paused, considering the question. Henry White, the son of a new doctor and business woman, had been enrolled in Emma's creative writing class and MM 7th grade English class. He is very reclusive and has ignored all attempts of communication between people. Emma and MM took an immediate interest in the boy, trying to help him adjust to the new school. Most attempts have been futile.
"Henry… Brilliant kid, you should read some of his writings but he's still as reclusive as ever." Emma turned and faced MM, leaning on her whiteboard. "I understand though, I mean adjusting to a new school, especially in the middle of the year is hard, and at his age, well, its hell but I do think he needs to socialize a bit more, couldn't hurt him." Emma shrugged and turned back around, resuming writing out the assignment.
"I guess he does need a friend. Maybe we could do like a secret set up for him, you know, maybe pair him up with one of the nicer kids on a project or something."
Emma was about to say that's stupid before considering it a moment. "You know what, that actually might not be such a bad idea." She pointed at the clock. "Third period is about to start."
"Oh, gotta go!" Said MM as she raced out of the classroom, into the hallway. Emma popped the cap back onto her marker as the bell rang. Kid's filed in one by one, sitting in their respective seats. Emma glanced around the room, picking out who would be a suitable work partner for Henry. She decided on John Darling, a very nice young boy. He was an 8th grader but Henry also needed someone older to look out for him as well. Emma made a mental note to go over it with MM at lunch.
"Mooorning class!" Emma sang as she walked over to her desk, pulling out role sheet.
"Morning Miss Swan.." came the jumbled reply back.
"Oh come on, you can do better than that! Now, good moooooooooorning class!"
"Good morning Miss Swan!"
"That's better!" Said Emma before calling out names. When she finished she directed everyone's attention to the board. "So kids, for your assignment today, I want you to come up with the most fantastic fantasy land or dream land or just simply an alternate world for you to be in. It can be anything and it can have anything!" Emma smiled before setting her eyes on a snickering bunch in the back of the class. She could faintly hear the words pen island, Emma's eyes narrowed. "And nothing inappropriate, August…" The giggling bunch halted, glaring at Emma.
"Miss Swan," August wined. "I didn't say anything!"
"Remember my super power, August? I can tell when you're lying to me and you shouldn't lie anyways." Emma grabbed a stack of papers next to her desk and handed them out. Clapping her hands together she said, "Now how about we brainstorm. Who wants to tell me one thing they would want to have in their alternate world and why?" A few hands shot up. Emma picked a little brown haired girl sitting in the second row. "Grace, what would you want?"
Grace's green eyes widened as she said, "I would want to have the Mad Hatter in mine! He's such a funny and great character in Alice in Wonderland, my favorite book, and he'd be a great person to have as a friend!"
Emma smiled at Grace. "Indeed, he would be. Anyone else want to share?" More hands shot up this time. Emma picked a frizzy, brown haired girl sitting in the middle. "Gretel, what would have?"
Gretel smiled. "Well I would personally love to be in the land of milk and cookies. Everything would be just so delicious and scrumptious! Plus I would make it so that you can eat however much you want and not get a tummy ache!" The class stirred at the mention of food, next period would be lunch so they were all beginning to get hungry.
"Jeez, Gretel, now I'm STARVING!" Said August, who sat 4 seats behind her. Gretel stuck out her tongue.
"That would be quite amazing, Gretel, and class quiet down! You'll get your lunch at the end of the period. Now one more person and then I'll let you work." Many hands shot up in the air, all eager to be picked. Emma's eyes drifted from person to person, finally settling on a certain brown haired boy, staring out the window. He had hardly been engrossed in the class discussion at all, Emma took her chance. "Henry, what would you have in your alternate universe?" The class seemed to go quiet. They never really noticed the new kid, even on his first day when Emma introduced him to the class, he seemed to fade away to the background, but now, all eyes were on him. Henry blinked and not turning away from the outside he mumbled an incoherent word. "I'm sorry what Henry? Speak up." Emma said, moving closer to hear him speak.
Henry sighed, turning his head and locking his hazel eyes onto Emma's green ones. "Magic." Emma lifted her eyebrows. She waited for him to go on and when he didn't she simply asked why. Henry shrugged. "Things would be a lot easier, I guess. You know, if something was broken, you could fix it. If you need something, you could have it. You could just snap your fingers and you would have control over anything you desire." Emma considered Henry's words, almost staring at him incredulously. She gave him a warm smile before he turned back to the window, staring out it again.
Emma realized all the kids were staring back at her. She looked at the sea of faces. "Well stop staring at me, and get to work! One page or more by the end of the period! Let's go!" Emma punched a button on her speakers as music played throughout the classroom. Soon everyone was quickly writing, a few were talking but Emma could only hope they were talking about the assignment. She glanced at Henry, his pen frantically writing words down on paper. He was done before most and just continued to stare out the window.
"Papers!" Emma called out as the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Kid's came up and dropped their assignments into a tin basket Emma had waiting on her desk. They all filed out, eager to get to lunch, and Emma eyed her classroom, her gaze landing on a small boy, still staring out the window. "Don't you want lunch, Henry?" Emma asked, getting up out of her chair.
"I'm not hungry." He mumbled. Emma furrowed her bow and knelt down next to Henry's desk. She studied his face.
"Henry… Is there something wrong?"
Henry knitted his hands together and stared at his thumbs. "No.." he said softly. Emma knew he was lying but she didn't want to press too much, the kid looked like he was about to cry.
"Are you sure? Is it the school?" Emma asked. When he didn't say anything she went on. "I know adjusting to a new school is tough but I promise it will get easier."
"It's not the school." Said Henry, thumbs twitching around each other.
"Is it the kids? Are they bullying you? I won't stand for bullying."
"No, they don't bully me."
"Then Henry, what's wrong?" She placed a hand on the 12-year-old shoulder. "You can tell me, I promise…" He sighed and placed his head on the desk. Emma tried again. "Is everything okay.. at.. at home, Henry?"
Henry's head bolted up as he stared at Emma, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Emma gasped, "Henry—" Tiny arms clutched around her neck, clinging to her as she felt tears drip onto her grey long-sleeved shirt. Henry sobbed into her shoulder. "Henry, it's okay, it's okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry, it's okay, it's okay." Emma patted his back sympathetically. She barely heard the door of her classroom click open and she quickly waved her hand over behind her to signal MM to go away. The door shut again and Henry released Emma, settling back in his seat. Emma procured a tissue from her desk and wiped Henry's eyes. "I'm sorry, Henry, I didn't mean to make you cry."
He bit his lip and mumbled "'S'not your fault." He paused before taking a deep breath. "My mom.. and dad… they fight. A lot." Emma's face puckered. Her heart palpitated to the floor. "Yesterday…" Henry continued. "Yesterday, they got into a real big fight and my mom, she was trying to reason with him, over something, I can't remember what, but he got extremely upset and he…" Henry's eyes started welling up with tears again, "He-he-he p-pushed her d-down th-the st-stairs.."
"Oh Henry!" Emma said, scooping him up in her arms. She held him close to her. She didn't have any words to say to him to make him feel better so she just held him and let him cry. Tears threatened the corners of Emma's eyes but she blinked them back, she needed to be strong for Henry. Suddenly a realization came to her. She pulled Henry back. "Henry, this is serious, does your dad… hit you?" She asked cautiously.
Henry shook his head violently. "No he doesn't, he doesn't really pay attention to me. My mom says he's just stressed out a lot at the new job and doesn't have time for family." Emma heart felt like it had been sunk by an ice berg. Henry continued. "It doesn't really bother me because love my mom more than my dad and then I got scared when I started to see bruises on her legs and arms. And I know she'd always try to cover them up but they were such huge bruises and when I'd ask about them she would shrug and say she got them at the gym or from bumping into a countertop but my mom is not a clumsy person."
Emma's heart was sinking so low she could feel it burning into the floor beneath her. She knew as a teacher she couldn't let this go on but how should she stop it? Emma hugged Henry. "I can't simply let this go, Henry, I have to do something."
Henry's eyes widened. "No, please don't!" He stood up, backing away from Emma. "If you call the police, they will take me away from her! That's why she won't tell anyone!"
"Henry, I won't let that happen."
"But it won't be up to you! It'll be up to the court! And they'll take me away from her!"
"Henry!" Emma called out as he hastily made his way to the door. "Wait!" He stopped with his hand on the door knob. "I won't let them take you away from your mom, okay? Can I at least talk to your mother about this? Can she make an appointment to meet me before school tomorrow?" Henry considered it and then nodded his head. Emma halfheartedly smiled, with sad eyes. "I can't let this just simply go, your safety as well as your mothers is threatened here, I have to help."
"Thank you." Henry said before shuffling out of the doorway. Emma slowly walked back to her desk. Rubbing her temples she let out a sob. History has a shitty way of repeating itself. Thought Emma.
Emma went about the rest of the day, worrying over Henry. By the time the last bell had signaled she had a massive headache and was practically counting the minutes until she could go home, which she now resented the fact that teachers had to stay an extra hour after students have been released. After her last class exited the room, Emma popped two aspirin in her mouth and downed half a bottle of water. She walked up to her window, letting out a breath as she saw what Henry had been staring at the entire class period. A tree off to the side of the window was now home to two newly hatched Blue Jays. She saw the little beaks poking out from the nest as the mother reached down and fed her children. Not long after a bigger bird took its place next to the mother and Emma smiled at the happy little family.
Her attention was diverted to straggling kids as they trickled out from the front of the building. Emma's heart skipped a beat as she saw Henry, running to meet his mother. Emma noticed she was dressed in long, black slacks and a thick red turtle neck with a heavy black coat over it. Even though it was the middle of winter, today wasn't too cold to be wearing that much gear. Emma felt a sickening feeling in her stomach. She vomited into the nearest trash can just as MM came into her classroom, yelling out a cry of shock as she raced to her friend, pulling back Emma's long blond curls.
"Oh my gosh! Emma, are you okay?!" Emma groaned and shot her a look as if to say do I look okay? "Right…" MM said. "What's wrong?" Emma plopped onto the ground and MM sat back on her haunches, waiting for an answer.
"Henry…" was all Emma could say before she could feel the tears stinging her eyes. "His mom is being abused by his dad. And it's hurting him so much and he loves his mom so much and he's such a great kid and oh my god, his poor mother, and just the whole bunch of them are so upset and oh my god, MM what am I going to do?!" Emma babbled.
MM just sat back, staring at Emma in disbelief. She hated always being the level head in tough situations. "Well, what can you do? You have to go to the police."
Emma dropped her jaw. "I can't do that! They'll take Henry away from his mother. He'll be a foster child!" MM closed her eyes. She knew Emma had been in the foster system from birth until 18, it was clouding her judgment on the situation.
"Emma, that house is very broken. You need to do something; Henry's safety is also in danger too!"
"I know!" Emma said, wiping the tears in her eyes and looking at her best friend. "I know… I'm going to talk with his mother. Maybe we don't need to involve the police. Maybe I could convince her to get a divorce."
MM gave her a sad look. She squeezed Emma's shoulder. "I trust you'll do the right thing." Getting Emma out of her own head was a tough thing to do but MM knew that Emma needed to think about it before coming to a conclusion. The brunette pixie haired woman helped Emma up to her chair and left the room. Emma just sat and stared at papers for the next 40 minutes.