Just Keeps Spinning
He was never going to see him again. He wasn't allowed to see the only person in the world he loved again. All because of his stupid mistake and the fact that his ex wife was a vindictive cow. He was fine with her asking for a divorce, relived even. He hadn't been surprised when she'd told him about the affair with the pirate and he hadn't been surprised when she'd demanded almost every penny he had but he couldn't believe Milah had now taken their son from him.
It was his own fault he supposed. Milah's argument that he had a drinking problem and so was not suitable to be a parent to Baelfire. The drinking problem wasn't true of course, Milah's lawyer dug up the few drink driving charges he'd had when he'd been a teenager. Despite the protests that dinking was no longer a problem and that he'd got help when he was younger the court had ruled that he was unfit parent.
All he could think was that he shouldn't have represented himself. He'd come to America from Scotland after law school and found success with Spencer and Co. He'd become one of the best family lawyers out there and earned a lot of money but now he had nothing. He'd gone up against Albert Spencer who was representing his wife and as a result of losing against him, he couldn't show his face at Spencer and Co. He had no job, Milah had taken a very large chunk of his money so he was broke and now he'd lost access to his son, that rambunctious eleven year old was the only good thing that came from his relationship with Milah.
It had all happened an hour ago. Rumford Gold still sat in the car park staring at the city hall. The place where his life had fallen apart. He thought how ironic it would be if now he started a drinking problem. He wouldn't though, he didn't want to ruin any slither of chance he got with Bae.
Gold watched as cars pulled up outside the city hall, all decorated with ribbon. It seemed someone was getting married, they were having the best day of their life while he was having the worst of his. He ran a hand through his hair and groaned. He needed to get away, he had nowhere to go, no one would care he was gone anyway.
Instead he looked down at the bottle of Johnny Walker whisky in his hand and fiddled with the cap, just one sip, it wouldn't matter, no one would know. One drop then he'd throw the rest of the bottle away.
…..
She checked herself in the mirror once more and still she thought she looked hideous. She felt like a clown. That wasn't supposed to be how she felt on her wedding day. It was because she didn't want this, she wanted anything but this.
Her father constantly told her how proud her mother would be of her but she couldn't help but not agree. Her mother would have wanted her to marry for love, not for obligation, not for guilt.
She'd met Gaston in high school. She didn't know why it was he'd noticed her but he had. As soon as her father had realised who Gaston was he'd seen dollar signs. Gaston was the son of a billionaire, not that Belle had ever cared but her father, with his failing florist business and rising debt saw that her match to Gaston could save him and the business her mother had started.
It was family obligation or her happiest. She'd thought that choosing to help her father would make her some sort of hero, but it just made her feel sick to her stomach and made her feel like a fraud. She didn't love Gaston and he didn't love her. He only cared about her looks, he wanted a wife who would look good on his arm and not have a brain, an opinion. He wanted an obedient little house wife. She groaned once again at her reflection.
Who wore gold on their wedding day anyway? she thought with a laugh, apparently she did. The gold dress billowed out at her waist like a bell and had large puffy sleeves. Her hair was all curled up on her head making her feel like some sort of poodle. Her whole outfit had been designed by some famous designer friend of Gaston's family.
She heard the door behind her open and saw in the mirror that her father had slipped in. "Oh Belle, you look beautiful" he almost gushed.
"Thank you Papa" Belle gave him a smile as he kissed her cheek.
"Are you ready, the ceremony's starting in a minute" he told her, it seemed he was far more excited than she was.
"Uh, can I have a minute Papa, I'll meet you outside the ceremony room" she suggested.
"Of course" Mo nodded before pressing a kiss to her forehead "Oh if only your mother was here" he mused before leaving Belle alone once more.
Belle turned to the mirror once more, her mother would not be proud. She took a deep breath before making her way to the door.
As she walked out and found herself in a hallway she noticed that at the opposite end of the hallway there was a door open where the last of the flowers were being quickly taken in.
Was it a sign? Her heart began to race. She could run outside that door and be free, she didn't know where she should go but she could just get away. She'd have nothing but her freedom. Something inside her told her that that door was open for her, she could get away from the provincial life of being a house wife, a mother to all of Gaston's children, to having her leech of a father live off of her.
Before she'd thought it through Belle slipped off her shoes, picked up the bottom of her dress and ran as quickly as she could out of the side door, hoping, no praying that Gaston on her father wouldn't notice soon. No one decided her fate but her.
Her heart beat faster with every step she took, her breathing become more and more rapid. Where would she go? What would she say when Gaston and her father finally caught up with her? As she walked, her brain kept planting doubts in her mind making part of her want to turn back.
The she saw it. The single black Cadillac in the car park. Something in her told her to go towards it, that it would save her.
Gold was still fiddling with the cap of the bottle of whisky, muttering curse words to himself as his mind was split into to. Open it. Not open it.
A light knock on the door window of his car made him jump in his seat. He all but threw the bottle of whiskey onto the back seat of the car. He looked out of the window, he couldn't see a face, only gold. A lot of gold material.
He wasn't sure why but he lent across the car and opened the door. As he did so he heard some men yelling from not far in the distance. He turned to look out the driver's side window and saw a tall skinny man wearing a very expensive suit looking very much a groom. He was yelling something obscene in Golds direction as he ran across the carpark. The younger man was then followed by an older burley guy who was doing the same.
Gold turned back to the passenger side of the card and found that a women in a gold dress was getting into his car. He was lost for words, everything was happening so fast.
The women's panicked blue eyes met his "I'll pay you all the money I have to drive me away from here" she told him.
He couldn't reply, he was struck by how beautiful she was, her soft brown curls framing her pretty features. His mouth was left agape.
"Please" she almost begged as she looked over Gold's shoulder to see her father and Gaston running towards them, getting closer. She feared that they would reach her before it was too late and drag her back to the alter and make her marry Gaston.
She watched as he shook his head "Sure" he nodded before starting the car, preparing to move away and then drove away speeding out of the car park just as Mo and Gary reached the car.
As they speeded down the street Gold's mind was reeling. Had a beautiful women in a gold dress really just jumped into his car, begging him to help her escape from the man she was going to marry.
He looked over to the passenger seat beside him. the mystery women was turned in her seat looking out of the window. It seemed it was indeed true.
….C\_'/…..
A/N: Hi, any and all suggestions welcome. Hope you like. Please review.