Belle French really love to drive. Nothing spells "freedom" to her like getting behind the wheel and hitting the road. That's why that, when her friend, Mary Margaret, invited her to her upcoming wedding with James Prince, she didn't hesitate.
"So, you'll come right?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, sweetheart, and you know it" Belle replied, amused by her friend nervous question.
"Yes, I know. I'm sorry but I'm just so nervous, and happy, and totally freaking out. I need my best friend with me, sooner rather than later. So get your ass on a plane ASAP."
Belle laughed out loud at that. You gotta love Mary Margaret when she acted all bossy. Belle pictured her petite friend, trying to look intimidating, and waving a finger at her (even though she was hundreds of miles away) and laugh ever harder.
"Fine. I surrender. But I'll be driving, not taking a plane."
"Still in love with that car of yours, I see. Honestly, your infatuation with that piece of metal is something we will never share." Mary Margaret said. She hated to drive.
"First, he is not a piece of metal. He is my little lion. Second, you know my car was the first thing that I bought with the money I earn after selling my first short story. And he never let me down.- unlike some man I know- It's better to love your car." He, at least, will not get my heart broken, she thought, but didn't say it out loud. No reason to bring bad memories into their conversation.
"Talking about Gaston, aren't you? That guy doesn't deserve you and you are better off, trust me."
"I know, sweetheart, I know. This Gaston thing is over." Belle answered, truthfully.
Gaston has been her boyfriend since college. Tall, dark and handsome, Belle fall for is act. Found him mysterious and interesting. He turned out to be just an idiot and a cheater.
When Belle found out she ended things but it was always hard to look back and get the feeling that she wasted some good years of her life with a creep. On the bright side, she found out before started to dream about getting married and settle down. Thank God for the small favors.
They talked for a few more minutes, about everything and nothing, like best friends tend to do. They decided that, since the wedding will take place at a Saturday, she will go to Storybrook, Maine, where Mary Margaret lived, the Monday before and stay the whole week. She was in dire need of a vacation, so it couldn't be more perfect.
Belle was a writer. Her dream was to write novels, but that was just wishful thinking. Instead she landed a job writing short stories for magazines and columns for newspapers. Her dream novel was all outlined in her mind, but every time she sits in front of the computer to start, she just can't do it. Belle keeps earing Gaston's voice in her head: "Why don't you just drop it? Not everyone was born to be a writer. Maybe you just don't have what it takes." It was stupid, she was aware of it, but that jerk managed to create a block and she just couldn't break through. Maybe this trip would turn out to be exactly what she needed.
…..
Belle's been driving for hours but she has finally arrived. Storybrook was a small town, the type of place where everybody knows everybody. She followed Mary Margaret's instructions and soon she found herself in front of Granny's Diner. She parked her Peugeot and stepped out, stretching her sore muscles and took deep breath. This was the kind of thing Belle love about places like this. Fresh, clean air. Friendly people walking the streets, talking to each other. This sense of belonging, of being part of a community. She didn't have nothing like this in Chicago. She didn't even like Chicago, moving there was Gaston's idea. Belle has been planning to move to somewhere nicer, simpler from some time now. Who knows? Maybe Storybrook was the place for her. With a sigh Belle walked into Granny's and looked around. It was after lunch, so the place was empty, except for a pretty blond woman, sitting in a booth, looking at some papers. Behind the counter was a tall brunette, the type man usually drool over.
"Hi! My name is Ruby. Can I get you anything?" she asked with a warm and friendly smile.
"Yeah. Actually I want to rent a room for a few days." Belle said.
"Sure thing. Wait… are you Belle?" Belle nodded, a bit surprised. "Mary told me you were arriving today." Turning to the blond sitting in the booth Ruby said:" Hey, sheriff, Belle has arrived."
"Thank God you´re here." She jumped to her feet, leaving the papers scattered across the table, and approached the girls who were standing near the counter. "Not only I'm happy to finally meet you, but I will jump at any chance to not do paper work. God, I thought that being sheriff was more action and less, you know, filling forms." Belle recognized the sheriff as Emma, Mary's ex-roommate, by the description she gave her. Emma has been living with Mary for about a year when she fell in love with the town tailor and married him. Belle thought his name was Jonathan but wasn't quite sure. Belle knew she and Emma would hit it off immediately.
"I'm glad I could be of service." Belle replied, laughing." It's very nice to meet you too. Mary talks about you all the time, I feel like I've known you already."
Emma's smile was pleased and genuine: "I can say the same about you. Mary is always telling me about how much she misses you."
"Yeah, I miss her as well. Her and James. We were inseparable but we don't see each other in years."
"So it's about time we fix that, don't you guys think?" A voice Belle knew very well asked from behind them. Squealing with delight Belle pulled Mary, who as just arrived, into a bear-like hug. It has been too long.
Being with Mary brought back a lot of memories. They've know each other since they we're just little kids. Belle's father, Maurice, was friends with Mary's father, Leopold. They were both widowers, with daughters of the same age, so they bounded very quickly. And the girls adored each other. They went to school together, shared together the awkwardness of becoming teenagers and went to college together. Belle was there when Mary cried over this handsome guy, called James, who was engaged to another girl, and Mary took the first flight to Chicago after receiving a call from a sobbing, hurting Belle after she found out Gaston's infidelity. When Belle's father died, Mary didn't left her side for days at end, making sure she'd eat, making her leave the house and take long walks and holding her while she cried herself to sleep. A few months later, when Mary's father died, Belle did the same for her. Belle didn't knew how much she missed Mary, how alone she felt, until now, until being surrounded by her best friend love.
"I'm so glad you're here." Mary whispered into Belle's ear, squeezing a little tighter.
"Me too, sweetheart. It's been hard, being apart from you guys." Breaking away from the hug, Belle added with a mischievous smile: "But we have a whole week to catch up."
"Don't worry. If you wanna catch up, I have just the plan." Ruby was leaning behind the counter, looking at the happy reunion. "Girls night out! Booze, ice cream, movies starring sexy guys, girl talk… You know the drill."
"That's an awesome idea." Mary clapped, excited about the turn of events. She was just planning to cook dinner and do some catch up, but Ruby's plan sounded way better. It will be like the old days, but with all her best friends. "How about tonight? Think Granny can handle the place without you?
"No problem." Ruby didn't sound the least worried. "When she find out it's the wish of the blushing bride, she'll be cool with it." Glancing at her watch and grimacing she added: "If you guys are willing to wait for another hour or so, until she arrives."
Mary looked at Belle and Emma, who were both nodding. "It's a deal."
They took a place in a booth, planning of using that extra time to unwind and relax. The conversation flowed easily, and they soon found themselves laughing and making jokes at each other. Belle couldn't remember the last time she had this kind of fun, and knowing that it was just the first of six whole days that she had to spend with her friends, felt wonderful.
Emma told Bell her story; how she gave her baby boy to adoption because she has no means to provide him with a decent live; how he was adopted by Regina Mills, the Mayor of Storybrook ; how he, ten years later, tracked her down, because he wanted meet her birth mother ,and how she decided to move into Storybrook, so she could finally become a part of Henry's life.
"And then Jonathan asked me on a date, and we've been together ever since". Emma was telling Belle the story of how she met her husband.
"So, now, instead of having one kid, I have two, and one husband." Emma told with a happy smile. "And I've never been happier."
The Jonathan Emma was talking about was Jonathan Hatter, Grace's father, and Henry's stepfather.
"So let me get this straight: Henry is your son, but he is also Regina's – the Mayor –, and you are married Jonathan Hatter who is Grace's father." Belle asked, trying to keep up.
"That seems about right, yeah." Emma replies with a shrug. "It sounds way more complicated than it is."
"Thank the Lord for that." Belle whispered.
"Small towns are full of coincidences like these." Snow stated. Someone entering the diner caught her eye and she added: "Oh, look! That cute red head is Archie Hopper, Ruby's boyfriend." Mary urged, reaching across the table to pat Belle's hand, trying to get her attention.
Belle watched him wave at them and then take a seat by the counter. He seemed nice and a bit shy, and not at all what she would expect Ruby type would be. But seeing the way he was looking at her and the huge smile Ruby was wearing, Belle knew it was the real deal. When Ruby's hand brushed at his when she handed him his mug, he smiled, blushed faintly and glance at her with such a naked expression of awe, that Belle's heart swelled in her chest. That, right there. That was exactly what she has always wanted but never had with Gaston.
"They look very much in love." Belle said to Mary, who was still glancing at the couple.
"They are. Ruby had a crush on the good doctor – Archie is a psychiatrist by the way – ever since he came into town. They have been dancing around each other for months, neither one having the nerve to ask the other out. I had to threaten not to invite Ruby to the wedding unless she asked Archie to be her date. Work like a charm." She smiled smugly.
"Still meddling with the affairs of other people, I see. Something's never change." Belle teased. Mary always had this matchmaker vibe around her, always trying to 'guide' people into true love. Although, to be fair, it was more like 'shoving' than 'guiding' most of the times.
"Well if I hadn't stepped in, they would still be stealing glances and dancing around each other, too afraid to take the leap."
"So it's like you are providing a necessary public service. 'Be happy or else you have to deal with me' kind of thing." Emma was struggling not to laugh.
"Exactly. Public service." They stood quite for a few seconds, staring at each other. Next thing they knew they were bellowing with laughter, tears streaming down their faces, attracting strange looks from Ruby who was eyeing them suspiciously. Of course that only made them laugh even harder.
"I really don't want to know what are laughing about, do I?" A heavily accented voice asked, making the girls stop laughing and regain a little control.
"Girl talk, Mr. Gold, just girl talk." Emma answered, still snickering.
The man was just a little taller than Belle herself, lean and elegant. He had brown eyes, that were alight with amusement, and his hair was a bit on the long side, long enough to brush the collar of his shirt, and it was brown with some gray strands. He carried a dark wood, gold handle cane, and was wearing a black three piece, expensive looking suit, with a black shirt and a burgundy tie. All in all, it was a very impressive, slightly intimidating look. But his smile was warm, although a bit reserved.
"Not for the prying ears of men, then." His eyes travelled from Emma to Mary and when he saw Belle they widened a little and his smile faltered for a fraction of a second. If Belle wasn't observing him, she might have lost his reaction. Perhaps he was just surprised for seeing a new face, she thought.
"Only if said man I prepared to hear something he might, or might not want to hear."
"Unfortunately I must decline such a generous offer." He gave them small bow, inclining his head and spreading his cane less hand, making them laugh. "I just intrude in your lovely talk because I needed to give a message to Mrs. Swan."
"It's something wrong Mr. Gold?" Emma was already entering in sheriff mode.
"Not at all. My boy called and said he was spending the night at your place, with Grace and Henry. He said Mr. Hatter invited." His voice carried a slight interrogation.
"Well, that sounds like my husband alright." Emma's smile was one part annoyed, two parts resigned.
"Well, if he his intruding, fell free to throw him out anytime."
"Will do. But don't worry; if today they're staying with us, I'm pretty sure tomorrow they'll be staying with you."
"Yes, I'm afraid so." He tried, and failed, to sound appalled at the perspective.
"I'm going to leave you ladies alone then. Anything, don't hesitate to call. Goodnight Mrs. Swan. Miss Blanchard. And Miss..." Gold hesitated, waiting for someone to tell him Belle's name.
"French." Belle answered. "Belle French."
"Belle French." It was as if he was savoring her name. "It's a pleasure."
"The pleasure is all mine." He smiled, warmly, before turning to leave, picking up his order from Ruby.
"Wow, that was strange." Emma was watching Gold leave, with a puzzled expression. "Gold is nice enough, but not very friendly. Kind of a loner I guess. But today, he was positively charming." Smiling broadly she said to Mary: "I think he likes Belle."
Belle choked on her hot chocolate and blushed brilliantly. "That's ridiculous!" She protested, trying to catch a breath. To think that that handsome gentleman was in any way interested in her was laughable. Handsome? Where that came from? Besides, she was definitely not looking for a romance.A small part of her mind was telling her that romance, as well as love, was not something you look for. It was something that just happens, most of the times when you least expected. For some reason Belle found such thought unhelpful
Mary was eyeing Belle suspiciously. She knew her better than anyone, and she could almost hear Belle's train of thought regarding Gold. She was interested. Anyway, this was neither the time nor the place. Mary will hold on to this piece of information for future analysis. Glancing around, she saw Granny entering the diner. Perfect timing.
"Look, Granny arrived. Time to take this party to my place." That effectively caught Emma's attention as Mary hoped. Jumping from theirs seats, they approached the older, motherly looking woman and asked her let Ruby joined them for dinner. She said, 'yes, of course', and with a 'stay out of trouble and have fun', Granny shoed them off.
The night was fantastic. Great food, great wine, great conversation. It was as if they were friends, all of them, for years, instead of just a couple of hours. Living by herself in Chicago was not what Belle hoped it will be. She always imagined that she would do great alone, and she does, at some extent. Writing is her life, reading is her passion. She figured that having all the time in the world to indulge without having to put up with anyone would be awesome. But here, now, surround by laughter and warmth, she's not so sure.
Belle, Ruby and Emma left Mary's place together. Emma went to her house, which was located in the outskirts of town, and Ruby and Belle walked to Granny's. It was late, and Belle was exhausted after driving all morning, so she wanted to go straight so bed, after saying goodnight to her new friend.
Her room was very nice, with large windows facing the forest on the back, a tiny fireplace, wonderful for the chilling Maine weather, and a large, comfortable looking bed. A door to the right led to an adjacent bathroom. Belle decided to take a quick shower first to relax, the hot water doing wonders to her sore muscles. Later, when she was already lying in bed, and right before she drift into sleep, her mind went back to that Scottish man she met earlier. He really is handsome, was Belle's last thought before falling asleep.
Little did she know that across town, on a beautiful old pink house, Anthony Gold was lying in his own bed, thinking about the lovely girl, with the most amazing blue eyes he has ever seen.