Chapter Two: Peppermint Tea
We had been riding for hours, from New York to Maine. Sebastian was coming out tomorrow and I just really wanted to get to the shop as soon as possible and if that meant tomorrow, then I would get there the night before.
August, being the mysterious lurker/wonder I knew he grew up to be, stopped his motorcycle right in front of the Sheriff and her kid. He got off lazily and I slowly followed suit, not actually wanting to stay here much longer (I was just so excited) and got to him just in time for him to say, "Is this Storybrooke?"
It took them a moment, confused most definitely, the kid giving me looks as Emma said, "Yeah."
"Anyplace to get a room 'round here?" I asked, wanting to move this along; August gave me a look that thoroughly expressed, 'This is my mysterious introduction! Let me be mysterious and cryptic!'
"Uhh...you're staying?" Henry asked clearly confused.
"That's the plan," the wooden man beside me replied. "Just looking for a bed."
"Granny's Bed and Breakfast is just up the road, another two blocks."
"Thank you." We both turned around to go back to our bikes just to hear Emma call out,
"Hey, I didn't catch your name!"
"That's because we didn't say it!" He call back because he was August and he was in that creeper phase of his life where he would be all mysterious and popped up everywhere when you were least expecting it. I gave August a look as we drove off on our bikes towards Granny's.
-/Tea Shop/-
Someone was knocking at my door...someone was knocking at my door...SOMEONE WAS KNOCKING AT MY DOOR!
I jolted up from the bed and scrambled to open it, the plaid covers tangling at my feet and I tripped just as I reached the doorway, chin banging hard on the floor. I reached up to the door anyway and opened it with a sheepish grin to see my brother on the other side, a teasing smile gracing his lips. "Have a good night Kendra?"
"Yep!" I chirped, untangling my legs, "I had a threesome with two guys who had serious STD problems without a condom or birth control! And then I went around town like a drunk lunatic, wearing nothing but a pair of gloves, and then had a raging party on the Mayor's front lawn before I went back to Granny's and got high off of white out markers!"
"So you did nothing?" he interpreted.
"Yes," I groaned, standing up and pulling him inside before flopping onto my bed and hiding under the covers. "When will this curse be over?" I whined and twisted under the blankets.
Sebastian began to rub at my back before patting it and leaning down to whisper, "Guess what I brought you?"
I shot up immediately, "What?" Sebastian pulled out a cup from behind his back and presented it to me, I moaned in pleasure when I got a good whiff and took a long sip from it.
"Peppermint tea my favorite! Oh god I haven't had tea in like ten hours Sebastian thank you! I could die happily with no regrets."
"Really?" He wondered, giving me a meaningful look. Before I could reply, he quickly changed the topic into something lighter, "Without even seeing your beloved tea shop? The one I just got the keys to go into when we find Mr. Gold? The tea shop we can check out as soon as you get dressed?"
I squealed-I was not ashamed of that fact-as I jumped out of bed, pulled on a pair of dark skinny jeans, and socks, and quickly changed my long sleeping sweater for a black v neck and white vest. I pushed my feet into my red converse, placed a white beanie on my head, pulled my red fingerless gloves on my hands, and my black coat on. Sebastian looked at me, impressed at my ability to do all of that in under five minutes.
"That was quick."
"We have tea to get to!" I shouted as I ran for the door, down the stairs of the B&B, and out the door, not even bothering if Sebastian was behind me or not. I didn't even care where August went!
Sebastian ran out after me and we made our way down the streets, looking for the pawnshop but not bothering to ask anyone where it is. "So when does the moving van come?"
"Monday." It was Saturday. I only brought enough clothes for tomorrow. Oh well, I could just buy some new ones.
"And everything is in the vans right?" I asked; the vans had both all the things for us to live and all of the things for the shop.
"Yes. And before you ask, yes, Kendra, the floors are definitely dark brown and we'll get the paint for the walls for the apartment and the shop and yes, Kendra, tomorrow we'll make the signs and what not and paint everything and yes, Kendra, we'll open in a week because you are deranged. And Kendra...?"
"Hmm?" I asked, making sure the checklist in my head was being followed.
"Relax, you look eighteen, try to act like it, at least calm down." I sighed and nodded, his arm wrapped around my shoulder as we continued on.
After many wrong turns and laughs, we found ourselves at the shop we were looking for. It wasn't my shop, but it was Mr. Gold's. As the door's bell rang, we entered inside to find a one Mr. Gold. He looked up from behind the counter and frowned before his eyes sparked with recognition. "Hello! You must be Mr. Jones and Miss Jones!"
"Yes, and you are Mr. Gold?" I questioned excitedly.
"The same, and I'm assuming you'll be wanting to see the shop?" Before I could exclaim loudly about how much I wanted to see the shop, Sebastian answered for me.
"Yes, very much so. My sister here has been waiting a very long time for this as you can see by her jumping." Rumple chuckled and I glared at him mockingly.
"Ah yes..." Mr. Gold replied pausing for a moment before pointing between us with his came around the counter and made his way to the door, "You two don't look alike in the slightest."
"Adopted," Sebastian explained smoothly. "My parents adopted her when I was young, they died a few years ago, left us a fortune, and we decided to open up the shop."
"Tea though?"
"I love tea! My brother just so happens to love me very much." Mr. Gold nodded along as we made our way outside and down the streets. The bystanders looked at us once they noticed we were new. Huh, I guess it really was a small town.
"So the shop is a while down from Granny's Diner so you'll have to face competition along with loyal customers so I do hope you realize that this shop will take a lot of work. The apartment above is fit for two and is yours. I come to collect rent the first Monday every month."
He finished rattling off information when we came to a stop in front of a small shop on the corner of the street. Granny's, as they knew, was just down the road. Rumple waited outside obediently and expectantly and Sebastian looked at me too with that expression.
Pushing aside the murmuring of the storm and soft harsh words of my mind, I looked up at the store handle with awe surely glazing over in my eyes. I softly reached out for the handle like a baby would for its mother or blanket. I wanted this more than anything, this moment, this thought, this idea.
There were only two things I truly wanted in this world now in this day and age. The first I could never return to, he would only shun me and then I would be left heartbroken. But the second…oh the second was right in front of me and this dream started long before I met him...long before I met anyone important. Memories of drawings and the aromas wafting into my nose washed over me in waves, cleansing me, making my eyes shine bright. Sebastian placed his hand on my shoulder and I looked at him.
His encouraging smile made a tear slip out and my shaking hand pulled back the door, a soft breeze of cinnamon reached us. I gingerly traced the bare walls as I entered, looking at everything. I zoned out of the conversation as I took in the cream walls and dark brown wooden floors.
Burgundy walls began to shade in front of my eyes, tables and high chairs that I envisioned began to materialize, and the imaginary smell of tea and croissants surrounded me in a fine silk. The cold room began to warm and I could see the customers buzzing around as soft spoken words of poetry flitted in and out and an old couple coming in on every Tuesday to share a turnover and a man with piercings selling me his piece of art before ordering a coffee, a teenager with her blonde hair in a high ponytail leafing through one of the books, and me, standing behind the register or in the kitchens doing what I love while Sebastian decorated another teacup, one that would be sold merely weeks later.
And I could see laughter and light flames, I could see soft barking of that dalmation I saw this morning and giving Mr. Gold his money with a smile even if we only fed a few people the past month, happy that we could do what we wanted. I didn't need to wait for the moving van to see it, I could see it clearly now, I could see every fine detail and face and every emotion that would ever flit across my own.
There was still that distinct hole in my heart, but this, this was enough.
"So what do you think?" Mr. Gold's voice snapped me out of the bubble I had formed long, long ago. I whirled around, smiling widely at the two of them.
"We'll take it! Definitely take it," I announced happily. Sebastian nodded at in acceptance; the other man chuckled.
"Well then I'll see you around, Miss Jones, warning though, there's a storm coming," Rumpelstiltskin smirked.
"Isn't there though?" I replied with a twinkle surely in my eyes. We chuckled at our 'inside' joke and he left us in the store. I turned to Sebastian, "We need to get paint."
"Already?" he whined.
"Yes, and I'm not waiting tomorrow, give me money. I'll get the paint, you go and get flowers."
"Why flowers?"
"We need to give something to Emma of course! She'll freak out, August will get mad, and I can go connect with Henry!"
"Why are you so interested in the boy?" my brother asked as he handed over a twenty.
"Because he has the heart of the truest believer, I just know it, and if Pan's coming to collect than someone's going to have to protect him!" I chirped as I left the store, leaving him there, "Oh, and don't get crappy flowers, Seb! Make them real pretty! And meet August and I at Granny's!" I didn't need to turn around to know that he rolled his eyes.
Skipping down the street, it was already raining but I didn't care, I was too excited. Popping into the store, I quickly bought the shade I wanted and then made my way back to Granny's Diner. It would take Sebastian at least half an hour to find the correct store and get proper flowers. By the time I got into the Diner it was thundering and wretchedly storming. I found August the creep sitting at a table and I plopped across from him. "Hello friend!"
"Kendra," he nodded, "Interesting to see you here."
"Is it though? Is it really?" He frowned at my sarcasm and I sighed. " Anyway, I need a slice of pie for this." I got up and moved to the counter, ordering a slice. When I got back to my seat, Emma just opened up the door. "Incoming the Sheriff."
"Perfect," he replied with a grin.
"We need to talk," Emma spoke. Oooohhh eery!
"Why?" the smart ass across from me asked. I scooted over.
"Because….you're suspicious."
"Sitting here?" he asked incredulously, "Out in the open? Drinking coffee?"
"I wonder what hell he'd have raised if he ordered a donut," I added with a smirk. Emma glanced at me a with a frown before turning back to August.
"You were talking to Henry."
"You mean the little boy that went up to me asking questions? Is that unusual for him? Being curious and precocious?"
"What were you doing outside his house?" ever the Sheriff, questioned.
"My bike broke down. It happens," he replied. Bull shit, August, of course it broke down.
"Your mysterious box, what's in it?" Now she was just fishing for answers.
"It's awfully frustrating isn't it, not knowing?" Sometimes I did want to wipe that smug grin off of his face.
"Just tell me."
"Why? Is it illegal to carry around a box in these parts?"
"No, of course it's not."
His head tilted, "You really want to know what's inside of it don't you?"
"No," August and I both gave her looks. "Well maybe." Sheriff Emma Swan plopped down next to me. I grinned at the boy across from us.
"I'm gonna make you wait," he decided. "I'm gonna make you wait a long time. Watch as I carry it around, hauling it to strange and mysterious places. And with each passing moment it'll become more tantalizing, your imagination will inflame, but so will your frustration, never knowing, only guessing what could possibly be inside that box?" Thunder rolled in the distance and my eyes began to glow in hidden mirth. Writers and their vocabulary. "Or…" August leaned over, "You could let me buy you a drink sometime, and I'll tell you right now!"
"You want to buy me a drink?"
"Yes."
"Okay. A drink it is," Emma decided. August smiled and leaned forward to pick up the box. I moved my dish just in time for him to plop it down and start opening the latches. And then the typewriter was revealed. I smiled at the baby before us; one of the many things we bonded over was our love for writing. "Really?" Emma asked in surprise.
"I'm a writer," August explained.
"That's why you're here?"
"I find this place provides...inspiration. Don't you?"
More thunder.
"Wait, have you been here before?"
"I didn't say that," the cheeky remarks began again! August grabbed his stuff before making his way to the back exit.
Emma turned around, "What about that drink?"
August turned back to reply with, "I said 'sometime,'" before leaving. Emma looked at him for a moment or two before turning back to me.
"You have very interesting friends kid." She looked me up and down. "How old are you?" she asked. I took a bite of my pie and saw Sebastian enter the restaurant.
"I do and older than I look."
"So what are you doing in Storybrooke?"
Sebastian sat down.
"We're opening up a shop down the road," my dear brother replied.
"You should bring Henry by, I'm betting he likes hot chocolate."
"He does." She looked between us. I looked at Sebastian and then the flowers.
"Oh! Here you go Miss Swan," Sebastian handed the flowers over with a grin.
"Um, flowers? For me?" she asked distrustingly.
"Yes, flowers for you, as a hello and an apology for freaking you out last night with the writer." And then I added, "Oh, and a bribe."
"You're bribing me?" her eyebrows raised.
"Of course!"
"How else will we get you to come to our tea shop?" Sebastian explained.
"Curiousity would have done that."
"Yeah, but you're saving all of that for the biker and I mean, are you really going to come to our shop without an incentive?"
"Well, what's at the shop?" Emma questioned.
"It's a surprise," I smirked, "come on Seb, time to go paint the walls! Then off to explore the apartment!" I got out of the booth and with linked arms, Sebastian and I left the store, not waiting for the Sheriff's response.
We somehow started skipping down the street because Seb and I were ridiculous at times and not before long we were back in the store. Seb was getting out the paintbrushes and rolling up his sleeves while I shucked off my jacket, redid my ponytail, and popped the pain lid. We laid down sheets incase the paint dripped and we began to work. The storm cleared up and the fumes mixed in with the fresh scent of rain; laughter and music could be heard from our store. Hours later, we were finished.
Seb and I looked at each other, grinning, before throwing aside the brushes and sprinting for the stairs and up to the apartment. White walls and light brown wooden floors graced our eyes and before either of us said a thing, we ran back downstairs. dunking a hand in the paint jar and not caring anymore if it spilled (it'd be a great story to tell) we ran back up and imprinted our red hands on the wall.
Our new home was filled with laughter and giggles and snorts as we smeared paint on each other like the loons we were. That was the first night I didn't notice the image standing in the corner with a frown. That was the first night I was somewhat free.