Chapter 14

1x14 Dreamy

It was a Saturday morning and I was draped across the couch downstairs watching tv, with my hair in a ridiculously messy bun, wearing sweats, moccasins and a big oversized tshirt. That's when Mom came in.

"Lucy is this what you plan to do all day?"

I craned my neck to see the tv around her, "Yeah pretty much."

Mom sighed, "Why aren't you hanging out with your friends?"

"Well my friend, Nat, is busy, some family thing, I don't know. And Henry is doing a school project or something today."

Mom grabbed the remote off of the coffee table and turned off the TV, "Well I have to go to work and I want you to do something productive today."

I sighed, "Ugh like what."

Just then as mom was putting back down the remote she noticed the annual Miners Day flyer on the coffee table looking for volunteers. "Aha here, you can help out with miners day."

I gasped, "Spend the day with Ms. Blanchard, and nuns? Doing charity?"

"Lucy as the mayors daughter you are one of the most prized youthful influences in this town. You need to represent what our family is worth." Mom's tone abruptly changed, "Now you will do this and I will call Ms. Blanchard to check up on you. Now I have to go to work, bye." As mom closed the front door I sighed. Unfortunately mom had eyes and ears all over town, she'd know if I didn't help. I roused myself off of the couch and started upstairs to get ready for my day of "being a prized youthful influence."

As I walked into school I shuddered slightly. I couldn't believe I was actually in school, on Saturday, doing charity. But I forced myself inside and went to the Multipurpose room where Ms. Blanchard was sitting.

"Ms. Blanchard?" I asked.

She looked up and smiled, "Lucy? How are you doing."

"Oh good, I'm uh here to sign up"

Her eyes went wide, "Really?" And I nodded.

"This is perfect! You can go with us to sell candles at the booth! I couldn't get any other students to do it and a young face will sell candles better."

"That's what I'm here for," I said halfway sarcastically.

"Okay just give me a few minutes and I'll be ready to go we can start selling candles."

"Sounds good." I nodded my head, dreading how the day appeared to be coming. It wasn't that I didn't like Ms. Blanchard because I did. I loved her actually and she was my favorite teacher, ever. It's just she was so damn chipper all the time and I was dreading all of the talking that was bound to happen while we tried to sell candles.

Leroy the town drunk, of all people had volunteered to help. So it was me, the mayor's daughter, Ms. Blanchard, the town harlot, and Leroy the town drunk. What a motley array of people. But I could see Ms. Blanchard really cared about this so I was trying to help out and sell.

"Candles for sale!" I yelled at the booth.

"Buy your Miner's Day candles here! Handmade by Storybrooke's very own nuns! Light your way to a good cause! By buying a candle…" But everyone kept walking by, "This isn't working." Ms. Blanchard finally said.

"You're right. We should pack it up." Leroy stated bluntly.

"Now you're quitting?" I interjected.

"If the customers won't come to us, we got to go to them – door to door." Leroy smiled mischievously.

"If they hate us here, what makes you think they'll like us in their homes?" Ms. Blanchard replied.

"Exactly. They'll pay us just to leave." He said, "And if that doesn't work last resort we'll send the kid in," he nodded to me, "And have her threaten them into buying candles as the mayors daughter.

"It's kind of a brilliant plan…" I added.

"Fine. We'll try it! But no threatening anyone Lucy." Ms. Blanchard cautioned.

After several failed attempts at selling to no avail. I sat down on the curb feeling thoroughly defeated. Ms. Blanchard and Leroy were buying hot chocolates for us at Granny's and I was waiting outside. That's when I looked up and noticed Mr. Gold's shop. I realized none of us had seen or asked him to buy any candles so I walked over and heard the bell ding.

"Mr. Gold?" I looked around and didn't see him

He appeared from around back, "Why Lucy. What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering if you'd like to buy any candles…?" I asked sheepishly.

"Well I would except I have plenty of electricity to keep the lights on."

"Well… for now. What if there's a disaster, ebola outbreak, earthquake, tsunami…"

Mr. Gold arched his eyebrows, "A tsunami? In Maine?"

"Well I mean you never know…" Just then Ms. Blanchard and Leroy walked in.

"Lucy what are you doing in here?" Ms. Blanchard asked, "Come on we have to get back to selling."

"I was trying to sell to Mr. Gold…." I turned and answered.

"And…" She prompted.

"And I decided I'll buy one candle" Mr. Gold piped in.

"Really?" Leroy asked.

I turned back to Mr. Gold and gave him my best 'WTF look', "You know that tsunami could be coming any day Mr. Gold…"

To my own surprise he laughed, "Better make that one dozen."

"Wait really?" Ms. Blanchard asked astonished.

"Better hurry before I change my mind." He said rather curtly.

Ms. Blanchard handed over his candles as Mr. Gold bent over the counter and wrote out a check.

I leaned down to face him, "Thank you Mr. Gold" I gave my sweetest smile.

"Well you're very welcome dearie, now off you go I have work to do" He smiled back. I nodded and scurried after Ms. Blanchard and Leroy.

As we were walking back I sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't sell more Ms. Blanchard."

She smiled, "It's okay. To be honest Lucy I don't really think you were the reason that people wouldn't buy candles."

"I don't think that you know. That you're a harlot." She turned to me shocked that I had said it outright. "My mom is friends with Kathryn…."

She sighed, "Oh right… Well thank you, for what its worth." I just smiled to myself before Ms. Blanchard continued in a new direction, "Lucy, why did you volunteer today?"

"My mom made me." I admitted sheepishly.

"Ahh I see. So you didn't really want to?"

"Not at first… but I got into it as the day went on. I just wanted to…I don't know…" I drifted off.

"Just wanted to what?" Ms. Blanchard asked.

I shrugged, "Make my mom happy I guess."

"Ohh, right. It can't be easy being the Mayor's daughter."

"No it's not that so much… it's just now that Emma is here and Storybrooke is changing mom is just so focused on her and work and Henry I guess…"

"And she doesn't have time for you." Ms. Blanchard finished.

I sighed, "I guess not."

"Boy this day really sucks," Leroy jumped in and we continued to walk back to the school.

Once we got to the school Leroy was supposed to tell Astrid that we had only sold twelve candles, but instead he told her we sold them all! Ms. Blanchard was furious, beyond furious. But Leroy said he had a plan to get the money. While Leroy was off trying to find the money Ms. Blanchard said she had some place to be so I was left to man the Candle Booth. Pretty easy really, considering that there were no customers, but also kind of depressing.

All of a sudden about half an hour into it all of the lights flicked off. I jumped on that ship quick and started yelling about the candles for sale, just to see the way to your car at least. The candles had never sold faster. Leroy and Ms. Blanchard came running up after that to help. It was crazy there were so many people all buying our candles! After we had sold out I saw Mom and Henry walking up.

"So Ms. Blanchard, how was Lucy today?"

Ms. Blanchard turned and smiled at me, "Fabulous, I couldn't have asked for a better helper."

"It's really cool you guys sold all the candles!" Henry said.

I looked up to see mom smile, clearly pleased. "Excellent. It looks like it was a good day. Come on Lucy let's go home."

I smiled, "It did turn out to be a good day." I looked at Ms. Blanchard and she winked at me.