When Maurice came back he took them out for Chinese food to celebrate, Rose's survival of the operation.
Even though Rumple's leg was still on full rest and elevation, they managed to put him sideways into the booth in the restaurant with a little pillow under it to keep it elevated. Of course he ended up eating sideways then too and getting noodles all down his lap and shirt as a result, but it was worth it.
Chris couldn't remember ever seeing Maurice so animated. She'd never actually seen him look happy before, she thought. Yet now, the relief on his face was palpable and little Belle was so excited she spilled her green tea just trying to drink it. Nobody cared. Nothing could spoil the mood of love and joy at their table.
In a way, Kate thought, Maurice, Belle and even Rose, though they had never met her in person, had become like family to them. Maurice and Belle's joy was their joy and she could see how Maurice's eyes softened when he looked at little Rumple and gently helped him with his noodles.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to see my Mum," Belle confided excitedly to Rumple.
"Oh, that's cool," he said, although secretly, he wished she could spend the whole day with him again. He knew how boring it would get, having to keep his leg elevated, not doing anything. There was only so much reading and TV watching a person could do without getting bored. Kate and Chris might play with him a bit, but it wasn't the same as having Belle around. She always had the best story ideas for the Dark Castle.
Somehow Belle knew what Rumple was thinking and gripped his little hand. "Don't worry, we'll be together again on Monday at school. You are coming, right?"
Rumple looked at Kate and Chris. "Am I going to school on Monday?"
"Well," said Chris, "let's see how your leg is then. If it's not giving you any trouble, I don't see why you can't go on crutches. You've already missed enough. What do you think Kate?"
"The doc said it would be okay, if it wasn't hurting him."
Rumple smiled. He could go one day without seeing Belle, even if it was a super boring one.
As dinner was winding down, Maurice tapped on the side of his teacup with a chopstick. "I'd like to propose a toast! To Kate and Chris, who opened their lives and the hearts to me and my daughter, who welcomed us to this strange city where we knew no one and made us feel at home, who helped our family stay strong and together through this tough, tough time. Someday I hope me and Rose and Belle can repay your kindness, but I doubt we will ever be able to return it all in full, there has just been too much. All I can say is how grateful I truly am, and if Rose was here at the table with us, and I know one day soon she will be, I know she would be saying the same thing," he said wiping away a tear. "Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts."
Chris and Kate wiped away tears of their own and Maurice's moving speech, while Belle tugged at his sleeve. "And Rumple," she whispered, "and Rumple."
"Oh and of course how could I forget Rumple here?" he said turning to the small boy who was looking up at him in surprise at being mentioned, a noodle still hanging out of his mouth.
"All this started, all these people at this table coming together as friends, it all started with you—you becoming Belle's friend that first time at school, giving someone new a chance, being there for her so she wouldn't be alone. You are a fine, fine young man," said Maurice, raising his cup of tea. "And I am pleased to think of you as my honourary son. No son of mine or big brother to Belle could have ever possibly helped and comforted her more through this terrible time than you have, even when you had plenty of challenges of your own to deal with. Your mums should be so very very proud of you Rumple."
"Here, here!" cheered Chris and Kate and Belle.
Rumple looked up at Maurice's kindly weathered face and felt a bloom of warmth and joy spread through his belly. He smiled and smiled, his face beaming like a sun. Maurice, a man completed unrelated to him, actually wanted him as his honorary son. He said he was helpful.
It was bizarre Maurice saying he wanted him as his honourary son, when he considered that just over a year ago his own real father hadn't even wanted him as his real son, even though he actually was. He remembered Malcolm telling him he was useless, hopeless, because he couldn't walk properly and thinking his dad was right, that it was true, that he was really of no use to anyone.
Even with Astrid, who told him he helped her, he hadn't thought his father's estimation of his usefulness was untrue exactly. And Kate and Chris, much as he knew they loved him, had always had to take care of him with all the surgeries he'd been through. It was hard to feel terribly useful when someone had to help him to the bathroom just because he had to be extra careful with his leg while it took its sweet time healing. Even if his mums had explained that it wasn't his fault and didn't mean anything, it still made him feel embarrassed and babyish.
But Maurice said he'd helped Belle and he could see, from Maurice's face that he really did mean it. He believed Rumple had helped. He'd said Rumple was the opposite of useless, even if he still couldn't walk properly. He was—
"You're awesome," said Belle breaking into his thoughts. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "In my imagination you really are my brother," she said, "because I love you."
She reached out and gave Rumple a big hug.
"And I know, when my Mum meets you she's gonna love you too."
"Do you think that will happen?" he asked surprised. "That I'll meet your Mum?"
"For sure," said Belle. "She said so herself, that when's she better, the first person she wants to meet is you."
"Awesome," breathed Rumple.
"Of course," said Belle, looking down at her plate, feeling slightly guilty, "I did kind of, um, tell her you were a dragon rider."
"A what?" asked Rumple, bewildered.
"And maybe that you were three hundred years old and came from Neverland."
"Oh, heh," said Rumple nervously, not quite sure how he could never live up to any of that. "Great."