"Hello, I'm looking for Gideon."
On the threshold of a two-story house in the suburbs of Washington stood a short, middle-aged, brown-haired woman.
The slim black-haired girl with blue eyes who opened the door, looked at the visitor with interest: dressed in a cool blue dress barely reaching her knees and an icy colored jacket, in platform shoes with high heels. She made a rather strange impression.
"He's somewhere around here." The girl finally came to her senses. "I'll go find him now. And you?"
"I ..." The woman hesitated. "I'm his... You know, just call him, please. I have come a long way to see him. I need to talk to him."
"Okay." She hid inside the house.
The woman looked around. The parking area near the house was crowded with cars.
"How can I help you?" She heard a voice behind her.
Turning abruptly, she saw a tall man with brown hair and eyes standing in front of her.
"Gideon!" The guest smiled. "You look exactly the way I saw you in my dreams."
"What?" The man was confused.
"I know." She began in a confused manner. "It will sound crazy... And unexpected... And I don't know where to start... You see, Gideon... I am your mother. I understand that it will be difficult for you to believe in it... You know nothing about me…"
"Oh." He stepped towards her on the porch and closed the door behind him. "Well, off course I know about you, Miss French."
"What?" Belle was confused. "But how? Where from?"
"From my parents." Gideon nodded. "They assumed you wouldn't give up trying to contact me. Therefore, several years ago they told me everything, so that your appearance wouldn't be a shocking surprise for me."
"That's how it is." she breathed. "Knowing your parents, I can imagine what they told you about me!"
"Knowing my parents," the man smiled, "I can assure you they told me everything as it is, there is no doubt. How did you find me, Miss French?"
"Call me simply Belle." Belle muttered. "I understand that "mother" is…"
"Sorry, Miss French, it's more convenient for me like that." Gideon interrupted. "So how did you end up here?"
"An old acquaintance helped me." his conversationalist answered evasively.
"Miss Swan." He nodded. "Well, it is impressive that over all these years she hasn't lost her heroic ardor."
"Do you know about her as well?" She was astonished.
"Of course." her son confirmed. "I know our whole story with you."
"I'm not sure you do." Belle shook her head. "You think I abandoned you? That I left you?"
"Well, for starters, you abandoned my father, didn't you?" He carefully looked at the woman. "And only after that, wanting to separate us from each other forever, you did abandon me in turn."
"This isn't true!" Belle exclaimed. "I did not abandon you! I wanted to give you a better chance! A chance for a normal life! Then, someday, I would find a way to get back to you! I wanted to be a good mother to you!"
"No, Miss French. My mother is the one who wanted to be a good mother, who was able to prevent all this madness." Gideon said calmly. "Who had been around all these years. She read books to me, walked with me, endured my whims, did my homework with me. She courageously survived my difficult teenage years. She was with me then and there. Not later, someday."
"You think I didn't want the same?" Miss French continued in a raised voice. "But your father..."
"Please, Miss French." her son interrupted again. "After all that you have done to my father... Excuse me, but I don't want to hear anything from you about him."
"After everything I did to your father?!" Belle was amazed. "I loved him! I wanted us to have a good family! I wanted him to be a good man! But he betrayed me so many times, lied to me and used my trust! I wanted to be a good wife and a good mother but he ruined everything! He is…"
"Once again, I'm asking you to refrain from commenting on my father." Gideon stopped her.
"But I was trying to get you back!" She did not give up. "You know that yourself, since you know about Emma's existence. I wanted to be your mother! And for this I spent 25 years in prison thanks to your father. Do you think this is fair?!"
"Probably considering what you did, you were desperate. And humanely, I feel sorry for you." her son answered her. "But as an assistant to the district prosecutor and as the same child who could have lost his family, I consider the sentence adequate."
"I don't know what they told you, but they got what they wanted." Belle muttered. "You hate me!"
"I'm sure it was like that when I first found out about you." Gideon agreed. "But then it passed. After all, in the end, everything really turned out for the best. If you hadn't abandoned my father, if you hadn't given me up, my parents would probably have never married. I wouldn't have my mom, my sisters, my whole family, my life. So in the end, I realized that I am grateful to you. You really gave me a chance for a better life. Your mistake was only that you thought it would be away from my father. My best life is away from you in fact."
"But you don't know me at all!" Miss French protested.
"The problem is that I don't want to get to know you." The man shrugged. "I will say again that I feel sorry for you. You really have lost a lot and obviously still suffer from your mistakes. But I don't want to let you into my life. And I don't feel obligated to do this. I must ask you to leave, Miss French."
"Gideon." Belle said pleadingly. "Please give me a chance!"
"Of course, I will give you a chance," Gideon nodded, taking a checkbook from his pocket. "A chance to fix your life somehow." He wrote out a check and handed it to Belle. "Obviously you need money now. There isn't much here but you'll have enough for a new start. That's all I can do for you."
"No, Gideon!" She backed away from him. "I won't take it!"
"You will take it." He put the check in the pocket of her jacket. "And you won't bother my family ever again. I don't want to be rude to you, much less threaten you, but if you appear here again or, God forbid, in my parents' house, this will end badly. Now you really have to leave. Another time, I would have given you more time. I understand that you want to ease your soul and that you have accumulated a lot of things over the years, but you have chosen a very inappropriate day. Tomorrow is my wedding. Today, my parents are coming. And they will be here at any moment. Mom called me shortly before you arrived."
"I'm not afraid of meeting them!" Belle blurted out. "And you? Aren't you worried that when we come face to face, our stories will not coincide? And the image of your world that you protect so much could be shaken?"
"Not at all." Gideon grimaced. "I'm worried about my parents. They are both already not so young and they don't need at all such a hassle as it would be meeting you. They are already nervous enough because of my wedding. Your presence here is completely unacceptable."
"Gideon." The same black-haired blue-eyed girl leaned out of the second-floor window. "I need you right here, right now."
"Two minutes, Tali." He smiled at the girl.
"Is that your bride?" Miss French asked enthusiastically.
"Who? Tali?" Gideon grinned. "No! This is my cousin."
"Cousin?" Belle was surprised. "But how?"
"Well, you know that my mom has a sister." he began patiently. "And you probably even saw her on the news. Senator Regina Stern. Tali is her daughter. This is called a cousin."
"Sister?" The woman grinned. "Is that what they call each other?"
"I know this story, too." Gideon sighed. "Please, Miss French, you are really starting to make me nervous. I don't want to get you out with force but, you know, dad is not feeling so well lately and I don't even want to imagine what could happen if you meet here in my house."
From the street, a dark blue Bentley turned into the courtyard and at that moment Gideon grabbed Belle by the elbow and dragged her into the house, having encountered a gray-haired man in the hallway.
"David!" He breathed a sigh of relief. "Please get her out of here. This is Miss French."
"Miss?..." Stern asked perplexedly. "Oh, that one?" He realized.
"Exactly." Gideon confirmed. "And now's not the right time at all. My parents are already here." He nodded towards the parking lot. "You understand they shouldn't see her. Take her to the back door and put her in a taxi. I'll call one now".
"I'll arrange everything myself." David dismissed him, taking the woman's arm. "Go to your parents."
"Thank you!" He slipped out the door.
"Let's go, dear." Stern pulled Belle along.
They went into the kitchen, where the woman stood still at the open window, looking at her son through the light curtains, who was walking quickly to the car.
"Miss French." David tried to move her along gently. "You really need to leave."
"I know." Belle whispered. "Please give me another minute. I won't do anything, I promise. I just want to look at him a little more."
Gideon, meanwhile, had already approached the Bentley and opened the driver's door, from which the Queen flew out to meet him.
"Mommy!" He hugged her.
"Hi little one!" She hung on his neck, showering him with kisses.
"I've missed you." Her son pressed himself against her, resting his forehead on her shoulder.
"Me too." The Queen stroked his shoulders.
He kissed her quickly and after going to the other door offered Gold his hand.
"How are you feeling? Are you tired?" he asked, helping his father getting out of the car.
"All is well." he assured him. "Won't you tell me that you missed me?"
"Well, isn't that obvious?" He hugged his father, holding him tightly. "I'm so glad to see you. Both of you." Continuing to hug Gold with one arm, he extended the other to the Queen and pressed her again on him. "I love you both very much"
"I don't think he wants to get married." She looked at her husband.
"Mama! Don't start again." Gideon laughed, letting go of his parents. "We have already discussed everything. Many times. I love Judy! And all will be well. And I will complete the dissertation, yes." he added under the Queen's inquiring gaze. "I have already promised you that about ten times."
"I hope so." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Where are your sisters?"
"Charlotte arrived in the morning but already left for the city, she has some things to do." he answered. "And Rachel will arrive in the evening, her flight is delayed."
"I see." the Queen nodded. "Have Regina and David already arrived?"
"David is somewhere here." He waved his hand vaguely toward the house. "And Regina will come tomorrow, she has a press conference today."
"Well, who would doubt that Madame Senator would be too busy to arrive on time!" His mother faked indignation.
"Don't worry, she will be here on time." Gideon kissed her on the cheek. "Guess who came along with David?"
"Tali?!" Regina exclaimed. "Where is she? I need to cuddle her urgently! Now! Right away!"
"She's in my office." Gideon smiled. "She is studying the case materials... No, I won't say it."
"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "And is this definitely legal, given that she is a trainee in a law firm?"
"Well..." Gideon said. "Let's assume that you did not ask me this question. Just go and hug your niece already."
"I will do just so." The Queen walked quickly toward the house.
"Come on." He took his father's arm. "I will take you to yours and mother's bedroom"
"Just like that?" Gold said surprised. "Generally, I planned to drink some whiskey with David, since he is already here. I haven't seen him for a long time either, with these endless trips of his. As if there was no one else to give students lectures other than Professor Stern."
"Listen, I don't know where he is." Gideon said as neutrally as possible. "He got a call from the clinic right before your arrival. As far as I understand, they need his consultation about one of the patients. Generally he removed himself somewhere, immersed in conversation."
"Well, that'll go on for a long time." Gold sighed. "David is very thorough in his consultations".
"Exactly so,." Gideon nodded. "And you should lie down and rest off the road, for starters."
"You are just like your mother." His father grinned.
"I'm related to her." He smiled, pulling Gold into the house with him.
"It's unbelievable." Belle whispered, still looking out the window. "They both got old."
"Well, this is a completely natural process." Stern's voice came to her. "Let's go, Miss French. Taxi is waiting."
"Not for those who own magic." she muttered absentmindedly.
"I'm sorry, what?" he asked.
"No, nothing." Belle shook her head. "Let's go."
They went outside, where a car was waiting for them
"Please." David opened the door of the taxi for Belle.
"But why didn't he do that for me?" She looked confused at Stern, getting into the car.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean." He shrugged. "I'll pay for your trip, don't worry." he added. "All the best, Miss French."
He stood on the sidewalk for some time, looking at the receding car. And only when it disappeared from sight he went back to the house.