Chapter 1.
The room was cold and smelled musty, much like the woman who was sitting opposite 16-year-old Emma Swan with her arms folded and a steely look in her eyes behind her glasses. Emma took in a deep breath and fought to keep her nonchalant expression on her face, she wasn't going to show this woman that she was frightened of her. Emma Swan wasn't frightened of anything or anyone… well, until now.
"So, when did her condition come to light?" Matron asked, directing the question at Emma's mother but keeping her eyes on the teenager
"Yesterday, Matron" Emma's mother Angela replied
"I see, and when was your daughter last taken unwell?" Matron asked, finally breaking her gaze on Emma and writing down these details.
"September" Emma answered quietly
Matron put down her pen and looked incredulously at Emma who blinked away tears
"Seven months?" Matron checked, still looking shocked
"Yes Matron. Emma let out her clothes and took her mother as an idiot" Angela said bitterly.
"Has she seen her own doctor?" Matron asked, resuming her questionnaire of despair
"There wasn't time, it happened rather suddenly" Mrs Swan began but Matron interrupted.
"May I please have his name and address?"
"Whatever for?" Mrs Swan enquired
"To ask for him to send your daughter's medical notes of course. Is that an issue?" Matron asked, pausing delicately.
"Perhaps it is Matron, you see, Emma's doctor drinks with her father, and he…"
"Hasn't been told of his daughter's… indiscretion I assume?" Matron continued writing.
"No, and won't be told, with respect Matron, you see, he spoilt her rotten and thinks the world of her"
Matron now turned back towards Emma, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes on her face as she moved onto the next question.
"Do you understand why you're here Emma?" she asked
"Yes, Matron, I do" Emma said quietly
"Then you know what you've done, don't you?" Matron glanced up and Emma nodded
"She knows too much already in my book" Mrs Swan muttered but not quietly enough.
"Hmm. Full Name please Emma"
"Emma Ruth Swan"
"Date of Birth"
"Fifth of October 1959"
"Making you, fifteen at the time of conception, aged 16 years at time of admission"
"Yes Matron" Emma said again.
"Hair is blonde, Eyes are…"
"Green" Emma answered quickly, trying to get this over as fast as possible.
"Your Height?" Matron asked and Emma hesitated, and Matron put down the words 'Five Foot Three, or thereabouts'
"Are you christened Emma?"
"Yes, Church of England Matron, Christened and Confirmed. She was brought up correctly." Mrs Swan replied.
"How was your education, Emma? Good grades and good behaviour?"
"Exemplary Matron, she was on track for university to study English and History. She's going to be a teacher" Mrs Swan said, bragging a little.
"Any employment?"
"Nothing yet, aside from a paper round she had as a child"
"Was she a sickly child?" Matron asked
"Just the usual childhood coughs and colds"
Matron then asked if Emma would like to be registered as a temporary patient with the local doctor, and she agreed, hoping that this was the end of questions for her.
Matron then turned towards her mother who was looking more and more uncomfortable with the entire situation.
"Are they holding her place at school?"
"I'm to see the headmistress on Monday morning. I was going to tell them that she was unwell or summoned by a frail auntie" Mrs Swan replied, and Matron nodded, in favour of the latter option.
"Rest assured Mrs Swan that Emma will not become idle. Girls at St Saviours have to work for their keep. I hope she is skilled in domestic tasks" and Emma nodded
"She's a very willing girl Matron. I mean… willing as in she has been taught how to cook and clean at school"
"Excellent. Our day begins at 6AM sharp with prayers. Breakfast is served at 7:30, after which the girls will engage in schoolwork and housekeeping, cleaning, cooking, and laundry duties. Every girl will take her turn, slacking will not be tolerated. Am I understood, Emma?" Matron asked, looming over Emma who visibly shrank and nodded hurriedly.
"Emma may be slightly different to your other girls Matron" Mrs Swan began
"They are all God's creatures" Matron said coldly
"Of course, but she… weakened just the once, she has assured me of that Matron, just the once"
Matron eyed Emma suspiciously, while Emma tried not to break eye contact.
"Her afternoons will likely consist of welfare instruction and mothercraft lessons. Her evenings are kept for recreation. Lights out at 9:30. No exceptions. And no visitors" Matron concluded
"Why no visitors?" Emma asked timidly
"We don't encourage it; it can be unsettling for her. She's in good hands now Mrs Swan, don't you fuss about her."
"Thank you, ever so kindly Matron, but she's brought her own bedding, we weren't sure of the proper way."
"We take care of that, Mrs Swan. We take care of everything" Matron replied
"And… afterwards?" Mrs Swan asked, blushing
"If that is what you would like, then yes." Matron confirmed and Mrs Swan gave a great sigh of relief
"She's only sixteen Matron, a bright girl with a promising future. She shouldn't have to give all that up for one mistake. What happens when her time comes?"
"When the time comes, she will be taken to the local cottage hospital, she will remain there for up to ten days afterwards and will then return here for a further six weeks." Matron said, pushing forms towards Emma and her mother.
"I bring the baby back here?" Emma asked and her mother hissed as though in pain
"Yes, Emma. You and your baby will stay here for a further six weeks until they can be fed solid food or formula milk, or until an appropriate adopted family can be found. Then you spend a further night without the infant to pack up belongings and say goodbyes to everyone else, and you will leave the following morning. Now, I make the time as a quarter to twelve, leaving you enough time to unpack and make your bed before lunch at 12:30. I have never seen a girl with so much luggage." Matron said, sitting down behind her desk once more.
"We weren't sure what I would need Matron, so I brought more than most people" Emma said, sweeping her curly blonde hair out of her eyes.
"You need only discipline and some common sense, and some tight morals. Now, follow me and I will show you where everything is."
Emma picked up her suitcase with some difficulty and began to climb the steep stone staircase, her mother following Matron and urging Emma to hurry. Matron pointed out various hallways that had bathtubs and showers, one door led to a quiet room for studying or recreation, another door hid the small library where the girls could borrow any story that they wanted, a flight of wooden stairs led them to the attic where Emma was fitted with her uniform: a white oversized blouse and large navy pinafore, black stockings and black lace up shoes. Her old clothes would be put into her suitcase, ready for her when she would be leaving.
"And this will be your bedroom, Emma. You're sharing with Regina Mills; I think you'll really get on with her. Now spit-spot and get ready for lunch. Say your goodbyes up here Mrs Swan, then off you pop to the bus stop. No use in prolonging the inevitable. I expect you downstairs in thirty minutes Emma, tardiness won't be tolerated."
"Yes Matron" Emma said dully, as she began quickly unpacking everything that she had brought with her while her mother began to make her bed for her.
"Can I help you mum?" Emma asked
"You can't do corners, I'm almost finished" her mother replied tersely.
"Wouldn't now be a good time to learn?" Emma asked and her mother hissed at her cheek.
"I wonder what the other girl will be like?" her mother wondered aloud.
"I hope she's nice, I hope she's easy" Emma said, hanging up her clothes in the wardrobe
"I think you can be sure of that" her mother said snippily.
"Do you think she might want to be friends?" Emma asked hopefully.
"I don't want you to make any lasting friendships Emma, keep your head down and work harder than you ever have before. The last thing we need is some little slut turning up on our doorstep- whatever will your father say?" her mother admonished
"What are you going to tell my dad?" Emma asked, her heart thudding.
"That a poor great aunt who lives in the country has had a terrible fall, asked for Emma to be sent to help her recover. I will likely have to tell your headmistress the same thing, you'll be quite the little heroine when you come home Emma.
"What about Neal? Will you tell him where I am? He might get an early release and come to find me" Emma asked
"That dreadful boy! I asked you not to see him and now look where you are. Sixteen years old and landed with a baby! Do you have any idea what the neighbours would say if they found out about you?" Angela whispered; shame prevalent in her voice
"But he loves me" Emma whispered to herself, but her mother had sharp ears
"Is this what you do to someone you love? Lead them astray and punish them for the rest of their natural life? Not that you're little Miss Innocent Emma, you know how these things end up."
"We didn't know it would end up this way Mum" Emma said, her eyes now glassy with tears.
"Neal's father is doctor; how could he not know? Anyway, you're in here now and he's locked up in London. You will keep completely silent on this matter, is that understood Emma?"
"Yes Mother" Emma said obediently.
"Good girl, now I'll send you some things through the post, though you must write and tell me what you need first and give me as much notice as you can, so I have time to gather everything. You be a good girl and please let me know when your time comes, I'll visit you in the hospital. I love you Emma, you're here because I love you." And with that, she was gone.
"I love you too Mother, but I won't do as you've asked."
Emma unpacked her record player and shuffled through the selection of records that she had brought with her, thinking of the dates with Neal who had given her all his favourite love songs and bought her favourite girl group hits.
"Do you take requests?" came a voice from the doorway
Emma swung round guiltily and came face-to-face with a slightly older girl with olive skin and dark hair. Her face looked kind, but her eyes were narrowed slightly, as though she was reserving judgement on Emma for another few moments.
"What would you like me to play? What do you like?" Emma asked, spreading the records across her bed.
"Nothing you've got by the looks of it, Bobby Sox and the Blue Jeans?" the other girl asked, shuffling the records about and having a look at the odd one or two but she still wasn't particularly interested.
"Not too young to get married?" Emma asked, handing it over for inspection but the brunette girl wrinkled her nose and shook her head though she was smiling slightly.
"Have you got anything by the Dixie Cups?" she asked
"I've only got Chapel of Love" Emma said slightly apologetically, and the girl shook her head again.
"Ahh this is more like it! The Ronettes!"
"Which is your favourite?" Emma asked
"Be My Baby" came the other girls reply.
"Here you go, you can put it on the player if you'd like" Emma said as her new companion carefully pulled the record from the sleeve and put it on the player and the sassy tones of the Ronettes filled their shared room.
"Be my, be my Baby, my one and only baby, Tell me…" the brunette girl sang. Her voice was strange but beautiful, quite deep for a girl but distinctive enough that Emma thought she could be a talented singer one day. The girl was very pretty but had a tough expression on her face that had softened once she began to sing, her eyes were deep brown and her figure was slender, aside from her burgeoning baby bump that was noticeable under her ugly standard uniform.
"Are we sharing?" Emma asked, as she put her empty suitcase atop the large wardrobe.
"Yep, I'm Regina. What's your name?"
"Emma, Emma Swan. How old are you, Regina?" Emma replied, running her hands over her own large bump.
"19. You look about 14, starting young, aren't you?" Regina said, but Emma knew she was joking.
Regina walked over to Emma's newly made bed and noticed the white blanket that was draped across her pillow that was sewn with purple thread and a purple silky ribbon.
"What's this?" Regina asked, running her finger gently over the stitching and smoothing the ribbon.
"My baby blanket. My mum made it for me before I was born and I've always slept with it" Emma replied, plumping her pillows and smoothing the blanket neatly over the bed like a throw.
Regina looked her up and down and smiled again
"That's not the only thing you've slept with, is it Emma?"
"I've got a steady boyfriend, not that it's any of your business" Emma replied, slightly hurt that she had to explain herself, given the reason why everyone was here.
"Did he buy you all these love songs then?" Regina asked, shuffling some of the records about and making faces at some of the titles.
"He liked to surprise me" Emma shot back, as she removed the needle from the gramophone and closed it over carefully.
"I've got all the 45's by the Ronettes, I really hope they don't release another record while I'm in here." Emma muttered as she began to pack them up into alphabetical order.
Regina sat on her own bed, wishing that she hadn't said anything. She had a unique sense of humour which can take some people a while to get used to, but the last thing she wanted to do was upset the new girl. Emma seemed like a really nice girl, not a bit like her last roommate here. Edith had been snooty, stuck-up, and spoilt. Her parents had doted on their daughter and had sent her weekly care packages. Regina had been more than happy to see the back of her.
The brunette picked up an old faded cuddly toy, a teddy bear holding a ruby red apple and cuddled it close, hating herself for opening her mouth and ruining what could've been a nice friendship with Emma. She tried once again to break the ice properly.
"It could've been me you know. Top of the hit parade" Regina said a little sadly
"You can certainly sing, you've got a lovely voice" Emma replied, trying to cement their new friendship.
"that's what Daniel used to say to me. He always said I have what it takes. Then what I had, he took. Left me in here and I'll never see him again." Regina sighed and Emma tentatively put her arm around her shoulder and nodded understandingly. Regina sniffled quietly before wiping her eyes delicately, fumbled in her pocket and retrieved a packet of cigarettes.
"Fancy a smoke? They say it keeps you thin and the baby gets healthier" Regina asked, offering the packet to Emma.
"Are you allowed?"
Regina thought for a second and then replied
"No"
"But… what about the matron?" Emma whispered, jerking her thumb towards the door.
"Please don't tell me you're frightened of that Holy Cow?" Regina scoffed and blew dainty smoke rings into Emma's face who coughed and flapped them away with her hand.
"So, what if I am? She reports back to my mother, and I want to be able to go home after… after the situation is resolved" Emma stuck out her lip defiantly, but Regina laughed but not nastily, more as though she had heard it all before.
"And?"
"I don't want to get into trouble" Emma whispered again
"That makes one of us girlie, now, come on downstairs and I'll introduce you to everyone else." And Emma took the proffered hand and was whisked downstairs towards the canteen.