Six
Inside the Withers' cheerful yellow Cape Cod, Rose surveyed her new abode with hopeful eyes. The room seemed comfortable, if a bit old-fashioned. With toile wallpaper, cream-colored carpet, and whimsical fairy figurines placed carefully on the dresser, it seemed as if a little girl had lived there. Her golden comforter was waiting for her on the single bed; a reassuring, familiar sight. And, happily, a chest-high shelf loaded with books stared back at her from the far wall. She smiled with relief. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad.
"What do you think, dear?" Fiona asked, hands clasped. "Will it do?"
"It's even better than I hoped for," Rose answered kindly, relieving her hostess.
"Wonderful!" the older lady exclaimed, clapping her palms gleefully together. "Oh, I'm so glad you like it! Well, I'll leave you to get settled in. If you need anything, Faye and I will be in the kitchen."
"Thank you." Rose watched with fond amusement as the portly grey-haired woman in the red floral dress bustled away, singing to herself under her breath. Fiona and Faye Withers did seem like nice people. She wouldn't meet Mary until dinnertime, when she got off work at the library, but she felt sure she'd be just as pleasant as her elder sisters.
Although Rose couldn't fault Mr. Gold for having chosen such wholesome folk to take her in, she still didn't like the idea of keeping her distance. He'd admitted that this wouldn't be easy for him. For her part, Rose wondered if it would even be possible.
In the days before leaving the clinic, she had searched her feelings and determined that there was a bond between them, and not only because he'd freed her from that awful place below the hospital. That day, two strangers had come to her rescue, but only one had generated that strange tug inside her chest, and it was not the blonde woman she later learned was the town sheriff. Over weeks of visits spent reading together, or just sitting in soft silence and enjoying being outdoors in each other's company, the bond had deepened. Naming that bond, however, was something she couldn't yet do.
Despite his being a middle-aged man, Rose didn't see Mr. Gold as a father, although he'd already been far kinder than her own ever was. Neither was he just a friend, someone to pass time with in amusement and then leave; the temporary absence of a friend wouldn't affect her so profoundly. Whatever this feeling turned out to be, it was a fact that his warm brogue, haunted tawny eyes and barely perceptible sighs were seared into her heart like a brand. Even after such a short time, his closeness felt necessary, like having air to breathe or water to drink. She could only hope their separation wasn't permanent.
Rose unpacked her things distractedly, placing her sweatpants, T-shirts and socks into different drawers. It occurred to her that she would probably need money soon, to buy clothes more suitable for everyday use and for the cold. Of course, that meant finding a job, and with that came a new worry: who would hire someone fresh out of the town asylum? She thought of asking Mr. Gold for help, then smacked herself mentally for doing it. He doesn't want me to be seen with him, she reminded herself sadly. Besides, I'm not a child. I can't run to him for every little thing. And I'm free now. Sooner or later, I'm going to have to learn to take care of myself. Somehow...
She exhaled loudly. Maybe the sisters would have a solution. It's at least worth asking. Following that train of thought, Rose left her room and headed into the kitchen, where the grey-haired spinsters were bustling around over boiling kettles.
"Hello, dear!" Faye simpered without turning around. The thinner lady's voice was easy to recognize, as it was more timid and a bit tremulous. "Did you need something?"
"I was hoping I could help," the girl offered.
"Oh! What a darling you are!" Faye whirled round on her heel, grinning. "Of course you can. Just come right over here, and I'll put you to work making the tea!"
*LL*
As the sky turned that last mauve hue before nightfall, Mr. Gold stared through the glass at the front of his shop and sighed. Love was about doing what was best for the object of your affection, even if it meant letting them go. That was certainly one lesson he'd learned in his previous life. Still, he couldn't stop his foolish heart from watching that door like a hawk, and wishing his Belle would walk through it.
And what if she did? his mind mused coldly. Suppose she did come back. Suppose she learned to love you, and maybe even forgive you for all the monstrous things you've done. What then? Marriage? All well and good for you. But if she were to take your name, to become Mrs. Gold, she'd be reviled, friendless; simply for the sake of being yours. The town would hate her as much as they hate you. And what kind of life would that be for her?
They couldn't be together; not without paying a steep social price. This wasn't exactly a world designed with happy endings in mind. And he'd already destroyed her life once. He refused to do it a second time. Desolately, he turned the sign outward to say 'Closed' and locked the door.
*LL*
As it turned out, affording proper clothes for the Maine weather wouldn't be an issue for Rose French. Included with the monthly rent was a sealed envelope containing a money order addressed to her, along with the simplest of explanatory notes:
This should be enough for necessities for the moment. I hope you like the room. Take care. – D.G.
Rose frowned. Mr. Gold's note was not only succinct, it was bland and impersonal. There was no hint of warmth at all in those few penned words. Had he been afraid the sisters might get nosy and read it? Or was this a reminder that they couldn't be close anymore? At least he cared enough to see that her needs were met, she reasoned. That had to mean something.
Trying not to be overly disappointed, she asked Fiona to go to the bank with her to set up an account with the money. The older woman raised her eyebrows into her hairline when she heard the amount – apparently it could cover more than just necessities – but whatever she thought, she kept it to herself. Once that errand was run, Fiona took her to the clothing store she ran with another plump little old lady, a sassy but absentminded sort with a shock of short white hair named Linda. They grinned and giggled like a couple of geese as the girl tried on outfit after outfit, shoe after shoe.
"Aunt Fiona?" The doorbell jangled as a tall, slender blonde strolled inside. Without meaning to, Rose gawked. With rolled curls down her back, a million-dollar smile and model-perfect makeup, the newcomer looked like a Miss America contestant, even in holey jeans, boots and a plain brown coat.
"Dawn! I was wondering when I'd see your face. Get in here, child!" Fiona rushed to hug the young woman. "I want to introduce you to someone. This is Rose French. She's staying with us in your old room."
"Rose French," Dawn nodded, shaking her hand. "That name sounds familiar. Did we go to school together?"
"I think so," Rose affirmed, although the memories were fuzzy at best.
"Dawn is a music teacher. She leads the local chorale and the children's choir at the elementary school," Fiona said proudly. "You should hear her sing! Such a gift."
"Nana," Dawn chided, blushing.
Rose smiled broadly. It felt good to see such a happy family relationship.
"I need to pick up my dress," Dawn said then, "the one you insisted on lengthening?"
Fiona arched a wry brow at her ward's tongue-in-cheek remark. "Mm-hmm. This had better not be for another date with that manners-deficient Dr. Whale." She headed behind the counter and retrieved a pretty pink dress with a ruffled underskirt extending past the original hem, no doubt the alteration the matron had deemed necessary.
"Oh, please, Nana! Of course not," Dawn assured her, laughing. "I'm going out with Phil Kingston. You remember him, right? His dad owns the athletic center?"
"Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" Linda piped up.
"They broke up," Dawn said matter-of-factly, although her eyes danced. "What about you, Rose? Are you seeing anyone?"
"No," she demurred, trying not to feel overly awkward. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"You should go work out with me," the blonde suggested mischievously. "I'll bet we could find you a boyfriend in no time flat."
"Well, it would be nice to get out," Rose blushed. She certainly had the tennis shoes and sweats to wear, although the word 'boyfriend' invoked an almost painful response in her chest for some reason.
"Great! It'll be nice to have a workout buddy," Dawn beamed. "Can you come tomorrow morning?"
*LL*
A/N: Just to clarify the alternate identities: Fiona is Flora, Faye is Fauna, and Mary is Merryweather. Linda is Cinderella's fairy godmother. And Phil Kingston, of course, would be Prince Philip. Personally, I thought this chapter was a tad boring, but I needed to set up some kind of realistic exposition for Rose's new life, so things will pick up in Chapter 7. ;)
