It was a beautiful day in June, when the summer skies were blue and white clouds dotted the sky as far as the eyes could see, this day was made for a wedding. Unfortunately, everyone's stress level was too high to appreciate it. Emma's mother Mary Margaret was just about on the verge of a stroke. The affair was for her only daughter and it was understandable to be worried, but she was beyond that, in fact she may have gained a few more gray hairs since the start of the wedding planning.
Emma and Neal were getting dressed after some pre-marital bliss in their room. He turned and looked at the bed, covers and sheets thrown, bite marks in the pillows. Neal considered a bed to be an intimate thing, something you share with someone you trust, not a stranger you've met only a couple of times.
"Oh, fuck Emma." Neal's realization was setting in. "My dad and Belle are assigned to the same room."
"I'm sorry I just assumed when my parents met your father, they knew he was divorced, so when I mentioned Belle's your mother as a joke, I didn't think they would take it literally." Emma tried to explain.
"Well they did, and now my roommate is going to be sharing a bed with my dad." He blew out a breath and put his head down into his hand. He knew something was going to go wrong, things always did at weddings, but he assumed Emma would just trip coming down the aisle or something like that, not Belle and his father sleeping in the same bed for 3 days.
"I feel like this is my fault," Emma said feeling sorry for her soon to be husband.
"No baby it's not," He turns to her. " Emma it was a misunderstanding. You didn't know your parents were going to take your joke seriously."
"Yeah, my mom's just been so stressed out. I'm surprised she hasn't had a heart attack by now. The moment she wakes up in the morning she's only focused on the wedding." There was a moment of silence, both of them realizing how bad this could potentially be for Belle and Mr. Gold, hell they barely even knew one another. "Maybe we can still tell my mom. It's not too late, the guests haven't arrived, maybe she can move some rooms around."
"No it'll just be adding more tension, I don't think your mother can handle anymore," Neal said before groaning. Emma gave him a kiss on his temple and stroked her fingers through his hair. She knew this was bad, and that Neal was having a difficult time with it.
It was then they heard the shrilling voice of Emma's mother calling for them, both quickly finished getting dress and scurried downstairs.
"Neal, Emma oh good you're here," Mary Margaret said giving them both a hug. Neal noticed she looked exhausted and in need of sleep.
"Good to see you son." Emma's father David said before giving Neal a hearty handshake.
"Oh Neal I'm so looking forward to meeting your mother." Mary Margaret said.
"Well, there's something I need to explain about that-"
"Oh no please don't tell me she's not going to be able to make it," Her happy expression fell and a hand leaped to her chest. "Belle's her name right? Emma tells me she's a wonderful mother."
"Mom listen-" Emma tried to let Neal finish explaining.
"I am, I'm just really looking forward to meeting your mother." She tells Neal. Her expression wasn't saddened or upset, it was more disappointed than anything. "As charming as your father is, I'm sure your mother is a delight. Now, what was it you wanted to say?"
He couldn't do it, he didn't have the heart to disappoint his future mother- in-law, telling her that Belle wasn't his mother would just have to wait. "Nothing, just that my mother is looking forward to meeting you too."
"Oh wonderful I can't wait to talk about grandchildren with her." Mary Margaret said making Emma sigh in embarrassment. "Come David, there are some things we need to take care of before the guests arrive." She walks off to the ceremony room with her husband following close behind.
"What happened?" Emma asked.
"I couldn't do it," He sighs. "I didn't want to let her down."
"Well now we're back at square one," Emma huffs folding her arms across her chest. "any more ideas?"
"Just one."
xox0xox
The wedding goers were flooding the villa. The people on Emma's side of the family were so dainty and refined, and Neal's side were sophisticated as well. Mr. Gold and his step brother Jefferson along with his daughter, and their father Malcolm Gold were all stepping out of a black limo dressed in tailor-made suits with gold accents. 7-year-old Gracie Gold, Neal's cousin, was in an elegant pink and white dress that matched the wedding colors, she was to be the flower girl, and she was more than happy to have the attention on her during the wedding.
"Mr. Gold." He heard his name being called through an Australian accent. He turned around to see Belle approaching wearing a yellow summer dress paired with open toe heels that made her legs look toned as she walked.
"Belle long time no see," it's been over a year since Neal proposed and in that year Gold hadn't seen or spoken to Belle since, but she was still as beautiful as he remembered. "Let me introduce you to my family."
They all exchanged polite pleasantries before walking inside together. Gold made a special effort to walk beside Belle as they entered the villa.
"Dad!" He heard his son call his name through the crowd standing in the reception room. Neal shuffled through the crowd of people, stopping every so often to shake the hand of a guest who wanted to congratulate him. Finally he made it to his dad, partly out of breath. "Dad, okay I need to make this quick, Emma's mother will be coming to speak to you in a bit."
"Neal is everything okay?" Belle asked.
"Oh good Belle, you're here." he pulled them to the side. "I need a favor, and if this didn't have the potential of ruining Emma's and my big day, I wouldn't ask this from you." He looks over his shoulder and he sees Mary Margaret and David approaching through the crowd of guests.
"Well what is it son?" Mr. Gold asked desperately wanting to know what had his son so worked up.
He exhales. "Emma's parents thinks Belle is my real mother."
"What!" Mr. Gold and Belle exclaimed in unison.
"I know, I know. Look just please go along with it." He turns to see Emma's parents closing in. "Please," Neal begged with fingers interlocked.
"What is it you need us to do?" Belle asked ready to help her friend in any way she could.
"Just play like a married couple for 3 days, that's it." He said before looking over his shoulder again.
"Neal this is quite a favor to ask of Belle. We barely even know each other." Mr. Gold tried to explain his doubts about this situation.
"I know, I just really need everything to go smoothly." Neal pleaded to both of them.
"Neal this isn't a good idea," His father said expressing his uncertainties. "you're asking us, two strangers, to pretend to be married."
"I don't mind helping Neal out," Belle said and both of the Gold men did a double take at her.
"Are you sure?" Mr. Gold asked.
"Yeah, I don't mind, I would hate for Neal's big day to be ruined," Belle explained. "It's only for 3 days, shouldn't be a problem."
Mr. Gold looked at his son with a disgruntled look, but he saw in Neal's face that he really needed this favor. "Neal listen, we'll help you out as best as we can, but after the wedding, you need to come clean to Emma's parents."
"Yes, yes I will I promise." He took a big sigh of relief before looking over his shoulder again to see his in-laws only a few feet away. "Oh shit here they are."
"Mr. Gold it's a pleasure to see you again," she said giving him a loving hug before turning to Belle. "Oh My God this must be your wife Belle." She blurted out before pulling her in for a hug.
"Yes it's very nice to finally meet you Mrs. Nolan," Belle said graciously hugging her back.
"No please don't call me that," She said with a smile. "We're sisters now, Mary Margaret is fine." She took Belle by the hands to have a look at her." Wow, look at you, so young and beautiful. Unfortunately for myself, I think I aged a few more years since the planning." she commented before giggling.
"No, not at all, you look fantastic," Belle said with emphasis to flatter her.
"Thank you dear." She said before looking around the reception hall. "Well I need to greet a few more guests so I'll talk to you two very soon." Belle nodded and smiled pleasantly. Mary Margaret took Neal by the hand to lead him off. "Neal, would you mind following me? There's some more of Emma's family I want you to meet before Regina makes her announcement."
Neal followed behind Emma's parents before turning around and giving Belle and his dad a thumbs up and mouthing Thank You.
Mr. Gold and Belle were still taken back by all this. He didn't particularly know what to say to her. He supposed apologizing for his son's antics was a start. "Belle I'm sorry about all of this, I had no clue Neal was going to ask this of us."
"Neither did I," Belle said in confusion. She thought she was just attending the wedding, not posing as the mother of the groom.
"We don't have to do this, I can make Neal tell Emma's parents the truth now, and we can save ourselves the embarrassment," He said trying to back out of this silly game Neal asked them to play.
"Well, he did promise to tell them after the wedding. We can play along for 3 days." Belle considered, she could go along with the charade, he was a very handsome man, she really didn't mind.
Mr. Gold was just about to speak again when the sound of a microphone's feedback stopped him.
"Good afternoon everyone." the room settles down to listen to the wedding planner's announcement. "My name is Regina Mills and I would like you to welcome you all to the union ceremony of Emma Nolan and Neal Gold." the room filled with cheering and clapping as the future newlyweds smile and waved at their guests. "In your invitations you should have received an itinerary." She gave everyone a moment to pull out their itineraries, " Now what I recommend is to go upstairs, find your room and get settled in. Afterward in about an hour, we will meet back here for the meet and greet."
The commotion in the room continues when Regina places the microphone back on the podium. The guests unhurriedly made their way up the stairs, some stayed and continued conversing downstairs.
"Can I help you with your bag?" Before she even had a chance to answer his hand was wrapped around the handle, steadying himself with his cane in the other hand.
"You sure you got it?"
"Of course," He said not wanting her to worry, he had a bad leg, but he wanted to show her he wasn't completely incapable of simple tasks, either that, or he wanted to impress her.
The idea of Belle pretending to be his wife wasn't looking so much like a bad idea. She was certainly beautiful, but he remained doubtful. After all, he knew she only said yes because she was looking out for his son, not because she wanted to. She led the way looking for her room as Gold followed closely behind her. On the invitation it said her room was the last room on the right, but when she made it there, on the door it read The Golds.
"I don't think this is right." She said turning back to him.
He smirked. "No it's correct. Remember Emma's parents believe we are husband and wife."
"Oh, so that means-" She trailed off not wanting to say it out loud, but she was going to have to sleep in the same room with him as well. "Oh wow I suppose I didn't really think this through when I told Neal yes." She didn't expect to be sleeping in the same room as her roommate's father, but in all honesty she really didn't mind.
"It's not entirely too late to back out." He said sort of disappointed, he was beginning to look forward to pretending Belle was his wife.
"No, I'm afraid it sort of is. I've already told Mary Margaret I'm his mother and the guests are already in their rooms." She did a nervous fidget with her hands. "We might as well try."
Belle opened the door to their room and walked in, Gold did the same and placed Belle's bag down on a chair beside the door. When he finally turned back around all the color from his face left. There was only one bed.
"Seems this day just keeps on getting better and better." Gold quipped with a forced chuckle, but when he looked to Belle she wasn't laughing. "I'm sorry that was a terrible joke, I should go see if my father has some room for me."
"No we have to do this properly." She said. One bed wasn't a deal breaker for her and she didn't want him backing out either. "If you sleep in another room, Emma's parents might think something is off."
He felt so embarrassed about the whole situation. "But Belle there's only one bed, that means-"
Belle cut him off, saying the words wouldn't make the situation any less awkward. "Mr. Gold I'm well aware of what it means."
"And you're going to be okay with that?"
Her eyes were transfixed on the bed, trying to find anything that would make these new circumstances seem practical. She walks to the bed and sits on the left side, testing it out by bouncing on it. "The bed is quite big, unless you're going to tell me you're a cuddler."
Gold chuckled. "No, I don't think I am. What about you?"
"I'm not sure, I haven't had a chance to find out, since I sleep alone." He liked that about her. She had a good sense of humor for this otherwise detrimental situation. "So which side do you prefer?"
"I sleep alone too," He said walking to sit on the right side of the bed.
"Then I call the left." She said playfully gaining a laugh from Mr. Gold.
Gold pulled out the itinerary and reads over it, Belle leaned over to read it with him. "Looks like the first thing on the schedule is the meet and greet."
"Well I can't introduce you as Mr. Gold, whats your first name?"
"Michael." He told her and he decided it was only fair that he was allowed to ask Belle a question as well. "Okay my turn to ask something."
"Sure, shoot me your question." she was sort of having fun with this introduction game they were playing.
It didn't take him long to figure out what he wanted to ask her, truthfully he was becoming curious about her. "How old are you?"
"34." She said nervously, worried he might consider something was wrong with her. Most women at that age were married or at least in a stable relationship. But she quickly spoke again so his thoughts wouldn't linger on her age. "My turn, what's your favorite color?"
"Blue," he said, but his favorite color wasn't blue, until this moment. "Same as your eyes."
Belle blushed. "What's your next question for me?"
"Hmmm." He hummed to himself while lost in his thoughts. "I have a better idea. How about we practice what we're going to say to Emma's parents."
"Good one," Belle said, if they had any chance of pulling this off, they would need to be convincing. "I suppose we'll need to come up with a backstory for how we met."
Gold remembered that Belle was a librarian, so she must have a fondness or a very strong knowledge of books. "How about this: we met at a book signing for our favorite author?"
"And you were kind enough to let me skip ahead of you in the line," Belle said finishing the false scenario.
"You're very good at this, and then what?" Mr. Gold asked.
"Well let's see," Belle said looking up at the ceiling while she thought. "We kept talking about our favorite books by the author as the line slowly dwindled down."
"And after our books were autographed, I asked you on a date," He said, but cursing himself inside for being too forward, even though this wasn't real, he didn't want to be a cocky asshole in their fake marriage.
"And where did we go on our first date?" She asked, her voice soft, almost a whisper.
"Out to dinner, at some fancy restaurant." He suggested.
"I can remember, you were quite the gentleman on our date." She said smiling.
"And you were beautiful, and then I realized I couldn't live without you." He clears his throat. "Hypothetically." He quietly corrected.
Belle wasn't expecting him to say that, although it was certainly convincing, she even believed it herself for a moment. She doubted anyone would think twice about them being married if they told this story. They fell silent for a moment, it was left up to her to save this from turning awkward again.
"Sounds believable enough." She said leaning back over to her side of the bed before getting up and flattening down her sundress. "Maybe I should freshen up before we go back downstairs."
"Oh yes of course, I'll just-" he looked around the room for a distraction. "Watch some TV until you're ready."
Belle nodded before grabbing her bag and heading into the bathroom. His eyes followed her until the bathroom door shut behind her. Fuck he groaned to himself before leaning back on the headboard of the bed. Three days he reminded himself. Just three days.
Happy Belated Christmas. See you in 2017!
-RL