Chapter 12
"Dad! Dad!" Belle led Rumford through the crowd towards her father, a big heavy man by the name of Moe French.
He had a tool belt wrapped around his thick waist, and was wearing a chief's cap. Belle's father was talking to a few friends of his.
Rumford gulped when the big man turned around, but he didn't notice Rumford, just Belle. Moe smiled, and embraced his daughter with a big hug.
"Belle! Look at you, you've grown even more beautiful than the last time I saw you, my precious girl," Moe boomed in his loud voice, he held her at arm's length and inspected her.
"I missed you dad," Belle said, and he told her he had missed her too.
Then Belle turned and motioned for Rumford to join them. He swallowed hard, and slowly, uncertainly walked over to stand behind Belle.
Moe watched them with curiosity in his eyes, but didn't say anything.
"Dad," Belle began, "You remember Rumford right?" Rumford's eyes flickered nervously from Moe to an opening in the crowd. He wanted to flee the scene, but instead he moved to rest his hand hands on Belle's shoulders.
"Of course I do Belle, but its politer to call him Mr. Gold," Moe narrowed his eyes at them, eyeing Rumford's hands that now rested on Belle's shoulders. "Since when have you two been on a first name basis?"
"We're dating now," Belle announced, and to emphasize the point, reached up and took one of Rumford's hands into hers.
"Is that so?" Moe murmured, his facial expression carefully concealing how he felt about this.
"Aye, it is Mr. French," Rumford said, beginning to squirm a little.
To his surprise, Moe laughed at this, and embraced both Belle and Rumford in a big hug, "Well then, you'd best not break my daughter's heart Gold, or I'll have to break your face". He released them and smiled, clasping his hands together.
"B-but I thought you'd be—" Rumford started to say.
"Be angry?" Moe guessed, and Mr. Gold nodded.
Moe shrugged, still grinning, "I was, when Widow Lucas called and first told me about it, but I've come to understand that he makes you happy," Moe said, then added with a spark of mischief in his eyes, "And if he doesn't we can throw him to the curb, now let's go get some food, I'm starved".
Rumford took Belle's hand in his, and together they followed Moe to where the others of their group were waiting.
Maybe I do deserve a second chance after all, Rumford thought happily, as he, Belle and Moe joined his son, Jefferson, Emma, Ruby and Killian.
The End.