Chapter 27: Stalking Cora Leads to Trouble
Regina told Mandy about Cora's mystery suitor to see if she knew anything about him. Mandy had no idea but was now determined to find out. The next time Cora left the house, Mandy called Henry on the walkie talkie so they could meet and follow her. They kept their distance, not wanting to get caught. They were hiding across the street when they saw Cora walk into the florist's shop.
"What she go in there for, to get flowers for her new boyfriend?" Henry asked.
"Or the florist is her boyfriend!" Mandy said in realization.
"Maurice…Belle's father…is Cora's boyfriend?" Henry questioned with a bewildered look on his face.
Mandy shrugged her shoulders. "Why not?"
"She's too old for him." He replied shaking his head.
"So? He's old too." She shot back.
"I guess it could be him." He said.
They spent the next five minutes peering over the bush but soon grew tired. They slumped down and began playing rock, paper, scissors to pass the time.
"How long is she going to be in there?" Henry whined as he threw out his hand to show the sign for scissors. Mandy made a fist, crushing his pair of scissors. "I don't know, Henry." She said a little annoyed.
A bell was faintly heard from across the street. They both looked up to find Cora coming out of the shop with Maurice right behind her. They talked for a few seconds before she turned to walk up the street. They slowly began following her, crouching behind cars, buildings, anything they could find. They saw Cora walk into the hospital and soon became very confused.
"Why the hell is she going in there?" Mandy questioned not expecting an answer.
"Maybe you forgot something when you were staying here?" He offered.
Mandy shook her head. "I don't think I did. But wouldn't someone have called and told me?"
"Maybe they did and Cora answered." He replied.
"Well now I'm really curious! Let's go!" She exclaimed pulling him along. They walked into the hospital cautiously, just in case Cora was close by. They saw her heading up the stairs.
"There she goes!" Henry whispered when he spotted Cora.
When they got to the top of the stairs, they saw Cora talking to Dr. Whale. They quickly jumped behind a few wheelchairs that were close by when both Cora and Dr. Whale looked over in their direction. When the adults didn't see anyone, they resumed their conversation.
"What do you think their talking about?" She whispered as she tried to keep her balance.
"Where to go for their next date?" Henry replied with a smirk on his face.
Mandy looked at him with a disgusted look on her face. "Cora and Whale? No way, that's worse than Maurice!" She said as she scrunched her nose, like she had just bit into a lemon.
"I hope it isn't him either." Henry admitted. Cora and Whale began walking towards the stairs. "So I'll see you at 5 then?" Cora asked.
Whale nodded. "Yes, you will." He said passing them as they headed down the steps.
When they were gone, Henry and Mandy came out of hiding. "Sounds like they have a date tonight." Henry said.
"Makes me sick just thinking about it." Mandy replied holding her stomach.
Henry put his hand over his mouth. "I'm right there with ya."
"We should get outta here so we don't lose track of her." Mandy suggested. They turned to go back down the stairs but Whale was coming up. They tried to hide but it was too late; Whale had spotted them.
"Henry, Miranda…what are you doing here?" He questioned in a surprised tone.
They both looked at each other for the answer. "I…ugh…wanted to…thank you…for…taking such great care of me while I was here." Mandy said trying to find a viable excuse for their being there.
Whale smiled. "Well that's my job, it's what I do. I'm just glad you're feeling better." He said patting her shoulder. "And Henry came to keep you company?"
Henry nodded. "She didn't want to come alone." He lied.
Whale nodded. "I see, well I appreciate your coming all the way down here. I would love to stay and chat but I have patients to attend to. If you'll excuse me."
"Oh of course. We wouldn't want to keep you from those sick patients." Mandy said hoping Whale would walk away.
"We need to go anyway. C ya!" Henry grabbed Mandy's hand and began running down the stairs, only to be yelled at by a few nurses along the way.
"That was a close one." Mandy said breathlessly when they finally made it out the door.
"Good thinking on your part." Henry complimented.
"Thanks." She said smiling." Do you see Cora anywhere?"
Henry looked around and spotted her a little bit up the block. "I think that's her." He said pointing.
They saw her go into a house. They slowly snuck up to the side of the house, making sure they weren't seen by anyone.
"Who lives here?" Mandy whispered.
Henry shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me."
They peaked through the window and saw Cora sitting next to King George on the couch. Both of their jaws dropped. King George had his hand on Cora's thigh as they sat close to each other and talked.
Henry sat on the ground leaning against the house. "I can't watch anymore."
Mandy soon joined him. "This is getting way to weird, even for Cora." She said shaking her head in disbelief.
"Is she seeing all three of them?' Henry asked.
Mandy was surprised by the questioned. "I haven't thought of that but with Cora…anything's possible."
"So…what now?"
"I don't feel like waiting…and I'm getting hungry." Mandy said as she got to her feet but remained in a crouching position.
Henry followed suit. "Me too. Let's go to your house. I wanna see Regina."
Mandy smiled. She knew Regina would be happy to see him. "Of course!"
They were on their way to Regina's house and were talking. They weren't paying attention to their surroundings. Someone threw bags over their heads, tied their hands behind their back and grabbed them from behind. They were dragged into the nearby woods, not too far in just off the road. They were pushed to the ground and the bags were taken off their heads to reveal their kidnappers.
"You." Mandy said angrily her eyes becoming full of rage.
"Thought you'd never see us again, did ya?" The familiar voice echoed through Mandy's ears. She never wanted to see these people again. Peter had taken her away from the pain and torment they had caused her many years ago.
"Who are these people?" Henry whispered to Mandy.
"The Randells." She replied without taking her eyes off the two women in front of her. "I used to live with them back in the Enchanted Forest."
"You killed my brother!" Anne screamed.
"And now you will have to pay." Mrs. Rnadell said finishing her daughter's sentence.
"It wasn't me. Someone else killed him." Mandy said truthfully though she didn't break her composure.
"And who would that be?" Mrs. Randell asked not really believing her.
"It doesn't matter now…" Mandy shouted. "He's dead."
"Looks like you'll have to suffer for him then." Mrs. Randell replied before slapping Miranda across the face leaving a handprint on her cheek.
"Stop it!" Henry screamed.
"Quiet boy, or you'll share the same fate." The older woman snapped.
"Leave him outta this! Your quarrel is with me!" Mandy said trying to protect Henry. She wasn't scared of them now; she had her magic.
"Let me at her mom." Anne said. She was confident that she could take on Mandy because she was much smaller than her.
"Be my guest." Her mother replied all too happily.
"Untie her, give her a fair chance." Anne said knowing it wouldn't do Mandy any good.
Her mother yanked Mandy up by her hair. She untied her but stayed behind Mandy just in case she decided to run. The ladies knew she wouldn't leave her friend behind. Mandy flew her hands out in front of her expecting Anne to fly through the air but nothing happened. She thought she did something wrong so she tried to summon a fireball in her hand but that didn't work either. She looked down at her hands. "Shit." She mumbled to herself. She realized she was powerless.
Mrs. Randell pushed her forward closer to Anne. Anne threw a punch heading straight for Mandy's face but she ducked out of the way. Mandy kicked Anne's legs out from under her making her fall to the ground. Mandy then crawled on top of her and began punching her. Mrs. Randell wasn't going to stand by and let this little girl beat up her daughter. She ran over and grabbed Mandy's hair and threw her back. Anne was able to get to her feet and quickly run over to Mandy. She began kicking her in the stomach. Mrs. Randell watched with pleasure as Mandy groaned in pain. All she could do was cover her head and hope this beating would be over soon.
"Stop! You're hurting her!" Stop!" Henry screamed but she kept on beating her.
"Stop what you're doing and put your hands in the air." Emma commanded and she and David pointed their guns at the two women. They quickly obeyed, not wanting to be shot. They were handcuffed and David took them back to the police car. Emma untied Henry so he could help her with Mandy. They sat her up and made sure she was alright.
Emma looked her over, noticing some of her old cuts were reopened and fresh bruises were already forming over the old ones. "I think we should take you to the hospital."
Mandy shook her head. "No way. I'm not spending another day in there. I'm fine; I just want to go home."
Emma didn't want to fight her on the subject. "Can you walk?"
Mandy nodded and Emma and Henry helped her up. She held her stomach in pain as they walked back to Emma's car.
"What happened?" Emma asked as she was driving to Regina's house.
"They attacked us from behind. I think they wanted to kill Mandy." Henry answered from the back seat.
Emma quickly looked over to Mandy in the front seat. "What did you do to them to make them so angry?"
Mandy didn't answer right away. "They were my foster family back in the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't the first time they've hit me."
Emma sighed. She didn't know much about this girl, she figured she grew up in a better environment considering she was the daughter of a Queen. She didn't know all the circumstances and didn't want to pry so she would ask Henry later.
"Why didn't you tell someone?" Henry asked.
"Who was I going to tell? No one would believe me anyway…and I would have nowhere else to go." Mandy replied a little too harshly.
"I get it Mandy, I was in a similar situation when I was younger." Emma said knowing where Mandy was coming from.
"You were?" Henry asked shocked.
"Henry, let's not get into it now." She said not wanting to tell Henry anything about her time in the foster system. She was hoping he would forget about it.
"Thanks Emma, for saving me from them…and saving me when I basically died." Mandy whispered.
Emma shrugged her shoulders. "No big deal…I'm the Saaavior..remember?"
Mandy smiled but didn't say anything else. The rest of the ride was silent. When they finally arrived outside the Mills Mansion, they helped her out of the car. Mandy just looked up at the house but didn't move.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked. "I thought you could walk."
"I'm scared to go in there." Mandy admitted.
"Why? Because of Regina?" Emma guessed.
Mandy nodded. "She's gonna freak out."
"I don't doubt that." Emma said knowing how Regina would react.
"Why don't we just say I fell down a hill and Henry called you to pick us up." Mandy suggested hoping they would go along with it.
Emma sighed. "We can't lie to her…"
"She's gonna find out the truth eventually…she always does." Henry added. "Might as well go in."
Mandy shook her head no.
"It's now or never…" Henry said in a sing-song voice.
"I pick never…" Mandy replied in the same tone.
"Let's go kid." Emma said lightly pushing her forward.
They walked through the door but couldn't find Regina or Cora.
"I guess they're out." Henry said shrugging his shoulders.
"Well thanks for dropping me off Emma, you better get back to work now." Mandy said hoping they would leave so she wouldn't have to tell Regina the truth.
"Oh no kid. You're not getting rid of me that easily." Emma replied erasing Mandy's smile from her face. "I'm staying until Regina gets home."
Regina was sitting at a table at Granny's waiting for Cora to join her when Snow walked in.
"Regina, can I talk to you?" She asked shyly. She was always hesitant to talk to her former step-mother.
Regina looked up from the paper she was reading. "What do you want, Snow?" She asked clearly irritated that Snow had the nerve to talk to her.
Snow sat down in the empty chair across from her. "Well I wanted to throw Mandy a party for saving all the kids…and her birthday is coming up, right? She'll be 16?"
Regina nodded. "I don't think she'll want a huge party. I was going to have something small at my place." She said shooting down Snow's proposal.
"But we could give her a grand party. It will be just like the balls we had back home." Snow argued in the hopes she would persuade Regina into agreeing to the party.
Regina rolled her eyes. "If you didn't notice, Snow, I hated going to balls and grand parties. I don't want to relive them so if you could drop the subject, it would be greatly appreciated."
Cora walked up behind Snow. "What are you two talking about?" She asked curiously. She knew Regina wouldn't voluntarily talk to Snow. She wasn't too fond of the girl either but Archie told her to try to get along with everyone.
Snow turned around when she heard a voice. "Oh, hello Cora. I was just trying to convince Regina to throw a ball for Miranda's 16th birthday and because she rescued those kids." She looked back at Regina. "But she's being stubborn."
"She's always been stubborn." Cora said eyeing her daughter before turning back to Snow. "But I think it's a great idea."
"Not surprised…" Regina mumbled.
Snow clapped her hands in excitement. "It will be so much fun and we can start planning it right away."
"Come over tomorrow and we will start planning for the party." Cora said.
Snow stood up. "Sounds good. I'll see you both tomorrow." She said smiling before walking to the counter to talk to Ruby.
Cora sat down in the seat Snow was previously sitting. "Oh, I just love dressing up in ball gowns and going to parties." She exclaimed.
Regina was pissed. "What the hell mother?! First you accepted a proposal from Snow's father without my consent and now you do the same with Snow!"
Cora hit Regina's hand lightly. "Oh, quiet down Regina. They are entirely two different proposals. Besides, this is going to be fun…it'll be Miranda's first ball. Oh, I'll have so much to show her…how to act, how to walk, and we'll have to go dress shopping and…"
Regina interrupted before her mother could babble anymore. "Mother, stop! Don't overwhelm her. We don't even know if she'll want a grand party. And if she doesn't, it's cancelled." She said firmly.
"And if she does, it's going to be huge!" Cora exclaimed not even thinking that there was a chance Miranda would say no.
Regina put her hand on her head. "I hate royal parties." She mumbled as Cora kept going on about the party. She hated Snow even more for putting this idea into her mother's head.
Henry and Emma were sitting in the living room watching TV when Regina and Cora came through the door.
"Mother, will you please shut up for 5 minutes?! I'm so tired of listening to you talk about this party." Regina said angrily.
"What party?" Emma asked as she and Henry came out of the living room to join them in the hallway.
Regina turned around at the familiar voice and sighed. "What are you doing here, Emma? And where is Miranda?"
"She's upstairs resting." Henry said standing next to Emma.
"Doe she not feel well again?" Regina asked getting concerned.
"Regina, don't freak out but she was attacked earlier by her former foster mother and sister." Emma said hoping Regina would remain calm.
Regina was the opposite of calm. "What?!" She screamed.
"They said something about her killing one of their family members." Henry added.
"Well is she alright?" Cora asked before Regina could freak out anymore.
Emma nodded. "Just some bumps and bruises, nothing major."
"When did this happen?" Regina asked more calmly then before but she was still pissed.
"A few hours ago. The ones responsible are locked up and will be charged." Emma said trying to reassure her.
A fireball soon appeared in Regina's hand. "I have another way to handle them." She said angrily her eyes full of rage.
Henry walked closer to her. "Please don't do anything to them." He begged causing Regina's eyes to soften a bit and the fireball to disappear. "As much as they've hurt Mandy and you want to get back at them, don't do it. They'll get what's comin to them. Karma's a bitch."
"Henry!" Regina and Emma both said in shock.
Henry shrugged his shoulders. "It's the truth."
Regina grabbed his chin and leaned down to be face to face with him. "I don't care. You do not curse." She said firmly before standing straight. "Have you taught him that word?" She said to Emma. "You probably say it all the time."
Emma stared back at her angrily for accusing her of teaching Henry that word. "At least I don't act like one all the time." She said getting closer to Regina's face.
Henry squeezed between them and pushed them back. "Will you two stop fighting?! Neither of you taught me that word. I heard it at school and no mom..." He said looking at Regina. "I didn't hear it from Mary Margaret."
Emma was frustrated and she didn't want to stay at Regina's any longer than she had to. "Henry, I think we should go now. Get your things, ill be in the car." She said before storming out.
Henry grabbed his bag from the living room and hugged Regina before leaving. As soon as they left Regina ran upstairs to check on her daughter. She entered Mandy's room quietly so she didn't wake her. Regina was shocked when she saw that Mandy wasn't in her bed and her room was a mess; things were thrown all over the place.
Mandy walked in behind her. "Sorry about the mess, I threw a little tantrum."
Regina turned at the sound of her voice. "A little tantrum? You completely trashed the place." She said looking back over the room.
"I'll clean it up, don't worry." Mandy said as she passed Regina to start picking a few things up.
"I thought you were resting." Regina said putting her hands on her hips.
"That's what I told Emma. I came up here to practice my magic but when that didn't work, I became frustrated and threw a fit." Mandy said trying to explain herself.
"Why doesn't it work?" Regina asked concerned.
Mandy threw her hands up and sighed. "I don't know. I tried to use it earlier in the fight but nothing happened."
"You're probably still weak from your previous injuries." Regina suggested to be the possible cause for her sudden loss of magic. Mandy only nodded in agreement and she resumed picking things up.
"You were defenseless, weren't you?" Regina asked her voice becoming less angry as she walked closer to her.
Mandy nodded. "Pretty much. I thought I could take it…whatever they were going to do to me."
Regina looked her over. "You're covered in bruises."
Mandy put her hand up. "I've had worse…trust me." She said like the bruises were no big deal.
Regina frowned. "That doesn't put me at ease…"
"It wasn't meant to…I'll be fine, don't worry." She bent down to pick up a book but winced in pain. She was hoping Regina didn't see, but she did.
"What's wrong?" Regina asked helping her up.
Mandy put her hand over her stomach. "I'm fine, really. I just bent down too quickly, that's all." Mandy said trying to get Regina to stop overreacting.
"Lift up your shirt." Regina said looking directly into Mandy's eyes.
"What?" Mandy asked confused.
"Lift up your shirt." She said more serious than before.
Mandy was hesitant at first but did as she was told revealing a very black and blue stomach. "Oh sweetie." Regina said in shock as she stared in awe at her daughter's stomach.
Mandy turned around to face the mirror to see for herself. "It hurts but I didn't think it would look this bad." She put her shirt down; she didn't want to look at it anymore. She turned back around to face Regina. "Do you mind if I clean up tomorrow? I'm really tired."
Regina waved her hand and the room was clean in seconds. "All your gonna do is rest." She said leading her to the bed.
Mandy climbed into bed with no complaint. When her head hit the pillow Regina was expecting her face to relax a bit but it didn't. "It's hard to breath." Mandy admitted.
Regina felt useless, she couldn't help her daughter with the pain she was feeling. "Would you like me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" Regina offered hoping it would relax Mandy.
Mandy's eyes lit up with happiness. "Really?"
"Of course!" Regina said before kicking of her heels and crawling next to Mandy.
"I didn't want to ask you. I know I'm too old to ask you to stay with me and that it'll have to stop soon." Mandy said not wanting to make eye contact with Regina.
Regina pulled her close to her chest and kept her hand on her head. "Nonsense. We've missed too much time together as it is. I don't care how old you are, you can always ask me to stay with you. You're my baby girl and always will be." She kissed the top of her head.
Mandy snuggled closer to her. "And you'll always be my mom…no matter how old you get. I'll take care of you when you're old and gray and can't walk anymore."
"That's so touching…" Regina said sarcastically.
Mandy looked up at her. "You know what I meant."
Regina put a protective arm around Mandy's chest and her head rested back on Regina's. "I know sweetie. I'm just messing."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. We followed Cora today to see who she was dating." Mandy said remembering the events of the day before the attack.
"And…?" Regina said eagerly wanting to know what she found out.
"She could be dating either Maurice, the florist, Dr. Whale or King George." Mandy said as she played with the ends of her hair.
"Those are horrible choices!" Regina shrieked. "I don't like any of them."
"I know…so who do you think it is?" Mandy asked wanting to know what Regina was thinking.
Regina thought about it for a moment before answering. "My bet is on King George. She always had a thing for men of power…and he's a King and she always wanted to be Queen."
"Good point." Mandy said nodding her head in approval. "But we overheard Cora saying that she was going to meet Dr. Whale as 5 tonight."
"She was late in joining me at Granny's earlier…" Regina said realizing that might be the reason why.
"Not knowing who she's dating is driving me absolutely crazy." Mandy said frustrated.
"Don't let her find out about this. She doesn't want us to know." She warned. "I shouldn't have even told you!"
Mandy patted Regina's arm in reassurance. "Don't worry, I won't tell."
Regina smiled. "Good…Oh, there's something I have to ask you."
Mandy looked up at her. "Okay, shoot."
"Would you like to have a party for your 16th birthday?" Regina asked.
Mandy looked away and shrugged. "I don't know. I never had a party before. They seemed fun when the Randell's used to throw them for their kids…"
Regina didn't like hearing negative things that happened to her daughter when she was younger. She should've been there to protect her, to spoil her, to love her…but she wasn't. "They can be fun…Since you never had one, would you like one?"
"I suppose." She said not showing how excited she was about having a party.
"Well my mother and Snow want to throw you this grand ball for your birthday and for saving the kids." Regina said explaining to her who was really behind this whole thing.
"A grand ball, as in big fluffy dresses where everyone dances elegantly and all that?" She asked making exaggerated hand gestures.
Regina laughed. "Yes, something like that."
"That's something only royals do." Mandy said.
"Well you are royal." Regina replied.
Mandy shook her head. "Not really, I don't know how to do any of that…and I don't do dresses."
Regina smiled. "I don't think you're going get out of not wearing a dress, dear. Not with my mother planning this party."
"I don't know how I feel about this." Mandy said not sure if she wanted a royal ball or not. It really wasn't her style.
"We'll talk about it more tomorrow, but right now you need to sleep and rest." She kissed the top of her head.
Mandy closed her eyes and put her hands over Regina's arm. "Goodnight, mom."
Regina stroked her head. "Goodnight, my angel. Sweet dreams."
So this chapter turned out to be longer than anticipated but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Things will pick up soon. Who do you think Cora is dating? Please review:)