Chapter 7: Deals and Secrets
Jennifer woke up, had slept great; silk sheets, pillows, Colin knew how to have a comfortable bed. As she was conscious enough to think clearly she ran panic. What the hell had she done? this was adultery and worse, she respected greatly Helen, didn´t agree that she was her lover´s wife but was a good friend and she hadn´t the slightest fault. How could she do this to her? And she would feel increasingly worse. She sat on the sofa thinking while Colin was in the shower and then remembered, Riley remained with Castro, she must have gone for her. "How foolish and irresponsible I´m!" thought. At that time, he got out of the shower, was naked, had left his towel in the room and Jen again devolved, had forgotten how sexy he was, however the show didn´t last too much, he dressed and both decided to take a moment to talk this seriously.
-Colin: We shouldn´t do this.
-Jen: I know, I feel terrible.
-Colin: Do you regret it?
-Jen: Yes, but not both... it´s complicated.
-Colin: What shall we do? I need to tell the truth to Helen but don´t want to hurt her.
-Jen: Look, we practiced a romantic scene and drank a couple glasses, was wrong but there are still things to clarify, so let's leave it for now, right?
(Our World November 28th, 2002)
Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz walked through the woods when a shining force caught their attention. It was the magical wardrobe, Riley was saved and now had to see how to get rid of her. They took her to their home where they consulted adoption agencies. They spent hours, no nationwide had a place available, what bad luck, however they didn´t give up and found a small village where there was a family excited about having children. That same day began their journey to leave to future savior there, far from her real family and knowing the truth.
Jennifer went worried to her parents´ trailer, hoping that her sister was found with them.
-Ginny: Good morning, what is offered to you?
-Jen: Is Riley here?
-Ginny: No, did she escape?
-Jen: No, forget to pick her up, I'm such a jerk.
-Ginny: Don´t worry, happens to everyone, where you had to pick her up?
-Jen: Eduardo´s Studio.
-Ginny: Well, hasn´t yet closed, I´m sure they´re still there.
-Jen: No, I was supposed to go for her yesterday, sure she didn´t spend the night there.
-Ginny: What!? Are you crazy? You forgot her last night? What happened, why not pick her up, did you have an emergency?
-Jen: A kind of emergency, can you keep a secret?
-Ginny: Sure! We're friends, trust me, it must have been something of great importance.
Jennifer was afraid to say, in part because it wasn´t excuse enough to forget her little sister, partly because she had done something wrong, somewhere else because she knew Snow had a bad reputation at keeping secrets but the worst because she was her mother and despite she didn´t know it was something uncomfortable, but still she said, her life was a mess, she had nothing to lose.
-Jen: eh ... slept with Colin.
Ginnifer couldn´t believe it, really she was upside down.
-Ginny: I'll help you search around; you go to the studios.
-Jen: Wait ... please help me, you went through this with Josh I, what I do?
-Ginny: Then we speak, there's no time now.
She knew it was hard, and those days when she lied everyone weren´t her best ones, didn´t know what advice to give her, she actually didn´t take the best decisions too. They parted and continued looking, time step and Riley didn´t appear, she hadn´t other option than resorting her last option. Mr. Gold.
Arriving at the place the couple said they were expecting a child, had finally managed to get pregnant and no longer wanted to adopt. Ed and Adam were angry, what would they do now? Wouldn´t keep her even dreaming, was a threat, so they went walking to the nearest hospital, knocked on the door, left Riley and ran. Now it wasn´t their problem and they were so brazen that left a newborn in the streets in order to insure their fame.
-Robert: Miss Morrison, Swan or whatever your name is now, why this unexpected visit?
-Jen: I need a deal, it´s a bad idea to come with you but always know how to help and also suit you.
-Robert: And what´s that deal so convenient for me?
-Jen: Riley is lost, if she doesn´t appear she won´t break the spell that you want to end so madly.
-Robert: So sorry but I already have my plan B, it was expected that you would spoil it.
-Jen: You know villains never win, except that they ally heroes, also I´m willing to give you anything.
-Robert: I love when they say that (laughs mockingly). Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz kidnapped her, set 28.
Jennifer runs quickly there.
A doctor opens the door at hearing the doorbell " Poor little " thought. He decided to check her status and make sure she was well, then he decided to contact an adoption agency. The girl had a cut on her leg but she was strong and had passed however, they put a cast to recuperate faster. Suddenly a nurse came screaming worriedly.
-Nurse: There are terrible news, the baby of the Hudson family is dead, what we will do?!
-Doctor: I have no idea, fix it, I have to take care of this baby I found on the street.
-Nurse: I have an idea! Why not give the baby to the family, and thus kill two birds with one stone?
-Doctor: ¡No no no no no! That´s against the law.
-Nurse: Think about it, we are giving an opportunity for a family to the girl and the couple avoid tragedy.
-Doctor: From that point we would be technically heroes not?
-Nurse: Of course! No one will know, this will be our secret.
-Doctor: Sure.
And so they did, they delivered Riley to the family who was completely cheerful. The girl had a ring, appeared to be of those who send her away, couldn´t give it to them directly because it would be very suspicious but gave it as a "courtesy gift of the hospital " Riley´s granny took it and told them she would give her when she grew up. They suggested calling her Riley, because it was the name on the blanket they hadn´t chance of giving to them. Her new parents accepted the idea and named her Riley, now she had a new home.
-Ed: Don´t move!
-Riley: Let me go! What do you want?
-Adam: You know it very well, savior.
She froze, how they knew? she replied doubtfully…..
-Riley: No idea what you´re talking about?
-Ed: You well know, listen now calm down and you´ll go faster.
She sat and listened bitterly.
-Adam: You want to get your family and we maintain our reputation, so we propose a deal.
-Riley: I won´t make deals with you.
-Ed: But with this one your parents and you´ll be together without us bothering you.
-Adam: All of you will have the happy ending you desire.
-Riley: Okay... you have my attention….
-Ed: Just have to forget break our spell, forget about your sister and all commoners, this is your kingdom where you´ll have your parents to yourself.
-Riley: I'm sorry but I won´t send away my family, my sister and your cursed people are part of it, should do the honorable thing.
-Adam: And your dream, wouldn´t do this for your golden dream?
-Ed: You´ll have the best voice, change the world, you'll be rich and famous stud farm that your parents proud of you, is not that what you wanted?
-Riley: You don´t have that power, the pen doesn´t work with you, you broke the rules I'm not stupid.
-Adam: Oh yes we can.
-Ed: Remember the shell of Ursula?
-Adam: We keep the best voice there; you just have to sign here. We are like you, just dreamers that would do anything to prove everyone that we can change the world through art.
They roll a contract, Riley begins to doubt, it was all she had ever wanted.
-Riley: But my sister… you can´t wake my parents to also remember her?
-Ed: Why worry about your sister? she doesn´t care for you, hasn´t even come.
-Riley: It's because she´s looking for me.
-Adam: That's not true.
He pulls out his phone and shows the security cameras of the special effects' set.
-Riley: What's that?
-Ed: Your sister and her boyfriend think they can walk committing their crimes without us noticing, we have security cameras and this is what she was doing rather than coming for you.
-Riley: They were practicing for your program that you care more about than lives of others. Teach about heroism, maybe you should learn something.
-Adam: Your sister is the one who should learn, they aren´t practicing, listen.
They give play to the recording that demonstrates how Jen forgot her.
She listens to the recording and begins to mourn, it was all her fault if her sister had been before she hadn´t been kidnapped. She feels depressed and betrayed.
-Riley: Well, I agree.
She signs the paper and goes, but what she doesn´t know is that Jen was going way to rescue her with an apology, she sees her signing the paper and feel disillusioned, had ruined everything and rule out a deal was complicated, she had done it again, always had to alienate their loved ones, she went home and thought about how everything was lost, all for deals and secrets.