During recess, the children loved to play games like "jump-rope" or tag. While all of the other children joined in the games there was always this one little girl who never liked to play games with the other children. She usually opted to sit by the fronts steps reading until the bell rang. The other teachers blamed her chosen solidarity on her upbringing. Her mother was Mayor Mills, the meanest women I have ever met. Instead of forcing the little girl to socialize and interact with her classmates, the teachers let her make her own choices. It was mostly due to the fact no one wanted to deal with Mayor Mills, and partly because they thought she was just looking for a moment's peace at school when she couldn't get it at home.
Every time I was on recess duty, I would watch this adorable, six year-old sit on the stairs entirely alone. It broke my heart. I felt so drawn to her. So, every time I passed her in the halls I would smile and ask her how her day was. Eventually, when she entered in the third grade, she became my student. I made a concerted effort to make her feel welcome, cared for, loved even. No matter how many smiles, or hugs, or homemade cookies I gave her, she was still the introverted, soft-spoken, closed off little girl. I began to think it had nothing to do with her mother and that maybe she was just a quiet little girl.
But one day she surprised me. Instead of taking her usual seat on the steps and opening up a book, she headed towards me. Her blonde curls bouncing and her blue eyes as deep as sapphire. She stopped in front of me, looked me up and down, and said so sweetly, yet simply You remind me of someone. I asked her who, and she responded Someone in my book.
Pulling this leather-bound, beautiful, old book from her bag, she opened up to a page she must have known from memory. She handed me the open-book, to the tale of Snow White. I flipped through the pages briefly. The illustrations were creative, the script writing was beautiful.
"I remind you of Snow White?" I asked as I looked at the woman drawn in her fairytale.
"Does he look familiar?" She pointed to Prince Charming on the next page.
Her blue eyes were enticing. For the first time since I've known her, I really looked into her eyes. It sent me through a montage of emotions. Looking into her eyes was like looking into her soul. I felt every fear, every little bit of pain, all of her sadness, and some of her joy. It shook my heart a little, and took me a moment to regain reality. She was still standing in front of me waiting to validate her suspicions.
"I've never seen him before…I'm sorry." I closed the book and placed it back into her tiny arms.
"That's okay." She said as she stuffed it back into her purple floral bag.
She sauntered back to the steps and sat down with the chapter-book I assigned the class. Even from this distance, I couldn't stop the throbbing my heart and soothe the pit in my stomach. Something she said really struck me. Maybe it was her finally talking out of turn, or really seeing her for the first time that caught me so off guard. Whatever it was, that very moment stuck with me for the remainder of the year. Every time she brushed by me in the halls, or bumped into her around town, my heart tensed and a sense of longing washed over me like a flood.
The moment we realized Emma was our daughter was the very moment every feeling and emotion I've ever experienced in her presence was explained. It was the very blood running through her veins that ran through my own. My heart recognized hers. She had spent her first nine months memorizing the rhythm of my heartbeat. It is so clear now that my heart was just trying to help my memory.
Looking at the picture David had taken from Regina's bedroom, my heart began to beat faster, pounding through my chest. It was like I could feel her all over again. The little girl in the picture was the same little girl I had grown to appreciate, and even care for. My fingers traced over her perfect blonde curls. Her blue eyes were magnetic, and her smile was mine. What good is knowing she's my child if it means I must spend the rest of my life searching for her?
"Couldn't sleep?" David rolled over from his side of the bed and rested his chin on my shoulder. The sleep was still in his eyes and on his breath.
"Not until she's home…" I placed the frame back on our bedside table.
The past two days have been the hardest. We had a taste of hope when we saw her through the locket. It was too great to just let go of so easily. The pain from all of the waiting was penetrating my bones. This whole time David and I spent sleepwalking through our daughter's life. She was always right there. Living only a few houses away, sitting in my very own classroom, and I was never able to be the mother she's needed.
Too much time has already gone to waste. Drying my tears, showering, and putting on clothes, helped me appreciate time. A week has already gone by. No more time, no more days could go by without knowing she was one day going to come home. We got out of bed, dressed, and started our day at Granny's with the rest of the town. Today was going to be the day we found answers.
All of our friends and neighbors gathered outside of the diner. Chatter filled the air, as everyone wondered why we had called them here. Everyone here has in some way been touched by Emma. Whether they have memories of her from this land, or feel indebted to her for breaking the curse, they all feel a sense of obligation to help us find her. Every single soul has in some way reached out to us, offering whatever services they have. Until now David and I had hoped we would be able to find the solution ourselves. It's becoming glaringly evident that there is no other option.
To get their attention, David jumped on top of a table on the patio and waved his arms until the voices calmed.
"Thank you for coming out here today. I know that Snow and I have called on your help many times before, but this is different. I'm sure you all have heard that Emma is still in the Enchanted Forest with Regina, and we cannot find a way to get to her. We need your help…" His eyes met with every individual person's. "Whatever information you have, or help to offer, we would appreciate it. All of us have lost something dear to us. But Emma was the one who gave all of us our lives back. Now it's time we bring her home."
It was clear in everyone's eyes and faces they were more than willing to lend us their support. So many rallied around us, shook David's hands, asked for instructions or guidance. There was hope, faith, and life breathing in the air. For the first time in days I truly felt like she was going to be in my arms soon. David asked the dwarves to retreat to the mines. He asked Archie and Gipetto to search for a tree they might find suitable for another portal. Ruby and Granny already offered to search through Regina's house a second time. All of Emma's classmates turned to books in the library for some answers. The fairies were at the ready to use their dust as soon as the dwarves found some. It seemed that every person in the town was busy.
Blue walked over to where David and I had been talking to a group of Emma's classmates and asked to speak to us privately. The three of us relocated to the side of Granny's. With her hands neatly folded in front of her and her lips pursed, she began to look over her shoulder in every direction. Her eyes darting from person to person.
"I feel compelled to tell you this, even though it goes against every code…" She drew in a deep breath and continued through a whisper, "As you well know, being the Blue Fairy comes with responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is being directed every wish that is made on the North Star. Well, when the curse was broken I was able to hear peoples wishes again. Only, I couldn't do much about it."
"That's wonderful!" I exclaimed. Blue's powers were said to be the most powerful of Fairies.
"It is. While these wishes are meant to be private, these exigent matters lead me to no other option."
"What's going on Blue?" David asked, just trying to get to the real meaning behind her ramblings.
"It's Emma. I've been able to hear her every night since she's be gone."
Both of our mouths dropped. This was a breakthrough we had been praying for. If Blue could hear her, then she may know where she is. Now if only we had portal we might be able to find her. Blue was quick to hush our excitement and was sure to evaluate the ears that may be eavesdropping in our conversation.
"Is she okay?!" David asked.
"She seems to be fine. But I'm telling you this because I have been receiving a wish from her nearly every night, except for the past two."
"Is that bad? Are you concerned?" I asked through hushed eagerness.
"It could mean many different things. But in my experience it is those who are truly happy, or those who have lost all hope who stop believing in wishes."
Blue rushed off with the other fairies as they passed by. We were left with nothing, but everything at the same time. We had this new information and didn't know what to make of it. At least we knew she was alive and finding a way to survive. David and I agreed not to let the fear get to us. Instead of letting the fear paralyze us, we decided to take Blue's information as a motivator.
We were tired of being crippled by fear. It was about time we raised up and overcame the obstacles we've been praying our daughter would overcome. David decided to follow the dwarves into the mine, and I decided to help Granny and Ruby. I began walking in the opposite direction from David.
Beautiful, heavy, dark clouds hung in the sky. Small drops of rain hit the pavement. Each individual drop bounced off the tip of my shoe. Looking up into the sky, a storm of rain and thunder began to erupt. Slowly, more drops parade along the streets and covered my face. Ducking my head to avoid the splashes, I started in a sprint. It felt like I was being plowed down. My whole body was thrown to the ground. The assailant was also laying across from me. We were both seemingly avoiding the rain. He rushed to his feet when he noticed his victim beside him.
"I am so sorry!" He reached for my hand.
"That's alright…" I said, brushing the leaves and dirt from my coat.
For the first time I looked at his face and saw the despair. His beard had been neglected for days, the bags under his eyes were bruised blue and drooping. Everything in his face was screaming of desperation. He helped me gather some of my things.
"Are you okay?" He asked anxiously.
"I'm fine, August. Thank you."
With another apology and a tip of his hat, he started off running in down the street. I watched as he disappeared, trying to remember where I was headed. To find Ruby and Granny, right. They were going to look through Regina's house once more. As I turned the corner I saw a tire swing hung from the big oak in the back yard. The rain was pounding on this one small circle of rubber. As it swayed with the leaves in the tortured wind, I saw my little girl swinging her summer days away. Her blonde curls bouncing with her strides. I could see hear her giggles and hear her joy ringing in the air. No matter how much I hated Regina, or the fact that she practically stole my daughter from me, being in the house that Emma grew up in made me feel in some way connected to her.
The front door was wide open when I stepped onto the doorstep. It was unusual walking into this house so freely. But I did. I stepped inside of something that felt like Regina's own personal shrine. It was personal and strange, but the only answers were going to be in here. Granny was in the kitchen. She was looking through every drawer and cabinet. I joined her. It was easier doing something rather than sitting at home. Even though I hated being here and touching her things, we were making progress.
Just as I was sifting through the cupboard full of fine China Ruby started plummeting down the stairs. Her heels were slapping against every stair as she ran down.
"I got something!" She yelled to us. But she had already jumped from the last few steps and was sprinting out the door. Granny and I dropped everything and followed after her. She was running so fast that Granny and I could barely see her. My fingers fumbled to dial David's number on my cell phone. I managed to call his phone and leave a message, telling him to meet us near Granny's.
"I got it too!" Granny yelled to Ruby.
Both of their wolf noses were picking up a scent they felt compelled to chase. It was something I would never understand, but have always appreciated. As we turned another corner my legs started to ache a little. Ruby grinded to a halt. Granny stopped right behind her.
"What?"
"I lost it…" Ruby said.
David's truck pulled up behind us. He jumped out, panting and sweating. There was mine dust all over his face and hands.
"That was fast!" I said to him.
"I was on my way out when you called, so I rushed over as fast as I could."
As Ruby and Granny tried to pick up the trail they were on, David and I noticed someone walking all the way at the opposite end of the road. Through all of the rain, through the fog and gray clouds, we could make out a figure. Actually two figures.
Ruby turned to me, with tears glistening in her eyes, and rain running down her face. "It's her…"
Those words never felt so sweet. David and my eyes locked. It was happening.
The two figures continued slowly down the road. David and I abandoned all patience and took off as fast as our legs would bring us. The pelting rain made it hard to make out who was with her. David's fingers slipped from mine. He took the lead and ran until I could see he had reached them.
It felt like years before I reached her. It felt like years before I held her in my arms. David cradled her in his arms, her arms and legs hanging limp. David ran his fingers through her hair.
"Is she okay?!" I yelled.
There was blood in her hair. Her jacket and pants were torn and worn. Every part of her looked weathered. David started screaming for help. He ordered Granny to call Wale and Doc. He rushed her inside of Granny's diner and laid her on the bar.
I threw my gloves to the side and ran my hand along her cheek. A stream of dry blood had trickled down her face. Her eyes were barely open. Calling her name wasn't getting her attention. Her big baby blues would scan frantically, she would try to mumble something and she would end up closing her eyes again. Granny handed me a wet cloth. Wiping the blood away I began looking for the source.
"She's soaking wet and freezing." David took off her boots and threw them to the side. He took off her wet socks and began warming her feet with his hands. "What the hell happened?" He asked the boy who followed us in. August.
"The well…She came through the well."
David and I looked at each other. Nothing else mattered. She was here. She was finally here. Granny brought down warm blankets from the inn. Stripping back her wet jacket and jeans, I covered her in warmth. There were bruises and nearly healed cuts along her arms and legs. Finally, Doc and Doctor Wale came in. They started examining her. All of us were pushed to the side. Forced to watch as they tried everything they could to bring her body temperature up. Wale started sutures on the gash on the side of her head. Doc started conjuring up a medicine with Granny's help.
After doing as much as they could, Doc and Wale advised us to bring her home. Doc was going to stay with us through the night and monitor her. She had a few bruised ribs, a cut on her head, and was on the very of being hypothermic. Her body was just in shock. If she made it through the night without any complications, we were going to be in the clear.
David carried her into the apartment, laying her gently into our bed. I found the clothes we had taken from her room and started dressing her. Wale brought monitors over from the hospital and connected her. Doc busied himself with medicine and remedies. David watched from the kitchen.
Laying in the bed beside her, I inhaled the her scent. My whole body let go of all the anxiety and frustration it's been carrying around for over a week. For the first time, everything felt in order. It was all coming together. The rain was pounding against the windows, but I could still hear her breathing lightly. David slowly walked towards us. His hands in his pockets and his face solemn.
"How's she doing?" He whispered.
"She's home…" I said with the goofiest of grins across my face.
He pulled a chair close and grabbed my right hand in his. Something not a lot of people knew about Charming was how sensitive he is. Behind all of that armor, sword, and courage was a man who cared more than anything.
"We're all together. She has to be okay." I said to him, reaching for his lips to kiss.
On one side I had my husband, and on my other side I had my daughter. My heart was full. For the rest of the night we just sat there. I could hear our hearts beating. Our blood running. All of us breathing. It was a rare feeling of content.