𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈 𝐃𝐎 ─── 𝘩. 𝘥. 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴

17. explanations

act one chapter seventeen
﹝EXPLANATIONS﹞
season one episode four
❝ we do history... and latin... sometimes... ❞

────── · ✦ · ──────

"where were you?"

as soon as she walks through the front door of her house, marie is bombarded with questions from her father and brother.

"you said you were staying home today. where did you go?"

"it's seven! you told me we'd play video games at six!"

"did you go back to the studio? you need to rest every once in a while, marie."

"i wasn't at the studio." marie huffs and sets her keys down on the small table next to the door. she kicks the door shut and slips off her shoes, trying to figure out the best way to word her day. "i was at the hospital-"

"you were where!?"

"awesome, did you pass out from exhaustion?"

the girl shoots william a glare and shakes her head. "no. henry came by and dragged me to miss blanchard's so we could hang out with his mother. don't look at me like that, will; you were the one who wanted to go to work with father. anyways, ashley tried to run away to boston because mr. gold was going to buy her baby, but the car crashed at the town border, so miss emma took her to the hospital." she pauses to take a breath.

"the baby's name is alexandra. sean came by and patched things up with ashley while i met mr. nolan and played a game of chess with him. then sean found me and took me home right after i said goodbye to mr. nolan and ashley and the baby. may i be excused now?"

"that's... quite a day you had there," her father starts, his concerned gaze softening. "i'm just glad you're alright. you can go wash up for dinner. will, write 'buy a present for ashley and her baby' on the calendar before i forget."

"yes, father," the two say in unison as mr. walter goes back into the kitchen. "i can't believe you and henry got to go on an adventure today," william complains once their dad is out of earshot. he grabs a dry-erase marker from one of the drawers built into the table next to the door and moves to write on the whiteboard calendar hanging next to the hall mirror in the foyer.

"it was pretty fun." marie grins when she sees him scowl and aggressively uncap the black whiteboard marker. "get this. henry believes ashley is cinderella and sean's her prince."

"he is quite charming. and i love his cookies."

"of course you do."

"and ashley... ash, cinder. that's cool. she has a stepmum and two stepsisters too... and she's a maid. and she tried to run away from this place! like she did at the ball!"

"it's like you share a brain with henry." marie shakes her head and turns around to walk upstairs. "oh, make a note on the side to not buy the baby shoes. sean already did that."

"were they made of glass?"

"what kind of baby would- oh. no, they weren't."

william sighs in disappointment as his sister runs upstairs to her room to use her computer for a few minutes before dinner. after booting it up, she sees several emails from henry in her inbox.