Dreams of Stars (A Once Upon a Time/Jiminy Cricket fanfic)

Dreams of Stars Part 9

"Even if I did hire you on such short notice, the pay period doesn't even end this week," Granny pointed out.

"I know, but...I don't know what else to do," Bridget said softly.

"There's tax forms, and background checks, and all sorts of legal processes involved in hiring someone. This isn't the 19th century anymore."

Bridget nodded helplessly.

Granny frowned at her for a few moments, then unexpectedly sighed. "Oh, y'poor thing. Tell you what. I could use a dish-washer. Take a load off Ruby's back for a while. If it's only for a week, I might even be able to avoid hiring you formally. We'll call it volunteer work, all right? If you'll wash dishes for five days straight and come here directly after school, I'll give you one-hundred dollars cash on the evening of the fifth day. Not as a payment, mind you—it'll be a little thank-you gift. I'll give it to you out of my own pocket so we won't have to file taxes on it. How's that?"

Bridget looked up with a huge smile. "I don't know how to thank you, ma'am. That's...wonderful."

"Good. Get on back to the kitchen and start scrubbing." With that, Granny bustled back out to attend to the customers.

Bridget jumped to the task. She found the kitchen, found the sink, and immediately started washing the coffee cups and plates that Ruby brought in. She was relieved to have gotten the job, but she was equally relieved that she didn't have to do any waitressing. Bridget knew how to wash dishes. She didn't know how to interact with people. And waitressing involved a lot of interacting with people, including angry people. Yes, a week of washing dishes wouldn't be so bad. It might even be fun.

~~~

Bridget told most of the Sisters of Saint Meissa simply that she had gotten a job, and they were happy for her, but she told Sister Astrid everything. Bridget never kept secrets from Sister Astrid. This one she was rather afraid to tell because she expected her to react in horror, but instead Astrid seemed impressed.

"He'll appreciate it," she said confidently. They were sitting on the bed in Bridget's small room, half an hour before the nuns' strict bedtime. "Even if he's upset now, it just means he's worried about you. He'll appreciate it later."

"I hope so," Bridget said.

"Remember what happened on Miner's Day?" Astrid asked, and Bridget nodded. Sister Astrid shared everything with her too. "When I accidentally bought all that helium, I was sure Mr. Gold was going to evict us and we'd have to leave Storybrooke, but Leroy found a way to sell all the candles and pay our rent. I still don't know how he did it, but it must've been very hard for him, just like what you're doing is very hard. I really, really appreciate what Leroy did, so I'm sure Archie will appreciate what you're doing too."

"I'm scared of Mr. Gold," Bridget admitted, "I don't know how I'm going to get through this."

"You'll make it," Sister Astrid declared, "It might not look like it now, but this is just one step toward achieving your dream."

"I don't even know what my dream is," Bridget told her with a wry smile.

"You'll discover it," Astrid said serenely, "You'll know it when you see it. It will be like True North."

They sat in silence for a while as Bridget thought about this, and Astrid glanced over at the clock. Then she leaned over and excitedly whispered, "I want to know what you're thinking about Archie."