Enchanted Adventure

IV. The Price of Gold

"Eesh," Ruby commented.

"Do you have a laundry room I can use?"

"Mmhmm!"

Emma entered the laundry room. She took off her shirt and threw it in the washer. There was a young girl in the room holding pink sheets.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Ashley cried.

"You okay?" Emma asked.

"The sheets. They're uh... They're pink."

"You try bleach?"

Ashley put the sheets down, revealing she was pregnant.

"Oh," Emma said.

Ashley put a hand to her stomach. "Last night, I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now."

"Well, that's great."

"It's just that, um, when the... When the baby comes, no one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they're right."

"Screw 'em."

"What?"

"Screw them. How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"I was eighteen."

"When... When you had a kid?"

"Kids. Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do, especially with a kid. But ultimately, whatever you're considering doing or giving up, the choice is yours."

"It's not exactly what you might think it is."

"It never is. People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just got to punch back and say, 'no, this is who I am.' You want people to look at you differently? Make them. If you want to change things, you're going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world."

Aubree's POV:

Mom was putting lipstick on in the mirror. Henry and I were sitting at the table reading comic books.

Mom glanced at us. "I know you two think otherwise, but I don't enjoy these Saturday city council meetings. Sometimes, they're just unavoidable. Now, you two know the rules."

"Yes on homework, no on TV, and stay inside," Henry and I repeated.

"Good boy and girl. Under no circumstances do you two leave this house."

Henry frowned. "You mean don't see our mom."

"She's not your mother. She's just a woman passing through. Now, do as I say, or there will be consequences. I'll be back at five sharp."

Mom left and as soon as she pulled out of the driveway, Henry and I grabbed our backpacks and left the house.

Third Person POV:

Mary Margaret was making food while Emma unpacked her things.

"I'm so glad my stuff is here," Emma said as she was handed food. "Oh, thanks."

"So, that's all your stuff?" Mary Margaret questioned.

"What do you mean?"

"Is the rest in storage?"

"No, this is all of it. I'm not sentimental."

"Well, it must make things easier when you have to move."

There was a knock at the door and Mary Margaret answered.

Mr. Gold stood on the other side. "Miss Blanchard. Is Miss Swan here?"