The Other Side of the Mirror

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

"Hi Ms. Blanchard. Have you seen Henry?" I ask as I scan the playground and fail to see him.

The young teacher looks up at me and smiles. "Jules, how many times do I have to tell you? You can call me Mary Margaret. You aren't one of my students." I shrug. "I'm still a student...and a nanny now I guess."

Mary Margaret chuckles. "You have been taking Henry more and more."

I can't possibly tell her why. "Yeah, but it's Tuesday. He knows I always take him on Tuesday."

Mary Margaret scans the playground and then nudges me to look at the bench again. I realize he is sitting on the ground leaning on the back of the bench with just the fuzz of his little head to tip you off that it's him.

I walk over. He's got a book in his lap. "Hey monkey, ready to go?" He smiles and stands up with his book.

"Jules?"

"Yeah."

"How long have you been 17?"

I chuckle. "I don't know, bud. A while."

We start to walk to Granny's. "Would you say it feels like a long time?" Henry asks. He was always so curious about the most random of things.

"Yes. But I think that's more to do with high school feeling like a long time."

We walk into Granny's and I wave to Ruby. We usually get hot chocolates and do homework for a bit and then get dinner and I have to keep him out until 8:00.

"Would you say you think you've been there 28 years?" Henry asks very seriously. I can't help but chuckle again as I pull my laptop out. "I would say it FEELS like 28 years. Does that help?" Henry nods. "Very much."

Ruby brings over our hot chocolates. Henry's has cinnamon and mine has sprinkles. We each do homework for about an hour and half until Henry finishes and pulls out his book again. I glance at the clock. It's 6:30.

I'm sick of this history paper and it's not due until next week so I closed my laptop. "So new book?"

"Miss Blanchard gave it to me yesterday. Can I tell you a secret?" Henry asks.

I lean in. "Always."

"Everyone in town is in this book." He whispers.

I raise an eyebrow. He flips to a page about Snow White. "This is Miss Blanchard."

"It does look like her." I concede.

He flips to a page of Little Red Riding Hood. "That's Ruby."

I glance at Ruby. She does have an affinity for the color red.

Henry flips to a page of Jiminy Cricket. "That's Dr. Hopper." He says firmly. "The conscience?" He nods.

I smile. "I love how you think, Henry Mills." Henry sighs. "I wish the other kids did too." Before I can comfort him. Ruby brings over our usual dinner.

"Grilled cheese with fries for Jules and mac and cheese for the short fry."

"I am not a short fry." Henry complains. Ruby shrugs before walking away.

He starts to dig into his Mac and Cheese. "Henry..." I start. He looks up.

"You know....I don't have a lot of friends in school. It's...hard for me. But it says more about them when they don't give me a chance..." I try to explain.

Henry starts to get worked up. "It's different for you. You know it's only because of your uncle. It doesn't have anything to do with you. The kids don't like me or my stories. My birth parents didn't want me either."

I sigh. "Oh monkey." I bite my lip. "Okay well...my parents gave me away too. Do you think something is wrong with me?"

He looks surprised. "No! You're like the coolest babysitter ever."

I smile. "Well thank you. And I trust you enough to know that you are telling the truth. So I hope you believe me when I say there is nothing wrong with you either. Sometimes people just don't want to be parents, Henry."

He looks down at his food. "I didn't know your parents gave you away. I thought they died."

I pick up some fries and kind of rip them apart. "That's what I assumed too until Mr. Gold told me otherwise. The point is people are complicated. I wish I could read all about them in a book just like yours." Henry looks up and smiles. "Maybe you can! Maybe they are in here. I'll look for them next."

He's so earnest I cannot break it to him. "Sure, monkey. If you don't find them that's okay. But let me know if you do."

After dinner, Henry and I walk to his castle and we grab sticks and "sword" fight for a bit. I glance down at my watch to see it's just 7:57 pm now. "Alright. Let's get you home."

We walk the short way to the mayor's house. I see Mayor Mill's car out front and the Sheriff's car is still poking out around the corner. I groan. Before I can say anything, Henry has sprinted ahead to his front door.

He pushes the door open and I start to slightly panic. I loudly call out "Mayor Mills, we're home." I walk Henry to the kitchen. "You know I need some water after all those fries. Would you get me a glass?" I set my bag down. I start to peek out at the banister and don't see anything.

"Stay here. I'll be right back." I say as I start to walk to the hall. "Do you have gum in your purse?" Henry asks. "You can check." I say as I keep walking to the stairs.

I eventually see a half naked Sheriff running across the lawn. I roll my eyes. He must have used a window. I turn back around to go to the kitchen and instead walk right into Mayor Mills.

I gasp in shock. My heart is pounding a mile a minute. She is fully dressed. "I am sorry dear. I thought I said to try to be out until 8:00." I feel myself trying to take a breath. "It is 8:00, Mayor Mills." She looked a little surprised by that. Henry came out with a glass of water. "Here Jules."

I smile. "Hey Henry, how was your day?" He ignores her and starts kicking the ground. "Hey, monkey. Why don't you go get ready for bed?" I suggest. He skips up the stairs.

"I take it you know..." she tries to say. "...why I keep Henry out of the house on Tuesdays? Yes, I put it together a while ago." I finished for her.

"I am sorry..." she tries again. I wave my hands. "You are a grown woman. You don't have to apologize to anyone, especially not me, the nanny you hired."

She brushes some hair back. "You'll get your direct deposit on Thursday." I nod. "No problem." I say as I start to get my bag and prepare to leave.

"And Jules?" I look up. "You haven't told anyone?" For the first time ever I think she sounds a little desperate.

"No ma'am. And I don't intend to." I say honestly.

"If you ever need anything, just let me know." I raise an eyebrow. "I could use a reason to not work in the pawn shop on the weekends." she smiled at that. "We'll work something out."

I smile back. "Okay, awesome. Good night, Mayor Mills."