Missing Moments

Hope's Horse

Hope was nine years old when she got her very own horse. Hope loved the stables. It was her favorite place and she spent a lot of time there.

When Hope had first come to the Enchanted Forest, she had been just shy of turning six years old. Even at such a young age, she felt homesick. The longer she spent in the castle, the more she missed her home.

David could see that his granddaughter was struggling and it had broke his heart. He often saw her wandering the halls of the castle or sitting in her room, looking at her storybook. One thing David noticed was that Hope didn't go anywhere without her stuffed Horse, Charming.

He was talking to Emma one day, and he mentioned the horse.

"I didn't realize when I bought her that horse that it would mean so much to her. Out of all the stuffed animals, that one's her favorite?"

Emma smiled. "She's always been attached to that horse. She can't sleep without it."

David swelled with pride. "Where did the name come from?" He asked. "Why Charming?"

Emma laughed. "When she was little, I spent a lot of time reading to her from Henry's old book. We read all the stories at least a few times each, but there was one story we read more than any other."

David nodded in understanding. "Our story." He whispered.

"It was her favorite story to listen to, and if I'm being honest it was my favorite story to read to her. It made me feel close to you guys somehow, especially that first year when I struggled the most."

David could see a single tear roll down Emma's cheek.

Emma took a deep breath and continued. "Hope was 2.5 when the twins were born, and she was extremely jealous. I tried to give her enough attention, but with two babies it was hard. But every night I made sure to read her a story of her choice. She would usually chose the same story, yours and mom's. One night as we were sitting in the chair reading, Hope pointed to your picture. She said That's Grandpa." Emma smiled.

David smiled too. He was touched that his daughter had told Hope about them, and was glad that Hope knew who they were despite only being six months old the last time they had seen her.

"I told her it was." Emma continued. "Then I told her about how you were the one who bought her the horse. Hope looked at the stuffed horse in her hands and then back at the book. She looked back at the horse and said Charming. I don't know why she named it Charming and not David, but the name stuck."

David blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. "Thank you. For telling her about us." He said.

Emma nodded. "Of course. I wanted her to know who her family was, even if we never saw you again."

It was silent for a while and then David spoke. "So, she likes horses?"

"She doesn't like horses. She LOVES them." Emma corrected. "It's her favorite animal. She always wanted to ride one back home, but she only ever rode the ponies at the fair."

David looked to be deep in thought. Finally he said "Do you think she'd like to see the horses? Maybe learn to ride one. I know she rode the horse with me and then she rode one with Neal, but I could teach her to ride one on her own."

Emma could see the hopeful look in her father's eyes.

"If it's okay with you of course." David began.

"Of course it's okay with me." Emma said. "And I'm sure Hope would love it."

David had immediately gone to find Hope. She was sitting in her bed, looking at her book. David glanced over and noticed that she was looking at his and Snow's story.

"Hey." He said.

Hope looked up.

"I was just about to head out to the stables to see the horses, and I was wondering if you'd like to come along."

Hope's eyes widened. "Can I?" She asked, a big smile plastered across her face.

It was the first real smile he had seen in days. "Of course." He said. "Let's go!"

Hope had loved seeing the horses that day, and David was glad to see the smile back on his granddaughter's face. For the past few days she had been moping around and nobody could cheer her up. But the moment she saw the horses, she was back to the happy little girl he missed.

He let his granddaughter get used to the horses, and then he started teaching her to ride.

Years had passed since Hope had first come to the Enchanted Forest, but she was still very fond of the horses. That's why when David found out that one of the horses was pregnant, he promised the foal to Hope.

It was the end of May, just a couple of months after Hope's ninth birthday, when the foal was born.
Hope had woken up that morning in a bad mood.

"You know, there's someone in the stables I want you to meet." David said.

Hope frowned, but she followed her grandfather out to the stables. That was when she saw the baby foal. She gasped.

"Is that..."

"Your horse. You'll have to wait until he's older to ride him of course, but he's all yours." David confirmed.

"He?" Hope asked. "It's a boy?"

David nodded.

"What's his name?"

"That is up to you." David told her. "He's your horse. What do you think his name should be?"

Hope thought about it for a while before looking at her Grandpa.

"Is it okay if I name him Charming?" She asked.

David chuckled. "Of course it's okay. You can name him whatever you want."

Hope's smile grew wider. "A real life Charming. He looks just like my stuffed Charming, but he's real. This is the best present ever. Thank you Grandpa!" She wrapped her arms around her Grandpa's waist and he hugged her back.

Hope spent every day in the stables, taking care of her horse. And when the time came that she was able to ride him, she was more than ready.