Gretel

Change your Life

~~Storybrooke~~

The next day I had an early shift at Granny's before school, Mary Margaret being kind enough to speak to my teachers and get me an excused absence from my first few classes. So long as I made up the work and brought it in on Monday, I was in the clear until eleven.

After an hour or so of being open Emma walked in, and she sent me a confused smile when I brought her a menu. "Hey kid... don't you have school today? I just dropped Henry off."

"Mary Margaret got me an excused absence for the firsts couple hours." I shrugged, "I needed to work, and the other teachers love her, so it worked out."

"Imagine that." She chuckled. 

She ordered a hot cocoa with cinnamon and I brought it to her shortly, scurrying away before she could thank me when I saw the mayor walk in. I watched her send me a confused look before Regina sat down in front of her. "How was your walk with Henry?" Emmas eyes widened, "That's right I know everything. But relax, I don't mind."

Emma eyed her warily. "You don't?"

"No. Because you no longer worry me, Ms. Swan. You see I did a little digging into who you are, and what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

I walked around the counter and prepped a fresh pot of coffee while they talked. The grinding of the coffee beans being too loud or me to hear their conversation. When the pot was prepped and the coffee slowly started brewing I tuned back in.

"—I know with Ms. Blanchard. How long is your lease? Oh wait. You don't have one." I frowned at her sardonic tone. "You see my point? In order for something to grow Ms. Swan it needs roots, and you don't have any. People don't change they only fool themselves into believing they can." I looked down at her words; wasn't she right? No matter what I had done, for as long as I can remember I've been trapped in this endless cycle of making too little money and living in less than ideal situations. Alone.

The only good days I can remember have been recently— ever since Emma came into town actually.

Maybe things can change.

"You don't know me."

"No, I think I do." Regina antagonized. "All I ask as you carry on your transient life, you think about Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway." She stood, and I quickly turned anyway. "Enjoy your cocoa."

I turned when I heard the bell ring just to see Emma stand and accidentally spill her cocoa on her shirt. "Ugh, really?"

I jogged over with a towel, wincing when I saw the steam rising from her shirt. "Eesh, that cocoa was still hot, huh?"

She sighed, "Do you have a laundry room I can use?"

"Yeah of course! Follow me." I gestured, leading her back to the laundry room. Ashley was in there when we got back there, and I frowned apologetically when I saw her crying over what was once white sheets. Emma ripped her shirt off and chucked it in the wash while Ashley held the sheet up for me to see. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no! Ava, what am I going to do!"

"You okay?" Emma asked gruffly, snagging someone's shirt that was hanging on the line above us. 

Ashley sniffed, "The sheets, they're uh... they're pink."

"You try bleach?" I shot Emma a glare as Ashley lowered the sheet and revealed her very pregnant belly. "Oh."

Ashley looked at me, "Last night I felt contractions, and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now." My eyes blew wide; I felt like Ashley had been pregnant for forever! To hear that she was so close to meeting her baby was crazy! "You serious Lee? That's exciting!!"