Once Upon A Child

Bless Ma Soul, Snowing's on a Roll

Meanwhile, Snow and Charming made the necessary preparations for the upcoming weekend. When it finally arrived, they were all set with fresh ingredients for baking, clean bedsheets in the spare bedrooms and a few extra bits and bobs.

"Hey buddy." David said as Joe and Blue met him on the front steps to the orphanage. "Thanks for doing this Blue."

"It's you and Snow who should be thanked, as we keep telling you: you're doing wonderfully with all the children. We really appreciate it." She replied.

He nodded back before tilting his head towards the little boy, "Ready to go?"

No response, as expected.

"You got everything you need?" David asked anyway. Disregarding the question, Joe looked to the ground for comfort.

"Everything's packed." Informed Blue, handing over a rucksack.

The journey would have been too quiet had it not been for the cassette filling the car with the soft tunes of The Beatles. While Joe stared nonchalantly through the passenger window, David tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in tune to Here Comes The Sun.

*****

"I thought that after lunch we could do some baking, but we need to get some eggs first." Snow suggested to the boy after his bag was settled in the spare bedroom.

"That sounds great! Why don't me and the boys go gather them?" Charming said, joining them by the bedroom door with Neal in arms.

"While I make the sandwiches." Snow agreed.

And so a plan was hatched.

Once the eggs were collected and a variety of sandwiches eaten - because love knows if Snow doesn't know what a child will eat, she will provide everything - it was onto her favourite activity: baking. No matter how many times she held a baking session, she'd found that the children always wanted to get involved. Apparently, the way to a child's heart was through their stomach.

Snow wrapped her favourite apron around herself. It wasn't her favourite because of the cute mother hen design; it was her favourite because it was a Mother's Day gift from Emma. Having copious experience with previous children, Snow knew full well that baking without aprons was not an option. She tied Charming's Father's Day apron, another gift from Emma, around Joe. He squirmed for a second before realising the apron would not harm him.

While the pair greased baking trays, weighed ingredients and snuck a few chocolate chips from the bag, David tended to the farm animals before retiring in the living room to play with Neal. He'd thought about joining in with the baking but some instinct told him otherwise, though he could still hear and see them through the open doorway joining the kitchen to the living room. Even from the other room, David noticed a certain warmth in the moment. The sun shone through the open windows and engulfed the boy in a soft yellow hue, as if he was glowing.

Snow noticed too. They had just poured the chocolate chips into the mixture when Joe gave a smile. He was relaxed and Snow couldn't help smiling at how happy he was. However, the moment was lost as soon as it had arrived and the small boy winced as if he was afraid to share his happiness with the couple.

Once the cupcakes were slid into the oven and the pair had washed their hands, they settled in the living room where Neal fumbled on a blanket on the floor with a stuffed animal. Charming lay on his side, his head propped up by his arm, watching his little prince. Snow nestled on an armchair with her cup of tea in hand, grinning at the wholesome sight. Joe stood awkwardly in the doorway, as if he didn't want to intrude.