Poor Unfortunate Soul (An OUAT Fanfiction)

6: Ready To Stand?

Storybrooke

Emma had just departed the sheriff's office for Henry's school, when he called her cell phone.

"Hey," she answered it, "what's up?"

"Hi, can you meet me at Granny's? I came here after school."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

Henry was as cryptic as ever. "I'll tell you when you get here."

"All right," Emma picked up her keys and her purse, "I'll be there in a few."

She walked into Granny's Diner, but could not see Henry. Ruby walked by with two hamburger plates.

"Hey Ruby," Emma greeted her.

"Hi Emma," the dark-haired girl greeted her with a wide grin. "Looking for Henry?"

"Yeah," Emma said.

Ruby nodded, "I'm headed that way, he's over there with the girl."

Emma blinked, "What girl?"

Emma arrived at Henry's booth and found Hilary Anderson sitting with him.

"Hi, Hilary," Emma remarked, sitting down as Ruby set the plates in front of them.

"Hi," she muttered.

Henry had more of a positive attitude. "We're talking about the benefit concert."

Emma accepted the lemonade provided by Ruby and shook her head at her irrepressible son, "You're talking like it's a done deal."

Henry dove into his backpack, "It almost is! See, I even drew up some posters for it!"

Emma raised her eyebrow, "Isn't this your school notebook?" She surveyed the designs. They depicted Hilary with a long dress and a microphone at the center of a school of brightly-colored fish. Emma noted but deliberately ignored the fact that Henry had fashioned the dress in roughly the shape of a fish tail.

"All we need to do is get Hilary down to the Castle Theater to audition for Mr. Royal," Henry stated.

Emma caught the fear on Hilary's face. "Wait, is this a competition at the Theater?"

Henry shook his head, "No, she would be auditioning to be able to perform in the theater."

Emma snorted, "No way! You don't have to audition to rent a theater."

"Yes you do!" Henry objected. "She has to, remember, Mom?" He raised his eyebrows significantly.

She shook her head. "Yeah...nuh-uh, kiddo. There's no auditioning involved. You just need enough money to pay the rate." She pulled out her cell phone. "Then you call, like this." Emma dialed the number on the brochure.

A somber, nasally voice answered.

"Castle Theater, this is Sebastian, how may I help you?"

Emma cleared her throat, "Ahem, yes, my name is Emma Swann and I'm calling to find out about your rates for the stage—"

"Sheriff Swann!" Sebastian cut in, with much more warmth but still slow diction. "How nice of you to call; I had no idea you were of the artistic persuasion! What sort of performance will it be?"

Emma sighed. "It's not for me; someone else will be performing. Do you have any openings in the next week?"

"Whom are you representing?" The tone was reserved and withdrawn, almost suspicious.

"Hilary Anderson," Emma stated, winking at the girl in question who was busily engaged in fidgeting a napkin to smithereens.

"Hmm, yes..." he seemed to be reading something. "I have never heard that name. Has she already produced an album that Mr. Royal can listen to?"