A Twist In Time

Chapter 15:Miner's Day

It seemed like everyone was at the diner today when Mary Margeret came in."Can I have everyone's attention please?"She asked, clearing her throat as the restaurant fell quiet.

Mary Margaret continued, "I'm sorry to interrupt your morning but I just wanted to remind everyone that a very special occasion is upon us. Miner's day. All we need is a few energetic volunteers to get involved and help sell those exquisite candles. So who wants to join me?"

There was no response, as everyone went back to talking amongst one another. Until Leroy walked up. "You want to volunteer?"

"I want to leave sister, and you're blocking the door,"Leroy muttered.

"Of course. You know, if you wanted to help it would be really great."

Leroy laughed."Oh yeah! Quite a team we'd make. Town homewrecker, town drunk. The only person in this town people like less than me is you. If you're coming to me, you're screwed."Leroy muttered,before walking out of the diner.

Mary Margeret started to leave too, when Emma ran out behind her. "Hey! Mind if I join you?"Emma asked. "So what the hell is miners day and why are you beating yourself up over it?"Emma asked.

"It's an annual holiday celebrating an old tradition. The nuns used to make candles and trade the miners for coal."

"Coal?In Maine?"Emma asked. "If they were mining for lobster, I'd understand."

"Look, I don't know. Now they use it as a fundraiser. It's an amazing party. Everyone loves it."

"Doesn't seem like everyone loves it."Emma said.

"It's not miner's day that people don't like,it's me. Last week I had ten volunteers. This week, they all dropped out."

"You think this is about what happened with David?"Emma asked.

"Oh I know it is. A few of them told me so. I've never been a homewrecker before."

" You made a mistake with David, it happens.It's going to blow over."Emma said. "You don't have to do charity work to try to win people's hearts back."

"I have to do something! This is the best I can do. I've ruined my life."Mary Margeret sighed, clutching the clipboard to her,as Emma's phone rang.

Emma dug in her jacket, before answering it. "Sheriff Swan. Yeah, I'll be right down."She hung up the phone, throwing it back into her jacket."Well, apparently duty calls. Hang in there,and if there's anything I can do to help, I will."

"I know. Thank you."

Everyone was bustling around, getting everything set for Miner's day festivities. Leroy found himself looking at what seemed to be some busted lights."Here's your problem."He said, looking at the lights from the ladder."You got the transformer overloaded. If you had kept messing around with these, the whole thing would have blown up on ya."

"Oh. Then I guess that makes you my hero."The young lady said.

"I'm no one's hero sister."

The young lady laughed."Just call me Astrid."

"I call everyone sister. I'm Leroy."It was as if Leroy had flipped a switch because as Leroy stepped back onto the ground the lights turned on.

Astrid's face dropped in shock. "How did you do that? Are you an electrician?"

"I'm in the custodial services game,"Leroy explained.

"That's wonderful. You know someone once told me you can do anything as long as you can dream it."Astrid said, when hearing about how that hadn't been Leroy's original life goal, but all he really wanted to do was sail.