A Different Tale, d.s[1]

EIGHT

(CHAPTER 8 - THE PRICE OF GOLD)

🦢🗡

Elias, Emma and Henry were talking to Ruby outside Granny's Diner, while Ruby's car was being dropped off by a tow truck.

"So, this boyfriend of hers. You don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" Emma asked.

"Uh, that would mean that he was involved with her at all, which he isn't," Elias looked at her, "He left her in the lurch right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said, he's a..." Ruby's car was dropped abruptly, almost making her wolf charm break, and she rushed over to the white fence, "Hey, hey, hey! Be careful! You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck," Ruby said.

"I'm sorry Ruby, but look, it's fine," Billy said.

Ruby smiled at Billy, "Um, Ruby. What about her family?" Elias asked.

"Oh, um," Ruby turned to them again, "She's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to," Ruby said.

"Wait. Stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?" Henry said.

"Henry, not now," Elias said.

"Look, I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying, taking night classes...trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?" Ruby said.

"I think so," Elias said with a smile.

"Then maybe you two should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already," Ruby said.

"That's all we want to do, is to help her," Emma said.

"Then, try her ex," Ruby said.

"Where can we find him?" Elias asked.

"He lives with his dad," Ruby said.

----------<3----------

Emma and Elias made it to Ashley's ex's house and Elias knocked on the door as Henry waited in the yellow, and the front door opened at the same a car pulled into the driveway.

"Can I help you two?" A man asked.

"Sean Herman?" Elias said.

"Yeah. Who are you two?" Sean asked.

"I'm Elias Swan and this is my sister, Emma Swan. We're...We're looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. Just thought maybe she came to see you," Elias said.

Sean's father, Mitchell Herman, got out of the car and walked up the steps, carrying grocery bags, "My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore, so whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for, but there's nothing we can do to help you," Sean said.

"You're the reason he broke up with her," Emma said.

Mitchell looked at them,"Absolutely. I'm not gonna let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake," Mitchell said.

"So you just told him to leave her?" Elias asked.

"Well, what are they going to do, raise the child in the backseat of a car?" Mitchell questioned.

"Some people only have the backseat of a car," Elias said.

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son," Mitchell said.

"Dad, maybe we should help them look," Sean said.

"It's a waste, Sean," Mitchell said and walked into the house.