Jefferson walked hand in hand with Grace down the street, her excited feet tugging at him to walk faster. His heart swelled up knowing that he was finally reunited with his little girl, they've been having tea parties ever since. The upside of being in this Cursed world was that he had more money than he could ever imagine he would have unlike in the Enchanted Forest. He showered Grace with gifts but there was one thing she really wanted more than anything in this world. Grace wanted a pet, and not just any pet, a white rabbit.
Jefferson reasoned, "Why not a cat?"
Grace giggled, "I had a cat while at my adoptive families house, she never liked me"
Jefferson shrugged, "Maybe because she was cursed for 28 years?"
This got Grace to turn back around and laughed, her eyes shaped and bright in a way that reminded him of Grace's mother. He knew she would be so proud to see them finally reunited, Jefferson wished that he had a picture of her just to show Grace of her mother, the sketchings don't do any justice. Grace suddenly stopped and turned her excited eyes over to her father. He gave a warm smile as he knew why she suddenly got so thrilled.
"The adoption center!" Grace squealed.
Jefferson let out a laugh as Grace tugged him harder down the street, now she wasn't caring about bumping into anyone that passed her way on the Saturday afternoon. He finally let go of her hand when they were at the gates as Grace ran up to the door but didn't open it. When she turned around, she saw her father taking his sweet time up the stairs as if he were an old man.
"Come on!" Grace squealed.
Jefferson opened the door as Grace went up to the front desk, David was there checking on the reception desk and turned to the pair. Jefferson didn't even give him any polite nod as he was sure, David was expecting it as he kept his focus on Grace.
"Hey, Grace!" David greeted, "Henry told me you wanted to look at rabbits today, I just sent my assistant in the back to get one for you"
Grace nodded excitedly as Jefferson slowly made his way over to his daughter. The door opened as all he could see was normal clothing and brown hair. But when she turned, Jefferson dropped the magazine that he just barely had a hold of as his mouth opened up a bit. The woman cradled a white rabbit as she whispered sweet nothings in its ear. It almost felt like it was a hallucination that he was witnessing, this woman couldn't be who he thought she was.
His theory was soon confirmed as Grace turned and looked up to the woman as she too had the same expression on her face. Grace made a sound as if something was lodged in her throat before she ran off over to the woman and wrapped her arms around her midsection. This caught the woman's attention as she suddenly looked down to Grace holding her in a bear tight hug. David couldn't help but watch as he looked almost as confused as back in his amnesia days.
"Daniella?" Jefferson barely let out.
"Mama!" Grace screamed out as she held her tighter, "You're alive!"
It wasn't until Jefferson woke up from his daze, did he realize that something was a little bit off. Daniella wasn't holding her daughter as tight as Grace was, in fact, she was holding the rabbit in her arms more tightly. Still, the woman gave Grace a polite pat on the head as Grace smiled up to her, tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, my dear, but I'm not your mother" the woman said.
"What?" Grace barely whispered.
David slowly straightened up as he looked to a shocked Jefferson, to confused Danielle, then finally back to heartbroken Grace.
"Danielle, do you have the papers ready for the adoption?" David asked.
"No, I'll get on it" Danielle said before crouching down with the rabbit, "Do you want to hold him while I get the papers for your dad?"
Grace said, "Okay"
Jefferson watched as Grace moved stiffly over to the couch in the corner, sat down, and waited as Danielle placed a rabbit on her lap. She whispered a few tips to Grace as their daughter absentmindedly nodded to each of them. Jefferson sucked in a breath as Danielle reached out to touch her curls but then stopped and got up. She gave Jefferson a polite smile before she disappeared over to the back. Once she was gone, Jefferson marched up to David, grabbed his collar and brought him to his face.
"What the hell are you trying to pull?" Jefferson demanded, "Haven't we been through enough already?"
"What are you talking about?" David whispered as he gave a weary eye over to Grace.
"Daniella" Jefferson said, "Or Danielle, whatever you called her… that's Grace's mother and my wife"
"She doesn't look like she remembers you" David remarked.
"I've lived in a place where everyone doesn't remember anyone including you" Jefferson remarked, "This is different"
"The curse is broken and yet she still doesn't remember you" David said before mentioning, "Are you sure she doesn't have a twin?"
Jefferson rolled his eyes as he let go of David, "At the same time, say how many family members she has"
David seemed perplexed at this decision but then nodded as Jefferson counted down with his fingers until only one was standing before they both said, "Her mother, little brother, and sister"
David was stunned before he asked, "What are her siblings names?"
"I don't know their cursed names but I knew them as Boyd and Ulrika"
David leaned back on the counter as he glanced over his shoulder before looking at Grace who was finally cheering up as she played with her rabbit, "What happened in the Enchanted Forest?"
Jefferson's face changed as he remarked, "That's none of your concern"
"It is if she's your wife whom you thought was dead and now she's here with no recollection of who her family is after the Curse was broken" David explained.
"I don't need your help" Jefferson said, "I know exactly who did this to her"
David blinked, "What are you planning on doing?"
Jefferson scoffed as he said, "Look, just because there's a situation that needs fixing, it doesn't mean that you should valiantly jump in to save the day"
"I'm just trying to help, if not for you than for Danielle" David responded.
The door finally opened as Jefferson leaned back and stared at his once wife, it broke his heart knowing that she didn't recognize him as she gave him a kind smile. Jefferson barely turned the corner of his lips as he cleared his throat and signed the documents. He glanced up to David as if to tell him not to intervene on his problems. Once the papers were signed he turned back around and smiled to his daughter.
"Ready to go home?"
Grace smiled as she hopped off of the couch, placing the rabbit in its cage for her father to carry. She stopped for a moment before turning back to Danielle as she gave a polite smile and wave. Her eyes expressing sadness before she left with Jefferson leading the way.
"Poor girl" Danielle sighed, "I hope she finds her mother soon"
David turned to Danielle, "Yeah… we've all been there, some people are still trying to reconnect with their loved ones to this day"
"I still am" Danielle let out.
"I thought you said you found your family" David asked her.
Danielle shook her head, "I've found my siblings and mother, but not my husband and daughter"
David blinked before he said, "What? You never told me this, what are their names? Maybe I can help you find them"
Danielle didn't seem to react to this as a faraway look was written on her face. David wondered if she heard him in the first place before she turned and gave an absent minded smile.
"My husband's name is Jefferson" Danielle said, "And my daughter's name is Grace"
David's mouth dropped open as he watched Danielle, noticing that she wasn't aware that the two were right in front of her just a moment ago.
Danielle quickly perked up as she turned to the back, "I'll find them eventually"