Emma dropped into the sandbox with a huff. Short blonde curls bouncing at the sides of her face. A slight cloud of sand gathering around her. As she started filling a toy dump truck with sand, she heard a noise that she knew too well. Crying. Shrill screams that only a child can produce. Emma turned at the noise, startled and slightly perturbed at the interruption of her playtime. She now saw the origin, a young girl sitting on the ground holding her knee. Something that could only be described as instinct told Emma to help her.
Hoisting herself up off the pile of sand Emma ran toward the stout child on the pavement. Reaching destination, Emma dropped to one knee.
"Hi, I heard you crying. Are you ok?" the blonde looked genuinely concerned.
"I-I fell…" the brunette replied. She lifts her hand off her knee.
"Well it looks like a scraped knee. I think I have a band-aid." Taking off the waxy backing Emma sticks the rainbow band-aid on the other girl's knee.
Still sniffling, the brunette answers with a quiet "Thank you."
"I'm Emma," jutting out a hand, the blonde introduces herself.
"Regina," taking the hand, she attempts to pull herself up but falls back down. "Ow!"
"Does it still hurt?" Regina nods. Emma brings her lips to the knee. "Kissed it all better!"
"That feels so much better now!" Regina blushed as she got to her feet.
"Do you want ice cream? Ice cream usually helps too." Emma asks happily.
"I'd love some! It's my favorite food!"
"Me too. Well, I like anything sweet…"
"You'll get cavities, be careful," Regina responds with a smile.
Hand in hand they walked down the street talking and giggling. When they reached the small ice cream shop they pooled what little money they were given for food and figured out their orders.
"Can I have a small, double chocolate chip fudge with rainbow sprinkles on a cone."
"Cavities…May I please have a vanilla on a cone please."
They paid and received their ice cream. Once they were outside, Regina went to lick her ice cream but watched as it instead fell to the sidewalk with a plop. She looked down at the squished white mound on the ground on the ground. A brief moment of sadness passed before she heard Emma speak.
"It's ok Regina! We can share! I have plenty! Plus you really need to branch out, try new flavors. Jeez! Vanilla's plain! Try something new!" She passed her cone to Regina and gave the brightest, most lopsided smile anyone had ever seen to her. Regina repeated the gesture.
This time Regina stuck out her hand to Emma who took it easily. "Can you never, ever leave so I can always have someone to share my ice cream with?"
"Promise. You're stuck with me." Regina laughed, quickly joined by Emma.
"I think I can deal with that."
She really could. This was going to be one sweet summer.