Regina Lockhardt is feeling slightly annoyed that one of her staff thought it important enough to make something as silly as a small bit of crayon on the sidewalk a matter for the principal to settle on an incredibly hectic and busy Friday.
She tries to put on her serious principal face as little Annabelle Walker sits in her office, expecting to be expelled from the look on her face, and it is everything in Regina's power as the school's leader not to chuckle at how terrified she is to be sitting there.
She takes a moment to compose herself, and kneels down next to Annabelle, and takes her hand.
"Can I tell you a secret?" She says, pretending to look around her office with caution.
Annabelle's eyes widen.
"You're not in trouble. I'm not mad" Regina winks. But, just to be safe, she says, pausing dramatically- and then raising her voice just a little so the office can certainly hear.
"I'm not saying that the crayon drawings on the sidewalk aren't lovely, but please, try to remember that only chalk goes on our school sidewalks from now on, okay Annabelle?"
"Okay." The first grader says stifling a small giggle.
"Principal Lockhardt, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but you have a phone call on hold." Her secretary's voice speaks softly over the intercom. "It's your daughter's daycare on hold."
"You can go back to class, Annabelle." Regina directs, before picking up the phone. "This is Regina."
"Hi, This is Shelley calling. I'm so sorry to bother you, but we need someone to come and pick up Lila. She's running a temperature."
Regina lets out a slow breath, knowing full well this will mean having to leave work early, as her usually flexible husband is in trial today.
She sighs deeply. "I'm on my way."
Before leaving her office, she pops a fistful of Advil and washes it down with the rest of her peach tea from the lunch she had cobbled together from the faculty pay day potluck.
She gathers her purse and jacket, and fires off a text message to her youngest son's, Roland's teacher. The perks of being the principal of Stone Creek Elementary were plentiful, among them, an embarrassment of good friends to help out in a time of need.
To: Ruby Lucas
"Mind bringing R home after school today? L=Sick. Leaving now to get her."
Seconds later, Ruby texts back.
"As long as we can stop for cotton candy and ice cream."
Regina chuckles.
"Only if you plan to clean up the vomit in the back seat of your car."
She tosses her phone in her bag, knowing full well what the response will be when she glances back at her phone in a short time.
"Carrie, I'm gone for the rest of the afternoon." She breezes past her secretary. "Lila's got a temperature so they can't keep her at daycare."
"Hope she feels better!" Carrie's voice calls out behind her as she briskly heads towards the front of the school.
The drive to Lila's daycare is a short one. Regina and her husband Robin knew that they had struck the jackpot years earlier when searching for a clean, safe, loving place for their two younger children to go, after she'd accepted the job at Stone Creek. Their eldest son Henry was already in school full time at that point, but Roland, and subsequently, Lila had been cared for with the utmost love and attention at "Small Wonders".
Nonetheless Regina knows there is no fooling around when it comes to a baby with a temperature. She was familiar with the protocol, and not bothered by it in the least like some parents would be.
She can hear Lila's familiar cry as she hurries up the walkway to the daycare, and her heart lurches.
Sure enough, as she hurries inside, her dark haired little girl is putting up a powerful fight as her teacher, Miss Grace tries to comfort her.
"What is all this about miss Lila!?" Regina holds out her arms for her daughter. "Come here my love." She murmurs, taking the one year old in her arms immediately.
"Pretty sure she's got some big bad molars coming in," Grace sighs, patting Lila's back sympathetically. "I'm sorry we had to call, It's no way to start off a weekend."
Regina waves her off. "Don't worry at all. We're going to head home, and I'm sure we'll see you guys with a smile, and maybe some new teeth, on Monday!"
Regina can feel Lila's exhaustion sinking in as she nestles her head down on her shoulder.
"Is she doing better now?" Robin asks, his tone hushed. Regina assumes he snuck out of trial after reading the text message she sent to fill him in.
"She passed out in the car. She must've been completely exhausted. She didn't even put up a fight when I put her down in her crib."
"Well that's good."
"Hows trial?"
"Going alright. I should be home by dinner. Can I pick something up?"
Regina smiles, "I've got it covered."
"Superwife." He murmurs. "I gotta go. I love you."
Moments later the side door to their kitchen rattles open. Regina smiles as their oldest, Henry, walks in. ear buds jammed in his ears.
"How was your day Henry?"
He looks up startled, and takes his ear buds out.
"You're home early!" He observes, kicking off his shoes and making a beeline for the pantry.
"Lila spiked a fever. They called me at work to pick her up."
"Is she sick again?" Henry calls from inside the pantry, emerging with a fistful of chocolate chip cookies.
"Teething. She's upstairs sleeping so try to be quiet when you clomp upstairs please?"
Henry nods. "Sure."
Regina raises an eyebrow at his snack choices. "And maybe take something of actual substance upstairs with you. She reaches into the bowl on the counter and underhands him an apple. "Try to get at least some of that history report accomplished before dinner, instead of video games, please? So that it's not pushed off til Sunday night at 9:30?"
"Mom."
"Henry. I know you're old enough to make your own choices, but I-"
"Mom."
Regina puts her hands on her hips firmly. "fine. But when progress reports come out in another two weeks-
"You'll see I'm doing just fine." Henry winks, pecking her on the cheek. "You worry too much."
Henry makes a mad dash towards the stairs. "Call me when dinner's ready! He calls over his shoulder.
"Shhhh!" Regina reminds him. "Your sister!"
"Sorry mom"
Sure enough, Lila lets out an angry cry from her room a moment later. Regina steadies herself.
"I'll get her." Henry offers, his voice full of guilt. "I'm sorry I woke her."
"Okay. Thank you. Just bring her down here. I'm going to start dinner."
Roland bangs through the door a second later, with Ruby following close behind."We're home Mommy!" He flings himself into her arms. "I got to ride in the Cherry bomb!"
Regina hugs him tightly. "I know buddy! It's been a long time since you got to do that huh? Was it fun?"
Roland bounces around. "Mommy, Mommy, Monday is 100 day at school. I need 100 of something. Can I bring in 100 fruit loops?"
Regina scoops him into the air. "I think we have fruit loops, and I'll get them for you in just a second, but first, lets thank Miss Ruby for bringing you home."
Roland grins widely at his teacher. "Thank you, Miss Ruby."
Ruby high fives him enthusiastically. "Any time, kid."
She turns to Regina. "How's Lila?"
"Teething. She'll be fine." Regina assures her. "Thanks for helping me out. I appreciate it."
Ruby smiles and motions for the door; "Gotta run. Rolo, I'll see you for 100 day on Monday!"
"Bye!"
Just then, Henry appears at the foot of the stairs holding his baby sister. "I'm really sorry mom." He says again, passing her over to Regina.
"It's fine. Don't worry. Just go do your homework, please?"
"Got it."
Regina skillfully manages to start the water for spaghetti and hold Lila on her hip at the same time.
"Mommy, will you help me count out 100 fruit loops now?" Roland suddenly pipes up.
She moves to put Lila in her highchair and helps Roland by getting the box of sugared cereal down from the top shelf.
"Here Roland, take the box to the table and I'll be here to help you make sure you have 100. Start with a handful and see how far you get."
She brushes his curls out of his face a moment later to kiss his forehead, and makes a mental note to take him for a haircut. "Try to keep them off the floor as much as you can, okay?"
"If we had a dog, she'd take care of that." Roland grins playfully, sitting down to his "work" at the table.
"Nice try." Regina winks, poking him in the ribs, "maybe when you're seven we'll talk about that, but for now, mind the kitchen floor, mister."
She turns back to Lila, who's contentedly chewing on her plastic giraffe, and breathes deeply, for what feels like the first time all day. Before too much longer, dinner is starting to come together, and Henry has joined her and Roland in the kitchen to keep them company. Even if he's deeply committed to whatever game happens to be on his Ipad.
Suddenly, Roland looks up and his face splits into a grin as he spies Robin's headlights pull into the driveway. "Daddy's home!"
"That's right, so go wash up so we can eat!" Regina ushers him towards the bathroom.
"Scrub those fingernails please!" She calls after him.
Moments later, Robin hurries in from the garage.
"Hi guys!"
He pats Henry on the shoulder and leans in for a kiss with his bride.
"How's our girl?"
Regina loops her free arm around him while she holds Lila in the other. "We're surviving. I swear she almost chewed a hole through that poor giraffe though. Poor thing."
"Lila or the chew toy?"
"A bit of both" Regina chuckles.
"Daddy!" Roland squeals, making a beeline for his father and wrapping himself around his leg. "Tomorrow's Saturday!"
Robin chuckles and scoops him up. "Donut day. I know buddy."
"My favorite!"
"Come on, everyone sit down" Regina directs, moving to put the baby back in her high chair. Lila's face crumbles a moment later as Regina kisses her forehead.
"So, how was everyone's day?" Robin asks, loosening his tie
"I don't like pisketti." Roland frowns, picking up a noodle between his thumb and forefinger. "Yuck."
Regina and Robin exchange a familiar glance. "Since when?" Robin says with a raised brow. "Mommy didn't even put sauce on it for you."
"Don't want it." Roland mutters.
Regina shrugs. "Well then you're going to be awfully hungry if you choose not to eat dinner, But that's your choice."
Roland grumbles for another second before picking up his fork and joining the rest of his family.
"Henry! How was that science test?" Robin asks between bites of salad. Robin and Regina both notice their eldest glancing under the table. "Phone!" Regina exclaims. "Give it to me. Now."
"You guys, come on, it's Friday night. I'm home for dinner, isn't that enough?"
Regina holds out her palm expectantly. "You know the rules. Phone. Now."
Robin clears his throat to help ease the tension at the table a second later. "So, spring break is coming up, oh family of mine." He reminds them. Roland's eyes suddenly widen. "That means- that means-"
"Yes my boy. "You're big enough to go with Henry and I this year on the camping trip."
Roland springs out of his seat and dances around the dinner table. "We're gonna catch a bear! And go fishing! And see a moose!"
Henry smirks. "I hope he's not disappointed when the only "moose" we see is the kind in the drugstore at the outpost."
"Shhhh" "He's excited. Let him be." Regina admonishes her eldest.
The rest of the meal is consumed with talk of camping trips past. Regina grins widely watching Henry and Robin retell, for the umpteenth time, the story about the time they attempted to pitch a tent only to realize they had forgotten to pack the tent poles, and mercifully, got away with two nights under clear skies. She tries to hide her adoration for the way that her husband so effortlessly stepped in to the role of Henry's dad when he was just Lila's age. Even after 15 years and two more amazing children later, it still makes her well up.
"Well I'm sufficiently stuffed." Robin groans a few moments later, tossing down his napkin and reaching for her hand. "Thank you for dinner"
She smiles, before turning her attention to her already exhausted one year old, and her rapidly deteriorating 6 year old, who has begun to slump in his chair.
"Can I go to Zach's?" Henry pipes up. "He's having some other guys over. I won't be late."
Regina nods. "Home by 11, please, and no joy riding. I don't care if Zach just got his license. You stay there. Got it?"
He nods quickly. "Bye guys!"
Regina turns back to Roland. "You sir, will be in the tub as soon as Lila is finished. So you can pick one show, and then it's upstairs."
Roland wrinkles his brow. "I took a bath this week. I don't need one!"
"Your face and hair suggest otherwise!" Regina counters back, lifting her baby out of her highchair. "Half an hour, little man."
Lila continues to whine and fuss as Regina settles her in the tub, with hopes that the bathwater will calm her down.
Mercifully, the warm bath seems to do the trick, and Lila lets out a yawn as Regina zips her into her sleeper, and takes to rocking with her in the glider. She can hear Robin wrestling Roland into the tub, out of the tub, and into his pajamas as the baby rests heavily on her chest, settling herself down enough to sleep. It's not often she allows Lila to fall asleep on her like this. She worked hard with each one of her babies to get them to fall asleep on their own, but sometimes, both parties just need a good snuggle after a long day, she justifies.
Finally, Lila is asleep enough for Regina to successfully transfer her into her crib. She turns on her nightlight, and tiptoes out of her bedroom and across the hall to help tuck Roland in.
Robin is in the middle of "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel" as she curls up on the bed next to Roland. Roland holds out his arms for her and she leans in for a goodnight kiss on his forehead. "I'll see you-
"When the sun shines and the little hand is on the 9" He reminds her.
"Right you are." She murmurs, leaving Robin to finish the book.
She returns downstairs and can hear the dull buzz of her phone from inside her bag. Confused, she reaches down into the bag, wondering who on earth could need her on a Friday night. Her husband was home, and most of her friends would be just as busy as she just was getting their children down for the night.
She glances down and realizes she has missed four calls from the same number. All within the last two hours. She doesn't recognize the number but the sense of urgency tugs at her.
Before she can call back, the same number pops up again as an incoming call.
"Hello?" She answers with caution.
"Regina. It's me." A tearful voice speaks up on the other end of the line.
Her stomach flip-flops as she recognizes the voice immediately.
Zelena.