Daddy,
I really didn't expect to be writing you again so soon but this day has been...well there are no words to accurately describe it. Has everything that has happened really only occurred within the last 24 hours? It's late now, almost tomorrow, but I couldn't sleep. My body is exhausted but I'm mind hasn't been this animated in a long time.
I feel as though I have lived more in one day than I have in the last decade.
I don't even know where to start. I suppose the beginning is best. Or in this case, this morning.
The day after Regina wrote to her Father she decided to go out and buy a bicycle. Once Regina finished college her mother would berate her for riding. She would claim that it was for children or athletes and that Regina was neither. Regina had always felt a sense of freedom on a bike though and she was (perhaps childishly) excited to ride one in the free open air. It would be so much different than riding one in a town or city, with the constant threat of obstacles in the way.
It didn't disappoint.
She decided after a quick test drive that afternoon that she would make a daily habit of it on the days she wasn't working.
So the next morning that is where she found herself; atop her deep-purple cruiser feeling the ocean breeze blow her hair backward.
The usually in-control woman lost herself in the moment. Lost herself in the feeling of the wind, and the feeling of contentment knowing that there was no reason to be self-concious because no-one knew her here.
Perhaps she should have paid a little more attention though because when she focuses again on the sidewalk in front of her she is startled to see movement catch her eye. She jumps into action slamming on her breaks and steering hard to the right side . Unfortunately, a road sign in directly on the grass to her right and the bike slams into it. She stumbles off of the seat and effectively twists her ankle before the fame come crashing down onto her leg.
Regina simply lays her head back on the sandy ground for a moment to let her mind catch up with the situation. She turns her head to the side to make sure no one saw her blunder when movement catches her eye again.
It was a dam lizard! I should have just squashed him!
She slowly disentangles herself and stands up. Thankfully the bicycle isn't heavy and it wasn't a bad fall so she's in pretty good shape. A few scrapes, and her ankle feels sore, but otherwise fine. The bicycle looks okay too so she decides it's better to try and ride home than put the pressure on her ankle and walk.
She cautiously mounts and kicks off the ground. Almost immediately she realizes something is wrong though. Her handlebars are moving in one direction but the wheels aren't moving with it. She dismounts before she falls twice in one morning and crouches down to inspect the bike.
Truly she has no idea what she is looking for though. Perhaps hoping she could twist a piece that came loose back into place? Nothing seems broken to her, although something is clearly wrong if it's not steering properly.
Of course the second day I have a new bicycle it breaks. I bet mother was laughing victoriously wherever she is.
She heaves a deep sigh;resigning herself to the fact that she'll have to walk the bike home and bring it to the shop later.
"Are you okay?" A soft voice says from behind her.
A "yes, I'm fine, thank you." is already leaving Regina's mouth as she spins around to face the woman. It's a good thing she was already answering too because a soon as she sees the woman's face she goes momentarily speechless. A face is not a foot away from her own and smiling beatifically.
The first thing Regina notices is freckles. A cute splattering of freckles across rosy cheeks and nose. Regina always loved freckles. Especially children with freckles. What is cuter than that?
This woman is certainty not a child though. She has a strong jaw and eyes that have the depth and color reminiscent of the sea. It's only when Regina sees the long blonde hair that is pulled into a pony tail that Regina realizes this is the same woman from a few days ago on the beach. She never thought such a strong, sexy woman would have such an adorable face though. Now that she thinks about it, it is obvious that it was the same person. Her eyes finally leave the woman's face a travel to the rest of her body. The blonde is wear a tank-top, leggings, and running shoes. Earphones hang around her neck and are attached to a strap on her arm where her phone is held.
Regina realizes that she has been checking out the other woman for so long that she missed a question she was being asked.
"Sorry what?" She asks in as level a voice as she can manage.
"I asked if you needed any help." The woman explains.
"Not unless you know anything about bike mechanics."
The woman smiles even wider if that's possible.
"Well bicycles aren't my specialty but I can take a look if you want."
Regina simply motions with her hand to the bike, indicating that she is free to take a look.
The blonde woman crouches down.
"Something is wrong with the steering." Regina remembers to point out after a moment.
She can't seem to remember anything around the other woman. She's never felt so flustered around another person before.
"Okay the damage doesn't seem too bad. I'm sure I can fix it, I just don't have any tools on me. You don't happen to have an allen key in you bag, do you?" The woman looks up at her again and jokes while nodding her head to the messenger bag Regina is sporting.
"Oh dam. Only a wrench in there." Regina deadpans without really thinking.
To her surprise the blonde woman laughs before standing up. "Oh well. I'm not staying too far if you want to wheel it over." She asks hesitantly.
"I couldn't ask you to do that." Regina insists.
"You weren't asking, I was offering. Plus this is a really easy fix but if you take it somewhere they'll probably still charge you an obscene amount of money."
Normally Regina would never go somewhere with a stranger like this. Especially one who looked so much stronger than her. But there was something so open and friendly about the other woman that she found herself responding "okay" before she made the conscious decision to do so.
"I'm Emma, by the way." The no-longer stranger says and sticks out her hand.
"Regina" She answers and clasps the offered palm. The hand is strong and calloused but the gentle way she shakes feels like the sweetest caress.
