Chapter 2:

(Henry POV)

After the divorce, my Moms both thought it'd be good for me to start seeing Archie again. He told them that the anger was normal for kids with their parents freshly divorced. I mean, duh, of course I was angry. My Moms are perfect for each other and they're the only ones who can't see it.

I think even Dad knows. He doesn't wanna believe it, but he knows deep down. He saw how Emma changed. He loves her too much to notice most days. That's sometimes the issue with a love that's not True Love. It can blind us to what's really happening. They think I don't notice, all three of them. But I've always been more observant than they've given me credit for. I may have only been like ten when they met, but I saw how they looked at each other.

Again, trust me, I really love my dad. I love that I know who he is and I love that he's in my life. He's like the fun parent. We used to eat ice cream before dinner and now he'll sneak me a beer. I don't think Ma cares that much since I'm at home with them, but she pretends to because that's what Mom would do if Ma was in Dad's place. I'm gonna keep exaggerating my anger about the divorce to Archie. It's pretty lame, but it's all I got right now. They used to go to Granny's all the time, so I'll suggest that if Archie thinks they need to talk things over.

(Emma POV)

I put the bug in park and walked the little ways up the sidewalk to Granny's. Regina said that she was concerned about Henry and we needed to meet and talk. It was always a meeting now a days with Regina. We really didn't talk too much other than discuss the weather or something stupid like that when we switched Henry from house to house.

That's when I saw her and stopped. Regina was sitting at that little table for two by the front window. That used to be our table. It's where we sat when we came alone to Granny's. Looking at her in that moment, it was almost like nothing had changed and I was coming to the diner to have lunch with my wife after my rounds. Not true of course, everything had changed.

I stayed there in the exact same place I would have before if I wanted an excuse to look at the woman I fell so desperately in love with. We were in the same positions but with such different circumstances. It's almost like we'd come full circle really. Here we were, about to exchange nothing more than the necessary pleasantries and probably going to fight about Henry.

My heart sank when I walked in and didn't see a hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon already waiting for me. Regina used to always have ordered for me because she knew I'd be late, but she did it anyways and she waited because she loved me. I caught Ruby's eye and she nodded, already knowing what I wanted to drink. I shuffled over to Regina and sat down. Different circumstances indeed.

(Regina POV)

"So what's up? You said you wanted to talk. Is everything ok?" Emma asked, concern all over her face. I knew the concern was for Henry and not for me. So I sighed and recalled my conversation with Archie.

"So let me get this straight. You're asking me to spend time with my ex-wife around Henry?" I asked bewildered.

"Yes," answered Archie plainly, "It's what Henry wants and this could be your opportunity to show him why you can't be together." I looked at him like the insane cricket he was.

"What are you expecting me to do? Fight with Emma in front of our son?"

"Of course not, Madame Mayor. I don't believe you two have to have an all out brawl for Henry to pick up on the tension between you two. Spending time with her will most likely resurface some of those feelings that led to the divorce. Just show him why it's not going to work. This is your chance to nip this in the butt," explained Archie, "That is what you and Sheriff Cassidy want for him, isn't it?"

"Swan," I corrected automatically, "Her last name is Swan."

"Forgive me, Madame Mayor, I just assumed…" He was cut off.

"Well you assumed wrong!" snapped Regina. Archie ducked his head in apology. "Anyway, I'll take to Ms. Swan and we'll try it."

In telling this to Emma, I left out the part about her last name. She sat, sipping at her cocoa, thinking it over.

"So what did you have in mind?" Emma asked

"I suggest some dinner or something of the sort. Some activity other than just sitting at home so we have something to do with him," I replied. Emma nodded.

"What are we going to tell him in terms of reasoning? That we suddenly just had a brilliant idea for a lovely family outing?" Emma asked. I rolled my eyes.

"No, we are going to tell our son the truth, Ms. Swan. Because we both know how it goes when we lie to him. This is what he wants so we are going to show him why it is unrealistic." We agreed we'd take Henry to an amusement park on Saturday. Where he and his mother could play dumb games to win cheap prizes and it would be a jolly good time. Of course, Henry was thrilled when I told him. I tried to be clear about the purpose of our outing but he didn't listen to me. Do other teenage boys get excited about their mothers taking them out on Saturdays?