Twin Toddlers
"Emma, could you come help me, please?"
"Aw, Mom," Emma whined, giving her the sad puppy eyes. "The game's almost over. Two more minutes."
"Now, Emma." Snow commanded in her most royally authoritative tone, determined not to be swayed by her daughter's theatrics.
"Fine," she grumbled and stood, making her way slowly to the counter.
"Them's the breaks, kid." Charming chuckled, settling back to continue watching the game.
Snow watched on as Emma glared, trying hard not to laugh at her mutinous face. Before anyone could say another word, Neal awoke with a loud wail.
"Charming would you mind?"
"But-" he began but stopped when she turned her own glare on him. "Yeah, sure."
"Them's the breaks, Dad." Emma grinned and swiped a crouton from the salad Snow had been putting together.
"Emma!" she scolded, earning a sheepish smiled from her daughter even as she stuffed the food into her mouth. Snow could only roll her eyes. "Just cut up some cucumbers, please."
"You got it." Emma grinned, finally doing as instructed.
"Thank you." Snow went to stir her sauce, catching a glimpse of Charming and Neal. She turned with a smile only to glare when her husband stole a crouton of his own. "Charming!"
He raised an eyebrow at the scolding tone but only grinned as he stuffed the morsel into his mouth before placing Neal in his high chair. Snow shook her head and turned away once more. Children, she was dealing with children. She only had her back turned for a few moments when she heard a squeal and spun around to see what was going on this time.
"Really?" she asked when she saw Emma picking food out of her hair and glaring at her father.
"What?" he asked with an innocent look on his face. "Emma threw it at me first."
"Honestly, you two. It's like having a couple of disobedient toddlers around sometimes. Twin toddlers."
Charming only shrugged with a grin while Emma blushed at the comparison.
"Could you two behave for just a little while, please? Snow pointed her wooden spoon at them. "Our guests will be here soon and I want to have a nice, relaxing Sunday dinner. Is that too much to ask?"
"Sorry, Mom." Emma said at the same time Charming said, "We'll be good."
"You had better," she informed them before reluctantly turning her back on them, but not before she caught the cheeky grins father and daughter shared. Twin toddlers, she thought with a heavy sigh. A smiled bloomed on Snow's face when she realised that she wouldn't have it any other way.
The End
