Mistaken for a Couple

Emma rolled her eyes and huffed out loud. Regina shot Emma one of her Evil Queen looks from across the table. They were in Portland for a conference of Maine mayors and city officials. Emma hated these meetings. She and Regina were stuck at a table with the Mayor of Portland, Mayor Murray, in a chair that had made her ass fall asleep.

Mayor Murray kept talking about budgets and infrastructure repairs as he talked with his mouth full. Emma could hardly take it. She was so bored. Regina was engaging in the conversation and Emma was tuning everyone out. Suddenly all eyes were on Emma. "Emma, the mayor was just asking about how it was working with having two deputies now," Regina clarified.

Emma cleared her throat before she answered the mayor. "It is great. My dad is a deputy and our friend Ruby is a part time deputy. It really allows me to be able to have a great work/life balance. I love being able to spend time with our son and…"

"And we take him to his horse riding lessons and are currently looking into fencing and sailing classes in the area," Regina finished as she smiled across the table at Emma.

"That is wonderful that you are both able to be so involved in his life and juggle your duties to the town," Mayor Murray said.

"As you know, Storybrooke is just a small town nestled on our glorious coast so we do have ample people ready and willing to teach Henry to sail, we just are having a hard time picking just one of them," replied Regina. "Yeah, it has caused literal fights between Killian and Eric over who is the best sailor," Emma added.

"Fights which, you and David, Emma's father and our Deputy Sheriff, have had to break up many times. You would think they would wait until we picked one of them for the job before the fists go flying. Mayor Murray, sailing is very important to Killian and Eric and they take their jobs and skills very seriously," Regina remarked. The others at the table gently laughed and looked at Regina and Emma, who were smiling widely at each other.

"How long have you ladies been married?" Mayor Murray asked. Regina's jaw dropped open and Emma looked shocked.

"Mayor Murray, we are not married," Emma hastily replied.

The sheriff from Bangor said, "Really, everyone at this conference has been talking about you and how you are the cutest couple."

"Really, we…," Emma started as she looked across the table at Regina.

Regina reached across the table and took Emma's hand, "Actually Sheriff, we are not married or even engaged yet. But you never know what could happen."

Emma and Regina exchanged shy smiles as they let go of each other's hand. Emma's mind was racing. Could Regina have really meant what she just said or was she putting on a show for the other officials? Either way, it was going to be an interesting ride home tonight.