Waiting for the Bus
Four
Regina went home early. Seeing Emma had rattled her and hearing Emma actually calling her name gave her confusing thoughts. Right after the curse was broken, out of all the people of Storybrooke, Emma was the one who had run to her rescue though it was in behest of Henry, but she could have stopped after the mob was pacified, but no, the woman had persisted and even endangered her life saving her from the wraith. That's how she started putting her trust on the blonde… which was a mistake.
She and the two idiots and the entire population of Storybrooke, including Henry wanted her gone, and now that she had finally given them what they wanted for a long time, here they are turning her new world upside down once again. It wouldn't have been this awful if she hadn't heard the 'longing' behind Emma's call.
What is her game? She asked herself, because for the life of her, Emma Swan had been and will always be a complex person for her, and she will forever be a challenge. But why would she fall for this again? She did let her in, and then she left her to hang and now took away her son.
It was a blessing in disguise that she actually was able to formulate a plan that left the blonde woman speechless… shocked. What does she expect? She supposed to know that she'll have all her memories wiped out once she step out of the town line right… right?
So was she so inundated with thoughts of the blonde woman she was running away from that she missed the other blonde woman in her life crossing the foyer towards the kitchen…
"Hey, you look like some Zombie ate your brain," Aire said concerned before it transform into a full blown laugh when the usually composed woman shrieked at the site of a 'zombie' standing still in front of her.
"AIRE!" Regina yelled which caused one woman with pink dyed hair to go out of the living room and into the foyer.
"What happened?" She asked with that usual sweet voice. How the loud Aire get this woman to fall in love with her is a mystery to Regina.
Chocolate brown eyes turned to the new arrival and frown, "You really are taking your sexual fantasies to a new height…" seeing the woman in a leather suit complete with utility belt where a wooden stake of different sizes were inserted, and a whip clipped on the side, then she looked at Zombie Aire who was curled in herself, still laughing, "... and YOU!" She wanted to strangle the woman but she was still shaken by what happened, so she let it go and decided to just seethe silently.
When the laughing died down, Aire straightened herself, removed the zombie mask partially making it cling to her hair and grinned, "Don't blame me, I was just concerned when you came, besides, I didn't know you'll be coming home early. Everything went smooth at work?"
Regina frowned, "Nightmare, it was a nightmare."
"Huh? I got the idea that you have saints as employees," The pink haired woman, Nevi said with a frown.
"Well I have to let go of three stackers,"
"Work ethics not to your liking?"
"More like they don't do their work because they're taking home some goods with them. Does that approve your ethics?" She sarcastically told the blonde woman.
"Whoa!" Aire raised both hands in the air, "Okay, you have a bad work day, I get it…" she looked at Nevi with a pleading eyes, "We get it yes?" and the pink haired woman nodded her head. She then turned her focus on the raven haired woman again, "So care to share?" One raise brow was the reply, "About why it was a nightmare at work-"
Regina sighed and then turned to enter the living room, the two women following her, "SHE cornered me." she said before slumping at the couch.
The two women stayed standing and then eyed each other before Aire opened her mouth, "You know this SHE devil you are talking about must be named sometime right?"
"I dare not,"
"This SHE devil you are talking about, is this the one you were telling me that's stalking Danny?" Nevi asked her lover of three years and nodded her head when the other woman affirmed her suspicion.
"Why not?"
"I'm afraid she'll appear before me if I utter her name loudly,"
Nevi frowned, "So her name is Rumpelstiltskin?" then she looked at her girlfriend, "I thought Rumpelstiltskin is a guy?"
"Hey that's twice now, if you say that name one more time he might appear! And who knows what's true anymore!" Aire said looking more affected.
"What… Rumpelstiltskin is a man!" Regina loudly said,
"You jinx it!" Aire shouted and her eyes scanned the area.
"I have no time with your buffoonery Ms. Simoun, I'm tired and I should just take a rest."
Regina stood and walked slowly out of the living room and stopped midway when Nevi spoke, "So what did you do?"
She sighed, "Feigned Amnesia."
"WHAT?!"
-0-
"I got a brochure here saying that your store is hiring!" Emma's voice increases along with her ire. The damn woman at the store's information and customer service center knows nothing. What the heck, is Regina hiring morons for employees?
"Oh yes ma'am, those positions at the brochure had already been filled. We haven't gotten any new information about any positions open." The blonde woman rolled her eyes.
"Then why are you still giving out these pamphlets?!"
"Sorry, they were supposed to be disposed. If it's alright with you, Ms. Swan right?" Emma nodded her head and once again rolled her eyes upon realizing the other woman cannot see her,
"What?"
"...You can leave us a number or email, plus your resume and we'd give you a call once a position is open." She frowned, 'does she really need this? Part timing as bail bondsperson would probably take a lot of her time… but it has been days and there was no field assignments for her yet. It was explained that the regulars were given priority for cases and that the part timers are the last in line. That works for her.
"That will be good, can you at least tell me if you have any hunch on any opening? I am in dire need of a job." She said lowering her voice.
"There are about two to three positions offered once a month, so if you really are in need of work Ms. Swan, I suggest you look for other establishments as well. But as soon as we got something I'll give your resume priority."
"That's very good, thank you ah Ms…"
"Lotis,"
"Ms. Lotis, bye bye." Emma said sighing before pressing the end call button of her mobile. Then her eyes found that of her son who has his brows raise up.
"You have a part time job and that's going to probably take more of your time, how are you going to balance getting mom and work if you're getting another?" he asked in a tone that reminds her so much of Regina when she was being the bitchy mayor of Storybrooke.
'Damn it, every actions, every tone… everything about Henry now reminds her of the woman who is now giving her this crappy headache.' "I'm applying at the super store your mother owns. So Henry, I have a major headache and I don't need you going MAYOR on me today. Will you just spare me, please?" she said gritting her teeth.
Henry sure seemed to be chastised, "Oh… sorry Emma, ah…"He started fidgeting, "I'll leave you then, I'm going to the library."
Emma frowned and looked at her watch, "It's going to close in two hours, are you trying to go Peter Parker on me?" she asked with one raised brow.
Henry grinned, "Ah no, I really am going there and do some reading, and then I'm going to Fox bookstore (1)." He grinned, "I met this cool kid, Jake, and he said something about this bookstore where you can actually come and read inside even without buying."
Emma nodded, "Oh, alright."
"Why don't you rest Emma, I'll go eat out with Jake and maybe I could get you some take out burger?"
"That would be great, I don't think I'm up to cooking."
Henry shrugged his shoulders, "When were you really up to cooking anyway?"
"I'm contemplating on cutting off someone's allowance…"
"I'm going!" Henry shouted as he run out of their door.
"KID!"
-0-
[Next day]
Emma decided not to push her luck today. She doesn't want the securities calling the attention of the authorities if she suddenly show up in the store again without really valid reason. So she really has nowhere to go when she left the agency. She went in to see if there's a case for her but it seemed it was slow going for SIA, the regulars were actually bumping heads to get one decent case. As for her, it was a good thing she's last in the list, that means she has more time, money wise, she and Henry are quite alright. Being the daughter of the current Mayor has its perk - she's on an indefinite leave with pay -
It was really good that the people rallied behind her parents to put King George where he should be. Before she and Henry went to this trip, her parents had done investigations of the legality of the transfer of title of the mansion from Regina to him, and so far, they hadn't gotten anything solid to kick the man out of the house.
So it was this large amount of time in her hand, and lack of anything else to do that she found herself sitting on the bench by the bus stop. The same bench where she met that 'evil' old lady which she forgot the name now. If she had been green, she would have called her The Wicked Witch. She found it was nice sitting on that bench, she could see people walking around without being crowded, the shade of the large tree she has no idea what species was a great respite from the sun, it was a good thing since her skin gets easily burned.
She was lost in thought for a while and then her attention was caught by someone sitting beside her. When she looked sideways, she found the blonde woman taking care of the old witch, smiling at her, the name she cannot forget, Aire.
"I was on my way back to work from a break and saw you here, you were deep in thought and you're holding that brochure, so I thought I'd say hello." Aire said easing at the bench.
"Oh Hi, Aire right?" At the nod of blonde head, not hers, she smiled. "I was just thinking," she grinned, "I know it may seem like a dangerous thing to do but…" The other woman laughed,
"Oh my god, I like you! You seemed like a nice person. So what got you into thinking?" Aire watch Emma raise the pamphlet,
"I called to ask about the vacancy listed here, it turns out it was already filled."
"Oh," the other blonde had that knowing smile on her face, "So you're new in town, planning to settle and looking for a job?"
"Second job," she shrugged her shoulders, "I'm working part time there," pointing at the building opposite them, "As part time too, but they still have no field case for me, so no commission for me until theres one, hence, the looking for a second job." she looked at the other woman who nods her head, "I have a son, and he has a voracious appetite, one job would never suffice… growing boy."
"I see," Aire stood up, "I maybe able to help you,"
Emma raise one brow, "Really?"
"Yes, actually savemore has opening, but its a close position, the positions were just new and they don't want to advertise it, something about thorough inspection, but I know the man in charge of hiring and if you really need the job, I could send you to him and you can drop my name."
"Really?" If stars could replace Emma's pupil, it would have. "I mean, you're going to do for me? I'm practically a stranger to you!"
"Psh!" She waved a hand in the air, "I'm good at reading people, and I know you are a good and hardworking woman, so what's the harm in helping out right?"
Emma stood as well, "Oh my god, you are an angel! Thank you very much," 'If you only knew...' she thought. She can't get herself to feel guilty, this is her only chance at getting through Regina. Now that she knew she'd lost her memory, she couldn't think of another way to be close to her than work with her closely. "Oh my…"
"Look for Mr. Yun, when you meet him, tell him Aire Simoun sent you to him for one of the position."
"Okay! Oh thank you very much…"
"You're not going to stop saying thank you will you?"
"No, I might not be able to… oh god, thank you…"
"..And Oh god… you do realize I am human right?" Emma just grinned. "So what is your full name Emma?"
-0-
Mr. Yun was all smile as he lead Emma Swan to the cold cuts shelf of the large store. The blonde was trying hard to listen to his instruction and to look for the raven haired store owner at the same time. Good thing she knows how this stacking works, she did worked in a grocery store when she was young, baggage girl but still, it's an experience.
"You see Miss… ah, Swan right?" That caught the woman's attention and she nodded her head, "You got a strong backer, it is hard to say no to Ms. Simoun but she had never steered us wrong. She had recommended a lot of people to work here and every person who came here upon her recommendation had been stellar employees. I hope she keeps her record by recommending you."
Emma smiled, "I'll never steer you wrong,"
"So you are working full time, for now, you're getting Wednesday and Thursday off, weekends off are offered to regular employees, trainees such as yourself can't choose for the mean time. You're signing a three month contract, if we are satisfied with your work ethics, then we could extend it to six and then a year." Emma nods her head, "The owner of this market does unannounced inspection and she's a perfectionist. But… she has a good heart, if you are in need of something, you can raise it up with me and I could negotiate with her." She nodded again, "Once a month, every last Sunday, we closes the supermarket and we are requested to attend a monthly feeding program. Since you are new, I suggest you volunteer to make good impression."
"I'd love that."
"Very well, I'll leave you here to do your work…"
"Oh, I'll start now?"
"You want the job?"
"I'll start now." she said turning to the shelf and inspecting everything.
"I'll have Sally bring you a store issued apron and gloves." Mr. Yun smiled and turned to leave the blonde.
"Thank you Mr. Yun," she said which earned her a wave of hand.
-0-
It has been two days and Regina was a little bit relieved that she hadn't bumped into Emma Swan. Her plan on faking an amnesia was something out of the blue, but it seemed that it worked. Though she was sure that it's not enough to dissuade the woman from coming to her, she's probably somewhere out there looking for some guy who could be her true love so he could kiss her and break the damn curse.
Or worst, she could be trying to persuade Henry to come find her and kiss her. That's something the savior would do. Charmings and their True love magic. She sneered at the thought. So it was a beautiful Friday morning, tomorrow is the start of her weekday off, though as the owner, she actually could have anyday as off day, but she wants to have a schedule, which this week was shaken by Snow White's spawn who decided to continue her mother's legacy - to be a pain in her side - So she walked to the bus station and stood to her usual place…
If she has not mastered the art of masquerading her emotion, and if it wasn't for the dark sunglass she's wearing, she was sure the woman beside her, - Emma Swan- would have seen through her act.
There is probably some truth to what she told Aire before, mentioning Swan's name would make her appear, but she hasn't uttered it which means what now? Just thinking of Emma Swan makes her appear?
'Is the damn FATE kidding me?'
-0-
Emma had decided to go to the agency earlier. Since she'll have full time work at the store, she needs to tell the secretary that she would want to be message in case there is a case for her. She needs at least eight hours at the grocery so if there is a case, she could use the remaining hours of the day to look into it. The agency is open twenty four hours anyway.
Thelma had listed her on the 'to be message' list which she didn't sign before because she was thinking of using the office's resources to find Regina, but now that she's found the woman and is now working close to her, there's no need to bother herself with coming to the office everyday for her to know that there is still no field case for her. Now, she only needs to check her message if she has one. So she was early, standing by the sign waiting for the bus…
And all of sudden, there she was standing beside her. She saw her look her way but she seemed like she saw through her. Her facial expression show no recognition. Regina has really lost her memory, and there is only one way for her to recover it… True Love's kiss, that is if it works here outside of Storybrooke.
Good thing Henry is with her right?
-0-
She was a little bit apprehensive when Emma Swan went off the bus on the same stop as hers. Then her apprehension grew when the blonde woman entered her store a few person after her. 'Alright, maybe she's doing another shopping trip...'
As the proverb goes, curiosity killed the cat… she felt like she died when the blonde woman actually entered the 'for employees' only door. "What the… she's working in MY store… who the hell hired her?!" she mumbled to herself. And she hurriedly left where she was hiding when she saw Emma Swan went out of door wearing the store's apron and gloves. "I'm going to kill whoever hire her!" she mumbled again as she hurriedly went to her office.
TBC
1 - You've got mail (The other bookstore)