Finally updating, this is the dinner, yay! Super excited about all the follows and favs!
(Again, I don't own Once Upon a Time, I am just playing with the pieces and will put them back when I am finished.)
Chapter 8
They pulled into Granny"s driveway and turned off the ignition. Regina looked at Emma and clutched her hand.
"Are you ready for a blast from the past. I swear Granny hasn't changed a thing." She let go of Emma and jumped out with the wine.
Emma grabbed her laundry and they headed in. Regina was right, they hadn't changed anything. It was the same furniture, carpet, paint, wallpaper, and decor. The aroma, however was heavenly. The smell of tomatoes, garlic, basil, onion, and thyme was making Emma's mouth water.
Granny came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on the towel she always had over her shoulder. She glowed when she saw the girls in her livingroom.
"Look at you two!" She reached out hugging Regina and then Emma. "I am so glad you could come. Dinner will be ready shortly. Let me have your clothes, I'll get those started."
"Mrs. Luc... I mean Granny, I can do my laundry." Emma said looking at Regina, who was shaking her head.
"Don't be silly, you are my guest, come on don't be shy. I used to wash your clothes when you would stay the night." She said, taking the bag from Emma. "Now you go get cleaned up, and Regina, honey will you set the table."
Emma nodded and made her way down the hall to the bathroom. It felt so surreal, the family photos on the wall were the same as when she was younger. She had to look at herself in the mirror to reassure herself that she was still 30.
She found the rose colored towels, Granny had laid out for her and started the shower. Emma could not wait to be under the steamy streams of water. She quickly peeled out of her clothes and climbed in sliding the shower door shut.
She stood under the water, with her eyes closed thinking about all the time she spent trying to forget and block this place and people from her mind. It was strange to be back and it was an even stranger feeling to Emma, that she desperately did miss it. She shampooed her hair twice before conditioning it and scrubbed the grime off her skin till it was red and tingling.
Emma wrapped the soft pink towel around herself and stepped out. She noticed that she had a visitor while in her tranquil serenity. Some one replaced her dirty clothes with a soft, fresh set of purple sweats. Emma was thankful, but modest and felt more comfortable with the thought of, Granny being the one who delivered them.
She pulled on the sweats and brushed her hair. Emma felt like a million bucks, but her stomach was not letting her forget about the food that was waiting. She straightened the bathroom and made her way back to the kitchen.
Regina was sitting at the table folding napkins and chatting with her grandmother. Granny was flitting about putting finishing touches on the meal and Henry, Regina's father was still missing in action.
"Can I help with anything?" Emma asked, approaching carefully.
"No, no. You are our guest. You've been living out in the wild, let me spoil you." Granny replied, concerned. Her brow furrowed into the motherly worried expression Emma had become accustomed to, when Granny would speak with her. "You sit and relax a minute before dinner."
Emma had a seat at the table and met Regina's gaze.
"What?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking how nice you clean up after living in the wild." Regina, grinned mischievously.
Emma threw her newly folded napkin at her.
"I'm just saying, you look nice without the twigs and birdnests in your hair."
"Enough, Regina, go tell your father dinner is ready."
Regina watched her father lovingly read his paper, while reclined in his recliner, wearing the silly monster feet slippers she bought him for father's day. She is so thankful for her father and all he has done for her. He raised Regina, with the help of her Granny, after her mother left them for a film producer in California.
"Daddy, dinner."
Henry lowered his paper and smiled, "Alright, sweetie, I'll be right there."
They sat down at the table and Henry asked everyone to join hands and bow their heads. Emma's stomach instantly tied into a knot, as the flashbacks of her own family swirled through her head. Henry started the prayer.
"O Lord, we thank you for the gifts of your bounty, which we enjoy at this table. As you have provided for us in the past, so may you sustain us throughout our lives. While we enjoy your gifts, may we never forget the needy and those in want. And thank you Lord for bringing 'Lil' Emma back home. Amen." He looked up and clapped his hands together. "Let's Eat!"
Emma was not expecting the last part of the prayer. She felt her cheeks heat up and she blushed in embarrassment. The knot in her stomach loosening while they passed the food around the table.
Granny really had outdone herself. She made homemade spaghetti noodles with fresh tomato sauce, garlic bread, roasted chicken, sauteed zucchini and peppers, and a pecan pie for dessert. Emma was feeling full just by looking at the food. She took one bite and could not believe how much she missed home cooking.
"So, Emma, the million dollar question is, where have you been keeping yourself?" Henry asked.
Regina shifted in her chair nervously and glanced at Emma over her garlic bread.
"Dad, I..."
"It's okay." Emma looked reassuringly at Regina and smiled. "I have been living in, New York City. I am an editor at, Cavalier Publishing." Emma finished, twirling her noodle on her fork.
"Honey, do you have any family out there?" Granny asked.
"No."
"How about a fella? Are you seeing anyone?" Henry asked.
"No. I've been to busy for the dating scene."
"Surely, there must be someone? Your such a pretty girl." Granny asked expectantly.
Emma glanced over at Regina for help.
"Granny, did you use your Grandmother's recipe for the sauce?" Regina asked, knowing that cooking questions would distract her grandmother.
"Yes, dear, can you tell? And I used Ingrid's recipe for the pecan pie. I thought Emma might like that." She smiled at Emma.
"Yeah Granny, tastes amazing"
"Regina, how long till you get Emma out of the dark?" Henry asked.
"Should only be another day or two. Just as long as the rest of the parts come in. My fingers are crossed. So are Emma's." Regina said, patting Emma on the leg.
Emma was not expecting Regina to touch her. When her hand touched Emma's leg, it sent an electrical current straight between her legs. She jumped, knocking over her wine glass and spilling it across the table.
"I'm so sorry!" Emma said trying to clean up the mess with her napkin.
"It's alright dear. I got it." Granny had jumped up and blotted the spill before it trickled to the floor.
She has cat like reflexes, from the all the accidents in the diner. Emma was thoroughly embarrassed. She never reacted that way to anyone's touch, not that anyone had touched her in awhile, her life had been agonizingly solitary.
Emma finished her dessert and Granny collected the dishes. She told Regina to take Emma out to the porch and to take their wine with them, while she cleaned up. Regina grabbed the bottle and the glasses.
"You heard Granny, we got to ske-daddle." She said walking out to the porch.
