CHAPTER 26

Regina poked her head into Grace's room. "You ready dear?" Emma and Henry were already downstairs waiting. The family was on its way to Granny's for breakfast. It was the first time in a while that Regina's belly wasn't protesting and she was famished.

Grace was bent over and looking under the bed, "I can't find my shoe Mom," her muffled voice came out.

Regina's mouth fell ajar as she took in Grace's feet that were hanging out from under the bed. This was the first time Grace had ever referred to her that way. She and Emma tended to refer to both children as theirs but they had never really put labels on their relationship. Everyone was aware that they were now a family unit so it was never necessary. And they were aware that Jefferson was never coming back. Grace was officially and legally Regina's. But they were leaving the rest up to Grace to figure out in her own good time.

Grace must've finally realized what she said because she flew out from underneath the bed. She stared at Regina with bulging eyes and her cheeks flushed. "I meant – umm – I mean," Grace stammered.

Regina smiled at her and walked into the room. She put her hand on her shoulder and rubbed it to calm the child down. "It means whatever you want it to mean. Emma and I are here for you always no matter what. Emma and I would love for you to call us Mom. But that's for when you're ready. In the meantime, we'll just let it go as a slip of the tongue."

Grace just nodded.

Regina looked around the room. She pointed to just behind the door, "Is that the shoe you were searching for?" Regina didn't want to make a big deal out of it right now. Not until Grace seemed more sure of how she felt.

Regina started out the door. "Hurry. You know Emma gets cranky if she doesn't eat every 3 to 4 hours."

Grace hurriedly ran over and picked up her shoe. She slid it on her foot but sat for a while longer thinking over what had just happened.

She loved Regina and Emma. She didn't really have much to say about Henry but overall he seemed okay. Even though everyone tended to refer to them as her Moms technically Regina was her legal guardian. Even though Henry was an adopted child she herself wasn't. And there were no plans or talk of doing so either.

She shook her head and pushed it to the back of her mind. It was a slip of the tongue, she told herself. Nothing important. She grabbed her things and raced downstairs to her family.

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The family got to Granny's and settled into what seemed to be known as 'their booth.' It was the one in the bank that let them have a view of all of the comings and goings of everyone else.

It was while they were eating that Grace's friends walked in. At first they stood near the counter while whispering and throwing glances their way. Then Sarah stepped up and began to march their way with a determined look on her face. The other girls dutifully followed their leader.

"Hi Grace," Sarah said while staring at Regina.

Grace put her fork down. She looked back and forth between her friends and her family. "Hi," she returned in a small voice.

Sarah turned to Regina. "Grace is going to try out with us for the color guard." Regina glanced at Grace and took in her surprised face but said nothing. "Since the try outs are in a few weeks we're going to need to practice practically nonstop. That means we're going to take turns at one another's houses. And more sleepovers."

Regina wiped her mouth with her napkin and took a sip of her tea, "Well, if that's what Grace herself wants then that's fine. We can talk about it at home later."

Sarah pulled a handout from the books in her arms. "Here you need to sign this. It has to be turned in today."

Regina glanced at Grace who still hadn't said anything. She took the paper and laid it to the side. "Grace, is this something you want to do?"

Grace looked between her family and her friends, "Yes," she squeaked out uncertainly. She didn't want to admit that this was the first she'd heard of it.

Sarah handed Regina a pen. "Here you go, your Majesty," she smiled over at her. "It's purple. That's your favorite color right?"

"Yes it is," Regina took the pen and began to fill out the information. Sarah beamed away at everyone.

Emma leaned over her shoulder and read over the paper. She whistled when she saw the fees. "$450 bucks? What kind of racket is that?"

Regina rolled her eyes and tilted her head toward the girls.

"I'm just saying," Emma muttered. "That's worth more than my car."

"Well it is stolen, Ma," Henry piped in. "So technically it's free. That makes everything worth more than your car."

"Shh kid," Emma looked around. "You want the fuzz to hear you?"

Henry laughed and pointed to the badge on her shirt. "You are the fuzz Ma."

Emma looked at her own badge. "Right. Carry on son," she nodded her head at him while stealing a slice of Regina's bacon and happily chomping down on it.

Regina pulled out her purse and began to write a check out to the school. She handed it and the handout back over to Grace. "There you go, dear."

"Come on Grace. We're going to walk to school. And then we're going to your house afterward for practice. We'll have dinner there too," Sarah informed Regina.

Grace began to scramble to gather her things together.

"Are you done eating dear? You can finish up and go to school with Henry when we drop him off," Regina wasn't sure how she felt about having a houseful of kids she had to entertain with no notice. But she knew the girls were important to Grace so she didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

"No, I'm done. And I'd rather walk with my friends," Grace smiled and waved bye to everyone around.

Regina watched them go with the corners of her lips turned down. She continued watching as she slapped at Emma's hand that was making its way to her plate again.

"Hey," Emma nursed her hand. "That's community property."

"It's communal property dear," Regina gave her a quick kiss to take the sting away. "And we're not married yet. Even then, food sharing doesn't make the list of things to be shared."

"It does in my book."

"Which is why a thief like you will never be the one writing it," Regina quipped.