The sweat is trickling down my chest, between the tight valley of my cleavage, creating an uncomfortable pool at the bottom of my bra. My arm grazes across my forehead to wipe away any droplets that dare to fall in my eyes and risk any potential mistakes. I need to strike this girl out. Just one more out to end this game. Why am I so worked up over this? This is recreational softball, it's suppose to be fun.
I hear his tiny little voice, screaming from the bleachers, grasping my attention and forcing me to look in his direction. He's standing on the metal bench, in his bright neon green tank top and jersey shorts. His brown hair is gelled to perfection thanks to my girlfriend. He's wearing sunglasses that are too big for his tiny head but it makes me smile.
"Come on Em! Come on!" He screams across the park forcing a grin that will in fact cause pain to my cheeks.
My girlfriend is beaming as she watches the little boy with nothing but love in her eyes. Her thick raven locks are piled high into a messy bun on top of her head. She's wearing dark sunglasses, that are also too big for her face. She's modeling a breathtaking white summer dress that exposes so much skin, there's hardly anything left to the imagination. Regina Mills is heart stopping, breath taking, fumble on words beautiful. She's just as beautiful as she was all those years ago in high school, when she would come to my games to cheer me on during our secret relationship. We've come a long way since then.
I focus my attention back onto the batter and release the ball without another thought. The ball slices through the thick humidity, that we call air and smacks into the catcher's glove with a loud thump. I exhale all the air from my lungs and jog my way back to the dugout, with my teammates slapping their hands onto my back with appreciation and praise.
I begin gathering all my stuff when I hear the chain link fence rattling fiercely. I snap my head up to find Henry climbing up the fence as Regina is reaching out to pull him down.
"Momm-uh, Em," Henry stutters as Regina fights the squirming boy to rest on her hip.
It's been a year and a half since he first called Regina and I mom and he still has a hard time understanding. We correct the young boy all the time and explain that Milah is his mother but he just doesn't seem to grasp the concept or he really doesn't care what we say.
"Hey kid! I heard you cheering for me, thank you! I needed that. I'm pretty sure it helped me win," I enthusiastically admit.
I lean into the fence and push my lips through a small hole. Regina leans Henry forward and he happily plants a wet kiss to my lips. I linger there for a moment and my girlfriend gently pecks my lips as well.
"We get ice cream now, right Momma Gina?"
My girlfriend pouts knowing she has to let down our little guy but I also think it's because he called her momma, yet again. It's always a bittersweet moment when the affectionate name falls from his lips. We absolutely love knowing that we mean that much to him and that he thinks of us in that way. Then the ever disappointing harsh sting of reality hits. He's not ours and he will never be ours.
"Sorry baby but we have to get you home to mommy. She should be home from work right about now," Regina sadly explains prompting a full blown pout on Henry's face.
"But I wanna stay wif you!" Henry by now knows all the right things to do or say to make Regina and I melt. He rests his little forehead against hers and bats his long thick eyes lashes at my girlfriend.
I pout at just how adorable they are and sling my bag of stuff over my shoulder. I exit the small dugout area and meet the duo on the other side.
"Honestly, would Milah even care if we were late with him?" I exasperate while watching Henry lay it on thick with Regina.
"I suppose not," Regina murmurs as she holds Henry's gaze.
"Den ice cream?" Henry asks with his voice escalating a few octaves higher.
"Yes, but we have to be quick alright?" Regina sternly states while narrowing her eyes at the little boy.
"I wove you Gina!" Henry kisses her nose and pushes his cheek against hers while squeezing his arms around her neck.
"I love you Henry," she sighs and holds the little boy as close as she possible can.
We decide to go to McDonald's for some ice cream cones, that way we didn't have to get out of the car and we could eat them on the way back so we weren't too late for Milah.
"I will give you this ice cream if you can show me by holding up your fingers, how old you are," I say as I turn around in my seat to face the little boy who's dancing in his car seat for ice cream.
"Dat's easy." He rolls those beautiful green eyes and holds up three chubby little fingers. I grin from ear to ear and hand over the ice cream. Henry's tongue widens and glides across the creamy chocolate making his eyes pop as he indulges in his favorite treat.
"Henry, say that," Regina instructs as she glances in the review mirror.
"Dat!"
"Th-at," I repeat over announcing the "th" sound. He always had trouble pronouncing that sound which is perfectly normal but Regina and I always encourage him to work on it.
"Th-th-th-" my girlfriend keeps repeating the sound until Henry mimics her. He tries very hard but he can't seem to grasp the sound it should make it.
"Good try kid," I smile and turn back around in my seat.
"You did great today," Regina compliments me as her free hand snakes over to my thigh. "Looks like you haven't lost your touch, even though you're getting old," she teases while clenching the sensitive area above my knee. I jump in my seat and try to fight off her attacking hand.
"I am not old!" I protest as her grip tightens. "Stop you're going to make me drop my ice cream!"
"Give me a lick," she demands with her tongue poking out between her thick lips.
"No! You said you didn't want any!" I demand and slowly lick my ice cream in a taunting manner.
"Come on, just one lick. Sharing is caring," she implies knowing the three year old in the back is hanging on every word we are saying.
"Em share wif Gina!"
Regina fights off her devilish smirk and fakes a pout instead. I purse my lips and shake my head at the playful brunette.
"I know Henry, I will, but...Gina didn't use her manners," I explain while turning to focus on Henry.
His face is now covered in chocolate. The melting ice cream is trickling down his hand and smeared from his nose down to his chin. He's lucky Regina loves him so much. If it were anyone else she would murder them for making a mess in her car.
"Gina, you have to say peas!" Henry insists with his most stern look he can manage. It's pretty good for a three year old, maybe he spends too much time with Regina.
"How could I forget Henry? Thank you for reminding me. Em, may I please have a lick?"
I twist my lips suspiciously because there's a twinkle in my girlfriend's eye that suggests so much more than a simple lick. I slowly move the ice cream cone in front of her face and watch as she suggestively licks the ice cream instantly sending a bolt of electricity to shoot down to my core. A flush of heat disperses through my veins and dammit it's already too hot in this car from the temperature outside.
Regina finishes her sexual attack against my innocent ice cream and winks at me before she focuses on the road in front of her. I groan under my breath knowing she's playing her sick little game, turn on Emma as much as possible and leave her hanging until she explodes.
As we pull into our parking lot, I pull out a wet wipe to clean Henry. I'll probably need the whole damn package and end up giving him a full bath with wet wipes for how messy he is.
I unbuckle Henry and set him down outside of the car while I grab my things. Regina takes his hand and leads him to our apartment building. We could've moved out and found something better when Cora offered Regina her assistance again but Regina declined the offer. She told Cora that we were just fine. I think she wanted to prove to her mother that she didn't need her and that she is just fine on her own. She also claims that she didn't want to ever feel like she owed her mother anything.
I kissed Henry goodbye and brought my stuff back to our apartment as Regina waited for Milah to answer the door. The first thing I did was strip away my sweaty uniform and climb into the shower. I was half hoping my teasing girlfriend would join me but after a few minutes of waiting around, I finally turned off the water and dried off.
When I opened the bathroom door I heard voices, two familiar voices. I wrapped the towel securely around my body and peeked around the corner to find Regina on the phone while cartoons were on the television.
"Hey Milah, it's Regina. Just checking to see where you are at? You said to have him home around three, when you got off work. It's three thirty and you're not home. Just uh, give me a call back when you get this. Thanks, bye."
I furrow my eyebrows and rush to the bedroom to change so I can find out what's going on. Even though I assume I know just as much as Regina right now. I throw on a tank top and shorts and scurry back to the living room with a brush in my hand.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Regina whips around startled by the sound of my voice. Her shoulders slump down and she sighs heavily while flashing me a wary look.
"Milah wasn't home and she's not answering. I've called, I've texted, I've left voicemails, nothing."
"It's Milah, she's always flakey," I reply hoping that will help my girlfriend's anxious nerves.
"I know that but whenever she asks us to drop him off, she's there. She's only late when she picks him up," Regina counters as she sucks her thick lip into her mouth. She nibbles so hard on the flesh, I worry she might draw blood.
"I mean, I guess that's true," I shrug my shoulders and glance back at Henry who's curled up on our couch holding his monkey. The corner of my mouth curls up just a fraction, I love this little boy and he deserves so much better. "Come on, lets cuddle on the couch and wait for Milah to call."
Regina sighs but allows me to drag her over to the couch. My girlfriend slides behind Henry and scoots him a little closer toward the edge, while I squeeze in behind her. I wrap my arms around both of my favorite people as Regina holds Henry as close to her chest as possible. Within a matter of minutes I fall asleep from the comfort of their love.
I wake up to the damn theme song of Puppy Dog Pals, yet again. I groan while my eyes flutter open and I glance around the room. The living room is pitched black except for the light glowing from the tv. Regina must be sleeping by the soft sounds of her steady breathing. I peek over her shoulder and find Henry's face pressed into her chest, softly snoring. I smile and reach for my phone on the end table.
I tap the button to light up the screen and discover that its nine o'clock at night. Shit. How did we sleep five hours? Busy day in the sun I guess. I find it alarmingly odd that I don't have any missed calls or texts from Milah. I cautiously slide out of my cozy spot and grab Regina's phone off the coffee table. Again, not one missed call or text.
I sneak off into the kitchen and dial his mother again. This time there's no ringing on the other end, it goes straight to voicemail. I roll my eyes and even though her phone is off, I text her.
Milah, it's nine o'clock, you were suppose to be home at three to pick up Henry. Where are you? Please call us!
"Hey," Regina quietly whispers startling me from my trance at her phone.
"Hey," I lamely reply and place her phone on the countertop. "She's still not answering and now her phone is off." Regina sighs as she strolls over to me and wraps her arms around my waist. I bury my face into her neck and slide my arms over her shoulders.
"It's not like we don't take care of him all the time anyways," Regina mumbles and I simply nod against her neck in response. "He needs a bath tonight."
"We can give him one in the morning. Let's just put his jammies on and put him to bed," I suggest as I pull away from her embrace.
"I'm sure he's going to be hungry, we didn't even eat dinner and now his schedule is going to be off from sleeping since four."
"I'm still exhausted. Let's just give him some cereal and see if he'll go back to bed." Regina nods just as we hear Henry begin to cry.
"Momma, momma, mommy," Henry whales as Regina and I rush back into the living room.
Henry is hysterically crying with tears racing down his face. His cheeks are beet red as sweat is drenching his hairline. Regina scoops him up into her arms and rocks him back and forth, cradling his head while whispering that everything is okay.
"I woked up and you weren't dare," Henry sobs as he tightens his hold around Regina's neck.
"I know baby boy, but I'm here now. I'm sorry, I was just in the kitchen," Regina explains softly into his ear. I rub his back soothingly as Regina continues to rock him.
"But mommy's gone, she not home today and den you and Em were gone too!"
"I'm sorry kid, we won't ever leave you. We love you bud," I softly whisper and rest my head against his. I place a loving kiss to his temple helping to soothe his harsh cries. "I wove you," I playfully say hoping to make him smile and of course the corners of his mouth soon curl.
Henry perks his head up with tear stained cheeks and smiles at me. He wraps one arm around my neck and one around Regina's. We know this loving gesture all too well by now. He's stronger than he once was so Regina and I have to be careful not to bump teeth as he pushes our heads together to kiss. Soon Henry sticks his face between ours and we attack his cheeks with kisses.
"My mommies!" He squeals as he tightens his arms around us. My heart flutters from the recognition and the happiness filling his voice.
"Yes sweet boy, Emma and I will always be your mommies, no matter what," Regina confirms just before we attack his face with loving kisses again.
This is a night that will forever live in my heart. A memory that will never fade over time like most do. A time in my life that will never be erased and always be cherished. The night when Regina and I had our lives turned upside down with barely a blink of an eye. A night that forever changed our lives in a way we never expected.