A/N: Sorry for the delay! I'm finally getting a little bit better, but I've had to take it easy, so this is a bit on the shorter side this week. I hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy new year! ICYMI, I posted a 10k+ one shot for Christmas ("I'll Be Home for Christmas"), so you can check that out if you feel so inclined.
14. Regina: Day 54
The phone ringing behind her on the kitchen table startles her. She frowns as she walks over and sees Neal's name and photo staring up at her. "Hello?" She says as she picks it up.
"Regina? Is that you?" Neal asks.
She rolls her eyes. "Of course it is. Who else would it be? Why, do you think Emma's out having a scandalous secret affair?"
He ignores her sarcastic comment. "Why do you have Emma's phone?"
"She left it out here last night. I saw that your name on the ID and figured it might be important."
"Oh, well it is…We have a slight problem," Neal says.
"What's up, Neal?" she yawns as she starts to boil some water for coffee.
"Is Emma with you?"
"She's asleep. I can go wake her up."
"Please do, and put me on speaker phone."
"Fine. Hang on," she says, heading toward her spare bedroom where the other woman had spent the night.
She returns a few minutes later with a grumbling, exhausted blonde trailing behind her.
"Okay, we're both here. What's going on?" Regina asks.
It's then that Neal launches into the reason for his call — an outpouring of suspicions appearing on both gossip blogs and political blogs about their relationship. "A few have claimed that it was all for show because of the campaign event you went to last week, like some elaborate ploy to win support for your mother's campaign."
"Well, they would be correct," Regina points out as she hands Emma a cup of coffee.
"Did you really not think at least some people would see through this, Neal?" Emma asks, gratefully taking a sip of the caffeine. "People aren't idiots, and people talk online. This was bound to happen."
"We knew it could happen and likely would, yes, but the theory has picked up much more traction than we expected... Autostraddle weighed in this morning flat out calling it a farce. Listen to this," he says, clearing his throat as he prepares to read: " 'What better way to boost your campaign numbers after insulting the LGBT community than by welcoming your newly gay daughter's girlfriend with open arms? I smell a "PRomance." Regina has never given any indication that she was anything other than straight. She's never pinged for me, and I have a sixth sense for spotting closeted celebrity lesbians. And in the few days since their campaign fundraiser appearance, Cora Mills' poll numbers are going up, so it's working like a charm. We just can't believe Emma Swan, who has always appeared to us as being honest and reputable, would go along with such a plan. If our theory is right, and all evidence suggests it is, then that's very disappointing.' "
"Well, shit. What do we do?" Regina asks nervously. "She's pretty much spot-on."
"Don't give it any attention. Say nothing," Neal's voice comes through Emma's iPhone speaker. "If you try to deny it, it will make it worse. We knew this was a risk, so just carry on as planned. But, make sure you post some cute and casually loving photos today to make it seem like you haven't even heard the rumors, or if you have, you're completely unaffected by it. And, it may be worth moving up the U-Haul date to this week."
"Seriously?" Emma asks, looking over at Regina, who shifts uncomfortably as she leans over the counter and stares at the phone.
"Yes. That should help assuage the nay-sayers, because moving in together would be an awfully big stunt if this were all for PR. It's a bit much," Neal adds.
"You don't say," Regina says, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
"Does that work for you?" Emma asks her 'girlfriend.'
She shrugs. "I guess. My lease is up in two weeks and even though my landlord gave me more time to make a decision, I haven't found a good roommate yet, and I've been too busy to look for a new place I can afford on my own…"
"Well, I own my condo, and I have plenty of space, so you're welcome to crash there for the next few months while you figure it out and before our big scheduled 'break up'," Emma offers.
"Great! Then it's settled," Neal's voice cuts through. "Regina will move in with you this week." At his declaration, Emma looks to Regina, who still hasn't officially given an answer.
She grins uncomfortably, but nods. "That can work. Thanks."
"Good, good," Neal says. "So, don't move in today, because that will look too much like a knee-jerk reaction. But, go furniture shopping today, sooner rather than later. The article as only published a half hour ago, so if you're seen out and about and posting Instastories this morning, it'll seem like that was always the plan and not like a strategic move. Create some speculation about why you're shopping, and then move can happen later this week."
"Goodbye, Neal," Emma rolls her eyes and hangs up on him. "So, it looks like we're going shopping."
"I guess so."
*.*.*
"Hey, roomie," Emma greets her with a laugh later that week.
Regina tries not to smile, but fails. "Thanks again for letting me crash here until I find a new place. Jefferson said he isn't planning on coming back to LA after his Broadway show contract is up because he's officially in love with New York, so subletting out his room temporarily and renewing my lease wasn't feasible. The PR ploy aside, I really appreciate you offering up your extra room."
"No worries," Emma shrugs as grabs a set of keys out of the bowl in the entry way. "Here, these are for you."
"Thanks," Regina says. "I just have a few more boxes to grab from the car, and then that'll be it."
"Did you have any trouble selling your furniture?"
"No. The person moving into my place was moving from New York, so she needed furniture. She gave me a couple hundred bucks to leave it all, so that made things easier," Regina replies. She's grateful that Emma's place is already fully furnished, which makes her move so much easier.
"Nice," Emma says. "Want help with the boxes?"
"That would be great, thanks," she says, gesturing for Emma to follow her out to the driveway, and trying not to notice how great the blonde's arms look when she picks up one of the heavier boxes out of the hatchback of her car. She makes it look effortless.
"Did you see the Autostraddle follow-up article this morning?" Emma asks as they walk back into the house.
"Oh, you mean the one where they posted the photo of us at West Elm picking out beds? Indeed I did."
"I have to give credit to Neal and Gold's photographer contacts for being available at the spur of a moment. They call and the photographers come running."
"I wonder what Gold pays them," Regina ponders as she sets the last box down in her bedroom.
"I have no idea. Probably a lot," Emma says. "So, should we Instagram some of this? My new mattress was delivered this morning from the company that asked me to partner with them, so I need to make my post about it. Want to be part of it? Two birds, one stone."
She nods and follows Emma to her master bedroom, where the new Mattress King mattress in a box is ready to be set up. Emma sets up her camera on her dresser, and together they unbox the mattress, letting it unfurl and set itself up on Emma's new king bed that they were seen buying earlier in the week. As soon as the bed is made, she directs Regina to lay under a blanket like she's taking a nap, while Emma photobombs her with a selfie. She posts the timelapse unboxing video and the photo to Instagram, with the caption: "Thanks #MattressKing for our new mattress! It's like a cloud! #sponsored #ad."
"Okay, that's done," Emma comments as Regina pulls herself out from under the blanket. "Easiest $8,000 I ever made and a free mattress."
"That mattress really is comfortable," Regina says.
"You're welcome anytime," Emma laughs, nudging her with her shoulder. "Want to order some takeout for dinner? I don't feel like cooking."
"That sounds great," she says, following Emma back toward the main living area and wondering how this new development in their 'relationship' will turn out.