A/N - Hi! I've been working on this slowly for awhile now and it is finally ready for posting. I strongly recommend you read Special Delivery first. Unlike the first story which was primarily rot your teeth fluff, things are about to get a bit more real for our ladies (all of our Mills women) so expect some more drama with tons of fluff and humor woven in between as they all learn to navigate this new family dynamic. This is a story about the power of sisterhood, overcoming family differences, small miracles, and the magic of a bond that goes beyond blood.
Dedication – To every person out there who feels like they are struggling in the dark to find their way; you will find the light again, but more often the light will find you when you least expect it.
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Chapter 1 - A Deal
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Something warm stirred beside her in the dark.
Or rather someone.
Regina cracked her eyes open, her fingers curling into the soft blonde curls spilled across her pillow case her cheek had found a home in last night while she had slept. At one time months ago she was used to the idea of waking up alone to a new day, but like every day since the week before Christmas Emma's little face would appear on the pillow next to her head or across the way framed on her nightstand to greet her. She smiled at the sweet sleeping face of her little girl. She had been doing that a lot lately and more so since Emma had officially moved in. Slowly sitting up in bed Regina ran her fingers through her tangle of hair in thought as the sun splashed brightly across the carpet announcing the day to come. She hugged her knees and rested her chin there watching Emma breathe peacefully as she thought about the last few months.
Right after Christmas and finalizing the foster care papers she'd become Emma's temporary legal guardian. It had taken two months to get her official fostering license and she had at the end of February. The process was made quicker due to the extensive work done beforehand by Zelena and Mother to have Emma placed with her. The same week she'd put in for her intent to adopt, which was an extensive process in itself. Regina was now on a first name basis with Ms. Jenine Nelson, Emma's Social Worker, due to the twice a month home visits they were subject to. Between those, which always left both she and Emma an anxious wreck, and the court ordered therapy sessions that were once a week for Emma with the demands of her career had all but left Regina exhausted.
But more than smiling.
Now four months into a six month process before Emma was officially her daughter on paper there was a hearing coming up to confirm intent and the Termination of Parental Rights that Zee said not to worry about. All were just the next steps to make Emma an official part of her family. Emma already was in her eyes and had been an absolute light in the darkness that had overtaken her life since Kathryn's death.
A lot had changed in the last four months since the Christmas Program and Regina began thinking about some of them as she slipped out of bed and went to her bathroom to begin her morning routine. Today was an office day and she worked there four days a week and from home on Friday. Late nights working had also become a thing of the past—at least until after Emma was in bed. As the hot water hit Regina's face she sighed in relaxation, knowing she had as short time before Emma awoke and would no doubt come seeking her out.
As she began to relax, the tension leaving her shoulders reminded her of why it was there to begin with. Regina sighed as she wet a sponge and lathered up, her thoughts went to her Mother. With Cora's begrudging understanding Regina had made that work shift and was about to make the next down to three days a week in order to be home more with Emma. She needed to have that talk with Mother today and was not looking forward to it. While Cora adored Emma the business minded woman had made it more than clear to Regina that she was to keep up with her responsibility to the family corporation as she had been groomed to do since childhood. While Regina liked aspects of her career, there were certain parts she could more than do without and she didn't have to work for money. There was plenty of it in a trust in her name waiting to be tapped since her Father's death three years ago.
Regina liked working though—and this work in particular. Getting an untold story into the hands of a reader to consume was something she was more than passionate about. She took risks on new writers and often her risks paid off with a generous amount of zeros attached much to her Mother's and Mr. Gold's pleasure.
To help manage her time Regina had begun to work smarter, not harder. She had shifted some of her smaller responsibilities to her more than capable team and still managed the larger aspects of the family business at Mills, Mills & Gold Publishing co. As she rinsed the body-wash from her skin she frowned at that new addition to the company name and the man that had come with it. Mostly she spent her time reading and approving scripts or working on the financial business end of their empire with the company lawyer, Zelena, as a support. On their own, she and her sister were each a force to be reckoned with. Together they were damn near unstoppable.
Regina smiled at the thought and even bigger at the next.
More so than work she spent her time learning how to be the parent of a feisty, intelligent, and opinionated five year old girl (though Emma would say 5 and 3/4s adamantly) with the biggest heart she had ever known. Emma was a pistol and ball of energy on a good day and a firecracker on better ones. On the not so good ones they struggled to find their way, but both were learning their new roles to each other. There were some demons in the child's past that had come to light and some Regina suspected were still in hiding waiting to come out. Emma especially was learning though that she was not going anywhere.
No matter what.
"Gina?"
The door was pushed open and Regina turned off the water and quickly reached for her robe. "Remember to knock and wait until I call for you next time, alright?" Privacy was still a foreign concept to Emma who was used to sharing space with multiple people and having none of it in other homes, the group home especially. But they were making progress. There was a lot of learning of new things and some undoing they were working on together with Emma's therapist. One that Emma was still warming up to and in truth so was she.
"Kay." Bouncing into the room fully Emma went right for a waist to hug. "G'morning!"
Regina leaned down to kiss golden curls. "Good morning sweetheart. How did you sleep?"
"Good." Grinning up. "I'm full of beans this morning too!"
A dark brow rose, not sure she should ask. "Oh, did you eat some already?" Not remembering having made any recently or why Emma would willingly eat them. They had the vegetable battle often enough that she'd taken to sneaking them in sauces and dishes in creative ways. While Emma ate most everything else, the girl was learning that green food was a necessary evil of childhood.
"Nope, but I am hungry." Emma moved to sit on the round rug in front of the sink and opened the cabinet below to play with some of the bath toys Gina kept there for when she used the Jacuzzi tub. "It's what ZeeZee says I am when she gives me sugar and I feel bouncy like that now.
Then the English term registered in her mind and Regina rolled her eyes affectionately for what her sister must be teaching Emma when she wasn't watching. "Full of energy then… well that's good. Today is going to be a busy one." She finished towel drying her hair adding a small amount of product to smooth her curls and moved to begin her make-up.
As Regina took out the make-up brush holder and bag of products from the drawer Emma's head popped up curiously. She watched as Regina began patting some kind of colored cream on her cheeks and then swirling it with a brush. "Gina why do you paint your face?"
Regina smiled at the term, feeling a twinge in her heart of Emma's choice of words as she finished blending her foundation. "Kathryn used to call it my war paint."
"Like the black stuff football players wear on their cheeks?"
"Of a sort."
"Is it for you though?"
"In a way, sure." Regina thought about it a bit more as she opened her highlighter. Her mask as Zee liked to call it was something she was adept at putting on since she was a teenager. "Sometimes people wear it for different reasons, but for me its part of my ritual for preparing for the day. Like a shield. When I wear it, for the office especially, I feel like I can do anything and no one can make me feel something I don't want to feel. So it is very much like war paint my little duck."
Emma thought about that idea and when Gina didn't wear makeup, which was when they were staying home or just out in the city on their own and promptly wrinkled her nose. She liked Gina's face without paint like that the most. "Will I gotta wear it when I get big?"
"No. It is not something people have to do, but some want to for their own reasons."
"People? So boys wear it too?" That idea had not crossed Emma's mind.
Regina paused at the question, already hearing just how Mother would answer and easily said the exact opposite. "Make-up, like everything else, is for everyone Emma."
"So all the people." Decided she understood Emma asked about another idea that came into her head that she never considered before. "So if I don't wanna wear dresses or skirts no more I don't have to, even though I'm a girl?" Gina had bought her lots of wonderful clothes and she didn't want to be ungrateful. She didn't really understand that word all the way, but she had heard Ms. Nelson tell other kids at the group home it was important not to be that way when someone gave you something.
Setting her brush aside Regina turned and leaned her hip against the counter. Emma was looking right up at her in such a serious way that she knew there was more to the question. Every time they had been shopping together Emma had easily taken to dresses and pants alike and the child's wardrobe was a mix of both. "No, you don't have to wear anything you don't like. I will always give you choices." Thinking about her lack of them growing up in that department. Always skirts or dresses at Mother's insistence and never pants until high school. Regina's fingers ruffled curls and dipped to lift a chin. "If you really don't want to wear skirts or dresses we may donate the ones you have and get you some other things."
Beaming Emma sat up and hugged a pair of bare legs tight. Then went right back to her duck toy on the rug without comment.
And that seemed to be the end of that for now so Regina changed the subject. "You have an important day today don't you?"
"The most 'portant!" Emma agreed and went on to practice out loud exactly what she would say to her class today.
Regina chuckled softly at the world of importance to a five year old. Who knew Show & Tell could be on the same level as a merger presentation or a script contract signing for publication. Emma had been with her to the office enough to pick up on shop talk and see the corporate world of publishing to make that connection. Little one was insisting on wearing fancy clothes and not the standard jeans and a t-shirt to school just to show how serious this Show & Tell was.
As she put her mascara on Regina asked, "is your autograph book in your school bag or your yellow backpack?" Said book was the item to be shown off today. Since their first Broadway show they had been to two more and with her connections, Emma had gotten the autographs of each cast for The Lion King and Cats.
The yellow backpack used to be full of what Emma called worldly possessions. It was also one that they had had many talks about and small trials going without. Emma liked wearing a backpack to school and that helped the transition to not have the yellow bag everywhere they went. Emma insisted on keeping a pair of shoes and a change of clothes in it at all times, but the more important items had found a home in Emma's yellow bedroom. Like the bag of pennies into the apple bank she'd given Emma for Christmas and the baby blanket at the foot of the same bed Emma had slept in since then too. Still some days were better than others and others not so much, like Regina thought today might be with the wide eyed way Emma was looking at her right now.
"My book is in the yellow one, but I wanna take both bags today to school."
"Why is that Emma?" Regina thought she knew, but always asked just the same to give Emma a chance to voice feelings. This was a pattern she had noticed on days the girl had therapy after school.
"I want some of my stuff with me… just in case." Shrugging Emma went back to scooting the toy duck across the carpet she was pretending was the pond they sometimes visited in Central Park.
"I will be with you the whole time from right after school to your session. I have to wait in the waiting room, but I will be just down the hall for you when you come out and then we will come home like we always do." Explaining what to expect for the day as she always did. Emma thrived on knowing what to expect and any variance to what was said to come caused upset to the nth degree and they were still learning how to work though those moments when they happened.
"And then we get to order dinner 'cause it's Thursday and I take a bath and we read and then you tuck me in. Right?"
Regina smiled as she blended her blush. "That's right but you are missing one step. Can you think about what it is?"
Tapping a chin Emma's dimple then showed. "Dessert?"
"Always, but I was thinking more along the lines of homework sweetheart."
And Emma promptly stuck out her tongue at that, and let out a giggle when tickle hands came for her ribs. "Okay homework too! You win Gina!"
Standing again. "So you are only taking your school bag today then, yes?"
"Yes." Emma agreed now that they had their plan in place. Hopping up she wanted to go switch out bags with the autograph book, but stopped in the doorway and went back to the counter. "Can I have some of Kathryn's 'fume for good luck?"
Regina moved to the glass tray where she kept the perfume bottle in reference. On such occasions she allowed it or when Emma seemed to need a boost in confidence. Child was convinced it was magic and as such knew it was for special circumstances. "Hold out your wrist." She gave her own a spray and then rubbed hers with Emma's as the child grinned up at her. Little one insisted that sharing the 'magic' made it work better. "There all set. Go and get dressed and I'll meet you in the kitchen."
"Sin-a-man oatmeal and bananas?" Licking her lips Emma hoped so.
"If you like." Giving a kiss to a cheek as Emma scampered off, Regina went to her closet and got dressed. A pair of lavender slacks and cream sleeveless blouse with matching peep tow pumps came together quickly. She gave her curls a shake for a quick style she usually wore in the warmer months and returned to put on her signature burgundy lipstick just as she heard the doorbell ring.
Sighing as she blotted and capped the tube Regina headed downstairs to answer. Emma beat her to it though as her sister's cheery voice rang through the brownstone and Emma's whoop of joy followed in return. She had long since given Zelena a key, but her sister had insisted on working to respect her privacy (a New Year resolution it seemed) and made it a point to ring the bell.
Every single time.
As Regina began descending the last staircase of the brownstone to the ground floor she stepped on the tip of a red converse laying there. Pausing for balance she bent to pick it up with a frown as Emma nearly rushed by her half dressed in a red blouse with a classic peter-pan collar, panties, and one sock. She caught the rush of girl about the waist and plopped right down on the step to sit with Emma near out of breath to stand in front of her.
"Hold on right there for a moment speedy duck."
"But ZeeZee is here." Emma wiggled with excitement. "And she's gonna do that special braid for my hair for my Show and Tell so I don't look like a bloody naff."
Brows joined. "A what?" Then Regina held up her hand before Emma could explain. "Sweetheart we do not say bloody or call ourselves names like that." Waiting for Emma's nod before she continued. "And Zee may wait a moment while we talk." She began, already planning the lecture for her sister about that phrase.
"Is this where you talk and I listen or we go back and forth?" Emma's head remained tilted like a puppy in question.
Regina kept her face on the softer side of serious when she just wanted to laugh at the cute gesture. "A bit of both. What have I told you about answering the door without me?" While the door bell sound no longer scared Emma and they had make great progress on that trigger not being one any longer (at least during the day), the child had done a complete 180 and loved to answer it. She had worked to establish some ground rules regarding the door and safety in general that Emma was still learning to remember.
"To wait for you." Emma lost some of her smile as she thought. "But I knew it was her 'cause she comes on Thursdays to take me to school and today is Thursday."
Regina shook her head and lifted a little chin. "Even so, you know to wait for me because that is the safe choice and I'd like you to do so in case it is not your ZeeZee. Alright?"
"Okay Gina." Then a red shoe was held up and Emma wrinkled her nose. 'Whoops a daisy,' she thought as one of Gina's dark brows went up.
"And what about leaving your shoes on the stairs and running up them for that matter?"
Emma squirmed under the redirection and rolled her lips in. She was getting more and more used to these types of talks without worry that Gina was gonna get mad at her or send her away. Still though they sometimes that made her tummy flutter. "Not too."
Patient for that slightly anxious look coming her way she nodded with a smile in agreement. Regina was learning the importance of taking time to thoroughly talk things through with Emma in a careful way so that her intent behind redirection was understood. Especially the why of her expectations. The one class she'd taken through DSS she had actually been somewhat impressed with was the one on the importance of communication. She prompted softly, "because why sweetheart?"
"Someone could get hurt and everything has a place to be and my shoes go in the closet or on my feet."
"Right you are little duck." A smile around the nickname that had found them at Christmas morning since Emma had gotten a pair of little ducky slippers from Santa.
"Do I hafta sit on the step now?" Pointing to the bottom step of the staircase where she sometimes went if Gina wanted her to think more about something important.
Regina shook her head. "No Emma. I can tell by the way you are talking with me and thinking about what we are discussing that you understand the importance. If there is a next time though, on any of these things, you will be." At the moment Emma was listening and readily answering as she expected without avoidance or a tantrum. Regina had implemented a modified version of a time out with having Emma sit out on the bottom step of whatever level they were on for five minutes. She also never left the area when that was the case, but rather waited out the time child needed to calm down or think before they talked further. Used sparingly it was effective and her go as a tool for redirection when it was needed.
With a nod Regina handed Emma the shoe. "Put this away in your closet please and walk up to your room to finish getting dressed." Kissing a forehead Regina stood.
Emma liked the way Gina always explained stuff so she could understand it and even when she did do something not so good, they talked about it so she could make different choices next time. More importantly she'd come to trust Gina completely. Emma thought about this as she walked most of the way before her feet couldn't help but be in a hurry and she took off again the moment she reached the top. She heard the sigh in her wake and turned to say sorry really loudly so Gina could hear her.
Regina closed her eyes at the shrill apology yelled and chuckled. Closer they were getting closer, she kept telling herself and went into the kitchen to find her sister sitting at the island in the middle readily peeling the last banana in the house. Annoyed suddenly at the source and remembering what had come out of Emma's mouth she plucked the banana right out of Zelena's hand who promptly spun around.
"Oi! Meanie, I was going to eat that."
"And that is part of Emma's breakfast. Have an apple instead. I know how you adore the red ones." Regina pushed the bowl over on her way to the far counter.
An auburn brow popped up over pouty lips. "Well good morning to you too Miss Grumpy-Pants."
"I am not grumpy and quit pouting. That only works when Emma does it."
"Where do you think I learned it and why the resting that-word-you-hate face, and at me no less?"
Regina raised a brow in return with a smirk of her own and pulled out two full mugs under the cappuccino machine and offered one to her sister in silence.
Zelena took a sip and set it aside after. "Thanks, but seriously what is with the face at me and where is my little Monkey?"
"First of all I nearly tripped coming downstairs in spite of having more than one chat about shoes on the steps with your little Monkey only to hear something out of her mouth I wished I hadn't and more importantly since when are you teaching my child English slang?"
Zelena grinned brilliantly. "Since she asks what certain things mean. I'm broadening her horizons and all that fluffy crap auntie's are supposed to do." Waving her sisters frown away. "Relax. I certainly did not teach her the colorful side of it if that's what you are implying."
Sighing as she pulled out the oatmeal for Emma's breakfast Regina tried again. "I've asked you to temper your language in front of her. She's a sponge and picks up everything at this age and I do not want her speaking like that." And Zelena then had the good nerve to at least appear to take her seriously.
"What did she say exactly?" And the description coming from her sister nearly had her coffee coming out of her nose as she laughed. "God my mini me, I adore her!" Then remembering how she had muttered such a phrase, seemingly under her breath, when she and Emma had been waiting for Regina to finish up work in the office one evening last week. Her detective boyfriend Ambrose had texted with an unflattering photo of her snapped when she had not been looking that he insisted was beautiful and she outright told him exactly what she thought she'd looked like. Zelena reached for a napkin and wiped her mouth under the chiding look coming her way. Rolling her eyes."Right. I'll work on it."
"Thank you." Regina sliced the banana and moved to set the stove burner on low as the oatmeal began to cook. Right on time little feet came into the kitchen and went right to her sister with a brush and a handful of rubber bands. While she was plenty talented in the hair styling department, her sister topped her skill tenfold with something called a Dutch Flower Braid. It literally made Emma's curls into a woven flower, or in this case two, one on either side of the little one's head. As she cooked she watched Zelena weave the complicated braid with ease with a smile on her face. She loved how close those two had gotten.
"I love'em ZeeZee! Can we get chocolate coffee before school again like last week?" Emma turned around on her stool as her breakfast was set in front of her and picked up a spoon to dig in missing how the adults shared a look over her head.
Regina put her hand on her hip. "You are giving her coffee on top of teaching her slang?"
Zee took her sister's hand and made a beeline for the door leading to the hallway. "We'll be right back Monkey and yes, we can get chocolate coffee." Once away from little ears she explained. "Before you get your knickers in a twist it's not real coffee. It's hot coco. She wanted a coffee like mine last week when I picked her up. I was in dire need of caffeine and we stopped at a little roast shop near her school. When I told her no she began to have a wee bit of a meltdown in the shop and then those eyes of hers came at me and I couldn't say no, but I knew I couldn't say yes. So I took creative license and hot chocolate is her version of chocolate coffee."
"So she knows it is coco, but pretends it is chocolate coffee instead?"
"Right."
Sighing. "That's fine then, but Zee you can say no to her on occasion." Then softer as she squeezed her sister's hand in knowing. "She won't stop being your little Monkey if you tell her no."
"I know, but…" Trailing Zelena gestured to the kitchen. "She's been told no far too much in her life." Then with an impish pout. "And I want to be the super fun auntie. It's my job to spoil her and I'm not ready for my perfect track record to be broken." She knew it would be eventually, but not today if she had any say about it.
"While I agree with you that she has not had a lot of treats or people to say yes to her there is also a line between treating and spoiling, especially when she reacts like you said with the meltdown."
"Kill joy." Zelena teased and nodded reluctantly though. "I know you're right. You're her mum and I promise to respect how you want to bring her up." And she immediately registered the soft look coming to fill her sister's entire face.
"You seem to be the only one. Mother certainly has her own opinions." Souring at the very idea and more so at the many of them Mother had been sharing lately about how she was choosing to bring up Emma.
"Speaking of which have you thought about what you want Emma calling you? Gina versus Mom or Mommy?"
"Well—"
Then Zelena's voice took on a dreamy tone. "Even Momma or Mom?"
"Zee—"
"Or dare I hope Mummy? Has such a sweet proper ring to it if I do say so myself—"
"Zee!" A hand went up over her sister's mouth covering it with a pointed look back toward the kitchen. Her sister seemed to get the point and she dropped her hand and sighed. Thought about it, Regina dreamed about the moment her name was replaced with an entirely different affection. "It's discouraged until the actual adoption according to the classes I've taken, but it is also supposed to be on Emma's own timeline. So it's up to Emma at this point, and I have let her know its okay to call me a variety of things when she is ready."
"I'm done Gina."
Emma's call had them both going back into the kitchen as a spoon scraped the last of the oatmeal from the bottom of a bowl. Child took the bowl to the sink and hopped for the faucet knob, but couldn't reach it. Regina nudged over the stool they kept nearby for exactly that purpose and helped Emma rinse the dish and put it in the dishwasher. Then she dampened the corner of a kitchen towel and wiped the rest of Emma's breakfast from a fussing little face.
"I missed some?" Emma tried to hold still, but couldn't help but wiggle as she was cleaned up.
"A bit, but that's alright." Finishing up with Emma's fingers, Regina dropped the cloth in the sink. "Teeth and then it's time to go."
Emma grinned as big as she could right up at Gina and pointed to her mouth. "Here they are!"
Chuckling. "And they need to be brushed clean, silly girl. Go on." Lifting the girl down from the stool Regina sent Emma off with a gentle pat to the behind.
Emma smirked at what Gina called love taps. She didn't mind those or the way Gina did the same to her nose just now when she was being goofy. Five minutes later teeth were brushed and shoes on with her school bag and Emma was ready to go. She showed as much by tapping her foot as she'd seen Gina do when waiting for something for a long time.
"Do you have your autograph book?" Regina asked and got what she perceived to be an inpatient nod as she sorted her purse. "Are you sure?"
"Uh-huh. Can we go go go now?" Emma was getting excited to go to school and show Jasmine her hair on the playground before the first bell. When she had moved in with Gina she got to still go to the same school and not switch to another one which she liked 'cause Jasmine was there. Gina had said it was good for her to have con-sis-tency too, whatever that meant.
Zelena leaned down to pop a kiss on Emma's cheek. "There's plenty of time still yet Monkey. Now give a proper good bye to your Gina and we will get going. Both cars are out front and waiting."
Emma gave the tightest hug she could to Gina and received one and a kiss in return. "You'll be there on the steps for me after school?"
"I should be right after school and do you remember plan B if for some reason I am not right when you step outside?" Regina prompted. She had always been able to be so far, but like always she was a planner and wanted Emma to know that sometimes there were emergencies that may cause a delay.
"I go back inside and tell the office and wait on the bench there for you."
"Good girl that's right. Have a wonderful day and I can't wait to hear all about your Show and Tell."
Emma beamed and then spun around with her arms out gesturing to herself. "Do I proof-read good?"
Regina laughed and stood up. "Not a line out of place little duck." Emma's creativity never failed to make her smile.
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Regina was not smiling as she thumbed through the stack of files on her desk in her corner office. She was about halfway through them and well ahead of schedule to have them finalized by the end of the day for Gold, but he was a meticulous one. While she was a perfectionist, especially with the quality of her work, he was a hell hound for details and wanted nothing unturned. He also preferred her to proof every detail she had long since trained her team to do in her stead, but he was unwavering. She did it more to appease her Mother than anything who insisted she humor Gold for his connections. Regina still thought he was a jerk.
She took a sip of her lemon water as the buzzer on her desk sounded. Mary-Margaret Nolan's voice came over the intercom.
"Regina, Mrs. Mills is ready for your 11:30 meeting."
Regina rolled her eyes. Leave it to Mother to use her secretary to announce their meeting when they shared an office adjoining door and all Cora had to do was open it. While the woman was warmer toward her now that Emma was in the picture and they had their affection for the girl in common, Mother was all prim straight lines and business in the office. She pressed the button in return. "Yes, please assure her I will be right there." And stood taking a deep breath.
This conversation she had been dreaded the last week since putting it on her appointment calendar. Mother was not going to like her only coming to the office for three days out of the week. Getting Mother to agree to four had been a trial. Regina still produced the same amount of work and attention to detail, and had actually increased their last quarter's expected profit by an additional ten percent than projected from being able to be flexible on how and when she got her work completed. The numbers had just come out yesterday while Gold was in London. She was not sure yet if he knew. Still, Gold aside, Mother was Mother.
And liked to be in control.
Regina took a moment to smooth her slacks and check her hair in the mirror in the small lounge area of her black and white modern office. While she owned 1/3 of the company now with the merger, Mother still ran the lead of it with Mr. Gold vying for that very spot. What the man lacked for in a charming personality he more than made up for in connections. Overseas connections to be exact and their marketing opportunities expanded exponentially since bringing him on board.
Still, as Zee would say, he was a right prick and a half to deal with on a good day.
Satisfied with her appearance Regina went to the adjoining door and knocked crisply twice right at the 11:30 mark before opening the door. A minute before or a minute after wouldn't do for Mother. Spot on was expected. She entered the red and white space. This office was always a bit chilly to her in more than temperature. Classic in English design with regal lines she felt like she was stepping into a formal tea room at Buckingham palace. Zee and Mother both shared that love for all things English in common.
"Ah, there you are Regina." Cora nodded to the chair across from her desk and waited for her daughter to sit before continuing. "What is it specifically that you wanted to meet about?" Then she leaned forward resting her hands on the desk at the hesitation she saw on Regina's face. "Is everything alright with Emma and the adoption?"
Regina blinked at the unexpectedly soft question. "Yes, everything with Emma is fine, thank you and the adoption process is right on schedule." And sat up straighter as the softness of familiarity left for business rigidity.
"Then what is this meeting about?"
Regina opened by putting the thick packet she'd prepared highlighting their company's financial gains the last quarter in front of her Mother and to what exactly she attributed it to. She stuck to facts and figures knowing Mother appreciated that approach to anything. Right before she got to the heart of the matter her Mother snatched that heart right from her. The packet though was slid back across the desk.
"I know our gains have been to your more than competent due diligence and I am appreciative truly. So much so that the bonus I promised has already been added to your account. Do it again next quarter and we will talk about adding a zero to your next bonus, but not a day sooner."
"That is not what I was going to ask." Shaking her head in mild frustration, Regina pursed her lips. Of course Mother's mind went to money. With a sigh she took back the packet she had spent hours preparing that had not so much been looked at. She wondered why she bothered.
"Then what Regina?"
"I am planning on scaling back—" Stopping abruptly when the intercom on the desk interrupted her. Mother's secretary announced the man of the hour just as a single knock sounded and Gold opened the main door himself.
"Ah lovely, I've caught you both at once." Gold's slick tenor filled the room.
Regina scowled a bit. She couldn't help it, but quickly schooled her features before turning around. Her Mother stood when he entered and so she joined the motion as he came toward them. The tapping of his cane, one she was not sure he even needed, annoyed her. He was a showy man in his custom tailored black suits and silk ties, but there was nothing soft about the man. Shrewd as they came, especially with money.
And to her disgust Mother smiled at him. Actually smiled.
Cora greeted, "what may we do for you Robert?"
Regina's head snapped back to her Mother, the papers in her hand crinkling. 'Since when are they on a first name basis?' She wondered and again schooled her features when she turned back to the oily man.
Mr. Gold and Mother had known each other since she and Zee had been teenagers and there was something about him she did not quite trust and had made her hesitate when Mother wanted to move forward with the merger. Regina had been married to her work at the time that process began and she did not want her Father's name tainted by this man if she were to withdraw her support for the company and go her own way. Mother needed her talents, had said as much and so she had begrudgingly went along with what her Mother had wanted. Now that she had a new perspective on life with Emma in it, work was not the most important thing any longer.
"I was just briefed on the end of quarter profits and I must say dearies, I am impressed." Gold lifted his chin and took a step closer to Cora as his lips mirrored a similar smile. "Your daughter is talented indeed."
"Both of them are." Cora amended and gestured to Regina. "We were just discussing the same thing."
"In part." Regina agreed. It was now or never. "I plan on increasing what we have accomplished by another ten percent next quarter and to do that I need a little more autonomy on my schedule than I've had."
"How exactly?" Cutting in, Gold tilted his head.
"Not that it is any of your business, but that is actually what I was discussing with her before you barged in."
"Regina." Cora admonished.
"No Cora that's quite alright." Gold confirmed. "She is allowed to have her opinion as partial owner of the company." Emphasis on the word partial and then his cane landed on the marble. Hard. "Just as I am a partial owner and I think we need to move forward full steam ahead with everyone on board like planned."
Seething silently Regina watched her Mother for a reaction.
"How exactly, dear, were you thinking of more… how did you put it?" Turning, Cora flicked her wrist in an impatient gesture. "Autonomy over your schedule?"
Regina wanted to cross her arms at the bitter way that word rolled from that mouth, but thought better of it under Mother's eye. "I want to suggest a modification. I'd like to come to the office Monday through Wednesday and work from home the rest of the week."
"Why on earth would you do that when you have your team here as a support?" Gold cut in again.
Squaring her jaw and curbing her first remark, Regina tried to explain. "My team is more than capable, as I trained them to be, in handling certain day to day productivity. I am in the process of adopting and I need more flexibility to be with my daughter as we go through this transition." Especially with summer coming up. She did not want Emma in a day care five days a week after school. As it was Emma went to an after school program occasionally when she had afternoon meetings. Then mumbling. "Not that my personal life is any of your business."
"Actually it is dearie." He took another step closer to the mother and daughter duo as he further staked his claim. "When my business is being affected by your own."
The sly sneer gave Regina goose bumps and she swallowed that discomfort he caused down before squaring off. "My personal life has not affected my work. If anything it is what got you that 10% over the projected profit."
Cora raised her hand for silence. "And I see no problem with allowing this change of schedule as long as your productivity stays the same or increases. Surely we can come to that agreement as a collective whole. Deal Robert?"
Gold was quiet for a moment and Regina could see the calculating gears turning in his head. "With a slight modification." He gave the Mills daughter a once over. "We will try your proposed schedule." His finger went up quickly. "But if I feel our business is being negatively impacted by your personal business…" Pausing for effect. "I reserve the right to a vote from the board instead of just the three of us on just exactly what your role and responsibilities with the company are going forward. Do we have a deal?"
Regina lifted her chin more than sure of her own capabilities, but took a moment to really think through his offer. Half of the board consisted of his lackey men, a condition of the merger—loyal to Gold through and through—and if somehow she was deemed not to be fulfilling her responsibilities in full he could have them vote to have her step down as one of the CEOs. It was no secret he wanted to be her Mother's primary business partner and Regina was not a fool to see what the risk was. Still she was determined to have both her career and motherhood.
She was her Father's daughter after all.
Where he succeeded in having a balanced home life and career she would too. Regina refused to be like her Mother on the other end of that spectrum. So her hand went out. "You have a deal Mr. Gold." Her gut reaction wanted to pull away when he took her hand in a grip to shake, but she kept her grip firm. She stole a glance at Mother and was not sure exactly what that sharp amused expression was for; pride in accepting the challenge so readily or for being an idiot in doing so.
"Well now that is settled—" Cora began and promptly rolled her eyes at the intercom going off again.
Mary-Margaret's voice rang through the room. "Pardon my interruption, but Emma's school is on the line for Regina."
Cora pressed the button to reply immediately. "Put the call through to my line." And nodded to her now worried daughter to pick up the phone.
Regina shoved the papers under her arm to hold and cradled the receiver to her ear. After a quick intro by the child's teacher she began pacing as Emma's teary voice came over the line in a jumbled fashion. Not able to make out one word she began to coach. "Take a breath for me sweetheart so I can understand you." Waiting a full minute as Emma began to calm down under her prompts. "Now try and talk to me. Why are you crying?" Not suspecting Emma to be physically hurt due to the child's teacher initially being on the phone and not the school nurse.
Sniffling. "I thought I had it but I don't and now everything is ruined! I can't do my talk without my book!" A gasp and another little cry.
Regina's heart pinched and her eyes closed. The autograph book. She should have checked as well as asked to make sure Emma had it for Show & Tell. "Sweetheart, it's not the end of the world." She began as Gold tisked behind her.
"But Gi-na."
And the way Emma broke her nickname in half as another stifled cry came over the line said it was the world to the little girl Regina was speaking to. Emma had worked hard on that speech and practicing the last few days for the 'biggest most 'portant presentation of the century'. She rubbed her temple in thought. Zee was in meetings most of the day and Cindy, her house keeper of three days a week, was not working until tomorrow. No one else to go home and get the book to Emma, but her. Convenient or not, working or not, Emma needed her and come she would every single time. Regina glanced at the wall clock, ignoring the way Gold was studying her. If she left right now she could just make it home through traffic and to the school before Emma's Show & Tell.
"I'll bring it right over sweetheart and while you are waiting for me I want you to practice our calm down routine alright?" The slow counts of breathing they did whenever Emma was this upset.
"You will?" A sniffle and cough right along with a deep breath as asked.
"I will be there in the next hour little one. Give the phone back to your teacher and start your routine alright?"
"Kay."
Regina finished up with Emma's teacher and hung up. "I'll be out the rest of the day."
Gold scoffed. "This was exactly what I was afraid of."
Then the Evil Queen of publishing she was well known as made an appearance. "Shall I get you a blanket and teddy bear to clutch in your trembling Mr. Gold or are you able to be an adult about this?" Then nodding to her other partner. "Mother." And she promptly moved to leave through the adjoining door.
"Ms. Mills a moment."
His condescending tone and use of her surname in such a way made Regina stiffen. She gave him a raised brow over her shoulder in response, but kept right on walking.
"Be sure those financial quotes for the new contracts are on my desk in the morning. I need them promptly before we can move forward with any more deals."
She whirled on him with a ready comeback on her lips for the order and he came at her, bending to pick up the packet of papers she must have dropped in her haste, stopping less than a foot away from her. Gold held it out waiting and Regina went to take it from him, but he did not let go readily. Her brows pinched in brief question.
Low so only she could hear, he spoke, "are those bags under your eyes, a worried brow? Feeling exhausted are you?" Gold made a tisking sound. "Careful dearie. Just look at what motherhood is doing to you."
Fire in her eyes Regina yanked the packet back from him, fighting the urge to kick his cane out from under him. "You know nothing about me."
"Oh quite the contrary. You are your father's daughter and it was his undoing." Then he giggled in a ludicrous way only he could pull off before speaking up with an inclusive turn to Cora. "Surely you will prove us both wrong and be your Mother's daughter after all and help us take our company to the top of the industry."
Without a further response Regina turned sharply on her heel and was gone. Closing the adjoining door she leaned heavily against it as she caught her breath. The nerve he had shown burned in her blood. She would have everything; career, motherhood, family, all of it. Regina was not her Mother. And the more she thought about what he said the more she slumped against the door. What had he meant by her undoing? And about her Father? Gold was cryptic on a regular day without trying and she wondered over those words spinning with thoughts of getting to Emma as she went for her desk to get her work purse and stuffed his damn files into the side pocket. A sigh escaped knowing it would be another late night working to finish on time.
Gold was right about one thing however. She was every bit her Father's daughter. And a Mills never forwent a deal or lost one and Regina was not about to start.
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A/N – Updated every Saturday. Hope you liked the first chapter! Please let me know what you think. Reviews feed the soul. Lots of reveals coming soon about Emma!