Happy birthday to the lovely MackenzieW! I hope you enjoy this and have an amazing day filled with all of your favorite musicals that's as sweet as you!
"And... cut!"
Regina made sure that everything she had just shot was saved, then turned off the camera. Her boss, Graham, came over to her as everyone around them started to disperse, each going their separate ways for the next hour before the office holiday party that afternoon at a well-known (and expensive, Regina mused) restaurant. Thankfully, the studio she worked for, Misthaven Studios, was paying for them to all enjoy a three-course meal there to mark the end of their busiest season.
"You're coming after work, right?" her best friend, Mal, asked when she came up behind her as she was packing up her belongings.
Regina sighed. "I don't know, Mal. I have so much to do. Graham would kill me if I-"
"Didn't come to the festivities," his accented voice interjected.
She spun around, meeting his cyan eyes with her own, which were a much less attractive shade of brown. "But Graham, I have so much I need to get done before the new year arrives."
"Nonsense, take a break," he coaxed. "Come on, join us. Your boss needs to lighten up anyway."
She sighed. If Graham was telling her to take a break, maybe she really should give herself an afternoon off. Besides, that must mean he was going, right? She never passed up an opportunity to see him, even though it killed her to do so some days. She and Graham had been an item a few years back, and even though she knew that he had happily moved on with that dumb blonde Emma Swan, she still couldn't help thinking that she and Graham were perfect for each other.
Looking back at it now, she didn't know exactly why they had gone their separate ways. Three years ago they had fought, a quarrel that had escalated far beyond the original cause of contention, and before she knew it, words had echoed through their house that couldn't be taken back and he had packed his bags and moved out of her two-story white mansion on Mifflin Street and left her wondering what exactly had happened to them. However, before she could go to Graham and beg him to give them a chance, to work with her to figure out what exactly had gone so wrong between them, she had seen him in the props department locked in a passionate embrace with Emma Swan, of all people.
Ever since that fateful day, she had been a self-proclaimed masochist. She knew that she should just let Graham go, she did. But every time they interacted, it was as if nothing had happened that day. He didn't know that she had seen them together on that fateful day, so apart from a brief period just after they broke up, there had never been that period of awkwardness that most relationships experience after a breakup that led to either friendship or a complete termination of the relationship because she had refused to admit that she had seen them together. Instead, she had been there to watch from the sidelines as he flirted with Emma for the whole office to see, and all the while he had gone to Regina whenever he needed something. The whole situation was starting to drive her crazy, and if it wasn't for Mal, she maybe wouldn't enjoy her work at all, but she tried to act as normal as possible around Graham.
"Fine," she responded at last. "I'll make an appearance."
"Good," he answered in that soft way of his. "I look forward to seeing you there."
"Wait," she said, reaching for a small package wrapped in red wrapping paper with candy canes and topped with a silver ribbon and bow on the top that had been sitting on a corner of her desk just waiting for the ideal moment for her to give it to him. "I have something for you. A little Christmas present."
"Oh, love," he gushed. "You shouldn't have."
"I know," she shrugged. "But I saw it and it looked so much like you that I just had to get it for you."
She heard nothing but the crinkling of wrapping paper as he tore the packaging, then opened the box within to see what was inside. "Oh, Regina, this really is too much, you shouldn't have," he protested. "The thought of what you must have spent on this- everyone knows that these watches aren't cheap." For nestled inside was a pair of hunter green RayBan sunglasses, a purchase she hadn't been able to resist making when she saw them in her favorite jewelry store one day.
She shrugged. "It really was no big deal," she promised him. "Any time I see that shade of green I think of you, and I know the lights off the studio give you headaches sometimes, so I knew I had to get them."
"Well thank you, love," he smiled, leaning toward her to kiss her forehead affectionately. "See you later."
When he walked away, Mal turned to her. "Regina, you really need to get over him. It's been how many years now?"
Regina bit her lip, hesitant to remind her friend that it had been, "Three years."
Mal shook her head disapprovingly. "You need to get away from all of this. When was the last time you took a vacation?"
Regina hesitated, honestly unsure what the answer to that question was. "Ummm…" She was always so caught up in her responsibilities for work that she hadn't bothered to take a vacation in longer than she cared to remember.
"That's it," Mal declared. "You're going on vacation over the holidays. Where do you want to go? There's Australia, Italy, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Florida…"
"I'm fine, Mal, stop planning a vacation for me," Regina protested. "I'll see you tonight."
"Fine, but know the offer is there if you want it!" Mal called after her as she picked up her bag and walked out of the studio. "You know Ursula and Ella work for Triton Travel and would be happy to hook you up with a discount, all you need to do is ask!"
Regina sighed. Yes, she was well aware that their college friends were travel agents who would secure bargain prices for her whenever she asked for them. However, she was convinced that she didn't need a vacation over the holidays, especially not for that reason. She could handle the Hunter Swan situation just fine on her own… couldn't she?
Later that afternoon, Regina entered the secluded room where their party was being held, a room that, like the rest of the restaurant, was black, with white tablecloths on the circular tables, and her eyes seemed to immediately gravitate toward Graham and his blonde date as if a magnetic force had drawn them there. As usual, the couple weren't exactly being discreet about their relationship, forcing the entire room to be an audience to them hanging all over each other, his arms around her from behind as he kissed her neck. It made Regina's blood boil, but at the same time, she couldn't help smirking in satisfaction. At least she had had the decency to limit public displays of affection when she was with Graham.
"Come on, let's go find somewhere to sit," a voice muttered in her ear, and Regina turned to Mal, nodded, then gratefully followed her to the nearest open table.
They spent the next hour talking and laughing as they ate, and Regina found herself forgetting all about Graham- that is, until he stood at the front of the room, microphone and glass in hand, clinking it with a fork to get everyone's attention.
"I'd like to thank everyone for another great year at Misthaven Studios," he began. "Each of you has played a valuable part in the success of our company this year, and I look forward to another great year of working with you all next year.
"I also have an announcement to make," he informed them. Regina heard an annoying giggle that could have only come from one source. Suddenly, she had a sinking feeling that she knew what the announcement would be, and her heart started sinking in anticipation.
Sure enough, Graham informed them all, "I will be out of the office more than usual this summer because Emma recently agreed to marry me. We will be getting married in July, and I'd appreciate all of your help when that time comes to make sure nothing goes amiss here while I'm busy with the final preparations and during my honeymoon."
As the room erupted into applause around her and Graham sat back down next to the woman who was now his fiancee and they shared a kiss, Regina's heart sank. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed to get away from Graham Hunter and Miss Swan as soon as possible, or she would lose her mind.
Quickly, she got out her phone and began to plan. There was no time to waste.
Robin didn't have many expectations for Christmas that year. All he really wanted to do was spend the holidays with his sister Belle and his son, Roland.
But with one knock on the door one night shortly before Christmas, he discovered that fate had other plans for him. He opened the door to find Belle crying on the other side, so like any good big brother, he invited her inside.
With one arm around her shoulders, he ushered her over to the sofa. "Tea?" he offered. It was unlikely that she would want to try to talk with tears streaming down her face, and he wouldn't blame her at all for wanting every word she said to not be choked out past the obvious lump in her throat.
Sure enough, she nodded, so he went into the kitchen to pour some water into the kettle and start boiling it. While that process occurred, he got out his sister's favorite of his mugs, a blue one with the words "Today is the best day to start a new adventure" written on it. She liked to travel, something they had in common, but she always said that while the saying on the mug could refer to going on holiday (what Robin had been thinking of when he bought it), it also perfectly described how she felt when she picked up a book, whether she had read that book more times than she could count or if she was turning its pages for the first time.
Once he had the tea bag in the mug (Belle might have preferred a calming blend, but all he had were the types of tea that he liked, none of which advertised additional calming benefits), all he needed to do was wait for the whistle that would signify that the water he had prepared was ready. As he waited, he vowed that he would do whatever he could to soothe his sister's soul. After all, he and Roland were all the family she had after their parents had passed away a few years ago. It was his job as her older brother to make sure she was taken care of. Although he had to admit that he had been doing a terrible job of that in recent months: the same accident that had taken his parents' lives had also taken his wife, Marian, away from him and their son far too soon. He had been lost in grief for years and felt that he had only been able to think of her without automatically feeling a terrible pang in his heart for the past six months or so. His friends, especially Will, had tried to set him up on dates before that, but he had refused every one of their efforts. Between one thing and another, he was a shell of his former self, and as a result had not been looking after his younger sister like he should. He vowed that that streak of irresponsibility ended that night. Starting today, he was going to make sure that his sister lived the life she'd always dreamed of, as long as she was safe while she did that.
Once the tea was ready and he had poured milk into it, he walked back into the room to find that much to his relief, Belle's tears had subsided. Setting the mug down on the dark wood of the coffee table, he asked gently, "Do you want to talk about it?"
She shook her head. "No, not really. Robert just… it didn't work out, that's all."
At her words, Robin felt a protective surge of fury rise within him, some of which was directed at himself. Ever since she had introduced them, he had never liked Robert Gold. From the first time they met, he had deduced from his words and actions that the man was a pathetic excuse for a man who only cared about himself. He hated that Belle was going through this (whatever this was), and he vowed that whatever that snake of a man had done to her, he would make him pay for it.
When he voiced his thoughts, Belle adamantly shook her head. "No, Robin, leave him alone. He just… circumstances change, that's all."
"What exactly did he do?" Robin demanded to know. Now that he was aware of a few more details behind Belle's distress, he was more determined than ever to fix it.
Belle sighed. "Oh nothing, Robin, really. He went back to his wife. His son has a family again. While yes, I'm upset that we're not together anymore, what kind of monsters would we be if either of us went to him and demanded that he stay with me?"
Robin frowned. He hated to admit it, but his sister did have a point. He wouldn't want to separate the reunited family any more than she did.
She sighed and told him, "But at the same time, everything I see, everything I do, reminds me of him. So I think I'm going to go away for the holidays."
"Where do you think you'll go?" Robin asked. It was late notice to go on holiday, as his sister would be lucky if she even got a boarding pass for a flight this close to Christmas.
She shrugged. "I don't know. Do you mind terribly if I stay here while I figure it out? I don't really want to go back to my apartment alone at the moment."
"Of course," he assured her, squeezing her shoulder. "Stay as long as you like."
For the next hour, Belle sat on the old but comfortable sofa in Robin's living room, typing furiously on her laptop as she tried to figure out a suitable destination for her holiday. Every once in awhile, Robin would catch her wiping away a stray tear, but for the most part, her attitude remained steadfastly upbeat. If Robin hadn't known better, he would have thought that nothing had happened to rattle her earlier that day.
Eventually, feverishly conducting internet searches morphed into nonstop typing on her phone. When Robin finally asked, "Have you sorted anything out yet?", she looked up at him, and his chest swelled at the hopeful look in her sapphire blue eyes, which matched his own.
"I think I maybe have, actually," she told him. "You know I follow Ruby Lucas on Twitter, right?"
"I… of course," Robin said slowly. He knew that his sister was active on the social media site, that she followed some of her favorite stars to see what their next projects would be, but the whole thing was over his head. From what he had gathered over the years, though, Belle had made friends online with people who liked the same celebrities she did. How that was possible was beyond his comprehension, but it made his sister happy, which was all that mattered to him.
"Well, I was talking to one of my friends, and she said she's looking to go on holiday right now too. So I think I'm going to suggest to her that we just swap houses, cars, everything. That'll be much easier than trying to go through the hassle of finding a hotel."
"Wait, you're going to what?" Robin sputtered. "Belle, that isn't safe. You don't even know this girl. What if she breaks something while you're gone, or allows a burglar to break into your home?"
"Relax, Robin, I do know her," Belle said softly, placing a soothing hand on his knee. "We've been friends for years. Trust me, if there's anyone who would make sure no harm came to the house while I'm away, it's Regina. She may be in the film industry-" That's just great, I'm sure that'll go really smoothly, Robin thought, thinking of all the things he had learned in the news about those who lived in Los Angeles. "But at her core, I know she's a good person. She's always been there for me when I needed her, and right now is no exception."
Robin sighed. It was clear that nothing was going to dissuade his baby sister from going to the States. "All right, fine. I just don't want you to get hurt. This is your holiday, you need to relax. When are you leaving and when will you return?"
*Early tomorrow afternoon," Belle informed him decisively. "That'll give me plenty of time to get out of Regina's way, but plenty of time to pack as well."
Robin sighed. He was glad that his sister was getting what she needed to get a break from her life, he really was, but at the same time, he wanted her to be careful.
She laughed. "Would it make you feel better if I said you could check up on her- and on me as well- while I'm away?"
"Marginally," he admitted sheepishly.
She glared. "It had better be good enough, Robin. I'm not a little girl anymore, I can take care of myself. Besides, I trust Regina, and you trust my judgement, right?"
"I know, and I do," he insisted, while in the back of his mind a voice whispered Do you? "I just want to make sure you're as safe as you can be, that's all."
"And I will be," Belle promised, a hand resting on Robin's forearm. "Everything will be all right, I promise. I really need this, Robin."
Looking into her earnest blue eyes that so closely resembled his own was the only thing that set his mind at ease. His sister needed this, perhaps more than he knew or could possibly imagine. Who was he to stand in her way? "All right," he finally agreed, resting a hand on top of where Belle's second hand had landed on the coffee table at some point during their conversation. "You won't hear any more from me about it. Just know that I will be checking up on both you and the house while you're away."
"I didn't expect anything less," she responded, smiling fondly.
A thought popped into his head, one he wished he had thought of so he could have used it as another reason for her to stay home for the holidays. "You know, Roland is going to be devastated about this. The two of you were going to bake cookies."
"I know," she sighed. "You two will just have to do it without me. Or we can try a Zoom call, and we'll do it together?" she offered hopefully. Robin knew she hated letting his son down.
He nodded. "That sounds like a good plan." It wouldn't be quite the same, but it would have to do under the circumstances.
Belle got off the couch and started gathering her belongings. "I already booked my flight, so I need to go home and pack. As always, thank you for the advice. You're the best big brother a sister could ask for."
He smiled. "I'm happy to help anytime. You know that." He opened his arms and she stepped into them, Though he completely understood why she was going away for the holidays, he was going to miss her- and he knew that once his son found out, he would feel the same way.
As for this Regina, the one who would be staying in his sister's house while she was away, he didn't know what to make of the whole situation. All he knew was that he would keep a watchful eye on her. With a stranger around, who knew what the holidays could bring?
