Chapter 4

Getting out from under the control of Cora Mills had once been inconceivable. The idea of getting away, even as a dream, had never been a thought. The disappointing scowl of her mother straightened her spine even at thirty-one years of age the same as she did when she was 12; even after the woman had been dead for over two-years, the mere memory of Mother's wrath was fear-inducing.

Taking gleeful joy, the local pawn-shop owner and property tycoon, Mister Gold, purchased up the manor, giving her slightly above market value, she surmised so he could low-ball her on the more flipable property, the summer cottage. The cottage was on 48 acres of land with trails that head up into the wooded area at the base of the mountain and had its own lake. The large main home was the house she purchased with her parents help, of course, when she first got Henry. However spacious it was, the prestigious bi-level home would only attract a certain type of customer. The cottage, on the other hand, could turn a tidy profit with some out-of-towner far more quickly.

"I was born on a Tuesday, Gold, but not last Tuesday!"

"I understand you are a motivated seller, Madam Mayor."

"I could get double if I sold privately!"

Taking out his highly polished silver pocket watch, Mister Gold looked at the time with indifference. "In which case, you'll be using my agency to market your homes and I'll still be making a profit, without doing any of the work."

Irritated, she snapped, "You're not the only game in town, Gold."

Snapping the watch shut, he walked around the glass case filled with old and strange artifacts pawned by the locals over the years and looked Regina dead in the eye. Clasping his hands together before stating frankly, "Every agency is mine, Miss Mills," he smirked and added smugly, "I'm the board on which the game is played." Taking Regina's stunned silence as acceptance, he asked, "Are we done here?"

"Fine. Have the paperwork drawn up," she conceded, not because the man was right, but because she was in fact eager to get on with it.

Searching for a school for Henry was her priority, and the one she found was perfect for him. It focused on the sciences and made his old school look like one from the Middle Ages. She was pleased with the curriculum and the options he would have for extra help, so she looked for apartments within the vicinity that would suit their needs.

The paperwork to sell her properties was finalized a few weeks after Henry graduated from fourth grade. By the time June rolled around, the move to their new residence was well underway and as they settled in, they had time to get familiar with their new residence. They were a few blocks away from the heart of Boston's art district in an apartment building that was ten floors shy of a high-rise. They each had their own rooms on opposite ends of the home with the living room and open concept kitchen in the center. It was a sizable scale-down from what they were used to, and Regina was concerned that the close quarters would be difficult.

Before the move, Regina painstakingly went through their belongings, paring down their possessions to that of keepsakes and clothing making the fresh start she desired. Finding furniture that would fit into the smaller place would be an ongoing ordeal, and the only thing she'd pre-bought prior to the big move was their individual beds; causing them to eat Chinese takeout on the living room floor their first night.

It took several weeks, but Regina managed to find items that were within her budget, and to her liking, to turn their apartment, into a home. Once she got it to a semi-liveable condition, she started to realize that she was not the kind of person to be idle. Despite visiting every single art, history and science museum in the immediate area to keep them busy, Regina felt the anxious feeling of not having a project. She required work or something to work toward.

She considered getting a job, or perhaps some higher education.

Something outside of politics.

Thinking about what she was good at, she remembered when she was a child, she loved the animals at the family ranch and wondered what it would take to get involved with animals in some way.

There wasn't a lot in the way of ranch-hand in the big city, not that was the goal and when she looked up what was available in the area for something of the dude-ranch variety, google ad-targeted a result for Veterinary Assistants. The idea of working with animals instead of humans with real-world applications piqued her interest and she googled colleges in the area that offered courses for that career.

With very little self-debate, she spoke to both her son and Katherine about the matter. Henry was a little more optimistic about the endeavor than her best friend, but once Regina laid out the different career path opportunities, Katherine cautiously got on board with the idea.

"I just can't see you as a person who would be good around animals, Regina."

Offended, Regina defended, "I grew up with horses!"

"You had stable hands, Dear."

Rolling her eyes, Regina scoffed, "Perhaps, but I did muck out the stalls myself and spent every second I could in that barn."

"Because you were hiding from Cora, and you knew she wouldn't be caught dead out there."

"Because I loved it," Regina said with a huff, then admitted with mild irritation, "And I was hiding from Cora."

"Keeping horses on the family estate is a huge leap from taking care of people's sick and injured pets."

"I know, but there are many avenues of education I can take. I'm able to start the preliminary classes now and decide which path I want later."

Feeling as though her concerns had been heard, Katherine sighed and said, "Alright. If this is what you want to do, how do we get started?"

"The deadline for fall enrollment is next week. I just need to file the paperwork and I'm officially a college girl."

Humming, Katherine asked, "Is there anything I can do to help? Both you and Henry starting school at the same time will be hectic don't you think? Want me to take a short leave and come get you situated?"

With a genuine heartfelt smile, Regina declined the offer, "No, Sweetie, I've got this. I'm honestly looking forward to being busy again. I'm going to start slow and pick up more as I go along. I absolutely have this."

"I know you do, Darling. I'm just here if you need me."

"I appreciate it, Kat, I really do." With a deep contemplative sigh, she explained, "This is a new me and new me can do anything!"

With a chuckle, Katherine scolded, "As long as new-you remembers she's not alone in this world; You call me if you need to."

"Thanks sweetheart, you're the best!" Saying goodbyes to her friend, Regina put away her phone and took the financial aid packet out and began filling in the documents.

Regina's classes started in the late morning and ended in the early afternoon, but unfortunately, they also started two weeks prior to Henry's school, and she was suddenly without childcare. If they were in Storybrooke, she knew plenty of people she'd long trusted with looking after her child, but even if she didn't, she felt comfortable leaving Henry alone in the manor. Even if they didn't live in a literal fortress, their home had been built in the middle of the sleepy town where most of the folks that lived there, she knew on a first name basis.

Boston was entirely different. Not only does she not know a single soul, well or otherwise, she did not feel safe leaving the boy home alone for the five hours she would be away. With reluctance, she had to admit that it wasn't that Henry couldn't keep himself occupied while staying out of trouble. He was comfortable making himself a snack if he needed to and could use the microwave and stovetop if he wanted a meal. The five hours she was gone would fly by and she knew it.

The problem she had was that they no longer lived in a literal fortress surrounded by people she may not have necessarily liked but trusted well enough to not break in and harm her child if he were alone. What if there was an emergency? Not related to something for Henry himself, but what if he were in danger by no fault of his own? A fire perhaps! It is perfectly reasonable to believe that some dim wit with an unsupervised candle or a grease fire starts in one of the lower floors and Henry is trapped! Maybe he would die of smoke inhalation before he knew there was even a fire! He would most certainly have his ear buds in, engrossed in his video games and die from carbon monoxide!

Taking a deep breath, she pushed her tailspin into the abyss aside and focused back on her problem at hand. Perhaps there was an activity she could enroll him in or a day care.

Rolling her eyes, she knew Henry's reaction if she brought up a day care for him. Things were still strained between them and the mere suggestion that he was incapable of caring for himself and required a facility would have the boy throwing an entire fit, and she knew it.

She then remembered Katherine. The woman had offered to pick up the slack if she needed it, and it was only for a couple of weeks until Henry started school. As soon as her friend picked up the phone she entered a rant of epic proportions without giving Regina a chance to speak. When she finally did take a breath, the information she was given told Regina one thing. Katherine was in no position to come to Boston for two weeks effective immediately.

After getting off the phone with her friend, she bit her lip and went to talk to Henry about a day care.

It went as well as she imagined.

"It's only for two weeks, Darling."

"Why can't I stay home by myself?"

"Absolutely not."

Flopping back on the bed, the boy growled his frustration, "That's not fair!"

"It is a temporary situation, and we can get through this, but I need your help."

"If it's so temporary, why can't I stay home!"

"That proposal isn't on the table."

"Don't talk to me like I'm part of your cabinet!"

"Watch your tone. I am not leaving my nine-year…"

"I'm almost ten!"

"…my NINE-year-old alone in an apartment in the middle of Boston!"

"Moo-oom!"

"Don't Mom me, that is out of the question."

"What if someone were to look in on me?"

"That would be great if I knew someone who could do that, Henry. I don't know anyone-"

"But if you did?"

"If I did, then of course, I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."

"What about Ruby?"

They met Ruby Lucas during their first week of moving into the building. The tall, young brunette lived two doors down from them and Henry had befriended her during the many many elevator rides they've all shared. Ruby worked the morning shift at a local diner and mentioned a non-specific "job" she did in the evenings, so the chances that Ruby would be available during the time Regina needed her, were high. The girl seemed to get along with Henry remarkably well and Regina felt she was genuine.

"We don't know Miss Lucas."

"We don't not-know her!"

Regina rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest defensively.

Henry ignored his mother's obvious attempt to shut down his idea and defended, "How are we supposed to more than not-know people if we don't try and not-know them better?" After a beat, he added, "I bet she would do it, if I asked her to. I'm adorable and people have a hard time saying no to me."

Opening her mouth to refute the boys claim, but couldn't because he made a valid point and if the semi-stranger could just agree to get the child out of the building if any big emergencies came up, then asking her to look in on him was a decent enough idea.

Taking her gaping silence as confirmation, he smirked and said, "See?"

"I'll talk to her, and only if she is willing, you may stay home while I start school." Holding a finger up to quell his victory dance, she added, "If she is unable, or unwilling, then-"

"Baby school. I get it, Mom."

Kissing him on the head, she brushed his hair aside and said, "That' my boy.