A/N: I promised all my lovely readers two more new stories to look forward to, so here is the other one! I've literally been writing up a storm all day today and have three chapters to post up on this one. Those of you who are Sandra Bullock fans like myself, will recognize this adaptation of story on her rom-com movie While You Were Sleeping. To those who haven't seen it, I recommend that you do and I hope you enjoy this story to its fullest. I will change things that need to be changed as the story progresses. Happy reading, and thank you all for your patience. More updates are on the way. :)
Okay. There are two things Regina remembers about her childhood. She just doesn't remember the sunset being that orange…
First, she remembers being with her father. She loved how the man would get this far-off looks in his eye and he would say to her, 'life doesn't always turn out the way you plan.' She only wished that at the time, she realized that he was talking about her life. He raised her by himself after her mother passed away, and she admired him for that. She looked up to him. He was her only role model.
They never stopped taking their adventures together. She fondly remembers how he would carry her over his shoulders, telling her crazy and exotic stories about some far away land as they traveled to their next destination like… Milwaukee. It's amazing how exotic Wisconsin wasn't. But her favorite stories were the ones he would tell her about her mom. He would take her to the church where they got married, and she'd beg him to tell her more about the ceremony and about her crazy uncle Irwin who fell asleep on the macaroni and cheese.
She once asked her father, when he knew that he truly loved her mother…
And he said to her, 'Gina. Your mother gave me a special gift. She gave me the world.'
-Actually it was a globe with a light in it. But, Henry was always a romantic. And for the romantic that he was, it might as well have been the world.
Well, the first time Regina saw Graham- he didn't exactly give her the world, it was a $1.50 for a train token. She didn't know his name, she never even talked to him ever since he started coming around her booth between 8:01 and 8:15 every morning. Monday through Friday, dressed sharply in his trench coats and business suits. His hair would shine like the beams of sunlight that would hit him every morning as he made his way up her booth to pay for his token. He was cleaned shaved, but Regina would imagine him looking great in a beard, too. His eyes were green from what Regina could tell.
He sure gave her something to look forward to every morning, he would give her a reason to smile. She wondered what type of family he had back home, or if he had any other siblings. That was something she missed having around, especially around the holidays like this time of year. Family.
To her, Graham was perfect to start a family with. Okay, so she didn't know him, but he was the one. Her prince charming. She knew it. She just knew it, and someday she would work up her courage and dare to talk to him. And Regina knew- it would be just perfect.
For now though, Regina settled living in her apartment. It was small, fit for one person, and it was quiet, and cat friendly which is what she liked the most. All of her neighbors were friendly and they knew who she was. Amazingly, they didn't start calling her the lonely cat lady because sometimes, Regina spent so much time alone, she wondered if she was well on her way.
With both her parents now passed on, she would always find herself alone for the holiday season like Thanksgiving and Christmas. And sure, she would love to have some family around, but she was now used to being alone. Certainly saved her from having to fight with someone.
Yep, it was just her, her black, fluffy cat, Midnight, her job and her own place to call home.
If only the Enchanted Forest delivery guys were just as great as her neighbors in delivering her Christmas tree. They had left it down below and insisted they couldn't fit it through the door and carry it up the stairs to her apartment. So, Regina did the next best thing she could think of. Tie a rope around it and pull it up through her window herself. Easy peasy, right?
"Mmm!" Regina found herself propped up on her knees, right on her couch, while she yanked on the rope. Her loyal cat Midnight observed. It wasn't a tall tree, but it was a heavy one.
"Forty-five dollars for a Christmas tree and they don't deliver? You order five dollars of Mr. Wong's, they bring it to your door." She complained to her cat more than complaining to herself. She pulled on the rope, giving it a hard tug before rising up from the couch and taking a step back.
"Ugh!" She took another step back. "I should have gotten a blue spruce. They're lighter." Taking one more step backward, her foot stepped on her rug, which caused the rug to slide, bumping into the wall and causing the brunette to slip butt first onto the floor. As she felt the rope slip right out of her hands, the next thing she heard was the scraping of the robe against her window ledge, followed by a crashing sound and busting of glass.
"Gina!" A male voice shouted out in the distance, causing the brunette to shut her eyes tight and scrunch her face.
Opening one eye first, she glanced at her cat, who stared. "Do you think I should go down there?" She asks it, hearing it meow in response as she nodded to herself. "Yeah, I know." She murmurs, knowing she had to as they say: face the music.
Gold's apartment was below all the other apartments. Everyone was under a first name basis with him. He shouted and his son Neal wasn't the brightest tool in the shed, but everyone knew he had a kind heart. His apartment was always very festive with Christmas decorations, now adding Regina's tree through his window as a new one for his insurance.
"Nature of claim, Christmas tree through window." Robert shakes his head, his glasses resting on the tip of his nose as he glared up at the brunette. "How am I going to put that on my insurance? They're still pissed about the fire we had when Neal barbecued in the stairwell."
"I missed that one." Said Regina.
"Oh, great sausage." The man chuckles, shaking his head.
"Look, I'll pay for this." Regina motioned toward his broken window.
"It's okay, Gina." Robert shakes his head. "I have a brother who's in the glass business."
"I almost forgot," Regina dug inside her sweater sleeve, which was big enough to hide the man's wrapped up present she had bought him. It was a cologne. "Merry Christmas." She smiled, setting the gift in front of him.
"Oh, Gina…" Robert reached for the gift, a smile stretched out on his lips. "You didn't have to do that."
"Well, I wanted to."
"I haven't even gone through my shopping yet." He told her.
"Hey, pop!" Neal walks in, in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. "Do you think I can have that bottle of Jack Daniel's so that I can give it to my probation officer?"
"Can't you see we have some company?" Robert glares at his ignorant son. "Say hello." He murmurs to him.
Neal quickly passes his hands through his hair, combing it through, his eyes taking in the beauty that was Regina Mills as he smoothly said, "Hello, Gina. Nice, uh…" He motioned toward her- "Sweater." He said upon feeling his father's elbow impact him in the ribs.
Robert rolled his eyes as he shook his head in silence.
"Thank you." Regina nodded.
"The bottle's over there." Robert pointed toward his liquor cabinet, walking over to Regina, who frowned upon seeing Neal kneel down, and as he did, his jeans lowered down and his shirt raised up, exposing his butt crack.
"Gina, you're a nice girl. Neal here is still single." Robert murmured to her with a hopeful smile to him. He would love nothing more than for his son to find a nice woman like Regina.
"Yeah. That's a shocker." Regina's brows raised to her hairline. "I'll see you later, Robert." She gave the man a reassuring squeeze on the arm before departing.
Robert frowned, walking up to his son and smacking him in the back of the head.
"Ow- hey!" Neal rubbed the back of his head, standing to his feet with the bottle in his hand.
"Why do you always have to look like a slob around her? She's a classy girl!"
"I'm sorry!" Neal frowned, continuously rubbing his head.
"What are you having?" A vendor asked Regina while she waited for her turn in line.
"Oh, the usual." The brunette glanced back down at her newspaper.
"What's that?" Asked the vendor, but with a bit of an attitude.
Regina's brow raised, "Mustard, diet coke." Unbelievable. She comes to this spot all the time, meeting up with her boss, who was also a good friend of hers, he was a friend of her father's and he can't even remember her usual order.
"Gina!" Sidney- Regina's boss- beams as he walks up to her, wearing his trench coat and matching hat. "Gina, Gina, Gina!"
"Hey, Sidney." Regina smiles, folding the newspaper and placing it underneath her arm.
"I'm glad to find you here." He sounded chipper today.
"I was hoping you'd find me in Bermuda." The brunette joked.
"Bermuda?" Sidney chuckles, glancing at her from behind his glasses. "That's a good one. I am recommending you for employee of the month!"
Regina's brow furrowed as she watched the man dig into his coat pocket and take out a typed up letter. "Really? I didn't know there was an employee of the month." She smiled.
"Oh, yeah!" Sidney places his reading glasses on again, adjusting them before reading out loud, "Supervisor Sidney Glass is nominating Regina Mills for employee of the month. Regina is never tardy, always works the holidays, even if she has worked the previous holiday's- that's because she worked Thanksgiving, Regina is willing to work Christmas, too…" His eyes met with the brunette's glare and his voice trailed off.
"Sidney. I'm not working Christmas." Regina stated, taking her wrongly given hot dog while walking away and picking out the pieces of tomatoes.
"Uh-" Sidney rushes off to catch up to the brunette. "You get a nice plaque with the mayor's stamp on it."
"I didn't vote." Replied Regina, picking out another piece of tomato.
"You get to ride on a float on St. Patty's day."
"I hate parades."
"Did I mention extra holiday pay?"
"I hate you." She bites off a piece of her hot dog.
"Gina." Sidney stands in front of the sighing brunette, an apologetic look to him. "Look, I'm sorry. I really am. But, my wife is sick, and Kathryn has this big family thing going on, and I promised my kids I'd be there for them this year."
"It stinks, Sidney." Says Regina, chewing through her hot dog.
"I know it isn't fair and I can't make you do it. But, Gina, you're the only one…"
"Without a family." Regina nods, rolling her eyes. It just wasn't fair. It was times like these she wished she had a family to go home to. She wouldn't have to work holidays, then.
Regina sat in her ticket booth, her eyes drinking in a couple with their two kids making their way toward her booth before paying and passing on to a board the next train. She sighed heavily. She is never going to have a family of her own.
"Hi." Graham's eyes were trained right on hers, his pearly white smile flashing before her.
He was hypnotic! All Regina could do was gawk with her mouth practically hanging open. She had stopped breathing.
"Merry Christmas." He smiled again, taking his token and making his way toward the platform of the train.
"Uh…" Regina closes her eyes, smacking herself across the forehead. "Nice coat? Merry Christmas to you, too?" She shakes her head. "You're beautiful. Will you marry me? I love you." She groans, her head banging against her table top repeatedly, grunting in frustration.
"Hey. Nice coat." A man and his companion begin to tease Graham, one of them even yanks on his scarf.
"Can you spare a buck?" The other asks, which to this Regina takes notice in. She could see the man hand them a couple of dollars, but even then they aren't leaving him alone.
"We know you have more."
"Come on, guys. It's Christmas." Graham smiles. "I really don't want any trouble- whoa!"
Regina's eyes grow wide upon seeing him back up until Graham's body falls into the platform of the train. She rushes off, seeing the two men running away.
