A/N: I know, it's been a while since I updated this one, but I will continue to work on it and update it as I am finished with another one of my stories. Emma is closer and closer to coming back into our adult Regina's life. ;) thank you all for being so patient with my updates.
The Mercedes made its way into the parking garage of the brunette's apartment complex. With her son's luggage in hand she was ready to head toward the elevator when, "What is all this stuff?" Henry asked her, curiously looking into the abandoned cardboard box that was on the back seat.
Regina looked over her shoulder. Well at least the box of her old stuff managed to make Henry place his game boy down for a while. "Oh, that's just some old stuff. Be a dear, grab it for me, will you?"
Henry shrugged, placing his game boy inside the box and held it with both arms. Once he lifted it, he moved out of the way to give his mom a chance to shut the car door. Thankful that the box wasn't at all heavy for his nine year old little body.
"Regina!" The brunette stopped, her eyes closing at the sound of a male voice. A voice she knew too well.
"Hi, Graham!" Henry beamed up at the man wearing a security guard's outfit.
"Hey, Hen!" The man ruffled the boy's hair, pearly white teeth flashing through his scruffy beard. "You get taller every time I see you!" He exclaimed, his hands on his hips. "What are you now, six feet tall?"
At the boy's giggle, that's when the man's eyes moved over to the brunette.
"Graham," she nodded. "It's always good to see you." It really wasn't. One drunken mistake of sleeping with the man on a night where she was feeling her most lonesome and now he follows her around like a puppy. It was bad enough he worked guarding her apartment complex.
"I'm actually glad I ran into you today. Usually you just race right through here, we never can talk anymore." His hands tucked inside of his pockets.
"Yeah, pity," the brunette gave the man her best sarcastic smile. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, really, but Henry here," her arm rested against her son's shoulder, "hasn't eaten and I really must-"
"I ate before you picked me up." Henry's brows knitted, looking up at his now irritated mother. Her eyes closed and opened very slowly as she glared down at her son.
"Why don't you go on up, hm?" Regina smiled down at her son, nudging him over to the elevator. "And don't-"
"Talk to the weird neighbor," the little boy rolled his eyes, already knowing his mother's words by heart. It was Regina's personal mantra.
"See you around, Henry!" The security guard waved at the boy, watching as he pressed the up button on the pad just outside the elevator.
"Bye, Graham!"
Graham chuckled, his eyes landing on Regina again. "So, Regina, I was thinking, you know… Uh, there's this new coffee shop opening around the corner and, uh I thought it would be nice if, maybe you wanted to go sometime. With- with me."
And there was that dreaded moment. "Graham," Regina held up her hand. "I would love too. I really would, but right now I am ridiculously swamped with work and my son is spending the weekend with me." She watched the man's shoulders deflate. "I just don't think it would be the right time."
She had to let him down easily. As easy as you could let someone like Graham down, because to Graham, it didn't matter how many times Regina told him that what happened between them was a one time mistake, or that she preferred women.
"Oh, sure, I mean," Graham nodded. "You have to be there for Henry. He's sure one lucky kid."
"I'm sorry, but I really have to go. It was nice seeing you, though," Regina turned quickly on her heels, rolling her eyes as she rushed toward the elevator.
"See ya," Graham waved, shoulders still slumped. "Don't worry about your car, I'll keep a good eye on it for you." By this point the elevator doors had closed, leaving him talking to himself.
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Regina rushed down the hallway, fishing for her key inside her purse, and inserting it in her lock. "Let's get inside." She pushed open the door. "Hurry, hurry," she whispered, rushing the boy inside the apartment.
"Greetings and salutations, neighbor!" A red-headed woman beamed, which made Regina freeze in place outside of her apartment. Her smile was as bright as the woman's energy. Which right now, proved to be too much for Regina's liking. "Henry! Always good to see you."
"Hi," Henry smiled, still holding onto the box.
"Regina… we aren't moving, are we?" The woman wore an actual frown that went surprisingly well with her persona. Just like her silk multi-colored dress that stuck to her body in all the right places, and her two gold and silver necklaces that she wore with medallions that Regina had no idea what they meant.
"Henry, why don't you go and put the box inside?" She nudged her son inside before she looked back at her weird neighbor. "Zelena," she greeted. "No, I'm not moving."
"Oh, good! I was worried there for a sec." She grinned, her accent as thick and bright as each ring she wore on her fingers. "You know, your aura is just down today. Have you been feeling alright?"
"I'm fine, Zelena," Regina flinched, backing away after her neighbor reached to place a hand on her forehead. "I've just had a lot of work going on lately."
Zelena clicked her tongue multiple times, her hands resting easy on her hips. "Now, Gina-"
"Regina," Regina corrected the woman, muttering under her breath and flinching at the God-awful nickname. She hated being called that. She knew deep down she shouldn't, but she did.
Zelena held up her hands with a gesturing apology. "You know work isn't everything. A woman like you needs a social life."
"My social life is fine, Zelena." Regina assured her.
The redhead glared right back at her, her index finger swinging from side to side. "Oh, now we both know that's not true." She placed her hands on her hips. "Tell me, when was the last time you've had a vacation?"
"Last weekend." Regina answered plainly.
"Or had a day off spending it with your mother?"
"We had lunch today."
"Or read a good book?"
"I don't really like stories." She said matter-of-factly.
Zelena smirked, her head tilting. "You wouldn't say that if you would bring Henry into my book shop once in a while."
The brunette closed her eyes, wishing this conversation would just end already. "I'll think about it." She nodded, "I'm sorry, but I really must get back to my son now."
"Well, if you change your mind, you know where I am!" Zelena shouted, seeing the brunette's apartment door slam right in her face. "Poor Gina," she muttered under her breath, walking back to her own apartment.
Regina released a rather heavy sigh, her eyes closing for a brief moment.
"Mom?" Henry's voice made his mother's eyes snap open. "Are you okay?"
"Of course," she smiled, removing herself from leaning against her front door.
Regina's apartment wasn't a penthouse, but she lived well. A two story apartment, white walls, a fireplace in the living room area, a flat screen television right on top, mounted on the wall. She had pictures of her son placed on top of the fireplace shelf. There was a coffee table right in the center, a few side tables placed near her beige colored sofa and reclining chair. Henry's own bedroom was upstairs while Regina's was a few feet down the hall from his. The downstairs bedroom, she turned into an office for herself. Her bedroom had light gray colored walls, while her office downstairs she decided to go with the color yellow. A light yellow. She didn't understand why.
"You don't like her very much, do you?" Henry asked.
The brunette's brow furrowed, "Who?"
"Zelena."
"What makes you say that?" Regina asked, shaking her head.
"You never accept any of her invitations when she tries to be nice to you." Henry shrugged. "Is this because you dated and she broke your heart?"
"What?" Regina scoffed, her eyes wide. "Where on earth did you get a thing like that?"
"From grandma Cora."
Of course. The brunette rolled her eyes. "Speaking of your grandmother," she murmured, hearing her cell ring. "Go put your luggage in your room." She asked him before answering the call.
"Is it true?" Henry asked, curious like any boy would be of his mother.
"Go- now." Regina shook her head, placing her phone close to her ear. "Thank you."
"Well, I am not sure what I did to get your thanks, dear, but you're welcome."
Regina watched her son disappear into his bedroom before she spoke again, "Mother, I would appreciate it if you didn't tell my son about my imaginary love life with women I have absolutely no interest in."
"Oh, what? Am I wrong?"
"Yes. And I wouldn't want to confuse Henry. Robin and I getting divorced was hard on him enough."
"Oh, Regina, please- Henry is a smart boy. You don't think that ex-husband of yours already filled him in on what your divorce was about?"
Regina sighed, hating that her mother might have a point, but that didn't mean it was okay to flaunt it in front of him either.
"Anyway, dear, the reason I'm calling is to ask you and Henry to come over for dinner later. It will be his birthday soon and I want to cook him his favorite, given that his father will be taking him on a trip with… What's her name?"
"Marian," Regina reminded her of Robin's new girlfriend.
"Right. Plus, it will give Henry a chance to celebrate with us. We can bake him a cake."
Regina nodded to herself and the idea. She knew Henry was hardly thrilled to be spending his weekends with her. She owed her son a good time with his grandmother.
"Alright. We'll see you for dinner."
"Excellent! See you soon, darling."
"Henry," Regina called out to her son while heading up the stairs and into his bedroom to give him the heads up on their dinner plans tonight.
"Grandma Cora!" Henry ran right up into the warm embrace of his grandmother.
"Hi, my darling boy!" Cora smiled, placing a kiss to the top of his head. "Are you ready to celebrate?"
"But it isn't my birthday yet."
"Oh, that doesn't matter! The night still counts. Come, go inside, go," she rushed him inside before turning her attention to Regina who was walking her way down the concrete pathway. "Regina."
"Mother," Regina placed a kiss on her mother's cheek before stepping inside her home.
For dinner, Cora had prepared her famous meatloaf that her grandson loved so much. She loved spoiling Henry, and Regina was very appreciative of that gesture. And for Cora, there was no greater feeling than having her grown daughter and her grandson join her for dinner.
After dinner, as promised Cora and Regina baked a cake together, with Henry's help, which ended in him eating plenty of the frosting.
"Alright, let's place this on the table. Henry, you can place the candles but your mother will light them." Cora smiled, carrying the cake over to her breakfast table while Regina remained in the kitchen, washing the used dishes.
The brunette turned her attention toward her mother, who was gawking at her and smiling.
"What?" She asked.
"It's nice to see you a little laid back. I've missed that side of you." Said Cora.
"Well… Washing dishes relaxes me," Regina said sarcastically, drying her hands up with a kitchen rag.
"Candles are ready!" Henry happily announced.
Regina reached for the box of matches, reaching for a single match, scratching it against the side of the box to light it. One by one, the candles were lit.
"Alright, don't forget to make a wish first before blowing out your candles." The brunette told her son after they sang Happy Birthday to him.
"Wait- wait!" Cora rushed off for a short minute, coming back with something that looked heavy as she placed it in front of her grandson, all wrapped up in a festive and colorful wrapping paper with red, blue, green and yellow balloons.
"Mother, what on earth is that?" Regina asked, her brow furrowed at the heavy looking present.
"Just a little something I thought would be fun to pass down to your own son." The woman smiled proudly, her eyes falling on Henry. "Open it!"
Henry didn't waste any time in tearing through the wrapping paper, revealing what used to be Regina's story book she had as a child. It was her favorite.
"Wow!" Henry grinned.
"That book used to belong to your mother when she was little, now it can be yours."
"I can't believe you kept this," Regina held onto her book, the weight of it still being surprisingly heavy but not as much as it was when she was a child.
"It was meant to be inside that box I gave you earlier, but somehow it ended up somewhere else."
Regina flipped through some of its pages before setting the book down. She never thought she would see this old thing again, and couldn't believe it was still in a well suited condition.
"I remember I would try to read stories to you, but eventually, you refused to let me read to you." Cora chuckled, "I remember you would say that Emma would read to you."
Regina's brow furrowed, while Henry's ears perked up in attention.
"Who's Emma?" He asked his grandmother.
"No one," Regina shook her head, placing the book aside.
"No one?" Cora let out a small laughter. "She was your mother's imaginary friend. Well, at least that's what I would call her."
"Mother," Regina murmured.
"You had an imaginary friend, mom?" Henry beamed, interested to know more.
"Of course not," Regina scoffed. "Mother, don't tell him these made up stories."
"If only they were made up, dear. Don't you remember? It took you years to finally admit to yourself that Emma was just a figment of your imagination."
"No. I don't." Regina sighed, giving her attention to her son. "Henry, make your wish and blow out your candles."
Henry closed his eyes to make his wish. If there was anything in the world he would wish for was for his mother to be happy. In any way possible. He wished that whoever this friend was, she would come back into her mother's life.
Regina found herself in her office that night, her desk lamp on, illuminating a project she decided to get a head start on. Even when she wasn't working, she worked herself to the bone any chance she could find. It kept her mind busy, just the way she liked it.
"Mom?" Henry's voice followed by his knock made the brunette rotate in her chair, dropping her pencil against her desk, she removed her glasses from her face.
"Henry… What are you doing up? I thought you would be sleeping by now."
Henry walked into his mother's office, his arm stretched out as he handed her a folded up piece of paper.
"What's this?" Her brow furrowed as she unfolded it.
"It fell out of the book grandma gave me."
Once unfolded, Regina's eyes fell on one of her childhood drawings she never thought she would see again. It was a drawing of a little brunette girl holding onto the hand of a tall, blonde woman wearing a red jacket. Her chicken scratch handwriting up top read the name Emma. How could this drawing even end up inside the book? She couldn't remember anything farther into her childhood years, but this drawing did bring back a feeling for her. A feeling she couldn't explain.
"This was inside your story book?" She asked her son for clarification.
Henry nodded, glancing down at the drawing. "Is that your friend?" He pointed to the blonde.
"So your grandmother says," Regina murmured, her eyes studying her long lost drawing.
"Do you miss her?" Her son asked.
She shook her head as she set the drawing down on her desk. "It was such a long time ago, Henry, I… I honestly don't remember her now." She smiled. "Come on, what do you say I tuck you in, hm?"
"Okay." Henry began walking out of his mother's office, up the stairs and into his bedroom. If there was one thing his mother was never busy for was to tuck him into bed.
Turning off her desk lamp, she followed her son right into his bedroom.