A few days had passed now, and it was now Friday; this was Emma's last day of her first full week at work. Regina had been texting her every morning and night after getting home from work training, which Emma didn't mind at all. As Emma got up out of bed and gathered her things getting ready for her shower, she still only thought of Regina. She felt closer to her in the last few days since they started texting, and personally, that's all Emma wanted. As Emma hopped in the shower and started washing up, she tried to fight the urge to text Regina a good morning text as she was in the shower. Emma has texted in the shower before, but she never really liked to, especially knowing how dangerous it was. Yet, for Regina, she felt like she'd do just about anything for her. So, Emma just continued to fight the urge to text Regina and continued showering. When she was done, she stepped out of the shower, almost in a rush. She then got dressed and decided to let her hair dry like usual before putting it up on her messy ponytail.
As Emma finally got all ready, she ate some cereal for breakfast, because she needed to eat something, despite the urge she felt to get on her way to work and spend some hours with Regina learning her craft. Of course, it wasn't what she wanted, but at least it was something to put in her stomach. As she took the first bite of her cereal, her phone buzzed with a text message. Emma then quickly grabbed her phone to see who had texted her and noticed it was Regina. Emma opened the text as fast as she could.
"Hello there, Emma. How are you doing today? Today is your last and final day of job training for this week, so not seeing you at work tomorrow will be pretty depressing for me. But on the other hand, you should know that I've already gotten so used to you being in the kitchen by my side."
"Well, hello to you too, Regina. Today might be my last day of training for this week, but I'll be back on Monday, lol, and of course, I'm still going to see you tomorrow for that party you invited me to. So what time should I be there?"
"This is true. I am happy to have you there tomorrow. Maybe have your mother drop you off around 4 pm? I can't leave work until after 2 pm. Once I finally get home from the bus, I will definitely let you know that I'm home. I should be there around 3 to 3:30 pm."
"Okay. Awesome. Although, I didn't think about this until now, how will you take me back home since your car is being fixed in the shop? I had already told my mom that you said you'd drive me home."
"Well, I figured I'd take the bus home with you to make sure you made it home safely. Once I get my car, it'd be so much easier just to pick you up or drop you off whenever needed, but as of now, the bus is all I have. So I'll pay for your way home on the bus as well as for myself. I'll even walk you back to your house. I know you're not making any actual money right now, since you're in that job training program, so don't even worry about having to pay for anything."
"Oh wow, well, thank you. I appreciate it. Although, in a few months, you'd be able to hire me if you wanted to?"
"I am already thinking about it, Emma! I enjoy having you work with me."
As Emma finished eating, she still continued to text Regina nonstop. This was the first morning that she and Regina were nonstop texting. Usually, it was just a standard good morning text and that they'd see each other at work. Yet now, it seemed like so much more than that. It was a pleasant conversation. Emma was immensely enjoying this. She loved talking to Regina as much as she could.
As Emma finally walked to the bus stop to wait for the bus, she texted Regina that she'd see her soon, knowing the bus would show up any minute. Regina told her she knew and that she was glad that she'd see her in a few minutes. That just made Emma smile wider and her eyes got even brighter; she was glowing. She was so excited. She couldn't entirely help but smile at this woman, and she didn't know if she was already in love with Regina or if she was in the cuffs of falling for her. Whichever it was it still felt great. Emma had never fallen in love before, so honestly, this would be the first, and she definitely hoped that this wouldn't go down the wrong path and break her heart in any given way. Emma was pretty fragile when it came to being hurt. Even the wrong thing said could lead to her crying in hysterics, depending on how it came off. Emma never understood why she was like this. She figured it was probably due to her low IQ, but honestly, she wasn't sure. Maybe it was just a personality trait and she was more sensitive than most people.
A few minutes passed and the bus started pulling up and came to a complete stop. Emma then got on the bus and searched for that beautiful middle-aged brunette. It didn't take Emma very long to spot her either. Even if she had her eyes closed she would have found her, the attraction she felt for Regina was almost magnetic. Emma quickly took the seat right next to her like she had done every morning since she started her training. Emma then smiled so big to where her eyes sparkled.
"Hello there."
Regina then stopped and stared into Emma's eyes for a few seconds before continuing.
"I never realized that you get this sparkle in your eyes when you're happy. I just realized that. It's wonderful."
Emma just smiled a little brighter with that comment which made Regina smile as well.
"Well, thank you, Regina. All my friends and family have noticed the sparkle in my eyes as well. I only get it when I'm thrilled, and right now, I am."
"Do I have anything to do with you being so happy?"
"Yes, you do. I'm not gonna lie. You make me fairly happy, and I'm actually pretty excited about the party tomorrow. I am also wondering what in the world you put in your lasagna to give it that kick that you told me about.I am really looking forward to learning what your secret ingredient is."
Regina just laughed a little before replying to Emma's comment.
"Well, you'll just have to wait and see, now don't you, Emma!"
Emma then laughed, and it made Regina laugh yet again. This moment to Emma felt right. Both her and Regina laughing together. It just made complete sense to Emma as if this was what life was all about. Emma didn't want this happiness ever to fade away. God, she had hoped Regina was into women because Emma knew that she was definitely already into Regina.
As the two women continued talking distractedly, the bus had gotten closer to the hotel. Emma saw Regina then look around to see where they were at, orienting herself. Regina pulled the cord on the bus to tell the driver to stop at the next stop ahead. Emma never had to reach for it. Regina always did. Emma only had to pull it on her way home to let the bus know it was her stop.
As the bus came to a complete stop, Emma and Regina then got off the bus and walked into the hotel together. They were both smiling at each other as they walked inside. Emma couldn't keep her eyes off of Regina no matter how hard she tried, and she definitely tried with no luck.
"Well, I guess this is where we have to part ways again until you come into work." Said, Regina.
"Yeah, I guess it is. Yet, if it were up to me, I'd just follow you in the kitchen and start work. Too bad I can't. I have no choice but to go to the Project Looking Glass class first."
Regina then put up a little pouty face to be sarcastic in a way as she put her right hand on Emma's left shoulder.
"Maybe one day, you won't have to go to that class anymore, and you can just walk straight into that kitchen with me to get started on work."
"I'd certainly like that!"
Regina then smiled softly at Emma again.
"Good. I'm glad I see you're determined to work with me so much. You should get to your class now as I need to get started on my work, and I will see you in an hour."
"Will do!" said Emma with a smile.
As Regina started walking off into the kitchen, Emma obviously watched her like she always did, until she was out of view. Once she was out of sight, Emma then started walking to her Project Looking Glass class for this morning. Emma got to the room they met first thing in the morning and sat down at a seat around the table. She was surprised to be the first one to arrive besides the job coaches. This has never happened before. Usually, Emma was always the last one to come to class. So this felt a tad bit weird to Emma, but nevertheless, she just sat quietly and patiently for the other kids to arrive.
Kathryn then looked at Emma and smiled. She walked over towards Emma from across the room.
"Hello, Emma. How are you doing today? How was your first week of work training?"
"It was great. I love working in the kitchen. It's obviously something I love to do. Thank you for letting me be in the kitchen."
"You're very welcome, Emma. The chef told me what a great worker you are and that she loves your company."
Emma then just paused for a second. She had no idea that Regina and her job coach Kathryn had been talking. She had never seen them speak before. Not since the first day she got assigned to the kitchen by request. Emma was pretty amused that Regina had talked about her, but she was pretty happy about it too.
"I didn't know you two talked, let alone about me. But I am happy she said she likes me in the kitchen. I work hard to do my absolute best."
Emma tried to keep her cool while talking about Regina with Kathryn. However, she had to make sure she didn't use her first name in the kitchen. As far as Emma was concerned, neither Kathryn nor Snow knew that Emma calls Regina by her first name. She was pretty sure she was only allowed to call her "chef," so Emma was pretty good at keeping that between just her and Regina and the other co-workers in the kitchen that knew about Emma calling her Regina. None of them seemed to care. Yet, she wasn't taking the chance with her job coaches knowing.
"Well, I am happy that you're doing so well in the kitchen, Emma. So far you're the only student to get positive feedback from their bosses in their job training positions."
"I am? Wow. Well, thank you. As I said, I do my best."
"Well, your best is working. Keep up the good work!"
Kathryn then walked back over to the whiteboard and wrote down some more interview questions. They'd been going over interview questions all week. Emma felt pretty bored with it already, but she never complained. As Kathryn finished writing the questions on the board, all the other Project Looking Glass students come walking in, and class then finally begun.
Emma felt pretty happy about that. She was tired of just waiting and waiting. She wanted to get to work with Regina already. The class felt like it took a lifetime for Emma. She wasn't sure about how the other students felt, but she definitely felt too anxious to be done, and for her, the time went by very slowly.
As class finally finished, Emma was the first one out the door and into the kitchen. She just wanted to see Regina. She rushed to the kitchen and saw Regina again sitting in her chef's office typing away on her computer, she walked up to her and waited for Regina to notice her, and soon enough she did. Regina looked up from her computer and smiled at Emma.
"Hi there, Emma. Ready to get to work?"
Emma smiled back widely.
"Yes, I am ready!"
"Good, let's get to work, Emma!" said Regina with a smile.
Regina then got up from her chair behind her desk and walked over to Emma, slowly passing her by out of the doorway with a smile. It almost looked like Regina was blushing.
"Aren't you coming, Emma?"
Emma's eyes widened for a second, realizing she was supposed to follow Regina.
"Oh yes, I'm sorry. I just need to put my hair up in a messy bun and put a hairnet and the chef hat you gave me on. That'll take me like 2 minutes. If that! I'm pretty fast."
"I'll wait here until you do. I was wondering when you were going to put your hair up. Though I gotta admit, your hair is gorgeous, Emma. It has nice curly locks. I always admired curly hair!"
Emma then began to blush a little.
"Well, thank you!"
Emma then quickly put her hair up in a messy bun, put a hairnet on her hair, and then went into the bag she had brought and grabbed the chef hat Regina gave her. She now kept it in her bag instead of on her dresser because Emma almost forgot it the other day. She most certainly didn't forget it.
"All ready!"
"Excellent! Let's get to work, Emma! We have over 500 dessert plates we have to get done. The salads were already made. Once the desserts are made up and plated, we then have to work on the hot food and plate that all up. Are you ready for this challenge? It's going to be more fast-paced than it has been this week."
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's get to it!" said Emma with a smile.
Regina just smiled back and quickly led Emma to the kitchen. The dessert plates were already plated up and ready to be set to put all the deserts on them. Regina went into the cooler, and Emma followed her.
"Do you see those boxes of chocolate cakes there? We need to get them and cut them very precisely, and put them on the plate. I will show you!"
Emma just nodded and took one of the cake boxes as Regina took another cake box. They both walked out of the cooler and went to the table where the cakes were. There was already another little table with wheels next to the table with the plates to set the cakes on. Regina opened one of the cake boxes and then went and got a chef knife from where the knife sets were and walked right back over to Emma. Emma was just watching Regina in gaze. Emma still couldn't get over how beautiful she was.
"Alright, I am going to show you exactly how to cut each cake, and then I will plate the pieces of the cake onto a plate."
Emma again just nodded and watched Regina cut the cake. Regina was pretty fast at it, and Emma knew she'd never be as fast as Regina was at cutting the cake, but she would at least be fast enough to get these deserts done at a decent time to get all the hot foods done and cooked. After Regina had finished cutting the cake, she took one of the pieces and diagonal it on one dessert plate.
"Now, follow me! We need to get raspberry drizzle!"
Emma again nodded and followed Regina as instructed and went into the dry storage room and grabbed one container of raspberry drizzle and then grabbed another one and gave it to Emma to hold. Emma took it in hand and then followed Regina back to the table where the desert plates were. Regina then put one dot of the raspberry drizzle on each side of the cake for garnish.
"Do you see how I did that? Do you think you can copy me perfectly and be fast about it?"
"Yes, I can!"
"Show me!"
Emma then grabbed the chef knife to get a piece of the cake onto the knife without messing up the cake, just like Regina did, and put it diagonally onto the plate. She put one raspberry drizzle on each side of the cake for garnish, just as Regina did.
"Good job! Now let's keep going!" said Regina.
Emma did just that. She kept plating the deserts and garnishing them with the raspberry drizzle, and once they were done, Emma and Regina both then went on cooking all the hot foods. This was Emma's first time cooking hot food, and for her first day, she did a pretty good job. She did exactly as Regina instructed her to do, and she was fast about it.
As the day went on and it was time for Emma to leave to go home, Emma made sure that Regina didn't need her to do anything else before leaving and cleaning up. Regina gave Emma the okay to go home after cleaning up, so that's what she did. Once Emma was finally home, she then decided to text Regina.
"I had a good day today. I cannot wait for the party tomorrow. I will see you tomorrow Regina!"
"Yes, I will see you tomorrow. Please don't be late. You did such an amazing job today so I know you'll do great in helping me prepare my entrée for the party. I hope you made it home safely, Emma."
"I did. Thank you. I am going to get ready to go to bed now since it's like 8 pm, and for some reason, I've been tired around this time, but I promise to text you tomorrow once I wake up."
"Make sure you do, Emma! Goodnight and sweet dreams!"
"Goodnight and sweet dreams to you too, Regina!"
With that, Emma then got ready for bed and slowly drifted off to sleep. Still not being able to get Regina off of her mind.