Chap 5
After a fitful nights sleep Regina decided to start her day with a shower. Hoping the warm jets would ease the tension she was feeling, after a half hour in the shower she didn't feel any better. Forgoing her usual pants suit and opting instead for her running pants and a simple tank top, she made her way to the kitchen, to start her coffee machine, noting again the painful silence broken only by the sound of grinding coffee beans. 'Today I have to make a change' she thought. Today I have to recognise I cannot keep the lie. If I want my son back, no, not if, I need my son back, so I have to be honest with him. Knowing that was a big step and a big risk, she called someone for some help, and then spent the morning worrying about what will happen when the help arrives.
Emma wasn't sure what to do today, wasn't sure how to have a difficult conversation with a kid. Henry was awake and seemed unwilling to talk about the chain of events that led to him staying with his biological mother, but Emaa knew they had to.
'How about we get breakfast at Grannys? Then maybe go down to the beach, I know you don't really want to talk about it but, I kinda need to know what's going on with you and your Mom'
'Okay' he replied dejectedly, knowing he wouldn't be able to avoid it forever, truthfully he felt a little bit silly about making such a big deal out of nothing, but he was glad for the extra time he got with Emma.
It felt surreal for Emma being in Grannys with Henry knowing something was wrong with Regina, but having to comfort Henry. In the back of her mind she also wanted to comfort Regina, the feisty brunette she knows would never have given up Henry without a fight, words or fists. But the Regina she now has in her mind is not the same person, she is vulnerable, broken almost. Snapped out of her thoughts by Ruby who had come to take their orders now looking expectedly at Emma.
'I'm sorry, totally spaced! Hey Rubes whats up?'
'Nothing with me, what's up with you?' Looking at Emma with a smirk.
'I'm good, just getting Henry some breakfast' looking at Henry 'you ready to order kid?'
'Erm, I already have Emma? Are you okay?' He attempted to whisper the last part but failed, as kids do.
'Oh. Yeah sure I'm fine. Just a coffee for me Ruby, and can you make sure Henry has some fruit on his pancakes?' Earning a glare from her son and a chuckle from the waitress.
'What? Just because your Moms' not here doesn't mean you can eat loads of bad stuff okay?'
She just got a look from her son that she can only assume was an annoyed agreement, it was the same look she got from Regina on the rare occasion they had had a disagreement and Emma had won. Somewhere in the back of her mind she pondered if she would cope well, should Henry be like this with her the whole time? She doubted she would have raised him as well as Regina had, for that she can never be sorry for the choice she made to give him a better chance at life, he had grown up the way she had always dreamed for him, thanks to Regina.
She came back to reality just as Henry's breakfast arrived, with a large helping of fruit with his syrup and pancakes, which he dug into straight away, she gave him a smile and dumped some sugar into her coffee, taking a sip a noting Henry was busy with his pancakes, she allowed her mind to drift back to the brunette and the main thought she had. 'I need to fix this.' I can't be without Regina, Henry needs his mother. I need his mother, I can't cope with Henry on my own, sure he's a good kid, but sometimes he can be so arrogant I just wanna kick him, see I'd be a terrible mother, Regina is so much better than me. I think I need her as much as Henry does. Oh god Emma, don't ever say that outloud!