The following of the next day, Zelena sent her dearly sister a note that she went to hang out with her new nephew and closed the door behind her. She definitely didn't want to be grilled by her sister about taking her nephew out in the town.
Honestly, she felt like an isolated child in the cage who needed a blanket. Well, luckily for her because of her parents, Cora and Henry Sr. took her in once again since her chaos in Europe with her ex-husband. No one knew her past except her mother, Cora who always meddled in her love life.
Zelena found a job as a physical therapist for the special needs of children. She always loved the children to play with and specialized in her degrees in Portland Community College for Special Education with Needs and therapy courses under three years. Zelena succeeded her small non-profit organization to help out with the military.
Her parents found her in Europe on their vacation, they decided to have lunch together and met Zelena's ex-husband as well. Until Zelena announced herself to divorce him and settled her life in Storybrooke before Regina made her move back to be a mayor of the town in the following year.
For Zelena, she was happier to be around her old classmates from high school and college from Portland. She grew up in her life and found a job for herself to pay the bills. So, her parents built the guest house behind the mansion that Zelena practically lived there on temporary time until she found her loft which it was right next to Leroy's bachelor pad. They barely were the neighbors.
Zelena waved her hand to the baker from outside while she walked to Granny's to meet her nephew and Amy inside. The redheaded woman ducked inside and spotted them in the corner booth. Granny whipped her head to yell at Zelena for her order.
Zelena noticed that the diner got busier than before and yelled back with coffee and pancakes. Granny thumbed up on the order to her chef. Ruby was bewildered with her waitressing around in the booths and gathered the dirty dishes.
Amy and Henry bickered about the Marvels' superheroes. Zelena rolled her eyes as she sat down across from them and cleared her throat.
Others stopped bickering and stuck their tongues at each other. Zelena raised her eyebrow at Amy and spoke lightly.
"Really, Amy?"
"What? My heart is like a kid. So, leave me alone, Big Red." Amy mentioned her nickname for Zelena. The redheaded woman glared at her before looking at her nephew.
"Hello, Henry."
"You can call me Jr. since your father has my namesake." Henry explained before swallowing a big gulp of the vanilla milkshake. Amy giggled.
"By the way, I think Captain America is better than Iron Man," Zelena mumbled. Henry and Amy went slack-jawed at them as Ruby delivered their food before leaving. Zelena made herself to make a coffee with creamer and two sugars then drank it a little bit.
"You watched the movies of superheroes?"
"Oh, yes. I have been watching them since I worked with the kids back in Europe. Believe me or not, I have a ton of movies in my loft."
"Do you have a new one that just came out?" Henry asked with his puppy eyes. Amy widened her eyes as Zelena nodded. The brown-haired boy fisted in the air with a loud 'yes'. He went in on his meal as Amy spoke.
"Can I tag along?"
N-" Zelena was interrupted by Brad, Amy's fiancé coming to the diner to find Amy there. Amy groaned when she saw him facing her and pouted. Brad chuckled and explained.
"Your father needs you to be with me. It's a situation where your father needs your help."
"What is it now?" Amy responded.
"You will see when we arrive there." Brad smiled. Amy rolled her eyes with a saying, 'fine'. Henry Jr. giggled with his wave of goodbye. Zelena smirked and mouthed, 'Brad is hot' at Amy. Amy faked her laughter and flipped her middle finger at Regina's sister before kissing her nephew's cheek and leaving with her fiancé.
"I assume that's for us to hang out together." Zelena smiled. The brown-haired boy nodded before eating his pancake. For herself, she felt nervous because she never had a nephew in her whole life since she knew that they never got a chance to have children until the news turned them upside down.
"What will we do next after this diner?"
"We could hang out and get to know each other better. What about the trail to the beach castle in the docks?" Zelena replied before sipping her coffee. Granny stopped by giving her a bill for their meal and heard her conversation before speaking.
"The trail collapsed between the bridge. So, you have to go on the trail, that's not far away from here. You have to drive through on another road where the Nolans' residence is at and pass by that house then turn left. It will be your way to the beach castle in the docks."
"Thank you for reminding me that, Granny. Did you inform Regina about the situation?"
"She is aware of it and put the sheriff to investigate before putting the construction crew to build a new one. Of course, I hear that it was approved by her and it will be started after the New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, Leroy is short-staffed on his business this year, Happy just departed last month for US Army and Doc got a new job at Storybrooke Hospital as the chief of the hospital." Granny said before leaving them alone for a quiet one.
"That sounds good. Who is Leroy?" Henry asked.
"He is a short guy but wears the beanies all times. Also, he is my neighbor and you will meet him later in the evening before your mom or Regina pick you up."
"Oh cool!" Henry nodded and finished his meal. Zelena paid their bill and got ready to depart for their hangout. Henry waved his goodbye to Granny and Ruby. They walked out of the diner and rode in her car to be on way for the beach castle.
Back in the diner, Ruby narrowed her eyes at Henry and Zelena's backs when they left the diner and asked her grandmother for some questions. She commended herself to gather everything from few tables then cleaned it up after.
"Who is that boy with Zelena?"
"That boy is Emma's son. And, it's also Regina's son as well." Granny answered her questions and served the plates to her customers with a smile.
"Oh, holy shit!" Ruby widened her eyes at her grandmother for revealing everything out. She went slack-jawed. Granny shrugged and left back to the kitchen for checking on their food.
Not far away from the Main Street, Zelena and Henry arrived at the docks. One of the workers collected the seafood by the nets and waved his hand at Zelena. The redheaded woman sent her greeting and led her nephew to the beach castle.
The beach castle was parking in the center and it has wonderful views of the ocean. The shells were everywhere but the logs were laid through the sands. The pigeons were searching for the food on the beach.
Henry looked at the castle and liked it so far. Zelena walked along as he ran to the beach castle for playtime. She was excepting the conversation between them but let him have his fun as she sat on the log.
"How long are you living here?" Henry asked before sitting on the floor of the castle. Zelena looked at the ocean and heard his question before answering.
"I lived here in my whole life but I was born in another country. I was raised in Ireland in my childbirth with my mother, you met her right?"
"Yes, she looks scary to me but nicer."
"Don't tell my mother that or she'll be pissed."
"I don't plan on it." He grinned.
"Anyway, I moved here when I was three years. And your mom was one year old at that time."
"Do you like here?"
"Oh yes, I love Storybrooke as I remember. Well, I tell you a story about both of your mothers. I remember when we were very young and sneaked away to here. It was right there before it was built as the beach castle." Zelena pointed to the half log right next to the beach castle. Henry looked over his shoulder to see the half log that was standing in the ocean and nodded to her.
"It was the biggest party here. Believe me or not, your mother, Emma was a wild one but the idiot to bring the keg here. Of course, Regina was with Graham at this time. I was in my sophomore year of college and returned here for Spring Break. The party went wild as the bonfire kept us warm. The drinking, smoking, and bantering went loud. As for Emma and Regina, they stole the glances at each other in any moment and Regina was taken away by her boyfriend for dancing. But Emma was floored and watched Regina dancing like a goddess. Well, I was right next to Emma and caught everything between your mothers. I cannot shout from in the air to get them together and let Regina dump Graham for Emma. I just wanted them to be together but it never happened over the years. I just knew that they had feelings for each other right in high school."
"Did you tell them?" Henry asked.
"No, I won't ruin their relationship since they were the little kids from preschool. I mean, they were inseparable from high school. You will understand once you are in high school." Zelena explained before glancing over at her nephew who was ten years old and shrugged.
"Oh. So, what happened between them after falling apart? Few stories about them that their relationship went through when Regina decided to marry Daniel, is it true?"
"Eh, I don't know. I'm being honest with you, I don't know either. I swear I wanted the same thing as you do want to know how it happened between your mothers but it's their choice to tell you or not. Is it clear?"
"Yes, Aunt Z." Henry sighed with a reply. The redheaded woman smiled at her nickname and hugged him in her side tightly. She didn't realize that Henry was moving himself to sit beside her. They watched the waves silently before the wind blew them a chill of the air. Henry felt cold and shivered some chills off.
"Let's go back before one of your mothers kill me for leaving you in a cold weather too long."
They chuckled when they got up from the log and took a stroll back to Zelena's car. She winked at him before driving away to the Nolans' residence. Zelena was supposed to meet up with Everett and Neal for her help with building the Christmas Float. Henry Jr. looked through the window with his thoughts. He wished that he could ask his mothers about it but promised Zelena that he could wait for one of the mothers to tell him.
They arrived at the driveway. Emmett and Neal argued about the design of the Christmas Float. Zelena and Henry got out of her car and walked up to them. Mary Margret came out from the front door and embraced Zelena with a smile.
"Oh, Zelena! How have you been?"
"I'm good and thank you for asking, Mrs. Nolan." Mary Margaret chuckled with her wave of dismissal then encouraged them to come inside because of the cold wind coming in.
Henry Jr. hugged his grandmother and ran into the living room where David was playing with Brad on the video games. Amy was working on the boat in the big shed behind the backyard. David told his daughter to fix the engine and returned to the living room with Brad.
Zelena once took her time to chat with Mary Margaret while Everett and Neal argued through the designs. Mary Margaret baked the cake for Cora and listened to Zelena's discussion.
"Mary Margaret, do you mind if I borrow your boys for working on the Christmas Float? Do you mind if we could work here instead of my loft?"
"Sure! You are family to me. Go get your muscles out of my kitchen and I don't want them to eat my tasty pieces but you could have one before they argue." The pixie cut woman said before winking at her. Zelena chuckled and thanked her with a cheeky kiss.
"Alright! Your mom wants you guys out and comes help me to build the Christmas Float. Get your ass up."
"But!?" Everett said but glanced over at his mom's mean glare and went silent. Neal did so and they followed Zelena out from the back porch door. Mary Margaret laughed before frosting up on the red velvet cake.
A/N: How do you like it? I like it too. If you haven't read The Tunnel of Darkness: Chapter 18 then go! I mean, please go over there and thanks.