Anybody remember Patches? If not, go back to Day 6 and then read this one.
Regina smiled as she set the gingerbread house that she had made on the table. It had taken her nearly all morning, but it was finally finished.
She looked down at the nudge against her leg, and chuckled at the pleading gaze of Patches. "No, this isn't for you. Sweets like this aren't good for dogs."
Patches sat and whined. If it were Emma, Patches would have the whole house for herself. But Regina wasn't such a pushover. Patches knew it too, but she was still trying.
"What's she whining about?" Emma asked, walking into the kitchen.
"She wants some of the gingerbread house," Regina said.
"Well who wouldn't?" Emma asked, reaching for it. Regina slapped her hand away. The house was for decoration until Christmas Day.
"No one gets to eat it until Christmas," Regina said. "Everyone knows the rules. Besides, sweets aren't good for dogs."
She looked down at Patches. "Now don't you go trying to eat that. It's for humans. Not dogs."
Regina and Emma left the room, leaving Patches alone in the kitchen. She waited until she couldn't hear them anymore before getting on her hind legs, resting her front paws on the counter. She had perfect access to the gingerbread house.
The day went on as usual, until Regina went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. She walked in, stopping and gasping at seeing what should have been her gingerbread house. "Emma!"
"What?" Emma asked, running into the room. "What's wrong?"
"This is what is wrong," Regina said, pointing at the remaining crumbs of the gingerbread house. "Someone ate the whole house, and I can guarantee that it wasn't you or Henry."
Patches sat in the corner, pretending like she couldn't see anyone in the house or the house that was now in her stomach.
Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing at Patches. Regina probably wouldn't appreciate that. "Well she hasn't gotten sick, so I guess we could appreciate that."
Regina glared at her. "She still ate it."
"She's a dog. They eat everything," Emma said. "Everybody knows that. She's not trained enough not to be able to resist the temptation of a full gingerbread house."
Regina sighed before throwing away the remains of the house. "Need I remind you that getting a dog was your idea?"
Emma laughed. "I know. But doesn't her cuteness make up for it?"
Regina glanced over at Patches, who dipped her head and whined, as if apologizing for eating the house. Not that she was incredibly sorry. It had been delicious.
"I guess so," Regina said. "But what am I supposed to do about this house?"
"How about you make a new one?" Emma asked. "And we'll put this one under a glass lid or something so she can't get to it."
"Great idea, except I don't have another kit," Regina said.
Emma smiled and held out her hand, poofing a new kit into it. "Sure about that?"
Regina laughed before taking the kit and kissing Emma. "Thank you. Now let's make a gingerbread house." She looked at Patches. "Without anyone eating it."