Chapter 2
Emma I
Regina instructed Emma to get settled before starting work tomorrow morning. Jefferson, Killian, and Robin would handle the work as they usually would. She still hadn't had a chance to meet Jefferson or the other workers yet, but was grateful for the time to get settled. Their first night at Morningstar Ranch, Emma still couldn't believe it.
The young mother stared at her bedroom as she set a bag by her door, and then she turned to tour her new home again. It was higher-end than any place she'd ever lived. The furnishings were stylish and modern. The bathrooms even had showers with a steam option. Emma knew she would appreciate that on her more demanding days for her achy muscles. She couldn't help the thought that Regina must be loaded to afford all this for a simple ranch hand. Emma shook the thought out of her head and focused on making the place feel more like home.
The rest of the day she and Henry unpacked their possessions and placed them around the house. That was easy enough as they only had a few pieces of furniture that her dad, David, had made or gifted them. Most of their boxes contained: Henry's books, Emma's personal riding equipment, their clothes, kitchenware, and memorabilia. She had Henry put away his clothing while she stored hers away. Then she put away their scrapbooks, small boxes of photos, and an old camera on the shelf in the living room. They had some framed photos she put throughout the house. Finally, some miscellaneous media like CDs and movies.
Henry helped her position the cedar chest—which David gifted her when she gave birth—at the foot of her bed. Next were the bunches of quilts and blankets her mom, Mary Margaret, had made for them. She started when Emma joined their family at Henry's age and then doubled when Henry was born. Every year was either a crocheted blanket or a quilt varying in size and color. Many of the older ones Emma kept stored in the cedar chest. They were finally able to unpack their most recent ones, large quilts from this past year, and put them on their beds. Emma kept smiling every time they put something in its place.
They arranged a few of the other blankets and quilts on the couches. Then in another storage chest on their back patio. The chest previously housed Henry's favorite books and a few Star Wars collectibles. Henry lined them up on a shelf in his room. Finally, for their last task, they positioned the wooden rockers David made them on the back patio, too. The two of them sat, with broad smiles, rocking gently. On occasion, the duo would glance at each other with eyes sparkling. They took in deep breaths and enjoyed being home.
After they went inside. Emma realized it was time for dinner, and had a fleeting moment of panic about the lack of groceries as Henry opened the fridge. "Woah, Mom check it out!" Henry called out.
Emma saw all of the basic essentials doubled: two gallons of milk, four dozen eggs, breakfast and sandwich meats as well as some dinner meats too; condiments matching those sandwiches they had made earlier in the main house. Emma felt her eyes welling with tears. Dammit, Regina Mills is a saint. She also thought, how the heck did she manage to sneak these in and shook her head in amusement.
They ate sandwiches for dinner, then Emma helped Henry get ready for bed. Henry had picked the bedroom with a view of the mountains; Emma had a similar view from the master bedroom. Once she tucked him in, she read him the most recent chapter of his chosen book until he couldn't keep his eyes open. She placed a bookmark and laid it on his side table, then kissed him on his head, "Goodnight, my sweet prince."
For the first time in a while, they would get to sleep in their own rooms. The only exception was when they went home to visit her parents. Emma yawned and readied herself for bed, putting on her flannel pajamas. It was Saturday. She didn't have to enroll Henry in his new school until Monday, but she would be getting an early start in the morning. Emma thought about how animals need tending every day and smiled about job security. She got cozy in the bed with the down feather comforter and the quilt from her mother. Emma had never felt more comfortable in a bed and fell asleep after about five minutes.
Her phone's alarm blared at 4:30 AM. She snoozed it for five minutes before yawning loudly and stretching her arms and legs out. Great sleep; time to get ready for day one, she thought.
Emma put on her socks, Levis, belt, a clean white tank top, and button-up shirt. She then started the coffee while she made breakfast for herself. She drank some coffee as she ate, then poured the rest of the pot into her thermos. She programmed the timer and reloaded the fancy coffee maker to make another pot at 8 AM. Emma would be back to wake Henry and make him breakfast. She threw on her red Carhartt jacket and placed her leather gloves in her left pocket while she made sure her headlamp was in her right. She slipped on her boots and strapped her thermos across her chest. She stood up and topped herself off with her hat, feeling damn good about herself and the day ahead.
She stepped out into the chilly darkness of the early morning. Emma slid off her hat, pulled out her headlamp, and slipped it on. After locking the front door behind her, she walked toward the barn with the vehicles in it. Once inside, she chose a Gator and powered it up, switched on the headlights, then drove it out. She closed the barn behind her. Emma stored away her headlamp and replaced her hat on her head. Then she drove to the cattle barn and parked out front.
The cattle barn was well-lit. When she entered, the familiar smell of every old barn with animals found her. She acquainted herself with the layout and supply locations, then began to unload feed into the troughs.
The door opened, and in stepped a man wearing a black Carhartt jacket, dark-wash Levis, black roper boots, and a huge belt buckle on a thick black belt. Atop his head was a black gambler's hat. He also wore black work gloves. He had a rugged jawline with some scruff and Emma estimated age-wise he was somewhere in his 30s.
The man said, "You must be Emma. I'm Jefferson Hatter. I'm one of the day workers. Nice to meet you," he said, tipping his hat. "I see you've gotten off to a good start," he observed Emma as she continued to work with the feed. Then he drawled, "So, how long you been working on ranches?"
"Since I was ten," Emma said, hauling some more feed and depositing it into the trough.
"Ah, long time then," he barbed as he looked her over head to toe.
"How bout you?" she asked. Emma was used to men with his attitude.
"Oh, been around a ranch my whole life," he said cockily.
"Why aren't you a ranch hand then?" Emma retorted.
"Regina decided to hire you instead of me," he had a bite to his tone that Emma didn't like. She also didn't like the way he said 'Regina.' Her dad taught her, no matter how many years working for an owner, you show them respect with their title. That's how the business works. Jefferson's choice indicated that he didn't have any respect for Ms. Mills or Emma. He continued, "Besides, I work elsewhere. Hauling hay, some trucking, little of this, little of that. I get bored easy, you see."
"Right. Well, are you just gonna stand there and watch me or get to work?" Emma asked.
He gave a sly smirk as he marched toward the shelves with the materials needed for his task, "We have to start weaning the calves today. I'll start prepping that," he said.
"Great, I'll handle feeding the rest of the cattle and donkeys while you get that prepped, then I'll join you for the weaning," said Emma.
They worked on their tasks. Usually, she played music with one earbud in. Not loud enough to block out any sounds since she needed to hear if anything was wrong, but enough to make the time go by faster. This morning, she'd forgotten her iPhone at the house. After she finished with the feed, she joined Jefferson with the calves.
"As you can see, there are sicker ones here that need more tending to," he pointed out to her.
"I see. All right," she had liked working with animals ever since David started to train her.
Jefferson led her to the sicker ones, and they administered antibiotics. A few larger cows had stuff stuck in their hooves. They trimmed the hoof layer by layer. Then pulled out the debris, such as little tiny pieces of metal and stones. Then they leveled the other hooves to match. Although the horses, cows, and donkeys are always displeased during trimming, the end result must have been a relief, or so Emma liked to think.
They finished after a couple of hours, as daylight started to peek through the windows. They let the healthy cattle and donkeys out to pasture, then they attached the bale feeder and loaded up the tractor, and drove it out. The bale feeder spun the hay and cut it out on the ground in a line. The cattle began to congregate around the fresh hay, and they returned the tractor back to the barn.
Then Emma went to the stables to check on the horses, and Jefferson tagged along, seemingly happy to follow Emma's choice of routine. They fed all the horses some hay and grain, then filled up their water troughs and left.
Once they were outside the stables, Jefferson asked, "So, any questions?"
"Not a question, more of an observation: I saw a few problems with the fences. I will assess them after I get back from making sure my son is up and has some breakfast, but I'm sure I'll think of some questions throughout the day," Emma said.
"Oh, you have a son with you. What's his name, how old is he?" he asked.
"His name is Henry, and he's ten," Emma responded.
"Wouldn't have pegged you to have a ten-year-old already," he snarked, looking her over again. This annoyed Emma, but she didn't have time to respond. Jefferson was already moving on, "All right. Well, I'm headed off to my next stop. See you later," he said as he hopped in his pickup and drove away.
Emma walked back to the guest house, her house, she reminded herself. When she got inside she hung up her hat and jacket and slipped off her boots, "Henry!"
"In the kitchen, Mom," he called back. Good, she thought, he was awake.
Emma entered the kitchen and found him eating a bowl of cereal. The coffee machine delivered the programmed pot on time. She poured a fresh cup of coffee and said to Henry, "I was going to make you breakfast."
"Nah, it's okay. I wanted cereal," he said. Emma needed to thank Ms. Mills for stocking the kitchen.
She sipped her coffee. "Alright, kid, I want you to come out with me today. It's time to start teaching you what I do, and you can help your old lady out," Emma half-joked.
"Please, Mom, not today," Henry pleaded with her. "I really wanted to read and play video games."
"Nope, no can do," she said, not relenting. He pouted. "Don't worry, Hen. It won't be every weekend, just a couple of times a week. I want you to learn like I learned. This is useful knowledge and a trade. They're good skills to have." He was still looking at her with his big 'please don't make me do it' eyes. She whipped out the best card she'd saved for last, "Plus, Grandpa will be so proud of you."
"Really?" Henry asked, his expression changed to hopeful. Emma smirked into her mug. She knew that would work on him because he idolized his Grandpa David. It also happened to be true.
"He will love it," Emma answered. "Next time you see him, you can show him what you've learned," she added.
"Okay, I'll come with you today," he perked up. "But can it be for a half day? Give me just half the day to read and play games. Please?" he asked with his puppy dog eyes and added a little pout that Emma couldn't resist.
"That sounds fair to me. Half day it is," Emma agreed.
Henry got ready for the day and met her at the door to slip on his boots alongside her. She had reassembled her attire. Then Emma helped Henry put on his black Carhartt jacket and striped scarf, topping it off with a beanie. They stepped out and locked up. As they hopped into the Gator, Henry exclaimed, "This is much more comfortable than a four-wheeler!"
"Yes, much more comfortable. It's a lot more like driving a car," Emma agreed. "So, here's the deal: we'll start at the beginning here," she gestured at the fence line next to the trail on her left, "And we'll examine for visual faults in the fences. We are looking for weaknesses. Posts that need replacing, holes and such, stuff like that." She saw that Henry nodded in understanding and gave him a nod stating, "All right, let's get to it."
Emma drove a few minutes before stopping. She turned off the engine to conserve the gas in the Gator's tank. Henry stepped out, following her. "See, right here," Emma gestured to a post. Henry got closer to examine what his mother pointed out. "This post needs replacing. It's weakened. See how it's bent a little?" she asked. He nodded, and she continued, "That's because the wood's rotting away."
"Keen eye, Miss Swan. I ride this trail often and never noticed a difference," said a voice behind Emma. The blonde turned around and saw her gorgeous boss in all her regal glory atop Rocinante. Regina continued, "I saw you two and wanted to check how the first day was coming along. I assume you met Jefferson?"
"Yes, I did. He's a bit—" Emma began, guarding her words, but Regina cut her off with a raise of her hand that she turned out in offering.
"Arrogant," the boss supplied.
Emma stifled a smile, and Henry snickered. The elder Swan responded, "Well, I wasn't going to use that word, but if the shoe fits," her green eyes sparkling conspiratorially.
"Yes, he wanted your job, but I wouldn't hire him full-time because, let's just say, he's a bit entitled. And I can only tolerate him in doses. The thought of having him around all the time would be unbearable," Regina said, shaking her head. "I trust you not to say anything of the sort to him," the brunette looked between Emma and Henry. Both were nodding in amusement and respect at the woman before them.
"Mums the word," Emma said. "Hey, you're riding English style. On a ranch?"
"Yes, I suppose I am," Regina laughed a little as she glanced down and looked back up. "My parents raised me with English style, then I trained in it for competitions growing up."
"Impressive. One of these days, I'll have to teach you Western style, Ms. Mills," Emma said. She couldn't take her eyes off the brunette's face. Regina was breathtakingly beautiful, Emma thought.
Regina raised an eyebrow that made Emma melt a little and said, "Perhaps, Miss Swan."
Henry piped in and asked, "May I pet your horse?"
"No, Henry," Emma said, putting an arm around his shoulders in case he got the idea to go for it. "Not while she's on him. He may buck her off," she said gently but stern. He nodded and continued looking at the big horse, a little bummed out that he couldn't pet him. Emma added, "There will be plenty of other opportunities to pet the animals, okay?"
"Okay," he brightened up.
"So, you're out riding for the day to check on us or just to ride?" Emma asked.
"Bit of both. Mostly the latter," Regina smiled a bit. "It's a lovely day. I couldn't resist having a ride with Rocinante," she brushed her fingers affectionately in his mane.
"Well, don't let us hold you up," Emma said.
Regina tilted her head, raising that brow again, "Eager to get back to work or to get rid of me, Miss Swan?"
Emma smirked, "Neither, ma'am. Just don't want to interrupt your day is all."
Regina's mouth twitched. Then she looked at Henry, "Teaching your son the trade. Smart."
"Always good to have a wide variety of skill sets, or so I'm told," Henry smiled. His mother squeezed his shoulders, chuckling at him.
"I concur with that statement," Regina smiled at him brightly. "Well, I'll let you two get back to work. If you need me, I'll have my cell on me. Call any time," she said, looking between the duo.
"Will do, Ms. Mills," Emma tipped her hat, "See you later."
Regina nodded her goodbye, and with that, she signaled Rocinante to canter north toward the mountains.
"She's really pretty and so nice," Henry said once Regina was out of earshot.
"Yes, Henry, she is; very polite, too," Emma agreed.
"Unlike the Lancasters," Henry's tone mirrored the disgust that wrinkled his nose. "I remember how they treated you," he added with sadness, and some anger etched on his face. Then it was gone as soon as it had appeared, "I like Ms. Mills much better. And we have our own rooms!"
"Pretty sweet deal, huh?" Emma watched him.
"The best!" he exclaimed.
"All right, kid, back to the fences," she said.
They spent the morning examining the fences around the fields. After about three and a half hours of assessment, they managed to cover almost seven miles of fencing. This included almost all the active fields she and the other workers would be moving the cattle between. They found several faults. Emma made a note of the locations and needed supplies in her notebook to return to later on. It would take her a while to finish assessing the entire property for repairs.
It was around noon so Emma took Henry back to the house and prepared sandwiches for lunch. They ate and then cleaned up. She kissed Henry on the cheek and said, "Reading first, then video games for two hours max." Henry opened his mouth about to argue, but she beat him to it, "No 'buts.'"
Henry nodded, "Yes, ma'am," he smiled cheekily. She knew he would follow the rules though, he always did.
Emma double-checked that the phone numbers for Ms. Mills' home and cell were on the fridge as well as her own cell even though Henry memorized it years ago. Then Emma made sure the walkie-talkie was on the right channel to reach her and was fully charged. "You all set, Hen?" she asked and he nodded again, already moving toward his books. She smiled at her son, "See you at dinner. Love you, kid."
"See you later, Mom! Love you, too!" he called out.
Emma headed back out, locking the door behind her. She spent the rest of the day tackling fence assessment until the sun started to get low in the sky. In the four and half hours since she left Henry at home, she covered an additional nine miles of fence line. Together they had managed to cover the whole of the fencing for the cattle fields, roughly sixteen miles in total. Emma's work day would end in the horse stables, feeding them, and mucking the stalls. When she arrived back at the stables, Emma found Regina brushing Rocinante.
"Hey there, did you have a good day?" Emma asked.
"The very best. Relaxing. How about yourself, have a good first day?" Regina inquired.
"It was great. Productive. I spotted and cataloged quite a number of problems along the main fences that need to be fixed. But don't worry, I'll start taking care of them soon," Emma assured as Regina continued to brush her horse.
Jefferson emerged from one of the stalls with manure on his pitchfork, "Ah, how was the rest of your day?"
"It was fine. Yours?"
"Can't complain," Jefferson said as he tossed the manure in the wheelbarrow. "I already fed the horses, so no need to do that. Just have to finish mucking and then check on the sick animals again before turning in for the evening. Killian and Robin are out wrangling our feisty guy, Hermes."
Regina asked Emma, "Have you met them yet?"
"Not yet. I guess that's about to change," Emma said. She wasn't looking forward to meeting the workers after spending the day cataloging the disrepair the men allowed the fence to fall into. She took a deep breath. Emma knew she needed to hold the former hand responsible for that and give these guys a chance. Killian and Robin rode in escorting Hermes between them.
Regina pointed out Robin on their right then Killian on their left. Robin had a plain face with a short light colored beard and matching hair; he wore a dark brown cattleman's hat, green Dickie's jacket, jeans, and brown rugged boots. Killian also had a slight beard though much darker than Robin's. He wore a dark gray, leather Carhartt jacket, black jeans, and nearly black boots. Both men had large belt buckles.
"Oh, hello. I guess you're the new ranch hand," said Robin as Killian led Hermes into his stall. He extended his hand, and Emma shook it.
"Yes, I'm Emma Swan. Nice to meet you, Robin, correct?" she said.
"Yes, Robin Hood and that's Killian Jones," said Robin, indicating Killian with his chin.
Killian returned to stand next to the horse he rode in on, "Swan," he greeted. "This is Redwing, my main ride. I also train Juno," Killian said haughtily.
Robin laughed, patting his own horse, "This is Dakota and I have the pleasure of training Ares. Killian is just glad that he finally has one of Rocinante's offspring to work with. Jefferson got the honor of the first born, Hermes." Robin looked over at Regina as he said all of this. Emma rolled her eyes at his obvious attempt at flirting.
Regina didn't pay him any attention. Jefferson jumped in, "You should get those two tucked in and help finish the stalls." The other men rolled their eyes at Jefferson's attempt to lead them. But they led their horses to their stalls.
"Okay. Well, Ms. Mills, I'm sure I'll see you at some point," Emma began to bid the woman goodnight and get back to work.
Regina stepped toward her, "Miss Swan, I would like to accompany you tomorrow for a couple of hours to see what you're doing. I'd like to learn a thing or two about this ranching business. Seeing you with your son, teaching him, I believe you'd have the patience to deal with me and any questions I may have."
Emma was taken aback, "Yeah, sure. Of course," she stuttered a bit. She was happy to share her knowledge and skills, "If that's what you want to do, I'll help where I can. What time?"
Regina pulled out her phone and looked at her schedule, "I have a meeting in the morning, so the afternoon would work best for me."
"Sounds like a plan," Emma half-smiled, "Meet me at the equipment barn at 1?"
"That should be good," Regina agreed as she typed the time into her phone and repocketed it. "Well, you have a wonderful evening, Miss Swan."
"You too, Ms. Mills," Emma tipped her hat. She redirected her attention, "Hatter, I'll take care of the sick animals. You guys go on home after you're done here."
He looked affronted but didn't complain, "Fine. Good night."
"Night," Emma exited the stables and drove over to the cattle barn.
She checked the cows and the calves. They were doing all right, considering. She made sure they had enough water and food before exiting and made a note to readminister their antibiotics in the morning. Emma parked the Gator back in the equipment barn, refilled the gas tank, and checked over the tires ensuring she hadn't picked up any debris in the treads during the day. Once she closed the barn up again she walked back to the house.
"Henry! I'm home!" she called out as she got inside. Emma emptied her pockets placing her gloves and headlamp on the table by the door. Then she hung up her coat and took off her boots.
"Hey, Mom! When is dinner going to be ready?" Henry asked as she walked into the living room.
Emma quickly went through the groceries she remembered before responding, "Give me about half an hour. Does Spaghetti and Meatballs sound good?"
"Yeah, sounds great!" he said.
The young mother made dinner for them and hollered for him when it was ready. They ate together, talking about the day's events. Emma was more interested to know about what he read than the video games he played. He spent the first couple of hours reading about the American Revolution also known as America's War for Independence. The subject fascinated him so much that he ended up reading longer than expected, which pleased his mother. History was one of his favorite subjects.
Afterward, they sat down in the living room to watch a movie together. Emma found herself grateful to Ms. Mills once again for providing them with a Smart TV and streaming options. Henry fell asleep three-quarters of the way through and she heaved him up and carried him to his bed. As she tucked him in, she kissed him on the forehead and softly said, "Sweet dreams, my prince." She shut his door behind her, sighing softly. It wouldn't be long before he would outgrow even her above average strength.
Emma headed straight for a much needed shower. She turned on the water and then stripped. The warm water felt amazing as it rinsed away the grime and sweat she accumulated throughout the day that washing her hands simply couldn't account for. Once she had toweled off, she blew dry her hair and slipped into her dad's old Army t-shirt she had stolen when she was barely older than Henry. Emma smiled, feeling at home as she crawled into bed, and went to sleep.
4:30 AM, her alarm blared again. Emma groaned. Just one more hour would have been perfect, but she had to get up. She did her morning routine and started her work day once more in the cattle barn. She gave the sick calves their antibiotics, fed and watered everybody, then headed to the stables to feed the horses. Now that she knew where everything was, her morning was moving faster. Emma and Jefferson tended to the horses' hooves this morning, trimming and re-shoeing all ten of them. They spread the bales of hay as they had the day before.
Once that was finished, Jefferson headed off for his other day job and Emma headed home to make breakfast for Henry. Emma was glad to be settling into a routine. However, today was Monday, and she needed to get Henry enrolled in school. So while he ate breakfast, she showered and changed into some fresh work clothes. Then they went to the school and got all of his paperwork sorted and a class schedule set for him to start the following day. They were back home at the ranch by 11 AM.
Emma drove them back to the house, then made lunch for Henry and herself. While she cleaned up the lunch mess, she told Henry to get ready to come out with her and Ms. Mills. Emma relayed that they would be meeting her at 1 PM, less than an hour away.
They headed out to the equipment barn to meet Regina. The boss was standing there in her riding boots, button up shirt, and black coat. "Good afternoon, Miss Swan, Henry. I trust your day has been good so far?"
"You won't hear me complaining," Henry beamed.
"Yes, it's been good. We got someone registered for school. We also wanted to thank you for the groceries you stocked for us, it's been very easy to settle in," Emma said as Henry nodded his agreement. "And how was your meeting this morning?" Emma asked.
"Glad to hear it. And you're very welcome. I'm happy I could help you two get settled," Regina smiled. "And the meeting was dull. Truth be told, it could have been an email," said Regina rolling her eyes. Emma found the brunette's antics adorable, she couldn't help but smile.
"Well, I am sorry to hear that, and I can't promise that the ranching today will be too particularly interesting. Let's grab a full-size Gator and head on out. We're still checking fences today," Emma said.
"Okay, lead the way," Regina deferred to Emma.
"Hen, you hop in the back seat," Emma said. He did as he was told. Regina sat in the front seat, beside Emma who turned on the UTV and headed off to where she had left off yesterday. It took them about fifteen minutes to get there with the rough patches in the trails and pasture.
Emma stopped, and they got out. "Hmm, right around here is where I left off, according to my notes," she checked the GPS on her watch. "Ah, here we are," Emma matched the exact post to her notes.
"So, what are we looking for," Regina asked.
Emma explained what she told Henry yesterday about insecurities in the fenceline that need replacing or monitoring. So, they walked along the fence together, Emma and Regina on the inside pasture side of the fence with Henry on the outside, examining the posts. Regina spotted a faulty place in the fence, "I think I found one!" she shouted in excitement.
Emma smiled at the woman's enthusiasm, "Very good! Yep, that's a messed up post. I'll mark it down. And see this one is a post where the wood is rotting, so Henry what do we do?" the blonde asked her son who was checking the post out on his side.
"Um," the boy looked up at his mother, then at Ms. Mills, and blushed a little at being put on the spot, "we make a note that the post needs to be replaced," he responded only a little confidently.
Emma nodded, "Yep, good job, Hen." Then she showed the boss her notebook and how the damages were listed along with what they would need to secure the spot.
They did this routine for about three hours until the sun was getting low on the horizon. "Okay, time to head back before it gets too dark," she looked at Henry, "We still have to feed the horses, muck out the stalls, and check in on the sick animals." Henry looked excited, he was so much like her in enjoying the part where he gets to be close to the animals.
Once they were back at the stables Emma instructed Regina to lead the horses out of their stalls and tie them in the thoroughfare while she began to fill grain buckets. Regina asked, "Is it alright if I introduce Henry to each of them properly," she raised her brow at the blonde as she grabbed a treat bag and slung it around her body, waiting for the mother's response.
Emma nodded, "Of course. Henry, listen to Ms. Mills. Do exactly as she says," she cautioned, he just nodded, vibrating with excitement.
The older woman started with the first stall on her left, "This is Athena, Rocinante's mate," she walked out a mare with a silvery white coat. The brunette gave Henry a treat and let him feed the mare. They repeated the process down the left line of the stables. Next was Rocinante. Third, "Here we have Rocinante and Athena's third born, Juno. Killian trains her," Regina said. Henry patted the reddish brown young mare.
"Their second born, Ares," whose coat was silver, "Robin trains him." They made it to the final stall on the left, "Finally, Roci and Athena's oldest, Hermes. He is the fastest horse in the stables," Regina said and Henry looked at the reddish brown horse in awe. She continued, "Jefferson trains him."
Emma watched them and listened while she placed buckets of grain on the stalls lining the right side as she waited for them to circle around to let the next group out. Emma saw Henry pet each of them, introducing himself, and let Regina lead him through giving treats. Each of the horses ate from the palm of his hand. He giggled every time their big lips tickled while they chomped at the bits of treats. Emma smiled.
Next Regina led out the last stall on the right, "This is Killian's main horse, Redwing." Redwing has the reddest coat of all of the horses. They repeated the treat and pets process. Emma circled through the left side giving those horses their grain buckets now that the dark-haired duo were tending to the ones on the right side. "Next we have Robin's main horse, Dakota," Regina said.
Henry petted the horse and gave treats, "He has the grayest coat I've ever seen."
"I know," Regina laughed, "He is a little lackluster compared to the silvers and grays of Ares, Athena, and even Chief."
They moved on to the next stall, "Here is Jefferson's main horse, Huck." Emma snorted, the horse is a solid black horse. Regina quirked a brow, and Emma just shook her head remembering the man dressed all in black. Then she imagined him sitting on the all black horse and bet that his tack and equipment are black as well.
Next to last was a neutral horse of Regina's, "This is Ranger. He is older than most of the others, except for Rocinante. Ranger is very reliable." Regina gave him affectionate pats. The horse leaned down and nuzzled Henry fondly. "Finally, we have Chief. He is the biggest, but still the second fastest of the bunch. Aren't you big guy?" Regina asked the big, black and gray steed. Chief nodded in response.
Once the ten horses were out of the stalls and positioned in the thoroughfare, they were ready for some light grooming before the trio would start mucking out the stalls. Emma started Henry up with Chief to groom while she chose to work with Athena and of course Regina started with Rocinante. The women began to chat while they worked.
"Thank you for today, Miss Swan. I enjoyed this, learning about everything. There's a lot to look for just in assessing the fenceline. I can't believe Daniel did this all on his own and was happy doing it. My feet are killing me," Regina said, rotating her ankles.
"That's because those," Emma pointed to Regina's boots, "are English riding boots. They're not work boots. I guarantee they are the reason your feet are hurting after only a couple of hours on your feet."
"What?" Regina looked down at her boots, "I paid a thousand dollars for these, and ordinarily they are very comfortable, or at least, they were" she frowned sadly.
Emma shook her head and smirked, "They're still not work boots. You're used to riding in them, not working on your feet for hours in them. They're simply not designed for that. You can spend about two-hundred-fifty dollars on some Justin work boots or Ariat like mine, and you won't have that problem anymore," Emma said confidently. "And they'll last you for a decade," the blonde added cheekily while she walked around to the side of her horse that was next to Regina.
Regina looked at Emma's boots, worn and thoroughly broken in. She looked at her own pristine boots, furrowing her brow in contemplation. Then Emma jumped in again, not liking the concerned look on the brunette's face, "Don't get me wrong, you look freaking great in those. But it'll be worth the investment."
"I'll have to order some then," Regina said.
Emma smiled relieved. She continued, "Even Henry has the kid's version, but he grows so fast I get his used."
Regina seemed appalled by this, "Used boots? Why not new?"
"It's what I can afford," Emma felt ashamed to admit it.
Regina looked up at the young mother. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to order Henry a new pair, and you as well. We can all go to the store together, everyone gets new boots, my treat, your expertise. I'd really like to not get another pair of the wrong boots," Regina smiled gently and offered hopefully.
Henry piped up from brushing Chief, "Thank you Ms. Mills, I'd love a new pair, my toes are starting to strangle," the boy confessed and blushed furiously, hiding behind Chief so he couldn't see his mother's concerned look. He had purposely not told his mother about his feet growing again since they started living out of the truck.
Emma was surprised by the offer and her son's announcement, and not entirely sure how to respond. She really couldn't afford a new pair, or even a new-to-them pair, for either of them right now. "Um," Emma hesitated; she really didn't want to be a charity case, but the offer seemed genuine.
Regina turned to Emma, "I know you said a pair will last me a decade, and something tells me you got your pair about that long ago. Consider it a gift, I insist. Please, let me do this for you both as a sign of my gratitude for taking me out today and teaching me, as well as the work you've already dedicated to this ranch. You've done more in two days than my previous ranch hand did in two months and don't even get me started on the day workers," she sighed.
Emma pondered this and could hear her parents' voices in her head about how turning down a gift is rude, "Okay," she conceded. "When would you like to go boot shopping?"
Regina lit up and Henry let out a quiet, "Yes!"
"How about tomorrow afternoon, when Henry gets back from school," Regina asked still smiling.
"That sounds good. I'll have to drop Henry at school tomorrow morning, but then I should be able to get a good start on the fences. Do you know if the bus comes around here?" Emma asked.
"Yes, the next ranch over has a child of a similar age that attends the same school and the bus stops for them," Regina confirmed.
Once the trio finished lightly grooming the ten horses, it was time to muck the stalls. Regina walked tentatively, as if she were stepping on eggshells. Emma chuckled. Regina tilted her head, eyeing the blonde, "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, you're just walking a little funny there," Emma observed through an amused smile.
"Nothing is amusing about pain, Miss Swan," Regina said sternly.
"Yeah, Ms. Mills, there kinda is," Emma laughed some more. Regina glared. "What? It's cute is all," the blonde drawled warmth effusing her tone.
Regina turned around and huffed a bit as she continued to muck Rocinante's stall, "You have a funny way of defining what's cute," she grumbled. Yeah, Regina Mills, that grumble is as cute as your not-used-to-hard-labor walk, the blonde thought. Emma's attention lingered on Regina just long enough to notice the blush creep up the brunette's cheeks, she smiled a little smugly.
"She's like that, ignore her," Henry said and rolled his eyes at his mom.
As soon as they were done with grooming, feeding, and mucking, they headed to the cattle barn to check on the sick cows as their final task of the night.
Afterward, Emma drove them to the equipment barn, returned the full sized Gator to its storage space and refilled the gas tank. She shut off the lights to the barn and closed the doors. "Alright, you two. That's all in a half-day's work," Emma said, dusting her hands. "I appreciate you keeping me company, and you both did excellent work, too."
"Thanks, Mom," Henry said as she ruffled his hair.
Regina smiled, "Well, I'm off. Thank you again, both of you, and I will see you tomorrow. Have a good night." She walked away slowly. Emma smiled again, this time in admiration, as well as amusement. Emma had to admit the boss was stubborn, and she admired the woman for sticking through the rest of the work day when she didn't have to.
After they arrived home, Emma cooked up a quick dinner for them, and they finished the movie from last night. Then Emma told Henry it was his bath time. He grumbled a bit because tomorrow would be a school day. She checked in on him afterward. Emma read him a story about Snow White and Prince Charming as he fell asleep.
She loved that he liked her to read to him, even at this age. Though Emma felt that she would have to invest in Audible because her voice was usually hoarse by the end of it and she couldn't do justice to the character voices like the voice actors could. She kissed his forehead, "Goodnight, sweet prince," then cut his side lamp off and closed the door after leaving his night light on.
Emma showered and got ready for bed; then read a little about the Cattlemen's Association conspiracy theories. After falling down that rabbit hole she found a lot of it made sense to her, having been in the industry her entire adult life. She set aside her phone and went to sleep.
4:30 AM, again. Coffee; breakfast; equipment barn; cattle barn; stables; spread hay. The routine of it was becoming natural to her. Then, thankfully, she didn't have any hoof trimming today, so at 7 AM, she was able to get Henry up to go to school. She would drive him for his first day.
They arrived at school right on time and he headed off to his first day of fifth grade at the new school. Henry was still sleepy, but he didn't mind changing schools as he easily made friends wherever he went. Emma kissed him on the head and wished him good luck and reminded him that she would pick him up that afternoon to go boot shopping with Regina. He smiled brightly then and ran off to his classroom. She went to the office to sort the paperwork regarding the bus picking him up and dropping him off every day after today.
She drove back to the ranch, when she had packed Henry's lunch this morning she had also packed her own to eat while she would be making her rounds of the fences since she wouldn't have to drive back to check on Henry today. Emma also had already made her second thermos of coffee for the added energy boost. So she grabbed her lunch box and strapped it and her thermos across her chest and headed for the equipment barn once again.
Time flew by when she wasn't instructing anyone, and she got a lot more done. She sat in the UTV and ate her sandwich in peace, looking at the distant mountains. Emma thought a camping trip up there would be great for her and Henry soon, after she mended the fences of the active fields, and before it got too cold to do so, definitely before hunting season started. She made a mental note to go in about a month when she could ask Regina for a weekend off and have Jefferson and the others cover her.
She finished the rest of the line work and checked her watch. It was time to head back to pick up Henry from school. Regina greeted her near the barn as she returned the Gator.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Mills," Emma said politely. Damn, the woman looked terrific in a suit, Emma thought. The blonde's smile lit up at the thought of boot-shopping with her in that outfit.
"Good afternoon, Miss Swan. Would it be alright if I drive us to pick up Henry and head to the store together," Regina asked.
"Sure, that sounds great," Emma said.
They went to Regina's three-car garage, and Emma's jaw dropped absentmindedly when she saw what was inside. The Mercedes was there, as well as a brand new Land Rover, and a Tesla. Emma caught herself gaping and closed her trap, "Whoa, you got everything here. Luxury, all terrain, and sports. Very nice." The blonde nodded in appreciation and respect.
"Thank you. I like to have a variety. Though I have yet to acquire a truck," Regina mused good humoredly. "I guess I never saw the need as the ranch hands and day workers have them in spades. Of course, as you know, Graham also offers to help when I need one. Though I'm thinking I might need to change that."
"They certainly add great utility. Nothing beats having a truck," Emma said, proud of her beat-up blue pickup. "Many of them can go for hundreds of thousands of miles if you keep the maintenance up, and it is great when you need to haul things you would rather not have inside the cab," Emma laughed as some memories of dirty tools and tack flashed in her mind.
Regina eyed her thoughtfully, "I'll keep that in mind. Seems like a good investment."
"You are all about good investments," Emma said, smirking, "take me, for example," she gestured to herself jokingly.
Regina looked the woman over, "So far, so good on that one," with a hint of a smile that made Emma blush.
They took the Mercedes—the smoothest ride Emma's ever been in in her life—to the school about twenty minutes away. The students' parents and caregivers were all lined up in their various cars and trucks for pick up.
"He won't recognize this car since he's expecting my pickup, just wait here; I'll go get him," Emma told Regina as she hopped out.
She found Henry relatively quick as he was among the taller children standing in line. "Hey, kid, how was your day?" Emma asked.\
"It was all right. You know being the new kid means extra attention and questions," he said as she guided him toward the Mercedes. "Whoa, Mom, whose car is this?" as she opened the back door for him to get in she tilted her head and raised a brow in a 'see for yourself' gesture. His face lit up as his eyes landed on the driver, "Afternoon, Ms. Mills!" Henry cheered climbing in.
"Afternoon, Henry," Regina smiled.
Emma told him, "Buckle up," as she did the same.
They drove about 25 minutes to Brian's Boot & Shoe Co. They entered the store and were overwhelmed by the selection. The store manager recognized Regina immediately and greeted her.
"Ms. Mills, what a wonderful surprise. I hope those DeNiro Raffaello Dressage Boots were sufficient for you?" he asked a little worriedly.
"Oh, Mr. Gold, they were just fine, thank you. This time I'm in the market for more of a work boot for myself, as well as for my new ranch hand, and her son. Mr. Gold, this is Emma Swan and her son Henry; Miss Swan, Henry, this is Mr. Gold," Regina said.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gold," Henry stated kindly, while Emma nodded in introduction.
"Pleasure to meet you both," Mr. Gold said gleefully and clapped his hands together, "Well, let's get started, shall we?"
Regina tried on several types of boots, all suggested by Emma and Gold. Regina didn't find any of them satisfactory until she came upon a style of Justin's called Savannah's. They resembled her Dressage boots, though shorter, they were black and smooth, about eighteen inches in height, but considerably more versatile. Regina slipped on both boots and did a little walk. "I like these," Regina's eyes sparkled indicating that she more than liked these.
Emma couldn't help the smile once again gracing her features, watching the power suit strut in the cowboy boots. The skirt of Regina's business suit showed off the boots very well. Emma cleared her throat a bit and commented, "You may want to resole them for all-terrain style. Those soles look to be a bit too smooth. You have a cobbler you trust, Mr. Gold?"
He nodded, "Oh yes, the very best in the state, dearie," he stated in a warm fatherly tone. "I'll make sure they're a top priority for you, Ms. Mills," Mr. Gold assured.
"Now, what would you like, Miss Swan?" Regina asked. Emma gravitated toward her favorites. The Ariat style she's used to wearing went through hell and back with her. "Let me try on the Ariat Rambler Wedge Steel Toe Work Boot, size eight, color foothill brown, please."
"As you wish," Mr. Gold said and went to retrieve a pair. Emma slipped them on, and it felt so comfortable to be in new boots again.
"Yeah, I like these," the blonde said, a little soft, completely satisfied. Regina smiled at Emma. The smile was not a smug 'I told you so,' but an 'I'm very glad you let me take care of you' smile, and the blonde's heart flipped at the thought. She was very glad she agreed to this, new boots and Regina Mills smiling at her like that.
"And for the young gentleman," Mr. Gold asked pulling Emma back to their task.
"Um, I don't know my size. Or what brands these are," Henry said, indicating the little black boots on his feet.
"That's okay," Emma said, "We'll have you try on a few different kinds and see which ones you like best."
"I do know that I like black, though. I don't like brown," Henry said looking between the women's new boots.
Regina's smile in response was now most definitely smug as she requested for Mr. Gold to bring out a vast selection all in black for the boy. Mr. Gold nodded and sized Henry's bare foot before grabbing some options from the back.
Henry tried on nearly as many pairs as Regina before settling on the Georgia Boot, mid-calf, in black. "I'm going to be the coolest kid in school tomorrow! Thank you, Ms. Mills!" Henry cheered.
It would take a week for Regina's boots to be resoled, but they would be delivered directly to her door. The total for their purchase was well over $800, which Regina put on her card without flinching. Emma flinched enough for both of them, but took a deep breath reminding herself that the woman, who is her boss, is very well-off and can afford to spend her money how she pleases. Emma also reminded herself that this gift is a very kind and reasonable purchase.
While they were back in Regina's SUV and headed back to Morningstar, Emma checked on Henry who had his headphones on and was listening to his CD player. He was smiling very widely and tapping his feet in his new boots. Then he saw his mother looking at him and smiled gently at her.
She nodded at him, returning his smile. It was his first brand new pair of boots. Emma also opted for wearing her new boots home, she wanted to start breaking them in, as much as she could confined in the car.
Emma sighed as she scrunched her toes. "Thank you so much for this, Ms. Mills, truly. It means a lot," Emma said with some tears gathering in her eyes. "We've pretty much always had things secondhand, except for what my parents make for us," Emma admitted. The young mother was never ashamed of her circumstances and only regretted that she wasn't able to provide better for her son on her own.
"You're welcome. And you are an excellent mother, Miss Swan," Regina stated with a brief glance over at her. Emma's chest panged at Regina pinpointing her insecurity. Emma didn't feel like an excellent mother, until a few days ago she had her son living in a truck, and then found out just yesterday that he was walking around in shoes that were too small.
The brunette continued in a soft, reassuring tone, "You're a single mother, on a limited income, in a physically demanding work environment. Your son is healthy, and happy, and very well-loved. He is also polite and kind. The rest are just things," Regina said, stealing another glance at the blonde, to convey her sincerity. Emma nodded, trying to accept what the other woman was saying as true. Who knew new boots, such a simple act of kindness and care, would make her completely a mess, Emma wondered.
"I'm glad you accepted. I was a little concerned you might not," Regina picked up the conversation, "And I can't have my ranch hand, or her apprentice, with substandard footwear." The brunette had gone back to her CEO tone which made Emma chuckle.
"My dad, David, always says 'take care of your feet; they will take care of you,' a saying he picked up in the Army," Emma said, relaxing and wiggling her toes in her boots.
"Oh, what did he do while he served?" Regina asked.
"He was a medic. He served in Desert Storm, so he has some health issues. He breathed in all that toxic oil when Sadaam Hussein lit the oil fields for weeks on end. Dad said the sky was black, and everything was covered in oil. He's on full disability now," Emma explained. "But he still works his ranch," she said proudly.
"The things those who serve our country do for us, to their bodies, truly astounds me. I'm in awe of their sacrifices. My father also served. Vietnam. He was a helicopter pilot," Regina added.
"Agreed. I was going to join the Marines, but Dad convinced me not to; then, by happenstance, I got pregnant with Henry, so no chance of that. I just couldn't leave him," Emma said, looking back at her boy again.
Emma turned back and continued, "It would've been right when the Iraq War was turning south, too, and I couldn't leave my baby, not for something I didn't believe in. Not that women were on the front lines back then anyways, but I just couldn't support it," Emma sighed.
"Well, I'm glad you didn't," Regina said. Emma turned to look at the woman. "Otherwise, you most likely wouldn't be at Morningstar, or have as close a bond with Henry as you do," Regina observed. She added, "That was a particularly unfortunate time for our country, and isn't something I supported either."
Emma stared at Regina, "Huh. So you're a liberal? There are very few of those, especially well-to-do ones, in Wyoming."
Regina smirked, and Emma noticed a scar on her lip for the first time. It made her more attractive to her, but it would be rude to ask about it, Emma thought. The brunette raised her brow, "You know I'm from California, went to UC Berkeley, and studied the Classics. Surely, you could have put the pieces together."
"I didn't want to assume," Emma shrugged. After a moment Emma said, "Most of the ranch hands and owners I know are so far up the rear of a certain party that it's a wonder they can even breathe."
Regina barked out a laugh, and it made Emma's stomach do a summersault. She had a wonderful, deep laugh. "On that, you are correct," Regina sighed, still smiling, clearly amused at the image Emma painted.
They arrived back home around 5:30, and bid each other good night. "Thank you for today, Miss Swan; goodnight, Henry," Regina said, waving at them.
"Thank you, Ms. Mills, goodnight," Henry responded. Emma tipped her hat, and the mother and son walked back to the house.
Emma decided to start breaking her boots in properly by going to the stables to make sure the animals had all been properly cared for in her absence. It was a quick tour and she was back at the house by 6:15.
They ate, and Henry kept going on and on about school and how far ahead he was in everything. This had always been the case with Henry. He was a precocious little boy. She blamed it on her mother instilling early childhood development while they lived with her parents until Henry was five. As Emma recalled, he could read and solve math problems by the time he was three. He was always bored at school, she'd noticed. However, in the last few places they lived there weren't any gifted programs until middle school, so he had to endure for just one more year. She made herself a note to get him a new book next paycheck.
They finished dinner. Henry helped her clean up. They sat down on their rockers on the back patio to unwind until bath time. She surprised Henry with Audible and turned it on so she could listen to Harry Potter with him for the first time. They both thoroughly enjoyed the voices the voice actor made for each character, making the experience most satisfying. She paused the story for bath time and told Henry he better wash properly and not rush just because he wanted to get back to the story. He groaned and dramatically stomped off in a silly way, teasing his mother.
Once tucked into the bed she brought the book back out and pressed play again. Henry loved the story, but he was yawning and falling asleep by the seventh chapter, which didn't surprise Emma since they'd had an exciting day. She hit pause the next time his eyes failed to open, he opened his eyes slowly. "Time to sleep," she said quietly.
He protested only for a second, before nodding with another yawn. "I love you, Mom. Good night," he said sleepily.
"Sweet dreams, my prince," and she kissed his forehead and closed his door.
Emma changed into her flannel pajamas and crawled into bed, thinking of how she could repay the kindness and gifts Regina had given to her and Henry.