This time when Emma was ready, she reached for her phone right away to save herself from the looking part. The phone rang for a couple of times, before Regina answered. "Emma?"
"Yeah, it's me. Where are you?" Emma asked as she hoisted her backpack on her shoulder more tightly as she made her way towards the gates.
"I'm by the tiger statue on the right side when you exit the zoo." Regina's directions were definitely on point, like she would have given that kind of directions before. It also definitely helped that Emma knew every single inch of the zoo grounds like the back of her hands.
Emma had let her dad know that there had been a slight change of plans for her return day and David had taken that on wonderfully. Emma often wondered was her dad even real, because there had never been a single problem with him. She had promised to explain everything after she returned home, but she felt like she had to send a text message to her mother informing her of the change of plans.
Mom, I'm having coffee with Regina. For real this time.
The answer had been instant.
What happened?!
Emma rolled her eyes a bit, but still smiling really wide because everyone should have a mother like Mary-Margaret to have their back.
There had been a misunderstanding. You were right. Something had come up. She was really sorry and so upset and I believe her. She said she was sorry.
Emma was unsure why she felt the need to validate her decision to forgive Regina but she knew her mother in her protectiveness was not so easily swayed.
Just be careful, but I'm so happy for you sweetheart. Let me know when you are coming home. Should I come by to pick up the car?
Emma had told her that she would be going by to get the car no matter how late it would get since her mom definitely deserved the day off she was currently having. Coming to the zoo grounds on her free day had been Emma's choice but she didn't wanna make her mother do that as well.
After the quick text exchange she made her way out of the gates, waving to the ticket attendees as she went. And today just like she had promised, Regina was waiting by the tiger statue just some steps away from the gate. Their eyes locked over the crowd and Emma offered an awkward wave. She made her way towards Regina, trying not to hit anyone on her way there since the area was filled with people.
When she finally stopped in front of Regina, she smiled. "Hi."
"Hey." Regina smiled back.
"Are you ready?" Emma asked raising her eyebrows in question.
"I am. Just lead the way." Regina said and they started a walk away from the zoo and towards the city. Regina didn't mention anything on Emma's decision to walk the significant way to the city instead of taking the bus, but she seemed to genuinely enjoy the fresh air and the sun.
The silence was getting longer and longer but it wasn't awkward somehow, which seemed rather odd to Emma, who got easily anxious with even smaller silences. With Regina though, everything seemed to be so different and she couldn't figure out why.
"Have you always wanted to work in a zoo?" Regina asked out of nowhere, interrupting Emma's inner searching.
Emma was thrilled that the ice breaker question had been about the zoo, because talking about her lions was her favorite thing. "Well, not when I was young. I had no idea what I wanted back then, but when I grew up and started to come to the zoo with my parents it all solidified in my mind somehow." she was thinking back on how easy the decision had been to start studying animal biology. "Ever since then this has been all that I have wanted and the only thing I spend my time doing." she smiled brightly.
Regina listened without interrupting, absorbing the information. She wanted to get to know Emma, she really did. The blonde seemed to be someone with a lot of layers, with a lot of feelings hidden and with secrets, and Regina found that entirely captivating.
"What about you? What kind of work do you do?" Emma asked in return, curious to hear more about a job that required such immediate attention and that the brunette shared with her sister somehow.
"I'm a lawyer. Me and my sister have a highly successful company we have been developing ever since I became old enough to be a part of a business." Regina said and her tone was mixture of proudness but there was also sadness in there.
"So was there some sort of a catastrophe yesterday that you needed to handle?" Emma could definitely believe Regina was a lawyer, like there was that sense of regalness to her and she could be very professional, but to be fair Emma had seen more of the emotional side of the other woman.
"Yes. One of my clients had made a mistake with her hearing and she needed immediate assistance and since I had been the one to handle her case before..." Regina trailed off and Emma understood.
"Well, I'm sure you were all badass and swooped in to save the day." Emma grinned, trying to make Regina feel better, since she seemed down somehow.
That made Regina smile brightly and blush just slightly. "Thank you. I rather would not have gone in though but my sense of duty is sometimes infuriatingly big." Regina rolled her eyes at herself. "I want to apologise."
Emma looked at her curiously. "For what?"
"For leaving. I know I said that already, but I saw how upset you were today when I called your name earlier. It was not my intention in anyway to hurt your feelings and I hope that will never be the case again." the remorse was so purely readable in Regina's voice that it made Emma's heart ache.
"Regina, I accepted your apology earlier. I know now why you did it and believe me, I understand the sense of duty." Emma wanted to reassure Regina, so she stopped in order for Regina to really get it.
The other woman stopped as well and stared at the blonde confusedly. Emma took the few steps separating them and stated. "I do forgive you, I do. I was upset yesterday and I'm not gonna lie about that. But I do understand work, I do understand being busy. It just all hit a spot for me. I just don't want you to worry or feel bad anymore, okay?"
Emma wanted to reach out for Regina's hand but managed to restrain herself. The other woman seemed to get the sincerity of her words without physical contact though as she smiled warmly and bowed her head slightly. In comfortable silence they continued their way towards the city.
In a while Emma struck out a conversation about lions and how Regina had mentioned always going to see the lions when she went to a new city. Regina was just as excited about the topic as Emma was and that lasted them all the way to the city and to this little corned coffee shop Regina recommended. Their original plan of walking in the park had changed when the ever changing summer weather had thrown water at them out of nowhere.
The coffee shop was private, but not empty, the tables small and the lights they used had a warm hue. There were plants literally everywhere and every single table held a little cactus or two. Regina ordered coffee and Emma couldn't stop gaping at how the brunette drank it black and Regina in turn couldn't believe the absolutely sweetness that was the mixture of Emma's hot chocolate order. They kept bantering and laughing back and forth, enjoying every minute they spend together.
Lions soon turned to Emma listening Regina tell about her travels. The company business often meant meeting people in different places and that often meant she had to leave home for a while. Even when Regina had mostly been busy with the company and building a name for them, she had taken her fair share of holidays, often deciding to leave America behind to see the wonders of Europe.
She was downright shocked to learn that Emma had never really even left the state they were living in. It wasn't because she didn't want to see places, but mainly because there was never really the right kind of motivation to go and she was nervous to have her first ever trip by herself. Regina joked she would be more than happy to go with her and even when that ended in laugh, it left both women slightly flustered.
Emma was rather unsure how they went from topic to topic but somehow travel plans to go and see the Eiffel Tower turned towards family matters. Regina had already told her a bit about her family, the older red headed sister with a temper but a sense of humor made of pure gold and a sweet parents, proud of their daughters success. It was natural for Emma to always listen to other people talk about families, because how she had came to be was a little bit more complicated than that.
She never lied about her origins, since she felt like she didn't have to. Baby Emma had been found on the side of a road, being only some days old. She had been put into foster care right away, into set of families that she would rather not think about. There had been a lot of neglect, ever since she was a baby and even physical abuse until it had been detected and she had been placed with the Nolan's at the age of four.
And as she always said, the rest was history. She knew how lucky she was to get fostered and later on adopted by loving parents whose main concern was her well being. Mary-Margaret and David had been send from heaven for her, that she was sure of. Not to mention they were so incredibly to sweet towards any- and everybody. They were also so very much in love with each other even after all the years together.
When Emma finished telling about her past and family to Regina, the brunette was quiet for a while. Not because she suddenly looked down on Emma or felt pity for her. No. It was because she admired the strength of other woman, how she had still grown up to be so caring and sweet and wonderful. And she wanted to hug Emma's parents and thank them personally since Emma clearly loved and adored them more than anything.
Afternoon was turning into the early evening and they were still sitting in the small corner table in their small corner cafe, deep in conversation when Emma's stomach growled. They both looked at Emma's mid section and blush crept up the blonde neck. That made Regina giggle a little and Emma furrowed her brows which in turn made Regina actually laugh.
Regina had known that there was something really special about Emma as soon as they had met, but she had no idea just how amazing and funny she would actually turn out to be. She had had the most amazing day with the blonde goofball and she didn't want it to end.
On the other side of the table Emma was feeling very much the same way. It was both wonderful and weird how easy it was to talk to Regina and how well they hit it off. It seemed neither of them were really much into people, but what was clear was they seemed to be into each other. The double meaning registered in Emma's brain and she blushed even more. She didn't want to leave, but her body's requirement for food and her need to still pick up the car from the zoo meant that she would have to go sooner than later. And if they ended up sharing a meal as well, she didn't think she would ever leave.
"Hungry there, dear?" Regina lip stretched into a smirk that was somehow half sweet and half wicked. Emma didn't know how someone like Regina even existed but she was thanking the higher powers that she did.
"Well, it has been a while since I was fed." Emma shot her a look, having told her about the pancakes and how she loved food.
Regina lifted her hands up slightly in surrender, but the smirk remained in its rightful place on the red lips. Emma looked at her phone and sighed at the time. She really had to get going.
"Regina, I do think I have to go. I still need to pick up the car from the zoo before they close for the day." she looked apologetic but Regina understood. They had been together for hours today.
"It's okay, Emma. We'll see each other... soon?" suddenly both of them realised that they never really discussed when they were gonna meet again. Both looked slightly lost before Emma got an idea. She wasn't sure was she being crazy and what was gonna happen, but she was willing to take it up on faith.
"Actually, my friend invited me to go out with her and some other people from the zoo tomorrow and I was wondering... Would you maybe want to go... With me?" Emma felt slightly bit awkward, but all doubt vanished when she saw the blinding smile Regina was sporting.
"With you huh?" there was that flirtatious tone again.
"Yes, with me. Unless you don't want to?" Emma felt slightly lightheaded with her own emotions. Regina could make her go from awkward to the most confident person on earth who was actually able to flirt with a gorgeous woman like the brunette was. What was up with all of that, she did not know.
"I want to." Regina hurried to answer, which made Emma smile brightly back.
"Amazing, good, perfect." she rambled. "How about I text you all the info when I make it home, okay? Easier to have them written down somewhere." she grinned.
"Well, you know how to find me." Regina winked even when Emma saw a slight blush color the high cheekbones.
"I will see you tomorrow then." Emma said and got up a bit clumsily. She had been sitting for hours and she could feel - or rather couldn't feel - how her butt had gone numb. Few leg shakes and amused smile from Regina later, Emma straightened herself and flung her backpack on her back and faced Regina.
Both of them were slightly unsure what was gonna happen, but without second guessing herself too much Emma bend down to give Regina a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to head towards the door. Before she stepped out she looked back and said loud enough for Regina to hear. "I will text you later." and she was gone.
Regina couldn't believe that just happened. She absentmindedly lifted her fingers to slightly touch her cheek and she could feel the heat that had risen to them after Emma's kiss.
She couldn't wait for tomorrow.