I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO UPLOAD. THANK YOU GUYS FOR POINTING THAT OUT! (would be lost without you)
I really didn't mean to take forever to update! Sorry sorry sorry! I've been very busy. Still am.
Which is a positive thing… It's the first year I'm not a student anymore and I work freelance so the more work… the better! It takes away a lot of time I usually used to write though… so that's kinda the downside to it. I haven't given up though.
I actually have a lot of ideas for new stories as well. But first I wanna get on with this one, of course :)
This chapter isn't super long but I decided to upload it non the less.
At this point, I reckon, anything is better than nothing.
Plus it's my birthday and I'm feeling festive and enthusiastic! ^^ haha
I solemnly swear that I'm doing my best to update asap ;)
Now let's continue…
CHAPTER 24
The weight landing on top of her is too light to be that of her girlfriend.
Not that Regina is heavy, at all. The woman is rather petite actually.
But the bundle of love that's currently wiggling on top of her is even lighter. Smaller.
And if possible, even a tiny bit cuter as well.
"Kid." Emma's sleep-laced voice smiles as she pulls her arms from underneath the covers to wrap them around the boy.
The absence of Regina in their bed and the presence of the boy must mean that the brunette had gotten up earlier to go get Henry from Kathryn's.
The domestic noises coming from downstairs signal the makings of a weekend-worthy breakfast.
Henry giggles loudly, almost directly into her ear and she winces.
One, narrowed green eye stares into his.
'What are you doing running around the house without clothes, baby?"
She snorts amused at his big grin.
He's butt naked and laughing at her confused expression before sitting up a bit.
"Mommy says you'll give me a bath."
There's a tiny part of Emma that wants to just groan and turn over because she could really use some more snoozing but truth be told… she loves this little boy too much not to be up to taking care of him 24/7. She takes in a deep breath. Filling her lungs to their full extent, or at least as much as she's able to with her son comfortably sitting on top of her.
She nods and offers him a sweet smile.
"Okay, let's go baby Mills."
"I'm not a baby, momma!" He tells her pointedly while wrapping his arms around her neck as she sits up a little straighter.
"I know sweetheart."
Emma suddenly remembers sleeping entirely naked and maybe needing to cover up first, but the covers have already fallen away and Henry's looking at her expectantly for her to pick him up. He doesn't seem phased at all by her current state of undress and is clearly in a cuddly mood, wanting to be carried to the bathroom.
Her expression softens when she smiles at him and picks him up, before settling him into her side and walking their way down the hall.
"Can there be bubbles?"
"A bath ain't a bath without bubbles, kid. So yes… lots of bubbles!" She tells him excitedly as his face blooms into one of excitement as well.
Without really putting much thought into it and just acting upon what comes natural, Emma fills the bath, makes sure the temperature is right, adds a rather large amount of bubbles and then some, helps Henry into the tub and then gets in herself.
She washes him, herself and they play with ducks, boats and a plastic dolphin. Henry's collection of bath-toys is larger than her entire childhood toy collection.
It makes her happy. You could say he's spoiled and you'd be right. But they're also raising him with a realistic understanding of the value of things and not to take what you have for granted and most importantly… the understanding of what really matters in life.
Like mommy's, friends and the power of imagination.
The ability to see the bath water as a milky way and the floating toys as planets.
And if the water is the universe, Emma silently decides, clearly Henry is God.
At least he's hers.
"Children" hers as well, she knows.
Regina's expression is one of amusement when she sees both the blonde and their son covered in copious amounts of bubbles.
Emma blushes a little before clearing her throat.
"We're almost ready." She tickles Henry's left foot beneath the water surface and he laughs out loudly, splashing some water over the edge of the tub.
Regina steps closer towards them, and bends through her legs so she's at eye level with both loves of her life.
"Hands." she says while holding out both of her own for them to place one of theirs in.
Emma nods at Henry and they both do as they're told.
Regina closely studies their palms for a second.
"Just as I thought. Thoroughly wrinkled."
She glares playfully at her family.
"Yeah we're changing into water animals!" Henry happily pipes up.
"Is that so?" Regina chuckles while getting back up and turning to grab two fluffy bathrobes. One that's tiny and yellow and one that's adult sized and blue.
"Yes! Momma told me!" Henry says, now standing up in the tub. The water reaching to just above his knees and Emma grabs the shower head to rinse the last bits of soap from his skin.
"It's true." Emma smiles while letting the lukewarm water stream down Henry's back and butt.
"Our hands and feet getting all wrinkly when we're in water, is actually our bodies adjusting to its new environment." She says and turns the water back off.
One of Regina's eye brows is still raised skeptically as she's helping Henry out of the tub and Emma gets up herself. Ignoring the foam that's still clinging to her body.
"It's for better grip. What? It's true! Google it." She chuckles and Regina smiles back at her.
"I believe you. I didn't know that. But that's interesting, dear."
"It is. I'm educating our son, Regina. What did you think we were doing? playing silly games?" She scoffs playfully, throwing Henry a quick wink as Regina combs his hair away from his face and pulls his robe tightly around him.
Emma doesn't move from her place right next to the bath. Waiting her turn to be wrapped lovingly in a fuzzy bathrobe. When Regina notices Emma's patient stance, she rolls her eyes affectionately and steps towards her.
Giving her a sweet, quick kiss on the lips and pulling the warm robe around her girlfriend's body. "There. Now are the both of you ready for breakfast?"
Both nod and Emma's already licking her lips as they exit the bathroom and she asks. "What are we having?"
They had french toast, bacon and fresh pineapple.
Regina also had coffee and both other members of the little family, coco.
"Robin's coming over this afternoon." Regina carefully informs the blonde.
Emma looks over at Henry, makes sure he's deeply engrossed in biting his piece of french toast into a perfect circle, smiles at his endless cuteness and turns her attention back on Regina.
"She's not coming, is she?"
"Of course not." Regina immediately assures her. "I don't think things are going so well between them." She snorts softly.
Emma frowns a little and sighs. "He'd be better off without her."
"I know…" Regina nods "and I think he agrees." After Lilly's attitude last night… How can he not?
"Good." Emma breathes out.
She reaches for Regina's hand and gives it an affectionate squeeze.
"I'm fine with him knowing everything." She tells her lover seriously.
Regina looks up and closely studies the blonde's face for any traces of doubt.
"You're sure?" She smiles warmly.
Emma's lips spread into a huge smile as she turns towards the little boy in front of her.
"Uncle Robin is coming over this afternoon, kid!" She enthusiastically announces.
"Really?!" His little eyes go wide as he gasps in excitement.
"Really." Regina laughs a little hoarsely. Affected by the reality of their situation. It's so clear now, Emma's pride of her family has won over from her insecurities.
"Cool!" Henry loudly exclaims. Lips, painted with coco, smiling broadly and it sends both Regina's and Emma's heart reeling.
After breakfast, Regina had sent them off to get dressed so she could clean up the kitchen.
After Emma picked out Henry's outfit he'd insisted to do the same for her.
Which had resulted in them practically wearing the same outfit.
Black jeans and a blue t-shirt. Simple enough but still absolutely adorable seeing as the boy now looked like a mini version of his mom.
Regina loved it. She even suggested Emma and him should always coordinate their outfits. Henry deemed it a wonderful plan but Emma narrowed her eyes playfully at Regina's enthusiastic teasing. The sarcasm to his brunette's mother's words was lost on Henry, just as she'd intended and he'd already listed up pieces of clothing they both have that are similar looking.
In the afternoon, around 4pm, The doorbell had rung and Emma had quickly done a couple of breathing exercises to calm herself down for the conversation they were about to have. She was also inwardly wondering how many more times she would have to out herself like this in her life.
"Robin." Regina softly smiled as she led her brother into their home.
The feet of the youngest inhabitant of the loft had quickly found their way to the front door and Robin swooped Henry up into a big hug.
"Hey little man. How's my favorite nephew doing?"
"I'm your only nephew!" Henry had rolled his eyes sarcastically but giggled non the less.
Robin had then handed Henry what he'd called his late birthday gift but was really a peace offering for changing their plans the night before.
Regardless of the reason of the gift, Henry was thrilled.
It was picked out perfectly. Even Regina had silently agreed and smiled warmly as Henry immediately ran upstairs to change.
One short minute later he'd returned wearing a shirt, still very blue -as Emma's- but this one's covered in a rocket ship print.
Miraculously, Robin had even picked the right size.
In his arms, the little boy was carrying paper, a book and a pencil-case filled with sharpened pencils. he sat himself down on the ground, placed his stuff onto the coffee table and lifted off into his own imagination.
Regina's coffee was almost ready so Emma grabbed three cups.
"Milk?" She asked Robin, over her shoulder.
"Small cloud."
She nodded.
During those first couple of minutes they didn't say much more actually.
Not until they were all seated and Emma let out a big breath.
"Look. I have to tell you something." She'd bravely said and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Okay." He nodded.
"Maybe it'll be difficult to understand but I need you to try to have an open mind." The blonde told him pointedly.
Regina smiled at her girlfriend's strictness. She was going to say what she had to, once, and that would have to suffice… she didn't owe anyone anything and the girl's tone implied that she knew this. So yes, Regina was happy with how things were going so far. With the way Emma was handling the situation.
"Of course." Robin nodded once more.
"Your girlfriend thinks she slept -one time- with my brother."
"Emil?" He frowned.
Emma didn't verbally confirm this but nodded while continuing to talk.
"But she actually slept with me." She stated.
"With you? But why did she say" Robin was asking questions before his time so Emma didn't even let him finish. This too made Regina smile. Because, as vulnerable as she knew this topic of conversation was making her girlfriend feel, the girl was able to stay calm and keep her cool.
"She said what she thought happened… I have a male reproductive system and at the time I was wearing guy clothes as a way of trying to fit in." Emma matter of factly informed him.
Surprisingly, her heart wasn't hammering in her chest as she'd expected. She really did feel calm and composed.
This story that she was telling now had a happy ending after all… and so the drama of it all was outshine greatly by all of the good that had come after it.
Her feeling miserable had just been a chapter and it was over and done with.
Something she could now tell Robin without panicking about the consequences. Because whatever he'd think of her could never ever be more important than how both Regina and Henry look at her.
"So, while she thinks it was my brother she slept with… it was actually me. As far as I know, I don't have a brother." She concludes with a slight nod of her head.
She looks at Robin for a couple more seconds before she turns to Regina and offers her a smile.
Nothing's being said in the next minute or so. A pensive expression paints Robin's features as he purses his lips and nods. Processing all of the information, Emma reckons.
"ex fiancée." He suddenly says.
"What?" She asks him a little warily and confused.
"I broke things off with her." He clarifies and goes on
"I didn't know she's crazy. I didn't know much about her."
"Yet you were going to marry her." Regina then says on her turn, lightly sarcastic.
"Yes well… I obviously hadn't really thought it through yet." He snorts.
"How are you feeling?" Emma now tentatively asks.
"I feel like I dodged a bullet." He instantly replies, laughing.
"There's something else we have to tell you."
They went on telling him about what they'd found out about Emma being Henry's donor, including a very enthusiastic Henry in the conversation.
Funnily enough, It only then clicked with Robin that the new baby they're going for is one they're naturally trying to conceive.
"Well yes… obviously…" Regina's snorted loudly. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head but smiling nonetheless because of the fact that she's feeling so relieved. Especially after last night. What a dragon of a night that was.
Today's a good day. A very good day indeed.
The next couple of days had been good too. In fact the next week had felt careless and wonderful. Regina's workload had been a bit better and Emma had simply felt less stressed knowing all was now out in the open.
It's Friday afternoon, around 2pm, when there's quick knocking on their front door and Regina goes to open.
It's a pleasant surprise for both women when they see their best friends on the other side of the threshold.
Ruby grins wide as she raises her eye brows and takes a step into the living room.
"So guess what?" She says, practically beaming with excitement.
"Where have you been Rubes?! You've barely answered my texts and haven't posted anything on your Instagram during the last four days… four days, Rubes." Emma laughs as she walks towards the girl and gives her a quick hug.
When Ruby refuses to let go of her hand, Emma gives her a questioning look.
Ruby's eyes travel from Emma's to Regina's to Kathryn's who hasn't said anything yet but nods encouragingly.
One little sigh later and she spills the beans.
"We got married."
Sorry for any and all mistakes! I admit I didn't have time to spell-check :/
Hope you're all doing fabulous! I've missed you and I'll try to get back to you asap *insert hearts*