Emma IV
Ruby was on the other end of the line, "Hold on, so, let me get this straight. She showed you around her house, made you all dinner, got Henry a private tutor, and doubled your salary?"
"Yeah, all within a week," Emma confirmed as she paced during the conversation.
Ruby chuckled, and Emma frowned. "She's obviously interested in you in some capacity," her best friend explained, "People don't do that for just a new employee or even a friend. How many friends would hire a private tutor for someone else's child? Come on, Emma. It's plain as day."
Emma's stomach hadn't stopped doing backflips since the damn camping trip and dinner; ugh, the blonde groaned mentally at how attractive she found her boss. "Plain as day what?" Emma questioned, unsure if she wanted to hear exactly where she thought this was going.
"That she like likes you, if you catch my drift," Ruby teased, laughing on the other end of the line.
"It's not funny!" Emma turned scarlet, and she was thankful Ruby couldn't see her face. "So what?" the blonde whined, "even if we like each other, we'll keep it professional." The foreman pouted.
"Fat chance of that happening," Ruby scoffed.
"I'm hanging up on you now," Emma threatened.
"We're still on for later this week, right?" Ruby asked quickly.
"Yeah, we're good to go," Emma said. "Talk to you later. Bye."
"Bye, Ems!"
Emma tapped the red dot on the screen and ended the call. She ended her pacing, plopped on her couch, and sighed. Play it cool, she thought. She resolved to focus on her work and Henry, not the brunette that had captured her attention.
The worst part of it all was Regina kept tagging along with her during her work routines to learn the trade during her staycation, which Emma was beginning to realize was much longer than any other vacation she had ever heard of. Guess there are many perks to being independently wealthy and your own boss, she thought.
One day, while they were on horseback overlooking some cattle grazing in the new pasture, Emma decided to ask why it was her that Regina wanted to spend time with rather than the other hands she's known for far longer. "Ms. Mills, why do you shadow me the most? You've known the others far longer than me and have a rapport with them."
Emma noticed that Regina adjusted herself in her saddle and didn't look at the foreman when she answered; instead, she focused on the others who were out of earshot of them both.
"I don't like their company much," Regina admitted. Emma detected a hint of annoyance in her tone. Sure, they could be annoying, but they were decent guys so far, in Emma's opinion. "Besides, I prefer your teachings to theirs. I tried once before. The 'lesson' was full of condescension as if I were somehow less than them for being unfamiliar with a trade they'd spent their entire lives learning. Ignorance of a subject does not equal inferiority. They made me feel," the brunette was looking out at the cattle, seeming to search them for the right words, "incapable."
"You're right; not knowing about something doesn't make you inferior. I'm sorry they treated you that way," Emma said sincerely. Her heart hurt for the woman. And the foreman felt a rising anger and hostility towards the men who hurt her.
Emma watched as Regina shook off the negative memories, "I'm rather glad it's you teaching me these things in an easily digestible manner and with patience. I appreciate that more than you know."
The blonde smiled and allowed her mind to wander to distant memories of her dad teaching her to ride, "My dad was the same with me when I first started. Troubled, inexperienced kid coming into his peaceful environment. He had oodles of patience for me." Emma looked at the brunette, who still seemed pulled by those negative experiences with the guys.
"Do you want to know about the first time I rode a horse at a gallop?" the blonde prompted. Regina looked over at her, curious. "I felt like I was soaring across the sky. With the reins in my hands, I felt powerful, ready for anything that came my way, like a medieval knight riding into battle," Emma blushed at the admission. When she glanced at Regina all she saw was understanding and respect. The brunette was sitting taller in her saddle, and her eyes were alight with something that Emma found very attractive. She shook the thoughts away, glad that she could pull the woman out of dark memories. "Anyway, so, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?"
Regina dimmed again, and pursed her lips, looking away. "Nothing of importance."
Dammit, Emma thought. "Not doing anything, like at all?"
Regina still didn't look at her. "I don't like the holidays. Reminds me of losing my father, of Daniel. Reminds me of not-so-pleasant things from long ago, so I don't do anything," the CEO attempted a shrug.
Okay, we have to remedy this, she's not spending Thanksgiving alone this year, Emma thought. "Ms. Mills, would you like to join Henry and me at my parent's house for Thanksgiving? It'll be an amazing time, I promise. Plus, you'll get to see where I trained and was raised. My parents are almost as hospitable as you are. They would love to see you again, as well. They loved you."
Emma smiled with all the warmth she could muster when Regina turned to face her. She couldn't make out what Regina's expression was, but at least it wasn't negative. "I–I wouldn't want to impose," the smaller woman seemed unsure.
"Nonsense. You're not imposing. I'm offering an open invitation. Are you in, or are you out, so I can let them know," Emma put on cheery bravado, hoping that her nerves didn't betray her.
The foreman watched as Regina seemed to think on the offer for a minute, and finally, she said, "Of course, I'd love to join you for Thanksgiving dinner. It's been a long time since I've had a proper one."
Emma slightly shook her head at that, "Not even with some of your friends?"
Regina shrugged, "It's not that they didn't offer, I just always turned them down, preferring to stay alone."
Emma thought that was incredibly sad but didn't want to say it out loud for fear of offending Regina. "Well, now you've said 'yes,' and you won't be alone for Thanksgiving dinner. Also, no need to bring anything. My Mom makes all the best homey food."
"Homey food?" Regina asked with a smile.
"You know, casseroles, turkey, stuffing, etc." Emma told her. "But it'll fill you up. My favorites are the stuffing and gravy, and for dessert, pumpkin pie! Or pecan pie? I can't decide which is better."
"You seem really excited," Regina said with a smile that melted Emma's heart.
"This is nowhere near as excited as Henry is going to be," Emma said gleefully. "He really likes you, a lot."
Regina's expression softened a bit at this. "I've grown to like him, too."
As they walked back, they discussed the details regarding the logistics of Thanksgiving. Emma called her mom while still on horseback to tell her that Regina was coming and to add a little extra to the food preparations to accommodate her, and Mary Margaret was thrilled to have the added guest. Emma rolled her eyes when her mother hinted at something suggestive.
They arrived back at the stables and did their dismount routine. As the boys left, Robin remained behind, to eavesdrop Emma suspected. So, the foreman dismissed him, "No need to do anything, Robin. I'll handle it from here. You go on home."
He didn't protest, just said, "All right. Good night, Ms. Mills, Emma." He tipped his new gray brick type of hat. It suited him better than the previous one he had for over ten years, or so he told Emma.
"Good night, Mr. Locksley," Regina said.
He walked out, leaving the pair of ladies behind. "Miss Swan, I'd like to sort out the tack room a bit. It's all out of sorts since the addition of Western style in our repertoire, and it's been driving me up the wall looking at it. I could use your help. If you have the time, that is," Regina asked.
"Sure, I can help," Emma agreed as she was more than willing to spend more time with Regina.
The tack room in the stables was a large room and a shared space for all tack and additional equipment, as well as the hands' preferred equipment. There was enough tack to suit up all ten horses at once and then some. The guys each had portable storage lockers that held their personal stuff for easy transportation between their other jobs. Emma also had a locker, but the foreman opted for storing most of her stuff in the open, same as Regina. Regina's personal equipment took up most of the tack room as the horses and the stables were an accumulation of a lifelong hobby and sport. Her preferred tack was starting to clutter in her main corner.
The foreman googled the best-looking tack rooms for Regina to look over, and the ranch owner settled on one in particular that suited her. Emma reviewed the selected style and quickly calculated the work they would need to do to accomplish the new system. "Well, we've got a bit of work to do in here," Emma observed.
"How about tomorrow we take inventory of everything, tackle the different saddles, bridles, stirrups, reins, halters, bits, blankets, and saddle pads. We assess our frequency of use for each. For seasonal stuff and things that we don't need often, we can pack them away in our storage lockers or pick up some additional containers. I think we should get an additional saddle rack section installed for your English tack here, and the rest on the other side can be for Western. Then, like the style in the photo, we can get some wall racks for the saddle pads and additional tack hooks. We've got the stall bags for each of the horse's grooming stuff, but the wall baskets system could go here on the back wall to hold all the additional grooming and care supplies, first aid, and odds and ends, so we're not dealing with this—for lack of a better word—mess," Emma gestured to the piles of supplies laid out around the room amongst the tack. "Sound like a plan?" the foreman offered; she was confident while she listed all the ideas but was nervous now that she had finished.
"We can do that," Regina accepted. "Well, it's getting late, and I am famished, as I am sure you are. You have a good night, Miss Swan. Give my best to Henry. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Will do. Good night, Ms. Mills," Emma smiled and sighed once the boss exited the stables.
The next day, the two women spent the morning together, running to the supply store to get the necessary equipment to retrofit the tack room. Then they enlisted the help of Jefferson and Robin in organizing and installing new racks and hooks and sorting the tack and supplies. They began to separate the Western and English tack from each other first. Emma noticed a difference in how Regina was treating the guys over her. Regina seemed nicer and more polite with Emma, whereas with the others, she was distant and ordered them around more. With Emma, it was always more of a request than a directive. The blonde was happy to be on the softer side of the CEO; it made her insides molten.
By the mid-afternoon, they were nearly all done.
"So, you're satisfied?" Emma asked.
"I am, surprisingly so. This is much better than what it was before," Regina confirmed. "I'd like to spruce it up after Thanksgiving, give it a bit of flair."
"That would be cool. Although, it's already pretty cool since we got everything hung up or stored away properly. I'm curious, though, how would you 'flair' it up a bit," Emma asked.
"I have ideas," the brunette began, "such as neatly displaying my accomplishments, photos, and such. There are a few lining the back of Rocinante's stall," Regina said. "But I think it would be nice to make this my own space," she gestured to the area around her main storage locker, "to celebrate my history with riding."
"Flair, for sure," Emma smiled, thinking about a similar display her parents arranged at home for her own awards and equipment. "I like that idea; it will be good to display your accomplishments." The blonde added, "It'll also help us get a better idea of what we want to do for tack rooms in the expansion."
Regina smiled, "No doubt. I'm thinking the construction for expansion begins in the new year."
"Oh, wow. That fast? I thought we were still in the planning stages," Emma's eyes widened as her mind attempted to run through all of the necessary hoops to jump through in order to begin the build. The list was long, and the foreman couldn't imagine how they could move that fast.
"Yes, I want the structures completed by the end of spring, ready for summer. With my connections at city hall, I greased some wheels to get it done," Regina said nonchalantly. "They owed me favors, anyhow."
Emma was impressed with how quickly the CEO took command of a situation. Still, she felt a pang in her gut that she wasn't included in these negotiations, but she had no clue about greasing any wheels at City Hall, so it was a fleeting feeling. "I must say, Ms. Mills, that's impressive. You made quick work of an idea and are turning it into a reality," the blonde stated with sincerity.
"That's how I work," Regina said with a smirk.
Jefferson and Robin walked in carrying feed from their trip to the supply store. "Not to interrupt what I'm sure is an important conversation, but Emma, can you help us out?" Robin snidely requested. Emma was prepared to shut down what she thought was uncharacteristically rude behavior, but Regina beat her to it.
Regina pursed her lips. "Actually, Mr. Locksley, it was an important conversation."
"Sorry, Ms. Mills. I was just–" Robin began to backpedal, but he was cut off.
"Being rather rude? Yes, something you're quite adept at," Regina stated coldly.
He kept his mouth shut and threw the feed bag down on top of the others, and it split open, spilling feed everywhere. "Damn it!" Robin shouted.
Regina gestured toward the feed everywhere and whispered to Emma, "He has a temper and attitude that I don't enjoy having around, but he can fix just about anything mechanical and is relatively reliable." The boss sighed, and Emma wondered what else she was thinking about as her brown eyes took on a far-off look.
"Sorry, Ms. Mills. What was that?" Robin said, refocusing on the boss instead of the mess he made.
"Nothing important just remarked on how these bags are most likely made with inferior materials these days and are susceptible to breakage," Regina said smoothly. Emma stared a little in awe at the smaller woman and how quickly she could spin a story that was believable.
The spin seemed to have worked. Robin grumped, "Everything worth a damn is made in the United States and costs three times as much."
"Indeed," Regina said.
Jefferson slowly placed his bag and began to help clean up the spilled feed, along with Emma and Robin, and shoveled what they could salvage into a feed bucket. "The feed is American; the bags are made elsewhere. Saves the company money, and money talks," Jefferson said, glancing at the CEO. "Emma, we got this; just go grab the last bags. Please."
"Sure, I got it," Emma said, and she went to grab the first fifty-pound bag from Jefferson's truck. The foreman carried it back to the stables and glanced at Regina, who was eying her as she bit her lip. Emma felt her cheeks grow slightly hotter in that instant, and her breath hitched. Breathe, idiot, she scolded herself. She headed back to grab another bag, and Jefferson joined. Emma noticed Regina was dividing her attention from observing Robin clean up the last of his mess and checking her out. Emma couldn't help the charming smile that spread across her face.
Emma made five more trips along with Jefferson; Robin joined them for the last three. Regina oversaw the unloading of the feed and stocking of the feed bins. She discussed the updated schedule regarding the expansion with them. "One of you fill Killian in on the details," the brunette directed at the guys.
"I'll do it. Well, looks like we're done here. I'm heading out. See you later, Ms. Mills, Robin, Emma." Jefferson tipped his hat and left.
Robin stood there slightly sweaty-faced. "I didn't appreciate being called rude, Ms. Mills," he sulked.
Regina crossed her arms and raised her chin. "When someone interrupts a conversation between two other people, that is considered rude in a civilized society."
Robin crossed his arms in turn. "Okay, fine. I was rude. I apologize for that, but you could have pulled me aside and told me instead of saying it out loud in front of the others to hear. It's humiliating."
Regina smirked. Emma had a sneaky suspicion the older woman liked to humiliate and emasculate certain types of men, or women, for that matter, judging by the smirk she had. Despite the look on her face, "I suppose you're right. That won't happen again. Also, I accept your apology. Is there anything else you care to discuss?"
Robin looked directly at Emma, who raised her eyebrow, and he opened his mouth but didn't say anything. He trained his eyes back on Regina, "The tack room looks great. We did a good job. I also like the expansion idea of moving quickly and not dragging it out. I think that's a good move."
"Thank you, Mr. Locksley," Regina said. "Well, you best get home to your wife and son. Give them my best. Have a good evening."
"Good night, the both of you," he said, turned around fast, and left the stables.
Emma turned toward Regina, "What was that about?"
The CEO shrugged, "He doesn't like when I point things out in front of people, is all; though I find it both entertaining and hypocritical that he pointed that out in front of you. He's delicate as a flower when it comes to criticism," she rolled her eyes. "But, I'm sure you're aware of his skill set."
"Honestly, we can find a replacement at this point if he's going to cause any more problems," Emma said, remembering the comments shared on the camping trip about the man hitting on her and not liking the idea of the guy making Regina uncomfortable. "Just throwing that out there."
"I have considered it," Regina sighed, and Emma wondered what was running through her mind, "but it's hard to find a jack of all trades around this area." The blonde felt like that wasn't what she was going to say or that there was perhaps more to it, but she wouldn't press. "Though, it seems I lucked out with you," Regina smiled at her.
Emma felt butterflies again and tried to squash them which was easier said than done with the gorgeous woman standing before her, smiling at her like that. "Yeah, it was certainly lucky for the both of us," the foreman breathed out.
"It would seem that way," Regina agreed, still smiling, and now she leaned against the wall. "So, Thanksgiving. Just to confirm. We are taking my SUV to your parents' place in Casper, and we're spending the night."
Emma beamed, "Yep, that's the plan."
"And the animals, in the meantime, you've got that covered?" Regina asked.
"Yep, the day worker that helped us out the day of the auction, Juan 'Fitz' Fitzgerald, he's coming to handle the work while we're gone. And since Killian doesn't have any family around here, he volunteered. So, Fitz, along with Killian, will manage things again," Emma laid out. "Everything's covered."
"Good. Glad to hear that," Regina said. "I'm looking forward to seeing your family again," she smiled.
Emma's heart leapt. "Really? I sometimes think my parents can be; I don't know, overbearing?"
"No, not at all," Regina chuckled and smiled. "My mother was overbearing. Your parents, from the little I gathered from our limited interactions and from what you told me, are quite lovely people."
"Yeah, they're pretty great," Emma could feel her pride and love shining out. Then she looked at her wristwatch. "Shoot, I gotta go. Henry's gonna be hungry. See you tomorrow for the trip; what time?"
"We'll leave here around 9 AM and be there around noon," Regina suggested. "That time frame has room for rest stops and such for Henry and ourselves, as well as any holiday traffic we may encounter."
"Sounds perfect. We'll see you at 9; good night, Ms. Mills," Emma smiled a the woman again. Yeah, tomorrow is gonna be a good day, she thought.
"Good night, Miss Swan," Regina bid.
The next morning, they packed into Regina's Land Rover. The brunette drove, and they headed south for Casper, Wyoming. Henry was in the back with his iPad and headphones watching a movie, still groggy and yawning but excited, as well, to see his grandparents and their place again.
"Henry is always excited to go there," Emma explained. "He kinda grew up there, too. We spent the first five years of his life with them. So, when I was out working elsewhere or out on the circuit, he had them."
"So, Mary Margaret and David are somewhat additional parents for him then," Regina asked.
"Oh, yeah. They're like a second set of parents, which is great for him. It takes a village, all that jazz," Emma said. The blonde lamented for a moment. "Although, since we moved to Sheridan a couple of years ago, he hasn't seen them as frequently. So, that's something I want to remedy going forward."
"Well, there are winter, spring, and summer breaks for him to spend time there while school is out," Regina suggested.
"Yeah, we're going to do that starting this year. Henry's going to his grandparents for winter break while I'm here," she glanced back at Henry to make sure he couldn't hear her as she dropped her voice to whisper, "It'll be a nice break for me as well. It's hard being a single mom."
Emma didn't know what possessed her to say that to the woman, but she felt the need to confess that to her. Regina nodded. "I can only imagine how difficult that is. I think you're doing wonderfully, though. He is an absolute delight." Regina complimented her and Henry, and Emma fell just a little harder. Regina stayed silent for a minute. "So, about the expansion, I was thinking about some of the things we need to do to stay on track with the timeline." The ladies discussed the plans, and it opened up discussions about how the details would work with timing and logistics.
Then they played some music to pass the time by. "Rise Up" by Andra Day came on, and Regina began to sing; Emma was mesmerized by the woman's singing voice. The brunette must have noticed Emma's attention, and she said she couldn't help it and apologized. Emma noted a somewhat bashful demeanor overtaking the CEO. However, in the moment, the woman was really into it and sang unrestrained. The blonde was impressed with the impromptu performance, but Regina changed the conversation quickly. Emma found this endearing and wanted to ask what made Regina sing along with that song, but the brunette's face suggested not to bring it up, so she let it go. The rest of the trip was uneventful.
As they neared their destination, they pulled into an average farmhouse at the end of a long driveway. Barns surrounded the property, which was not unusual around this area. They parked out front; four vehicles were already there. They exited the vehicle and knocked on the door. Mary Margaret answered with a wide, bright smile.
"Oh, welcome! You're right on time! Come on in before you catch a cold," the mother said as she motioned for them to come in.
The house smelled like home for Emma. Her mom's cooking made her mouth water, knowing full well she was about to get great food. She hoped Regina would enjoy it. Emma knew Henry would, and he had already grabbed his grandmother in a tight squeeze as the woman kissed the top of his head.
"Thank you for having me in your lovely home for Thanksgiving, Mary Margaret," Regina said, and she formally extended her hand to shake Mary Margaret's. Emma watched as her mother stared at the offered hand for a moment before going in for a hug, to which Regina slightly stiffened but returned a halfway pat on her back. Emma chastised herself for not warning Regina that her parents were very affectionate people.
"Of course! I was so happy to hear that Emma invited you. You were lovely to speak with at the birthday party. We want to get to know you better," Mary Margaret said cheerfully.
David came around the corner with an apron on. "Welcome! I'd hug you, but I have some turkey bits on me at the moment. Glad you all made it safely. Turkey is almost done. Just a few final touches, and we'll be set to go. The game's on in the living room if you want to settle in. Mary Margaret will get you your drinks then we'll have dinner." Emma kissed her dad on the cheek, and he bent down so Henry could do the same. Then she escorted Henry and Regina to the living room.
When they went into the living room, they found two people Emma recognized immediately. Belle and Neal sat next to each other on the loveseat, sipping on their drinks and snacking on a charcuterie board full of sliced meats, cheeses, and fruits. The football game was a close one according to the score. Emma motioned for Regina to come around the couch so she could introduce her to Belle and Neal. Then Emma gestured for her to take a seat.
Henry was already jumping into a spot on the couch, so Regina sat next to him, and Emma followed, the three of them filling out the couch nicely. The blonde's dad normally occupied a recliner in the corner and the rocker next to it was a go-to for her mom. Emma couldn't help feeling like puzzle pieces were falling into place, but she shook it off. Mary Margaret delivered their drinks and smiled at Emma, who rolled her eyes at her mother, then the lady of the house returned to the kitchen and her husband.
"So, how has everything been with you two?" Emma asked Belle and Neal.
They looked at each other and smiled. Belle said, "Great. Love my job; love this man. It's been really good." Neal nodded along. "Thank you for asking, and how are you?"
"I've been doing really good, too, mostly due to Ms. Mills here," Emma said gesturing toward Regina.
Regina turned a bit pink and Emma was endeared. "It's not all me. Miss Swan has been instrumental in my ranching business. I couldn't have asked for a better ranch hand, and foreman to lead the team, and she's a lovely person to boot with a wonderful child and family." Now it was Emma's turn to blush.
"You struck gold with this one," Neal gestured to Emma, "that's for sure; she's one of a kind."
"And what is it you both do for a living?" Regina asked.
"I'm a ranch hand, like Emma, only I do it for David here at Bluebird. He also happens to be my best friend," Neal said with a broad smile.
Belle said, "I work at the same school where Mary Margaret works, I'm in the library, and we also struck up a friendship. Then they, David and Mary Margaret, thought it would be cute if they set us up. Worked, didn't it, honey?" Belle leaned into Neal.
"Going two years strong," Neal proclaimed proudly.
Regina gave a small smile that reached her eyes. "That's wonderful to hear. I hope that continues."
Mary Margaret came in and said, "Early dinner is ready if you all would like to take your seats."
They all moved toward the dining room, where the table was spread out like a feast fit for royalty. Regina was impressed, by the look on her face, at the display of such a humble appearing home and family. "This looks absolutely lovely, David and Mary Margaret," Regina praised.
Mary Margaret and David smiled brightly at the compliment. Emma pulled out a chair for Regina in the middle on one long side of the rectangular table across from Belle and Emma sat to Regina's right, across from Neal. Henry took the seat to Regina's left. Emma's dad sat at the head of the table on her right while her mom sat at the other head of the table.
"The stuffing and gravy are the best," Henry offered.
"Stuffing and gravy are my favorite parts, too," Regina whispered to Henry, but Emma caught it and smiled.
"Me too. Mom does it justice, you'll see," Emma promised Regina, who gave a small smile.
"Well, let's dive in before it gets cold!" David exclaimed.
They began to eat and have side conversations about various subjects. Emma found herself engaged with Regina more than the others as they discussed everything from the ranch to Henry's private tutoring. David and Mary Margaret overheard this in between talking with Belle and Neal.
"So, how is the tutoring going," Mary Margaret asked.
Emma felt herself go slightly red with the heat in her cheeks; she hadn't asked Henry how his week had gone. "Um."
Regina took a sip of her wine, "It's been a success so far, wouldn't you say, Henry?" the brunette skillfully maneuvered, and Emma breathed a sigh of relief.
Henry nodded and said, "Oh, it's been awesome! Way better than school. Remember what I told you, I learn about all the stuff they don't teach in school. Ms. Mills has been very nice, too, and taught me some stuff."
Mary Margaret shifted her attention back to Regina, "Well, I can't thank you enough for your generosity toward not only Emma but Henry as well. We are very grateful you came into their lives, and ours," Mary Margaret smiled and raised her glass to Regina. Regina toasted back, and they drank.
"If I see potential that's combined with hard work, I cultivate it. It's in my nature," Regina shrugged.
"You would have made a great educator," Mary Margaret commented.
"Oh, no," Regina chuckled, "I admire what you do very much; I don't have the patience for an entire classroom. Just one or two at a time for me." Emma smiled at the comments and the image.
Belle caught Emma's eye. Emma noted a curious expression on her face that the blonde couldn't quite name so she asked, "What's up, Belle?"
"Oh, nothing. Just haven't seen you in a while and I missed you! And Henry, of course," she replied quickly and went back to finishing her food.
"What's the plan after dinner?" Henry asked. "May I play video games in my room?"
Emma looked around Regina at him and considered for a moment. "Yeah, kid, I think you earned it by being so well-behaved and knocking your grades out of the park."
"Cool! Thanks Mom!" he got up and all but ran toward the room. The two women shared a smile.
"If it would be all right with you, Ms. Mills, I'd like to give you a tour of Bluebird," David offered.
"Oh, I'd like to assist in cleaning up the kitchen and putting away the food," Regina counter-offered.
"Nonsense!" Mary Margaret waved her hand in dismissal. "You are our guest; no work for you. Emma and Belle will help me."
"If you're sure," Regina asked and looked at Emma who had tilted her head at her mother, but nodded reassuringly to the brunette.
"I'm positive; go check out everything with David and Neal," Mary Margaret encouraged.
"All right, that sounds lovely," Regina said. Emma pulled out Regina's chair for her and watched as she followed David and Neal out of the house. Then Emma, Belle, and Mary Margaret started to clean up the table.
Mary Margaret coughed slightly in the kitchen as they packed away the leftovers when Belle was in the other room clearing the plates. "You okay, Mom?" Emma asked, concerned.
She set down her Tupperware and whispered to Emma, "What's going on between you two?"
Emma's stomach dropped. "What? Nothing. What are you implying?"
"Oh, I just assumed something was going on between you two because you've only ever invited one person over for Thanksgiving and that was your ex," Mary Margaret said, now in a flood of words. "She's giving you raises, new clothing, going on camping trips, and hiring a private tutor for Henry. There is clearly something going on."
Emma gulped, probably shouldn't mention Regina also offered private English style riding lessons for him by hers truly. Perhaps there was something going on, but it wasn't spoken aloud or acknowledged. As far as Emma was concerned, it was one-sided, and she could handle that. "Look, there's nothing going on. Relax. She's just become a very good friend to me, to us."
Mary Margaret tutted. "Well, I've never seen a friend pay for a tutor for a child that wasn't theirs before in all my years of teaching," her mother's cheeks went red.
"She likes Henry, and doesn't want him to flounder in a school that can't keep up with his gifts," Emma said, narrowing her eyes at the rising heat in her mother's cheeks. "What is it? What did you do?"
Mary Margaret bit her lip. "Now, don't kill me, but we were under the assumption there was something more between you, so we thought you would be sharing the guest bedroom together."
Emma's heart sank. "What?!"
"It's a Queen sized bed, honey, there's plenty of room for the both of you. I'm so sorry, sweetie, I should've asked for clarification," her mother rushed out.
"Mom!" Emma groaned, she seriously did not need another night lying next to Regina Mills. These feelings were going to kill her.
"You don't have to stay the night. You can drive back," Mary Margaret suggested.
"No we can't, remember? We already made plans. It would crush Henry. He's looking forward to this," Emma said, caught between a rock and hard place.
"And there's no place open to buy an air mattress today, either," Mary Margaret sighed.
"It's fine. Really. I'll just have to explain it to her," Emma said, sighing as well.
Belle came back in with hands full of leftover filled Tupperware. "I don't know where to put all these."
"Thank you, Belle. I got them, don't you worry. Let's start washing and drying the dishes," Mary Margaret gladly refocused their attention as she grabbed the Tupperware and set it down on the counter by the fridge.
The trio cleaned the dishes and returned them to their rightful places. David, Neal, and Regina returned to the house shortly after the ladies finished the last of their task.
"We're back," David called out.
"How'd you like the sheep?" Emma asked playfully.
Regina looked at her and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "They were loud, yet cute, and cuddly looking. Their winter coats are fully in." The brunette leaned against the counter near Emma. "So, I saw your trophies and other accolades. Very impressive."
Emma blushed. Her parents beamed when Regina said this. "She's our star," Mary Margaret said.
"I can see you are very proud and love her very much. It's the same when she talks about the two of you." Emma smiled and stood tall watching her parents melt at the information. The blonde needed to remember to tell them more often directly how much she loved them and is proud they are her parents. "It's a good thing fate intervened and put you into each other's lives," Regina observed.
Emma shrugged, "I just got lucky," and smiled at her parents.
"It would seem you get lucky a lot," Regina said with a twinkle in her brown eyes and a slight smirk. Emma stomach flipflopped.
"I have something to tell you. Follow me, please," Emma said.
"Okay," Regina looked a little puzzled at the sudden change, but followed Emma to the hallway out of earshot of the others.
"So, please, don't be mad at me, or my parents. They didn't exactly prepare properly for our arrival, and well, the guest room only has a Queen size bed. We'd have to share it because the love seat is too small for anyone to sleep on, and the couch is comfy to sit on but a killer on the back. Not sure if the recliner would work for sleeping. Henry's bed is a tiny, short, kid's twin size so I can't fit in there to sleep with him. Though we could ask him to bunk with me in the queen and stick you in his room, but I don't know how comfortable you would be in the twin, it's small," Emma said quietly and in a rush. "If we leave soon, we can be back home at a decent hour tonight. Or we can just share the bed and guest room, so we can do the things we wanted to do tomorrow on our visit. What's that look for?" Emma butterflies were hurricaning in her stomach.
Regina had opened her mouth and closed it, obviously thinking, but then was smiling. "You're just, very considerate is all." Finally, she said, " We will share. Once condition: I get to choose the side. I'm very particular about what side I sleep on."
Emma felt relieved and panicked at the same time. She'd be sharing a bed with Regina Mills, and not in a survival situation where their lives depended on it. The foreman reminded herself to breathe. "Okay, yeah, that's fine. I can sleep on either side."
"I appreciate all of the alternatives, but I certainly don't want to miss out on tomorrow's activities, I've been enjoying myself here, nor do I want either of us experimenting with subpar sleeping situations," Regina stated.
"Really?" Emma's face lit up, "I thought you might find us boring."
"Not at all," Regina chuckled. "We'll talk more later. Now, your father mentioned all the baby and childhood photos of you and Henry he wanted to show me," Regina said in a teasing sort of way.
Emma rolled her eyes, "Of course, he did." At Regina's kind smile, the blonde's nerves lessened at the same time different butterflies flitted around in her gut and heart.
Regina looked around at the walls, "Though I don't see why he's bothering considering the walls and tables are littered with pictures of you and Henry and your family. They're beautiful by the way." Emma blushed as Regina walked over and stared at her high school graduation picture. "You haven't changed much. Good skin."
"Uh, I just lucked out on the genes department," Emma shrugged off the compliment.
"You most certainly did," Regina said, Emma noted the brunette eyed her up and down quickly. Emma felt the hint of butterflies again. Breathe, she thought.
They walked back to the living room to join the rest of the adults for another football game, though most of it was spent chit-chatting amongst themselves. David and Neal went to the Land Rover after the game to bring in the Morningstar trio's small pieces of luggage, and placed them in the respective rooms. Henry came back out and the next hour was spent showing off scrapbooks and sharing details of Emma's and Henry's lives. Then Belle and Neal bid them good night and left.
The family and Regina hung out in the living room to watch a movie. After it ended, her parents and Henry were all yawning. They went off to their bedrooms after wishing each other a good night.
Emma and Regina looked at one another and headed toward the spare bedroom. They found their small suitcases and began to unpack. Regina went to the bathroom to change, Emma noted silk pajamas in her hand. The brunette was in there for about fifteen minutes; Emma assumed she was doing her nighttime routine. But the blonde wondered exactly what the hell she was doing as she waited not wanting to risk changing in case the other woman walked out. When Regina finally emerged, she didn't look too happy, so Emma didn't want to ask any questions. The blonde ducked into the bathroom to change into her flannel pants and Army t-shirt, and brushed her teeth.
Regina had climbed into bed and had the covers over herself. She'd chosen the right side of the bed leaving Emma on the left side. She still didn't look happy. Emma felt bad and wondered if this was a bad idea. It probably was a bad idea, she thought. Nevertheless, they committed to it and Emma climbed in as well. They turned away from each other.
"Could you turn off the light, please?" Emma asked gently. Regina turned off the lamp on the bedside table and the room was cast into darkness. "Thanks. Well, good night."
"Good night," Regina said.
They lay there for what seemed like an hour, both clearly not asleep as they moved here and there, no tell-tale signs of deep breathing indicating someone in slumber. Finally, Emma said something, "Ms. Mils, why are you mad? Is it because we're sharing a bed?"
"No, not at all." Regina responded immediately, but didn't explain right away. She eventually said, "I just don't feel comfortable."
"Oh, um, is there anything I can do?" Emma asked eagerly, desperate to make her comfortable.
"No, there isn't," Regina sighed.
"Well, what is it?"
Regina paused. "Promise me you will not judge me," the brunette said.
Emma replied, "Yes, of course. I promise, Scout's honor. I don't judge people."
Regina sighed heavily. "I'm not used to wearing clothes while sleeping. I get all tied up in the middle of the night, and sweaty. I just much prefer to sleep in the nude or near-nude."
Emma's heart skipped several beats. "Uh, well that explains the camping trip better, now," she chuckled. "But that's understandable. I mean, I don't like it much either, but I have to because of Henry."
"Well, thank you for not judging me, and for understanding," Regina said.
They remained silent for a few more minutes as Emma imagined Regina in the nude and the image made her heart thump so hard that she was sure Regina could hear it from the other side of the bed. She began a conversation again, "So, how do you like my childhood home, and my parents, and their friends?"
"It's lovely. You really do have tremendous parents. You truly do," Regina said with a melancholic tone to her voice.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked, detecting the change in mood.
"Nothing is wrong. It is what it is," Regina said cryptically.
"You can't end a statement like that. Well, you can. But, please tell me. What is it?" Emma asked gently, but eager to find out more.
"I didn't have the best mother. She was an abusive, manipulative, cold-hearted woman. She and my half-sister are cut from the same cloth. So, I didn't experience having a mother like yours. I don't think she ever loved me. I think she saw me as a nice little accessory to her perfect-looking life," Regina admitted. "My father, however, was so kind, compassionate, and empathetic. I only wished he spent more time at home instead of running his company. He tried his best, though. I miss him a great deal. Anyway, enough about that. I'm just trying to say that you really are fortunate to have two loving parents the way you do."
Emma felt sad for Regina at that moment. She wished she could hug her and tell her that her mother would adopt her in a heartbeat, but that might come across as too much of a joke after a serious confession on her part. The blonde was tempted to tell her that her parents already accepted her as part of the family and Emma would welcome her, as well, but now wasn't the time, nor place, for those confessions; if she ever could. Still, Regina had opened herself up to Emma in a way she hadn't before. Emma appreciated that and didn't want to devalue the moment in any way.
"I'm sorry that you didn't have that in your life. I remember what it was like before I was adopted. I try not to think about it too often. Having Mom and Dad makes it easier to forget what it was like to not have them. To have the others, people who didn't want me. People who treated me like I was just there to get them a paycheck. There was this coldness in those houses, bare minimum interactions, not even caring what we did so long as we were there for the check-ins with the social worker," Emma sighed and paused. "But after my parents found me, it's kind of like all that love filled me up and chased away the darkness from before. You know, sometimes life gives us a shitty hand, and we gotta make the best with what we have."
Regina hummed thoughtfully, "Indeed." The brunette was quiet for a moment. "I think I have," she said, then added, "made the best. For the most part."
"Yeah, I think you have, in spades," Emma agreed confidently.
Something from earlier nagged at Emma. She continued to whisper in the darkness, "Sidenote: you have a beautiful singing voice."
Regina said, "Thank you."
"You seemed really into that song. I mean, it's a great song, don't get me wrong, but I've been wondering, was there any reason why you decided to sing that one in particular," Emma asked. Please tell me, she thought. She had to know. Emma shifted to get more comfortable.
Regina shifted a bit as well. "I find that song inspirational to me. It's about perseverance. No matter what you're going through, no matter how beat down you are, you can always rise up from it and come out on top," she said and paused, presumably to collect her thoughts. She sighed heavily. "After Daniel, I was in a dark place, for obvious reasons. Then this song was recommended and I fell in love with it. I've been trying to rise up from the challenges faced with the grief of losing someone so close to me and after losing my father, too. But it was different when he passed because I had Daniel. Losing him and not having anyone…it hasn't been easy, but I think I'm finally grasping that light at the end of the tunnel," Regina said with hope in her voice.
Emma didn't know what to say regarding experience with grief as hers was limited to something she barely remembered, but she did have plenty of experience of being knocked down and having to get up again. "That's good to hear that you are finding that light and moving towards it. I can only kind of relate to the grief. What I recall, losing my parents was confusing and devastating once it sunk in that I would never see them again. Then bouncing from foster home to foster home wasn't easy, but I never really had that same feeling of loss; sure, being lost, but not loss. But, rising up after getting knocked down, that's what I understand. Like you said, I'm lucky to have my parents, they helped pick me up and dust me off and taught me the things to help myself do the same. Being a single parent, you get knocked down a lot, but somehow I always find the strength to carry on. I try to focus on one step at a time."
"Exactly. One step at a time, one day at a time," Regina agreed softly.
"So, what other songs can you sing beautifully?" Emma asked curiously.
Regina moved her pillow a bit, punching it into a better position. "I don't sing as much as I used to anymore. I trained quite a bit growing up. One of the many extracurricular activities I had," she said. "I do get a power boost singing 'Fight Song' by Rachel Platten, though. Just gets my juices flowing to keep moving forward."
Emma smiled into her pillow. "I love that song. You'd probably like 'Broken Glass' by her, too. I would love to hear you sing some more one day, if you don't mind."
"Perhaps I'll sing some on the car ride back. Can you sing?" Regina asked.
Emma giggled, a bit shy. "I can carry a tune, but I'm no classically trained opera singer."
"Even if you're tone deaf—which I doubt since I heard you humming one day—I found that singing by yourself in the house or car to your favorite songs really boosts your mood," Regina stated.
"You heard me humming? What was I humming? When was I humming?" the blonde asked, slightly embarrassed now, glad Regina couldn't see her face.
"Just brushing Chief, I came to ask you something and heard you, and forgive me for eavesdropping, but yes, I overheard you and you were not tone deaf. You carried on quite well," Regina said. "I just listened until you stopped. I let a minute pass by before announcing myself. I recognized the song at the time, but I've forgotten what it was now."
"I don't remember, either. I hum sometimes. I sing in the shower sometimes, too. If I have my headphones in I might sing along if no one is around," Emma admitted.
"I'd like to hear that," Regina said. "Maybe we could sing a song together."
"That would be cool. Never really done that before, outside of karaoke, years ago," Emma chuckled, recalling a particularly fond night.
They lay in silence for a few minutes. Regina shifted once more and yawned. "Well, it's late. I enjoyed our conversation. I hope you have sweet dreams, Miss Swan. Good night."
"Same to you, Ms. Mills. Good night," Emma said, but she lay awake for another hour or so, unable to sleep with the woman of her dreams right there next to her. She eventually fell into a slumber and as expected, her dreams were filled with riding the open plains with Regina by her side, laughing along with her, looking like a confident and proper cowgirl.