No real plot, just a short drabble based around what I think is still one of the funniest scenes in the series.
Enjoy!
~The Last Ronin~
One word was all it took for me to know something was up with my daughter because she never uses that word otherwise. I'd hoped that after all these years together again she would feel comfortable using that particular word but…I guess in her mind she's still that lost girl who was abandoned by her parents when she was a baby…still afraid to open herself up to the idea of having a family who loves her.
"Mom?" She repeats, drawing me from my thoughts, "Can you and Dad take Henry tonight? I really need a night to myself."
"Why don't you ask Neal? I'm sure Henry wouldn't mind time with his father."
"He's busy with his dad and Belle," she says.
"Regina?"
"Busy."
"Hook? He and Henry seem to get along fairly well," I point out. I'll admit I hadn't been the biggest fan of the pirate when I first met him but he's behaved himself more or less since we all journeyed to Neverland.
"Also busy."
"What about Jefferson?"
"Really? Henry's sixteen. I'm not letting him stay the night at his girlfriend's house," Emma looks at me like I've lost my mind.
"Fine we can take him. I'm sure David would love to see him again," I'm not trying to be difficult but Emma pulled this same stunt a few nights ago and now it's got me wondering what the heck is going on.
"Thanks," my daughter replies though her attention is now fully focused on her cell phone, fingers flying over the screen – sending Henry a message I assume.
x-x-x-x-x
"Remember, get upstairs, grab your homework and get back down fast," I remind my grandson as I slide the key to the apartment into the lock and open the door, "your mom is trying to relax."
"Sure Grandama," Henry replies absently, already pounding up the stairs.
I wince at the noise and beside me David chuckles, giving my hand a squeeze. We drift towards the center of the room as we wait for our grandson to return and I look around, surprised Emma hasn't emerged to ask what's going on. I look at my husband and he's also noticed our daughter's absence.
"Emma?" I call out tentatively before heading towards her bedroom. Perhaps she's asleep, or taking a bath.
A surprised shriek reaches my ears as I push the bedroom door open and my hand immediately shoots out to flick the lights on. I feel David stiffen next to me as we take in the scene before us: clothes are strewn about and Emma is sitting up in bed clutching the sheet to her chest – obviously trying to hide her state of undress. As if this isn't awkward enough by itself, it's even more so because she's not alone.
"Well…" I start…grabbing David's arm before he does something stupid, "it's nice to know that you can still provide us with a few traumatic parenting memories at this stage of the game."
My daughter's face flames red and she pulls the sheet up a bit higher. It's that movement that catches my attention and my eyes drop to her left hand – more specifically, to the ring that adorns it…one she hadn't been wearing earlier.
"Mom…could you please get Dad out of here before he…I'd kinda like to keep this one," Emma stammers out, blushing even redder still.
I can't help but beam at her, tears in my eyes as they flicker back down to the ring once more. Perhaps I was wrong in my earlier assessment. Maybe my daughter isn't as uncomfortable about the idea of having a family as I thought.
"Sure thing," I say quietly, starting to drag my speechless husband from the room before stopping to turn back to my daughter, "and Emma…congratulations."