Author's Notes:

Someone requested a second shot so here it is.

Thank you all for reading and the feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I hope you enjoy this second installment too.

Lastly, thank you to my editor and beta-reader, coelibear.

Second Shot

"So you didn't say yes, huh?" Henry asked when his mom plopped down beside him.

"You knew he was going to do it?"

"It was a very posh restaurant. And he might have mentioned something about a ring and that he hopes you like diamonds."

Emma leaned back and watched as Henry blasted virtual enemies on screen.

"Do you like Walsh?" Emma asked.

"He's a nice guy. He makes you happy."

"He is, and he does."

Henry put his game on pause and turned to face Emma. "So why didn't you say yes?"

"I don't know. He took me by surprise. And then there was this -" Emma paused. She was going to say there was this woman who smelled like me but she knew it didn't make any sense at all why the smell or the woman should be one of her reasons for acting the way she did. She was definitely not about to discuss with Henry her sudden urge to question her sexuality.

"What mom?" Henry asked.

"I lost my train of thought," Emma lied. "You know what, maybe I just need some sleep. I did have a full day earlier. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a clearer mind and I'll know the answer."

She stood up. "I'm going to bed. Don't stay up too late."

"Yes, mom. Good night," Henry said. He really wanted his mom to be happy. She deserved to be happy. He resumed his game while thinking of how he can ensure that his mom got her happy ending. I'll call it Operation Apples, he thought and smiled to himself at what he believed was a clever plan and a catchy name.

Once inside her room, Emma leaned against her bedroom door and closed her eyes. Her mind replayed the events of the night. She smelled the perfume again and she immediately felt the calm usually accompanying it during her nightly ritual. She did not shower that night, preferring to let the smell continue to envelope her while she slept.

That night, it did not feel weird that it wasn't Walsh whom she dreamt of but a woman wearing a dark blue dress. It still didn't feel weird the next day when she realized that she had never even dreamt of Walsh.

Emma and Henry spent the next day together at the mall. It felt somewhat like when he was still a little kid and kept getting lost. He was no longer a kid so he decided that it was his mom who got lost this time. They were both looking at the displays when Henry realized that Emma was no longer beside him.

He may be a bit older now, but he was still not tall enough to look above other people so he can spot his mom. He was about to call out her name when a smell stopped him. Henry smiled. It's a good thing you wore it today, mom.

He followed the scent of apples. There was a woman walking in front if him that smelled like his mother but was brunette and a bit shorter. He finally realized that he didn't remember smelling the scent on Emma earlier so this woman must be the wearer instead. Recognizing his mistake, he turned to walk back to the display he was looking at earlier but then bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm so- mom!" Henry exclaimed, seeing his mother again.

It took a while for Emma to register that Henry was in front of her and that she lost the woman she had been following in the crowd. "Henry. Where did you go?"

"You left me, mom."

"I did not."

Henry was about to say that she was beside him one moment and gone the next when he realized that Emma was not looking at him anymore. She was craning her neck and looking around. She must have seen Walsh.

Emma finally noticed that Henry was looking around, too. Rather than comment, she decided that it was time to go home.

"Let's go, Henry. The crowd is making me dizzy."

"Okay, mom." Henry followed his mom as she made her way thru the crowd. He clung to the back of her jacket so that they won't be separated again. When they finally exited the mall and fell in step with her, he spoke.

"You have enough time to prepare for tonight."

"Why, what's happening tonight?"

"Walsh is coming over at eight. I invited him."

Emma grabbed him lightly on the arm to stop him from walking further. "What? Why?"

Henry turned to his mom and said, "There's no use in prolonging his agony, mom. If you don't want to marry him, say no. If you want to marry him, say yes. As I said last night, he's a nice guy and I can see that he makes you happy. I know I make you happy but I want you to start being happier as soon as possible."

Emma knew that Henry was right on several points and she couldn't really get angry at him for intervening when his motivation was to make her happy. She sighed. She placed an arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer so that they were walking beside each other.

"Thank you, Henry. You're right; regardless my answer, I do need to give one as soon as possible."

Emma was sitting by the kitchen bar when the doorbell sounded. She had been sitting for about an hour, waiting for 8 o'clock to arrive. She was almost tempted to drink wine or beer to settle her nerves but knew that she would probably end up drunk and she needed to keep her wits about her. She was still not sure what her answer would be but hoped that seeing and talking to Walsh would help her make up her mind.

She stood up and walked to the door. She was about to touch the door knob when a scent permeated her senses. No. She looked through the peephole and all breath left her. She took two steps away from the door and tried to clear her head.

The doorbell sounded again.

Emma didn't know why she was reacting that way. Too many emotions are running through her being that she couldn't put a label on each one.

The doorbell sounded a third time.

Emma finally zoomed in to a single thought - that if she didn't open the door, the person outside would leave. And she would lose what was probably her last chance. She took two steps again, but this time towards the door and stretched out her slightly shaking hands to open it.

Emma was just in time. The woman was no longer facing the door and looked as if she was about to leave. When the door opened, she turned to face Emma. She was wearing a simple little black dress but the effect was still the same as when she was wearing the dark blue one. The realization that she almost, almost lost her chance made Emma walk closer to her visitor.

The fruity scent attacked her again that she finally spoke, albeit a bit breathily as if she just ran a marathon. "You're here."

If the woman found it weird that Emma sounded like she already knew her and was not expecting her to show up but was really glad that she did, she did not show it. Instead, she looked at Emma as if trying to read her eyes. After an uncomfortable silence passed - it was uncomfortable for Emma because of the several images going thru her mind, many of which included kissing - the woman smiled.

"Hi, Emma."

Her voice, her smile, and her scent all felt familiar but Emma was sure that she had never met the woman before. She can never forget this woman. The woman seemed to draw Emma towards her just by breathing and being in the same room, in the same space. And it was the voice, the smile, and the scent, or probably everything about her that made Emma reach out and clasp one soft hand and entwine it with her own. When Emma turned and pulled the woman inside, it felt like the most rational thing to do.

Asking the woman's name or how she knew her name and address seemed like something they can put off until later. It seemed like she knew a lot about the woman except maybe her name. Emma was sure that whatever the woman's name was would be regal-sounding.

Taking the woman's coat off her guest's hand and leading her towards the couch felt like something she had done her whole life.

And even if Emma had already lived in the same apartment for a year and was just sitting for an hour in the kitchen earlier, it was only now, while sitting with this woman, that it felt like she was finally home.

The End