AN: I forgot to say the song Emma was listening to in the last chapter was "Quelqu'un M'a Dit" by Carla Bruni. And the movie was 500 Days of Summer. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. The acting is superb.
You guys lost your shit over the last chapter (or so it looks from my email) and I've had some new ideas with it, so here is another. I love hearing your feedback, and thank you for sharing.
Reviews make me smile. You are loved.
Emma took a deep breath and pulled her jacket more into place. Luckily she found a button-up in her trunk and Grannies had an iron in the closet she used to make all the wrinkles go away.
She barely got to ring the doorbell before the door swung open violently.
"Hi."
Emma smiled at the kid's goofy grin. "Hey there. Your mom told you I was coming."
"Yup." He nodded once with the word.
She pointed behind him. "So can I come in."
Henry stepped aside and closed the door behind her. "We're having pasta and garlic bread and mom made mini tamales. It's really good."
"Henry..."
They both stepped into the kitchen as Regina put everything into fancier dishes, and Emma's eyes went straight to the apron, her smile softening into something that resembled nostalgia or a day dream. The brunette was attractive enough in her business attire, and now she could cook and entertain. She was like a super hero with really adorable, domestic powers.
"Yeah, mom."
"Henry, set the table, please." Her eye brows were raised and she tilted her head like every mother Emma had ever seen telling their kid to get something done now.
The little boy almost pranced over to the dishes and smiled again at the blonde before going into the dining room.
"I've told him about eight times, but he's just been standing by the door." Regina's lips turned up at the ends just slightly as she glanced up from transferring the food. "I forgot to ask you if you were allergic to anything."
Emma shook her head, sliding her hands in her pockets. "No - just this one brand of eye drops."
"No one cooks with eye drops."
She shrugged. "Anything - I just gave you an answer."
They smiled at one another before the brunette turned to get the bread out of the oven.
"Do you need help with anything?"
Regina looked around the kitchen, wiping her hands on the apron. "I don't think so. Everything is just about ready."
"It smells great." Both of their heads turned as Graham walked in the room, taking off his jacket and kissing Regina's cheek.
She leaned into him just slightly, her smile turning a bit plastic. "You're home early."
"I am." He turned to Emma and extended his hand, which she took politely, though it was harder for her to act comfortable with it after she'd spent all of her time around his girlfriend doing nothing but checking her out. He placed his jacket on the back of one of the chairs on the other side of the island and itched just under the collar of his flannel. "But I brought all of the extra paperwork home with me so I wouldn't have to miss dinner."
"Oh." She nodded. "Henry!"
He stuck his head into the doorway, making his neck long and his eyes wide. "Yeah?"
"Graham's home - would you get another place setting, please?"
Henry's mouth turned into a line, but he nodded and did as she said.
"I'm the Sherrif."
"...'Round these parts?" Emma laughed a bit.
He just turned his head.
"It was supposed to be a joke." She winced a bit. "I'm not really good at them. Sorry."
"No, it's alright."
"Sort of a tension breaker, but a lot of the time it just makes things more awkward."
"Right." He turned toward looked toward Regina, who was carrying one of the fancy plates into the dining room. "I don't know. This whole thing is fairly awkward as it is."
Emma narrowed her gaze.
"You know, you being his birth mother and Regina being his actual mother-"
"Well that's why we're doing this." Regina put her hands on her hips, having to first put down the bread.
"I don't actually think it's so bad." Emma looked between the two of them. "Really it could be a lot worse."
Graham scoffed. "Henry's already calling you his real mom, it's-"
"Could you put this on the table please." Regina interrupted him, pushing the long plate of tamales toward him.
He took them, looking a bit agitated, but kept quiet anyway.
She flashed Emma an apologetic smile before holding out the wine glasses. "Would you mind?"
The blonde shook her head, "Not at all."
She walked into the dining room and her eyebrows shot up. "Damn."
"The swear jar is over there." Henry pointed at the table against the wall under what looked like a very expensive painting. And the 'jar' he was referring to was a very decorative blue vase, though on the shorter side.
Emma put the glasses down and shook her head. "Damn isn't a cuss word."
"Yeah it is."
"No it's not. If they use it in church it's not a swear word."
"Do you have a church that you go to?" Regina asked.
Emma shook her head. "Oh - no. No, I've just lived a lot of places they made me go."
"..Oh." She set the serving utensils in their respective dishes before sitting down. "What does that mean? -Lived a lot of places?"
Everyone started to sit down and Emma followed suit, scooting up to the table and putting a napkin on her lap, watching Henry carefully for what to do. "I-uhm. I was in the foster care system for most of my childhood." She looked at the kid and tried to sound matter of fact. "My parents gave me up too."
"Really?"
She nodded.
"So, it's like a tradition?"
Emma laughed as the other two adults looked at him uncomfortably. "Not really. Or.. maybe?" She looked toward Regina, hoping it was alright she explained a bit. "I don't know why I was.. given up. But I was really young when I had you, and I didn't make enough money to get an apartment on my own or anything. So I thought it was better that I made sure you had a better place to live, and a family who could take care of you. I knew if I kept you, I wouldn't be able to see you very much because I would have to work a lot, and even then I wouldn't be able to afford very much food or clothes or anything."
Henry almost looked like he understood, or at least like he was slowly processing through it.
She took a deep breath and looked back over at his mother who nodded gently.
"So where are you from?" Graham asked, starting to serve himself.
"Actually, all over New York. I know I was put into the system in Long Island, and I got shifted around a lot. It wasn't always fun, but I'm familiar with a lot now."
"And you felt comfortable putting your own child into that system."
Regina shook her head. "This isn't an interrogation, you can't just question her-"
"It's fine." Emma shrugged. "I made sure Henry wasn't going to be in foster care. I didn't sign my rights over until I knew there was a forever-home for him. And I opened up the adoption to out-of-state parents too, so he'd have a better chance of finding a place sooner."
Graham nodded, but Regina's eyes softened looking at the other woman.
"So why did you pick Regina?"
Emma shook her head. "I didn't pick her. I decided on a closed adoption. I didn't know anything about who he was going to and.. well, I thought he wouldn't be able to find out about me."
"Why?"
She turned to the little boy and sighed, remembering back to all of the steps she took and how scared she was. "I-" She cut herself off and looked at Regina again, who was no closer to getting herself any food - her hands tucked neatly under her chin with her elbows on the edge of the table. "I was going to tell you that I wanted to give you your best chance. Which I did- but that's only part of it. I was scared. Really scared. I... I was just a kid, but not a good one, not like you. I made a lot of stupid decisions and I was really sure you'd be better off not knowing who I was."
"What did you do?"
Emma gave him a lop-sided smile. "I'll tell you what I didn't do, and that was listen to anyone. And it got me in some trouble once or twice."
"Like what-"
"I'll tell you later. Like a couple years later if you're lucky."
"If you're lucky." Regina winked at her son.
Emma thanked Graham for the serving spoon and began dishing herself up. "What about you?"
Regina raised her eyebrows.
"Why did you decide to adopt? Can you have kids or...?"
"I can, I just knew there were a lot of children who needed homes that were already born." Her eyes went to Henry for a moment, warmth all through her gaze. "But I wasn't in a relationship to get pregnant anyway. But I did want a baby. I felt I was ready to be a mother. I finished college and when I moved back home I was elected mayor within the first year. It'd been a year or so and I felt comfortable in my ability to provide for a child and pay bills - all of that. So, I found an agency a few towns over, and about three months in, I got a call that there was this newborn from New York needed a home as soon as possible, and I told them I would absolutely take him." She looked back at her son, her smile growing more. "And I got the most handsome, smart, funny little boy I could have ever hoped for."
"Hold on - you graduated college and were mayor before you adopted Henry?" Emma squinted.
"Yes."
She shook her head. "So you were... you had to be at least twenty two, twenty four?"
"I was twenty five." She nodded.
Emma just stared. "You're thirty five? Are you shitting me?"
Regina started to smile but straightened up and flashed her eyes at Henry.
"You owe me a dollar, now."
"SHHHHHhhh," Emma shook her head. "You're kidding me - you look younger than I am."
Her face flushed a little but Regina laughed. "Thank you."
"You said the S-word!"
Emma rolled her eyes and dug in her pocket, pulling out a twenty and not actually caring. "You can keep the rest - advance payments, I'm sure. Don't you give this kid an allowance or something?"
"No." Henry took the bill grinning.
"I pay him for his grades."
Emma nodded. "That's really cool - I bet it gets you to keep your grades up."
"He has wonderful grades." Regina smiled.
"Although I told her it sets up an unrealistic expectation for the future."
Regina's eyes went down to her plate, lips pursed as though her opinion was somehow barricaded in that way.
"How?"
Graham straightened his tie and sat up a bit straighter. "Well in the real world, we're paid monthly, almost always constant if you put in the same hours. Being rewarded for specific grades isn't exactly teaching preparing him for a job."
"He's ten, though..."
"Don't get me wrong, I would understand if it was just for report cards, I think that would correlate a little better-"
"I pay him at report cards and any major tests at the end of a unit." Regina looked at Emma, interrupting her boyfriend on purpose.
Henry nodded and tried to talk through his noodles. "I get twenty bucks-"
"Henry." Regina shook her head.
He finished his bite and continued. "Twenty bucks for an A, ten for a B, and then mom says a C or lower shows poor effort."
"I think that's really cool." She shrugged and swirled her fork to gather her pasta.
"I'm sure Henry likes it but I stand by my opinion - that's not the way real jobs work."
Emma shook her head. "That's the way mine works." She looked from Regina to the kid with a little jump of her eyebrow.
"What is it that you do?" He took more bread from the middle of the table - the bigger pieces.
"I'm a bail bondsperson."
"What's that?"
"Henry." Regina raised her voice a bit. "Please, stop talking with your mouth full."
Emma almost smiled but saw the look on the Grahams face, like he was thinking the same thing, but far more irritated. For christ sake, he was only a kid. Being obnoxious for a while is part of how they find themselves. It was Regina's job to remind him, which she was doing correctly - he didn't need to do anything. Douche bag.
"She's a bounty hunter."
She squinted at the scruffy man. "Not really."
Henry swallowed and scooted up in his chair. "What do bail bond people do?"
"Well... I kinda catch bad guys."
"Like a super hero?"
Regina grinned, taking in the exchange silently.
Graham shook his head. "Like Dog, the Bounty Hunter."
Henry's face lit up, but Emma had to stop him. "No, no.. it's not that exciting. What happens is - actually. Do you know what happens when someone is arrested for something?"
He shook his head.
"Okay, so when someone is arrested, sometimes there are charges filed against them - that means the government decides they need to be punished for whatever they did - they have to go to court. But before that they have to wait. Usually they have to wait in jail unless they can pay money to wait at home until they can go to court. Does that make sense so far?"
Henry nodded, gnawing on a piece of garlic bread.
"Is this appropriate dinner conversation?"
She was sure he didn't mean it as a question, but Regina turned to him anyway. "I think it's interesting. And Henry wanted to know what she did - I'm sorry." She turned back to Emma, unable to shake the irritation from her voice. "Continue."
"Uhm, okay.. I am the person who helps them pay so they can go home until their court date. But, if they don't show up for court then I have to go and get them, and they stay in jail until the next court date." She turned to the other adults at the table and started addressing everyone. "Basically, I get paid for helping put up money, and I get all the money back in a few months anyway - and then I get paid again if I have to turn the guy in. It's almost exactly like the grades thing."
"What agency do you work for?"
Emma squared her jaw, getting a bit tired of the constant berating. "I work independently."
"You must have a lot of cash lying around then."
"I'm stable. I'm not a big spender, and I know what my job entails. But I didn't pick doing this job because I wanted to be swimming in cash, I picked it because it works for my skill set and I get to make my own hours for the most part."
"For the most part."
She put her fork down and folded her hands in her lap. "What is it that you do Graham?"
He cocked his head to the side a bit and Regina straightened up in her chair, clearing her throat. "He's the Sheriff here."
"Fun. You work for your girlfriend."
"Fiance, actually."
Regina's face dropped, as did Emma's stomach.
"What?" Henry looked between the two cautiously.
The brunette started to rub her temples. "Graham."
"What?"
She glared at him for a moment before sighing and turning back to Henry. "Honey, we were going to wait to tell you until we set a date."
"You're getting married?"
Regina nodded slowly, trying to smile.
It took all of half a second for Henry to settle on his scowl and throw his fork on the table as he leapt off of his chair and ran toward the staircase.
"Regina-"
"Don't." She cut him off, closing her eyes and resting her forehead in her hands.
Emma sat there not knowing what the fuck to do. She just watched Graham's fork push pasta around his plate.
"Should I go check on him."
"No." She shook her head and looked at Emma for a moment, somewhere between embarrassed and apologetic. "I do think that maybe you should take that paperwork back to the station for a while, though."
He looked over at their guest before turning more toward Regina, his back to the blonde. "It's not that big of a deal, I could-"
She didn't say anything. A turn of the head and looking him in the eye for a moment or two was all it took for him to drop his head, then stand up, tossing his napkin on his chair. He walked over to Emma and stuck his hand out again. "It was nice to meet you."
Emma gave him a look akin to the one Regina had just given him, only a bit more guarded, shaking his hand firmly.
As he walked through the kitchen and out the door Regina just watched.
After the door closed Regina's eyes went to the table, either not knowing what to say or how to end the silence in a soft way.
Instead Emma went for the balls of the moment, filling her fork and taking another bite, then smiling. "Your food is awesome."
Immediately she smiled, a small laugh bubbling from the back of her throat.
"No, really - it's restaurant quality. And your dishes are super nice." She nodded.
"How do you do that?"
Emma smiled back. "Do what?"
"Find that punch line- that thing to say, you know. It just..." She shrugged, leaning back and sighing. "It makes the air a little easier to breathe - especially after that monstrosity of a dinner."
"After? It's over?" Emma looked at her plate. "I'm not even like, halfway through."
Regina laughed again, though her smile started to slip away after a moment.
"Congratulations, by the way."
The older woman raised her eye brows.
"On the engagement."
"Oh. Right - thank you." She stood up and started to clear the dishes from the table.
Emma followed suit, not thinking twice about helping.
"You don't have to do that." Regina shook her head.
Emma just shrugged. "I know I don't have to - but I don't think your helper is in much of a mood."
All Regina did was nod, and accept the help with a smile. "You can take as much food with you as you want."
"Oh shit, lady - don't offer me that."
"Why not?"
Emma laughed. "I can put it away."
"...No... that's alright. You're a guest, you-"
"No - no, I meant... I can eat. Like I can put it away. In my stomach."
"Oh. That makes more sense."
"I just say things and hope people laugh most of the time. Thinking about if they make sense or not is usually not really a thing."
"I'll try to remember that." She laughed a bit. "I'm still going to send most of this with you."
"Fine." Emma leaned on the island. "But I'm blaming you if I get fat."
Regina looked her up and down with an 'oh please,' look. "I'm doubtful that's a possibility."
She started getting out plastic containers and grumbling about lids before she started shoveling food into them, then putting the empty dishes in the sink and filling it with water. All of it just made Emma stare. She'd lived with a lot of people who did all of the things she was doing right now, cleaning, and handling food and being a mom. But none of them did it with that kind of grace. It was weird, but not the kind of weird that made you cringe. The kind that made you smile just a little bit to yourself.
The blonde walked over and opened the dish washer, standing beside the older woman and taking dishes from her as she rinsed and wiped them off.
Regina knew this time Emma wouldn't sit and just be a guest, so she handed her the plate. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." She shrugged. Then she looked back at her - deadpanning. "No. I'm serious. Don't say anything about me doing something this feminine it will ruin my rebel's reputation."
"Oh, then I'll guard this information with my life."
"I don't ever cook anything. I make food by pressing buttons. And I eat it with my bare hands."
"How very cave-woman of you."
"It's because I'm hardcore."
Regina chuckled. "At least I know where Henry's supreme laziness stems from now."
"Oh shit - you're using me as a scape goat!"
"I am not!"
Emma put her hand to her chest, pretending to be offended. "You'd blame me for your failure as a parent."
"Excuse me?"
"Nurture, lady - not nature this time."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, not knowing how to continue their teasing until Emma let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry by, the way... for being all snappy with Graham."
"To be fair, he wasn't exactly pleasant with you."
"That wasn't just me feeling that? You noticed, right?"
Regina nodded. "It takes him a minute to warm up to people. But he's thoughtful... and he's been wonderful to me."
"That's good." She sighed, hating herself for the little pit that hit the bottom of her stomach. "How'd you guys meet?"
"Actually we went to high school together. Or - well, we went to the same high school. I was a senior when he was a sophomore so we didn't ever talk. But when I came back to town he wasn't much more outgoing, but everyone in town loved him. Then becoming Mayor, we have to have meetings together every so often."
"Ooooooooo. Work place romance." She rolled her eyes.
Regina shook her head. "No, it's funny. It wasn't until Henry was about five that we'd been anything but professional. He's attractive - I could see that, but I wasn't interested in a relationship until I was sitting by myself watching my son become his own person and I was all alone. And there Graham was. With all of the support and attention I'd missed focusing school, and we fell in love."
Fell in love. Emma just smiled back.
"I'm sorry. I guess it's not very interesting."
"No, it's just that I can't relate. Like, at all." Emma shrugged.
"You've never been in love." Regina pretended to swoon, hand over forehead and all.
Emma took the dish from her. "No."
"Not even close?"
"No. Love was always something I saw stupid people have, so I thought it was stupid too."
There was a little pause before Emma turned back to her.
"I don't think you're stupid." She said quickly. "I didn't mean- I just- I-you know... Sorry. I've always been a little bit of a pessimist."
"It's okay." The older woman shrugged it off with an understanding that seemed a bit out of place.
Emma sighed at herself.
Regina grabbed the dish towel and dried her hands, offering it to the blonde before getting a bag for the left-overs.
She pointed at the bag. "Thanks for those-"
"It's not any inconvenience. I cook every night - the boys won't miss it." She led the way to the door after handing Emma the bag.
"Every night?"
Regina nodded. "I do."
Emma stepped outside and turned around. "Okay, let's break all of that down. You're the Mayor."
"I am."
"And you're a mom."
"Yes."
"Aaaaand you manage a relationship."
"That too."
"And you cook every night?"
The brunette smiled and crossed her arms, leveling her stare.
Emma shoved her hands in her pockets. "Is there anything you can't do. You're making me feel pretty inadequate over here."
"Okay, miss bounty hunter."
"Hey - only sometimes. It doesn't always come to that."
Regina laughed, letting it lull to a soft hum before she leaned against the door frame. "Thank you for helping with dishes."
"No - you gave me food, it's the least I can do." Emma pointed upstairs. "Besides, it doesn't seem like your helper was in much of a mood."
She looked up, her face not holding much of an expression. "Yeah. I'm not entirely sure what to do about that."
"Is there really something to do?"
"If Graham and I are going to get married, I think it's a requirement they at least get along."
"Maybe it's just a little jealousy? He's not getting you to himself anymore?"
Regina let her hand slide through her hair. "Maybe. I... I don't know. I think I spend more of my time reprimanding the two of them than just enjoying them."
There was a little silence that passed between them. Not uncomfortable, but filled with words and thoughts that weren't developed and questions that may not have answers. But Emma reached for one anyway.
"Are you happy?"
The brunettes eyes looked far away for a moment, and even when she started to nod it was accompanied by a frown. "I think so."
"You think?"
Emma knew she was pushing it. This conversation had turned from Henry, and Regina was a mom first. That was about the easiest thing to see.
And yet, she just sighed. "It's getting late. I have to be at work early in the morning."
The blonde nodded. "Right. I'm sorry - have a good rest of your night."
"Emma.." Regina stepped down from the door and changed her tone, much more cautious. "Before you go, could I ask what your plans are?"
"Plans?"
"If you're staying in town a bit longer or if you're going back to the city."
Emma looked around for a second and shrugged. "I thought I'd stick around for a minute. Figure out where I'll stay when I visit."
"I have quest bedrooms."
"Oh."
Regina smiled nervously. "If you want to. It's just an option."
"I appreciate it, I just think it might blur some boundary lines for the kid. I definitely want to keep myself separate."
"Right." She looked just like Henry did at the table - trying her hardest to understand.
"I want you to stay mom and me to stay Emma."
"But you want to keep in touch."
"Of course."
Emma's grin grew with the other woman's. She hated feeling like she just wanted to grab her and slow dance her into the night and drink wine and go on a carriage ride and all that bullshit. It was infatuation, but shit - did it have to be so intense? Like, she had to have something unattractive about her.
"I'm glad to hear that."
She just tried to smile back through all of the ridiculous pictures in her brain of dumb romantic things.
"Drive safe, Emma." Regina turned and stepped in the house.
Just as the door was about to close Emma stepped closer. "Regina..."
She stood with her brows raised.
"If you're not really happy, it's not worth it." Emma took a deep breath - her heart pounding like she had anything to be nervous about. "Just being comfortable is dumb. If you're not happy, then Henry will be able to feel it because he knows you. And later on it'll be messy... I just." She looked at the ground and kicked at nothing. "It's not my business, but I thought I should say something. Now I think I should just keep my mouth shut always but-"
"I think it's brave." Regina smiled a bit, not as bright as before, though. "And I'll keep that in mind."
Emma nodded, allowing herself to relax just a bit. "Tell Henry goodnight for me."
Regina nodded. "I will."
"Okay..." She back pedaled down to the walk way, waving weakly. "Night."
"Goodnight."
