A little later on that evening Cora had managed to convince Zelena and Henry to stay for dinner, something Henry was more than happy about as it meant he could spend more time with his Auntie Regina. Mary-Margaret came round for dinner too and they were now all sat around the table, Leo sat at the top and on one side of him was Mary-Margaret and Zelena was on the other side. Regina sat beside Zelena, Henry beside Mary-Margaret and then Cora in-between them at the other end of the table. This seemed to be the usual seating for dinner no matter where they were eating. Cora liked Regina beside her so that she could keep an extra eye on her and everyone knew that.
"So Henry how are you doing at school?" Cora asked breaking the awkward silence that had seemed to take over them.
"Erm…okay…I suppose…" Henry replied not really sure what his answer should be. He looked over to his mother who gave him a small smile and a nod to try and continue with his answer to his Grandmother. "I passed my recent math test."
"Oh now that is excellent." Cora said giving her grandson a rare smile. "Zelena you never mentioned Henry's recent success…"
"Henry only got the results of his math test yesterday mother." Zelena replied.
"Yes well you should have told us." Cora threw back. "Don't you think Leo?" Cora asked looking up at her husband who usual done all he could to not enter into any arguments his wife started. He found it easier but when she brought him in he knew there was only one way to deal with it. Agree, agree, agree!
"Yes Zelena you should have told us." Leo said looking towards Zelena will a look as if to say sorry to her.
"I'm sorry. Next time I will make sure to tell you." Zelena sighs as she moves food around on her plate. Regina bit her lip and she moved her hand over to Zelena and placed it on hers. Zelena looked up and gave Regina a small smile. Zelena might be receiving their mothers wrath now but Regina had it all the time. Zelena really had no idea how Regina coped with their mother all the time.
"Auntie Mary-Margaret I wanted to thank you for the book you gave me." Henry said breaking the awkward tension that had seemed to have built up in the room. He didn't understand why it had been so important that his mother tell his grandparents about his test results. He really didn't understand adults sometimes. The only adult he could ever understand was his Auntie Regina.
"Oh your welcome Henry. Are you enjoying it?" Mary-Margaret replied.
"Yes I am." Henry said with a smile.
"What book is this dear?" Cora asked with slight interest.
"Oh I found a fairytale book in the back of my wardrobe the other day and I thought Henry might like it so I passed it onto him at school." Mary-Margaret explained. "I have no idea where it came from. I don't remember reading it when I was a child." Mary-Margaret then looked over to Zelena. "Do you remember it?"
Zelena shook her head. "I can't say I do remember it."
"You had many books when you were younger do you really expect to remember them all." Cora drawled out.
"It's a book you would remember mother…" Regina added in, the first thing she had said through the whole dinner. "It really is a lovely book, leather cover, nice cursive writing. Henry showed it to me earlier, I love fairy tales."
Cora rolled her eyes. "Oh Regina you are far too old to be reading fairy tales. Henry has an excuse to act like a child you do not."
Regina sighed and looked down at her dinner. Henry noticing this decided to try and jump in and help his Auntie. "I asked Auntie Regina to read some of the stories to me. She does the voices the best." Henry said. Regina looked up at Henry and smiled.
"Still Regina needs to realise just what age she is." Cora said firmly. "You are not a child anymore Regina."
"I know mother." Regina said quietly.
"If Auntie Regina isn't a child anymore then why does she stay in the house all the time?" Henry asked, the innocence of him being a child taking over him. He never understood why his grandmother would never let his Auntie go out. He longed for a day where he could go to the park with his Auntie or show her his castle that was on the beach.
Zelena closed her eyes slightly as this question. She had always tried to steer Henry away from that kind of question. Zelena looked over at her mother who really did not looked pleased with this. She had a feeling once they all left Regina was going to bear the brunt of their mother's wrath and she felt horrible about it. "Henry…" Zelena started but she stopped when Cora held up a hand to her.
"Henry, Regina stays in the house because that is what is best for her. I do not expect you to understand being only a child." Cora replied calmly which scared the other adults at the table.
"I'm not stupid…I understand most things." Henry frowned and Zelena wished she could give Henry a sign to stop. "I want to be able to show Auntie Regina my castle at the beach." He said and then looked over at Regina. "You would love it Auntie Regina. Wouldn't she mom?"
Zelena nodded her head and Regina spoke. "I am sure I would Henry."
"Regina…" Cora said firmly and Regina looked back down at her dinner that she no longer wanted. "Do not encourage him. You encourage certain behaviour he will not learn. Isn't that right Zelena?"
Zelena sighed. "Yes mother." Zelena then looked over at Henry who was looking at her and gave him a look to tell him not to go any further with this subject. Zelena then pushed her plate away and stood up from the table. "Now I think Henry and I shall leave now."
"You won't be staying for dessert?" Cora asked with a raised eyebrow.
At the mention of dessert Henry suddenly wasn't so sure leaving was a good idea. He could put up with more of the awkwardness around the adults for dessert. He was sure he could. But his mother clearly wasn't thinking along the same lines as he was. "No we won't be mother." Zelena replied.
"Well alright then." Cora replied. "I am sure you can show yourself out?"
"We can mother." Zelena said pushing n her chair.
"I think I will leave to…"Mary-Margaret said as she stood up. "Would you mind giving me a lift Zelena?"
"No that's fine." Zelena replied.
Regina bit her lip as she watched her sisters and her nephews standing up from the table. She really didn't want them to leave. She knew once they had left their mother would take out her anger on her. She always did. She always found some way to turn what had happened into her fault and her father never stood up for her. He always just let Cora get on with it. She wished she could leave with her sisters. She wished they could just take her with them. Regina was brought out of her thoughts when Henry came round the table and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Goodbye Henry." Regina whispered into his ear.
"Goodbye Auntie Regina. Sorry if I made Grandma mad." Henry whispered back and Regina could feel tears welling up in her eyes. He shouldn't understand the horrible parts of her life. He is too young to understand that. "I will see you tomorrow maybe."
"Okay Henry and remember and tell you mother your secret." She said and Henry nodded as he pulled away and ran back over to Zelena and Mary-Margaret. They said their goodbyes leaving Cora, Leo and Regina all still sat at the table.
Regina pushed the rest of her food around on her plate. "Would you like me to get dessert mother?" Regina asked.
Cora shook her head. "I don't think you should have dessert Regina. You are looking a tad on the heavy side."
Regina looked down at herself with a frown. She didn't think she was looking like she had put on weight but maybe her mother was right. "Okay mother. May I be excused?"
"I would like you to do the dishes Regina. I am sure your father has work he needs to be getting on with." Cora said.
"Yes mother." Regina replied not bothering to argue with her mother. She stood up from the table and picked up some of the plates to take through to the kitchen. At least if she was to do the dishes it would mean her mother may leave her alone for a while longer. She was nervous about what her mother may do tonight. She knew she was riled up and angry about how the conversation at dinner had gone. She went back to the table and collected the rest of the dishes and then when she got back into the kitchen she went to work on cleaning up.
Sometimes she felt more like a maid in this house rather than a daughter. The fairy tale Cinderella came to mind and she laughed to herself. She shook her head as she scrubbed at one of the plates. Relating her life situation to a fairy tale was ridiculous. Fairytales weren't real. Maybe she did need to grow up a little. But what was the point in that? She wasn't allowed to leave the house. She wasn't allowed to do what other grownups were allowed to go. She wanted a job of some sort, she wanted a life outside of this damn house! Away from her overly controlling mother.
She scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed at the plate, she lifted it out of the water and went to place it on the drainer when it slipped from her hands. Regina panicked. Mother would not be happy if she smashed one of her plates. It would only anger her more and she really didn't need that. So she tried to grab the plate but it was too late and it hit the ground and smashed. Regina closed her eyes and prayed that whatever her mother was doing would keep her distracted enough to not have heard the smashing of one of her plates.
But of course luck was never on Regina's side. Why would it be? She heard the click-clacking of her mother's heels on the floor and looked up to see her mother entering the kitchen, a scowl on her face. "What the hell is going on in here Regina?" Cora snapped.
"I-I-I'm sorry mother. The plate slipped out of my hands. It...It was an accident." Regina said as she stood looking over at her mother. She wanted to move. She wanted to bend down and pick up the smashed pieces of the plates but it was as if she was frozen to the spot as soon as her mother looked at her. It was as if her mother had forced her to stay where she was.
Cora walked around the counter and looked down at the smashed plate on the floor. Regina could see her mother's anger growing. "You stupid clumsy girl." Cora said angrily, her hand lifting from her side and slapping against Regina's cheek with a loud smack.
Regina whimpered and her hand flew up to her now burning red cheek. Regina could feel the tears welling up in her eyes again. "I-I'm s-sorry mother." Regina stuttered out as she tried as hard as she could not to cry. It would only anger her mother more. Crying showed weakness and you never showed weakness in front of mother. "I-I will clean it up."
"Yes you will. Try not to smash anything else." Cora said with a scowl. She then turned on her heel and left the kitchen.
As soon as Cora left Regina fell to the floor and let out a whimper and let her tears finally fall. She went about picking up the pieces of the plate and cursed herself. She should have been more careful. She should have been more focused. She then jumped and flinched away as she cut her finger on one of the pieces of the plate. She looked down to see blood on her finger and sighed. Pushing herself up she walked over to a cupboard and pulled out the first aid kit. Maybe once she was finished here she could just hide up in her room. Maybe her mother wouldn't let out any more of her anger on her.
The thinking maybe was useless as Regina knew her mother's anger was not over yet.