A/N: I love reading all of your reviews and am happy that you are enjoying my adaptation of this film into Emma and Regina's lives. I love being able to write and continue to create new worlds, lives and ways that these two ladies find love with one another. I bring you the next chapter, and will get to working chapter 4 where they will finally get to meet. (Again.) As well as try to work on other writing projects that a lot of you keep asking for.
On a light note, I realize I have a lot to catch up on writing wise and I give you my word that I am working on them. I am still dealing with my loss and having a difficult time coming to terms with it, so I beg everyone to please just be patient with me. Every one of my stories will get done in due time. As to exactly when, I can't say for sure. Thanks.
"It's not funny, Ruby!" Said Emma.
"Yes, it is!" Ruby breathes through laughter. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you are the luckiest of us all getting to see the future Mayor naked-"
"Shh! Will you keep your voice down?" Emma's eyes look to a few turning heads, keeping her own voice down. "I've never been more embarrassed in my entire life." Her cheeks redden at the memory of the look on Regina's face.
"Hey, it was an honest mistake," Ruby nudges Emma's ribs with her elbow. "Or what, did she see you?"
"No, of course not. Well…" Emma thinks back. Did she see me? "I don't think so. I quickly turned away and kept my eyes to the ground the entire time."
"Yeah, right-" Ruby nudges Emma's ribs again. "Come on, Em. Don't lie and tell me that you didn't take one," She holds up a single digit. "Peak down South." She nudges, "Did you? Did you?" Ruby's eyes grow wide at the slightest smirk appearing on Emma's lips. "Oh, my- you did!"
"Shhh!" Emma's cheeks will never fade of the color red after this unexpected day.
"You so did! What did you see- what was it like? Tell me, tell me!" Ruby shakes Emma's form, gripping tightly along her shoulders.
"Stop- relax," Emma lets out a laugh. "For your information, I didn't see much of anything, alright? It all happened so fast, I practically apologized through my teeth before storming out of that room in embarrassment."
Ruby's grin widens. "But, I bet our future Mayor got a really nice look at you from behind." She teases.
Emma gawks, "Wha- how do you come up with these ridiculous stories, Ruby?" She asks, her heart accelerating inside of her chest to the thought of someone like Regina Mills checking her out in any way that wasn't strictly professional. If there ever was a professional way of checking someone out. Emma wouldn't know.
"Hey, come off it, okay, Em? You do have a nice caboose." Ruby's eyes avert directly to Emma's behind. "Not as nice as mine- let's admit it- but it's firm and well rounded." Her head tilts to gather a better view.
This time Emma laughs, smacking Ruby playfully along the arm. That same arm links along Emma's shoulders, pulling her into an embrace. "Come here, maybe if I rub off on you, some of your luck will rub off on me."
"And next to give his speech on President Nixon is Henry Swan." Henry's teacher announces, beckoning Henry further up front the stage.
Henry's feet felt like jell-o as he rose from his seat. Sweat was building up along his hairline and going down his temples, it was even becoming hard to breathe. His eyes looked out into the large crowd of students and parents, seeing his mom's and Ruby's smiling faces. He's too nervous to consider waving back at his mother, and too let down to spot the empty seat beside her where his father promised he'd be.
Drawing in a slow breath, Henry dipped his head and kept his eyes to the ground as he began. "...Richard Millhouse Nixon." He pauses, "Was a man of many contradictions." He takes a shuddering breath, "Even though he is remembered in history as the only president to ever resign…" His eyes look at a few giggling faces.
Emma frowns while Ruby dares to glare at a giggling kid nearby.
"H- his foreign policies and his relations with China opened up the Western doors to Eastern-" his eyes shut tight, "I mean, Eastern doors to Western ties."
Giggles grew louder in the background and what sounded like all around him, until one of the teachers sitting near quieted everyone down.
"Richard Nixon was born in…" The room was becoming smaller by the minute that Henry could no longer breathe. His eyes glossed over, staring directly at his mother before he stormed off stage.
"Oh, no," Ruby mutters, her shoulders deflating.
"I'll be right back." Emma quickly stands from her seat and heads out the auditorium doors, where Henry is sitting along a chair that's near a wall, his head hanging in shame. "Hey, kid." Emma's frown deepens as she kneels before her son.
As Henry's eyes look up into his mother's own, a few tears stream down his cheeks.
"Aw, kid," Emma wipes away a fallen tear with the back of her knuckles. "Hey. I thought you were amazing." She smiles ever-so-sweetly.
"Mom, stop. I sucked, okay? Everyone was laughing at me and I forgot the stupid words." Henry's frown deepens.
Emma's hand cups along her son's, "That happens sometimes, Hen. It's okay to mess up, that's how you learn."
"Yeah, right." Henry scoffs, rotating in his chair to face away from his mother.
"I'm telling you the truth, kid. The trick to things is you never give up. You keep trying, and sometimes, even if things don't happen the way you expect them to, the point is that you do better. And I promise you, you will do better." She pokes her son's back. "Just don't give up."
Slowly but surely, Henry rotates his body, facing his mother. "Mom," he throws his arms around his mother's neck in a tight hug, feeling her arms wrap him in.
"I'm sorry, Hen. I'm sorry that happened to you." Emma caressed her son's back.
"Dad didn't even come." Henry pulls away from their embrace, seeing the same disappointment he felt in his father, linger in his mother's own eyes. "We aren't going camping like he promised, are we?" He asks, already knowing the answer for himself.
Emma's frown deepens once again. She couldn't lie to him. "No, baby, I'm afraid your dad got stuck at work again. He needs to travel to Seattle. But, listen, here's what we're going to do, okay?" She smiles. "This weekend you are coming to work with me. How does that sound? It'll be fun, you'll have a whole hotel to play with. Just don't get too wild or it's my butt."
As much as Henry loved going to work with his mom, nothing could cheer him up right now enough to smile.
"Everyone's been asking about you for days, it's about time to let them see you. What do you think?" Emma nudges her son, getting no answer. "Come on, let's go home for some grilled cheese. That always cheers you up."
Henry's eyes narrow, "Mom, that's your comfort food."
"Okay, well, we go home and you pick whatever we are having for dinner." Emma smiles, wrapping her son in the tightest hug as he throws his little body in her arms again.
Emma lives for moments like these. Because one day, she knew that Henry would be all grown up and then those moments would be gone.
"Alright, let's go!" Emma held onto her son's hand as they rushed through a horrendous traffic to get to the side walk on the other side that would lead her to work.
"Emma!" A heavy set man with a five o'clock shadow along his face waves his tongs in the air from his hot dog stand. "How you two doin'?"
"Hey, George. We're fine." Emma smiles, waving back at him.
"Hey, about a beer, huh?" George smiles as he throws a wink her way.
"Not while I'm working, Georgie, but I'll get you one." Emma's grin grows as George chuckles. She waves, hurrying down the sidewalk.
"Hey, Emma!" Belle looks up from her daily book to smile at Emma as she sits outside of her father's flower shop.
"Hey, Belle." Emma smiles.
"Hey, Henry- I see your mom has you in a rush today." Belle grins.
"Busy day, gotta run, Belle!" Emma waves.
"Henry!" Marco beams from behind his booth at Henry as he dips down. "It's about time you come by to say hello to us. You're already clocked in, Em."
"Thanks, Marco. You're looking handsome today." Emma winks.
"You keep flattering an old man like that and I'll make you buy me dinner." Said Marco with a twinkle to his eye.
"I should be so lucky!" Emma chuckles, walking along, hand in hand with her son. Once Emma reached the design department, because of course this hotel would have that, always eager for new ideas and designs, Emma smiled.
"Sweetie, sweetie," Jefferson hovered over a young girl's shoulder. "That's lovely, but I need you to think big. Big!" He lifts his arms up in the air. His eyes fall on Emma as his smile reaches his eyes. "Hey, look who's here!" He rushes over to ruffly Henry's hair. "What's up, Henry? Where have you been hiding?"
"Listen, Jefferson, are you sure you can still watch him for me?" Emma asks.
"Of course, I can." Jefferson tucks a pen behind one of his ears.
"Well, you know where to reach me if you need me." Said Emma.
"Don't you worry about a thing, Henry and I are going to have some fun!" Jefferson's hand lands on Henry's little shoulder. "Isn't that right, Henry? I'll let you help me work on some of my designs, huh? How does that sound?"
Henry loved working on designs with Jefferson. It wasn't his first time. However, nothing could seem to turn his frown upside down.
"Don't mind him," Emma whispers, leaning in a little. "He had a tough day at school yesterday."
"Eh, don't worry about it. He's a kid, he'll cheer up soon." Jefferson smiles. "I'll take care of him."
"Thank you." Emma breathes.
"Jefferson," a man in his late twenties walks up to Jefferson, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "We need you to come and take a look at these two finishing designs for the new pool that's about to be installed."
Without another word, Jefferson walks away, remaining at close distance.
Emma kneels down in front of her son. "Okay, Hen. I'm going to be working, but you can stay here with Jefferson. Play your gameboy or draw. If you get bored, you can walk around, but remember, no havoc, okay?" She holds up a finger in warning.
Henry nods quietly.
"Hey, come on," Emma's knuckles caress along her son's cheek. "How about a smile before I go?" She smiles weakly.
Henry's frown remains.
"Okay, well," Emma walks her son over to a desk, pulling out the chair so he can sit down. "Maybe later you'll give me a smile, huh?" She waits a beat before turning away.
"Mom," Henry reaches his mother's hand, stopping her in her tracks as Emma's head whips around. His eyes locked on his mother's as they looked up. "I'm sorry for being such a lump."
Emma's hand rubs along Henry's shoulder, "It's not your fault, kid."
"I'll try to have fun." Henry gives his mother a weak smile of his own, but a smile nonetheless.
Emma leans down, kissing the top of her son's head before combing his hair over. "You need me for anything, tell Jefferson and he'll find me, okay?"
Henry nods, trying his best to feel content.
Emma smiles sweetly before she goes on her way to start her hard day's work. Once in uniform she works her way into a storage room where she fills out a cart with tissue papers to place in each room of the twenty-first floor.
"You left Henry with Jefferson? You should have let him hang out here with us!" Ruby exclaimed, occasionally puffing on a cigarette.
"Will you put that out, Ruby? We need to get to work." Said Emma, bending down to pick up a box that dropped from the cart.
"Hey, cheer up, Em," Ivy chirps. "To a kid a place like this is like a palace! He'll cheer up in no time."
"That's right, and wait until he finds out that Regina Mills is staying here," Ruby grins. "That kid will do flips. Let's just hope he doesn't walk in on her naked like you were fortunate to."
Emma's eyes glare widely at Ruby.
Ivy and Rosey's heads popped up to attention like two cats in sync.
"Whaaaat?" Rosey brought her glasses down to the tip of her nose, eyes inspecting Emma from above.
"You saw her naked?" Ivy grinned, her body leaning against one of the carts.
"Okay- what is this, the sixth grade?" Emma rolls her eyes. "She wasn't naked. She barely had her fly open." She shakes her head as she tosses a box of tissues along her cart.
"Oh," Ruby's hand lands on Emma's shoulder with a smack, her grin from ear to ear. "But she definitely saw some silk panties underneath those pants."
Kill me now. While Emma's cheeks turn beet red, Ivy and Rosey share a gasp along with a smirk.
"Hey, and you never know. With all the wild things they say about her…" Ruby's brows wiggle. "She may need more than a little cleaning. If you know what I mean."
Emma rolls her eyes, "Do not start with that true love stuff, Ruby."
"True love? I'm just trying to get you to see God." Ruby shrugs. "You know, a girl needs to lift up her skirt every once in a while."
"She's right, Em," Ivy smirks, "And I gotta say- I've seen plenty of pictures of our future Mayor to know she can give it to you good anywhere, any time… any place, baby!" She snaps her fingers.
"And you know us women can have multiple orgasms," Ruby poked Emma's ribs.
Emma's cheeks turn red as all three friends begin whooping around her. She brushes Ruby's hand away. "Alright, enough! Let's get to work, huh? Some of us have to make a living."
"Ruby," Emma nods her head as she passes her along the hallway. "Come help me clean up the Park suite, you aren't doing anything."
"Who's in the Park suite?" Ruby asks.
"That blonde goddess. You know, you and her have a lot in common."
"Oh, yeah? Then why am I the one wearing the uniform?" Ruby's brow lifts.
"Tell me about it. Turns out she is also involved with someone who has yet to pop her-"
"Cherry?" Ruby chimes in, "Because then we'd be identical."
Emma slips out her key card and swipes it through the door. "Is everything about…?"
"Getting down and dirty?" Ruby's brows wiggle. "It's my idea of a great time, babe."
A laugh bursts out of Emma as she enters the room. Emma immediately starts her duties by making Emilia's bed, while Ruby takes the opportunity to go through her creams and perfumes.
"You know the difference between me and the goddess?" Ruby asks, rubbing on some lotion along her arms. "Is that she's trying on all of these things to make men want her, while I work hard for my money."
Emma looks over her shoulder, "Ruby, will you get over here and help me with this bed? We're supposed to be working. We still have a lot to get done."
"Speaking of getting things done, have you filled out that application yet? For management." Ruby moves along the walk-in closet.
"Yeah… Sure." Emma brushes back a strand of hair. She hasn't sent in her application because no one would ever consider her for manager.
"You're lying." Ruby states, unzipping one of the bags that hangs along the clothes rack.
"I am not." Emma fluffs the last pillow in place along the bed.
"How many times do I have to tell you, Em, you are better than all of us put together. You just have to see that for yourself." Ruby's eyes sparkle at the sight of a Dolce white suit. "Oooh… Very nice!" She grins.
As Emma glances over her shoulder, her eyes grow wide upon seeing Ruby holding the white suit. "What are you doing? Put that back, Ruby!"
"Hold your horses, Em, I just want to take a quick peek over here." Ruby holds out the suit for better inspection, whistling to herself.
"Ruby, you're going to get us in trouble!" Emma hisses.
"Em," Ruby runs over toward Emma, placing the clothes along the bed. "You gotta feel this material. It slips through your hands like better."
Emma's head tilts, her own curiosity peaked as she reaches to touch one of the legs to the white pants. "Jesus…" She breathes.
"Right?" Ruby picks up the pants while Emma inspects the suit. "We are talking big money here. You know, she probably will only wear this once and then get rid of it like it is nothing."
Emma chuckles, "Typical." She says in unison with Ruby. "Alright, now, put it back please, we still have a lot of-" Her eyes brow lifts as she takes in Ruby's eyes looking her over up and down. "What? What is that look about? Stop it."
"Wait a second," Ruby holds the waistline of the pants along Emma's waist. "What size are you?"
"Okay, enough, Ruby," Emma grabs the pants from Ruby's grip and begins placing them back in their bag.
"Hang on- hang on- just wait a minute!" Ruby collects the pants again, seeing the size number. "Size six- you're a six. Here," she hands them to Emma.
"Wha- are you kidding me? No! Put them back!" Emma shakes her head.
"Come on, live a little! You're just trying them on." Ruby's eyes study the suit before they turn to the closet. "Shoes! You need shoes." She runs to the closet to collect a pair of heels, bringing out a pair of black pumps. "Size nine. These would go perfect with this suit!" She grins proudly.
"I'm a seven and a half!" Emma snaps the heels from Ruby's hands.
Ruby snatches them back, "They will fit, you put on some gym socks and you're good to go. Trust me." She bends down to place them on her feet.
"Ruby!" Emma steps back, yanking herself away. "Put everything back, okay? This is crazy, let's just go!"
"No. Not until you try these on." Ruby is reluctant.
Emma scoffs in disbelief, "What has gotten into you? I am not trying on another person's clothes!"
"These clothes were pushed back all the way inside of that closet. She probably doesn't even want them anymore. Either that or she must have like a hundred of them. Besides, I am only asking you to try it on, not go walking out in the park with them. I mean, come on, Emma…" Ruby's hand caresses along the material. "See how the other half lives, for once in your life. Come on."
There's a small smile playing on Emma's lips. "If I try it on, do you promise to put everything back right away?"
"Right away." Ruby nods.
"And we'll get back to work?" Emma's eyes stare sternly.
"Absolutely." Ruby's free hand hides behind her back, her index and middle finger crossed over one another.