Chapter Five - Regina

I walk into the dining room, with my red pencil dress that doesn't hide my cleavage. I offered to help the grandparents cooking for breakfast, but they wouldn't hear of it. My only job is to choose us a table. There are several dotted around the room, each covered with a goldish Christmas tablecloth. I pick one right in the middle and slip into a chair.

The room is gorgeous. I saw it last night on Henry's tour, but it looks different today, the morning's soft winter sunlight making everything look warner and more inviting. There are exposed ceiling beams and the perfect rug laid over the wooden floors. A large fireplace is decorated with festive Christmas and through a tall archway. I could see where the picture-perfect Christmas tree I spotted yesterday stands proud. It is the perfect blend of cozy homeliness and luxury Christmas tree, and I am slightly in love with it all.

Now, I am just looking forward Henry to joining me. He'll bring with him tea, toast and easy conversation-everything I want this morning. We definitely deserve a hearty breakfast after our bumper study session last night. My brain is now full of Henry-related facts that I could choose him as a specialist subject on Mastermind. I even know what it's like to wake up with him. It turns out my roommate is a heavy sleeper who will remain conked out well into the afternoon unless he has three different alarms blaring simultaneously at full volume each morning. I won't hold that against him, though. If it hadn't been for Henry's symphony of alarms, I think I would have slept through as well. I may well have stayed in that warm, cozy bed upstairs for the entire day. It gave me one of the best sleeps I've ever had.

Someone else is walking into the room now. I look toward the archway eagerly, excited for my breakfast, but it is not Henry that I see.

It's Emma.

She stops under the arch, eyes closed, stretches her arms out overhead. She looked like she's still half asleep. It suits her. Her blonde hair is all mussed up in parts, but somehow managing to rock in the middle of December. Her face is free of make-up, making her scattering of light freckles even more pronounced. She's wearing an oversized knitted jumper that falls halfway down her bare thighs, riding up even further as she stretches. I can't seem to take my eyes off her. All ruffled with sleep, she looks even more beautiful than she did last night. Can she look like that and look so beautiful.

Finally coming back my own senses, I realize that I have just been caught full-on gawking at Emma's naked legs. And then smiling about it. I looked away. Should I apologize for staring at her like that? She clearly didn't like it, and the last thing I want to do is make her feel uncomfortable in her own home.

"I'm sorry." For what? Do I come right out and apologize for being a creep? Or will I seem even creepier if I acknowledge my own creepiness? Emma hasn't said a word yet, and I don't want to overwhelm her. Before I can work it out, she's striding towards me. In what looks like one fluid motion, she uses her legs to pull out the chair opposite mine and sits with arms stretched across the table.

"It's all right," she says without any traces of coldness. She's smiling at me now, apparently making an effort to push past my weirdness. "You just scared me a second cos I didn't realize anyone was in here. No harm done. Actually, I am glad I caught you. I'm dying to have a proper chat so we can get to know each other. Shall we have a chat?"

I don't see how I can say no. It's such a reasonable request, and one would be horribly rude of me to turn down. I am not convinced that I am make it through breakfast without making a tit of myself. I don't seem to have anywhere enough control over my hormones, words or eyeballs. It is so important that I make a good impression on Henry's family, and I really haven't been doing my best work on Emma so far.

Then again, I made the worst possible first impression when I almost fell when I arrived. I don't need to be overthinking this. Emma wants to make an effort to get to know me. Afterall, she is mother of Henry. I want to be friendly in return, appropriately friendly. I can do that. I am capable of making polite conversation over breakfast. I can shake my head until I've got rid of any nagging thoughts about how I am not actually naturally around Emma, or, if things take a different turn, about how I am acting too naturally around her due to getting lost in her hazel green eyes or voice or something. Henry will be joining us soon, which will help. I won't have to chat to Emma one-on-one for very long at all. And I believe I could avoid alone time with her completely once the rest of the Nolan's family arrive on the table.

I confirm that Emma and I will have a chat together by giving her an enthusiastic smile. I manage not to fall into a spiral of cringing over seeing them making ridiculous gestures.

I've got this.