Capitulo 17

Regina was headed back into her office when she spotted Zelena talking to Lily. "Zelena!" Regina said. "What a surprise, you are coming so often, it's like you work here."

"I was just leaving," Zelena said and walked away.

Regina rolled her eyes and turned to Jefferson. "Oh, Regina, before you go," Lily said, stopping her from going. "Robin said to tell you he was off to pick up your parents at the airport."

"Fabulous," Regina said and turned back to Jefferson. "Are you going to post?"

"Nah, Mal said she had a casting for that one music video."

Regina smiled, "Oh yeah."

"Imagine, beautiful dancers with very little clothing…" Jefferson stated to appease Lily's ears. "We really should go; I mean, you have been stuck in that office looking at your homely secretary. Let's go feast our peepers on something beautiful."

"So true," Regina said, "Come on…"

Once out of earshot of Lily, Jefferson said, "I don't like what your sister was doing, hanging around here."

"Of course, you don't. She looked pretty chummy with your girl Lily, didn't she?" Regina said.

"It's not that. She has no business in here. I don't understand why she would be hanging around."

"That's why we have to be extra vigilant," Regina said. "Zelena is up to no good, and we can't afford to make Lily another one of her spies. Why don't you go and ask her out for tonight?"

"Are you seriously telling me to seduce Lily to save your skin?" Jefferson asked incredulously.

"But, Mr. Vice President, sometimes our duties require horrific sacrifices," Regina stated.

"But what about my feelings?" Jefferson asked sarcastically.

Regina answered jocularly, "We will recognize your sacrifices according to the difficulty of the task."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Jefferson stated, bowing and kissing Regina's ring.

Regina laughed at her best friend. "Come on, stop messing around. Let's go."

The two friends made their way to pre-production, and as soon as they walked through Mal's door, the models and dancers ran into Regina and Jefferson's arms. Maleficent rolled her eyes. These two were always disrupting her creative flow. "Here comes a distraction... I don't need my dancers distracted."

"No, don't worry, Mal," Regina stated. "We came here to take care of some business because Jefferson has been trying to get a hold of you, and you have not allowed it."

"And I won't," Maleficent stated. "I need to talk to you rather because I have a myriad of complaints. This company has fallen into disrepair. The energy here is chaotic, and I want to post my complaints to you, or would you rather I bring my concerns to your Mom?"

Regina sighed and settled in to hear the woman's complaints.

Emma was in her office, working on the books hard. She sighed; she was going to need a lot of help tonight. She picked up her phone and called her mother.

"Hey, Emma."

"Hi, Mom. How's Henry?" Emma asked, thinking about how much time this job tended to take from her son.

"He is okay. Your dad took him to the Fair tonight for a little distraction."

"That's so great."

"Want me to tell your dad to have him home before you get here?"

"Ugh, no, Mom. I have a TON of work to do. As a matter of fact, I am going to work on a few things here, then take the work home with me. Could you please tell Killian I need him tonight?"

"Sure," Mary said.

"Let him know I will make it worth his while," Emma stated.

"Yeah, I'll let him know," Mary said.

"Thanks, Mom," Emma said. "Plus, I have some really good news for you." Suddenly, the door to her office opened up, and Lily walked through. Emma rolled her eyes. "I'll see you in a bit, Mom," Emma said and hung up the phone, turning to the brunette.

"Did you finish the balance sheet for tomorrow's meeting?" Lily asked.

"No," Emma answered simply.

"Well, I need it so that I can make the copies, put them in folders, and have them ready for tomorrow so we're not rushing around like crazy then." Lily justified.

"Well, that's too bad because I will be working on it all night," Emma stated.

"Fine then, give it to me in the morning," Lily demanded. Emma looked at the woman dubiously. "Relax, it's not to take credit; I just want to copy them and get them in file folders."

"Yeah, don't worry about that, I will have them ready myself. I can take that off your hands." Emma stated.

"Organizing this meeting is my job. And I want it first thing in the morning." Lily demanded.

"It's impossible. I won't be done with it till midday." Emma stated.

"Why so late?" Lily complained.

"If you have any complaints, you may direct them to Ms. Regina Mills," Emma said sarcastically. Lily left with a huff. She wasn't going to get anywhere with this woman. Then Emma smirked and got back to work on this final section before she would pack up and leave.

"Believe me," Maleficent said, knocking on her desk. "My list of grievances is long like a grocery list." She placed her hands on her hips and pointed out. "Today, no one set up craft services for our location shoot."

"Mal, I fixed that problem, don't worry." Jefferson interrupted.

"Oh no, you should be the one that's worried," Mal stated. "As punishment, I sent for catering from one of the most exclusive spots in the area. We ate well…" Regina sighed.

"You should see that bill; you are going to get a heart attack," Mal said with a chuckle. "And another thing. Some of our clients have told me to my face that our new work has been very low quality. So of course, I told them that there are other directors that we hired. But still, my name, Maleficent Drake, is tied to all that bad work."

"Our clients still trust us," Regina stated. "The packages are working."

"Oh really?" Mal said. "That's probably a momentary lapse because I have already heard that New Line does not want to work with High Concepts."

"I have been in negotiations with New Line, and they haven't told me a thing," Jefferson said. "Either way, that's only one agency. We have many others."

"I don't know, but you need to talk to Robin because he has some calcified information," Mal stated.

Regina stood in front between the two people, the fear of what she had done to the company playing in the back of her mind.

"Also, I would like for you to let me know which commercials I am directing in advance, please," Mal stated.

"Excuse me," Eugenia stated, tapping Maleficent's shoulder. "It's Rolando."

"My Rullie!" Mal said excitedly. "I thought he was never going to call," Mal said and took the cell phone from Eugenia and walked away to talk to her boy toy.

Regina was left standing in the director's office, hoping she hadn't caused irreparable damage to her company. "So Regina," one of the dancers said, approaching her. "What do you say? Are we going out tonight?"

Regina sighed and took her hands, keeping her from getting her arms around her neck. "You know… I can't." She said with a disappointed frown. "I have to go out to dinner with my parents."

Later, Eugenia returned to the director's office, saying. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Mills… Ms. Drake had a bit of an emergency."

"She's gone?" Regina asked, and the older woman nodded. "I'll just call her."

"Don't bother… when Ruli calls… She turns her phone off." Eugenia stated.

"Fine," Regina stated. "When she gets in tomorrow, and her pick for the commercial isn't here, it will be her fault that she doesn't know."

"But he searched for her for days…"

"And because she decided that a gourmet meal was what she had to give everyone. We can't afford the movie star kid that she picked. That girl has an Emmy, for crying out loud. We can't afford that now."

"Oh gosh…" Eugenia said.

Tomorrow is going to be a hell of a day.

Emma rushed out of the office, trying to catch the bus. She had missed the last one, and now she had to wait 45 minutes for the next one. Regina pulled up next to her.

"Emma? How are you getting home?"

"Oh, I'm going on the T," Emma answered.

"Oh no… Come on, I'll take you home." Regina said.

"I couldn't impose, Ms. Mills," Emma stated.

"Come on, it's my pleasure." Regina stated, "Buckle up." The executive said, waiting for the younger woman to get into the car.

"Thank you, Ms. Mills," Emma said, getting into the car.

"Emma, you shouldn't be riding the bus; you're an executive. You should buy a car." Regina said.

"I don't make enough money to buy my own. As it is, I share with my parents." Emma stated.

"Okay then…" Regina said, "How about I take you home every night.?"

"Really?" Emma said, a slight flush to her cheeks. Her heart pitter-pattering.

"Yeah…" Regina stated. "You know, we don't know each other well enough. We talk economics and finances. I want to know about you. What do you like to do?"

"Well, I like to read and music…" Emma said.

"Music?" Regina stated. "I'm going to invite you to a bar; they turn the floor into a dance floor every night."

"But…" Emma stated.

"Come on, let's go, Emma!"

"What about the board meeting?" Emma questioned.

"Look, we go, listen to some music, and then between you and me, we will work on the balance sheet," Regina stated. "You have everything, right?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Emma stated.

"Good, so let's go listen to some music, and dance a little, then we will go to my apartment and finish up this work," Regina stated. "What do you think?"

Emma was awestruck as Regina took her hand and squeezed it before interlacing her fingers with Emma's own.

"I'm so glad that I am here with you," Regina said. " I really am."

Emma smiled. "Same here, Ms. Mills," Emma said, her smile never fading.

Emma… Emma!

"Emma!" Emma finally awakens from that vivid daydream. Regina actually did stop in front of her. Was she going to give her a ride?

"Yes, Ma'am?" Emma stated.

"What time will you be here tomorrow?" Regina asked.

"Um… 8 am, Ma'am… do you need me to come earlier?" Emma queried.

"No… 8 is good. Rest well." Regina stated. And a model rushed to the car.

"Regina, babe, are you going north?" The gorgeous model asked.

Regina gave the woman a cheeky grin and said. "Yeah, of course. Hop in." The model hops into the car and Regina waves at Emma. "Bye, Emma, see you tomorrow morning!"

"Bye…" Emma said, her eyes crestfallen. That was a wonderful dream.

Regina walked into the gay bar, hand in hand with Heather, the leggy model. "Babe… I can't. I have to be with my parents, so I'll stay for one drink, and then I have to go."

"Come on…" Heather said, dancing around her.

"Uff, you're grinding on me. I love it when you grind on me…" Regina said, placing her hands on the woman's hips. "I really, really have to go."

"Why?" The woman whines.

"My parents are waiting for me," Regina stated. "Fine, two drinks, okay? Only two, and then we go."

Emma got home, and her son and father were laid out on the sofa. Killian and her mother were in the kitchen. She sneaked over without waking the two people who demanded most of her time.

"Hi…" She said.

"Hey, what's your news?"

"Shhh…" Emma said, looking over at the boys and turning back to Mom and Killian. "Dad can't find out."

"Psh… your dad is dead to this world. The two of them got home and immediately passed out. What happened?" Mary said.

"Guess what?" Emma said with a smile on her face. "Tomorrow I'm being named Executive Assistant to the President of the company."

The group had a quiet celebration. But then Henry woke up, and so did her father. "What's going on here?"

"Yeah, what's going on here?" The three-year-old parroted.

Emma giggled and reached for her son. "We are just celebrating," Killian said.

"What are you celebrating?" David said as Emma kissed her baby's sweet cheek in greeting.

"Um… I just got a raise," Emma said.

"Oh, Honey, that's amazing," David said. "You see, Killian, what happens when people are tenacious."

Killian nodded.

"Honey, why don't you put in a good word for Killian so he can stop hanging out at my table every day, eating me out of house and home."

They laughed. "Oh, of course, Daddy, I'm working on that… there just aren't any openings, but the moment I can, I will try to get him hired. He just doesn't have experience."

"Hold on a minute, Emma…" Killian said. "I know the financial comings and goings of High Concepts. I have experience. I stay up night after night helping you with your work."

"The assistant to the assistant," Emma said giggling. "Speaking of which… we have tons of work to do tonight for tomorrow's board meeting."

Emma carried her son on her hip up the stairs behind Killian. "We're going to go to bed and let Mommy and Killian work."

"Kay," The little boy said.

"Did you have fun with Pa today?" Emma asked.

"I saw all the colors, Mama," Henry said.

"All the colors?" Emma said, sitting with him on her bed.

"Yes, it went round and round." Emma looked at his hand going around in circles.

"Oh, the Ferris wheel? Did you ride it?" Emma asked.

"Yes. It got really high."

"Really High?" Emma asked her baby with an indulgent smile. "Did you see our house from up there?"

The boy giggled. "No, Mama."

She went through the nighttime routine while Killian made himself comfortable in front of her computer. When Henry was finally back to sleep, she sighed and sat beside her friend. "I want you to know how much I appreciate this."

Regina was late to dinner with her parents, and she knew it. She rushed in like a whirlwind, apologizing as she went. She hugged her mother around the shoulder and squeezed her dad tight. Robin looked angry sitting there, and Regina knew she was in for one hell of a night.

"So sorry I'm late," Regina stated. "How is England?"

"Oh, it's wonderful. I am really enjoying it," her father replied. The conversation turned super awkward, and Regina could feel the tension in the air. Robin's frustration was palpable, and Regina couldn't wait to get out of the room.

"Regina, I would like to talk to you in the study," her mother said.

"Sure… um," Regina said, feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension. She followed her mother to the study, wondering what awaited her in the private conversation.

"Hey, Emma," Killian said softly. "Now you are going to have to fight like hell to get them to give you a raise."

"It all depends on how tomorrow goes," Emma said. "So, we better get to work, cause tomorrow is the most important meeting of my life."

"I don't know why Robin is always harping on me."

"Well, you keep messing with their relationship."

"What?" Emma asked.

"This isn't the first time they fought because of you, is it?" Killian asked. "You should take that as a compliment. Because other beautiful people haven't been able to get between them like that."

"Come on, let's get to work," Emma said, and the two began to work.

"Emma, the goals she set are not going to be completed."

"Yes, she knows," Emma said absently, changing a couple of numbers. "To save face, she asked me to cook the books of this balance sheet." She paused and looked to Killian tentatively.

"Are you kidding me?"

"I know, I know… But Ms. Mills isn't embezzling; she just wants to create something so that the board doesn't freak out until she can fix everything," Emma said.

"And you're going to lend yourself to that?" Killian said. "You would do anything for that woman, won't you?"

"Okay… I can't deny I have a thing for her, Killian," Emma said. "But she asked this of me as a very special favor. Please understand me, that woman has stuck her neck out for me; she just promoted me. It's the least I can do for her."

Killian sighed and shook his head. "Emma… if they figure it out, you are so fired."

"And that would make two of us," Emma answered. "But if I don't do it… we are still both fired. You don't actually believe that I'll stay in High Concepts if Ms. Mills doesn't work there anymore. I have to do this, not only for her but for me and Henry. I have to get out of this house, Killian!"

"So you're saying we're going to be fixing the main balance sheet and the reports of each individual department so that all of them are cohesive and no one can tell what you are doing."

Emma smiled sheepishly at her friend. "Yes?"

"That doesn't mean that someone won't check the originals," Killian said.

"All of that stuff is encrypted on my computer. I don't have any copies outside of my work computer except for this flash drive," Emma stated.

"And, no one has access to your computer?" Killian asked.

Emma paused and narrowed her eyes. "Do you think I don't know how to encrypt my stuff? It's cool; they have to actually get the physical machine and break in.

"But wouldn't it just be easier for her, Ms. Mills, to tell her family what's happening?" Killian stated, looking at a graph. "I mean, the company is still very stable. What if you hide this info from them and then something happens where you have to risk the entire company?"

"I know, but her honor is in question," Emma said to her friend. "Her mom and her sister are ready to tear the company from her grasp at any little thing."

"Em, I think in this case, honor and pride are the exact same thing," Killian said.

"But do you see what I mean about the importance of the meeting tomorrow?" Emma asked, stretching in her seat. "The first one to want me out is your little girlfriend, Lily."

"Come on, she's a work of art, Emma."

"Oh, please, Ms. Mills knows how useless she is," Emma stated.

"Are they going to fire her?" Killian said worried.

"No," Emma answered, looking at her friend, the betrayer. "Killian, do not suffer for her because nothing is ever going to happen to her. Let's get to work."

"Come on, boss," Killian said. "Have a bit of compassion for this worker bee that works for free."

"Oh, are you complaining?" Emma stated, turning back to him. "Okay, what are your consultation fees?"

"Come on, Emma, that is priceless. The only way you could pay me is by setting me up with Lily Paige," Emma started laughing hysterically. "Well, introduce me at least! Then I can pay you with two general balance sheets."

"My God, Killian, don't be absurd!" Emma stated between guffaws. "Every time that woman talks to me is to tell me how much she hates me. How do you want me to tell her that I have a guy that wants to go out with her? Please, Killian, get her out of your head."

"Why, Emma?" Killian asked. "I don't understand. Is she seeing someone?"

Emma sighed. "Yes, she does," she said, remembering Jefferson. "She has a boyfriend."

"With whom?" Killian said indignantly as if Lily were cheating on him.

"Well… They say she is dating Jefferson Hatter," Emma stated. "He's Regina's best friend and Vice president."

Killian deflates, so for sure he is rich and handsome. "Is that a formal thing?"

"I imagine so, Killian," Emma said, feeling sorry for her friend.

"Why are you so tense?" Cora asked her daughter after serving them both glasses of cider. "I know it's about a conflict with Robin; that much is clear."

Regina chuckled. "Oh, he didn't already tell you about it?"

"Well, he thinks that you are being excessive with that ugly little secretary you have. You give her too many liberties, and you are promoting her to an executive position?"

"Sure, he doesn't tell you everything, just what bothers him," Regina stated. "Yes, I promoted her to an executive position because that is the job that she is performing. I don't give her any liberties; I am giving her credit where it is due, and it bothers Lily that Emma is so good at her job."

"Are you sure you're not being unfair to Lily?" Cora asked. Regina looked at her mother dubiously. "That report she handed in at the last meeting was amazing." Regina laughed at this and shook her head. "You shouldn't look your nose down at that caliber of work."

Regina turned to her mother, taking a sip of her cider. "Lily is not the wunderkind that you are thinking, Mother," Regina said, coming closer to her. "Tomorrow you will see who the real marvel is."

Her mother watched her and narrowed her eyes at her daughter. What did that mean?

"I told you already that if you ever wanted to be with Lily, you would have to be rich and then get a lawyer," Emma stated, letting out a yawn. She reached for her mug of coffee and took a sip.

"For what?" Killian asked.

"So that he could change your name to an old money name. Otherwise, she won't even look at you," she smirked. "Also, you're going to need extra money for her shrink bills. She has a lot of mental health issues. She can't see that someone is doing well without suffering a breakdown." She paused, looking at her friend. "I thought you were my friend… Don't you see that woman is just a bully to me?"

"Don't be unfair, Emma. She just needs a little understanding," Killian said, staring at her picture on his phone.

"Understanding? For?" Emma asked.

"I don't know… but this beauty has to be understood," Killian answered. "A beauty such as this must carry so many conflicts."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh sure, beautiful girls have more problems than ugly ones… give me a break."

"Sure, when you're ugly and you know you are ugly, you try and try, but you know what to expect because you are ugly," Killian said.

Emma turned to look at him over her glasses. "Oh, please."

"Well, if you're pretty, you don't know what to do with your life or your beauty."

"Geeze Louise," Emma mumbled. "I needed the mansplanation of feminine beauty, oh beauty guru. Woman expert."

"Emma, I don't need to be an expert," Killian stated. "Beautiful women marry more than once and die alone. Now how many ugly women do you know marry more than once? If they get married once, they never let the man go." Emma looks at him, completely offended. "And if they don't get married, they know what awaits them. They become spinsters, help raise lots of nieces and nephews, and they die alone, but resigned."

"That is my future, Killian!" Emma said, smacking his shoulders with her open hand.

"Not all of you… That was before… now you get fulfilling careers too," he said.

"Please stop, you're digging a deeper grave," Emma stated.

Finally, he began to think about what he was saying. Killian sighed. He knows what Emma feels she looks like, but it has been a long time since he even thought of her as ugly. To him, his best friend was beautiful. "Emma… I wasn't talking about you."

"Can we just get back to work, please?" Emma asked. "I have to get this done by noon."

Emma sulked the rest of the time they worked on the balance sheets.