Puddles
A guest asked for a oneshot of an adult Emma deciding she wants to have some fun during a rainy day. She was never allowed to jump in puddles in the system. However, Snow isn't happy when she comes home wet and muddy like a swamp monster.
"The rain poured down from the heavy grey clouds above and splattered into the growing puddles below. Emma's car was in the garage for a service so she was walking home. Although it was wet, at least the warmth of summer still lingered around leaving the rain lukewarm rather than cold as it was in autumn and winter. As Emma walked along, a thought occurred to her. She was already soaking wet anyway, what harm would it do to splash around in the puddles? She'd never gotten a chance to do it as a child. Her foster parents had always yelled at her if she tried. But now she was an adult and if she wanted to jump in the puddles she damn well would.
"A, b, c I scraped my knee!" Emma said in a singsong voice. Some of the other kids would sing this song if they were jumping in puddles or playing hopscotch. "D, e, f the one on the left! G, h, i, I gave a great sigh. J, k, l it started to swell. M, n, o my knee began to grow. P, q, r it went out real far. S, t, u it's stopped now phew!" Emma never understood why it didn't finish the alphabet, but she didn't care right now. She understood why kids found this so fun. There was something so liberating about it. But sadly her house came all too quickly. Emma peeled her socks and shoes off her sopping wet feet before stepping in.
"I've been waiting for you. I was wondering if you could help me with… Emma what happened?!" Snow said, taking in her daughter's dishevelled appearance. Emma just smiled back.
"I jumped in the puddles." She answered simply. Snow gave Emma a look.
"You jumped in the puddles? Emma, how old are you?"
"I'm thirty years old mother and as a thirty year old I decided I wanted to have some fun and jump in the puddles." Emma said with a grin. Snow couldn't help but be amused at her daughter's childlike antics.
"So I see. Just go upstairs and have a shower before your brother sees you and thinks you're a swamp monster. Go on, off with you." Emma kissed her mom's cheek as she made her way up the stairs. Snow laughed and shook her head watching after her. She didn't know what was going on in that girl's head sometimes.