Chapter 26 : Epilogue
"Are you sure it's here?" asked the man with a thick Scottish accent, standing in front of the bell button with the name 'Swan-Mills'.
"Why, yes, look!" his son replied, handing his parents the invitation card he'd received days earlier.
For their 12th birthday,
Henry and Matthew Swan-Mills would like to spend their special day with you
at 108 Mifflin Street, Storybrooke, Maine, USA
on Saturday, October 11th, at 2 PM.
We hope to see you there!
At the bottom of the elegant card, below the phone numbers, the two boys had added their signatures, Matthew's with a little smiley face. Leo took the card from his father and rang the doorbell, eager to see his summer friends again. The door swung open and the twins were all smiles.
"Leoooo, I'm so glad you came," Matthew shouted, immediately followed by Henry, who hugged him.
"Hello Sir, hello Madam," Henry said to his friend's parents, whose fiery red hair was easily reminiscent of his son's. "Come in, come in, I want you to meet our moms! Mom, Ma, Leo's here!"
Regina and Emma, who had been busy decorating the cake, came out of the kitchen almost immediately and held out their hands to the parents.
"Madam, sir," Regina said. "I am delighted to meet you. Let me introduce myself: Regina Mills, and this is my partner, Emma Swan, the mother of our children."
With that, she put a possessive arm around Emma's waist. Leo's parents reacted just as warmly, though not without trying to hide a little embarrassment at this unusual couple. After inviting them to join the other guests in the living room, they returned to the kitchen to finish the icing. As soon as they entered, Emma said with a light-hearted smile:
"Can't help yourself, can you?"
"What do you mean?" replied Regina, barely looking up from her icing, which she was determined not to mess up.
"About making these people uncomfortable... You like that, don't you?" Emma approached Regina and snuggled up against her back, her head resting on one of her shoulders.
"I'm not making them uncomfortable," she replied, a little annoyed but enjoying the contact with Emma. "It's just that I don't want to hide anything from them. We're together, we love each other, whether they like it or not!"
Emma laughed at her partner's possessiveness and combativeness and planted a tender kiss on her neck. She, who had fought so long to accept their relationship, now seemed to want to shout to the world that they were finally living happily.
"It's funny when I say I love you?" she replied, slightly offended.
Emma turned her around and took her hands.
"No," she replied seriously. "I'm laughing because I'm happy."
She affectionately planted quick kisses on her lips and stepped out of the kitchen, saying, "Come on, let's go, we can't keep our guests waiting!"
Then, tilting her head in the doorway, she added:
"By the way... I love you too!"
oOoOo
Emma and Matthew had never left Storybrooke since their hasty return that Sunday in September. The four of them had resumed their lives so naturally that it seemed as if they had always lived that way. Sure, they'd made a few trips back and forth to move the Swans' few belongings, but their lives were now and forever in this small Maine town.
October announced the boys' birthdays, and the little family wouldn't have missed it for the world. For the first time in their lives, the twins would be celebrating their birthdays together. And the symbolism was all the stronger for the fact that it also meant the reunion of the whole family.
True to form, Regina wanted the party to be perfect. She'd been stressed for days, and her anxiety spread to the rest of the family. But with strength in unity, the four of them organized the best birthday party in the area. Strings of lights hung throughout the house, and a banner reading "Happy Birthday Matthew and Henry" hung in the center of the living room. Helium-filled balloons cheered up the house.
Henry and Matthew's few school friends had been invited, of course, and the twins had insisted on inviting their camp buddies to the party as well. So it was only natural that Leo the Scotsman, brothers Harry and William, and little Brian would all be there. Regina and Emma had also made it a point to invite all of their Storybrooke friends: Ruby and Belle, of course, but also Mary and her boyfriend David, Granny, and many others Emma barely knew.
oOoOo
The party had been going on for hours. The parents' embarrassment had vanished at the sight of this close-knit, loving family. The children were having fun and stuffing their faces with candy. The adults were getting to know each other and chatting warmly. Emma and Regina, like perfect hostesses, made the rounds of the guests, chatting politely with each one.
At four o'clock, Emma clapped her hands and there was silence. Regina emerged from the kitchen with a huge, beautifully decorated three-tiered cake. It had taken her hours to prepare and it was perfect. Emma smiled. She was so proud of Regina and so in love with her. Discreetly, she patted her own pocket and her heart began to pound.
The entire assembly began singing "Happy Birthday" to the two happy children. Then, Ruby shouted from the back of the room:
"Hey, boys, make a wish!"
Henry stopped what he was doing and took his brother's hand. Everyone held their breath. After a few moments of silence, he spoke:
"I don't really have any wishes. In the last few months I've had more than I could ask for: I've been reunited with my brother and my mother, and both my moms have fallen in love. Now my whole family is reunited and the four of us are the happiest people in the world. I really can't ask for anything more than that..."
The guests let out an emotional "oooh," and Matthew continued:
"Well, I thought my whole life I was going to live with my mom in Boston. I never imagined that I'd have a brother and that we'd live with him and his mom. But that's how we live today. So I make a wish. I hope that this happiness is just the beginning of our story and that we'll be happy for a long, long time!"
He then turned to their mothers, who were hugging each other and both looking very emotional.
"Mom, you already know this: I love you!"
Then he turned to Regina and said in a low voice:
"Regina, I don't think I've ever told you this. I love you too, and I'm glad you're my second mommy..."
It was too much for Regina, who went to hug the children to the cheers of the guests and Ruby's cries of joy.
"I love you too, my children," she whispered in their ears. "Come on, blow quickly, the candles are dripping on my beautiful icing!"
oOoOo
Once in Storybrooke, the question of employment never came up for Emma. With her experience at the Boston police station, it was natural for her to ask to work at the town station. She and Regina didn't want to be accused of favoritism, so Emma interviewed with the other candidates for the position. But her vast experience, skills, and local knowledge made the difference, and she was hired as Storybooke's sheriff, alongside Graham. Their relationship, though strained at first, soon became warm and even friendly. She and Graham shared the same sense of humor and got along well, both in the field and in the office. They talked about Regina sometimes, but Graham no longer felt any resentment or jealousy. She was obviously much happier now, and Graham couldn't blame Emma for that.
Ruby had learned of Emma's return to Storybrooke with little surprise. She had always been convinced that she and Regina couldn't stay apart for long. She was happy to be reunited with her friend for their girls' nights out, even though those nights were often spent without Emma, who preferred to spend them with her friend. The young waitress often joked that it was partly thanks to her and her tie that the two women were together today.
Emma had never told her friend Belle about Gold's past. She didn't feel it was her place to reveal Regina's secrets. In any case, Belle had known since her discoveries in the library that her boyfriend was hiding many things from her, and she was constantly on guard. The librarian seemed content with this situation, too much in love with him to have the courage to face his past. Gold, for his part, didn't want to risk losing the one person who still cared about him, so he kept a low profile, brooding bitterly over his aversion to Regina's new life.
Occasionally he would run into the Swan-Mills, on the street, at Granny's, or elsewhere. When he did, he couldn't help but sneer at them. At such times, Emma and Regina didn't even look at him, ignoring him with aplomb. "Indifference is the worst form of contempt," Regina liked to remind him. And the two women turned their backs on him and promptly forgot all about him. However, at the Sheriff's request, he had been placed under discreet police surveillance, and Emma was ready to intervene at the slightest suspicious move.
Most importantly, Regina was no longer afraid. She felt finally free of the weight that had oppressed her for years. Having Emma by her side reassured her. She knew Gold wouldn't try anything. Together, they had managed to shatter his illusion of power, and she finally felt free and ready to bind herself again with confidence.
Life at the manor had never been happier. Regina tried to get home early most days to spend time with her family. Emma enjoyed the much quieter investigations than the ones they had to do in Boston. As for the boys, they had both been placed in the same class at school. As if to make up for eleven years of separation, they spent every day together.
There was really nothing missing in this family. So naturally, Emma had come up with an idea to prove her love for Regina once again. And the idea had been in her pocket all morning.
oOoOo
"If I understand correctly, your mothers are in love?"
Young Leo still did not seem to understand the connection between his friends' mothers. He'd left them a few months before, when they'd never seen each other in their lives, and now he saw them living together and with their mothers as a couple. It was a lot for a little boy to take in.
At the end of the afternoon, all the children gathered in the twins' room and, for the umpteenth time that day, told their adventure, from the exchange to the reunification of their family through Operation Lovebirds. The children all had stars in their eyes as they listened to this fairy tale.
"Yes, Leo. Thanks to us, they fell in love! Because frankly, without us, they would have had a hard time getting by, don't you think, Henry?"
"That's true!" laughed Henry.
"Well, I think it's a great story," said little Brian.
"Yeah..." replied Matthew dreamily. "Well, what about you... what are you up to?"
While the children were upstairs, the adults chatted in the living room. Regina talked politics with Granny and William and Harry's father, and Emma gossiped with her friends.
"It's funny," said Belle, "it feels like you've always lived here. It's only been a month, but I feel like you've always been a part of these walls. "
"That's for sure," Ruby agrees. "That's why I always knew you'd come back."
"You're right, girls, it's funny, but I've never felt more at home than I do right now. I'm with my sons and a wonderful woman who I love and who loves me, it's just crazy!"
"You know, Emma," Mary said, holding David lovingly in her arms, "it took me a long time to understand your couple, but now I think you two really fit together. I've never seen the Mayor like this. You have completely transformed her."
"And she has transformed me too." She replied dreamily.
And Emma thought again about the small object in her pocket. Just a few more hours. Ruby's voice pulled her out of her thoughts:
"Okay, anyway, how's the sex?"
Ruby's indiscretion caused the five friends to burst out laughing.
oOoOo
The party ended as it began, in good spirits. Unfortunately, it was time to say goodbye, and by 8 PM all the guests had gone home or back to their hotels. The Mills' mansion was a mess of confetti, popped balloons, and torn decorations. The little family set out to put everything back in order, but more than an hour later, there was still a lot of tidying up to be done.
The children were allowed to go upstairs to bed, exhausted from the day, while their mothers continued to sweep and pick up the remains of wrapping paper and cake crumbs.
Her body was screaming for a break, so Emma stretched out on the sofa for a moment. She'd been thinking all afternoon about the surprise she had in store for Regina, and she thought the time had finally come. So she took advantage of Regina passing by to pick up some confetti from under the sofa, pulled her in and held her close. Regina lay down as well and let her arms wrap around her happily, though she grumbled a little for form's sake:
"Emma, darling, we still have to clean up..."
"Yeah, I know... but we can rest a little." she replied, burying her head in her girlfriend's neck and hugging her a little tighter.
Regina sighed, more from happiness than annoyance. And she squeezed herself a little tighter, trying not to fall off the narrow sofa.
"Then make some room for me," she said, smiling.
The two women stayed there for a few minutes, finally enjoying the peace after the euphoria of the day. With their eyes closed, they could almost have fallen asleep, but Emma said:
"Regina?"
"Um...?" she replied without opening her eyes, still curled up against Emma.
"I have something to tell you."
She promptly released their embrace and sat up straight. After a moment's hesitation, she met Regina's eyes and said, her heart pounding:
"Thank you for the party, for the cake, for the cooking, for welcoming all these people into your home..."
"Our home, Emma."
"Thanks for being here, for letting Matt and me into your lives," she continued, not picking up on her girlfriend's comment that had made her heart skip a beat. "I think... no... I know I'm the luckiest woman alive today."
Regina tried to cut her off, but Emma continued, determined to finish what she had to say.
"Wait. I also wanted to thank you for raising Henry. You were and are a fabulous mother to him. You gave him everything I could never give him, and really, you saved him. ... You've turned him into a charming, curious, intelligent, wonderful little boy... Just like you, after all..."
"Emma, what are you trying to say?" she asked with a smile.
Without answering, Emma knelt gently on the carpet, and with her eyes still on Regina's, she took her hands and said:
"We have done everything backwards, we had our children before we met... But today I'd like to put everything back in order. So here it is: Regina, you supreme beauty, the happiness of my days, the joy of my nights, you who light up my life..."
Emma's pompous tone made Regina smile as she finally understood what she was trying to tell her. Then, unable to utter a single word, she put her hands over her mouth and let Emma continue, her heart pounding wildly.
"I love you as I've never loved before. These last few months have been the best of my life. I found my son, whom I thought I would never see again, and I met his mother, who is the most wonderful woman. Today my life is fulfilled. All I want now is to grow old at your side. I want to see our sons grow up by your side, I want to be with you when they get married, I want to hold your hand and sleep in your arms all my life... Regina Mills...will you marry me?"
And with that, she held up the small box that had been in her jeans pocket all day in front of Regina's wet eyes. Regina was unable to speak, so she simply opened the box, which contained a beautiful diamond ring. She didn't care that they'd only known each other for a few months. This proposal was a no-brainer. Regina had never been so sure of herself and her feelings. And she knew, as she watched this woman kneel before her, that she, too, wanted to spend the rest of her life by her side.
"Um... hurry up and make up your mind," Emma joked, "I'm getting a cramp in my calf..."
Regina laughed and replied with tears in her eyes:
"My love, I owe you everything. You saved me. You loved me. I feel like I've known you all my life and have been waiting for you all this time. And today I've never been happier. You've given me a son and now a real family. I owe you so much, I love you so much... So... Yes, of course I do: Emma Swan, I want to be your wife..."
She embraced her trembling wife with emotion. Then, without a word, Emma slipped the ring onto her wife's ring finger and they kissed happily. Housework could wait a little longer.
oOoOo
Sitting on the steps at the top of the great staircase, two children out of bed had lost nothing of the scene that had just unfolded before their eyes. They had just had the best birthday of their lives, and the day couldn't have ended any better.
Could they have imagined on that beautiful summer day that a small, harmless exchange would lead to the most incredible story? Did they know that day at Chippewa Camp that their meeting would change their family forever?
With smiles on their faces, Matthew and Henry Swan-Mills knew that the four of them were about to live the happiest of fairy tales.
oO THE END Oo