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“Ah, Emma?” Mary Margaret peeks her head around the corner. Emma is taking another batch of her cranberry, walnut muffins out of the oven, (they are very popular for some reason, this morning.)“What is it, MM?” Emma asks her employee, though she is certain she already knows what it is. Mary Margaret is diligent, and can handle all situations without conflict, with the exception of one.“She’s here.” Mary Margaret answers.Emma turns her head so that Mary Margaret can’t see her smirk. “Who’s here?” Emma asks, she doesn’t have to look at Mary Margaret to know that the woman is currently giving her the side eye.“You know who,” the pixie-haired brunette says, and there is venom in her voice. She steps into the back.Emma wants to laugh, but she sucks it up, and shrugs instead. “So, go make her, her coffee.”“What? But I can’t! She’ll tear me to shreds, please don’t make me. I can’t function properly after dealing with her. It’ll take hours to bounce back.”“Did you leave Ruby at the counter all by herself? You know she gets snarky when it gets too busy.”“You know I would never, ever leave Ruby to do anything by herself, there would be a full blown brawl out there in seconds.” Mary Margaret hisses, and Emma covers her grin.It’s true, Ruby could start a fight faster than a Trump supporter. Emma sighs like she’s exasperated. “What will you do if for some reason I’m not here when she comes in?”“Promptly quit. Now come on.”They both exit the kitchen, Mary Margaret returns to the register while Emma looks for Mary Margaret’s favorite customer. She’s fourth in line. Emma eyes her up and down; she’s fidgety, anxious, maybe a little annoyed, but Emma is sure it’s not because the woman hates waiting in line, everyone hates waiting in line, but this particular customer never complains about the wait. Emma observes her face now, and tries hard not to blush. The woman looks insanely serious, and still absolutely radiant. Her skin in glistening, and Emma wonders if it’s too warm in the cafe. The woman is wearing a black fur trim cut that stretches down mid thigh, and a grey cashmere turtleneck. Emma thinks she looks flawless, even the tiny scar above her pale peach lips is perfect. The protruding vein on the woman’s forehead tells Emma, she’s possibly worried; something stressful, Emma imagines. She glances out the window, and notice it’s a beautiful fall day, definitely cold enough to bundle up, but the sun is shining brilliantly, and the sight of the autumn foliage should put the grumpiest person in a good mood. Emma takes a deep breath, and regards the woman one last time before disappearing to prepare her coffee.It’s fairly busy, it seems to always be that way between 6 and 10 in the morning, but her team makes it look easy. Ruby is an expert relaying coffee orders, Belle is fast and precise, Mary Margaret is polite, and cheerful. Emma thinks that’s why ‘the woman’ hates her. Emma kind of understands, Mary Margaret’s morning perkiness can be a bit annoying at times. Then there is Tiana, who is just so perfect at everything and Emma will miss her when she leaves her to take her extraordinary culinary skills to Chicago. Emma knew it was only a matter of time before Tiana outgrew their little cafe.Emma decided that coffee wasn’t something the woman needed this morning. She wouldn’t dare deny anyone their dose of caffeine in the morning, and she knew for fact that this particular woman really loved her caffeine, and was definitely a double shot kind of woman. Emma goes into the back, and dips into her personal stash of exotic tea, the ones she stores away from herself after a real trying day. She grabs a large to-go cup and sprinkles a little brown sugar and a dash or two of cinnamon into the bottom before placing the teabag in and filling it with steaming hot water. She puts a lid on it, slides the cup into a protective sleeve that reads ‘caution hot’. She grabs a marker and scribbles down a name, and places the cup near the register before tapping Mary Margaret’s right shoulder. She nods her head in acknowledgement of Emma. Emma returns to the back to bring her muffins out to refill the baskets. She really doesn’t need to be in front, her staff have everything under control, her place is in the kitchen. It’s where she is the most comfortable, but occasionally she ventures to the front for a few of her extra picky customers who are often indecisive or feeling a little adventurous and want to try something different.Emma has been deemed the best coffee connoisseur in the city, which probably isn’t saying much considering ‘the city’ is Port Chester, New York. Emma had once read somewhere; probably online, that Port Chester was the new Brooklyn without the bullshit. She liked the comparison, it was definitely an up and rising community, and her little cafe did well there, her shop being far enough away from competitors, yet still in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of the swanky little city.“Good morning, Regina.” Mary Margaret chirps, making an attempt at a sincere smile. Emma’s observing, quietly, keeping herself busy. She sees the woman glare at Mary Margaret, she gulps and grabs the cup with the woman’s name on it, presenting it to her. The woman’s brow furrows.“I didn’t order this.” She says, and she looks like she’s about to burst.“Emma made it! For you. I had absolutely no hand it.” Mary Margaret says in a panic.Emma glances over and meets Regina’s eyes. “Oh, well then I’m sure it’s just what I need.” Emma hears Regina say, and she gives Emma a shy smile, drops down a ten and walks away. Emma watches Regina sashay over to her usual table all the way in the back corner of the cafe; it’s the least popular table due to its lack of natural sunlight, the table is small and really can only sit a single person, her usual customers that come to sit in her cafe rarely do so alone.
It had been Tiana’s idea to give the cafe a little romantic atmosphere so that it stood out more than the usual cafes. Emma thought she was nuts, people who were thinking about romance early in the morning were at home eating breakfast in bed or fucking or both, not coming out to spend time with their lover in a little wannabe ‘Paris in the Springtime’ cafe with it’s walnut colored round tables with different mosaic patterns in the center of every table. It’s all warm and cozy, yet still vibrant, and the lighting is just so. There are cloth napkins and drapes hanging from exceptionally tall windows that provide the perfect amount of light, making the over the top lighting fixtures unwarranted. It’s pretty, it’s not what Emma pictured, it’s not what she wanted, nor did she want to name the place Clematis after the flower tattoo she had on her wrist.
She wanted to name the place ‘Em-Ti Cup’ a play on her and Tiana’s name, she thought it was cute and clever. Tiana had just looked at her, rolled her eyes, and said, ‘girl, you stupid.’ Emma did like the red stain glass clematis ‘Ville de Lyon’ flowers on the door; also Tiana’s idea. It was her shop though, and she put her heart and soul in every treat she made, it was just all Tiana’s style, Emma just grew to love it. It worked. She would never admit out loud to anyone, but she loved watching the couples come in and cozy up in one of her tables to swoon over her specialty brewed coffee of the day, or one of her freshly baked goods. She found herself always making ‘shared’ sized portions of everything, so most of the time her customers only brought one muffin or one turnover or one piece of pie, and they simply shared it with whoever they came there with.“You should go talk to her.” Tiana whispers into Emma’s ear, and nudges her a little. She always catches Emma staring.“Why?” It’s a lame question and Emma knows it, she knows she’s about to get the sense knocked into her too, and braces herself for the pop to the back of her head. It never comes and she turns slowly to see Tiana standing behind her, arms folded across her chest, giving her the stank-eye.“You’ve been staring at her for like 15 minutes, it’s creepy.”“I have not been staring at her, I just was wondering if we should put a light or something over there. It’s dark.” Emma explains, lamely. She doesn’t need to roll her eyes at herself because Tiana is doing it for her.“I bet you memorized every inch of her.”Emma scoffs.“What color is the gum on the bottom of her of Jimmy Choo pumps?” Tiana asks.“Ha! She’s not wearing Jimmy Choo pumps. She’s wearing Helena & Kristie ankle boots with acrylic glass heel, and there is no g...um.” Emma palms her forehead. She knows Tiana is wearing a shiteating grin. “Shit.” Emma whispers.“That’s some hardcore stalking, Swan.”“I’m not stalking her. Those shoes are just really nice, and I’ve seen her wear them before so I looked up who designed them because I was thinking about getting a pair myself, they’re like $550 bucks.” Emma looks at Tiana after she’s done ranting to the hardwood floors. Tiana is still grinning, looking like she may crack up any second. “I am not helping my case, am I?”“No, you’re not. Not even a little.” Tiana chuckles. “Go talk to her dummy.”“She always looks so busy. She hasn’t looked up once from that laptop, and she’s been angry whispering into her cell phone since she got here.”“Angry whispering?”“You know, when you’re pissed at the person you’re talking to on the phone, but you don’t want to make a scene.”“Oh, I don’t know nothing about that, honey, if I’m angry at someone I ain't whispering about it. If I need to go off, I’m going off.” Tiana glances back at the table. “Look, she’s not on her phone, go say hi.”“Just hi?” Emma says, nervously.Tiana closes her eyes and shakes her head. “See, this right here is why yo ass is single.”“I don’t know what to say to her.”“The woman just paid ten dollars for a dollar fifty cent cup of tea, why don’t you ask her how she likes it. I mean, you made her tea that wasn’t even on the fucking menu, and I know you put a little extra Swan spice in it to make it especially aromatic and flavorful.” Tiana wiggles her eyebrows seductively, and Emma glares at her.“It was brown sugar and cinnamon, you ass.”“You never put that shit in the bottom of my cup when you make me tea.”“I don’t like you.” Emma says, and realizes her mistake when Tiana’s grin returns. “Fuck.”“You need to, and with her. Go on now.” Tiana says, and shoves Emma over. Emma has to literally try not to trip over her own feet. She approaches the table, her palms are sweating.She lets out a weak, “hey,” clears her throat. “Hi, Regina right?”Regina looks up from the screen, and her smile is brilliant. “That is what you put on the cup, Em-ma.”“Ah, yeah.” Emma rubs the back of her neck, feeling kind of stupid. “How was, how was the tea? I know you didn’t order that, and it’s not really your usual.”“No, it’s not my usual, but I found it to be exactly what I needed. It was delicious, and very soothing. It also perked me up, more so then I think my usual does.”“It does have a good amount of caffeine in it. I know you like your double shots, and I wouldn’t want to deprive you. You just seemed like you could use something a little less strong, something more relaxing, but still strong enough to keep you focused.”“Well, you’ve succeeded, thank you.” Regina says, and her smile never fades, it does special things to Emma’s heart.“You’re very welcome,” Emma says, and she knows she’s giving Regina her goofy smile, she can hear Ruby’s cackle, and she only cackles when she sees Emma grinning like a fool. “Ahm, how was the flavor, it wasn’t too sweet was it?” Emma asks, trying to tone down her smile a bit.“Actually,” Regina turns in her chair so she's facing out more, and crosses her right leg over her left. Emma glances at her legs, because it was either glance down really quickly or outright stare because there was definitely no other option. Emma’s mouth is dry. “I don’t particularly care for peach flavored drinks, but this tea was exceptional, and yes it was quite sweet, but the cinnamon curved it a bit. It was lovely.”“Good, I’m glad you enjoyed it. For future reference, what is your favorite flavor?” Emma asks her, and watches her quirk and eyebrow in thought. Then Emma thinks she’s starting to hallucinate because she definitely thinks Regina just gave her a once over and then licked her fucking lips.“Apple. I love apples.” Regina says, and Emma thinks she probably shouldn't be staring so hard at Regina’s mouth because that is just too fucking creepy.“Apples, you say? Well, you’re in luck because apples are my specialty. I believe I make the best apple cider you’ll ever taste.” Emma says, and watches Regina outright laugh at her, and then she sudden becomes serious again.“You only believe that because you haven’t tasted mine.” Is Regina’s response, and Emma is a little in shock.‘Is she fucking flirting with me? Are we flirting? Is this flirting?’ Emma contemplates this too long because Regina is looking at her expectantly, and Emma is a deer caught in headlights because she has zero follow up, and zero game. She is grateful when Regina’s phone rings, and she gives Emma an apologetic smile before answering. Emma backs up, bumping into a table behind her, and then gestures that she’s going back to work. Regina waves at her, and she waves back, bumping into a customer as she continues to walk backwards. She see Regina cover her mouth to hide her chuckle. Emma rolls her eyes and disappears into the kitchen where she belongs.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Regina immediately regrets not getting the change from that ten she dropped on the counter yesterday. She could claim she was distracted by beautiful bright green eyes, and golden locks pulled up into a messy bun covered in an almost invisible, (unless you’re staring really hard, and Regina had been,) hairnet; but that was not exactly the case. Regina is a notorious over tipper; always has been, and she hates loose change and one dollar bills, but right about now she’d kill for three dollars and fifty cents for a large mocha mint cappuccino with a double shot of espresso. She feels stupid standing outside the coffee house looking for money in her purse that she knows is not there. She mentally kicks herself for not raiding Kathryn’s purse before she left for work this morning. Regina immediately regrets that thought, Kathryn and Jim have been good to her, and she shouldn’t think about lifting money from her best friend. They have opened their home to her in her time of need, allowing her to crash on their pullout sofa that she never actually pulls out because she’s far too depressed to put in that kind of effort.Regina looks at her Rolex, ‘where the hell is Zelena?’ Regina twists the watch around her wrist, and thinks maybe she should sell it. No no no, that’s no good, her father had brought it for her on 21st birthday. No she couldn’t do that. Her caffeine deprived brain has got her thinking crazy shit.Regina paces in front of the cafe. It’s a little colder out today, she knows her nose must be red. She ducks her head down to snuggle into her scarf. She thinks briefly about just going in and telling Emma she left her wallet at home, and she promises to return as soon as she can to pay for the coffee she so desperately needs right now. She closes her eyes and shakes her head. No fucking way is Regina Mills going to stoop that low; even if it were true, that she left her wallet home; though very unlikely, she would simply go back and get it. Regina Mills doesn’t do IOU's, she hates them slightly less than rain checks.The door opens, and the little jingle from the bell startles Regina.“You alright out here, mamacita?”Regina turns her head in the direction of the voice. It’s Tiana. Regina smiles, she likes Tiana. The woman has no filter, is funny, and can be charming without even trying. She has a certain kind of sass about her that Regina can respect. Regina often catches the woman scolding a customer for being messy, and makes people lift their feet so she can sweep under them.“I’m fine, I’m just waiting for someone.” Regina answers.Tiana looks around. “They know to meet you here?” Tiana asks.“Yes…”“Okay, then you wanna bring your behind inside, girl it’s freezing out here.” She grabs Regina’s arm and tugs her inside. Regina looks towards the front counter, no one is in line, and Mary Margaret looks like she might pass out. Regina looks at Tiana who shakes her head and rolls her eyes.“Grab a table, I’ll bring you your usual.”“Oh, Tiana that’s not necessary I can just wait-”“Nonsense, you just grab a seat and let me take care you.”Regina walks over and sits at a table by the window. She looks out hoping to spot her sister, praying that she doesn’t cancel on her again. She’ll fucking kill her. Regina is still staring out the window when Tiana comes back and places a tall mug of coffee in front of her.“Mocha mint cappuccino with an extra shot right?” Tiana asks.“Oh, yes, thank you.” Regina and slowly reaches her purse praying to the gods that her sister is going to come bursting through the door to rescue her from completely embarrassing herself.“Girl, put that purse down, your money's no good here today.” Tiana says, and winks at her. She gestures with her head over towards the back, Regina looks around Tiana to spot Emma, standing near the doorway to the kitchen. She smiles, and it’s goofy and endearing. Regina can’t help the thundering in her chest.“Thank you.” Regina says. Emma nods her head, and Tiana simply walks away.Regina doesn’t have to wait much longer, a few sips in, and the cafe door opens, and in walks Zelena all dramatically, she looks around almost frantically. She spots Regina, and walks over to her table like a fucking supermodel. Regina knows everyone is looking, they have to be. Zelena walks hard, and she takes up so much room with her emerald green Cushnie Et Ochs fox fur coat, swinging her over-sized Gucci handbag. It’s obnoxious how attention seeking she is, it’s not enough that she has wild long curly red hair, piercing blue eyes, and a British accent that Regina thinks Zelena should have grown out of by now. It’s been 32 year since she’s lived in the UK.“Regina, darling, I’m sorry I’m late, Robin was being impossible this morning.” Zelena tells her, and bends down to kiss her cheek.All is forgiven because Zelena mentioning Regina’s favorite person in the world just makes everything better. Zelena takes off her coat in a flourish, it’s expected. She holds it up like someone should be taking it from her and hanging it up or something. Regina goes to stand to hang her sister’s coat up, but Mary Margaret beats her to it. She cheerful takes Zelena’s coat and hangs on the coat rack closest to the table. Zelena looks around and nods her head in approval before taking a seat.“Charming. I like it.”“I’m glad. How’s my little bird?” Regina asks.“Dandy, she misses you.”“I miss her too. God, my life is a shit storm, please tell me Hayden found a loophole.”“I have good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first?”“I swear to god, Zelena if the good news is that you’re still beautiful, I will kill you.” Regina says, seriously. Zelena grins, wickedly at her baby sister.“Though it is true, it goes without saying. No, dearest, that's not the good news. Do you wish to hear the good news first?”“No, tell me the bad news.”“Hayden didn’t find a loophole in the contract you signed, and it wouldn’t have mattered if you had found the contract a year ago or four days ago, fucked is fucked.”“Fuck, then what the hell is the good news?”“I’m going to just help you.”“You can’t, mother will murder you. She can do it you know, she’ll make it look like an accident.”“Please, as cold as our mother can be she will not murder me. The worst she would do is strip me of my inheritance, disown me, and leave me broke and destitute.”“Like she did to me.” Regina says, and Zelena rolls her eyes.“You’re not destitute.”“I lost my apartment, Zelena. I’m homeless. All my things are in storage facility in New Jersey.”“Why New Jersey?”“You know why.”“Oh, bloody hell, not Sidney.”“He’s loyal, and he’ll protect my things, besides I’m broke, and he offered.”“Did you shag him?”“Are you insane?”“No, but he is, and you’re desperate. Did he offer you a place to stay?”“He offered to take out a second mortgage on his home.”“You didn’t take it?!”“No! Of course not!” Regina angrily, whispers. “I can’t even imagine what he would expect in return.”Zelena hums, reaches into her purse, and pulls out a band of money, and slides it across the table.“What are you a drug dealer? What’s this?”“You know very well I can’t just write you a bloody check, mother is got her people all up in my finances. It’s been hell at the firm for Hayden, you're lucky my husband loves you.”Regina smiles, “I am his favorite person, aren't I.” It’s not a question. Zelena rolls her eyes.“He only likes you because you always take his side against me.”“That’s because he’s always right, and you’re an idiot.”Zelena glares at her, and takes the money back. Regina’s eyes widen. “I’m an idiot? I’m not the one who signed a shady contract relinquishing all her assets for some pussy, an old pussy at that.” Zelena says, and grimaces.Regina crosses her arms across her chest, and gives her sister a defiant look. “She wasn’t just some pussy, and she was only ten years older than me, and, and I loved her.”“Oh, you loved her did you? More than your money apparently.” Zelena says, and Regina wants to drop her head on the table and sob. It has been a year since Mallory Drago took everything from her, it took six months for her to lose her apartment, she had sold some of jewelry to stay afloat for as long as she could, but there was just some things she could never part with, things that had more sentimental value than anything, It didn’t help that her mother completely lost her shit when she found out what Regina had done. Her mother had warned her when she got involved with Mallory, but Regina was a love sick puppy, it didn’t help that Regina had always enjoyed defying her mother out of spite. The woman was too controlling, and didn’t know when to back off. She did nothing but push Regina her whole life, at first Regina would do anything her mother told her to do just keep their household at peace. She didn’t like it when her parents fought because of her, she didn’t want to stress her father out, but when he died of a heart attack when she was 25, Regina pulled as far away from Cora Mills as she could.Zelena slid the money back over to Regina. “Ten is from me, five is from Hayden. Who loves you more?”“So, 1500?” Regina says, taking the money back.Zelena gave her a disgusted look. “No, 15 grand.”“What? How is mother not going to notice that kind of withdrawal?”“Relax, I did it over a period of time. I spend 15 grand in a weekend.” Zelena rolled her eyes. “Hayden couldn’t risk much more than 5 though, mother knows how frugal he is. I told him that being such a tight ass with money was going to catch up with him eventually.”“You’d both be broke if he wasn’t such a tight ass with money. You are a spoiled, privileged, white girl.” Regina tells her, and Zelena glares at her.“You are not seriously playing the privilege card, you’re only half Latina, baby sis, and anyone who doesn’t know you would simply think you're just a brown-eyed, brunette white girl.” Regina gasps. “Besides, it was your Latino daddy that was rich, while my wanker father was a bloody gardener. You lived in a mansion with two parents who adored you, and I spent the first six years of my life in shitty little shack in Sunderland, England with a father who didn’t want me, and a grandmother who coddled her grown arse son.” Zelena says, and there is no bitterness in her tone, there had been in the past when Regina had been a little shit to her, and Zelena had to remind her that life had not always been so kind to her. Regina frowned. She hated the fact that sister had not always been with her. Mother had kept Zelena a secret from Regina’s father for many years, but after Zelena’s grandmother had died Zelena’s father had tracked Cora down and threatened to put Zelena in orphanage if she didn’t take her. Regina was four when she first met her sister, and when she thinks back to her childhood, she doesn’t remember any of her life without her in it, but Zelena was six, and she still carried all the pain of her childhood with her, tucked deep inside her heart.Regina took Zelena’s hand, and ran her thumb over her sister’s knuckles. She doesn't say anything, nothing needs to be said.“Did you try looking for work?” Zelena asks her. Regina laughs, bitterly. “Your mother has basically blackballed me from every investment firm in the state. I may have to move, probably change my name.”“No offense sis, but you kind of blackballed yourself signing that shady contract. Hayden said there is no way in hell you read it. You would never sign anything so risky. If one of your clients came to you with that investment you’d threaten to murder them if they even thought about signing that contract. What the fuck, Regina?”“We’ve had this conversation already, Zelena.”“I know, I know. I just can’t fathom… Jesus -bloody-Christ.”“Zelena,” Regina warns, and is about to lay into her again for judging her,( even though deep down she knows she probably deserves it for being so fucking stupid, but Zelena is her sister and she shouldn’t judge her); when Emma comes over, and places two clear mugs filled with what looks to be warm apple cider with cinnamon sticks in it, also she places down a plate with a very large turnover, and two forks. She picks up Regina’s now empty mug.“Sorry for the interruption, but I noticed your company hadn’t ordered anything, and I did kind of brag to you about my cider yesterday, so I thought maybe you’d like to try some, it goes well with the apple turnover. It’s on the house, of course. I hope you like it.” All that just kind of tumbles out of Emma’s mouth, and Regina finds it adorable, and not even her sister’s dubious look can stop the smile that forms on her lips.“Thank you, Emma. That’s very sweet of you.” Regina replies, and her heart is flipping in her chest, and she can’t help but think how impossibly cute the blonde is.“You’re welcome, Regina. Enjoy.” Emma says, nodding at Zelena and sending a bright smile Regina’s way as she backs away, and then turns to go back to the counter. Regina watches her, she’s still smiling.“Oh for fuck’s sake, another blonde? What is your deal?” Zelena snaps, and Regina’s smile falls. She casually looks at her nails, thinking she is in desperate need of a manicure.“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”“Bullshit, you were just giving her the big doe eyes. You like her.”“I don’t even know her.”“Oh really? Seems like you two are at least on the first name basis.”“I come here a lot.” Regina tells her.“How much is a lot?”“A couple times a week.” Regina lies, and she knows Zelena can tell when she’s lying.“A couple, like seven?” Zelena asks, Regina doesn’t deny it because truth be told it’s more like maybe ten or twelve depending on how long she stays, if she’s in and out quickly then chances are she’s coming back a second time in one day. “I’m guessing this place is probably your second home since your getting free drinks and little or should I say big treats, damn this turnover is huge. Why aren’t you fat, eating here every day?”“I just get coffee, mostly. I never really had any of their pastries.”“You are pretty picky about your baked goods. Hey, why don’t you use that little culinary degree? I almost forgot you had that.”Regina just stares blankly at her sister.“It’s been 11 years, Regina. Daddy wouldn’t want you to keep going on like this.”“It’s not up for discussion, Zelena.”“But--”“Z!”“Fine,” Zelena takes a sip of the cider. “Oh god, this is so good.” Zelena says, and Regina eyes her. “Not as good as yours, but you def have some competition, baby sis.” Zelena tells her, and Regina takes a small sip. It’s warm, sweet, and tart, and very much like her cider.“It is good.”“Wow, you have it bad, so bad. You would never openly admit to anyone that you enjoyed someone else’s apple cider.”Regina glares at her sister, “I said it was good, it’s not like I said it was better than mine.”“And if it was?”“Impossible.” Regina says, seriously, and Zelena laughs. She picks up a fork, and cuts into the crispy, flaky turnover. She takes a bite and moans, obscenely. Regina’s eyes wide in embarrassment. “Z,” she whispers.“Oh my god, Regina. Marry this woman, marry her, and use some sort of magic to combine your DNA to make a bunch of culinary masterminds to cook, and feed me for the rest of my life.”Regina rolls her eyes. “It can’t be that good.” Regina takes a bite for herself, and god dammit, it is that good. It’s light, crispy, buttery, and the apple filling is sweet, but there is a savory kick, and Regina can’t quite figure out what ingredient was used to make it taste fucking heavenly. She closes her eyes, and puts down the fork. The turnover may be slightly better than hers. She breathes out slowly, and when she opens her eyes her sister is giving her that wicked grin again.“It’s like an orgasm in your mouth, isn’t it?” Zelena says.“You’re crass.”“That’s not a no.” Zelena singsongs. She turns in her seat, and looks around. “She is attractive, nice arms. She probably has incredible upper body strength. You could do worse. I for one prefer someone a little more curvy, I’d go as far as to say, voluptuous, like that one with the pink magnolia in her hair.” Zelena gestures with her head in the direction of Tiana. “Now she’s got it in all the right places, full lips, thick thighs, plump arse, and look at the way she moves those hips when she walks.”“Does Hayden know you ogle women like this?”“Please, Hayden encourages my lesbian fantasies.”“You’re not serious. Hayden would be okay with you sleeping with a woman?”“Oh hell no, he’s too bloody insecure for that, afraid some woman would steal me away. He just likes when I tell him about it. I use to have these really erotic dreams about the character Renee from ‘Ally McBeal’, and I would tell Hayden about them. I swear I never saw him so hard, and his stamina.”Regina palms her face. “Please stop.”“The sex was so incredible, I swear he was trying to eat a hole through my heart from my vagina.”“I will kill you if you say another word.”“Okay, okay. Sorry. Enough about me, are you going to ask her out?”“Who?”“Don’t make me embarrass you.”“You mean more than you already have?” Zelena picks up the fork, and aims it at Regina, Regina throws her hands up in surrender. Zelena cuts another piece of the turnover instead. “I’m not thinking about dating, right now.”“It’s been a year. You have to be over that bitch by now.”“It’s not that, my life's a mess. I can’t think about a relationship right now.”“Who said anything about a relationship? See that's the problem with you lesbians, always thinking about having a relationship, ready to U-haul after the second bloody date. How about just having fun, enjoying the company of someone you have something in common with, someone you’re attracted to, how about a little sex with no attachment. I know I’ve been married forever, but people still do that don’t they?”“I resent everything you just said.”“Oh my god, this is bloody good. Is this another lesbian thing? Can all lesbians bake?” Zelena says, and moans over another bite of the turnover.Regina regards her sister, seriously. “Yes, every single one of them.”“I knew it.” Zelena says, and Regina shakes her head in disbelief. “You like her, you need to get laid, ask her out.”“I don’t even know if she likes women.” Regina says, and Zelena just stares at her. She uses the embroidered clothe napkin to dab at the corners of her mouth, and then places it back in her lap.“Despite my fascination with lesbianism and the little lady crushes I get from time to time, I consider myself pushing more on the heterosexual scale, yet my gaydar was pinging like crazy when I saw her smiling at you. No straight woman smiles at another woman like that. She wants you, and you’re a dumb bitch if you don’t go get that.”“Sometimes I swear there is no way we share a parent.”“Stop defecting.” Zelena reaches into her bag and pulls out her wallet. She takes out one of many MasterCards, and puts it on the table. Regina glances down at it, well more like stares at it. All her cards had been maxed out months ago. Regina frowns, “You take that, and use it to buy a new outfit,” Zelena looks back at Emma, “nothing too fancy, don’t want to overwhelm the girl. New shoes, through in a new bag, coat, and scarf if you like, and take her someplace nice. Keep in mind I get text alerts for this card, so if I see a charge from a bloody Wendy’s, Regina, so help me god I will end you.”“I don’t eat at Wendy’s,” Regina takes the card, “they’re actually quite expensive.” Regina mumbles, but Zelena hears her, and looks applaud. “What? I’m broke Z, and it’s not like Kathryn and Jim are rich, if they were I’m sure mother would have found a way to put them in the poor house for helping me.”Zelena sighs. “You know, you can always end this. All you have to do is-”“I will not apologize to that woman. I have nothing to apologize for. I admit I was foolish. I made a mistake, but I’m an adult. I’m allowed to make mistakes. She’s overbearing, and manipulative.”“I won’t argue with you, but we both know that I’m not suggesting you apologize for the whole Mal fuckery fiasco. Mother did not disown you because you made an idiot mistake because you were thinking with your pussy instead of your brain.”Regina slides the card, and the band of money back across the table, and crosses her arms across her chest. She purses her lips, and tips her chin up in defiance.“God, you look just like her when you do that.”“Fuck you, and get out.”Zelena rolls her eyes. “You’re hard headed like her too.”“If anyone of us is like mother it’s you.” Regina knows she sounds like a little brat, but she can’t help it, she’s pissed. Zelena always knows how to push her buttons; just like her mother.“I won’t argue with you, we both have impeccable fashion sense, and great taste in men, well mostly. She got it right when she married your dad.”“Our dad, and you’re both sneaky bitches.” Regina tells her.Zelena smiles, brightly at both statements. She sobers, “it wasn’t her fault, Gina. No one has ever loved a man more than mother loved daddy.” Zelena tells her. Both of their eyes are glassy, and Regina has a hard time swallowing the lump in her throat. She didn’t mean it when she told her mother she had killed her father, she was hurt and angry, and Cora was being her overbearing self, and Regina had had enough. She instantly wanted to take it back, but the sting of Cora’s ring cutting into her upper lip stunned her. She just stared as the blood dripped into her right hand that she held up to her mouth. Her mother just walked away. That was five years ago on the anniversary of her father’s death; they never spoke of the incident, no one did. Things between them changed, and they had only saw each other on special occasions, that was until Mallory came along and their relationship got serious, after that Cora had inserted herself back into Regina’s life. Cora meddled, and drove Regina nuts; like her mother, Regina had a very short fuse, turns out telling your mother to go fuck herself is probably the worst thing you can ever say. It took everything in Regina not to flinch because she was sure Cora was going to knock her lights out, but she didn’t. She just looked at her with disappointment, and said ‘no daughter of mine would ever say such a thing to me.’ She left Regina’s office, and shit hit the fan after that. Regina slowly lost everything, and though should would never admit it, not even if her life depended on it, losing her mother had been what hurt the most.Zelena takes a deep breath and runs a finger under her eyes. “I’m sorry, I know it’s a touchy subject, back to more important matters, getting you laid.” She slides the card and money back across the table. “There is no conditions on the love I have for you, but there are conditions on the use of my credit card, ask that woman out. Go have fun, you deserve it after this mess. Also, use the money to find a place, staying in a one bedroom apartment with a pro bono lawyer and a high school gym teacher is so uncool.” Zelena tells her, and they both laugh.“I love you, Z”“I love you too, dearest.” Zelena stands up, and Regina follows suit, they embrace. “Go get shagged, and do tell me if the carpet matches the drapes. I’m curious.”“You’re an ass.” Regina says, squeezing her sister a little tighter.“Runs in the family.” She kisses Regina’s cheeks.“Tell my little bird that her Tia misses her, and give her lots of hugs and kisses from me.”“I will.” Zelena gets her coat and puts it on. “Do what I tell you, and I’ll sneak her over to see you.”“You should have never moved next door to mother.”“Regardless of what you may think, she needs someone. She’s our mother, Regina.”“Well, she’s just your mother now.” Regina says, and Zelena rolls her eyes.“Just do what I say, and have fun.” She grabs her purse, and heads for the exit, she turns when she gets to the door, and blows her sister a kiss. “Toodle-loo. Call me.” Zelena pauses, and rushes back over to the table. She grabs the rest of the turnover. “You don’t deserve this.” Regina smiles, and shakes her head as she watches her sister leave. She falls back in her chair, emotionally drained.Regina
puts the band of money in her purse, and fingers the card on the table. She picks it up, and flips around and around with her index finger, middle finger, and thumb. She runs her thumb along her sister’s name, ‘Zelena A Mills’. Regina smiles, because she remembers the argument Zelena and Hayden had when Zelena outright refused to take his last name, she told him that the first man who ever loved her gave her that name, and she would never dishonor the memory of her father by dropping it to claim another man’s name. He wasn’t there to give her away, and the pain from that alone was unbearable, there was no way she would ever be willing to drop her name, not for anyone. She told Hayden if he truly loved her he would accept that. He did, which is why it says ‘Hayden Q Mills; attorney at law.’ on his business cards.“Hi.” Regina startles. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you were so deep in thought.” Emma says in a panic.“It’s okay, Emma. I don’t normally startle so easily.”Emma nods, “hi,” she says again, and Regina can’t stop herself from blushing if she tried, because Emma is just so fucking adorable.“I believe you said that already.”“Yeah… but I was giving you the opportunity to say it back.”Regina smoothly wets her lips with her tongue, and notices Emma’s peculiar reaction. She tosses her a bright smile. “Hello, Emma.” It comes out deep and seductive, and she swears Emma’s eyes dilate. Emma is doing that staring thing again where she doesn’t say anything. It makes Regina a little nervous. “Are you okay?” Regina asks.“Ah, yeah, sorry, I kind of zoned out there for a second.”“You do that often.”“No, not usually.”“That wasn’t a question.” Regina tells her.Emma blinks a few times, and then reaches up to rub her neck. “Oh, I guess it’s not the first time I zoned out in your presence. Sorry.”“It’s fine, Emma. Thank you again for the apple cider and turnover it was very good.”“Thanks, I saw your friend? Run off with a really big piece of it, did you even get to try it?”“Yes I did, and it was very… tasty.”“I’m glad you liked it, your friend? Too.” Regina fights to keep her eyes from rolling, apparently, Emma is fishing.“Yes, I believe my sister said, and I quote, ‘it’s like an orgasm in your mouth,’ unquote.” Regina says, and she sees Emma visibly gulp.“That’s some compliment,” her throat sounds dry. “Wait, that woman is your sister? How is that remotely possible?”“I ask myself that same question every single day.” Regina tells her, and then laughs at the blonde’s confused expression. “We share a mother.”“Yeah? So I guess you’re not 100% Spanish, ah … Latina, right?”“Yes, I’m half Puerto Rican.”“Hmmm, Ruby swore you were Italian, she’s Italian, well mostly.”“She’s not completely wrong. My mother is half Italian, half Irish.”“I guess that explains your sister’s red hair.”Regina smiles and shakes her head, “I’m afraid that my sister’s red hair has nothing to do with her Irish heritage, and everything to do with the Mc1R gene that both her father and mother carry. She’s just one of the very rare 2% of the world’s population that has red hair.”“Wow, I feel like I’m watching the ‘Reading Rainbow’ and this is the, ‘the more you know’ segment.”“Oh, I’m sorry, maybe I should have just let you think it was an Irish thing.”“No, no, it’s cool. I like learning new shi… stuff, what’s the sense in walking around ignorant if you can help it.”Regina watches Emma fidget, and it’s cute, and Regina wants to roll her eyes at herself, because she must have it bad if she thinks Emma’s fidgeting is cute.“So which one of you looks like your mom?”“Actually, we kind of both do.”“No way am I believing that.”“I can prove it.” Regina says, and pulls her cell phone out her purse. She opens her photos and clicks on her ‘family’ album, pulling up a picture of all three Mills women, smiling, cheek to cheek. Regina was 23, and Zelena 25. It was their mother’s 47th birthday. She turns the phone so Emma can see the picture. “It’s a picture of picture so it looks a little off, but this is us.”Emma bends down to get a closer look. “No shit, you guys have the same smile, all three of you, and your eyes are shaped the same, you have your mother’s chin, and your sister has her nose, and you have her cheek bones. It almost looks like if you mix you with your sister you’d get your mother.”“So I’ve been told, but then there is this.” Regina scrolls to a picture of a 32 year old Henry Mills, and shows it to Emma. She smiles.“That has to be your dad. Now I know where you get your beautiful brown eyes from.” Emma says, still studying the picture. Regina blushes. “You have his lips, and nose too. I guess you’re a perfect mixture of both your parents. Exceptional genes.”“Thank you, Emma.”“You’re welcome.” Emma says, and she’s still bent over even though Regina had put her phone back in her purse. Under different circumstances, Regina might have taken advantage of such a situation, but right now it just seems a little awkward. Emma seems to notice this, and stands up straight and clears her throat.“So, ahm I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”“Emma would you like to have dinner with me sometime?” Regina blurts out. She doesn’t mean to, she wasn’t even thinking about asking her out now, it just sort of happens. Emma freezes, and Regina just waits.“Excuse me, what?”“Dinner with me, say Friday?”“Like a date?” Emma asks, and if Regina has any confidence at all it just went right out the fucking window.“Maybe?”“Friday?”“Or Saturday, Saturday is good too, maybe Sunday. The whole weekend is actually good.” Regina wants to kick herself because she sounds desperate, and its pathetic.“Ahm, I can’t. Rain check?”Regina clenches her jaw to keep from wincing. Outright rejection was something she definitely was not expecting. A fucking rain check, Regina Mills does not do rain checks. She stands, and gathers her things, feeling foolish. She feels Emma’s hand on her arm.“Regina, I just don’t have a lot of free time. I-” Emma says, and Regina is not looking at her, but at the hand that is on her arm. Emma quickly removes her hand, and Regina moves around her, walking out with what little dignity she has left.
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Emma has no idea how she got into her apartment; she doesn’t even know how long she’s been sitting on her couch staring blankly at her flat screen tv that is currently not on. She looks down at her wrist watch, it’s after 5, the cafe is closed. Wait, the cafe is closed? She doesn’t remember closing the cafe. She hops up from the sofa, but barely turns before she feels a hand on her shoulder.“Sit back down.” Mary Margaret tells her, forcing her back down onto the couch. “Tiana and Belle closed up shop.”“How…”“How long have you been sitting here in a stupor? Probably about two hours. After you watched Regina walk out you just stood there and stared at the door until Ruby had got sick of seeing you standing there looking like someone told you you’re ugly and your breath stinks. She dragged you to the back and tried to get you to tell her what happened, but she wasn’t sure you even knew what happened so she just left you. Tiana pretty much took over after that while you kind of did nothing all day. What were you thinking that whole time? I asked Tiana what was wrong with you, and she said something about you being a ‘dumb hoe’.”Emma groans and falls over on the couch. “I think my brain just gave up on me.”“What happened, Emma?”“I don’t want to talk about it.” Emma buries her face in the throw pillow.“Oh my god! You finally asked her out, and she said no. Dammit! I owe Ruby 50 bucks.”Emma sat up, and glared at Mary Margaret. “You bet on me asking Regina out?”“We might have had a little pool going. I bet when hell freezes over. I figured she’d ask you out because lets face it, you're kind of an awkward dork, nothing like your brother.”“Get out.”“I’m sorry she turned you down, but I’m proud of you for taking that step.”“I didn’t.” Emma mumbles.“What?”“She asked me out.”“Really?” Mary Margaret beams, “that’s great! It’s my week in the pool too, Belle and Ruby owe me 50 bucks. Wait, then why are acting all mopey? Are you just in shock?”“I turned her down.”“You did what?! You dumb hoe!” Mary Margaret yells, and it startles Emma. She looks at her pixie-haired friend like she’s lost her mind. “You’ve been pining for this woman for like...ever!” She waves her arms around frantically, and Emma has to duck to avoid being hit.“I have not been pining.” Mary Margaret pins her with a knowing look.Emma sighs. “I didn’t outright say no, I asked for a rain check.”Mary Margaret palms her face. “You rejected her.”“No!”“Did you ask for her number?”“No.”“Did she accept your rain check?”“She didn’t say anything, she just kind of left.”“That’s because she thinks you rejected her! Why, Emma?! Why didn’t you just say yes?!”“I didn’t reject her! I asked for rain check! If anything she rejected me.”“Okay, you’re an idiot. You and David should go get a DNA test because there is no way you two are related.” Emma gives Mary Margaret the finger. “You know you could be putting that finger to better use if you weren’t such an idiot.” Mary Margaret tells her, and Emma gives her a look of disgust. Mary Margaret just crosses her arms and rolls her eyes at the blonde.“I don’t think I did anything wrong. It wasn’t good timing.”“I don’t think you did anything right. Okay, okay, you be Regina, and I’ll be you. Ask me out.”“What?”“Hi, Regina.” Mary Margaret says, shyly, and pretends to curl a strand of hair around her finger.“I do not sound like that, and I don’t do that twirling my hair with my finger. It’s in a fucking hairnet for crying out loud.”Mary Margaret refuses to break character. “Did you enjoy your complimentary beverage?”“What? I would never say that, I’m not running a B&B.”“I made it especially sweet just for you.”“Okay, this is dumb. I’m not doing this.”“Okay fine, you want me to show you how you really act around her? First let me get a towel so I don’t slip and fall on the fucking drool on the floor that magically appears every time you’re within ten feet of her. I was trying to cut out half the dumb shit you do to prevent from breaking my neck. Here let me bump into every piece of furniture in the apartment; is that realistic enough for you?”Emma glares at her friend, and then pokes her bottom lip out in a pout. “Am I really that pathetic and clumsy?”“Yes, but apparently Regina likes it because she asked you out. Now stop being a little shit and ask me out.” Mary Margaret tells her, and gets back into character. She puts on a goofy grin, and rocks back and forth on the heel of her shoes.Emma sighs. “Emma, would you like to go out to dinner with me sometime?”Mary Margaret feigns shock, then she pauses. “Wait, she said sometime? Like she was leaving the date open for you to pick a day?”“Ah, I guess, but then she said Friday or Saturday, and then she told me Sunday was good too.”“She offered you her whole weekend and you turned her down? What the fuck is wrong with you? And what’s with this timing mess? You have nothing but time.”Emma hops up from the couch. “If you haven’t noticed, MM I have a business to run that’s open 7 days a week, from 6 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. I’m up everyday at four in the morning, setting up shop, afterwards all my spare time is promised to my son. I don’t have time for dates.”“Wait, what? Henry is 13, he doesn’t want to hang with his lame mom anymore. He has friends who are way cooler than you.”Emma’s mouth falls open in shock. “I am not lame. Henry loves spending time with me. I am his favorite person!”“To feed him. You are his favorite person to feed him.”“Get out!”“No! Not until you tell me why you rejected Regina.”“I did not reject her!”“Emma Swan, you so did! Okay, okay, let’s just say this weekend was a bust, you were truly busy, and just couldn’t find the time, you could have said, ‘I’m sorry, Regina, this weekend is not good for me, but can I have your number, and I’ll call you when I can get a better look at my schedule?’ you probably wouldn’t say it exactly like that, but the point is you get her fucking number! You don’t just say rain check, and let the woman of your dreams walk out the door!”“Why are you yelling at me?”“Because you’re stupid. Why wouldn’t you get her number at least?”Emma shrugs, and avoids Mary Margaret’s gaze.“Don’t worry, Emma, you can still fix this. She’ll come in tomorrow for her usual, and you can kiss her ass, and grovel for a second chance.” Mary Margaret tells her.Emma shakes her head. “I blew it. You didn’t see the look on her face. She’s not coming back.” Emma feels tears pooling in her eyes, and she tries to keep them from falling. She feels Mary Margaret studying her.“Jesus, Emma, you did it on purpose didn’t you?” Emma doesn’t answer her, she just plops back down on the couch. “It’s been 5 years, Emma. You can’t keep thinking that everyone who shows any sort of interest in you is going to be just like Lily, you can’t keep pushing everyone away.”“Can’t I? I’m protecting my son. You don’t know what her leaving like that did to him. She was his other mother for 7 years. That’s a long time to forget.”Mary Margaret sits next to her and puts her arm around Emma’s shoulder. “I don’t think Henry wants to forget, he loved Lily, and David and I might not have been there when she left you guys, but when you two moved out here we saw the change in him, we saw the change in you. The thing is, Henry is recovering, he’s living his life, and you’re keeping yourself busy so you don’t have to think about how lonely you are.”“I am not lonely.”
“You are to, you’re lonely and affection deprived. You hug Henry too much for too long, and that’s why he squirms out of your embrace.”“I do not!”“Honey, denial is ugly on everyone.” Mary Margaret tells her.Emma groans, and sinks back into the couch, she lets her head fall back over the cushion. “I really like her.” Emma confesses.“I know. You should call her, oh wait, you didn’t get her number. Idiot.” Mary Margaret pops her on the forehead, and she glares at her, then pouts.“I am an idiot. What if I never see her again?”“Please, three days tops, and she’ll be back at the cafe scratching like a crackhead for her caffeine fix.” They both laugh simultaneously. The door to the apartment opens, and in walks David carrying take-out, and Henry, dropping his backpack on the floor, and peeling his fall coat off, and hanging it up.“Hey ma, hey Aunty M.”“Hey kid.” She stands up, and makes her way over to him. “How was school?”“Same as yesterday.”“Did you have practice today?”“No.”“Then why are you so late coming home? You usually help me close when you get out of school.”“I went to the station to hang out with Uncle David until his shift was over.”“Kid, what did I tell you about hanging out at the station? Your Uncle David is very busy doing important police work, he can’t babysit on the job.”Henry rolls his eye. “I’m not a baby, and Uncle David was just down there shooting the shit, playing paper hoops with Graham.”“Excuse me, shooting the shit?” Emma reaches up, and pops David upside his head. “Ow! Why’d you hit me? He gets his smart-ass mouth from you.”“Sorry ma.” Henry says, and goes to wash his hands in the kitchen sink.Emma regards him for a moment. “Henry,” she begins, and she knows she has his attention because she rarely calls him by his name.“Yeah?”“Do I…. hug you too much?” She asks him.He lifts an eyebrow, quizzically, and looks at his aunt and uncle, then back at his mother. “Noooo?”“Really?”“Yes?”“Why does it sound like you're asking me instead of telling me?”“Ahh...”“Henry, it’s okay, just tell me the truth.”“What was the question again?” He asks, and Emma makes a move to hug him, but he dips on her. “Yes mom, you hug me too much. You hug me like I’m going to leave you and not come back. It’s annoying, but I deal with because I know you're just lonely.”“Jesus, kid tell me how you really feel,”“I ah, just did. You wanted me to right?”“You couldn’t sugarcoat it just a little?””Sorry ma,” he pauses, and has a thoughtful look on his face. “You always smell real good while you’re smothering me to death. Is that sugar coated enough for you?”“Smart-ass,” Emma says, and throws a dish towel at him. He dodges it, and grins at her. “No fried wontons for you.” She tells him, and the smile falls from his face.“That’s not fair!”“Tough shit.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Regina opens the door to Kathryn and Jim’s apartment, and heads straight to the kitchen, she pulls a chair from the kitchen table, drags it over to the cupboard, and uses it as a step stool so she can reach the very back of the topshelf. She pulls out a bottle of Glenlivet single-malt scotch. She opens it, and drinks straight from the bottle as she drags the chair back to where she retrieved it. She makes her way to the living room that she has made her own personal bedroom. She kicks off her heels, drops her purse on the coffee table, and plops unceremoniously onto the sofa. She’s still wearing her coat, and scarf, it smells vaguely of apples and cinnamon, and she hates it. She rips her scarf off and tosses it behind the sofa. She unbuttons her black Burberry trench coat, and peels it off one sleeve at a time, moving the bottle of scotch from one hand to the other. She throws the coat over to the armchair, and when it misses and hits the floor she just stares at it, willing herself not to move to pick it up. She takes another sip from the bottle. She starts to think about how much she paid for that coat, and how she no longer has money like that to throw away. She gets up and picks up her coat, instead of laying across the arm of the armchair, she hangs it on the coat rack by the door.
Regina shuffles back over to the sofa, and plops back down. She takes a long sip from the bottle this time taking a moment to appreciate the smoothness and slight sweet flavor. It's too sweet. She doesn’t want it to be sweet. She doesn’t want it to be smooth. She wants it to be harsh and smoky. She wants it to burn going down. It’s tasty and she hates it. She takes another long sip, and grabs her purse off the coffee table, she reaches inside to grab her cell phone. She looks at it, and thinks about calling Zelena and giving her a piece of her mind. She takes another swig from the bottle, and suddenly misses her father. It’s not all that surprising, she misses him everyday, but in this particular moment she could really use his shoulder to lay her head on while he puts his arm around her, and holds her hand, and tells her that Emma is a moron for rejecting his princesa. He would kiss her forehead, and rock her a little just like he had done when she had come crying to him when Danielle Colter had agreed to go to the Junior prom with Jefferson Hatter instead of ditching the event to be with her. She hadn’t meant to out herself to him, but she was so heartbroken and Zelena was away at University, and going to Cora Mills was not an option. Her father had been a little shocked at first, which frightened Regina, but then he pulled her into his arms and told her that anyone who would chose anyone or anything over her wasn’t worth her time. He told her she was a princess and should always be treated as such.Regina sits there and allows mixed emotions to cause fresh tears to run down her cheeks. She's not sure which emotion is causing the tears, the part that is really missing her father or the part that's mourning what could have been. She supposes it doesn’t really matter. She takes another long sip from the bottle and relaxes back into the sofa.Regina doesn’t know when she fell asleep, but she startles awake when she hears a horrific screech.“Goddammit, Regina! I just bought this carpet six months ago.”Regina squints at her best friend who is holding the bottle of scotch she had been drinking, she looks down at the carpet and spots the stain she made when the half empty bottle slipped from her fingers. Ugh, it’s a decent size stain, and it’s going to stink, and Regina sleeps in there, it’s going to bother her.“Not to mention that this is Jim’s favorite scotch, daddy brought him this bottle. He’s been saving it for like 3 years.” Kathryn tells her, and all Regina wants is for her friend to shut the fuck up.Regina peels her face off of the arm of the faux leather sofa, her body is twisted in an uncomfortable position, she sits up all pouty lips and groggy eyes; she reaches for her purse, and pulls out the band of money, unbands it, and makes it rain.“Buy a new carpet, and another bottle of what I believe to be cheap-as-fuck scotch.” Regina tells her, then falls back on the sofa.“By your standards. Where did you get all this money? I’m surprised you’re not rolling around naked in it.”“I don’t roll around naked in anything less than a hundred grand.”“Right…”“Zelena and Hayden gave it to me.”“Did Hayden find a loophole I missed?”“No.”“See! Bitch I told you.” Kathryn exclaims, and smacks Regina on her ass. “You think I’m incompetent cause I’m not some rich hot shit attorney.”“It could very well be that you are both incompetent.” Regina sasses.“Hey, you signed the shady contract. Dumb ass.” Kathryn says, and Regina groans. Kathryn tugs on her arm until she turns and sits up. Kathryn sits next to her, and Regina drops her head on her friend’s shoulder. Kathryn turns and kisses her forehead. “Sorry, I know the wound is still fresh.” Kathryn says, takes Regina’s hand, and squeezes it. “Did Zelena give you enough to move out?” Regina lifts her head, and cuts her eyes at her best friend. “What? Look at my fucking living room! You’re usually such a neat freak, look at this place. Your shit is everywhere. I want my living room back, and I want my healthy satisfying sex life back. I haven’t had sex in months!”“How is that my fault?” Regina asks.“You’re always here! And you make Jim uncomfortable, you’re always teasing him. He just knows you’ll give him hell if you ever heard us fucking. He’s very vocal, beside you make him crazy, you’re such an ass.”“I make him crazy because I won’t let him forget about the love letters he wrote me in high school, and the fact that I know he’d sell his soul to watch us fuck.”“Right about now I probably wouldn’t mind fucking you if it gets me laid.” Kathryn confesses.Regina smirks, “you are my type.”“Blonde, and physically and emotionally unavailable to you.” Kathryn says with a smirk, but then it falls from her face when she sees Regina’s about to cry. “Oh my god, honey I was just kidding. I’m sorry.” She hugs her, and Regina tries not to sob, but she really can’t help it because what Kathryn said sounds a lot like the truth, especially right after being rejected by a blonde she was sure was into her, but couldn’t find the time to actually go out with her. “Oh, Gina. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m so sorry.” She rubs Regina’s back, and squeezes her tight. Regina lets her go, and sits back. Kathryn reaches for the Kleenex and hands the box to Regina. Regina takes it, and pulls out two, and wipes her eyes, and nose.“It’s okay, it’s true.” Regina shrugs, and Kathryn shakes her head.“No it isn’t.” She says, and Regina gives her a knowing look. “Mal was just a lying, stupid, cheating, manipulative, conniving twat. You were too good for her Regina.”Regina shrugs, and wipes at her nose again.“I am a little confused about something.”“What?” Regina asks.“I understand if you're disappointed that Hayden couldn’t find a loophole, but I know you had to have known he probably wouldn’t, and Zelena did give you a giant band of money so why were you drinking? You don’t drink, not like this, and certainly not straight from the bottle, unless… Oh my god did Mal call you?” Kathryn asks, her eyebrows reaching her hairline.Regina rolls her eyes. “No.”“Did you call her?!”“NO!” Regina looks at her likes she’s lost her mind.“Good, well then, is it about your mom?”“Noooo…”“Then what the fuck? Why were you trying to give yourself alcohol poisoning?”“I was not trying to give myself alcohol poisoning.”“Then what is it? I know it’s something.”Regina ignores her, and Kathryn pushes her. “I met Zelena at the cafe.” Regina says like that’s suppose to explain everything. It takes a moment before Kathryn full blown laughs at her.“You took the nosiest, most observant woman in your life to the cafe owned by your oh so obvious crush, let me guess, she embarrassed the fuck out of you?”“She embarrassed me as soon as she walked in the door. She’s such a snob.” Regina says, turning her nose up, and crossing her arms.Kathryn laughs. “You’re a snob too! Zelena is just a flamboyant snob, your more on the uppity side.”“I am not!”“You are too! Losing all your money just chilled you out a bit, knocked you off your oh so high pedestal.”“I hate you.”“Don’t defect, what happened? Did she flirt with her in front of you?”“No, apparently Emma is not her type, seems my sister prefers women of the darker complexion with a little more thickness to their frame.”“Yeah, I totally see Zelena going gay for a black woman if she didn’t have Hayden.”“Going gay?”“Oh don’t sound so offended you big Les, sexuality is very fluid, and I’m so hormonal right now if you fucking me senseless was put on the table and wouldn’t piss Jim off I’d probably take it.”Regina moves to the far end of the sofa.“Oh don’t even act like you wouldn’t gobble up all this goodness.” Kathryn says, and Regina scrunches up her face in disgust. “Don’t make me prove it, Regina Mills.” She says, seriously, and Regina sees the mischief gleaming in soft blue eyes. She laughs, and Kathryn joins her. “Seriously, what happened? What did Zelena do?”“It’s not about Zelena really, She gave me her credit card on the condition that I use it to take Emma out on a date.”“Nooo.... Really? I love your sister. She’s a meddler in the best way.” Kathryn smiles, but then she sees Regina’s face. “Oh god, don’t tell me she turned you down.”“Worse, she gave me a rain check.”“Oooh…” Kathryn winces, she knows how Regina feels about those. “Did you tell her what she could do with her rain check?”“No, I just left. It was humiliating. I thought, fuck, I don’t know what I thought.”“You thought she liked you too, and who knows, maybe she really does, maybe the timing is really just bad for her.”“Oh, and it's so perfect for me?” Regina asks, sarcastically.“Don’t get all pissy with me Mills, besides how is she supposed to know what’s going on in your life? It would have hurt more if she said yes, and never showed up.”“I guess.” Regina says, and crosses her arms.“I know what will make you feel better, apartment hunting.” Kathryn says, and slaps Regina’s thigh before getting up. “You get the paper, and I’ll put on a pot of coffee. Mama needs her place back.” Kathryn says, and sashays into the kitchen.“Just find me something cheap and inconspicuous, someplace my mother will never think I would live.” Regina says, and lays back down.Kathryn peeks her head around the corner. “So, New Jersey?” Kathryn asks, and smirks knowingly.“Don’t play with me, Kathryn.”“Get your ass off my couch, Regina. The paper. Now.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Emma unlocks the front door to the cafe, opens the door, and goes inside. She’s not surprised at all that she can smell muffins baking in the oven. She closes, and locks the door before she heads to the kitchen where she spots Tiana in an apron and hairnet, with floured hands, beating dough by hand. She leans against the doorway, and watches her work until she looks up.“Hey, dummy. I see you’re not a complete idiot zombie anymore, probably still an idiot though.”“I thought I was just a dumb hoe?” Emma says.“I changed my mind, hoe implies you’re actually getting some, which we both know you’re not. You’re just dumb now. Just a big dum dum. Dummy.”“Thanks, I get it. MM already gave me the business yesterday, you would have been proud.”“Good. Are you just going to stare at me or are you going to help?”“It depends,” Emma says, and Tiana stops and looks at her. “Are you going to continue to hound me about what happened yesterday?”“I haven’t even begun to hound you, but I won’t start.” Tiana says, and goes back to kneading the dough.Emma quirks and eyebrow, “say what now?”Tiana takes a deep breath, “can’t hound you about your love life or lack thereof if I can’t even deal with my own. So I’ll keep my mouth shut if you show me the same courtesy.”The dough has been kneaded enough, Emma knows Tiana is just using it to work out some of her frustrations.It looks like Tiana has already been here awhile, because most of the prep work looks like it’s been done for the day, and now that Emma is in the kitchen she can smell that Tiana has more than just muffins baking. Emma imagines she could open at 5 instead of 6 if she wanted to. She doesn't, and she also doesn’t want to be let off the hook if it means she can’t talk to Tiana about what’s bothering her.Emma walks over to her and stops her by covering her hand with her own. Tiana stops kneading, and closes her eyes. Emma squeezes her hand.“I don’t know why I keep letting you skinny white bitches get to me.” Tiana says, shaking her head. Emma rolls her eyes.“Don’t tell me you went out drinking with Ruby and Belle again?”“No, not since the last time, not since the first incident.”“You’re still calling it an incident, Jesus, wait did you say first?” Emma asks, and Tiana winces. “Are you implying it’s happened more than once?” Tiana doesn’t answer, and Emma shoves her. “Don’t act like you don’t want to talk about this shit.”“I don’t.”“You do!”“Only if you’ll get your friend to leave me alone.”“You mean our friend, and I know you don’t mean that.”“Yes I do. She’s been tricking me into dates for months, she’s ridiculous!”Emma can’t help it, she laughs her ass off, cause yeah she believes Ruby can trick someone into dating her. “Why am I just hearing about this?”“Because apparently I’m a dummy to, I should have made you fire her after the whole incident thing.”“Oh my god, stop calling it that. You went out, got drunk, had the time of your life, and had mind blowing sex with your co-worker.”“Employee, and I never said it was mind-blowing.”
“She did.” Emma says, and grins. Tiana turns her head, but it was too late, Emma had already seen her blush and try to suck in her smile. Emma doesn’t comment on it.“Anyway, afterwards she just kept finding excuses to see me after work. The cooking class I was teaching at night a few months ago, she registered for it.”“Awww… that’s sweet.”“It’s creepy, and she kept insisting on walking me home.”“And I’m sure you let her.”“She wouldn’t stop bugging me.”“Sure, okay. Ruby is persistent, I’m aware.”“She comes in early on days she knows you won’t be in until later to help me set up.”“And I bet she tries to jump your bones every time.”“No…. She actually is very helpful, and efficient. A little silly, but in a good way, it may be a little fun when she comes in to help. She actually learned something in my cooking class.”“You like her.”“She’s my friend, Emma, just like you are, just like Belle and MM are. I never wanted more than that. She weeds my garden on her days off, she walks my dog, Emma.”“Yeah, I’ve seen her a few times. Charlotte loves her.”“Yes she does. I think she may even prefer her to me.”“You know I’m not really all that surprised.” Emma tells her.“What that Charlotte prefer her over me?” Tiana asks with a furrowed brow. Emma rolls her eyes. “No, that something has been going on between you two, have you two been fucking this whole time?”“No! We haven’t even kissed since…”“The incident? But you said before, you implied.... Oh my god, did it happen again last night?”“You know she would get MM and David to invite me out and she would just be there to, and suddenly David has food poisoning and MM has to take him home, so they just leave me alone with Ruby. She told me that we were just two friends hanging out, and having dinner, but she asks me about my family, and my favorite foods, and my dreams. Friends don’t do all that shit. She gets Belle to drag me out to the movies so she can meet us, and I end up sitting in the middle of the two of them, and she sneaks in my favorite candy because they don’t sell it at the concession stand. We share that really obnoxious sized tub of popcorn, and her fingers are always grazing mine cause she just has to reach inside at the same damn time I do. You know she actually did that lame ass move where you yawn and stretch, and put your arm around the girl? I only let it slide because the fucking movie theater was freezing.”Emma is grinning through the whole story. “Oh, I’m sure, just like I’m sure Ruby’s skinny white ass kept you warm.” Emma comments, and Tiana glares at her. She moves around Emma, grabs her oven mitts and begins taking the bake goods out the ovens, Emma grabs a pair so she can help.“She texts me all the time, stupid memes, and dog videos.”“You like dog videos.”Tiana ignores her. “She sends me songs and tells me she wants to dance with me to them. You know those friggin flowers that always end up in my hair everyday?”“Yeah...”“Ah yeah, totally her doing. She does that shit everyday, puts a flower in my hair. It’s annoying.”“Oh yeah, how dare she take the time to pick a different and might I add beautiful flower to give to the object of her affections everyday. How smothering!”“I know right?”“Why do the flowers end up in your hair by the way?”“Because that is wear she puts them, what kind of fucking question is that?”“And you don’t take them out?”“Oh so she can mope around pouty all morning because I hurt her feelings? You know how sensitive your people are.”“My people?”Tiana rolls her eyes, “I don’t mean white people. I mean GWLG, you know, your people.”Emma laughs, “girls who love girls, oh my god, you’re such a jerk. You don’t think you fit into that category?”“Just because I may have slipped up a time or two doesn’t mean I fit into that category. Dammit! Why does it have to be all or nothing with you people?” Tiana says, and slams a muffin pan down. Emma jumps back, startled by Tiana’s outburst. “Why can’t you people just be satisfied with a really good night in the sack, and then go to fucking sleep? What’s with the need to talk about every fucking thing? Does everything need to be defined? Why can’t good sex just be that?”“Jesus christ, T, what happened last night?” Emma asks, and Tiana walks away taking her hands out the oven mits. She throws them down on the counter.“The Machalepi didn’t come in on the shipment from the city yesterday morning. I called our supplier, and ripped him a new one. I ordered it months ago, and I know it’s hard to come by, but he said he had a guy. Anyway, he said he forgot to add it to our order and that he’ll drop it off with the next shipment. That’s in two weeks.”“Okay…”“I needed it today for the spiced sweet potato doughnuts I planned to make. I’ve made them by the way.”“Really? Where are they? I love your spiced sweet potato doughnuts. Wait, how did you get the spice to make them?” Emma asks, and Tiana looks away, her left hand moves to her hip.“Ruby took the train to the city and picked it up, she also stopped at Sylvia’s and picked up some food.”“You love Sylvia’s.”“I do.” Tiana still avoids Emma’s gaze and says nothing, until finally, “she just shows up at my door at like 8 something, with the spice, and the food and is like ‘hey, I ran to the city to get you that spice you need for the morning, and while I was there I thought I’d pick you up some Sylvia’s. I know you don’t get to venture out there that often’ she says this like it’s no big deal. Like she didn’t spend an hour on a train to the city, and an hour coming back not mention the time she spent getting to the supplier then stopping at Sylvia’s, then waiting at Sylvia’s.”“Wow.”“I jumped her right there in the doorway.” Tiana says, covering her face with her right hand, her left hand still on her hip.“Don’t feel bad, If a beautiful woman showed up at my front door with a bag from Sylvia’s I’d probably jump her in the doorway too.”Tiana glares at Emma. “I should have never told you.”“Wait, wait.. I’m sorry. I was just trying to be funny. I failed. I’m sorry.” Emma says, and Tiana rubs her arms like she's cold even though it’s stifling in the kitchen. “So you guys had sex for the second time? And you were both sober this time?”“Oh my god, did you really buy that whole story about Ruby and I being drunk? She had like three beers and I had two glasses of wine. I can barely cum one time drunk, let alone four times.”“But you freaked out!”“I freaked out because she was still in my bed in the morning. I freaked out because she wanted to make me breakfast, I freaked out because I have a boyfriend waiting for me in Chicago that I cheated on.”“Oh yeah, the boyfriend, who hasn’t been back to see you in like what, three years? Who you hardly see or talk to. I forgot about him. Are you fucking serious?”“I talk to Naveen every day.”“Apparently not yesterday.” Tiana holds herself, and looks guiltally over at Emma. “I’m sorry, that was a little low. What happened this time?”“She told me she loves me, and I told her she was crazy and to shut up and go to sleep, but she didn’t. She just kept telling me how perfect I am, and how much she adores me, and god why couldn’t she just fall asleep. She wanted to know how I felt about her.”“How do you feel about her?”“I care about her, and there is a physical attraction, I won’t deny that, but Naveen and I have history. I know our situation is not ideal and I’m trying to change that. I’m suppose to be with him. It doesn’t matter how I feel about Ruby what happened with her was a mistake.”“Was it?”Emma and Tiana both turn their heads to the doorway leading to the front. How did they not hear the door to the cafe open? Emma looks at Ruby, who looks like hell, her eyes are red and glassy, and Emma feels invisible when Ruby moves right past her to get to Tiana. Emma knows she should give them a little privacy but she can’t fight the desire to stay and watch how it all plays out. She slowly backs away, but stays within earshot.
“How could you say that after all that’s happen between us these past few months?” Ruby asks Tiana, and she tries to turn away, but Ruby won’t let her, she puts one hand at the nape of Tiana's neck to keep her head facing forward, and has the other hand on Tiana’s hip. “I love you, T. I love everything about you. I love the fact that you brung your crazy ass superstitions all the way up from Louisiana, like how you hang a mirror outside your front door to distract the devil, how you have a dime hanging around your neck to protect you from the devil, and how you believe white butterflies mean good news, and my favorite for various reasons, cutting your nails on Monday so you receive a present during the week. Shit I cut my nails every Monday to, and last night was the first time it actually felt worth it.” Ruby whispers, but it’s loud enough for Emma to still hear, and she blushes, and starts to look for those spicy sweet potato doughnuts.“Ruby,” Tiana whispers.“Tell me you don’t love me too and I’ll leave you alone. I won’t bother you again.””Ruby, I can’t,” she reaches up and removes Ruby’s hand from her neck. “I want to get married, and have kids someday, I can’t…” Tiana tries to move away again, but Ruby pulls her back again, both her and Emma are wearing the same perplexed look on their faces, like what the fuck does that have to do with anything? She can still do both those things with Ruby.“So marry me, have my babies.” Ruby says, and Tiana’s eyes widen.“You’re fucking crazy.”“You’re making me fucking crazy. T, be with me, be with me and I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life giving you everything you could ever want. Be with me, and have all of me, and let me have all of you. I promise I’ll never ever forget how precious you are. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you and all I’m asking, is for you to do the same.”“I can’t.” Tiana says with a trembling voice. Her eyes are pooling with tears. Ruby pulls her closer, tears in her own eyes.“The only thing you can’t seem to truly do, is tell me you don’t love me.” They stare at each for awhile, Emma notices the conflict in Tiana’s eyes, and Emma thinks she’s going to pass out for holding her breath with anticipation.“Don’t you think you should at least ask me out on a proper date before you propose marriage?” Tiana asks, and she’s biting back her smile, but Ruby is full on beaming at her.“If that’s what you want I can do that.”“And what do you want Ruby Lucas?”“Everything you’re willing to give to me.”“Let’s start with this,” Tiana takes Ruby’s hand from her waist, brings it to her mouth and kisses her palm, then places the hand in the center of her chest. “You can have all of this.”“What about what’s on the left and right of it?” Ruby asks, still beaming.Tiana rolls her eyes. “Those too.”Ruby uses her other hand to cup Tiana’s face, she runs her thumb gently over Tiana’s lips. “And these?”“Yes,” Tiana breathes out. Ruby leans in and brushes Tiana’s lips with her own, she reaches down slowly, moving her hand from Tiana’s chest, her stomach, until… Tiana gasps.“And this?” Ruby asks, and Tiana whimpers, and nods her head. “We can’t forget this.” She reaches behind and grabs Tiana’s left ass cheek, and she jumps a little.“That too, yes.” Tiana whispers against Ruby’s lips right before she sticks out her tongue to lick Ruby’s bottom lip. Ruby moves her head, and Tiana instinctively chases after her lips.“You know what I want most of all?” Ruby asks, and Tiana looks her right in her bright blue eyes, she reaches up to grab the back of Ruby’s neck with two hands.“I love you,” Tiana says, and Ruby crashes their lips together, her tongue sliding deep into Tiana’s mouth. Tiana tries to pull her closer as she moans into the kiss.Emma is in the corner munching on a doughnut wondering if she should be this turned on by watching her two closest friends make out.When the kissing and touching looks like it could turn into a full blown fuckfest, Emma decides to intervene for the sanitation of her kitchen.“As hot as all this is, you gotta take it the fuck out my kitchen. Take your ‘I love yous’ and dirty ass sloppy kisses the fuck home.” Emma tells them.They both look a little embarrassed as they straighten out their clothes, and wipe the corners of their mouths. “You’re just jealous.” Ruby tells her.“You’re damn right I’m jealous, four orgasms, Ruby? Damn.”Ruby looks at her confused, Tiana grabs Ruby’s hand, and pulls her towards the door leading to the front.“That was just the first time.” Tiana informs her, and continues leading them out. Ruby turns her head and grins at Emma, she uses her free hand to flash five fingers, then three before mouthing ‘8 times’.“We’ll be back at 7, Emma. And I haven’t forgot that I need to hound you about what happened with Regina.” Tiana shouts before leaving out completely.Emma picks up the phone and dials out.“Good morning!”Emma rolls her eyes at Mary Margaret’s perkiness. “I need you to come help me open.”“What? Where’s Tiana?”“On her way home with Ruby.”“Oh thank god. I thought she would never give in and just admit she wants that girl. I’ll be there in ten.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Kathryn opens the door to her apartment and Regina pushes past her, kicks off her heels, and shuffles over to the living room where she lands face first onto the sofa. She groans loudly.“You know, I’m getting really tired of picking up your shit.” Kathryn tells her. “Regina, I think you should consider a place in this area, you can’t really afford a penthouse in the city right now, even a studio in the city will probably break you eventually.” Regina groans again. “Port Chester is not so bad, and it’s not too far from the city if you ever decide to get off your ass and get a goddamn job, Regina! Get up! At least take off your coat.”Regina whines and attempts to remove her coat without actually getting up. It’s Kathryn's turn to groan. She picks up Regina’s heels, and opens the coat closet by the door, she looks down on the floor where she sees a pile of Regina’s shoes filling the bottom of her closet. Kathryn rolls her eyes and just tosses the shoes in the closet.“Can you make me a drink?” Regina asks, her voice straining from the exertion she is using trying to remove her coat while still laying on her face.Kathryn sighs, “sure, what would you like?”“A bourbon.”“It’s just after 12!” Kathryn exclaims, and Regina lifts her head up.“Then make me a fucking mimosa, I don’t care. I need alcohol.”“How about some tea or coffee?”Regina groans and whines. She still hasn’t managed to take her coat completely off.“How about we take a special trip to your favorite cafe?”“No!”“Oh Regina, come on! It’s been a week. They’re going to be worried about you.”“I’m never going back there again.”“Yeah okay, so Starbucks then?”“I’m never drinking coffee again.”“Stop talking crazy. I don’t think I can deal with you if you haven’t been pumped with some sort of caffeine. I can go to the cafe for you, pick up your usual, see what happens.”“No!”“Aren’t you just a little curious? You’ve been gone a whole week, I’m sure someone has noticed, a particular green eyed blonde perhaps?”“I doubt it.”“You know, your depression is really depressing me.”Regina had long since stopped struggling to take off her coat, and just gave up, she lays with her right cheek pressing against the sofa cushion, and her arms stuck partially behind her back due to her fruitless attempt to take off her coat.“So….. Mocha mint double shot cappy?”“Yes…” Regina whimpers, submitting.Kathryn opens the door, and standing behind it ready to knock is Zelena and a walking bundle of fur. Kathryn smiles, “Hey Z.” Kathryn greets, and steps aside to let her visitors in.“Get out!” Regina yells from the living room, she’s not in the mood to be interrogated by her older sister.“Ignore her, she’s a b.i.t.c.h today.” Kathryn tells Zelena.“That’s every day, dear.” Zelena replies, and Kathryn nods in agreement.”Is that Robin in that bears mouth?” Kathryn asks, and hears a tiny muffled voice. She bends down to remove the scarf wrapped around Robin’s face.“I’m not in a bear’s mouth.”“Is that my little bird?” Regina struggles to get up, and tumbles on to the floor; she quickly recovers, and gets up.“Tia!” Robin exclaims, and she’s trying to run, but she can’t gain much speed being so bundled up. Regina meets her halfway, and kneels down to hug her.“I don’t think I’ve seen Regina move so fast in months.” Kathryn comments, and Regina glares up at her friend.Regina starts to help Robin out of her layers. “Really, Z? You’d think there was a blizzard out there. She’s not supposed to be this bundled up in a car seat.”“We took the train!” Robin informed her, and Regina’s eyes snap up at Zelena.“Don’t give me that look, I feel like I’m being followed. Mother is such a pain in the a.r.s.e, and I don’t want to argue with her.” Zelena explains and Regina rolls her eyes; she finishes unwrapping her niece.“There’s my beautiful bird.” Regina says, beaming at her five year old niece.“I missed you, Tia.”“I missed you too, baby.” Regina says, and proceeds to cover the girl’s face with kisses. Robin giggles. Regina’s heart feels a lot lighter hearing the laughter of her favorite person in the world. “Though I am delighted to see you, heart, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”“I skipped, mummy and I came to eat.” Regina looks up at Zelena who avoids her gaze.“Oh you did, did you?” Robin nods and smiles brightly at Regina. “They don’t feed you at school?”“Yes, but mummy said your food is better, and I should get you to make us lunch, right mummy?” Robin asks, looking at her mother, who looks at Robin like the girl has betrayed her.“I have no idea what this child is talking about.” Zelena says, and Kathryn snickers. Regina rolls her eyes, she’s not surprised at all that her sister would con her niece into skipping school and asking Regina to cook for her.“Are you hungry, bird?” Regina asks.“Ahm, “ Robin looks up at her mother for confirmation, and Zelena tries to subtly nod, her blue eyes widening. Robin looks back at Regina. “I’m famished.” She says, and Regina wants to laugh, she knows her sister told her to say that.“Oh my, well we can’t have that.” Regina stands, and takes off her coat. She hands it to Kathryn. “Would you mind hanging that up on your way out. And you,“ she says pointing at her sister, “you go with her. I want some quiet, quality time with my bird.”“Fine, but if I come back here and there is no food for me I’m going to raise h.e.l.l.”“Yes, she’s going to raise hell.” Robin says, and all three women look down at her in disbelief.“Who taught you how to spell hell?” Zelena asks her.Robin shrugs. “No one, it rhymes with bell, sell, tell, fell, well.”“Okay, okay. I get the gist. My little overachiever, mother watches her after school a few days a week.”“I hope she’s not as insane as she was when we were kids.”“I totally searched the house for rulers.”Regina shakes her head, and takes Robin’s hand. “Let’s go make some lunch, baby,”“You need to bring this child over here more often, Regina hasn’t cooked once since she’s been here.” Kathryn tells Zelena.“Don’t you two have somewhere to be? And how do you know I’m not going to just make her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” Regina asks, and she has a smug smile on her face.“You’ve eaten all the peanut butter.” Kathryn tells her, and Regina’s smug smile falls right off her face.“I want arroz con pollo.” Robin tells Regina, pulling on the hem of her aunt’s blouse. Regina looks at Zelena, curiously.“Mother mostly, but she learns Spanish in school.” Zelena shrugs. “Mummy’s going out with Aunty Kat, but we’ll be back soon.”“Okay, mummy.”Zelena kisses her daughter’s forehead. Zelena holds Kathryn by the arm, and whispers in her ear as they both exit the apartment, and Regina just knows they’re talking about her.“Okay, heart, now that the two annoying grownups are gone let’s go see if we have what we need to make your chicken and rice.”
For an entire week Emma jumps and glances at the entrance every time the cafe door opens, and the little bell above it lets her know someone has entered. It’s never Regina, and Emma’s heart sits firmly in the pit of her stomach. She doesn’t get how she could miss someone so much that she barely knew in the first place. It’s unnerving, and may or may not be driving her a little insane.At one point she had been frantically looking through customers old credit card receipts, hoping to find one for Regina so she could find out her last name and possibly look her up. After Mary Margaret caught her, and very nonchalantly stated that ‘Regina has never ever paid with a card, cash only.’ She left Emma and Tiana’s office, leaving Emma to drop her head on the desk and groan in frustration. After that ordeal, she decided to stop obsessing. So when the bell chimes above the door announcing the entrance of another customer at a little after one in the afternoon on a Friday, Emma doesn’t flinch. She keeps working on her filling for her peach/apricot tart.It’s the sound of a familiar British accent, and a vaguely familiar voice requesting a Mocha Mint double shot cappuccino that gives Emma pause. Her heart is pounding in her chest, she looks at the doorway expecting Mary Margaret’s head to pop in to tell her she needs her assistance. Emma’s throat begins to hurt when Mary Margaret doesn’t call for her. She tries to ignore the instant disappointment she feels, and she fights her desire to just go out and see for herself if it truly is Regina’s sister out there. She concentrates on the task at hand.“Emma.” Mary Margaret calls, and Emma immediately snaps to attention. Mary Margaret is grinning, and her cheeks are rosy. “You want to come out and help me with this order? I wouldn’t want to mess it up.” Mary Margaret tells her, and it’s all it takes to pull her away from what she is doing.Emma exits the kitchen, and immediately scans the floor. She spots the redhead, but it isn’t Regina with her, but a vaguely familiar blonde. She may have seen her in here with Regina a few times months ago. Regina didn’t mention having another sister. Emma stares in their direction, and Mary Margaret nudges her.“Mocha Mint Cappuccino with a double shot.” Mary Margaret reminds her.“Oh yeah, okay.” Emma grabs a large cup, and scribbles ‘Regina’ on it, and proceeds to make the beverage.When she is finished Mary Margaret hands her tray with two large mugs on it. She points to one, Long Macchiato is for the blonde, and the tall Latte is for the redhead.” Emma nods her head, and puts the to-cup on the tray. She walks the drinks over, willing her hands not to shake. She makes it over without incident.“One Long Macchiato,” she puts the mug down in front of the blonde. “One tall Latte.” She places the other mug down. “And a Mocha Mint double shot cappuccino.” She places the to-go cup. Zelena picks up the to-go cup, and sees Regina’s name, she smirks.“Awfully presumptuous of you to think this is for Regina.” Zelena says. Emma looks a bit puzzled at first, but then realizes she did indeed write Regina on the cup instead of writing what the beverage was, like she would do with any of the other unknown customers.“I’m sorry, I just assumed, you are her sister aren’t you?” Emma asks.“Why yes I am.” Zelena responds. “Zelena, and if my memory serves me correctly, you must be Emma.”“That’s what my name tag says,” and she goes to point at it.“What name tag, dear?” Zelena asks.Emma looks down to realize she’s been wearing her apron backwards all morning, and no one said anything to her. She feels like an idiot, but fights the desire to facepalm. She simply rights her apron. “This one.” She says, pointing to her newly exposed name tag. Both Kathryn and Zelena chuckle.“Now I see the attraction she must have my dear sister in stitches every day.” Zelena comments to Kathryn. The blonde just nods her head in agreement, and takes a sip of her drink.“If you ladies are going to be awhile I can take this one back and make another when you’re done so it’ll still be hot.”“That’s sweet of you Emma, but not necessary, Kathryn here has a microwave at home. It can be reheated.” Zelena tells her.“But it will ruin the flavor, and I’m almost certain Regina isn’t the type of person to reheat coffee, and I’m definitely certain she prefers it hot as opposed to luke warm.”“Again you assume it’s Regina’s. I never confirmed that.”“Oh stop messing with her, Z. Of course it’s for Regina. Hi, Emma, I don’t know if you remember me, it’s been a few months. I’m Kathryn, Regina’s best friend.” She offers her hand, and Emma’s shakes it.“Yeah, it’s nice seeing you again.”“Nice seeing you too, Emma.”“How… how is Regina? I haven’t seen her in awhile.” Emma dares to ask. Kathryn goes to answer but Zelena stops her by holding up a silencing hand. Kathryn rolls her eyes, and takes another sip of her drink.“Do you have a minute, Emma?” Zelena asks, and Emma’s not sure whether or not she should say yes; Zelena’s face is unreadable, and Emma is not sure whether this is a trap or not. She opens her mouth to respond.”Good, grab a chair, join us.” Zelena says, apparently deciding that yes, Emma does have a minute. Emma pulls a chair over from an empty table and sits down. Zelena regards her for a moment. Emma’s palms are beginning to sweat, she feels an interrogation coming on. Zelena takes a sip of her drink, and hums in approval. “This is bloody amazing, no wonder Regina loves getting her coffee here. Oh, and the apple turnovers, did Regina tell you about the apple turnover we tried last week?” Zelena asks Kathryn.Emma just looks back and forth between the two women. “She may have mentioned you getting off on an apple turnover last week, yes.”“Don’t let her fool you she got off on it too. It was sinfully delicious.”“Better than Regina’s?” Kathryn asks her.“I plead the 5th.” Zelena says, and Kathryn grins at her. Emma blushes a little listening to the conversation between the two women.“Oh, I’m sorry Emma what was your question again?” Zelena asks, and Kathryn is rolling her eyes again.“Regina, how is she?”“Oh yes, how is she? Hmm, not sure if I want to dignify that question with an answer. I mean, do really think you deserve to know after how you treated my sister?”“Zelena.” Kathryn says, and there is a hint of a warning there.“I… I’m… what?” Emma stutters.“You seem like a reasonably intelligent person, Emma, I could be wrong, but I certainly hope not.”“Ah, thank you?”“Oh don’t thank me yet. Anyway, Regina is catch, trust me, you could do a lot worse. A. Lot. Worse. And I may be a little bias, but I don’t really think you can do better, and that’s not an insult to you. That being said what the hell is wrong with you, rejecting my sister like that? A bloody rain check? What the hell were you thinking?”“Ahm.” Emma says, her throat is bone dry. She thinks she may drop dead right there, she can feel herself begin to sweat profusely.“Jesus, Z, you wanna back off a little. Stop interrogating the poor woman.”“I’m not interrogating her, am I interrogating you, Emma?” Zelena asks, and takes another sip of her drink. “Damn this is good.”“Emma, it’s really none of our business, you don’t have to answer. Zelena is just very overprotective of Regina, obnoxiously so.” Kathryn tells her. Zelena rolls her eyes, but does not object to Kathryn's comment.
“I was a little taken aback, and really not prepared at all. I never expected her to… it was just really sudden, and I know I didn’t respond appropriately.”“You’re bloody right you didn’t, when a woman like Regina asks you out, the only response you should have is, yes. And don’t look at me like that, I’ve seen the way you look at my sister. You like her, so whatever bullshit you got going on, get it together so if by chance you and my sister cross paths again you can make things right. Now if you don’t mind, I will accept your offer to make Regina another fresh cup of whatever the bloody hell she usually gets.” Zelena says, and finishes her coffee, not sparing Emma another glance.Kathryn turns to Emma, and mouths an ‘I’m sorry.’ Emma nods, and gets up from her seat, and grabs the to-go cup. When she returns to the counter to make Regina a new cup of cappuccino instead of writing Regina on the cup, she writes ‘I’m sorry.’ She hands the cup to Kathryn, who is the only one waiting, Zelena seems to have disappeared.“Thank you, and I’m sorry for Zelena, I wish I could say she’s not normally so rude, but I’d be lying. It just grows on you after awhile.” Kathryn says, and shrugs. “Regina is well, by the way, maybe a little sad.” Kathryn tells her, and Emma can tell she’s holding back. “I think, I think she misses you.” Kathryn tells her, but doesn’t wait for a response; she just turns and walks out the door.
Regina and Robin are tidying the kitchen and pulling plates from the cupboards while the arroz con pollo is simmering in the skillet.They spent the past 45 minutes gathering ingredients, measuring and prepping. Regina wasn’t too keen on allowing her 5-year-old niece use a knife to cut anything; luckily Kathryn had those tacky colored safety Farberware knives, she hoovered as she watched Robin slice and dice red peppers. She was impressed. It turned out that Cora had been making arroz con pollo with Robin every week, and that Robin learned a total of five recipes that she had committed to memory due to Cora constantly remaking them every week. There was a moment where Regina felt a pang of jealousy, Cora had never cooked anything with her, everything she knew she learned from her father. Regina shook it off and decided to be glad her mother was a better grandmother than she had been a mother.Regina hears the front door open.“We’ve returned, darlings.” Zelena calls. A couple of minutes later Zelena and Kathryn enter the kitchen.“It took you two long enough.” Regina tells them.“We didn’t want to help.” Zelena confesses.“Like I would let you anywhere near uncooked food. I wouldn’t trust you to make a salad.”Zelena shrugs. “I married a domesticated man for a reason.”“I can’t believe you make him come home and cook after working a ten hour day, you have two housekeepers.”“Hayden likes to cook for his family, besides I love it when he cooks, I think it’s s.e.x.y.” Zelena says, and turns her head to look at her daughter who has a look of concentration on her face. “Stop trying to figure that word out. There is a reason why grown ups spell in front of you.” Zelena tells her.“I know, mummy. I asked grandmother, and she said it was because you were using vulgar words and that I should still try to figure them out so that eventually you’ll learn to censor yourself better in front of me.”“Why am I not surprised?” Regina rolls her eyes, and stirs the arroz con pollo one last time.“Do mummy a favor, darling. Be five. Dumb it down a little.”“Zelena!” Both Kathryn and Regina exclaim simultaneously.“What mommy means, sweetheart, is that she supports you being the very best you can be, and she appreciates you learning new things everyday, but sometimes it’s okay not to try so hard. Relax, enjoy being a little girl.” Kathryn tells Robin.“Don’t let your grandmother wear you out by setting nearly impossible goals, and making you do things you don’t want to do just because it’s good for you.” Regina adds.Robin gives Regina a quizzical look. “But it’s fun!” Robin tells them.Zelena and Regina look at each other with furrowed brows, then they both look at Robin. “Fun?” They ask, in unison.“When I go over to grandmother’s I wash up and change out of my school clothes. She asks me about school while we start dinner in the kitchen. Sometimes she speaks in Spanish, sometimes Italian, it depends on what we are cooking. When dinner’s in the oven or cooking on the stove she helps me set up a tea party, and plays tea party with me and my new AGD, Luciana,”“Wait, which grandmother are we talking about? I’m confused.” Regina can not believe what she’s hearing.Robin tilts her head, and looks curiously at Regina, “I only have one grandmother,” Robin tells her, and of course Regina already knows this, Hayden’s mother died right after Robin was born.“Right.”“Anyway, grandmother is fun, and she lets me watch Steven Universe. Daddy says I’m too young to watch it, but grandmother lets me watch anyway.” Robin whispers the last part leaning in Kathryn’s direction. Well, she tries to whisper but Regina and Zelena can still clearly hear her.“I’m surprised she lets you watch television.” Regina says.“On school nights she only lets me watch a little, but when I spend the night we make a fort in the family room and she lets me watch anything I want as long as it’s age appropriate and ethnically diverse.”“So what exactly do you watch?” Zelena asks her daughter.“Mulan, Moana, I had to beg to watch Brave.” Robin pauses to think, ”she let me watch Elena of Avalor but then got upset because they don’t speak enough Spanish, and she let me watch the Incredibles in Spanish with English subtitles.” Robin frowns, ”it was really hard to understand, and I couldn't read the subtitles, it was too fast.” Robin shrugs, ”we watched Coco and Sing. Sing is my favorite we know all the songs. And when grandmother falls asleep I switch to her Netflix account and watch Mr. Bean, and The Fosters. She doesn’t let me sleep any later than 9, so I’m always tired in the morning, but it’s so worth it.”“This is definitely your child, Z.” Kathryn says, chuckling and shaking her head. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She hands Regina her coffee.“Thank you,” Regina takes the cup, she’s a little surprised by how warm it feels. She goes to take a sip when she spots the ‘I’m sorry’ scribbled on the cup in what appears to be Emma’s handwriting. Regina doesn't know how to feel about Emma's apology, she’s not sure what it means, or what Emma was apologizing for. Why would she be sorry?Regina stares at the words on the cup for too long it seems since Kathryn takes it upon herself to serve everyone while Zelena fills everyone's glasses with water. Everyone takes a seat. “Regina.” Kathryn says, and Regina snaps out of her daze. She walks over to the trashcan and drops her drink inside it before taking her seat at the table. Kathryn groans, gets up, and walks over to remove the cup from the garbage. She pours the liquid down the drain and drops the cup back in the trash can. She washes her hands and takes her seat, both she and Zelena stare at Regina, but she avoids their gaze as she takes dainty bites of her food. Zelena and Kathryn give each other a look and roll their eyes.Just when Zelena lifts her fork to consume a mouthful of chicken and rice, Regina lets her fork clatter to her plate. “What did you do?” Regina asks; she’s still not looking at either one of the two women sitting at the table. Both women freeze and look at each other. Zelena puts her fork down and reaches for her water.”I have no idea what you're talking about.” Zelena says; and takes a sip of her water. Regina grabs Zelena’s plate and moves it away from her. Zelena’s eyes widen in surprise and she nearly chokes on her water.“What did you do?” Regina repeats.“Nothing!” Zelena shouts, and tries to reach for her plate, but Regina moves it further away. Zelena huffs, and folds her arms across her chest. She glances at Kathryn who looks like she’s about to squeal.“We might have had a word or two with Emma.” Kathryn breaks.“What?!” The vein on Regina’s forehead begins to throb. Zelena glares at Kathryn then takes her plate. Kathryn looks at Zelena in shock. “It was mostly Zelena.” Kathryn says, and Regina takes Kathryn’s plate away from Zelena.“Traitor.” Zelena hisses. Kathryn reaches for her plate but Regina has a firm hold on it.“What happened?” Regina asks.“All I did was reintroduce myself. Zelena did most of the talking.” Kathryn confesses, and Regina lets her take her plate.Zelena glare at the blonde, and mouths ‘bitch’. Kathryn shrugs, and takes a bite of her food. Zelena reaches for her plate again, but Regina moves it.“What did you do?”Zelena rolls her eyes, and snatches Regina’s plate “I did what any loving, protective big sister would do.” Zelena says, and picking up her fork. Regina takes the plate away, and Zelena huffs. ”You know I’m not above taking my child’s food.” Zelena says.“You wouldn’t dare.” Regina says, and Zelena gives her a look like, ‘you wanna bet?’“Is this a game? Can I play?” Robin asks, and takes Kathryn’s plate.“Hey.” Kathryn says, as she watches her plate being removed from in front of her.“No, bird, we’re not playing a game. Why don’t you take your plate into the living room, and watch television” Regina tells her niece.“Mummy’s in trouble isn’t she?”“Big trouble.”“Don’t be too hard on her, she always means well.” Robin says, and looks at her mother. She shakes her head, gets up from the table, and grabs her plate. “Always causing mischief,” Robin says as she leaves the kitchen table.Kathryn eases out of her chair, and goes to lift her plate.“Where do you think you’re going?” Zelena asks her.“I was going to leave you two alone to work this out amongst yourselves. I want no part of this mess.”“Too bloody bad, you’re an accomplice.”“What?! No I’m not! You’re the one who interrogated the poor woman, not me.”“You didn't try to stop me.”“Yes, I did!”
“No you didn’t! There was no bloodshed, and the police weren’t called. Look, no cuts, no bruises.” Zelena shows Regina her hands. Kathryn gives Zelena a disgusted look.“She’s right, you didn’t try very hard to stop her. What kind of friend are you? Sit down.” Regina motions for Kathryn to return to her seat.“A friend that doesn’t have a police record, and doesn’t want one.” Kathryn plops back down in her seat and folds her arms across her chest.Zelena tries to stealthily slide her plate in front of her, but Regina glares at her and she lets it go. “Fine. Kathryn told me what happened when you asked out Emma last week so I took it upon myself to have a nice chat with her.”“Nice chat huh? Kat said you interrogated her.”“You can’t trust her, she’s a bloody lawyer, they exaggerate everything. I would know, I’m married to one.” Zelena tells her, and Kathryn shoves her.“Kat what did she say?” Regina asks, and Kathryn gives her a rundown of the conversation Zelena had with Emma.Regina doesn't say a word. She gets up, grabs Zelena’s plate and dumps the whole plate in the garbage, then proceeds to hoyts herself up on the counter so she can reach the liquor on the topshelf of the cupboard.Meanwhile, Zelena shrugs, and takes Regina’s plate.“No no no, we are not doing this.” Kathryn says, and grabs Regina around the waist, pulling her down from the counter. Regina struggles a little, but eventually concedes because she knows she shouldn’t drink, at least not with her niece in the house. She lets Kathryn lead her back to her seat. After Kathryn sits Regina down, she goes over to the garbage to retrieve her plate and put it in the sink. Kathryn pulls the chair Robin had been sitting in closer to Regina and sits down.“I can never go back there again.” Regina says. Zelena rolls her eyes, and continues to eat. “Why must you go out of your way to meddle in my love life?”“What love life? You don’t have a love life. You barely have a life thanks to your last love interest. You have the worst taste in women, always picking someone who will inevitably tear your heart to shreds. In the past I’ve said very little and I’ve let you live and learn because I was raised by the same overbearing mother you were raised by, and I didn’t want to be that way with you, but this time I couldn’t stand by and let you get hurt again. She’s lucky I didn’t bloody sock her one.” Zelena says, and takes a bit of her chicken. “Rain check, my arse.”Regina facepalms, and shakes her head. “I can never face her again. You’re ridiculous, I’m 36 years old. I’m not some little girl running home to tell my big sister that the boy that sits behind me pulled my hair, and pushed me in the dirt.”“Oh, I remember that wanker. I beat the snot out of that kid. I got quite the punishment for that, mother pulled a ‘mommie dearest’ move. There are still no wire hangers allowed in my house.”“Not the point Z. The point is I can handle my own affairs.”Zelena outright laughs at Regina. “Really? You know what? I’m going to shut up, and let you think on what you just said to me, Robin!” Zelena calls, she hands her plate to Kathryn. “can you wrap that up for me?” Zelena asks her. Kathryn rolls her eyes, but takes the plate anyway, and transfers the contents into some tupperware. Robin enters the kitchen with her plate. She places her plate in the sink. “Good, you’re finished. Now say goodbye to your Tias.”“We’re leaving already? Can’t I stay? It’s Friday.”“I don’t know dearest, it seems your Tia is still working on handling her affairs.” Zelena says, and Regina glares at Zelena.Robin looks up at Regina. “Please Tia, can’t I stay? I’ll be good, I promise, and… and I can sleep on the floor. I won’t take up any room. I’m so small.”Regina kneels down so she’s closer to Robin’s height. Regina cups her niece’s right cheek with her left hand. “There will always be room for you wherever I am, but don’t you spend the weekend with your grandmother? She’ll be expecting you.”“I can call her. I’ll call her and tell her I’m visiting you, and she’ll be okay. Mummy will go visit her and make sure she’s not lonely when I’m with you, right mummy?” Robin turns her bright blue eyes to her mother, and Zelena signs. Battle lost.“Of course, dearest. Can I assume you’re okay with this Kathryn?” Zelena asks, and Kathryn nods. “Okay, I’ll send Isabel over with your things, and Luciana.”“Thank you mummy.” Robin wraps her arms around her mother’s waist and squeezes.“You’re welcome.” She bends down and kissed her daughter. “I will have daddy come pick you up on Sunday so you can still have brunch with grandmother.”“Okay.” Robin says, barely containing her joy. Zelena chuckles and shakes her head. Kathryn hands her the tupperware.“You don’t have to go you know.” Regina tells her.“Oh, yes I do. Because I know I’ll say something you’re probably not ready to hear yet, and it will cause a rift between us, and we are both our mother’s daughters so… you know.” Zelena shrugs, and turns to leave the kitchen, they follow. Zelena takes her coat out the closet.“You’ll call and let us know you made it home safely?” Regina asks.“Of course.” She hugs both her sister and Kathryn. “See you Sunday, sweet one.”“Bye mummy.” Robin says, and they embrace again.Zelena opens the door, and then turns to Kathryn. “I need a fork, this is not going to make it to Scarsdale.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It's a Saturday night, and Emma's curled up on her sofa binge watching old recorded Los Angeles Sparks games, thinking she could actually be on a date with a beautiful woman instead of home watching games she's seen million times. She doesn't have Henry to keep her company, he's on a double date with David, Mary Margaret, and Violet, Henry's friend that just happens to be a girl, but not his girlfriend, at least that is what he tells his mother when he begs her to let him go to the movies with the girl.Nights like this Emma would most likely annoy Tiana until she came over with take-out and they would watch whatever Tiana wanted to watch which usually involved Vin Diesel or Dwayne Johnson. Not tonight, because Tiana's busy, with Ruby, Emma's back up; the only person in her group of friends brave enough and physically strong enough to drag her ass out the house.And then there is Belle, Emma rather binge watch WNBA games alone than to spend a second alone with Belle. Emma loves the woman, and they've been friends for years, but outside of work the only one that could stand to be alone with Belle is Ruby, because they both talk entirely too much, but that's not the big issue because Ruby talks too much and Emma handles her just fine; no, it's what Belle talks about that gets to Emma. The curly-haired brunette woman is too damn smart for her own good, she's a human encyclopedia, and when she's not telling you facts about everything in the world, she's constantly talking about the book she's never going to write, and Emma thinks if anyone is in need of a love life more than her, it's Belle.No, no, Emma's not lonely enough to call Belle, she'd rather call… A familiar ringtone plays on Emma's phone. She picks it up and stares at the picture that flashes. She smirks, looks like Henry was playing with her phone again, there is a red circle and slash symbolizing "no" over Neal's face. Emma answers the phone."Hello, asshole. Where are you now? India? Japan? Tallahassee?""Hello to you too, Em, and can you be any more random with the places you think I might be?""I hope you're calling to let me know you're on your way home to begin groveling and begging your son for forgiveness for not only missing his birthday two months ago, but being MIA for the entire summer.""Not exactly.""It's been six months, Neal. Six months since you've seen your son, and two whole fucking years since you actually lived in your apartment.""I know, that's actually why I'm calling you. I got a job, like a solid job, no more freelancing. I will still need to travel, but not nearly as much. A couple of times a month, only a day or two at a time depending where I need to go, but for the most part I'll be in one place.""That's great. What's the job?""I have my own column in the Seattle Fountain.""Seattle? As in Seattle, Washington?""Yeah.""Are you fucking serious Neal? That's on the other side of the country! You couldn't get a job in New York?""Em, this is my own column with a generous travel allowance, and they're offering me almost twice as much as I made as a freelance writer. I'll finally have a steady income. I can finally pay you back for all the money you lent me.""You think I care about the money? If that was the case you owe me 65,000 dollars in child support, and that's me rounding down. I care about you being here for our son. Do you or do not remember the discussion we had when I told you I was pregnant?""Not this again, yes Emma I do. I remember.""You sure, because it seems like you need a reminder.""Emma, no.""I told you," Emma starts and she hears Neal groan over the phone, "when I found out that you knocked me up that I could take care of this baby without you. I told you I had my family, my mother, and my brothers. I told you that I didn't want my kid to know what it feels like to have a deadbeat father like I had.""And I told you not to compare me to that man. He was a drunk and a gambling addict.""And you're just a gambling addict.""Ex gambling addict. It's been five years. Give me a little credit.""I want to Neal, I really do, but you make it so hard for me. You promised me 13 years ago that you wanted to be a father to our kid. You agreed that we weren't right for each other.""No, you agreed we weren't right for each other. I didn't have much say in it." Neal interrupts.Emma can hear a little bitterness in his voice. "Oh my god, Neal, I'm gay. It wasn't going to work. I was a confused insecure 16 years old with daddy issues, and you were a stupid insecure 19-year-old boy with daddy and mommy issues, the only good that came from that god awful night was Henry. You need to stop acting like you were in love with me because you weren't, we were buddies. You trusted me in a time in your life where the people you were supposed to trust, the people who were supposed to protect and love you constantly let you down.""Emma…""You promised you would always be there for our kid, that he would never feel betrayed or lonely. He would never know what it feels like to not have his father around. You said you'd always choose him over everything. You've failed him more times then I can count Neal, and that beautiful brilliant kid, amazingly, still loves you. He's pissed at you, but he loves you.""Are you done?" Neal asks.Emma's feeling fed up, and she's tired. She hates these conversations with Neal. It had been easier to deal with his constant ins and outs of their life when Lily was around. His absence didn't sting as much, because Henry had two parents who loved him, and it didn't matter to him that they were both women because he had his Uncle David, and Uncle James.When Lily left five years ago, Neal cleaned up his act and moved into the building Emma inherited from her mother. He lived in the apartment downstairs under David and Mary Margaret, and across from James. Emma and Henry live in the apartment across from David and Mary Margaret. For the first few years, everything was great. Henry was flourishing, and it had been an easy transition leaving Boston and moving to Port Chester, Neal had been everything Henry needed, and they had gotten closer than they had ever been, but then Neal started to do freelance work for magazines and travelling around the world, spending less time with his son, and more time getting lost in his work."Are you determined to stay in Seattle?""Yes.""Then no, I'm not done. Neal, you son of a—""Emma I'm getting married." Neal interrupts, and suddenly there is dead silence. "Em? Em, you there?""Did you just say you're getting married?""Yeah. Her name is Tamara. I met her on an assignment two years ago, but we didn't start dating until three months ago.""Is she why you weren't here for your son's birthday?""No, Emma. I was on assignment in Moscow, you read the article; I know you did. ""Three months, and now you're getting married.""I love her. I think I loved her the first time I saw her. I feel like I've been searching for her this whole time, and now that I've found her I'm finally ready to settle down. I know it may seem a little fast, but when you know it, when you can feel it deep inside of you, you just don't feel like wasting any more time.""Congratulations, I'm happy for you. When are you telling Henry? Because I'm not doing it, not this time, so you're gonna need to man up for this one.""Henry knows. I told him last week, he's known about Tamara for a while now. He asked me not to say anything to you about her yet. I'm not sure why." Neal told her.Emma doesn't know what to say. She just sits there and holds the phone to ear, the expression on her face is a lot like the expression she had on her face when she watched Regina walk out of the cafe a week ago. Thinking seems difficult."Emma, you okay?""What? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. Okay so your living in Seattle, you have a new job, a more permanent job, and you're getting married, I miss anything?" She asks, her tone remaining neutral."Yeah, ahm, the main reason I called; I kind of need you to do me a favor.""A favor? Are you serious?" Emma's sounding more hostile now, her frustration returning at full force."Look I wouldn't ask if wasn't in such a jam. I can't get back to New York for a while, I just started this job, I can't really ask for the time off I need right now.""What is it Neal?""Do you think you can clear out the apartment for me? Pack it up, and I'll hire a moving company to come load it up, and drive it over here. I know it's going to cost a small fortune, but I really need my stuff.""You haven't needed your stuff for two years, Neal.""I've been working, Em! Jesus, can you give me a break? Look, I'm sorry. I promise I'll try and do better from now on.""I've heard that before." Emma hears Neal sigh, softly."I know I need to be a better father to Henry. I know it's going to be a challenge because I live so far away now, but with my change in income I can afford to fly Henry out whenever he wants, and all the holidays I have off I will come stay in New York. I want to be with him, I do, but New York .." Neal sighs, "it's my trigger, Em. I just can't be there anyone, not long term anyway.""Your trigger? You know how close you live to Nevada right? Las Vegas? Are you joking? You're a gambling addict, Neal, why would even do that to yourself?""I was never really a casino gambler you know that Emma.""Oh yeah, that's right. You did that whole underground, hole in the wall, dump, gambling spots where you would constantly lose your shirt and come limping to me after you got your ass handed to you. I remember now.""Please tell me that after you drudged up my incredibly painful past you're going to say yes and help me out? Just this one last time. Please."Emma takes a minute to think and Neal seems to be waiting patiently for an answer and not repeatedly saying her name to make sure she hasn't hung up on him."Fine.""Really?""Would you have accepted it if I said no?""I could ask David and James." He says, and Emma laughs."David hates you, and James…. well James is off doing something stupid, and hasn't been home in months. He'd totally flake on you anyway.""Man are you hostile. I know you're pissed at me, but do really need to sound like a … you know what? Never mind. I think I may understand now why Henry didn't want me to tell you about Tamara, and getting married. Listen, thanks a lot Em, I really do appreciate it. Things will change, i know they will, and for the better. I love our kid, and I really want to do right by him, I swear. I have to go now. Just call me when everything's ready to be moved out. Can you like, do it sooner rather than later? I bought a house, and I'm supposed to moving in, in like a week, so… Thanks Em, later; oh and happy birthday!""Neal!" Emma shouts into the phone, but she had already heard the click, she looks at the phone and sees 'call ended'. "That ass!" She calls him back but it goes straight to voicemail. " My birthday is next week, jerk!" Emma ends the call and huffs. "Fine, whatever. It's not like I have anything better to do. It's not like I have an incredibly gorgeous and fascinating woman to spend time with."Stupid, stupid, stupid; Emma thinks as she hits her forehead over and over with the palm of her hand.
Emma is still lounging on the couch when Henry from his evening out."Hey, ma. You didn't have to wait up for me. I was with Uncle David and Aunt M.""i know. I wanted to talk to you." Emma tells him. She doesn't look at him but sits up. After hanging his coat up, he makes his way over to the couch and sits beside his mother."You're not going to ask me about my outing are you? Because it was just a movie, and we stopped and got ice cream. It wasn't a date. I told you it wasn't. we were just hanging out.""Kid, I don't know why you're trying so hard to convince me you were not out on a date. I would be okay if you were." Emma tells him."Really?" Henry asks, disbelief in his voice.Emma sighs, "sure, kid as long as you're accompanied by an adult or with a group of friends I don't see an issue.""Okay, ma, so what did you want to talk about?" Henry asks, relaxing into the couch."Your dad called." Emma says, and she sees her son stiffen."Oh?" He avoids her eyes."Relax kid, I understand why you didn't tell about your dad and his new life in Seattle.""You do?" Henry says, his brow wrinkles and Emma sees why people say he looks like her."Sure, it's not your place to tell me about your dad's life. It should come from him.""Exactly! Yeah, I thought so, right.""What I don't understand is why you didn't want him to tell me?""Uh… I uhm, it was that I never wanted him to tell you. That's crazy, I mean you would find out somehow and why wouldn't he tell you? It's kinda vital information, right?""Henry," Emma is quickly losing her patience. She's not sure whether he gets the rambling from her or his father, her first instinct is to blame Neal. It always is, it's her thing, and she's comfortable with it."He's happy, ma. He's happy and he hasn't been for a long time. I knew you would be mad at him for taking a job so far away because of me but I'm okay with it, really. I just want my parents to be happy, even if they can't be happy together. Besides, I thought you might get a little jealous.""What? Why would I be jealous? You're father was never an ex, you know that." Emma tells him, not understanding exactly where he's coming from."I didn't mean it like that. I know you and Dad were never together, together." Henry rolls his eyes. "I mean, jealous of how happy he is now. You haven't been happy since Lily left.""You called her Lily." Emma says, softly. Henry had never called Lily by her name."She hasn't been my mom for a long time." There is a moment of silence between them and Emma isn't sure what to say. She never thought that Henry would ever stop thinking of Lily as his other parent. "You get so mad at dad when he misses stuff and when he doesn't call me all the time, but Lily had been my other parent. You had always treated dad like a sperm donor who just wanted to be involved a little.""That's not true!""Ma, please. I might have just been a kid but I knew you didn't care if he was around or not. You thought all I needed was you and Lily, at least as far as parents go. You should give Dad a break, he tried. Lily left us ma. She left and she has made no attempt to contact us. Be mad at her, because what she did is far worse than anything Dad has ever done. Sorry if you weren't ready to hear that. I just," Henry sighs, "please don't ruin this for Dad. Be happy for him, I am."Emma wraps an arm around her son and pulls him into a side hug, kissing the top of his head."Aw ma, come on." He squirms away but she grabs his face and kissed his nose."How'd you get so much smarter and wiser than I am?""Aunty M says it skipped a generation." Henry shrugs and Emma shoves his shoulder."You little snot.""Hey, you raised me."
For the first time since Regina has taken up residence on Kathryn and Jim's sofa, she finally pulled out and dressed the sofa bed so that she and Robin could sleep comfortably. The two had spent the weekend playing board and card games in which Robin had beat her aunt mercilessly. Whenever Regina had asked her niece how she got so good at a particular game the little girl's response was always the same, 'grandmother taught me.'They cooked meals together and baked treats; Regina constantly being impressed by how much Robin knew; again, Cora's doing. Regina couldn't help the hint of jealousy nestling down deep in her heart; she wasn't sure the reason for it; was it that her niece had spent so much time with her grandmother and was obviously closer to the older woman than Robin was with Regina? Or was she jealous that her niece was having the relationship she herself had always wanted with Cora?Now aunt and niece are cuddled up on the sofa bed after watching a marathon of season one and two of Steven Universe and eating their weight in popcorn."Sorry, I don't have a book to read to you. A lot of my things are in storage." Regina tells Robin; they are laying face to face with only Robin's American girl doll between them. Regina reaches up to brush the little girl's hair from in front of her eyes."It's okay, I'm surprised Isabel hadn't packed any books. Out of practice I suppose. She doesn't have to pack anything when I stay with grandmother. It's been a long time since I've stayed with you, Tia.""Too long, I'm sorry I've been so distant, bird. I wasn't being fair to you.""It's okay, grandmother told me that your heart was broken and that you needed time for it to heal. It's all better now, right?" Robin asks, and Regina smiles at the hopefulness she see in her niece's eyes."Almost, you being here helps." Regina tells her and kisses Robin's forehead."So I'll be seeing more of you than? You will come by to visit me like you use to?""Maybe not right away, but eventually. I promise to send for you more often.""It's because you're still upset with grandmother, isn't it?"Regina sighs, "you shouldn't worry about such things." Regina says, quietly."She looks sad when I talk about you too." Robin reveals, placing a small hand on aunts cheek to wipe at the tear Regina didn't seem to notice she had shed. "She always seems so lonely even when Mummy visits her. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes, not like when we're alone.""Bird, you're too perfect. Come here." Regina opens her arms and Robin moves her doll and snuggles herself into her aunt. Regina kisses the top of Robin's head. "You're too young to understand the kind of relationship your mother and I have with your grandmother.""Why do grown ups always say that? They tell me I'm smart but they only teach me what they think I'm old enough to know. How do you know I'm too young to understand? How does anyone know if they never tried to explain? It's so frustrating,Tia. I don't like it."Regina chuckles at the hint of hostility she hears in her niece's voice. "Listen, bird, people don't keep things from you just because they think you can't understand. It's more like you shouldn't understand. You're a child, and you should have a carefree childhood; you shouldn't have to worry about 'adult problems'.""That's kinda dumb," is Robin's response."Excuse me?" Regina lifts her niece's chin so the girl is forced to look up at her. "I thought I was supposed to care about others and their feelings. How am I supposed to have a carefree childhood if I care about so many things? How can I not worry about 'adult problems' when they affect me?""Ugh," Regina groans, "do you talk to your grandmother like this?""No, grandmother doesn't play the 'you're too young to understand' card with me."Regina narrows her eyes at her niece. "Fine, I will allow you one question and I will answer it without playing the 'you're too young to know' card, but then you will go to sleep.""Okay!" Robin beams, her brow crinkles in thought and Regina can't help the grin gracing her face; Robin is in every way so much like Zelena, and Regina adores her more because of it. "Do you love grandmother?""What kind of question is that? She's my mother."It's Robin's turn to narrow her eyes, "you and Mummy must think I'm hard of hearing. I know more than you think I do.""You're like a thirty year old trapped in a little girl's body.""Stop deflecting.""Oh my, what a very Cora Mills thing for you to say.""You're doing it again!" Robin exclaims."Shhhh… Keep your voice down. Gosh, what was your question again?" Regina asks.Robin huffs and moves out of her aunt's embrace; she wraps her arm around her doll and moves more to the side of the sofa bed. Regina looks over at the little body curled up on the other side of the sofa bed. As a child, Zelena hadn't had much patience for her either, she still doesn't."That question is harder to answer than you may think," Regina starts to say, "the easy answer is yes, she's my mother, she raised me, of course I love her. But then if I dissect it into little pieces; when I compare it to the love I feel for my father, for your mother, for you; how does it compare? Do I love her just because she's my mother and I should love her out of gratitude if for any reason. I should feel grateful, she carried me, she birthed me and raised me."Regina sighs, deeply and continues, "I didn't have the kind of relationship you have with her. Your mother and I were more like, 'daddy's girls'. He had been the nurturer, the one who gave us hugs and kisses, who taught us Spanish and taught us to cook. He taught me how to play basketball and how to drive a car. Mother and I didn't have that type of relationship, she was the disciplinary parent. She involved herself whenever we did something wrong, she still does." Regina rolls her eyes; it's quiet and she thinks Robin has fallen asleep. Regina reaches over to stoke Robin's hair."So short answer yes, long answer you don't know?""Simply put, yes.""I think grown-ups go out their way to make things hard. Love is a choice. No one should give or receive it because they think they are supposed to.""It's not that simple for most people.""Most people are dumb." Robin mumbles."Okay, young lady, I'm not fond of you using that word.""Sorry.""Turn over, let me see you." Regina requests and Robin doesn't hesitate to do what she is told. "I think what's important for you to know, is that you're loved, unconditionally and without obligation." Regina reaches over to caress her niece's cheek. "Don't worry so much, little bird. Everything will work out in time, okay?""Okay.""May I have a hug?" Regina asks, and Robin smiles, and scrambles back over to aunt where she collapses on top of her. "Oof, I wanted you to hug me not crush me.""It's a crushing hug.""Yeah? Okay, let me return it." Regina wraps her arms tightly around her niece and squeezes. Robin laughs and tries to wiggle out of her aunt's arms. "Oh no you don't." Regina begins to tickle her niece relentlessly. Robin giggles and squirms away until she falls off the sofa bed and the giggling stops. Regina looks over the edge at her niece. "Bird, are you alright?"Robin hops up at lighting fast speed, grabs a pillow and begins to pummel her aunt in the head with it. It's a full on pillow fight filled with loud laughter.A hard blow to the back of Regina's head with a throw pillow ends the fun."It's after midnight you two," Kathryn scolds. "You should be sleeping. You spent the past two days being silly and loud. I have neighbors, you know.""So?" Robin lifts a pillow and hits Kathryn in the head. Both women look at the little girl in shock."Why you little," Kathryn grabs a pillow and wacks Robin in the face, causing the girl to fall backwards in a fit of giggles.