The Life We Left Behind

What if your happy ending is sitting right in front of you?

She bit her bottom lip as she twirled in front of the mirror. The night blue cocktail dress with the plunging neckline was accentuating her body in just the right places, and it looked different enough from her usual business suits and dresses to match the occasion. She ran her fingers through her hair that she had worked into luscious dark waves with the curling iron. Her heart was beating heavily inside her chest, and she had to admit to herself that she was nervous. Yes, she absolutely wanted to make an impression on him tonight. She wanted to take his breath away. Be so stunning as Regina that Roni in her dirty jeans and bulky biker boots would be nothing but a distant memory to him...

She slipped into her stiletto heels and reached for a pair of sparkly diamond earrings. Then the doorbell rang. She went over to open it while putting on her jewelry.

„Alice, hi!", she smiled at the young woman, „Your father is at work."

Alice just stood there, her mouth wide open, speechless for a few seconds.

„Can I help you?"

She had to shake herself. „Yes, thank you! I know he's not here, I am to fetch something for him. I beg your pardon, but... allow me to say, you look incredible, Regina! Are... are you going out?"

„I am. And thank you", she said with a coy smile, „What are you looking for?"

„A suit. Or like, the whole outfit. Maybe you can help me pick out something for him? Coincidentally, my papa is going out tonight too."

She smiled. The girl seemed to have no idea that she would go out on a date with her father tonight, and that that was what he needed the outfit for. Even better, that gave her a chance to properly match their outfits...

She stopped in front of his bedroom door. „Do you want to go in and check his closet? I, uhm... I'd rather not enter, it's private."

Alice disappeared and re-emerged a few minutes later with a few suits, shirts, ties and shoes. In the end, they both agreed on a navy blue suit with a white shirt and brown leather shoes. Then Alice held up a fiery red tie.

„What do you think about this one?"

„This one?", Regina looked at it, „It's very red, don't you think?"

She nodded. „He loves red. The redder, the better."

Regina thought about it for a while and she remembered a time when Roni had surprised her handsome police officer with fiery red lingerie one night. He had been quite fond of it indeed, and that was an understatement. Apparently his original self shared this fancy?

„Well, then it's perfect, I'd say!"

„Great!", Alice smiled, visibly proud of their selection, „I'll get out of your hair then. Have a great time tonight, whatever you're doing!"

„Thanks, I will! And say Hi to your dad!"

Once she had closed the door behind her visitor, she went back to checking herself in the mirror. Something was not yet quite right... and now she knew what it was! With a wave of her hand, the dress she was wearing turned from a dark blue to a fiery red, matching his tie. Her lips curled up into a smile. Perfect!

Meanwhile, Alice delivered the clothes to the Rabbit Hole so her father could get ready for his date. She was hoping that her little game had worked and Regina had taken the bait. She knew her father had a thing for red. He was like a bull ready for the fight. If she wore that very dress that she was wearing in red, there was absolutely no way her papa would be able to resist her tonight...

At exactly five minutes to eight, she walked up to the bar with slightly shaky legs. She peeked through the window and saw that he was already dressed up in the suit they had chosen for him. The memory of her peeking into the tavern all those years ago the first time she saw Robin Hood briefly brushed through her mind, but she pushed those thoughts away. Robin would always remain in her heart, but he was gone from the world. And he would want her to be happy, even if it was with another man. And tonight... maybe tonight would indeed be the start of her happy ending? Alongside that handsome man in there, pouring beers behind the counter. Was she scared? Oh, absolutely! But she wouldn't make that same mistake that she had regretted countless times, over and over, again. This time, she wouldn't run away, she wouldn't turn her back. This time, she would face her fears and her destiny and stare it straight in the face, for better or worse.