And Then There Was You

XIV. A Fantastic Thanksgiving (part two)

I couldn't help it, but the picture I picked out for this chapter had me rolling. It's so great; it's perfect! XDD

Continue...

It was Thanksgiving evening at the Swan family mansion, and the bell rang unexpectedly for the third time, followed by a knock at the den door.

"Oh, great," Emma thought, bracing herself for whatever surprise awaited her this time. With a nonchalant sigh, she rose from the carpeted floor and made her way to the sliding door, sliding it open with a calm demeanor.

Instantly, shock washed over her as her worst nightmare became reality. There stood her father... and the woman who had been haunting her thoughts and dreams. Emma's mouth fell open, her expression mirroring that of a deer caught in headlights.

Before the tension could escalate further, a small voice broke the silence. "Hi Emma!" Henry's cheerful greeting interrupted, his innocence a stark contrast to the awkwardness of the moment. Despite her shock, Emma managed to return his hug, albeit with a sense of bewilderment.

"Uh, h-happy Thanksgiving, Henry," Emma stammered, uncertainty gnawing at her. "Umm... come on in," she managed, gesturing for the small group to enter.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Emma," David greeted his daughter with a strained smile.

Emma didn't return the gesture. As David entered the den, Emma's attention was drawn to the one person she'd been trying to forget all day. Regina's warm yet guilty smile did little to ease Emma's unease. Emma's gaze lingered on Regina, taking in every detail of her appearance, from the graceful curve of her dress to the subtle hint of vulnerability in her eyes. She hesitated before offering a weak smile in return. "Happy Thanksgiving," she murmured, meeting Regina's gaze.

Regina's expression seemed to waver between hurt and confusion as she returned Emma's gaze. Perhaps she had been blindsided by this unexpected turn of events as well. Emma couldn't help but wonder if David had failed to mention where they were celebrating Thanksgiving. Well, they were both caught off guard, it seemed.

As David came into full view, Emma's mother gasped in shock, her previously cheerful expression replaced by furrowed brows and a frown. "David! What are you doing here??" Mary Margaret demanded, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Daddy?" Neal's voice was laced with the same shock Emma had felt earlier as he scrutinized the man standing before him. Though only six when his father left, Neal had always been intuitive. He understood more than he let on, but the reason behind his father's departure remained a mystery.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as the newly arrived guests took in the reactions of the others. The den, usually a space for relaxation and brainstorming, now felt suffocating with discomfort.

"I invited them," James Nolan, David's identical twin brother, proudly announcing his role in orchestrating the reunion, much to Emma's dismay.

"Right, father?" James addressed Mr. Gold, who sat across from Leo Swan with a stern expression.

Father...? Emma's mind swirled with confusion as she grappled with the sudden revelation. The barrage of surprises left her at a loss, unsure of how to process the whirlwind of emotions crashing over her. As the night wore on, the bizarre coincidences only multiplied, each revelation more bewildering than the last.

The room fell into a stunned silence, everyone grappling with the weight of the newfound information. Emma's head spun with each revelation, each piece of information more bewildering than the last. David and James Nolan were Mr. Gold's sons? That meant... he was her... grandpa? Emma's head throbbed with the effort of processing it all. The sudden influx of unexpected truths left her feeling disoriented and overwhelmed.