Deputy Swan

Chapter Eighteen

Emma decides to surprise Regina and Henry with dinner tonight. She is getting off work a little earlier than she normally does with Leroy covering the evening shift. So, she stops at Granny's and orders a kale salad for Regina, knowing how she loves her greens and she isn't sure what Henry likes but Ruby is able to offer her assistance and suggest a cheeseburger. She also demands a chocolate milkshake and explicitly tells Emma to tell Regina, the treat is from her and Henry deserves it, so shut up.

She's just going to leave the shut up part out of it because she knows Regina is on edge and she doesn't want to irritate her all the more.

As she pulls into Regina's driveway, she finds Regina and Henry are just arriving at home. Her girlfriend glances at her car from over her son's shoulder as she closes his car door, but then she quickly averts her attention and maybe this was a horrible idea.

She sighs, throwing her car into park, agitated because clearly Regina is trying to avoid her. She has been for the past week after she unexpectedly showed up at her apartment and begged for a distraction. Full of regret and heartache, Emma climbs out of her car and walks around to the passenger side to grab the bags of food.

"Hi, Emma!" Henry excitedly greets her, sporting a wide toothy-grin that settles the nerves knotting in Emma's shoulders.

"Hey, kid," she enthuses, flashing a smile just as big as his and kicks her door closed. "Can you help me out here?"

"Sure," he happily agrees, running to her side all while Regina keeps a safe distance and avoids eye contact.

"Good, because I have this chocolate milkshake and I wouldn't want to drop it or anything," she teases, dangling the large styrofoam cup in front of his face.

"Henry, you have to eat dinner first," Regina sternly states with her eyes narrowing in Emma's direction.

That tone is not only strict but it's snippy too and it makes Emma cringe, feeling like a scolded child. Henry, on the other hand, doesn't seem to notice as he eagerly takes a sip from the straw. Green eyes blow wide from his boldness, gawking at the child and his audacity.

"Ruby insisted that I bring the shake to him," Emma finds herself blurring out. "She also told me to tell you that he deserves it," she defends before Regina blames her for the frozen drink. "I brought you a kale salad," she shyly announces through a weak smile she is sure is coming off more as a grimace. Regina doesn't bother responding as she simply stares emotionlessly. Emma gulps down the large lump forming in her throat from all this awkward tension. "I know it's your favorite," she sing-songs.

Regina purses her lips, those dark and haunted eyes studying Emma intently. She abruptly spins around on her stilettos and marches her way inside. Henry is clearly oblivious from the way he skips behind his mother, slurping down his drink. Yet, Emma's boots remain rooted to the pavement below while she contemplates if she is going to continue with this humiliating torture and follow Regina inside or if she should jump inside her bug and peel away.

"Are you coming?" Her raspy voice breaks Emma from her wandering thoughts and kick starts her feet toward the front door without her approval.

She groans inwardly, stomping the pathway to her front door. This woman has her wrapped so tightly around her finger that Emma's stupid body obeys her every command without her mind's consent.

She gently sets the bag down on to Regina's dining room table and begins unpacking the items without a word spoken. Henry's dinner is on top and so she pulls out the container and playfully wiggles it in front of his face.

"Your Aunt Ruby said I couldn't go wrong with ordering you a cheeseburger," she reveals.

He nods enthusiastically, his grabby hands already reaching for his food. "It's one of my favorites and I'm starving. The stupid vending machine was broke when we went to visit my dad after school today."