The Girl Next Door

Part Thirty-Six

One treacherous week went by without a peep from their flaky neighbor. They called, they texted religiously, but her phone was off and Milah never returned not a damn one of their calls. And poor Henry woke up every night in sheer panic, screaming that Milah wasn't home yet. As much as she was never around for him to begin with, she was still his mother in his eyes, and she could never do wrong. He still loved her just like any toddler would love their mother unconditionally.

Henry was a very confused little boy, constantly asking as to why Milah wasn't around anymore. Luckily in his eyes, Emma and Regina were his mothers too, so usually after one of them squeezing him tight and singing You Are My Sunshine, he would eventually drift right back to sleep, safe in their arms.

"Emma, we need to talk," Regina sulks as she trudges heavily through the door with a very depressing storm cloud hanging over her head.

Emma could practically hear the cracking of lightening in the eerie air, informing her that darkness is rolling its way into their lives.

Regina drops all her books and bag onto the table with a heavy sigh and loud thump that rattles Emma's already frantic heart. Her girlfriend rounds the couch and kneels down in front of Henry, a sad pout upon her lips as she runs her fingers through his hair and tenderly places a kiss to his forehead.

"Hello, my prince."

"Hi, Gina!" He beams, his face glowing with so much adoration from the woman who devotes all her time to him.

"Can you be a good boy and stay on the couch? Emma and I have to talk in our room, okay?"

"Okay, I be good!" The cutie flashes Regina the cheekiest smile he can manage while her girlfriend presses one more kiss to his forehead, allowing her lips to linger for a moment before she finds the courage to pull away.

Emma follows the brunette to their bedroom and softly shuts the door behind herself, knowing this conversation is not for prying three-year-olds. She immediately folds her arms protectively across her chest because she can feel the heavy weight that her girlfriend is carrying around, and it's so painfully obvious how it's crumbling her soul before her very eyes.

"What's wrong, Gina?"

"Emma, I spoke with Belle today..."

"Alright," she drags on the word, not really understanding what her girlfriend is trying to imply.

"You know Belle is specializing in family law. I know some stuff, but I'm criminal justice," she shrugs and it's rare that her girlfriend ever rambles, but that's exactly what she's doing in this moment. "Anyways, I called Belle hoping she could shine some light onto our situation."

"And...can we adopt him?" She presses, hanging on her every word falling from those pouty lips while her nails dig painfully into her flash, terrified of what's to come.

"We have to call social services first and the police," Regina swallows as if the words are shredding through her throat just so she can speak the truth, a truth she so clearly doesn't want to reveal. "We need a formal complaint against Milah, because we need someone to see that she disappeared on her child before we can even attempt at making her out as an unfit mother. Then, we have to fill out the proper paperwork against her and the paperwork to adopt him-"

"Alright, let's do this, Regina. Who do we call first? Do you have the forms?" She eagerly questions, a rush of excitement flooding powerfully through her veins at the thought of that little boy finally being theirs.

"Wait Emma, there's more," Regina sighs, visibly expressing the anguish she's desperately trying to fight against. Emma bobs her head, silently offering her girlfriend the chance to continue. "When social services arrives, there's a good chance...no," Regina shakes her head as her tired eyes slip closed. "They are going to take Henry from us."