A Twist Of Fate

Chapter 24

It was after midnight and I figured Granny would be sleeping so instead of checking in there I went over to the Rabbit Hole and decided to get drunk. I haven't done that in a while so I said what the hell. I walk in and the music was loud and there weren't many people there. I walked over to the bar and sat down. The bartender came over and it was my buddy Mike. "Hey Em. Haven't seen you in a while what can I get ya?"   "Beer and tequila please".  "Sure thing Jose Cuevo or Patrón?"  "Give me the good stuff".  "Patrón coming up. Rough day Em?"  He asks putting my drinks down in front of me. "Yeah I guess you could say that".  "I'm sorry to hear that. Wanna talk about it?"  I shake my head no. "Thanks anyway. I just wanna have a few drinks and get some sleep".  "Ok Em. Just be careful". I nod and do my shot. The good thing about the good stuff is that it doesn't usually hurt going down. The bad thing is that it's expensive and the hangovers suck. I know my end game is to get drunk but I'm not going to over do it that much. I don't chug my beer, well not yet anyway. About 30 minutes later I finish it and ask for another round. I do my shot and take a long drink of my beer. By closing time at 3am I'm pretty much drunk. I get one more beer and shot then Mike gives me the tab. I laugh as I take my debit card out to pay. "Everything ok Em?"   "Yeah. I'm just laughing cause the good stuff ain't cheep".  "No it's not and I didn't even charge you for most of what you drank. I know you didn't and I thank you and that will reflect on your tip. Oh I'll tip you in cash by the way. I was a bartender a while ago so I know how the tips thing work". He laughs and starts cleaning up the bar. My tab was $77 dollars. I went to the ATM and took the amount limit out so I could have cash on me. I slapped $60 bucks on the bar and told Mike it was nice to see him. "Emma wait. This is to much".  "No way dude you always take care of me".  "Emma I'd feel bad taking this much".  "Ok. How about this. I have one more beer and one more shot and take it out of this $20?"  He looks around the room and everyone is gone. "Fine. Have a seat".  I laugh. "That a boy. Help yourself while your at it. I know the owners". He laughs and shakes his head. Once he's done cleaning the bar and cashing out the registers, he grabs a beer and comes to sit next to me. "So why are you really here tonight?"   "If you wanna know the answer to that is gonna cost another shot".  He gives me a look and leans over the bar and pours us both a shot of Patrón. "Cheers". I say as we clink glasses. "Well the truth is the woman who adopted me hates that I look like a woman who likes other women. We've been friends a long time Mike so you know I'm not like other  girls right?"   "Yeah Em. I was really disappointed. You've always been hot".  We both laugh. "Well thanks. Mary Margaret hates it. Tonight she sent a social worker to have my daughter taken away from me".  "Oh my god Emma. They took Angie away from you?"  "Luckily no. They found no reason to take her".  "So then why are you here?"  "I named Regina Mills as her legal guardian a while ago so I thought it would be best to step out of the picture for a while and just have Regina take care of her".  "Emma I do love you, but sometimes your an idiot".  "Wow. I wasn't expecting that. Why do you think that?"   "So your best idea to keep your child is to leave her? That doesn't make sense. Think about it. CPS is gonna be all over your shit and instead of being home with your girlfriend and daughter you are here getting drunk. Emma that's stupid. You need to be home taking care of your family not running". My eyes start to get watery. "I didn't think of it like that".  "Well you need to if you want to keep your daughter".  "Shit". is all I say as I put my head in my hands.  "Em. Let me lock all this in the office and I'll give you a ride ok?"  I nod and look him in the eyes. "Thank you Mike. I could have made the biggest mistake of my life tonight".  "No worries Emma. Just give me a few minutes and I'll take you home".  I nod and he picks up the registers and goes to put them in the office. He left the bottle of tequila on the bar so I helped myself to a shot. He came back and we left. I make sure I had my phone and my keys then he drives me back home. I give him a hug and get out of the car. I walk to the door and try to quietly open it and go inside. I make sure the door is locked. I turn on the foyer light and turn around to see Regina staring at me. "I saw your note Emma and I'm not amused". She stomps away into the kitchen and I follow her. She starts to make some tea. I walk in and try to explain. "Is Angelica awake?"  "Not yet. I came looking for you. Then I found this on the refrigerator". She tosses a balled up piece of paper that was my note. It hits me off the shoulder and falls to the floor. "Please let me explain. I thought I was doing the right thing by leaving her with you. It was to late to go to Granny's B&B so I went to have a few drinks at the Rabbit Whole. I intended on sleeping in my car till my buddy Mike and I talked. He said I was stupid for leaving you and Angie when CPS would be watching everything. I didn't think of it like that. I just thought I was doing what was best. He gave me a ride home so here I am. I'm so sorry Regina. I'm just so scared. I lost Zelena last year and now I may lose Angie which means I lose you also because you'll be taking care of her. I can't handle that. I feel like I'm about to come apart and I don't know what to do. I'm so sorry I wasn't leaving you I thought I was helping, but of course I was wrong". I'm pretty much sobbing at this point. Patrón is good for that happening. Regina puts her arms around me and holds me. "It's ok Emma your home now. Let's go up to bed. You definitely need some rest". She holds me as we start to walk upstairs. She helps me change into something to wear to bed. I use the bathroom then we get in bed. I'm still so upset. This has been such a long day. I snuggle into Regina instead of it being her snuggling into me. She holds me and I fall right to sleep.
Surprisingly I didn't have a hangover in the morning. I went down to the kitchen and Regina was making breakfast. I walked in and smiled seeing Angie in her highchair as happy as can be while Regina was at the stove making bacon and cracking eggs into a bowl. She must have noticed me from the corner of her eye because she turned to me and smiled. "Good morning my love".  I still feel like an idiot from last night so I tread lightly. "Hey". Is all I said back. I walked in and kissed Angie on the top of her head then I went and wrapped my arms around Regina from the back. I kissed her shoulder and said. "I love you Regina. Really I do. I'm so sorry about last night".  She took the cooked bacon out of the pan, moved it off the burner and turned off the flame. She turned in my arms and wrapped hers around my neck. "That was a very stupid thing you did last night Emma Swan". I nod. "Do you plan on doing something like that again?"   "Never". I say looking in her eyes. "Good because if you ever do anything like that again I will go all evil queen on your ass".  I'm a little scared and turned on at the same time. We kiss for a few moments till Angie makes a happy baby squeal making us both laugh. "Emma I bet you are starving. You hardly ate anything yesterday. I have a big breakfast planned for you today ok?"   "Oh yes baby. Bring it on". I kiss her and go sit next to my daughter. Regina puts a plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries, toast and even a waffle in front of me. I'm beyond excited. "Holy crap baby. Thank you. I just want to shove it all in my mouth now with my hands and toss the fork". I say with a little laugh. "Emma Swan you will show proper table manners in front of your daughter. But thank you for the compliment". She said with a wink. I ate everything I could and then I couldn't move to much. After we eat and everything is cleaned up we go into the living room and relax. Angie was happy on the floor with her toys and Regina and I sat on the couch together. "Thank you so much for breakfast. That's just what I needed". She gives me a kiss. "Your welcome". She puts her head on my shoulder as we watch the baby play. "Do you have to go into the office today?"  "Yes but I shouldn't be late. I was thinking of taking Angie if that's alright. Just so she can hang out with the other kids and workers".   "Yeah. That sounds fine. Thank you".  "Do you have any plans today Emma?"  "I thought of calling the movers to come get the rest of the stuff so that way we can be done a few days ahead of schedule".  "I think that's a wonderful idea". So after Regina took Angie to work I showered and got dressed. Then I called the movers and had them scheduled for 1 o'clock. Almost everything that needed to be moved was. The only thing left was the food, a few pots and pans.  Whatever furniture we weren't taking the new owners could have or it was to be donated to the local charities. I lived in that house less than 2 years so everything was fairly new and it would come in handy for someone. 2 days later Angelica and I were completely moved into Regina's home. AKA. Our new home. The nursery was set up pretty much like the one I had for her. It was an easy transition. A few days after we fully moved in we had Angie's first birthday party. I absolutely didn't want my mother there. I found out that my dad left my mom and was staying at the B&B. Regina pretty much forced him to stay in one of our guest rooms. The party was great. Granny's made the best birthday cake ever. It was a small cake just for her in the shape of the number 1 and had all kinds of flowers and bows on it. The baby just tore that thing to shreds. Granny made another cake for everyone else that just said Happy Birthday Angelica on it. When the party was over and we were cleaning up the door bell rang. Regina says. "I wonder who that could be ? Everyone we knew was already here for the party".  I said that I'd get the door and walked out of the kitchen. I opened the door and Mary Margaret was standing on my doorstep. I laughed. "You've got some nerve showing up here. What the hell do you want now?"  "I just want to wish my granddaughter a happy birthday". She says with no emotion in her voice or expression on her face. "Listen Mary Margaret. I really don't want anything to do with you anymore and I definitely don't want your negativity in my daughters life. I would really appreciate it you left".  "She's still my granddaughter Emma".  "Can I ask you you question since it's just us here right now?"  She nods. "Why did you and dad adopt me?"  "What do you mean?"  She asks me. "There has to be a reason you wanted to adopt a child. Why did you pick me?"  "I'm not able to have children. Which was fine with me because I didn't care either way, but David always wanted a child. He suggested we adopt. I said no at first then he talked me into it. You were at the first group home we went to. There was something about you that caught his eye. He went over to talk to you and a few moments later he wanted to take you home. It seems your very charming Emma". She said with a little snarl in her voice. "I didn't want any child and then he picks a blonde haired green eyed girl that could actually pass as his daughter. While you lived with us we found out about your...issue".  She says looking at my crotch area. "He didn't care but I wanted to send you back. I wasn't ready to deal with a child that may have 'special needs' and I certainly didn't want to waste good money on whatever medical issues you had but David wanted to be a father so you stayed. I tried to be the best mother I could but I never felt it. Then you came out as, oh I don't even know if it's gay since you have, that thing".  "Thanks for stopping over. Good bye Mary Margaret".  "Emma wait. Please give this to the baby from me".  "She needs nothing from you. Not now not ever and neither do I.  Good bye". I slam the door in her face. Regina walks out of the kitchen. "Emma are you ok?"  "Yeah I'm fine, what else needs to be done to clean up?"  "Nothing dear. I think we are all set now". I nod and walk into the living room. I smile as my dad is playing with my daughter and her new toys on the floor. He's so good with her. I'm feeling emotional but I want to just run as far as I can with Regina and the baby and never look back. I also want to talk to my dad. Regina whispers to me. "Emma are you ok?"   "Yeah baby. I'm fine. Thank you. I need to talk to my dad". I say the words but I can't move. "Would you like me to go get him?"  A tear rolls down my face as I nod. She kisses my lips. "Ok sweetheart. Go into the kitchen and I'll send your dad right in ok?"  I nod again and walk into the kitchen. I grab a beer from the fridge and sit at the island. My dad walks in not to long after. "Hey Em. Regina said you wanted to talk to me. What's up sweetie?"   "That was Mary Margaret at the door. She told me everything, and I mean everything. From why you adopted me and why you kept me. I love you for always being here for me but if you want out of this now and go back to your wife I will understand".  I tried so hard not to let the tears fall from my eyes but they did anyway. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. "Emma you are 'MY' daughter. Biology means nothing to me. I love you and will always be here for you. If Mary Margaret can't handle that then she's not the woman I thought she was. I'm so sorry for the way she has treated you and everything she has said to you. I love you sweetheart. Please believe that". I hug him so tight. "I love you daddy. Thank you". Regina walks in the kitchen with Angie. "Sorry to disturb you but Angie is exhausted. I'm just going to make her a bottle".  My dad and I separate. "Regina I'll get the bottle ready while you take her upstairs". I walk over and kiss the both of them. "Ok dear. We'll see you upstairs". I nod and she takes the baby upstairs. I start to prepare the nighttime bottle. "Emma you are doing everything the right way. Your the best mother I've ever seen". The bottle was ready and my dad smiles at me. "Go take care of my grand baby". I give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek and head upstairs to put my daughter to bed.