We Can Love Again

The Turquoise Earrings

There's a saying I've always found interesting about luck: "Most of us regard good luck as our right, and bad luck as a betrayal of that right." -William Feather

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"Do you really have to go?" Roland asked his mother, who was busy applying her makeup in her bathroom mirror. He had been bugging her for about fifteen minutes, and Regina kept on giving him the same answer.

"Belle invited us to her ball down at the town hall," she said, running her fingers through the curls in her hair, "we don't get to dress up like this everyday- the next time will be the wedding."

Regina was dressed in a purple dress that hugged her body snugly and went down to her knees, with black stilettos and dramatic red lipstick.

"Can I come with you Momma?" Her boy asked, a begging look in his brown eyes.

His words made her heart melt in her chest. Bending down, Regina picked up her son and rested his head against her shoulder.

"This isn't for kids, Roland, it's a grown up party."

His pout deepened as his mother carried him out of the bathroom, passing Robin who was running a comb through his hair.

"You just about ready to go?" She asked him, smiling slightly when she saw him in a dark blue dress shirt and black pants.

He returned the look of admiration when Robin saw her in that dress. "Yeah, I'll be down in a moment. Did Will get back to you?"

"He said he had to go over to Ruby's really fast before coming over. Your uncle Will is going to come over and look after you guys while we're gone." She told Roland, who had his arms hooked around her neck, "but until he comes, you, Henry and Caroline will be alone for a little while."

"Alone?" Henry asked, coming out of his room, "as in... Nobody here?"

Regina sighed. "Yes, well... I'm desperate. We have to leave soon if we're going to make it in time, but Will is going to get here as fast as he can. He's, uh, the only one that didn't get invited to the ball- not after he pulled that prank on Belle's secretary. You two have to promise to pay close attention to Caroline."

This was the first time she had ever left her daughter alone with her kids. It was a lot of work to take care of his sister, but Henry liked the idea of being in charge.

"Okay, I can do it Mom." He said proudly, "she'll probably sleep through it all anyways."

"Be sure to call us if you need anything," his father said, emerging from the bedroom with a black tie hung loosely around his neck.

Slowly setting Roland back down, Regina placed her hands on his collar and began working on tying his tie.

"You really need to learn how to do this yourself," she smirked, feeling his breath flush against her skin. "Even Henry can tie his own tie."

She easily finished the knot with a light tug, straightening it out and looking him over one last time. "But you look amazing."

He grinned, finding it difficult not to kiss her in that moment. "Well you look stunning in that dress. Almost as stunning as you'll look in your wed-"

"Are you guys going to go or what?" Henry asked, cutting them off abruptly as he glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was almost five.

Regina finally broke away from his eyes and shot him an exasperated look.

"Guess so. You promise you'll all be good?"

Roland and Henry both nodded at the same time. Though still rather nervous about leaving the baby, Robin and Regina took the SUV and headed for the town hall, where all the other Storybrooke citizens over eighteen would be. Though she knew there would probably be drinking involved, Regina had sworn herself to celibacy when it came to alcohol.