We All Will Be Together

Mother's Day

"So, what's Robin doing for you this weekend?" Mal asked, leaning against Regina's door as she watched the brunette packed up at the end of the day.

"Barbecue picnic in the backyard with the boys," Regina replied, closing her bag before shrugging on the light coat she had brought. While the days had gotten warmer, the temperatures were almost cold once the sun went down. As she pulled her hair from the collar, she added: "Archie will stop by at one point too."

Mal raised an eyebrow. "Robin's okay with that?"

"Yes, he is," Regina said. "He understands how important Archie is to me and Henry."

"Just checking," she replied. "Robin seems to be a pretty understanding and laidback guy but he also seems to be big on family. I would figure he'd be a stickler for keeping family celebrations to, you know, family."

Regina frowned, straightening up to look at Mal. "Robin is big on family but doesn't give a fuck about blood ties. He's all about found family, just like me. So Archie is family. Tink is family. John is family. Granny is family. You are family."

Mal's expression softened. "You consider me family?"

"Of course we do," Regina told her, shouldering her bag. "And you would be invited over if I didn't know you already have plans for Mother's Day yourself."

"Yes, I do. Not that I know what they are exactly. Lily refuses to tell me anything. Not even how to dress – she says she's going to handle that," Mal told her, rolling her eyes.

Regina grinned, knowing where Lily was going to take her mother that weekend. She had been sworn to secrecy and didn't want to give her friend any clue she knew. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Lily has a great sense of fashion," she told Mal.

"I guess so," she replied with a sigh. "You just know how I feel."

"I know. I usually feel the same. But I've been learning how to be more spontaneous and to trust my loved ones," Regina said.

Mal looked her up and down before smirking. "You and Robin have barely been married half a year and you're already changing."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "I prefer growing."

"Fair enough," her friend allowed. "Either way, I like it. It's about time you let someone lift you up rather than tear you down."

They left the office together, locking it up. Once they got to the parking lot, Regina said her goodbyes to her friend. "Happy Mother's Day, Mal. I'll see you Monday."

"Happy Mother's Day, Regina," Mal replied, unlocking her car and getting into it. As she started it up, Regina walked toward her car to head home as well.

She unlocked her car and opened the passenger door, placing her bag on the seat. Closing it, she heard a familiar voice that sent a chill down her spine. "I thought you two would never leave."

"Mother," she said tersely. She turned around to find Cora standing next to her car, wearing a black power suit and her brown hair immaculately coiffed. It looked like she was there for a dinner date rather than to undoubtedly harass Regina.

Regina crossed her arms. "What are you doing here?"

"You won't take our calls," Cora replied, stepping forward. "I wanted to talk to you."

"I don't think I'm allowed to talk to you," Regina told her, trying to step away from her. "I'm suing you, remember?"

Cora paused, waving her hand dismissively. "Oh, right. That unpleasantness."

"Unpleasantness? You stole from my trust and made me lick your boots to get money that was always mine," Regina argued, feeling her anger over the situation rising again.