Teacher's Pet: The Sequel

Chapter 17: The Pastry

"Baby?"

"What is it, Emma?" Regina finished stirring her coffee and popped the lid on before swiftly moving across the house, calling back to the voice that summoned her.

She found her standing in the living room with a half-eaten bear claw in hand looking as if someone had just insulted her entire existence. This naturally prompted another question along with a raised brow.

"What happened, sweetheart?"

"Did you eat my bear claw?" The next thing Regina knew, Emma was shoving the pastry into view, accentuating on the bite marks. "It was whole just a minute ago. I turned around to look for my phone and when I found it, I saw this- this... crime."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "I was in the kitchen. You know that if I wanted one of your bear claws, I would ask... Or purchase extra. Are you sure you didn't take a bite before turning around?"

Sometimes.

Her wife did tend to forget things in the short term. That was why she often forgot her phone on the nightstand or sometimes left the orange juice out in the morning without pouring herself a glass. She had too much going on in her mind and Regina could stare in awe at how she managed to chaotically organize it.

"Yes, I'm sure. I would have tasted it."

"This is coming from the woman who – last night – blatantly ate the rest of my pie in front of me, got up to get more, and came back accusing me of eating too quickly."

"I have witnessed firsthand you scarf down a slice of pie when enticed by more-"

"And you forgot to bring it. Instead, you brought the whipped cream of all things."

Emma's lips parted as if she were to refute but the inner cogs of her mind clicked into place as she remembered the prior night's events and her face darkened. "You know what?"

"What?" Regina offered a sly grin.

The blonde pressed her lips together before turning to grab her keys off the coffee table. "Nothing. I should probably get going before I'm late."

Regina snorted and watched as her wife flustered about gathering things she needed. "Where's Henry?" Emma stiffened, back facing the older woman, and stood straight up.

"Uh... Last I saw him, he was playing with that little dinosaur thing your sister got him." She took a few steps forward and peered around the couch.

"I told you to keep an eye on him for five minutes. You are astounding sometimes."

"Look!" Emma snapped, whipping around to face the approaching older woman, halting her step as she was caught by the sudden hostility. "I'm fucking tired. I don't want to do this right now. Never mind that I go to work for how many hours? Nine? Ten? And only to come home not knowing when I get called back in for extra time and extra money that we don't have-"

"You've never once been called in, so do not play that card now. Do not blame this on me, Emma." She had lost count the times Emma had promised her there was nothing to worry about – that she had this – and Regina needn't lift a finger to help. She was taking care of Henry.

When she recounted Emma's words, the younger woman merely sighed and shook her head before grabbing her jacket that was draped on the back of the living chair. "I'm just saying that there's a lot of pressure on me."

"And there wasn't any on me while you were in school and I was paying nearly twice the amount on rent?" Regina took a step toward her, stopping her from leaving.

Emma stared at her for a moment, processing the words before they registered, and she bit, "But you sure as hell had a chunk of change to help you from your mother."