Faith and Trust: Better than Pixie Dust

Chapter 10

"I don't even know if I'm trying to win his heart, I just want to know how he feels, because the mixed signals are just too confusing," Regina clarified firmly, trying to convince herself as much as Emma. "But that... just might work! But at the same time though, I hate leaving it to chance- how do we know for sure that it will?"

Emma threw her arms around her, so close that she could feel Emma's temple touch hers. "We don't. We just need to have faith."

********

"Mom?" Regina asked hesitantly, clasping her hands in her lap at the dinner table later that night. Their meal of lasagna- Regina's favorite- has been cleared from the table, and mugs of hot beverages- tea for Regina, coffee for Cora- sat in front of them.

"What is it, dear?" Cora asked, the note of resignation clear in her voice. It was clear from her tone that she knew her daughter wanted to ask her something that she would likely be unwilling to give.

"How would you feel if I go to the U.K. when Alice returns there after Christmas? Her parents don't celebrate, so she's not going home until two days later, and they invited me to stay for a week, not including travel days. She knows to help me find things, and will help me every step of the way. The trip would be entirely educational, I'd learn about another country, their rich culture and history. And yes, I'll be coming back on my own, but Emma found out that airports have people who can help me find the right gates and anything else, like food for the plane," Regina added, knowing her mother would be nervous about her first time flying on her own. Mother and daughter had gone on trips across the country to California, and down the coast to Florida, but never out of the country, and Cora had always been there. She had also used knowledge from her Spanish class to embellish the educational aspect of the trip.

Cora's lips pursed, then settled into a thin line, her disapproval clear. "Regina, I don't think you're ready for that. And are you sure that these people at the airport would definitely be there to help? What if they don't show up at the appointed time? And what about when you're there? That girl- Alice?- will look away for one moment, and you won't see when to step onto the road from the sidewalk- or worse, you'll try to cross the street when the traffic light is red-"

"I know how to read a traffic light, Mother!" Regina interrupted, trying desperately to keep her temper in check. Getting angry would not help convince her mother to let her go. But her irritation seeped through when she called her "Mother" instead of "Mom," like she usually did.

Cora sighed. "You just don't understand, Regina. You haven't been on your own, so you haven't had practice with any important life skills you'll need one day after you graduate."

Tears came to Regina's eyes, but she fought to keep her voice steady. The only reason I haven't had those opportunities is because of you she thought bitterly. She was so tired of her mother thinking she could never do anything. If she kept this up, Regina would be thirty before she ever got to do anything on her own. "You don't know that- you've never given me the chance to try! I can do this. It's not like we don't have the money." Regina added as an afterthought, voicing what she knew to be true. The reason she had never been to Granny's was because her mother's standards were too high to eat in anything but the finest establishments. She took every chance to flaunt the wealth that being the mayor of Storybrooke gave her.

Cora mulled it over for another moment, Regina waiting with bated breath.

"All right, Regina. You can go."

Regina got up and ran around the table to hug her mother, but she held up her hand. "Wait. You may go- on two conditions."

"What?" Regina asked apprehensively, dreading what she would say.