I stirred the soup and looked as its fumes evaporated in the air. It smelled surprisingly great. I was making a spicy zucchini soup. Now that my sweet potato mousse with grilled vegetables had made it onto the menu, I'd set the bar even higher.
The past few weeks, I hadn't been very thrilled about my creations and I only let Granny taste things I thought were worth tasting. The sweet potato had been on the special's board for two weeks now and I had yet to create a new recipe. Granny hadn't asked me to. I had asked me to.
It was starting to get frustrating. Today, after everyone had left, I'd gone to the kitchen like usual, but this was the third meal I was making and I still wasn't convinced it was something worth trying.
It was almost one o'clock and I knew Killian must be wondering where I was, but my phone was still on the counter and I was too busy focusing on cooking, in the kitchen. Usually, I enjoyed it, but it was getting late and I was tired. I knew I had to head home soon.
Suddenly, I heard the bell jingle. I frowned and felt my heart beat louder in my chest. It was past midnight, who the hell was visiting Granny's at this hour? I always kept the door unlocked until I left the building myself as well, but now I regretted that decision.
I lowered the heat of the stove and let the soup simmer softly as I left the kitchen to see who'd entered the Diner. I stopped moving and blinking when I saw who it was. I felt as though I could faint right that second.
"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to scare you. The sign said this place was still open, I already found it peculiar. Please, accept my apologies for intruding like this."
She wanted to turn around, but I managed to breathe out a soft "wait". My hands were clammy and my heart was bouncing in my chest. It felt as though I'd lost the ability to breathe normally and my mind was at an utter loss of everything.
Regina Mills was standing in Granny's Diner.
I was standing in Granny's Diner with Regina Mills.
And she was apologizing to me.
If she'd entered the diner, broken all the tables and stabbed me twice I wouldn't even have needed an apology.
"You're not.. I.. you didn't," I stuttered and I wanted to slap myself for being such a mess, but I still couldn't quite comprehend it all. "Dear God, I'm sorry. I.. you.. well, we are closed, but.. sorry."
I hid my face behind the palms of my hand in embarrassment. I heard a soft chuckle from Regina. It wasn't condescending, she was endeared. It was the most joyous chuckle I'd ever heard.
"God, I'm sorry, I'm a mess," I said and moved my hands away from my face. "I just.. I know it's a cliché, but I'm a huge fan of yours and I can't quite believe you're.. here. Sorry, this is absolutely embarrassing. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"You're not," Regina said and I looked at her. I could actually look at her and she looked at me. Just me. There wasn't a crowd surrounding her, there weren't any bodyguards accompanying her, it was just the two of us in Granny's Diner. Even though we weren't standing near each other at all, it felt like the most intimate moment of my life. "You're not the first woman I've left speechless."
And then she actually winked.
Regina Mills winked at me.
I didn't think I'd ever felt my heart pound as loudly as it did now. It felt like it was going to jump out of my chest and I loved it.
"Let me try again," I said and I hoped she hadn't noticed the quaver in my voice. It'd been long since I'd last been this nervous. Regina's smile grew wider and she gave me a reassuring nod. She was only two years older than I was, but I was incredibly intimidated by her. In a good way. "Welcome to Storybrooke. This is Granny's Diner, which.. you've probably read on the huge sign out front, but somehow I felt the need to clarify it. I don't know why that was, I just want you to feel welcome. I'm really not helping myself with a first impression."
I wanted to cry. For many reasons. I'd dreamt about this moment for years and I still wasn't one hundred percent sure it was actually happening, but it was and I was ruining it.
"It's the only Bed and Breakfast in town," I continued. I didn't want to hear Regina's thoughts on me just yet. "And technically we're closed, but if you need something, perhaps I could help you?"
I exhaled loudly. I already felt less stressed and I could tell Regina noticed that, too. "Thank you for the introduction. Don't worry, you made a perfect first impression," she said. "However, it feels wrong to ask for anything. I arrived about a half hour ago and I was wandering around town. I hadn't realized that stores and hotels close at reasonable hours here, my mistake. But it was nice, catching a glimpse of this town at this hour."
"You were in the newspaper," I blurted out. It wasn't even a response to what she'd just told me and I immediately wanted to take it back, but I couldn't, so I decided to continue. "They said the cast and crew wouldn't arrive for another two weeks. Are you here alone?"
Regina nodded. "I always arrive at least two weeks before the rest of the team does. I want to explore the town on my own, get to know the character when there's no one to direct me. It helps," she said. "It feels odd talking to you, while not knowing your name."
She said it kindly and with a smile, but I couldn't believe it. Regina Mills was asking for my name. Her name kept repeating in my head, so many times that it started to sound strangely natural.
"Emma Swan," I said. "My friend told me you were coming here. We used to watch all of your shows together. I didn't believe her at first and I'm still not sure it's actually you. It feels too good to be true, which also sounds weird to say with you present."
Regina laughed and approached me. She had such an elegant way of carrying herself. She held up her hand, when she was close enough, for me to shake it. I hesitantly grabbed it and bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to scream in ecstasy. Her hand was warm and soft. She smelled great and now that she wasn't so far away, I could see her even better. I recognized every part of her face, every detail, because I'd seen it so many times onscreen. She'd been pretty in her shows, but that was nothing compared to real life.
"It's nice to meet you, Emma," she said. "My name's Regina Mills, but I gathered from your reaction that you already knew that."
"Regina who?" I attempted to joke and I immediately regretted it, but Regina laughed. She let go of my hand, but I could still feel the warmth of it.
"So, what are you still doing here in a closed Diner, past midnight?"
Suddenly, I remembered my soup and my eyes widened. "Shit," I muttered and hurried back to the kitchen. Of all the embarrassing things I'd said and done this night, this must've been the worst one.
But when I returned to the kitchen, I was right to have worried, because if I'd arrived later, the soup would've been ruined. I stirred it and added some chopped garlic to finish it. Then I turned off the stove and sighed deeply.
I'd just run away from America's biggest celebrity, who'd taken the time to speak to me. Voluntarily. I awkwardly returned, with a smile to my face and swallowed.
"Sorry for that. I forgot I was cooking, my soup almost burned," I said. "And to answer your question, I'm making soup."
"Telling me your soup nearly burned, almost gave that away," Regina said and she kept smiling. I loved how she smiled. She had a gorgeous smile. "Why are you making soup?"
"I'm one of the chefs here and I love trying to create new things, so Granny, the owner of the Diner, has given me a key, so that I can use vegetables, fruits and all kinds of other things that are leftover from the day to try and make new recipes," I said. "So, now, I'm making soup. A spicy zucchini soup."
"That sounds really interesting," Regina said. She seemed genuinely enthused. "I love that you're doing that. This way, you're not wasting so much food and you do something you like. At least, it sounds like you're really passionate about it."
I nodded. "I am. I love cooking. I love tasting and most of all, I love food. I adore eating. As long as it's any good. I'm not convinced of this soup, I've yet to try it. I would've, but I got unexpected company, so I haven't had the chance," I said with a slight smile and Regina laughed. "Do you.. want to try some soup? I can't promise it's any good."
"I'd love that," Regina said. "As long as it's no bother. I don't want to keep you from your passions and waste your time."
As if Regina Mills could ever be wasting anyone's time.
"I've never let anyone taste my recipes, unless I'm absolutely certain it's good. And I'm not absolutely certain this is any good, so don't get your hopes up too high," I said. "And please sit down. You must be tired after such a long journey."
Regina smiled and I headed to the kitchen to get the soup. I poured it into two bowls and I noticed my fingers trembling. I didn't really understand why I was doing this. Why I was letting the person I'd looked up to for so long taste my soup. Why I was even accepting the fact that she was here and that that was normal. It wasn't normal. It was strange, but it was the truth. Regina Mills was in Storybrooke, at Granny's, waiting for me to get her some soup.
I returned with two damping bowls. Regina had her eyes on me, I had my eyes on the soup, hoping I wouldn't spill anything. I was a chef, not a waitress and it showed. I carefully placed the two bowls in front of her. She'd sat down at the counter and I took a stool and sat down across her, at the edge of the counter.
"Thank you. It smells delicious," she said and I blushed a bit. I couldn't help it. I was flattered already, even though I wasn't convinced this soup was tasty.
I picked up my spoon and tried the soup together with Regina. I closed my eyes to savor all the flavours and decide whether it worked or not. I always did that and I always did that with my eyes closed.
When I opened my eyes, Regina had a grande smile on her lips. "This might be the most delicious meal I've ever had," she said. "I love the red pepper flakes. It gives it some kick."
I was still judging the taste of it and it wasn't half bad, I just didn't think it was exceptional. It was a strange sensation, but I wasn't sure whether it worked. "Hmm," I said and tried some more. "It's the best thing I came up with today, but I'm not yet convinced."
"You're quite critical of yourself, aren't you?" Regina asked. I was, but not more than the average person. I just wanted everything I make to be worth returning for. I wanted people to say "this meal was so delicious, I'd want to eat it every day" and I just wasn't sure this was such a meal.
"When you watch back a scene you just portrayed, are you always one hundred percent content?" I asked. I imagined she wasn't, even though I couldn't find a reason why she wouldn't be.
"Never," she replied. I smiled and she got the hint. People were always most critical of themselves, whether they wanted to be or not. "But this is the best soup I've ever tasted and I'm not saying that to make you feel good. I'm saying it because it's true."
"Thank you," I replied. I'd received a compliment from Regina Mills. I looked at her and I still couldn't believe she was actually sitting in front of me, but she was. And she was eating my soup. And she was enjoying it.