Her phone buzzed in her pocket. At first, Regina didn't know why it would do such a thing; she never really used her cellphone for much. She pulled it out and looked at the screen, smiling when she saw it was a text from Snow.
Try apple cider vinegar and honey to help with the morning sickness.
Regina then put her phone down and started for the kitchen, rummaging though her fridge for the bottle of cider she was sure was still in there. Thankfully, Will hasn't gotten to the far back end of the refrigerator. Regina poured herself a glass and drank it down.
Thank you Snow- I've been trying to find something other than tea to help.
The boys had returned sweaty and exhausted from spending hours on end at the park, making for a very relaxing day at the house. Will was on the couch watching some show with Roland and Henry snuggled up beside him. She thought it was amazing how quickly they both got used to him being there.
Hey, you wanna go with me to my yoga class?
Regina just about burst out laughing when she saw that text.
I think I'm good- how about you come over and give me more good advice?
Snow's response was almost immediate.
On my way! I was totally kidding about the yoga by the way. I figured there must be some way to get you to invite me over sooner or later.
Rolling her eyes, Regina went and sat on the couch next to her kids.
"What are you watching?" She asked, scowling when she noticed Roland's face looking utterly mortified.
"Walking Dead," Will replied, smiling smugly.
Regina's mouth opened slightly in disgust as she watched bloody zombies walk and stumble around on the screen.
"Absolutely not; that's disgusting!" She hissed, grabbing for the remote. Will had a firm grip on it, but Regina got it from him eventually.
"I won't have you watching these kinds of shows around my kids," she muttered, "zombies aren't real anyways."
Roland looked up at her. "Are you sure?"
She was sure to send Will a fury filled glance. "I'm very sure. You can let go of Will's hand now."
Reluctantly, Roland did.
"So what about that vampire show you watch? Those aren't real either." Will taunted, watching her face redden.
"It's a good show, okay? And that's beside the point- Snow is coming over soon, and I don't want her thinking we live in a rule free household."
Henry gave his mother a look. "Then what should we watch?"
Regina knew he and Roland were both tired; so was she quite honestly. "How about you let Roland pick out one of our Disney movies?"
He nodded, and got off from the couch to begin filing through their stack of movies, ones that he had watched ever since he was Roland's age. Soon, about ten of them were splayed out on the carpet floor. Roland was carefully examining them all, trying to decide which one he wanted to watch.
"This one!" He smiled, picking up The Lion King from the pile. Henry put it in the DVD player, and squeezed back into his spot between his mother and Will.
It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door, and Snow White's voice carried though the hallway. She and Emma came into the living room.
"You tricked me," Regina muttered as she and the blonde took a seat on the floor.
"Hi mom!" Henry exclaimed, beaming down at her.
"Hey kid, is this Lion King you're watching?"
He nodded.
"I never said Emma could come with you," Regina muttered, giving her a sideways glance.
"Nice to see you too, Regina." The blonde smirked, waving her hand and causing a bowl of popcorn to appear in her lap.
Turning her attention back to the movie, she grabbed hold of her phone again and found Snow's number.
I thought we were going to talk about baby things.
A few seconds later, she saw her stepdaughters phone light up beside her. Snow read the message and smiled slyly over to her.
She was actually texting her stepmother.
After typing her back a message, she went back to watching the movie.
But I'm such a sucker for Disney movies!
Regina knew there was no sense in debating with her. She set her phone down and let Roland rest his head in her lap as they watched the movie together. The Lion King had been one of Henry's favorites; he could've watched it all day if she had let him. Regina couldn't believe her little prince was just about twelve and a half- time went by way too quickly.
The six of them watched the first half of the movie in silence; even Will, who Regina did not peg as a Disney movie kind of guy. It wasn't until about an hour later she noticed her phone vibrate again.
You look bored.
Regina tilted her head down at Roland- his eyes were getting heavy. It was a long movie.
Nonsense! I never miss out on watching a Disney movie.
Emma tried glancing over Snow's shoulder to see what she was grinning at.
So you wouldn't want a break?
I'll go first- wait a couple minutes so nobody gets suspicious.
Regina was secretly relieved she wanted out as much as she did. There was something about seeing the same movie a thousand times that made it less appealing. Placing a quick kiss on her son's forehead, she got up and headed for her study, a smaller room filled with all her extra things from her time as mayor. She sat down in her comfy black swivel chair and and rubbed the back of her neck as she glanced around at her cluttered bookshelves. It really needed to be cleaned out.
"Did the cider help at all?" Snow asked, rather excitedly as she slowly shut the door behind her.
Regina smiled. "It did- though I don't get sick every day, it's more of a random thing. What about you?"
"These past few weeks I've been nothing but sick in the mornings! And I get that horrible salty taste in my mouth." Snow made a sour face just thinking about it.
"So do I! Yesterday I downed like half a jug of milk to get the taste away."
"But if it means our babies are healthy..." Snow let out a small smile. "Then so be it."
Regina could agree more.
"Oh, Roland is the sweetest little boy by the way. Last time he stayed over, he asked my why it rained so much here. I told him it was because this town is like a garden- it needs rain just as much as it needs sunlight. If it gets the attention it needs, it can turn into something nice and pretty one day."
Now it was impossible for her to stop smiling. She loved her boy. And he was all hers.
"Your hair is getting so long," Snow began, reaching forwards to run her hand down her raven black hair. It was almost past her shoulders now.
"You should let it curl on its own," she told her, "it's absolutely gorgeous when you do. I remember watching you braid it early in the mornings, when you were bored and had nothing else to do."
Regina remembered. The eleven year old Snow White would sit on her bed and proceed to tell her every bit of detail about her day, down to how well her last meal tasted.
"Still somewhat sad you had to take my long hair away," she said, looking down at the floor.
Regina let out a small laugh. "I did say everything you loved..."
Snow sat down on top of the desk and nudged her with her foot. "You know, I actually enjoy talking to this new Regina. I don't have to worry about you killing me or my daughter."
"For now," she winked, leaning back in her chair.
Snow let out a small sigh. "I just have a feeling like Charming is always fed up with me lately. Hormones make me do some crazy stuff. Did you know it took him like four hours just to go and buy me ice cream on Sunday?"
Regina ran her tongue over her lips to suppress her smile. "Maybe he got lost."
"I don't know. But he seems to be excited to be a dad again- we have things set aside for the nursery and everything. Do you?"
Snow immediately realized what she had said after the words gushed out of her mouth. She watched Regina's posture retract into a more defensive mode.
"No... I can't really think about those things yet."
Snow harshly debated on her next words. She did this many times before with Regina; one wrong word and she could set her off like an explosive.
"Still nothing on getting him back?" She asked gently, almost tempted to put her arm around her for comfort.
Regina shook her head. "He said he could be gone for months... Even then, who knows if Rumple will keep his promise."
Snow took a minute to glance over her stepmother, the woman who had caused her so much pain and bitterness over the years they had known one another. She was dressed in blue jeans and a shirt that fit her frame snugly. Regina had been through so much over the span of her life- Snow knew that. But she didn't deserve this, not after she had come all this way.
"You're the strongest woman I know Regina, by far. I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but love always finds a way. Everything will work out on its own time."
Regina was amazed by the admiration in her voice. She seemed so confident it would be wrong to believe anything otherwise. Standing up, she didn't hesitate in wrapping her arms around her.
"Thank you for being here for me," Regina said, "I wish the previous years could have been different; I was an idiot for turning down the position of being your mother. We- we could have been happy..."
Snow hugged her tighter. "We're happy now. And that's more than enough."
They both smiled. How right she was.