So Does This Make Us Both The Other Woman?

9. An Overture, Unexpected (Damn It All And Damn Them All)

"You're wearing that ?" Henry's sitting on the couch, legs drawn up against his chin as he eyes her up and down.

She purses her lips at his tone. A year spent living with Emma has only exacerbated a certain irreverence in him that wavers between endearing and frustrating. Much like his other mother. "I've been wearing this all day."

"Yeah, for being the mayor! Not for going out with Ma."

He shakes his head and she glances down, suddenly self-conscious. She's wearing a fairly conservative suit jacket over a dress, grey and black and neat and expensive, and she's worn it dozens of times before when she and Emma had gotten coffee together or done dinner. It's nothing special. Because tonight is nothing special.

"Henry, I think you have...expectations about tonight that just aren't true," she begins delicately. "Your mother's been spending too much time with that pirate and now she's one step away from alcohol poisoning. She needs a designated driver, and since I'd have to pick her up anyway, I'm just supervising her all night instead. Because she's a child," she adds, rolling her eyes. "A stellar role model, she insists."

But Henry's grinning, undeterred by her explanation. "So she asked you out. And you're wearing work clothes." He casts another disapproving look at her ensemble.

"She didn't ask me out. We eat out together all the time."

"Yeah, but that's at work during the day or here at night. You never go out at night." Henry ducks his chin down onto legs that have grown full inches in the past month. "It's not like she's inviting you because you're the life of the party, Mom."

She scowls at his smirk. Much too much time with Emma. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm fun. I once set fire to a..." He tilts his head interestedly and her voice trails off. "Anyway. That is not a conversation for now. I hope you'll make better choices than both your mothers someday."

She nods sharply and walks out of the house, Henry laughing behind her.

Emma's yellow Bug is idling in the driveway, Emma leaning against it and scrolling through her phone as she waits. She brightens when the door slams and looks up. "Regina! You...um...you look really nice."

"Are you critiquing my outfit too?" She's flushing, which is ridiculous because this is casual, just as she'd told Henry. Emma had been in her office this morning and had spent so much time venting about Hook that Regina had snidely suggested that she drink away her troubles again, and somehow she'd been roped into this designated driver duty. There's no hidden meaning to this outing, and there doesn't have to be, either. Can't two co-parents go out for drinks without their son casting aspersions?

Emma offers her a bemused half-smile. "No, I just think you look good." Her eyes drift downward to appraise Regina again, the smile still on her face, and it's one of the most winsome things Regina has ever seen. She grits her teeth together as Emma grins. "Wanna head out? I thought we'd go to the Pridelands tonight."

"Not your usual fare, is it? Don't you prefer that squalor-ridden alcohol nest?"

Emma shrugs, reaching to pull the passenger door open for Regina. "I can afford the squalor-ridden alcohol nest. But you're a little too classy for the Rabbit Hole."

She stiffens, grabbing the door handle before Emma can get it. "You don't need to do that," she says quickly. "You shouldn't...this isn't..." And then she falls silent with a sigh. There's nothing that she can say right now that won't make this situation even more awkward, especially not while Emma watches her worriedly, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she glances from Regina's eyes to her wavering lips. "Never mind," she finally mutters, sliding into the seat and slamming the door behind her.