Sophie was thrilled the next day when Regina told her that Will would be joining them for dinner. "Great. I can get stories about you out of him," she said, teasing her mother.
Regina smiled before frowning. "I've already spoken to Will about your father."
"I figured," Sophie sighed. "He's not going to tell me, is he?"
"No. I've asked him not to."
She parked the car by the promenade, but didn't move to get out. First, she turned to Sophie. "I'm trying not to be the bad guy."
"I don't think you're the bad guy. I just want to understand why you don't want me to know who my father is."
Regina sighed. "Maybe it is time for us to have this talk. Just...after the Summer Festival, okay? When we have all the time in the world together."
"Okay. I'm going to hold you to it though," Sophie said, glad that her mother was softening up. Maybe she would tell her the name of her father before she had to track down her other two candidates.
They got out of the car to find Will waiting for them on the promenade. He held two bouquets. "Flowers for two pretty women," he said, giving them to mother and daughter.
"You're still the charmer, aren't you?" Regina teased him, smiling.
Will laughed. "I am only telling the truth though, Regina."
"Thank you," Sophie said, clutching her yellow roses closer. "These are great. How did you know they were my favorite?"
"They were your mother's," Will replied.
Regina smiled. "Still are."
Sophie smiled as well, putting another checkmark into the mental columns she kept in her head. Will moved up as her potential father. After all, why else would he know her mother's favorite flowers?
Regina urged them forward, reminding them that they had reservations and a fifteen minute walk ahead of them. Sophie walked between the two, holding her mother's hand while Will kept one of his on her back. As they strolled along the promenade, she wondered if this was what it felt like to have a proper family.
"Regina Mills? Why you haven't aged a day," a deep male voice said from behind them.
Sophie felt both her mother and Will tense up as they turned around to look at the voice's owner. He was taller than her mother, with brown hair brushed into a fancy hairstyle. Though he smiled, there was something about that seemed off to her. She shrunk into her mother's side and Regina wrapped her arm around her.
"Keith Nott. What brings you to Storybrooke?" she asked.
He held up one of the invites Sophie now wished she hadn't sent him. There was no way he was her father. That her mother did that mysterious thing adults were always vague about to create her with him.
Regina frowned as she took it from him. "Nott's Bounty Hunting?"
"Yes," Keith said, puffing out his chest. "And I must say I'm one of the best in the business."
Will rolled his eyes. "It seems to suit you."
"Will Scarlet." Keith looked him up and down with a cold, calculating look that sent shivers down Sophie's spine. "I'm surprised I haven't had to track you down yet. Been able to keep dodging the law?"
"I've gone legit, not that it's any of your business." Will stared the man down, arms crossed.
Sophie felt her mother push her toward Will. "Can you take Sophie to the restaurant, Will? I'll join you in a little bit."
YOU ARE READING
Building a Family
FanfictionTen-years-old Sophie Mills had a goal for her summer: Find her dad. With her mother, Regina, not wanting to talk about him, she comes up with a plan to find him from the one photograph that may contain him. When she does, she discovers she may have...
