In The Depths Of Her Soul

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Henry!"

Her daughter bursts through the front door, just a ball of over-enthusiastic energy. Her raven-haired beauty stomps against the hardwood floors as she speeds through their home, leaving her other mother behind. She whips right passed Regina and heads straight for the little boy, tying his shoes on the stairs.

"Evie! I'm so glad you're home. This weekend was so boring without you here," Henry whines as he shoots up to stand before his best friend.

Both children hesitate, unsure if they should hug, high-five or maybe even a playful shove to say hello. Her daughter is the first to decide on their greeting when she offers an awkward wave, while Henry shoves his hands into his back pockets and rocks from his heels to his toes...just like his mother.

"Well, I'm back now, I don't go to my mom and Ivy's again until Friday."

"Okay, good. I don't like weekends here. You're gone and so is your mom," Henry's face contorts into an expression of disgust as he swings his backpack over his shoulder.

"Henry, say goodbye to your grandma," Emma orders her son as Mary Margret yanks the poor child flush against her.

"Bye, grandma," Henry mumbles while the older woman gently rocks him from side to side.

"I'll see you in two weeks, Henry," she kindly reiterates the plan to her grandson before she finally releases him from her clutches.

"Ready, mom? We should get a move on, traffic at this time can be brutal."

"Emma," the woman slowly draws out her protest with a stern look.

"Don't Emma me! I am driving you, that's final. Now let's move," the blonde demands as she carries her mother's belongings out the door.

"That's your future," Ruby whispers into Regina's ear for only her to hear.

"What?" She quickly snaps her head in her ex's direction, almost bumping their noses together.

Ruby nods in Mary Margret's direction with a sly smirk gracing her stupidly smug face. "That's exactly what Emma is going to look like when she's older...that's your future."

She shoves Ruby away, hard enough for the woman to stumble. "Knock it off," she scoffs, rolling her eyes and then follows Emma and her mother out the door with the children in tow.

"Wouldn't you rather walk Henry to school this morning?" Mary Margret questions, hinting yet again, that she is more than willing to call a cab.

"Regina and Ruby will walk him, he's in the same class as Evie. Besides, I don't want to walk in this cold," Emma grumbles while she attempts to keep her balance to the car with all her mother's luggage.

"Mary Margret, it was so lovely to meet you. We will see you very soon," Regina politely states, offering the older woman a quick hug.

"So, I heard you will be joining our crew now," Ruby chuckles as she too hugs the woman goodbye. "Welcome to Chicago, you're gonna hate it."

"Oh, no, no. I have my daughter and grandson here. Home is where your family is, correct?" The sweet lady flashes a genuine smile before she waves and slips into Emma's front seat.

"Have a safe flight," Regina wishes while they all wave goodbye.

"I'll see you when I get back, Regina," Emma says, smiling so freely now and climbs into her driver's seat.

Emma did ask her mother to move there after she explained everything that had happened with Jack. Of course, the woman wanted to be by her daughter's side at a time like this. According to Emma, her mother didn't even hesitate to agree to the move.