In The Depths Of Her Soul

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Just go, mom!"

"Henry, I...I don't think this is such a good idea. I'm going to end up making her feel so uncomfortable," she whines to her nine-year-old son as if she is the small child in their relationship.

"Look! There she is!" Henry exclaims, his arm shooting forward to point out the beautiful brunette exiting the small brick building.

Regina is sporting a black peacoat that's tied tightly around her tiny waist to block the fierce wind on this bitter cold evening. Her hands are protected by a stylish set of black leather gloves, as one hand reaches for her daughter's Wonder Woman glove. Evie's hair is piled high into a perfect ballerina bun, confirming they are leaving dance class for the evening, just like Emma anticipated.

Regina turns around abruptly, stopping dead in her tracks as she glances over her shoulder. Evie bounces up and down to keep warm as a younger woman appears behind them and steals Regina's attention away.

"Get down," Emma orders, hastily sinking into her leather seat to remain undetected in her little yellow bug and Henry mimics her move, staying clear from Regina's view.

She strains her neck to peek through her steering wheel as Henry spies discreetly through his window. Her heart beats achingly fast knowing she and her son are stalking the brunette.

"Who is the other lady?" Henry curiously questions, sending a shooting pain to surge straight through her beating heart.

"I-I don't know, kid," she awkwardly mutters. "She told me to come find her," she mumbles under her breath to herself while her stomach does a backflip.

Doesn't that mean she was waiting for me?

Regina smiles kindly at the other woman, listening intently while the young stranger babbles on and about something that has Emma growing rather impatient. Little Evie is jerking her mother's hand around while she does everything in her power to keep the blood flowing through her limbs. She's not paying any attention to the adults conversing around her and she knows Evie is lost in her own musical world right now.

The stranger laughs a little too aggressively for her liking, inspiring the little green eyed monster to peek out from hiding and make his appearance known. He's waving the jealousy flag loud and clear, forcing her heart to thump a little harder.

"Well, there's only one way to find out who she is," Henry states confidently as he straightens his posture and pops right up in his seat.

"What?" She screeches in sheer panic, her hand flying out to grab her son's jacket while his hand is already on the door handle, planning to make his escape. "Don't you dare!" She whisper-shouts, paranoid that the people outside of the car can hear their discussion.

"Come with me," he suggests calmly despite her obvious meltdown.

"No, Henry. Seriously, we can't," she stresses, her fist clenching tighter into his puffy jacket, but he's ignoring her desperate plea.

"It's Regina, she's going to be excited to see us. I'm not going to do these stakeouts with you if you're going to be such a baby."

"Hey! I am not a baby!" She argues against her son, expressing just how much of a baby she is in fact acting.

Henry simply rolls his eyes in annoyance and jerks away from her firm grip. And before she can protest once more, the door pops open and Henry makes a break for it.

Son of a...

She fumbles for the hot beverage she had purchased special for Regina, but then she pauses and wonders if she might embarrass her in front of the stranger. She honestly wouldn't want to make Regina feel uneasy in anyway, but then again, she needs this stranger to know, that she and Regina are...well they could be...uh...they have potential?