Andante, Andante

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Her mind is buzzing from the mix of pure exhaustion along with the anxious energy of finally meeting Henry. Her son. Their son. Her head rests against the glass for just a moment as the driver quietly escorts her through Catania in the dead of the night.

Her eyes are pleading for sleep, offering up anything for just a few minutes of shut eye, but her mind is running about a mile a minute. She always wanted children, ever since she was a little girl and she knows it has everything to do with the bond her parents created with her. She wants to be able to carry on that type of unconditional love and she's known for quite some time now that Emma is the one that she wants to build that loving family with.

Of course, she was angry when she first found out about Emma's pregnancy, but she knew when she left New York to find her ex, that she was in search of her future. She told Robin, quite bluntly, that Emma was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, not him. So, when she discovered Emma in the barn, seven months pregnant, it was almost impossible to stay mad. Emma wanted her to be a part of that baby's life and wanted to share her life with her and there was no more doubt in Regina's mind.

They are soulmates.

The car slowly rolls to a stop in front of her parent's cabin. She quickly pays the man for his services and climbs out of the vehicle with her luggage and a stuffed monkey in hand. She inhales sharply, admiring the warmer air than New York City has to offer in the first week of March. She takes a moment to breathe through her anxious nerves and prepares herself for the next life altering moment of her life.

Her feet tingle with nervous energy as she climbs the steps of her parent's front porch. She pulls out her key and slowly unlocks the front door, so she doesn't create too much noise. The moment she steps inside, she notices a small glow from the kitchen to her right is softly radiating around her mother.

The older woman is sitting at the kitchen table snuggled in her fluffy white robe and her matching slippers as she sips her herbal tea. The corner of Regina's mouth deepens as she studies her intently, examining the way she somehow grew older in the past few months. Maybe she hasn't truly been paying attention, but now she sees it. She sees her. There are a few more gray hairs peeking out through her chestnut colored tresses. Without any makeup, the dark circles under her eyes are more prominent along with the wrinkles near her eyes and etched around her mouth.

Regina sighs and places her bag off to the side. She kicks off her boots and subconsciously hugs the monkey closer as she trudges toward her mother. She's not sure if her mind is fully aware that her life is about to change forever, but in the moment, she feels like a small child once again. She's vulnerable and in need of her mother's attention.

"Regina, darling," her mother whispers gently into the night, conscious of a sleeping baby in the living room. "How was your flight, dear?"

Regina slips into the chair next to the woman, who has done everything in her power to make sure she will be the best mother possible. She places a loving kiss to her cheek and sits back in her seat with the monkey pressed against her chest.

"It was fine. I'm exhausted. Did you wait up for me?"

"Of course, my dear," Cora concludes without any emotion, like the answer is so obvious and her daughter is a foolish girl for even asking. Her mother's tired eyes drift toward the clock on the wall, the hand slowly ticking by and echoing into the silence. "It's almost three, Henry should be waking up in a few minutes for his nighttime feeding."

"Yes, he should," she agrees, knowing her son's schedule already, even though she hasn't been there the first week...and there's that sharp pain of guilt once again.