The Past is in the Past (AU)

19

"What do you mean you can't come in today?! I have a meeting with the mayor today that I cannot miss or I lose half my funding. No!" Regina sighed, "No. I will find someone else who doesn't decide to drink the night before they know they're supposed to be taking care of my son considering you do it EVERY WEEKNEND!"

She hung up her phone and found some release in yelling at her now ex nanny.

"What's wrong mama Gina?" Roland said as he ran into the kitchen on an early Saturday morning, "Is Miss Madeleine coming today?"

Regina put on her mommy face before crouching down to his eye level, "No, I'm sorry baby. Madeleine won't be coming today, or ever again. We're getting you a new nanny, but for today we'll have to find a quick alternative who knows how too give you your medica-"

"Is Miss Emma coming back soon?" he interrupted.

"Emma? Um I don't know sweetheart. I hope so. She is nice isn't she?"

He nodded his head as he reached for a stool and took it to reach the cookie jar, "You said she'd be nice. And she is much nicer."

She looked at Roland with a face feigning shock, "Excuse me, it is Saturday morning. What makes you think you can have a cookie for breakfast?" she scoffed.

He flashed his big brown eyes and pouted. Regina couldn't say no to those.

"Fine... But just one ok?"

"Ok!" he cheered as he reached in for a cookie and happily ate it.

She smiled and ruffled his hair, "A little Cookie Monster today aren't we?"

"They're really good," he pointed out as if she didn't know what a cookie tasted like.

She laughed and picked him up to twirl him around in the air, causing him to giggle, "I know little one. They're just not all to good for you, but anyway we need to find someone to look after you today."

"M-m-miss Emma can look after me right? She's nice and funny," he explained as his giggling died down and wrapped Regina in a hug.

"You just met her last night Roro. You like her that much already?"

He nodded his head and with a straight face answered, "She good. I can tell."

Regina smiled, "Yeah she is," she set him down, "How would you like to go see Emma today?"

He eagerly nodded his head and Regina flashed a toothy grin, "Great! Now lets see if I can even get her to agree to it."

She picked up her cell phone and stared at it, wondering if this was even a good idea. She had just gotten on good time with Emma. Was this gonna be a deal breaker for their rekindled friendship? Well even if it was she had no other choice. She needed a babysitter for Roland and the only people in her contacts list were her boss, her now ex nanny, Rolands school, and now Emma.

"Roland are you sure?" she asked more for herself than for him.

He nodded once more but gave his mother a curious look, "You always said Emma was a friend. Did you lie?"

"No, she is a friend. Mama just wasn't always a good friend to her, but we'll try," she said as she dialed Emma's number.

"Gina? Everything ok?" she answered through a yawn.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"Doesn't matter," she laughed, "I'm up now. What's up?"