December Part I
"Do you know what today is?" Regina leaned on the door jam smiling at Emma. She looked at her calendar and then back at her lover.
"December 3rd? It's the first day of the long haul through the pre-Christmas testing season window," It came out sounding more like a question, but Emma raised both her eyebrows pointedly.
The brunette stalked across the room, swaying her hips. "One year ago today, you taught my class for AP Lit. One year ago today, I realized how much more you were than I had supposed." Stepping up closer to the blonde, she dropped her arms onto the other woman's shoulders and leaned in to brush their noses together. "A year ago today, I realized I was falling more than a little bit in love with you even though I tried not to do it."
Emma grinned. "I fell for you a little more every time we spoke, even when it hurt. Why do you think I was so willing to run away when I didn't believe you would choose me?"
"Hmm. I never thought about it that way, but it makes a lot of sense." The door slammed behind them, making them jump and break apart.
"I hate that small-minded, incompetent little woman. What a fucking little bitch." Thomas seethed. He unceremoniously flopped into a chair. "I put in for FMLA and paternity leave the day before the Thanksgiving Break." He crossed his arms over his chest and chewed on his lip. "She rejected it. She said he caused 'undue hardship on the staffing during high stakes testing.'" He used his fingers to make air quotes. "I teach choir. I don't have anything to do with testing. Other than doing our Christmas concert which is tomorrow, I don't have any duties. So, why is having a child a hardship?"
Emma and Regina sat down on either side of him. The two hoped to offer him comfort but remained unsure as to how to do it.
"You know we haven't seen pictures of the baby girl yet," Emma offered, trying to calm him down.
He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the images of the little girl. In all of them, tubes ran out her nose, and a heart monitor sat on her chest. Even in the two men's photo holding her together in their first family photograph, the two men wore hospital gloves, masks, and a surgical gown.
"Is she doing okay?" The brunette asked, fearing the next few words.
His watery smile answered before he explained. "She's a premie. She will be okay, but her heart and lungs are not as developed as her doctor would like. She's in NICU for now. But, we hope to bring her home in two to three weeks."
"What's her name?"
"Stella Elise."
"Have you called a lawyer yet?" Regina asked. "I know you have one handling the adoption, but you need one that will fight for your rights as a father. You should be at the hospital with your husband and not stuck here."
"Why would I call a lawyer? I'm not sure if I can afford that? And, even if I could, what reason do I have?" He shrugged. "I can't just say that I don't like my boss's decision. That isn't illegal." The forlorn shape to his shoulders chewed on the pair.
A small inner debate raged in the blonde's soul before she opened her mouth. Technically, what she had to share shouldn't be repeated, but she knew she needed to do it. Emma's mouth corkscrewed in indecision before she spoke. "Do you know Raven?"
"My favorite transy. Of course, I do." Confusion danced in his eyes as he scrutinized the blonde, trying to figure out her angle.
"Do you remember the day of Raven's fight?" The history teacher sighed before leaning forward and placing a hand on his knee. "Our boss has made inappropriate remarks about Regina and me on many occasions. At first, I wanted to lie to myself that maybe she didn't like lovers at the workplace, but on that day, she made it clear that she doesn't like gay, lesbian or trans. She's said some things that made my blood boil, but when Raven tried to use the ladies' room, she hauled the poor girl to the front office. I came to her rescue but not before Ms. Blanchard-Nolan made many cruel remarks about her gender. She wanted to intimidate Raven into reverting to using the men's room regardless of what the law says. That was her definite goal. I had known she would go down that road, so I had called in a friend who told me what to do in the event MM stepped out of bounds. It so happens that she is a family lawyer who likes to take on these types of cases where discrimination is involved—the woman's engaged to Mallory. I bet if you gave Ursula Davenport a call, she would be willing to take your case. She's already somewhat familiar with our situation because of us, Mal and Raven."
He scratched at his stubbly chin. "I hate to make this a legal thing." He chewed on his lower lip. "But, I also hate that Pierce gets to be at the hospital with her, and I can't. I should be with my family."
Both women exchanged worried glances. "Why don't you head to the hospital now? We'll call Mal and see if she and Ursula can drop by there tonight. Be sure and take your denied paperwork with you."
He struggled with his indecision.
"She's breaking the law, Thom. This isn't your fault. It's hers," Regina spoke firmly, leaving no doubt as to her thoughts.
"Okay." He said reluctantly, but hope showed clearly on his face.
*****
Later that evening the two women cooked dinner together in Emma's kitchen. Regina pressed herself to Emma's back as the blonde stirred the bubbling sauce. Soft, plump lips brushed against Emma's neck. It wasn't often that they enjoyed quiet evenings alone together in this house.
"Do you think Mal went with Ursula to the hospital?" Emma asked, unsure of why the woman had been anxious to see the new parents.
"Yes, I think they've been discussing their options. Mal's been feeling her maternal clock ticking for a few years now, so she may be finding out whether or not she wants to be pregnant or if adoption is viable. Who better to ask than someone in the middle of it?"
"That's true. Is Ursula not interested in carrying one?" the blonde asked, intrigued by how little she knew of the lawyer personally.
"She had a hysterectomy while in college; cancer runs rampant in her mother's side. Ursula's first signs of malignancy appeared, and rather than fight it with chemo; she had everything removed. To her, it wasn't worth the risk." Her husky voice teased the tiny hairs on the back of Emma's neck, causing the blonde to shiver.
Someone pounded their fist against the front door knocking them from their comfortable bubble.
"Were you expecting someone?" Regina asked. Because in all the times she's been at Emma's, only Augie has had other visitors.
"Nope. I haven't a clue who this could be," Emma said, wiping her hands on a towel.
Regina followed her to the door more out of curiosity, but the man dressed in jeans, a dress shirt, and a leather jacket caused both of them to pause. He looked like an undercover police officer, but his spirit appeared harder than that.
"Uh, can I help you?" The blonde asked, trying to determine why this stranger appeared on her doorstep.
"I'm looking for Emily Dauphine. I believe she goes by Emma Swan these days." His eyes stayed trained on the blonde, thoroughly implying that he knew who he addressed.
"Before I answer, who are you and why are you here?" Emma's voice cracked, fear flowing through her body.
He pulled out a business card. "Jack LaSalle, private investigator--the estate of Ingrid Fischer hired me."
Emma sighed, and though her hands shook, she pushed the door open and invited him inside. "I'm Emma Swan. Out of curiosity, why is her estate looking for me?" Her mind filtered through the possible reasons that the woman's 'estate' looked for her. That implied that Ingrid was either no longer living or wouldn't be for much longer. It also suggested having some form of inheritance.
"Ingrid, is she still alive? Does she know where I live?" Emma swallowed harshly, not hiding her panic.
The man's face paled as his steely eyes swept over her features. "Yes, she's alive. No, she doesn't know where you are, nor will she." He paused and considered his next words carefully. "Ingrid has no idea who she is any more. They discovered a brain tumor while she was receiving therapy for her delusions. It may have caused her to lose her sense of right and wrong. When she realized she was losing herself to the disease, she hired a lawyer to help her plan for the inevitable. She's nearing the end. She's left the ones she considered to be her children a nest egg. After what she'd done to the two of you, she knows that forgiveness isn't likely, but she wanted you to know that she loved you even though she tried to kill you both."
"Are you looking for my brother too, or just me?"
He followed her into her home office, where she sat behind her desk, leaving him to sit in an uncomfortable and never used guest chair. He adjusted his leather jacket before sitting down. "I lost track of August in Taos. Do you know where he is?"
Emma grinned, "Yeah, I do. But, more importantly, I know he will be here in four days. He lives here. He's my roommate."
He smiled. "That's good. I want to leave these documents for you to look over and decide whether or not you are willing to accept the responsibility of taking over the trust."
Emma nodded. She skimmed through the documents but noticed that Ingrid didn't seem to believe her children would want the money for themselves. "Did she say how she wanted us to spend the money?"
"No, she said you had a good heart and would know what would be best. If you call me when August comes back, I can offer some counsel."
"I thought you were an investigator." He shrugged. "My law degree doesn't hurt either."
*****
Mal appeared at their door dressed in holiday finery and carrying a large bottle of whiskey. "I suggest we pregame this, baby because you know MM won't let alcohol flow on school grounds."
Ursula blinked at her fiance. "You never said the Christmas party would be at the school." If her tone hadn't given her away, the disgruntled look on her face spoke volumes.
Emma and Regina laughed heartily.
"Seriously, she didn't tell you before now?" Emma asked. Her eyes flicked back and forth between their two friends. "Yes. Our boss said that spending ridiculous sums of money on a venue was irresponsible."
"If they use the same decorations that we used for this year's homecoming, I cannot be held responsible for what comes out of my mouth." Regina's sneering comment brought another wave of laughter. "Mal, let me get all of us some glasses. We each need a few drinks before we go face the demon."
"Don't you mean the princess?"
Regina rolled her eyes. "I was thinking Snow fucking White."
Three drinks in, they piled into Ursula's large sedan and drove back to LBHS. Most of the faculty arrived at the same time.
Gaston dropped from his raised truck, then went to the other side of the cab and helped his date slip from the confines. Though the man looked handsome, he had a smarmy swagger that felt false."
"Ladies, I'd like you to meet Flynn. We've been dating for a few months." The beefy man blushed while he spoke. His date's smile grew blinding.
"Nice to meet all of you. It feels odd coming here. I wasn't allowed to bring a boy to prom, so this seems an odd time to finally get to come with my real date to a school dance."
All six headed toward the door together, where the whole faculty seemed to be mingling rather than entering. Soon a light rain began to fall, forcing them indoors. They followed the crowd through the halls to the cafeteria, where golden stars and fairy lights dangled from the ceiling.
"Oh my God. She recycled the homecoming decorations and added Christmas colors," Flynn exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "That is so tacky! Should I sprinkle a little tinsel in my hair to make it more festive?"
The group made its way to the rolling coatracks on the back wall. "Did she borrow these from the choir room?"
"These look more like the ones that should hold the faculty cap and gowns. I wonder where they are?" Emma went silent as her eyes fell on Gaston's sweater. "What the hell are you wearing?"
He grinned. "We," he pointed dramatically between himself and his date, "felt that this particular festivity needed a tacky Christmas sweater contest in the worst way."
Mal's eyes popped wider. "I wish I had thought of that."
Gaston slicked the material out, showing Santa riding a unicorn farting out flashing LED rainbows. Flynn pulled off his trenchcoat, revealing an equally tacky suit. The ladies had noticed the red pants outside, but they had no idea that it contained a candy-striped coat and a vest that sported a large bow. He looked like a rather expensive Christmas gift.
He spread the coat for everyone to see and did a slow turn. "Gaston gets to unwrap the package later. Don't you, baby?"
Once again, the large man blushed profusely. "Hey, who is that with the boss?" He pointed to the other side of the teachers dancing with their partners.
A sleazy looking man with a shock of recently bleached blonde hair posed in such a way that his bicep muscles flexed under the material. He leaned down to whisper something into the small woman's ear. Her smile curdled as her eyes fell on the flamboyantly gay duo.
Emma waved at MM from across the room. The woman gave a half-hearted wave back before turning to see the nurse, once again using one of the new hires as her pole as she danced to "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree."
"Is anyone else fighting to keep their dinner in, or is it just me?" Ursula asked, her lips curling in distaste.
"No. You are most definitely not alone in that," Regina replied. "If we hadn't pregamed, I am not sure I could stand this."
"After seeing the hors devours and dessert table, I think dancing might be our best option." Emma, although used to eating energy bars as a meal substitute, found the food display repulsive. "Do you think the creepy douche with the boss is the caterer, or is someone else responsible for that trainwreck?"
Regina shrugged. "All I know is that if we stay over here dancing, we don't have to engage with her in a conversation."
Nat King Cole's voice floated out of the speakers.
"Come on. If I have to be here, I should at least have the joy of dancing with the most beautiful woman in the room." Emma held out her hand to lead Regina to the dance floor.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Losing themselves in each other and enjoying the moment, Emma couldn't help but realize that for the first time in her life, she would be spending the holidays with someone who cared. Her eyes flooded with tears, and she found it hard to swallow, so she pulled the other woman against her body and buried her nose in her hair.
Regina hummed and threaded her fingers into long blonde curls. Suddenly, Mal pointed toward the front of the room.
"Is that Shepherd's wife?"
A gorgeous woman with caramel skin and coppery curly hair stalked away from James and toward their boss. In a panic, the assistant principal chased after her.
"I feel like we are about to get ringside seats to a very explosive moment--"
The whole room heard the slap over the music. Shepherd bear-hugged his wife from behind, trapping her arms and talking steadily in her ear. A few of the dancers stopped to gawk, but on the whole, the room decided to pretend they witnessed nothing.
The principal disappeared in tears while James carried his wife out the door on the other side.
"Well, things just got interesting," Gaston said laughing uncomfortably. Mal looked at the door then everyone else. While no one of importance looked on, she pulled a large flask out of her coat and spiked the punch.
LeFue stage whispered to her, "The boss lady's the only person that drinks that swill. Maybe that will help her chill the fuck out."
How right the little man had proven to be. As the night rolled on, MM drank glass after glass of the red concoction, unaware of its ever present addition. The room had ignored it when Shepherd returned to the room alone. Many of them rolled their eyes after the boss's date began making out in the corner with one of the youngest staff members. Emma tried hard to remember the girl's name: Britney or maybe Ashlei. She couldn't be sure. She shook her head, knocking away the thought as she watched on in horror when Shepherd led Miss Blanchard Nolan to the dance floor.
"Babe, I don't know about you, but I think it might be time to leave so we don't have to pretend we didn't see what happens next."
Regina looked at the pair, then back to her girlfriend, then studied the inebriated couple of administrators. "As much as I think this could be hilarious, I think your idea is better. We don't have to look her in the face and fake not knowing if we leave now." She cleared her throat. "And, I truly fear what's going to happen during the next slow dance."
Emma gulped, thinking about the few times she's seen the two eye-sexing across the cafeteria. "Let's get out of here." She tapped Ursula on the shoulder, who was all too eager to leave. On the other hand, Mal appeared to be in such a drunken state that she merely floated along with any direction given.
As Ursula helped the older blonde with her coat, Mal spotted the administrative couple on the floor. "Geez, the boss wants to taste Shepherd's breakfast from the looks of it. She's practically eating his face off."
All three glanced the couple's way, then blanched. "We are leaving now. Defcon 5. Self-preservation will be necessary if we don't. One thing is for sure, the last week before Christmas break may be a little more interesting than usual," Emma stated with more than a little worry in her voice.
"Maybe."
*****
Fear welled in Emma's stomach. She couldn't explain the feeling, but her bones filled with dread as the days continued closer to the break. Final exams started the next day. Unlike last year, the festive spirit didn't reign in the hallways. Instead, a profuse bitter edginess floated through the student body. The youth had taken ennui to a new level bordering dangerously on a pious hatred for authority. Smoke bombs fell in the hallways in the mornings. Fart spray and baby oil created diversions at other times. A riot brewed on a low simmer. In response, Miss Blanchard Nolan had assigned every faculty member to a rotating lunch duty which meant not only did the adults-only have twenty minutes to eat, but they had to do it standing near the exits of the room so they could monitor student movement for at least two days in this final week.
"Kudos to Belle for making sure we could still eat together even if we have to do it in the last place either of us wants to be right now." Emma bumped her elbow into Regina's, gaining a smile resembling a grimace.
The brunette speared leafy greens with her fork before responding. "As much as I love spending time with you, I'd rather be able to eat in peace."
Emma bit into her wax paper wrapped burrito and made a face. "Oh. My." She leaned over a trash can and spat into it. Then, she dropped the offending item in too. "How do they eat that crap? Truckstop burritos taste better than that."
"True. But, travel centers are allowed to use as much salt as it takes to make theirs palatable. This is a school. Salt and sugar consumption are--" Regina started.
"Strictly regulated. I know. You have reminded me on several occasions," but Emma finished. The blonde sighed and checked the time on her phone. "We still have fifteen minutes. I am going to go buy an ice cream to exorcise that foul thing from my mouth. Do you want anything?"
The brunette shook her head. She watched her girlfriend stalking through the middle of the cafeteria when a wave of snickers started on one end and crescendoed in the middle. All the kids began turning their phones to show the person closest to them.
Emma froze, her eyes trained on a student phone at the table closest to her. She took a couple of steps closer and then glanced from screen to screen. In alarm, she spun on her heels and began quickly walking in the opposite direction.
"Shepherd, Blanchard Nolan, we have a real problem."
The students erupted in more laughter, pointing and staring at the two administrators.
Regina watched, mesmerized as Emma ran toward them. She said something to James. He plucked his iPhone from his hip. Suddenly, his skin flushed crimson. The principal grabbed the device, screamed, and then ran from the room.
"Hey, that's my phone!" The student screamed then sprinted after her.
The woman's antics only created more noise as the teens giggled, laughed, and jeered. Turning toward Regina, all blood drained from Emma's face. Her pale lips mouthed the words' airdrop', causing Regina to pull her phone from her jacket pocket.
The lock screen disintegrated into a picture of Emma and her snuggled together in a booth at the diner. With the click of a button, her eyes bugged at the newest and unexpected image.
"That has to be from the Christmas party," Regina said out loud, not realizing Emma was in hearing distance.
"Can't be. That isn't what she wore."
The brunette snorted. "Then, it seems she's been riding reverse-cowgirl in one of the science labs during the school day."
Both women looked at the image one more time, not believing what they knew to be true. Shepherd's face clearly showed while a smaller woman with her thrown back in ecstasy leaned her back into her partner. He had one hand squeezing a bare breast; her sweater hiked up to her throat.
"At least she looks like she's having a good time. That might be the only genuine smile I've seen on her face. Ever."
Regina glared at Emma before slapping her shoulder. "I can't wait until Eugenia gets a load of this."
Emma laughed. "Yeah. I mean, she hasn't been here since Monday when Ursula marched Thomas out of here. Belle told me that his FMLA paperwork never left the building. She's already in hot water with downtown as it is. This ought to put her out of here for good."
The brunette laughed. "I wouldn't count on that. She's a Blanchard after all."