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It is Henry’s tenth birthday. Emma is holding Rowan in one arm as her free hand meets our son’s back. She smiles down at him with pride as he sits with the cake in front of him. Ruby and I stand alongside her.
“Make a wish, Henry.”
Henry squeezes his eyes shut as he blows out the candle. Soon, we are all enjoying cake, and afterwards come the presents. From Emma and I, he receives a set of paintbrushes and several canvases, as well as a Tron lunch box. From Ruby, a Star Wars sticker pack, several comic books, and a big stack of blank copy paper for his artistic expression.
We soon gather in the living room to watch a movie of Henry’s choosing— Krull— and he curls up against me contentedly. Eventually, the children grow tired, and I go to tuck Henry in while Emma tends to Rowan. As I bid him goodnight, he looks at me with an expression I can’t quite pinpoint.
“Mom?” he whispers. This is a recent change, as he has decided he is much too old to address me as ‘Mommy’ any longer.
“Yes, little one?” I murmur.
“How come I can’t change the way you do?”
The question comes as a surprise to me. “Truly, I don’t know,” I tell him.
“I wanna try,” he says, “Can you teach me?”
“I’m afraid I wouldn’t know where to begin. I don’t think it is something that can be taught.”
“I want to be like you, Mom,” he confesses.
I cup his face gently in my hands, offering a somber smile. “If you were like me, you wouldn’t get to spend time playing with your friend Nicholas. You wouldn’t be able to spend the day with your mother, or go to school with all the other children.” He considers this silently, and I lean down to kiss his forehead. “Sweet dreams,” I murmur.
“Mom?” he asks once more.
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
My smile widens. “And I you, little one.”
As I step out into the hallway, I find Emma leaving Rowan’s room. She smiles at me and we exchange a kiss before swapping places. She disappears into Henry’s room and I enter Rowan’s. I find the girl in her racecar bed, formerly her brother’s, and she smiles at me as I kneel down beside her.
She babbles incoherently, yet it makes my heart swell with warmth. A grin makes its way onto my face and I gently stroke her cheek. I sit with her as her tiny hand clutches at my finger. The sight brings tears to my eyes, yet they do not fall. Soon, her eyes drift shut and she begins to dream peacefully.
“Goodnight, littlest one,” I murmur in the darkness.
Emma and I reunite in the living room where Ruby awaits us on the sofa. We each enjoy a glass of red wine and engage in quiet conversation.
“Thanks for having me over,” says Ruby.
Emma smiles. “Of course. Wouldn’t dream of a party without Henry’s favorite aunt.”
Ruby snickers at this. “He’s a great kid,” she says earnestly.
“That he is,” I agree.
Emma laces her fingers with mine, and all is well.
Before long, Ruby departs, and Emma and I remain on the couch. She smiles and leans in to kiss me. I am quick to reciprocate.
“Regina?” she whispers.
“Yes?”
“Henry told me he wished he could shapeshift.”
I nod slowly. “He did the same with me. Has he mentioned this before?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” Emma seems conflicted. “I get the sinking feeling he would rather stay up all night with you than spend the day with me.”
I squeeze her hand a bit tighter. “You mustn’t say that, dearest. He loves us equally.”
Emma nods, but I sense she isn’t quite convinced. This saddens me, and after slipping out of my clothes, I revert to my natural form. I hold her close to me and let my voice murmur softly in the back of her mind.
“He is blessed, whether he knows it or not, for he gets to spend both day and night with you,” I tell her, “I am sure he will come to realize this. Just give him time.”
Emma leans her head upon my chest and closes her eyes with a soft sigh as she listens to my steady heartbeat. “I hope you’re right,” she whispers.