Captivating

Chris

Chris was surprised by Regina’s reference to their late night rendezvous sessions. Mainly because Snow White remained within earshot. Fortunately, their fair-skinned friend was distracted by the cooing of her son. “Careful, my love, unless you want the birds of the forest knowing what we do between the sheets,” Chris warned, his voice grainy and hungry for the intimacy the Queen spoke of. “And I think you better scold him if he sneaks out. Unless you want Grace to give you a grandchild far too early in life,” Chris teased. Mouth gaping, Regina struggled for words. The thought of her son sneaking out for less than pure activities hadn’t seemed to cross her mind. She likely thought Henry leaving the house unnoticed meant he planned to bowl or study with a girl. True, the kid was only thirteen, but Chris remembered teenage hormones all too well. If parents weren’t watchful their children tended to get too physical too fast. That’s why Chris planned to keep Devina locked in her room and home schooled once adolescence arrived. Not really, but he did need to think of a solid game plan. He had plenty of time for that though. And Regina would be there to help, he hoped. She subtly hinted at as much. She told Chris if he was a good boy she’d stick around to save him from his daughter’s future sins. “Promise?” he asked, receiving his answer in the form of a kiss. Chris and Regina hadn’t spoken too extensively about the future but when Chris imagined his life five or ten years from now she was always by his side. Maybe he was naive to think she’d continue wanting him just as long, but until the woman beside him said otherwise Chris was wholeheartedly hers.

“Two gaming systems?” the doctor gasped, drawn out of his deep relationship thoughts by Regina’s shocking reveal. Apparently, wires had gotten crossed between Henry’s mothers when it came to presents. “How fortunate for Henry,” Chris exclaimed with a laugh. “I’m guessing it wasn’t you who missed the memo?” Chris was willing to bet that Emma was to blame for the mix up. The Savior was kind and she loved her boy, that was obvious, but her organizational skills were lacking. Chris had been to her new apartment once to fetch a book Henry left behind and nearly got lost in the pile of dishes and clothes strewn about. It made him appreciate Regina’s Type A personality all the more. “Sorry about overindulging him myself. Had I know he’d been spoiled so much already I’d have practiced self control,” Chris replied. Smiling, Regina waved away his apologies and thanked him for being so thoughtful. It meant the world to her how much he wanted to make her son happy. Plus, after all Henry had endured he deserved some spoiling. Regina may have even gotten him a pony this birthday if he’d asked for it. “Ah, well, then I suppose now is not the time to tell you he mentioned a motorcycle to me just the other week…” Chris began, but stopped mid-sentence when he saw how big his girlfriend’s eyes had gotten. “Kidding!” he announced with a chuckle. Regina released the breath she was holding and nudged him playfully, listening as he filled her in on Devina’s birthday gift for Henry. The Queen was just as touched as he’d been. Neither of them anticipated their children bonding so quickly.

“Two peas in a pod, those two. Or should I say partners in crime. We’re going to have our hands full for a long time,” Chris commented, thinking nothing of how natural it was to talk future tense with Regina. “I’m glad they have each other though.” Regina agreed before encouraging Chris about how dear he was to her boy too. Henry talked about him nonstop and she loved the idea of them having a guy’s night out sometime soon. Henry had never had a consistent male role model in his life. There was Charming, of course, but his grandfather had his own immediate family to focus on and a grandpa/grandson relationship was different than…Regina didn’t have to say it for Chris to know what she meant. Henry required a father figure. Captain Hook, as much fun as he was, didn’t exactly fit the bill. “I’d be honored to take him out on the town sometime, just the two of us. Two men on the open road…watch out, Storybrooke,” he mused. Walking together hand in hand, Chris and Regina mingled with the guests a good twenty or thirty minutes before Henry approached them again. “Mom, can we do cake? But you don’t have to sing…really…I won’t be offended,” the 5’4” boy said. Amused, Chris turned to Regina with an ‘I told you so’ expression. “And so it begins. He’s suddenly embarrassed by mom’s singing. I bet he loved the whole song and dance routine the last birthday you spent together,” Chris taunted with a wink. Henry bit his bottom lip, conflicted, but his tender heart soon shined through. “I didn’t mean it. Singing sounds nice actually,” he replied with a loving smile. Chris gave him a thumbs up behind Regina’s back and waited for her reaction.