Chapter 4
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Emma's eyes widened when she heard what her mommy just said. She told Sheriff Graham that she would take her. She would be her new foster mommy. Emma was feeling so excited. She knew she probably shouldn't get her hopes up just yet, things didn't usually work out in her favor too often, but she might actually get to live with her mommy. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.
Mary Margaret let what she had just said really sink in. She had just volunteered to take in a child. A child that would completely be her responsibility. She was a teacher, so she was great with children, but this was different. She only spent about eight hours a day with the students in her class. If she took Emma in, she would have much more than just an eight hour day. Mary Margaret thought maybe she spoke too soon. Was this the right choice? Could she be a parent? Could she be the mother figure that Emma desperately needed? She wasn't sure. She didn't know if she could actually do this. However, when Mary Margaret looked down and saw that bright smile on that beautiful little girl's face, all of her doubts went away, and she knew she could do this.
"Mary Margaret, are you sure? Do you even know what you just said?" Graham asked with a raise of his eyebrows.
"Yes, I know what I just said and yes, I'm sure," Mary Margaret told him confidently.
"Okay then. I'll have to talk to Emma's social worker about it and see what she says," Graham said before leaving the room to make the phone call.
"So, I'm going to come live with you?" Emma asked as she looked up at Mary Margaret with hopeful eyes.
"If that's what you want, Emma. I'm sorry, I probably should have asked you if you were alright with it first," Mary Margaret told her as she realized she didn't even take Emma's feelings into consideration when she offered to take her in. Emma did seem to like her very much, but would she want to come live with her? Mary Margaret wasn't sure, but she really hoped so. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was just something about this little girl. Mary Margaret felt such a bond with her in only the little time she's known her.
"I do! I really do," Emma said as she practically bounced up and down on the bed with excitement. She wanted to be with her mommy more than anything.
Mary Margaret couldn't help but smile at the little girl's excitement. She really hoped everything would work out and she could take sweet little Emma home with her soon. She didn't want her going back to the group home, where she would eventually be placed with a family that didn't treat her right. Emma deserved to be with someone who would truly care for her.
Mary Margaret sat with Emma and watched cartoons with her while they waited for Graham to come back with some news. They made it through a couple episodes of The Smurfs before he finally came back.
He told Mary Margaret that Emma's social worker was glad to hear that someone wanted to take her in. She didn't want Emma going back to the group home either. She was even more pleased to hear that Mary Margaret was a school teacher, that was definitely a plus. All the social worker needed to do now was come meet Mary Margaret and make sure her home was a suitable place for Emma to live. She told Graham she would be at Mary Margaret's place the next day. Luckily, tomorrow was Saturday, so Mary Margaret didn't have to work.
Mary Margaret was thrilled that everything seemed to be working out. She wasn't concerned about the home visit. Her apartment was suitable for taking in a child. She had a spare bedroom upstairs that would be perfect for Emma. She thought maybe she should go home and tidy up a bit though. She kept her place very clean, but she just wanted everything to be perfect for tomorrow.
Emma listened to what Graham said and couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was actually going to get to live her mommy. No more mean families or that scary group home. Things were working out a lot better than Emma had hoped. She hasn't even been in Storybrooke for very long, and now she was about to go home with her mommy. Her mommy may not remember her just yet, but Emma knew she could help her remember soon.
Mary Margaret stayed with Emma through dinner, to make sure she actually ate this time. Fortunately, Emma's meal was more kid-friendly, so she ate it without any problems. It was getting close 7:30, and Mary Margaret really wanted to get home so she could get everything ready for the social worker tomorrow. She knew Emma probably wouldn't want her to leave though, just like last night. She looked over at little girl and was grateful to see her eyes starting to droop, she would be asleep any minute.
"Emma, just close your eyes and go to sleep sweetie," Mary Margaret told her when she noticed Emma was really fighting off the sleep that was trying to take over her little body.
"No, I don't want to," Emma said as she rubbed her eyes.
"Why don't you want to sleep, Emma?" Mary Margaret asked, already knowing the answer.
"Because then you'll leave," Emma said as she looked up at her mommy with sad eyes.
"Yes, you're right, but do you remember why I have to leave?" Mary Margaret asked Emma with a smile. "I have to get my apartment all ready for you to come live with me. I have to get it just right for your social worker."
"Oh, yeah," Emma said with a small smile.
"How about I make you a deal. I'll stay here until you fall asleep, then come back first thing in the morning and have breakfast with you before I have to go meet with your social worker. Sound good?"
"Mhmm," Emma said with a nod of her head.
"But you have to promise that you'll try to go to sleep for me."
"Okay I will," Emma promised. She really didn't want her mommy to leave, but she knew that she had to. Emma trusted that she would be back in the morning like she said though.
It only took a few minutes before Emma's eyes finally closed and she was sound asleep. Mary Margaret quietly left and headed home to tidy up her already clean apartment.
Emma was happy to wake up and find her mommy sitting next to her bed, just like she had promised. They even had breakfast together before she had to leave again to have the meeting with her social worker.
Emma had gotten bored with the cartoons on the TV and decided to pull out her storybook and read. She had read these stories a lot since that little boy gave her the book. She loved them so much though and never got tired of reading them. She was trying to read the stories, but she couldn't focus, she was too worried about her mommy and the social worker. They were taking a really long time…at least in Emma's little mind. Emma kept looking at the clock, even though she couldn't quite tell time yet. She was getting nervous and really wanted her mommy to come back.
Just as Emma got her mind to finally focus on one of the stories in her book, she heard the door to her room open. She looked up with a smile, hoping to see her mommy, but it wasn't her. It was Dr. Whale and a nurse. Her face dropped, and she could feel those butterflies in her tummy again. She had a bad feeling about this.
"Hi Emma," Dr. Whale said, trying to sound cheerful for the little girl.
"Hi," Emma whispered as she looked down.
"I just have to give you a quick check up, before I can let you leave okay?" Dr. Whale told her.
"Okay," Emma said reluctantly. She knew this was going to have to happen eventually, and she knew once it was over she would get to go home with her mommy.
She sat and did everything Dr. Whale asked her to do. She let him listen to her heart, she took big breaths when he wanted to listen to her lungs, and she didn't object when he wanted to look inside her ears, nose, and mouth. She even let him look at her wrist. He told her that as long as she was careful, she could leave the brace off. Emma was very glad to hear that.
"Now, there's just one more thing we have to do before I can let you go home, okay?" Dr. Whale said, a little nervous about how Emma was going to react.
Emma looked up and saw what the nurse had in her hand. It was a shot. Emma did not like shots. Emma quickly scooted back on her bed, trying to get as far away from the grown ups as she could. Shots hurt, really bad, and she was not going to let them give her one.
"I…I don't want that," Emma said, her voice a little shaky.
"Emma, it's okay…" Dr. Whale tried to reassure her.
"No!" Emma screamed as she tried to get away from the doctor. Tears began to fall down her face, and she desperately looked around the room for her mommy. Where was she? Why wasn't she back yet? She wanted her mommy. "No, no, I don't want that!" Emma yelled again as the shot came closer pushing the nurse's hand away.
"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asked frantically as she ran over to Emma and scooped her up in her arms.
Emma was so relieved that her mommy was here, and she wrapped her arms around her neck, latching on tight.
"Mary Margaret, Emma has to have this shot before she is allowed to leave with you," Dr. Whale explained.
Mary Margaret nodded her head. "Just give me a minute," she told Dr. Whale. She knew she was going to have to convince Emma to get the shot somehow.
"Hey, sweetie. It's okay," Mary Margaret started to say as she rubbed circles on Emma's back.
"I…don't want…a shot," Emma said in between sobs as she leaned back to look at her mommy.
"I know, but you really need it to make you all better," Mary Margaret told Emma as she wiped the tears from her eyes and brushed the hair from her face.
"But they hurt," Emma said as shook her head.
"Emma…I know shots hurt a little bit, but it doesn't last very long. I know you're a brave little girl. You can do this. And as soon as you're done, you get to come home with me," Mary Margaret told her with a smile. The meeting with the social worker had gone well and Mary Margaret was now officially Emma's foster parent.
Emma smiled at the thought of getting to go home with her mommy. She was really scared about getting the shot, but if that's what she had to do to get out of here, then she thought maybe she could do it.
"Will you still hold me when they do it?" Emma whispered into her ear.
"Of course I will," Mary Margaret said, her heart practically melting at Emma's scared little voice.
Emma laid her head down onto her mommy's shoulder and held on tight. Mary Margaret nodded at the nurse, letting her know it was okay to come and administer the shot. Emma winced in pain as the nurse gave her the shot. A few more tears fell from her eyes, but now it was all over.
"See, that wasn't so bad," Mary Margaret told Emma with a smile as she wiped the remaining tears from her face. "Are you ready to go home now?"
Emma nodded her head and wiggled down from her mom's grasp. She was excited to get out of here and see where her mommy lived…where she would be living now. She went to get her storybook and her blanket. She put them both safely into her backpack. Mary Margaret helped her get dressed, making a mental note to take Emma shopping to get some new clothes. The few items of clothing she had were very worn. Mary Margaret signed all of the necessary papers for Emma to be discharged, and they made their way out of the hospital.
Mary Margaret got Emma settled into her new booster seat, and they drove home. When they arrived at the apartment, Emma excitedly jumped out of the car and held onto her mommy's hand. They walked up lots and lots of stairs before they finally made it to the front door. Mary Margaret pulled out her key and unlocked the door. She opened the door and guided Emma inside.
"Well, here we are," Mary Margaret told Emma with a smile. "We're home."
Home. That was something Emma never had before. Emma couldn't help but smile as she looked around the apartment. She was home, and she couldn't be happier.
