Emma ran until the tears took over and she could no longer hear Neal calling after her. Feeling her body curling with the force of her tears, Emma sank down against a wall. Her phone had been going off constantly and she rushed to turn it off, knowing only one person would call her. It felt like hours before her tears dried out and she drifted off to sleep against that wall.
She was shaken awake a while later by a firm hand on her shoulder. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Emma looked up to find an elderly man smiling gently down at her.
"You alright, sweetheart?" he asked softly. Emma nodded out of habit. "Well, that's not true. Why don't ya come into the diner? I'll buy ya breakfast."
Emma frowned at this man. She'd never met someone so friendly for no reason.
"I'm okay, thanks," Emma declined.
"Nonsense," he frowned pulling her to her feet. He looked so frail Emma didn't want to resist in case she hurt him. "I don't want any harm to come to ya, sweetheart."
Emma smiled at him. He wasn't lying. So she followed him inside. It was typical American diner in her mind done up in shades of brown. He settled her in one of the black stalls at the counter.
"What would you like?" he asked gesturing a waitress over.
"I'd kill for a grilled cheese," Emma admitted with a smile and received a soft one in return.
"Anything to drink?" he pressed. "They do killer hot chocolate's here."
"Do they have cinnamon?" Emma countered.
The elderly man chuckled, "indeed they do."
The waitress disappeared at that and Emma frowned at this man who was helping her.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked sceptically.
"You look like you need help," he simply said. "What's your story?"
Emma frowned at the marble counter top, thinking of Neal, of Tallahassee, feeling remorseful but then his words from last night came into her head. He clearly didn't want her anymore if he spinning that load of crap. Emma supposed she should just be glad that he didn't listen to this August character and send her to jail. That was the worst bit; Emma could see in Neal's eyes that he'd considered it. That he thought about letting her take the fall and abandoning her.
"I had fight," Emma admitted.
"Parents?" the old man assumed in a comforting voice.
"Don't have any of those," Emma admitted. "Boyfriend. I think he wanted to get rid of me but didn't have the guts to say it outright."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," the elderly man frowned at her sympathetically but Emma just smiled at him, taking a sip of the hot chocolate that had been placed in front of her. She sighed in happiness. She and Neal rarely got the chance to hit places where she'd be able to have hot chocolate especially with cinnamon. She'd missed it. "Do ya have anyone I can call? Anywhere you'd be safe?"
"No," Emma admitted, glancing sideways at him. "Been … living with my boyfriend these past few months."
"And before that?" he pressed but Emma just shrugged. He probably wouldn't take to kindly to knowing she'd been on her own since she got out of the system. "Tell ya what then. Have a job here. There's a room in the back that ya can sleep in."
Emma turned once again to face him full on, "why?"
"Ya wanna hear my sob story?" Emma nodded. "' had a granddaughter your age. She ran away. Died from the cold. Ain't gonna let that happen to ya."
Emma studied him sadly. The pain in his eyes, the heartbreak on his face, she knew that once again he was telling her the truth.
"Thank you," she whispered softly into her hot chocolate. He smiled fondly at her.
When she'd finished her breakfast, Randy – as she learnt he was called – showed her around his diner and gave her a new hire package. He introduced her to the chef and the floor manager as well as the waitress that took her order. Apparently, he liked to take in strays.
The ordering process seemed easy as did the register and Emma was more than happy to get started. Only Randy told her she'd have to take the night shift since it was the only one open. Emma just grinned at that. It would be quieter and she'd be alone after her first few shifts. The uniform was simple – she just had to wear the beige top. Other than that she could wear what she liked.
The room in back was basic but considering she and Neal had been living in a car for the last few months it was perfect. Emma was sold by the yellow curtains.
"Thank you, Randy," Emma smiled at him as he went to leave. "How I'm gonna to repay you?"
"Work hard," he replied, hobbling away.
Emma flopped down on the bed. God, she missed Neal. Then she shook herself. At least she wasn't in jail. She signed heavily. Thinking back once again to what he said. He honestly believed it all, Emma knew, and she wasn't sure if that made it better or worse. It was insane that was for sure but Emma had never viewed Neal that way before. He had some crazy plans but he in himself was certainly not mad. Was she right in running or should she have stayed and talked to him about it? Was she really willing to break the law for him but not to listen to whatever crazy belief had taken hold of him? Emma buried her face in her hands. She was finally happy. They were happy. They were going to have a home. Together. She wiped away the tear that fell down her face. She would not cry as much as she wanted to.
Slowly it began to dawn on Emma that she literally had nothing now. No clothes, no money, everything had been left with Neal – even her baby blanket, even that pretty key chain he got her. She would have loved to at least have that because, as unsure as she was right now, she'd have liked to have a part of him. Crazy he may clearly be but she still loved him. Emma could tell that that would never go away.