Their bags were packed.
Emma stole one last glance around the apartment. They'd had some good times in there, no matter how cramped or mildewy it was. Henry's ninth birthday, where they ate chocolate cake with their hands after someone had forgotten to wash all the cutlery. Graham, cooking them lamb stew for their sixth months anniversary right before he spilled the news he was leaving. Henry practising his role for Bugsy Malone, the school play, and finally getting the courage to sing. Emma knew she was going to miss their home, but what could she do? She was already at a tense time at Blanchard's, and she highly doubted she could get any more money. It was times like these that she considered calling Neal, asking him for help. No, though. She couldn't go back to him. She'd fall under his spell, an enchantment he cast upon her every time she saw him. He'd broken her heart, he'd ruined her. Neal had nothing to give her but Henry.
"Mom?" Henry's voice beckoned her to the hallway. Closing the door one, final time, Emma sighed and picked up a cardboard box full of trinkets from her childhood. Purposefully, Emma walked down the stairs, following Henry's voice singing down the stairs. Regina, Mr Mills rebellious teenage daughter and Henry's frequent babysitter, came behind Emma; carrying the final suitcase. Once they were at the bottom of the stairs, Emma saw Ruby holding the door open. Today she was wearing denim dungarees on top of a shiny red blouse with a black Peter Pan collar. Emma was glad she'd managed to persuade not to go for her favourite pair of obsidian black pumps. Ruby was always looking for an occasion to wear her only pair of high quality and designer heel's, just to show how cool she was. But this wasn't the neighbourhood to do it in. Or the job. She didn't understand how she could totter around all day in her kitten heels, but lifting suitcases and heavy boxes around was not a job for expensive shoes.
Emma walked through the doorway of the apartment complex, smiling at the afternoon sun. She could feel its warmth tickling her face, flaming tendrils stroking her cheek, kissing her lips. Emma decided to enjoy it whilst it lasted, knowing it would be the last time this weather would be like this till at least next year. She wished she had the day free, so that she could pack a picnic, jump on a train and take Henry to the beach. But no, she had to move the rest of her baggage to Ruby's. She'd already set up most of their stuff yesterday, but the breakables went today.
Emma clutched the box tighter, scared it might fall. There were things in their she did not want Henry to see. Or anyone else.
"You got everything?" Ruby asked, breaking Emma's concentration. "Emma?" Ruby asked again, perturbed.
"I'm fine, just lost in my thoughts" Emma waved away Ruby's concern. She looked around for Henry, and spotted him conversing with Regina.
"I'm gonna miss you Henry!" Regina said, her voice breaking. She was trying to stay strong, but she really couldn't. Henry was the closest thing she had to family, ever since her mother had died and left her father a shell of his former self. Even when he complained about her smothering him, she loved him. Regina hugged him hard, fat, wet tears falling on her cheeks. Henry hugged her back, unsure. He'd been told it was an adventure, staying at Ruby's home. He'd have to help her with her grandmother, and share a room with his mom, but they'd have a proper Christmas. Henry wasn't sure what his mom had meant by that. To him, a proper Christmas was the one they always had. At least she seemed to be happy.
"C'mon Henry!" Ruby hollered she held open the door of the cab. The driver was waiting impatiently, looking at his meter. After giving Regina another hug, he shrugged his backpack on and got in the car. Emma smiled and waved at Regina, and climbed into the back of the cab; squashed next to her son.
Emma closed her eyes. She was so unsure at the moment. She'd be fine at Ruby's for a while, but what if she never found somewhere? What if she was forced to live on the streets?
Henry's voice broke her train of thought, stealing her attention. "Mom, what's for lunch? Are we eating at Ruby's? Is it true we're having burgers for dinner? Can I have a sandwich?" he asked her, a stream of question continuously pouring from his mouth. Emma shook her hair slightly; shifting the strands out of her eyes. She fiddled around, trying to find her purse, where she'd stored some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crust cut off. The heavy box on her lap, however, was taking up too much room. Emma thought for a moment. Should she hand it over to Henry, and risk him peeking inside? Or should she let him starve, given the congestion on the road. "Mom, I'm hungry!" Henry whined again. Emma decided to take a chance, and gently placed the cardboard box on Henry's lap, found her purse at the bottom of her feet; and opened it. A whiff of peanut butter escaped, filing her senses and reminding her how hungry she was. "Here, your favourite. Now stop complaining." Emma said as she tossed Henry a sandwich. She took a large bite out of her own, smiling at the creamy goodness of the peanut butter and the sweet, sharp taste of the grape jelly. Emma closed her eyes, and felt the nostalgia welling up in her throat.
When Emma was thirteen, she had lived with a woman called Sarah Fisher. Sarah Fisher had antarctic blue eyes, and long, platinum blonde hair. Emma liked to imagine that she looked like her, that she was her real mother come to take care of her. The other children in Sarah's care didn't like Emma, but Sarah did. Emma had been most happiest with Sarah. Whenever she got home from school, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for her with a glass of cool, creamy milk. Without having to look at the note by the side of the plate, always informing Emma what time Sarah would back from work, she knew it was meant for her. In the evening's, after they had finished their meals, Sarah would bring out a selection of ice creams. It was like magic, the way she could guess what flavour you wanted and bring it home later that day. Emma's favourite was Reese's peanut butter cups ice cream. August, one of the boys Sarah looked after, like the mahogany dark chocolate. After a couple months of living there, Sarah announced her intention to adopt Emma. Only, something had gone wrong. Emma wasn't sure exactly what it was, only knew that she had come home from school one afternoon to find a social worker waiting for her; and the sound of Sarah sobbing upstairs.
Tears pooled at the corner of Emma's eyes. She blinked them away, and looked down at the sandwich. She wasn't hungry any more.
The cab suddenly lurched forward, and Emma looked out the window. They were out of the traffic, and into the deep and dark neighbourhood Ruby lived in. Youths in baseball caps, jeans slung low around the buttocks, leered at Emma, putting their fingers in the air. They made racist remarks at the driver, who quickly wound his car window up. Just in time too, as a scrawny teen lunged at him; pen knife protruding from his sleeve. Pen knife. Hardly the most daunting weapon; Emma tutted in her head. Only a minute later did she realise that she had criticised the teen, not for attempting to hurt anyone, but for his weapon of choice. Emma chuckled slightly, gaining strange looks from Henry and Ruby. She had been living too long in Mattapan.
The cab stopped at the entrance to Ruby's, where a heated argument was taking place. Mr Gold, with his young bride fastened to his side, was shouting obscenities at a figure clad in leather who she did not recognise. The man, she realised, threw his arms up in the air and stomped off, entering the bowling alley next door. It was only midday and already the place was full of drunken fools and unkempt women smoking and spitting. Emma couldn't hope but notice that the Jolly Roger, as it was called, was actually a decent place. Pirate themed, she bet the food and service was first-rate and everything would be in working condition. If it hadn't have been here. But it was here, and that meant that it was one star, two star if she was being nice. She could already feel the stench of day old vomit and hookers clinging to her skin. Around the corner, was a strip club, called Unfortunate Souls. Emma had only heard bad things about that place, and did not enjoy the thought of living so close to it. It wasn't the bizarre, underwater theme, or the strange smell of heated plastic that emanated from the neon sign. It was the shady, backhand drug deals they did in the alley behind it. It was common knowledge to the people of Mattapan that Unfortunate Souls, one of the most popular strip clubs in this area of Boston, dealt in cocaine, molly, LSD and more. Once a month the police conducted a raid, arrested some low-level gangster; and shut the place down. The next day, however, it would open again, with a new drug king-pin popping up.
Graham had been investigating Unfortunate Souls, Emma thought. It had driven him away from her, along with the only chance of happiness she'd had in a long time.
Emma took the cardboard box off Henry's knees, and stepped out of the cab. She went round to the driver, and paid him for his time whilst Henry got the belongings out of the car boot. Ruby staggered towards Mr Gold on the uneven pavement, almost falling flat on her face. The last time Ruby had done that, she'd had six jaegermeisters and pitcher of sangria, and she'd gone to work the next day like nothing happened. Man, could that girl hold her liquor, Emma thought sincerely.
"Mr Gold, everything okay?" Ruby asked, holding on to his arm as she steadied herself, earning a scowl from his wife Belle.
"No dearie, because that... that poncy little man thinks he can shower me with money and everything's all right! I don't care about the money, I care about the standards. The standards!" Mr Gold snapped at her. Ruby stepped back, shocked. "What happened, Mr Gold?" she asked again.
"One of his disgusting customers took a piss on Belle's begonias. I tell you, he wouldn't even apologise. Why couldn't he have opened that bloody place somewhere else?" Mr Gold bellowed, turning furiously around and walking into the apartment complex. His doting wife glared again at Ruby, who look mystified, and ran back in after her husband.
Emma glanced at Ruby, who was too busy inspecting her blouse. She turned around, smiling at Henry. He was standing beside the pavement, struggling to carry the suitcase and the three plastic bags in his hands. The cab left, and Ruby sighed. "What? What is it?" Emma asked, curious.
"This has a hole in it," Ruby replied, gesturing to her blouse. "No wonder Belle kept giving me the evil-eye."
Emma laughed. "Sure," she said, "That's why." Emma carried the cardboard box to the door of the complex, and went inside. She could smell vanilla and gingerbread, the scent choking her as she opened her mouth to call in Henry. Underneath the smell, however, she could just detect the lingering odour of alcohol and pee. Now that made sense. Emma could see the forlorn begonias resting by the stairwell, where the source of all the smells was coming from.
"What the-" Ruby exclaimed, covering her nose with her free hand. Henry giggled at her expression, making his way to the elevator. Emma smiled. Suddenly an attractive man, with slicked back ebony hair and sharp features sprinted down the stairs, winking at Emma as he ran out the door. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and waistcoat, looking rather pleasant for someone in this neighbourhood. "That was Eric. He's the bartender next door." Ruby said candidly, looking down at her hands. Emma wondered if she'd ever had thing with him. It would explain the blush rising on her cheeks. What an interesting start to and interesting adventure, she thought. "Hang on a sec, the Jolly Roger has a bar?" Henry asked, confused.
"Yeah. As well as that, and the actual bowling alley and shoe rental, it has a diner and arcade. That place is huge." Ruby responded.
"Do many of the employees stay here, Ruby?" Emma inquired. Ruby shook her head.
"Eric's the only one. He's head barman though, so he spend most of his time there. Everyone who works there seems to hang out there." Ruby said. She then preceded to step into the elevator, which had just arrived, and gestured Henry and Emma to join her. Emma looked back at the door and smiled.
For some reason, she had a good feeling about the move. No, it wasn't because a cute guy had winked at her in the complex lobby. Honestly, Emma wasn't sure what it was. She didn't like the Jolly Roger, or Unfortunate Souls. But she loved Ruby and her grandmother. She loved Henry. Emma had the feeling that this was going to be the best Christmas she'd had for a long while.
The last time Emma had had a good Christmas, like a really good Christmas, she'd been staying with Sarah Fisher. Sarah loved Christmas, she loved the snow. They would make snow angels in the morning at weekends, going shopping for presents and stopping for some hot chocolate as a treat. It was Sarah who first introduced her to the concept of having cinnamon on her hot chocolate. You could practically taste the smell on your tongue.
Henry looked at his mother smiling wistfully. He wondered what she was thinking about. He wondered if she was really happy.
Ruby was busy poking the hole in her blouse. The bright, berry red made it feel like a Christmas themed clothing item, although she'd bought it in the summer. She hoped her grandmother would be able to fix it. She enjoyed sewing and knitting, these days. It was easy, she didn't have to move around all the time. Sure, Ruby got some pretty itchy sweaters over the years but who cared. It made her joyous.
Emma tried desperately to stop thinking about Sarah Fisher, and about Graham. She packed those old, painful memories back in a box in the back of her mind. It hurt too much to think. Goodness, at this rate she'd start reminiscing over Neal, and then there'd be trouble.
The elevator doors slid open.