A/U: Hi there! So this story is coming to a close, the next chapter will be the last unless I decide to write an epilogue of sorts. I just wanted to say thank you to everybody who has followed/favorited/reviewed this story because it's only the second time I've published anything here and it's really encouraging. So thank you again and as always, I hope you enjoy!
This is the fourth day in a row you notice Emma isn't at work, nor did she stop by the diner for her usual coffee in the morning. When you enter the small diner you see that deplorable woman sitting at the counter, chatting it up with Ruby. But as soon as Ruby lays eyes on you, she clamps her lips shut and Mary-Margaret turns to see you. Her eyes are throwing daggers in your direction and you no longer question if she knows about the other night or not.
You look down at your feet, suddenly ashamed, losing all of your mayoral composure.
"Madame Mayor. What can I get you?" Ruby asks not too politely.
"A-a coffee. To go please," you say feebly. You move closer to Mary-Margaret, suddenly drawn to the woman, wanting to know how Emma is.
"Miss Blanchard, a word please?" you ask, your mayoral mask back in place.
Without moving from her stool, she turns to you and say, "I'm his teacher Regina, you can't stop me from seeing him too." You suddenly hear the waitress behind the counter cuss at the hot liquid, your coffee to be exact, that has splashed up on her legs from dropping the cup after hearing Mary-Margaret's response.
You're taken aback at the sudden change in the school teacher, but then you realize the blue eyes burning holes through you don't belong to Mary-Margaret, they belong to Snow White. The curse is breaking after all.
"Miss Blanchard! I hardly think this is the time or the place, I simply wanted to talk to you. Civilly," you add as an afterthought. This town has enough gossip you don't need to add more to it. She rolls her eyes and slides off the stool. You lead her to the back corner of the diner, hoping for the slightest bit of privacy. Before you have a chance to open your mouth she's crossing her arms and tapping her foot.
"How-how is she?" you ask trying to hide the worry in your tone but failing.
"How do you think she is Regina?!" she yells back at you. 'So much for privacy' you think to yourself.
"Imagine losing the most important thing in your life. Try comforting someone at 3am when they wake up screaming and sobbing," you flinch at that but she doesn't notice. "Try not eating or not having the strength to get out of bed for a week. Then and only then can you know how she is right now." You're staring at your feet when she finishes talking and your arms are wrapped around your stomach.
"You really outdid yourself this time Madame Mayor. I knew you were cold but I had no idea you were such a heartless bitch," she says to you before walking away, her words dripping with venom.
"I'm sorry," you whisper as she walks away but of course she doesn't hear you. You pick your head up, put your mask back in place and turn around, heading out of the diner.
"Madame Mayor?" the waitress calls out, "You forgot our coffee."
"Keep it," you say as you storm out of the diner heading in the opposite direction of your office.
Your mind replays a fight you and your son had just yesterday:
"What did you do to her?!" he tells at you through tears falling from deep green eyes. Her eyes.
"Henry I didn't do anything to her. She-"
"Liar!" he screams at you. You kneel down in front of your son and put your hands on his shoulders, but he quickly backs away from your touch.
"Don't touch me! I hate you!" and he turns to run away from you.
"Henry wait!" you call out, but he is already half way up the stairs on his way to lock himself in his room.
It's the first time you've heard these words from your son's mouth. You've taken away his tv, his PlayStation and his book but he's never uttered those words until now. You've never taken away his savior, his Emma, his mother until now either. You go into your study and pour yourself a glass of cider and mull the words around in your head. 'I hate you' plays on repeat for the rest of the day and into the night.
You didn't sleep well because of it which is why Miss Blanchard's conversation cut so deep this morning.
Before you realize it, you look up and see that your feet have lead you to the hovel that Emma and Mary-Margaret share.