Em woke up the next morning much more cheerful. When he got back from the hospital his letter for joining as the new Sheriff of town was waiting for him. Finally he has something to do. He decided to visit his office and finish the formalities. Getting ready he got in his car, he pulled out his phone and dialled Regina's number who was still in the hospital. A few rings later Regina picked up the phone.
"Hi, its me Em. " He introduced as he was sure she doesnt have his number.
"Oh, hi" Regina replied tiredly.
"How are you feeling ? Had breakfast yet?' He asked with concern.
"Much better and yes I did " Regina replied softly, even though she didnt know what to feel about his sudden change of behaviour.
"Alright, take rest. I am going to the station, got my appointment letter"
"Okay' Thats all Regina could say.
Em spend most of the day going through the joining procedure and knowing the town a bit. Since Regina was going to be cleared to come home that day, he decided to visit her at the hospital. He also took Ruby with him. Ruby was a but shocked to see her best friend lighting a candle at the church just outside the has never seen him pray before.
Regina was at the register settling her bills when Em walked in. When he saw Regina he hurried walked towards her.
"Hey what are you doing ? Give me the bills I will pay ." Em tried to get the bills from Regina but she didnt let him.
"Why?' She asked skeptical.
"What why? You dont have to worry about these things. I am here and I will take care of it. You just get in the car and relax okay." He told Regina and turned to the staff at the register to ask for the amount to be paid.
Regina was livid " What the hell do you think you are doing ? I can settle my own bills, and whats with this good behaviour. You think I will forget what you did." She shouted at him. Heads turned and all the eyes were on them.
"Regina, I am sorry for what I did. Right now please let me pay the bills for you. " Em almost pleaded.
"Look you asked that's why I told you all those things. But dont get any wrong ideas. I dont need anyone's help especially not yours. Now leave me alone" With that Regina paid the bills and walked out. Em stood there tears filled his eyes. Ruby was once again shocked.
"Okay, I lost there. What the hell just happened?" She asked Em.
"I was just trying to be nice. She hates me bro. Tell me how to make her like me...tell me bro" Em whimpered
"Okay, okay, I will think of something dammit"
"No one saw us right?" Em asked his bestfriend quietly. Ruby looked around. Everyone were looking at them.
"No one, except the hundreds staring at us right now." Ruby facepalmed herself.
Ruby adjusted to the town pretty quickly. She got a place for herself and a job at the mechanical workshop. They both spend the evening at Ruby's loft drinking. Em was so sad about how Regina behaved.
"You said be nice to her and look what she did" Em started blaming Ruby.
"Woah, woah how is it my fault ?" Ruby defended.
"Then whose fault is it? Wasnt I nice? Wasnt I?huh"
"Yea bro you were nice. But who know may be she wasnt in the mood." Ruby tried to reason
"Why was she not in the mood? You know what I think..."
"You know what I had way too much whiskey " Ruby finished as she took the now empty bottle of whiskey from his hands.
"Correct.." and with that Em was passed out.
"Oh hell no, dont pass out on me man. Cmon, now whose gonna get your ass home " Ruby started shaking a very drunk Em who just mumbled "You" and blacked out.
Regina was about to go to bed when the door bell rang. She opened the door to see Ruby standing there or trying really hard to stand still. Ruby smiled wide. Before Regina could say something she started.
"Usually married guys bring flowers or chocolates to their wives after work. You know what he does , he brings a whiskey and chips to me. He drinks until he passes out and I dont even have a girlfriend because he is with me all the time drinking or making me drink " she continued "You know if someone drinks when they are in love, it means their love is a failure but if someone drinks after marriage, their life is a failure. My friend over there drank when he failed in love and now he is drinking because he is failing in life " Ruby almost cried speaking about her friend.
"Look, I never asked him to drink. Its his decision, from the day I saw him , he has been drinking. Its not my fault that he is a characterless person" Regina wasnt going to back down.
"Characterless? What do you know about him? I have been with him since we were in diapers. I had seen him go through the worst. I am happy that he isnt dead yet. If you heard what happened in his life, you would jump out of the tallest building and die." Ruby blurted out in anger.
Regina was surprised to hear the new information. Her eyes softened for a brief moment. "What happened ?" She asked.
Sighing Ruby added "Its a long story, can we sit somewhere and talk ?"
"Sure, come on in " Regina invited Ruby to her house. They sat on the couch while Ruby told her what happened in Em's life.