Bluest of Grey Skies

Chapter Eighteen

Emma stared out the window as the winding road became straighter and the trees gave way to lush farmland and soon after, houses and then neighborhoods as they arrived in Portland, Maine. Regina found a motel not far from the interstate and she pulled into the parking lot, coming to a stop just outside the motel's office.

Regina was fidgeting and Emma could tell that there was something bothering her. She reached out for her and was quickly shrugged away. With a frown, Emma unbuckled the seatbelt and just stared at the other woman, wanting to ask her what was wrong, but not wanting to push her since she seemed to be in a very different state of mind than she had been earlier.

Emma turned to check on the sleeping toddler in the back seat, smiling at the way he sat with his head lolled to one side, thumb in his mouth and his blanket clutched tightly to his chest. It hadn't been too long of a drive, but he was exhausted after a long day at Johanna's and she knew when he woke up, he would be hungry. She looked back at Regina and reached out for her again and this time Regina didn't shrug her off or pull away.

"We should get a room and then find somewhere to have dinner," Emma said quietly as to not wake Henry up just yet. "Regina?"

"Right," she nodded and looked over at her. Her brown eyes were rather dull with a somewhat of a faraway look in them. "I'll be right back."

Emma watched her enter the office and even in the darkening sky, she found it hard to see her through the window. She sighed and waited, her fingers drumming over her knee continuously until Regina returned to the car and backed out of the spot. She said nothing as she drove through the small parking lot and came to a stop at the last spot on the end and parked in front of the last room.

She said nothing still when she slipped out of the car and popped the trunk, grabbing all three suitcases and it was the slam of the trunk that woke Henry from his nap. Emma carried him out of the car and stood behind Regina as she fidgeted with the key in the door, finally managing to get it to unlock after nearly a whole minute. Emma hung back while Regina brought their luggage inside the room and flipped on the light. She entered with Henry fussing in her arms and frowned at the state of the room and the way the stale cigarette smoke clung to the air.

"One bed?" Emma asked and Regina sighed in an irritated way. "It's all they had?"

"Yes. There is a cot in the closet. I'll sleep on that," she replied without looking over at her and walked to the closet by the door and yanked the door open. She pulled out the cot and struggled to get it to unfold. "Why don't you and Henry settle in and I'll go get us something to eat?"

"O—okay," Emma nodded and sat down on the edge of the double bed with Henry still in her arms. "You won't be long, will you?"

"No. There is a diner just up the road."

Emma said nothing, she only watched as Regina removed her badge from her belt along with the holster. She took the gun out of it, placed it down the back of her jeans, and hid it beneath her jacket. Regina didn't even look back as she slipped out of the room and locked the door behind her. Emma ran a soothing hand over her son's back as he started fussing again.

"Mama, I'm hungry."

"I know," she whispered and she kissed his forehead lightly. "Regina went to get us some dinner."

"Smells funny," Henry said as he scrunched up his face and Emma couldn't help but laugh.

"I know, it does, doesn't it?" She said and she placed him on the bed and walked over to the window. She opened it just as Regina backed the Mustang out of the spot and the tires spun on the pavement as she hit the gas. Emma swallowed thickly as she opened the window as wide as it would go before turning around. "Look, Henry, there is a television."