Miles To Go

Chapter Sixty-One

Three days after Cora's sudden death, on a rainy, cold Wednesday in September, she was laid to rest next to her father in the cemetery just on the outskirts of the north end of town. Regina stood under the large umbrella Emma held, watching her casket being lowered into the ground. There was no funeral, no visitation, no wake. This was it, just as Cora Mills' will had stated, to be buried without making a spectacle over her death.

Regina hadn't said barely two words to anyone since she spoke with Kathryn. While she knew Emma was trying to give her time and space to grieve her mother's death, she was far past the grieving stage, not having any other thoughts about that woman other than she was thrilled she was dead and gone and out of her life for good.

Regina turned to Emma and motioned that she wanted to leave. Emma nodded, turning and walking with her back to the Sheriff's car, Emma holding the umbrella over her as she got into the passenger seat. She groaned quietly as Emma slammed the door shut a little too hard and moments later she was sliding in behind the wheel.

"Do you want to go home?" Emma asked. "Or maybe we can go to the Diner and get a nice hot cup of coffee and—"

"I have work I need to do, Emma," Regina said tightly. "Take me to my office, please."

"Regina, you just buried your mother, I think you deserve a day off."

"I told you, I have work I need to do."

"Okay, okay," Emma said quickly, driving out of the cemetery on the narrow gravel road and headed back into town. "Are you okay?"

"Would everyone please stop asking me if I am okay?" Regina snapped. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine, just anxious to get some much needed work done today."

Emma nodded and focused on the road and Regina just turned and looked out the window, watching a few raindrops as they glided against the drag, one becoming another, growing until the wind licked it away. Regina focused on only the raindrops and not the thoughts that dared evade her mind and when the car came to a stop just outside the town hall, Emma slid the gear into park and placed a gentle, warm hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, I know you're tired of everyone asking if you're okay. I'm just...concerned."

"You needn't be."

"Regina?" Emma stopped her when she reached for the door. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Emma frowned, her bottom lip jutting out slightly as her frown turned into a pout. Regina rolled her eyes at how ridiculously adorable Emma looked in that moment and she leaned towards her, kissing her softly. Without another word, she slipped out of the car and dashed for the entrance and slipped inside.

Work. She'd focus on work for the next few hours and not think at all about how she had just buried her mother.

**********

Emma drove home, not feeling up to going in to the station, especially not in such crappy weather. August had things handled and it wasn't as if they'd get more than a call or two due to an accident somewhere in town due to the heavy rain storm that had started sometime overnight.

She sat in the patrol car for a few minutes, thinking about the way that Regina was acting over her mother's death. Everyone grieved in different ways, that much she understood, but Regina had been distant ever since she'd come home on Sunday to find Kathryn sitting in the kitchen and Regina isolating herself in their bedroom. After a loud crack of thunder shook the ground, Emma darted out of the car and into the house.

When they set out for the cemetery not even an hour ago, Emma had hoped that they would come home together, curl up in bed and spend the rest of that rainy, dreary day cuddling together. Regina had barely touched her, barely kissed her in the last few days and she pushed her away at night whenever she attempted to hold her or spoon her. She hated being pushed away, but she was trying her hardest to understand, to give Regina time and space to get through this hard time.