And Then There Was You

VII. The Morning After

Continuing...

[Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from ABC's hit show, ONCE UPON A TIME.]

It was two o'clock in the morning and Emma is still driving home. Mom's gonna kill me for sure. Damn it...

Emma's mother, in most days of the week works graveyard shift, so she usually let her borrow the car in three conditions. One, during the day when she's at home resting, two, her days off, three, emergencies. Tonight is not any of them. Emma rolls onto the driveway as quietly as she could. She turns the ignition off, grabs her stuff that is sitting on the passenger seat, opens the car door without so much of a noise, closes it slowly, then with a small, firm nudge of her thigh, the lock clicks close. The worst is not yet over... Emma thought while she walks inside the apartment building, up to their unit on the third floor. As she nears their unit door, her breathing starts to get heavy and the pounding in her chest becomes more evident. Like a thief in the night, glad as she is wearing all black minus the red leather jacket she decided to hold onto instead of wear, Emma inserts the key into the keyhole then turns it clockwise with the door knob in unison to unlock. She pushes the door slowly and quietly as she could, but to no avail, she got nothing against the creak of an old wooden door. Every time she pushes the door open, the creaking sound became longer and louder. Emma wished she had not opened the door. She wished she had just stayed in the car and waited until her mother entered the bathroom early morning to shower. She even contemplated scaling the wall or climbing the tree next to her bedroom window, but unfortunately, the apartment is three stories high. She would have no way of gaining success without gaining a few cuts and bruises on her person. So instead, Emma decided on plan D.

When the door finally fully opens, the light in the kitchen flickers on. All of a sudden all the other lights in the room followed it. Emma squints, as her eyes are not yet use to the light. Even though she had a few drinks, she knew at this point that plan D had failed.

A few seconds later she hears a too familiar voice booming with a harsh nagging tone. "What in God's name are you still doing up at this hour, young lady!"

"I uh, I lost track of the time?" Emma quips as she hisses through clenched teeth.

Emma's mother, Mary Margaret Swan previously known as Mary Margaret Nolan, returned to her maiden name and fought the court to have the right to change both of her children's surname as well due to the unfortunate circumstances that ultimately had led to a divorce with Emma's father, is standing by the doorway. Emma knew that the divorce between her mother and father was difficult and did a number on her. Both her parents were very young when they first had her, and because of that unexpected moment in their lives, it took a long time before her younger brother, Neal, followed Emma. Mary Margaret took the responsibility of being a good mother and taking care of Emma while she continued her schooling. This was no easy task, but it built up who Mary Margaret really is. Emma's mother is in her long gown nighty with her pixie cut hair tussled from lying on the bed. "Lost track of...? -Oh Emma, what am I gonna do with you! This has gone long enough. You are not allowed to use the car anymore. Am I clear?" Despite the constant nagging, Mary Margaret is still young at heart, who loves her children and before, she could be considered hip as well. Though in this situation, it is more so authoritarian. The divorce sure did a number on her.

Emma tries to keep her calm composure, knowing she's in a predicament and there is no way of convincing her mother otherwise in this state. Although Emma tries to just go-with-the-flow, the slow creep of the alcohol is beginning to take its effect. "Uh..."

Emma's mother continues to nag at her. "Have you been drinking? Oh, for the love of... When are you gonna grow up, Emma? Neal looks up to you, you know? You have to set a good example. Not just for you, but for him too."