Forever In Her Heart

Chapter Fifteen

"Where is your mother?" I hear Ruby's voice coming from the hallway, persuading my face to bury deep inside the pink princess pillowcase.

"In Ellie's bed," the muffled sound of Henry's voice causes my heart to break even further.

I squeeze my eyes painfully tight and wish there was someway I could teleport myself anywhere, but here. There is a thick silence enveloping the entire upstairs, ceasing the erratic beating of my heart. I lay perfectly still, straining to hear any sort of noise coming from the hall.

"Get up," Ruby orders, but I remain frozen, my face hidden from this cruel world. "I mean it Regina, get up!" Her harsh voice is jagged and laced with anger, slicing through the thick tension between us, but I don't budge. "If you don't get up and get going, I'm going to have Neal pick your ass up and toss you into a freezing cold shower."

I know in my heart that she means every word, but still I cannot find the motivation to move.

"Regina," Neal's voice is barely above a whisper as the bed dips beside me. "You need to get up. You have to go. You have to be there for your kids and for Emma."

I peek my head out from under the pillow, glaring at my friends before me through swollen eyes. My lip begins to quiver, but I bite back my tears. "Be there for Emma? How can I be there for someone, who isn't even here?"

"You need to get out of bed. Out of Ellie's bed. Why are you in her bed anyway?" Ruby questions as she starts angrily picking up some toys scattered across the floor.

I know she needs a distraction from the heavy situation and she's just trying to keep herself busy. It's easier to pretend everything's okay when you distract yourself with mindless tasks, but again I cannot seem to help myself in such a way. So, I bury my face back into the pillow and hide away.

"I can't sleep in our bed. I can't be in that room without Emma," I mumble into the tear soaked pillow.

"Why Ellie's bed?" Neal cautiously asks.

"She...she looks just like Emma," I mutter mostly to myself, feeling the shame and embarrassment creep up my neck and paint my cheeks a deep shade of red.

Ruby yanks the blanket off of me causing my body to shiver from the bitter cold air. "You can't stay in here anymore. You have to get up. We have to leave in a half hour," she diligently instructs with no emotion behind her words. I wonder how the hell she is able to fake being so strong. I roll over to face the wall and curl my limbs into the fetal position, ignoring them once again. "Fine! Neal?"

"Ruby, I-"

"No! Pick her ass up!" Her voice is booming so powerfully that I actually hear the echo bouncing off the walls.

I cringe to myself, pressing my knees further into my chest before I feel Neal's strong arms slipping underneath my ribs and legs.

"Neal, stop," I whine, but he ignores my plea. I rapidly swing my legs trying to kick him away, but his grip only tightens before he swings me over his shoulder. I resume my swift kicks and attempt to wiggle free all while I keep screaming for him to stop. I am far worse than a three year throwing a temper tantrum in a candy store. Come to think of it, none of my children have ever thrown a tantrum like the one I'm producing right now. "This isn't funny! Put me down!"