The Perfect Emma

Chapter Forty-Four

Grayson Todd

Though Gray would've been more than happy to stay at the LAPD and continue to punch Aaron in various places, Emma was his more important priority. Taking her home had been the only acceptable option.

Of course, he hadn't expected her to notice Aaron's mentioning of Gray's wife. And he certainly hadn't expected her to ask about it.

Now that the entire investigation, seven long years of searching for the Ghost Killer was at a head, Grayson felt...a great deal of things. Obviously his anger had resurfaced, both new anger and very old anger, and he was of course immensely relieved to have the criminal in custody. But having become a cop in the first place for the sole reason of catching the killer, and having now done so, was a bittersweet thing.

Of course, it wasn't over until Aaron got what he deserved, but that was right around the corner, seemingly.

Ordering a pizza was a good way to get his mind, both their minds, off of things. Thankfully Emma seemed to realize that Gray didn't want to talk about his wife, but....Well, now that she knew, he didn't see a benefit in not telling her. More than once he'd been told to talk about it, to someone, anyone, but for a long time, he'd refused. Nobody understood, nobody would understand, so what was the point? To earn an awkward pat on the back and an "I'm sorry for your loss"?

But Emma was different. Emma did understand. Hell, she understood arguably better than Gray himself did. She'd lived it.

However, he couldn't just spill his guts. He had to mentally harden himself for that. While the pair of them waited for their pizza, they were relatively quiet, and even the conversation they did have wasn't very animated.

"So um...." Emma started.

Grayson looked at her with a blink. "Yeah?"

She hugged herself a little and exhaled. Seeing the discomfort in whatever she was thinking, he touched her back and ran it along her spine. "You're...probably wondering why I was at the park."

He hadn't thought much of it, but now that she mentioned it, he was questioning the detour. "I suppose so. Why, what brought you there?"

Emma blew out her breath. "I told Doctor Simon about getting a divorce." Then she gave a tiny chuckle. "He was as concerned for my lack of concern a you were."

Gray managed to chuckle himself. "I'm glad there's something a shrink and I can agree on. So what, he told you to go to the park?"

"Kinda," she replied, tilting her head. "He told me....Well, I told him that everything before....It didn't feel real. So he told me to go someplace with lots of old memories. With Arthur specifically."

He nodded, considering this. It made sense. Places where memories were made were incredibly powerful things. It was the reason Gray lived in this apartment—rather than the home he'd once shared with Rosie. Though, he did a lot more avoiding memorable places than seeking them out. "So how did that go?" he asked curiously. "Er. Besides. You-know-what."

She scooted closer to him ever so slightly, and whether the action was intentional or subconscious, Gray didn't know. Then she shrugged, the kind of shrug one makes when they're trying not to be as emotional as they might feel. "It....It hurts," she finally did murmur, and he could see the newfound pain in her eyes. He pulled her even closer so that she could lean into him.

"I'm sorry," he told her, feeling at least partially responsible for having outed Arthur as a cheater. "That...sucks."

Emma chuckled again, lifting a hand to swipe her eyes a little. "Yeah, it does suck."