Not alone anymore

Chapter 5

The 4 of us are quiet for a few moments when we hear the bell ring on the main door of the diner. Granny smiles at the new arriving customers and says that she will be right with them. Granny then reached into her pocked and says to me. "Emma Swan if you ever give this key back to me I will not be giving it back to you so easily, do you understand me?"   "Yes Granny and thank you so much".   "I know you were scheduled to work tonight but Ruby has volunteered to work and actually donate her tips to you".   "Oh no Ruby I can't let you do that. I know how hard you work here. That's your money and I can't take it but thank you, and Granny thank you for everything you have always done for me. I've never felt this loved and cared for in well as sad as it is to say. I've never felt this ever in my life".   I say as I start to get emotional. Ruby and Granny as well as Ms. Mills looks sad for me. I always hate that look. I wish I could have just had a normal childhood with parents and siblings but nope I get the pity looks that I hate it so much. Ms. Mills takes hold of my hand again and says gently. "Emma tomorrow I have a meeting with Dr. Hopper. He told me he was going to check on everything I need to help you with home schooling. If it's ok I'd like to call you once I get home after talking to him".   "Of course it's ok. I'm not sure what my schedule will be here at the diner but if I don't can't answer please leave a message or text me. I promise I'll get back as soon as I can. You are trying to help me so I don't want you to think I don't appreciate it. I promise I'll get back to you".  She chuckles a bit.  "I know you will Emma. I have no doubt about that".
There was only about 9 weeks to go in the school year but Mills and I had a lot to go over. We met every time she was available. One night during our 6th week of studying she was supposed to meet me at Granny's and she never showed up. I called and texted her a few times, but got nothing. Of course my mind does right to the negative. Maybe she didn't want to help me in the first place. Oh well. I should have seen this coming. I don't call or text text her and I don't hear from her for about 6 days.  One night as Ruby and I were ending our dinner shift at 10:30 that night when my phone rang. I saw it was her and I didn't answer it. We were very busy tonight and I'm exhausted. She leaves a message that I don't listen to it just yet. As Ruby and I were cleaning up there was a knock at the door. Ruby says. "Sorry we're closed".  "Ruby it's me Regina Mills. Is Emma still here, may I please come in?"   I'm in the kitchen refilling our cleaning sprays so I don't know any of this is going on. Ruby opens the door to let Mills in. She's helping Ruby clean and reset the tables when I walk back in to the dinning area. I stop dead in my tracks when I see her and she stops what she's doing. She doesn't look like herself. She looks tired and she's definitely not dressed like she usually is. She has on jeans and a Rolling Stones t-shirt. "Emma I'm so sorry that I haven't been available to you for almost a week".  Before she could say anything more I say. "It's ok Mills don't worry about it. Very few people have tried to help me and eventually they realize I'm not worth it. Thanks for hanging in as long as you did. Maybe I actually have enough credits to graduate so no need to worry. Are you ok though?"   I see her eyes water up and she says. "No Emma I'm actually not ok. That's what I'm here to talk to you about".  Ruby tells us we are all set with the cleaning so I hold Ms. Mills hand and we walk up to my room. She sits in the chair at the small table in my room. I open a beer for both of us and then I pour us both a shot of fireball. Then I sit next to her at the table. "Mills what's happening with you?"  She start crying. I quickly get up and kneel down in front of her and hold her in my arms. "It's ok Regina, it's ok. I'm here. Please tell me what's going on".  I say as I rub her back. She shakes her head no. "Please Regina just tell me".   That's when she cried hard into my shoulder. "My daddy died Emma. My daddy is gone".   I hold her tighter and rub her back. "My mother treated us so terribly but daddy loved me no matter what. I hate to put this on you because you never had parents and I'm sorry Emma".   "Regina don't worry about me. I'm so sorry about your dad. I wish you had told me, I would have been there for you. You've help me so much, I wish I could have helped you with what you've been going through".   She lifts her head off my shoulder and looks me deep in the eyes. She leans in and kisses me and it's not a friendly kiss. Tongues are involved and hands roaming. I pull back a little. "Regina we can't. Your very emotional right now and I don't want you to do something you'll regret late".   She nods and looks down. I gently lift her head up to look at me. "I'm still here for you Regina. I promise".    "Emma could you hold me please?"   I nod. "Of course. Come on".  I stand up and we both walk over to the bed and lay down. She lays with her back to me and I move closer to her and wrap my arms around her. She fell asleep quickly and even though I was tired from working on my feet all night I didn't want to sleep because I wanted to watch out for Regina. I'm really worried about her after the way she looked when she walked into the diner. The last 4 years that she has been my teacher she's always been so put together but she just seemed so lost earlier. Every now and then I would drift off to sleep but I'd quickly wake right up. In the middle of the night I hear her starting to whimper so I hold her tighter. Her body is shaking and I can tell she's crying. "Shhh. I got you Regina. I'm right here for you".   "Em...Emma. He's gone. I'll never see him again. I'm all alone now".   "No your not Regina. I'm here for you. You didn't give up on me and I'm not leaving you alone. I promise".  She just rolls over and cries into my shoulder and I hold her close. Eventually she falls back asleep till the next morning.  The 2 of us barely slept at all. Regina starts to move away from me and gets up.  "Gina you ok?"  "Yes. I just need to used the bathroom. I'll be right back".  I sit up against the headboard and wait for her to come back. When she comes walking out she sits on the bed and faces me. She blows out a breath and says. "Thank you for last night Emma and I'm sorry I came to you like I did. I shouldn't have put that all on you".  She started to say more but I stopped her. "Regina I'm glad you came here. I wish you had told me sooner. Besides Granny and Ruby, you have been the only one that has been there for me. I wish I could have been there for you".  She reaches over and holds onto my hand. "Thank you so much Emma. I didn't realize how much I needed someone until last night".  "I'll always be here whenever you need me Gina. I promise. So how about we freshen up a bit and go downstairs to the diner and get some breakfast?"  "Thank you but I'm not really hungry".  "Regina when was the last time you ate?"  She looks away.  "There was a lot of food after the funeral on Monday".  "Monday. Regina that was that last time you ate? It's Thursday now. Your going to make yourself sick. This isn't healthy".  "I've eaten a little bit here and there. Some toast and whatnot".   "Not good enough".  I get up and get her some clean clothes. I gave her clean socks and a nice shirt she can wear for now. She can still wear her jeans because mine won't fit her, mine has a bit more room in the private area for my "friend".   "Here Regina go into the bathroom and freshen up. There is a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. It's all yours. Help yourself to the mouth wash, deodorant and anything else in there. Take a shower if you'd like. There are clean towels in the closet next to the sink. Now go".  "Emma I'm fine, I...".   "Go Regina it's my turn to help you now. I mean it. Your not alone here I swear. I don't care what you eat at Granny's but you will have something. Please go".  She looks at me and gives me a nice smile. She takes the clothes and walks to the bathroom door. Before she goes in she stops and looks at me. "Emma. Thank you".  Her words were so soft and filled with emotion.  I smile back and nod then she goes into the bathroom and closes the door. I quickly change my clothes. No need for Regina to see me in my underwear. She doesn't need to be freaked out while she's going through so much. I'm all dressed when she comes out and she looks a little better.  "Thank you Emma".  "Your very welcome. Just let me wash my face and brush my teeth and hair and we'll go down to Granny's. Promise me you won't sneak out while I'm in there?"   "I promise Emma. I'll wait for you right here".  She actually smiled as she said that. I smiled back and did what I had to do.