Guilt

Chapter 23

"She knows your mother and if she doesn't know anything about you apart from the fact that you're Cora's daughter, she probably has a negative view of you, simply because your mother isn't a very pleasant woman," Emma said. She wanted to calm Regina, but the situation was rather strange. "But let's talk about something else," she suggested.

They were already halfway through their dinner and they had talked about a lot of things already, and Emma didn't immediately know a topic to talk about.

Both women stayed quiet. They just looked at each other, neither being able to come up with a topic to distract their minds from the situation.

"What is Hope doing now?" Regina asked eventually. "She couldn't have been too happy to hear about.. this date."

Emma gulped and took a sip of her water, giving her more time to contemplate her answer. "She's at home with Nicholas. He's being really helpful lately, with the baby. He absolutely loves Leo and though he and Hope aren't in a official relationship anymore, I don't think it's going to take so long."

Regina smiled. She was glad to hear that. "I haven't told her this is an official date," Emma admitted. "I just said you and I were going to hang out for a bit."

Emma hadn't had the guts to tell Hope she was going on a first official date. Although she knew Regina better than anyone else and she'd had sex with her many times, this had been a whole new level for Emma.

It still felt rather natural. After all, Regina had been living in her home for almost a month, but every ten minutes the realization of this being an official date washed over her and still made her feel somewhat anxious.

"I get that," Regina responded sweetly.

Before either of them could say anything more, Mary Margaret walked up to their table. She seemed reluctant, but it was her job to take care of their food.

The restaurant was quite vacant. Apart from them, there was only one couple with a child and two elderly men in the restaurant.

"Are you two enjoying the meal?" Mary Margaret flashed Emma a genuine smile, but avoided Regina's gaze.

Emma nodded curtly. "The food is great, but I have some questions," she said. "Y.. you seem to know me and you know Regina as well, but neither of us recognizes you."

Mary Margaret was clearly uncomfortable. She looked around, desperate for an escape - at least so it seemed to Emma. Apparently, what the woman was withholding from them, was bigger than they'd thought.

"You.. Emma Swan.." Mary Margaret started, to Emma's utter confusion. How did this woman know her name? She paused for a long moment, and Emma waited in anticipation for what was to come, as was Regina. "I'm your mother," Mary Margaret eventually confessed.

Emma's face went blank. She stared at the woman at their table as Regina looked at her. Too many thoughts were going through her mind.

She didn't know how to comprehend the words the woman had spoken and there was absolutely no evidence, yet she knew it was the truth. It some weird way, she could sense it.

But what the hell was she supposed to say?

This woman had abandoned her, was the start of all the awful things she'd had to endure in her youth and was responsible for all the nagging questions in her mind that had existed from the moment she could think. Why was she given away?

Yet, now that she had the opportunity to ask, Emma didn't want to know anymore. The woman seemed lovely, but the fact that she'd been nearby, working in Storybrooke, with a chance to talk to her that she didn't take, hurt her.