And Then There Was You

XIII. A Fantastic Thanksgiving (part one)

So...I've decided to add accents to my writing... Let me know if it's OK or...weird. If you guys dig it, I'll write it like that from now on, but if you guys think it's unbearably horrendous, please let me know too! Hopefully I'm not disrespecting anyone, I was just testing it out and I'm in no way trying to disrespect. Also, if some of you readers have any of these accents, I would love to have some pointers and let me know if I made mistakes! Thanks very much! ^_^ Since you guys are avidly reading this story and liking it so far, I've written another long chapter! VivaLaSwanQueen! <3

It had been a taxing day, the sun now dipping below the horizon, casting a gentle glow upon Emma's hand as she cradled her mug of hot chocolate topped with cinnamon. Seated in one of the booths at Granny's diner, she found herself lost in contemplation, revisiting the events of the morning at the grocery store. What the fuck were you thinking, dad?

David Nolan... Nolan had been Emma's surname from the day she was born until the tumultuous days of high school, around five years ago. Neal, her younger brother, was just six at the time of their parents' messy divorce. The separation left Neal shattered, his trust in men shattered alongside it. And who could blame him? Traumatized at such a tender age, longing for a father figure that was suddenly ripped away. Despite David Nolan's absence from their daily lives, he maintained sporadic contact with Emma. Initially, she too struggled to trust men, her wounds running deep. It took years for their fractured relationship to heal, for Emma to tentatively accept her father back into her life. He even sent her favorite combat boots for her eighteenth birthday on Valentine's Day. But birthdays, especially one intertwined with love, had lost their luster for Emma since her father's departure. Love had become a distant memory, replaced by cynicism towards those who wore it so blatantly on their sleeves. They'll break up sooner or later. Forever doesn't exist. Emma would mutter to herself, a bitter reminder of her own heartache.

"Damn, Emma," Ruby's teasing voice interrupted her reverie. "You've polished off four servings since cousin Onyx's garage." Her laughter echoed in the diner, though it failed to draw a response from the others."

Emma cast an irritated glance at her friend. "It helps me to calm my nerves."

Ruby chuckled. "Well, it's good to know you have a stomach made of steel. If it were me drinking that much, though, I'd be having the shits all day." Her attempt at humor fell flat, met with silence from the others.

Belle was engrossed in her laptop, while Emma absentmindedly traced patterns on her mug with her thumbs. Ruby's attempt at humor fell flat. "So, what's the plan for Thanksgiving tomorrow?"

"I'm accompanying my beau to a company dinna tomorrow," Belle replied, her Australian accent lilting as she continued typing.

"Same here!" Ruby chimed in.

Emma snapped out of her thoughts, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, what? You're seeing someone now too, Rubes?"

"Yep!" Ruby's excitement was palpable. "We hit it off a while back. Remember that event Granny catered for? He was there, and the rest is history."

"Oh, roigh! I remember you mentioning meeting someone at a party, but I didn't realize you two were official," Belle interjected, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Is he gewd lookin'?"

"Absolutely!" Ruby beamed. "And he's a lawyer too."

"That's fantastic!" Belle exclaimed, her attention now fully on her friend. "Congratulations, Rubes! I'm thrilled for you."

"Yeah, congrats," Emma chimed in with less enthusiasm, though she mustered a smile. "By the way, thanks for helping with the groceries earlier. Even if that organic place Belle suggested did cost a fortune. I don't think I can go back to that...grocery store."