Written for OQ Prompt Party 2019, Day 2 (Tuesday). Personal prompt:
Sightless and Soundless - After Henry attends a concert and witnesses his mother in her element, he decides he wants to learn to play the cello, too - cue bonding time.
I hope you'll like it!
(...)
There's something extraordinary about playing. No matter what problems are weighting down on your shoulders or what emotions you're feeling, once the music starts all of it fades away. Nothing matters when your fingers are making the most beautiful sounds in the world.
It's one of the reasons why Regina returned to the orchestra. Music reminded her of the life she's had, and it hurt, it tore her heart apart, but at the same time it was healing. Everything and everyone was taken away from her, but not music, not the emotion and inner peace it brought her.
This week has been hectic. She was preparing for the first huge concert on the weekend, anxious not only about herself, but also about Robin for he's been an emotional wreck since Monday morning, insisting that he cannot play in this event, that he'll ruin everything. And then on Wednesday morning Henry called, the boy telling her tearfully that Emma is taking him away for Christmas and he won't be able to visit her like they've planned.
It was that new that finally made Regina break down. She spent most of the day crying instead of practicing and then, when Robin came to her in the evening, she's been tired and still so very hurt, that she lost her temper whenever he missed the beat or the note which resulted them getting into a fight that left her even more unsteady.
The plans can be and were changed and instead of Christmas, Henry came tonight to see her perform, and Robin forgave her and apologized for making things even more difficult for her when she was already struggling.
So when Regina's fingers finally release the strings, the bow held tightly in her hand still shaking from all the adrenaline she's feeling right now, everything seems so far away and unimportant.
The audience is applauding them, and Regina has to grip the cello tighter to keep herself upright. Her head is spinning, but in the best of ways, it's spinning from joy and adrenaline that she hasn't felt in years. When she lost her sight, she was certain that she would never get to feel this happy again, but here she is, back in the orchestra with the man she loves beside her and her son in the audience.
Before she knows it, tears of pure joy are falling down her cheeks. Her smile turns wide as she revels in the claps on hands, years of unbearable pain and hopelessness all but forgotten, even if for a brief moment.
All of a sudden, there's an arm wrapped around her waist and moments later warm lips are pressed against hers. She lets out a surprised sound, her free hand gripping Robin's shoulder. A warm drop falls onto her cheek and it's not hers tears, he's crying too, and it makes her even more emotional, has her gripping his arm tighter, pressing her lips against his in order to stop her cries.
"We did it," he whispers against her lips.
Regina can only nod her head before burying her face into his chest.
They really did it.
(…)
The dinner in her home is surprisingly quiet. Usually, Henry talks and talks about his day at school or what Regina's missed in his life, he talks to Robin about superheroes and Marvel movies, but tonight Henry hasn't said a word since they made it to the car after the concert.
It has Regina anxious.
Henry likes Robin, has told her so a few times, but liking Robin as his mother's friend and as his mother's boyfriend are two different things. He knew that Regina was dating Robin, but they've never kissed in front on him, never showed too much affection because the wound of losing Daniel was not fresh anymore, but still very painful for both mother and son.
All the high brought by the concert and feeling of finally, finally being alive again had her not thinking clearly for a moment. It must have affected Henry, made him feel uncomfortable or even hurt.
Regina sits through the dinner without saying a word and when they finally finish eating (she's barely touched her food), Robin offers to clean the plates while Regina and Henry go to the living room and choose which movie they're going to "watch".
Once they're sitting on the couch, Regina finds Henry's hand and takes it in hers.
"Are you alright, Henry?" She asks, trying to keep her voice steady.
For a moment, there's a complete silence and then, surprisingly, Henry starts crying. It has Regina's heart stopping in her chest, but she acts quickly, wrapping her arms about the boy and pulling him into a tight comforting hug. Her own eyes fill with tears at the realization that something (likely the kiss) really upset her son.
She holds him close until he finally squirms in her arms and pulls away, his breathing still shuddering.
Regina blindly cups his face and wipes the tears away from his cheeks – the tears that are soon replaced by the fresh ones – and asks him, "What is it? You can tell me anything."
He must have closed his eyes because his eyelashes tickle her fingertips. For a moment they are surrounded by a complete silence until Henry sighs and finally admits, "I was so afraid that we'll never be happy again. When dad died and you lost your sight, you became so sad, but tonight… Tonight your smile was so wide and you played so beautifully, and mom, for a moment I thought that the old times were back, that dad and I were watching your show, that everything was still alright, that-"
He trails off and just breathes, fighting his emotions. Regina presses her lips into a thin line, trying to stop herself from breaking down, trying to give Henry time to finish whatever it is he wants to say.
"Your music is mesmerizing, the way you play, the way it all sounds. I missed it so much. I missed hearing you playing non-stop, I missed living in the house where there wasn't a day without a sound of cello playing," he tells her tearfully. "I think… I want to start playing the cello, too."
It's such a simple sentence compared to all he's said and admitted – his fear for her sadness, homesickness – but the last words have her losing all the strength that kept her emotions in cheek.
She starts crying, shaking her head in disbelief. She was so afraid Henry was upset about her and Robin and the thought of him being emotional for any other reason hasn't even crossed her mind.
And Henry was troubled by the most beautiful thing in the world.
"I didn't mean to upset you, mom, I'm so-"
"Henry, you didn't upset me," she assures him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing. "You've just made me so happy." She wraps her arms around him again and he moves closer to her, wraps his own arms around her waist and rests his head on her chest.
"I know I might be too old to start playing now, but-"
"You're never too old to start playing," Regina tells him, a smile spreading across her lips despite the tears still falling down her cheeks. "You will have to work really hard in the beginning, that's true, but if you really want it, that won't be a problem."
Henry hums in response before his arms tighten around Regina even more. It has her smiling tearfully, all the words she wants to say stuck in her throat.
"Is everything alright in here?" Robin's voice reaches them and he must have walked into the living room, has probably heard most of the conversation from the kitchen and chose to give them enough time to talk it out. When both Henry and Regina nod in response, Robin teases, "Then why are you both crying?"
"We'll have a new cellist in this house," Regina says as a single tear (of happiness) rolls down her cheek. It seems that she can't stop crying tonight.
"That's wonderful!" Robin's voice is full of surprise, but also joy. It makes her even more emotional that this wonderful man cares not only about her, but about her son, too. "That's one of the best decisions to do in life, Henry. Although it's a lot of work and sometimes there's that desire to set your cello on fire."
Henry laughs at that while Regina shakes her head in what she hopes looks like a disapproving way, but the smile is still on her face.
When Robin sits down on the couch beside Regina, Henry pulls away from her and gets off of the couch to get the remote controller. Regina dries her tears quickly while Robin and Henry try to decide what movie they're going to watch, trying not to think about how much all of this reminds her of the life she used to have.
Once it's decided that they're watching Home Alone, Henry climbs back on the couch and curls into Regina's side. She wraps her arm around him and rests her head against Robin, smiling when he presses a kiss to her temple.
As extraordinary and freeing as playing is, having those you love the most feels even more magical, Regina thinks as she closes her eyes and relaxes in the arms of those who matter the most.