Chapter Eight: New York Public Library
Roland returned from summer camp and before long, July was approaching. It was a Saturday at the end of June, Henry left early that morning for his high school where he was scheduled to finally take his SATs. Robin and Regina busied themselves with housework throughout the day while their youngest son did his best to stay busy. He read from his ever-growing collection of books, played video games, and watched cartoons like any typical eight year old would. He only bothered his parents every few hours to ask when Henry would be home, wishing he had someone to play with to help ease the boredom. Robin joined his son in the living room for a round of Mario Kart while Regina sat at the island looking over emails and making appointments to see venues for the wedding.
"I'm only available after five on weekdays or during my lunch hour around noon," she explained into the receiver of her cell phone. She listened and scribbled some notes into the notebook she designated as her "Wedding Planner." She placed her hand over the phone and turned to face the couch, "Hey babe, what's your day like on Monday?"
His eyes remained on the screen as he shifted his body to mirror the turn his car was making in the game as he replied, "I can be available if Henry is willing to watch Roland."
She nodded and spoke to the woman on the phone, "Monday at noon should be fine. If anything changes, I'll be sure to give you a call to reschedule."
A number of phone calls were made and handled the same way, appointments scheduled for each day of the week during her lunch break. She contacted a few different bakeries to inquire about cake samples and they arranged to have them delivered to the apartment Thursday afternoon for the couple to try together before making a decision. Some venues offered their own wedding cake options as part of their catering package, but she wanted to be prepared in case those places didn't pan out.
Once she completed her list of wedding chores, she noticed it was growing closer to dinner time and took it upon herself to order a gluten-free pizza. She was much too busy, and admittedly too tired, to even consider cooking. She plopped down on the sofa beside Robin and watched the two battle each other in yet another round of their game. She laughed when her lover tried to cheat by covering the little boy's eyes or when Roland got excited and jumped from the couch, unknowingly blocking his father's view.
"How much longer until Henry gets home?" Roland asked as he placed the controller on the coffee table.
Robin did the same before ruffling his son's hair playfully, "What's wrong? I'm not fun enough for you?"
Right on cue, a very tired looking Henry came sulking through the front door. He dropped his backpack on the floor beside the table and plopped into one of the stools by the island. Regina stood and walked into the kitchen to get him a bottle of water from the fridge. She leaned across the counter and asked, "So how was it?"
"Exhausting," he sighed and struggled to open the cap, "Nothing can prepare you for how long the SATs actually take."
"But do you think you did well?"
He shrugged as he swallowed a large gulp of water, "I survived."
His parents chuckled at his response before the knock at the door interrupted them. She went to her purse and pulled out her wallet as she greeted the pizza delivery boy. Meanwhile, Roland immediately attempted to bribe Henry into playing with him, "I'll do all your chores for a week. Just one round?"
"I love your dedication, but I'm way too tired, kid. I'm yours all day tomorrow, free of charge. How's that?" The teen offered.
The little boy huffed, "Fine."
"It's time for dinner anyway, sweetie. Go wash up," Regina said from the door as she handed the man his tip and took the box from him.
The boys walked down the hall to the bathroom to wash their hands and Robin set plates on the kitchen table. She opened the pizza box and placed a slice on each plate before transferring it to the island so it was out of the way while they were eating. She heard Robin chuckle to himself as he took his seat. She joined him at the table as they waited for the kids and asked, "What's so funny?"
His eyes caught hers as he smiled and replied, "Just remembering what happened the last time we were alone at this table."
She smirked, her cheeks growing warm as she blushed at his comment. She bit her lip and pushed her hair behind her ear when she replied, "I haven't stopped thinking about it."
"Is that so?" He leaned forward, rubbing his fingertips over her knuckles.
The sound of little feet barreling down the hall interrupted their moment as Roland rounded the corner and jumped into his chair. Henry followed sluggishly behind, not wasting any time in biting into his pizza. The couple exchanged glances and Regina shrugged as she began to eat as well. Their youngest son made sure to swallow his large bite before stating, "My birthday is coming up."
"Indeed it is," Robin replied.
"I really want to have a party," he said, directing his eyes toward his mother.
She nodded, "A party? What kind of party?"
He shrugged his shoulders and took a sip from his cup, "I don't know, but I want to invite my friends from school to come over. We could play games and eat cake and oh! We should get a piñata!"
Regina imagined the chaos that would ensue with a group of little Rolands running around swinging a bat and throwing candy all over their home. He was turning nine so a party was something she had to have expected sooner or later, but having it in their small apartment wasn't ideal, especially with wedding plans on her mind. But as she looked into his hopeful, excited eyes, she would be a monster to refuse his request. She sighed, "I'll talk it over with your father tonight and see what we can come up with."
After supper, the children cleared the table and did the dishes before retiring to their beds. Regina drew herself a bath while Robin brushed his teeth, standing in front of his mirror in only his underwear. She dipped her fingers into the water as her mind wandered to her son's birthday wish, wanting to make it come true, but worrying she'd be too stressed to handle it all on her own. She removed her clothes and sunk into the water, exhaling as the warmth consumed her body. With her eyes closed and relaxation settling in she asked, "What do you think about this birthday party?"
He spit and rinsed his mouth, placing his toothbrush in the holder and wiping his face with the towel. He leaned on the sink and crossed his arms as he faced her, "I think it would be nice for him to have his friends around to celebrate."
She nodded with a sigh, "I know. But I'm worried."
He inched forward and sat on the lip of the jacuzzi, "What's troubling you?"
"Nothing yet," she opened her eyes. She removed her hand from under the water and placed it over his, playing with his fingers as she spoke, "Between work and planning our wedding, I can barely find time to cook dinner. How am I supposed to entertain Roland and his friends?"
"You don't have to," he stated, "I can handle a child's birthday party and I'm sure Henry and Grace wouldn't mind helping."
"I just don't want to be stressed, Robin," she admitted, "I'm afraid it's all going to come crashing down on me and-"
He waited for her to finish, but realized she had no intention of doing so. He noticed the worried expression on her face and recognized it immediately. He looked deeply into her eyes and said, "You're not sick anymore, Regina."
She didn't realize that almost an entire year had gone by since her diagnosis. This time a year ago, she was in pain and worried about test results. It wasn't something she thought was on her mind at all, but hearing him speak the words that rested in her subconscious brought all of her fears to the surface. She took a deep breath, "I know."
He leaned forward and kissed her temple, "I'll talk to Henry this week about planning the perfect party for Roland. And I'll even handle dinner until you get restless and insist you take over." She couldn't help, but laugh at his comment; he knew her all too well. He continued, "For now, focus on work and our wedding and leave the rest to me."
"Okay," she nodded and closed her eyes again as she sank further into the tub.
He chuckled as he exited the bathroom, "Don't take too long. I can't fall asleep without you."
Regina's smile remained on her face, realizing they hadn't spent a night away from one another since they moved in together. She couldn't remember what it was like to fall asleep on her own and frankly, she never wanted to again.
Regina rushed up the stairs of the New York Public Library. She was hurrying from work, too focused on making it in time that she completely missed Robin waiting for her at the entrance. He watched her and couldn't help, but smile; she was always in such a rush. He remembered the day she ran into him in the hallway of their apartment building, how she'd had the courage to ask him out for a drink as they lay in front of his door although they were both very late for work. As she approached the door, he pulled it open and held it for her. She didn't look at him, but muttered a "thank you" as she tried to continue through the door.
Robin thought it might be fun to flirt with her, like when they first met, "In a hurry?"
She scoffed, "Clearly."
He found it amusing how she failed to realize it was him. He cleared his throat as he followed her, "I hope you don't mind my noticing how beautiful you are."
"You have some nerve," Regina stopped in her tracks and whipped her head toward him, her hair moving swiftly as her eyes finally fixated on the man standing before her. Her cheeks grew warm, embarrassment clearly evident in her features. She was stunned. How could she have been so absentminded?
"My apologies, milady," Robin bowed his head, a smirk growing across his face.
She stepped toward him, pushing her hair behind her ear and going along with him as she whispered, "No, I'm sorry. I was being rude. Let me make it up to you with dinner tonight. My treat."
"I couldn't possibly allow you to do that," he stated before adding, "I'm sure there's another way."
She finally laughed and wrapped her arms around him, planting a firm kiss on his lips. He lifted her off the ground, not wanting to ever let her go. Once her feet were back on the floor, their lips parted and Robin said playfully, "It's good to know your eyes don't wander to other men."
She shook her head with a smirk and said, "Never."
"You must be the happy couple," a woman said as she approached them at the doors of the library. She was a petite woman with brown hair, curled slightly and neatly pinned to the side. Her hazel eyes gleamed brightly as she smiled gleefully at Robin and Regina. She was dressed in a modest, navy blue dress. She held out her hand, "My name is Skylar and I'll be showing you our wedding venues this afternoon."
Robin and Regina introduced themselves, each of them taking her hand and shaking it politely as they did so. Another woman, a bit taller and clearly much more vibrant, came running to Skylar's side, a large book held firmly in her grasp. She smiled and said, "I'm Nova, Sky's assistant."
The women spoke highly of the previous weddings held at the library as they led them through the space. It seemed like an odd place, but it stood out to the couple immediately upon their research. Robin, of course, had a fondness for literature, one that Regina matched with her intellect; after all, they bonded over their knowledge of Poe. This was the forth venue they visited that week, exploring various hotels and ballrooms. Regina thought they were beautiful, but most of them seemed too glamorous for the event she was envisioning in her head. They entered what was called "The Trustees Room" and she was taken aback by its beauty.
The room was large enough to seat nearly one hundred guests, the perfect amount for their small reception. There was a marble fireplace at the back and the walls were lined with brilliant works of Renaissance art, pieces she recognized immediately from her late night discussions with Daniel all those years ago. Her heart fluttered as she imagined circular tables filled with flowers, a small dance floor where their friends and family gathered together in celebration of their love. It wasn't traditional, but neither were Robin and Regina. The room carried a welcoming aura with its old-fashioned architectural design and the natural lighting from the large windows provided a distinctive mood for the event. It was perfect; everything Regina imagined and more.
She squeezed Robin's hand as the women continued to explain the possibilities of the room and how they could assist in making this day as special as can be. He gazed into her eyes and saw the twinkle of hope and delight he wished was always present in their almond shape. They smiled at one another and he knew; this was the place. This was where they needed to be.
"Could we have a minute to talk about it?" Robin asked, reluctantly shifting his gaze toward the women.
They both smiled and Skylar nodded, "Of course. Take all the time you need. We'll be outside."
They exited and closed the large double doors behind them, leaving the couple standing on the hardwood floors. Regina walked around the space, running her hands over the tables and gazing at the walls and windows. He stood still in his spot, watching her as she considered all the possibilities the place had to offer. He smiled, "This is it, isn't it?"
She turned to face him, smirking as she replied, "You feel it too."
He nodded, although she hadn't meant it as a question, "I think it's exceptional."
She walked toward him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "We can have the ceremony in Central Park. It's not very far and everyone can come here for cocktails while we take pictures."
"It would be more convenient than the other places we've seen, especially since it will be cold in February," he agreed.
She smiled, "And I think the color scheme would look beautiful against the decor here. It's so elegant yet not too big for our small reception. It's intimate, just like I imagined."
"It's okay that they don't have their own catering package?" He asked, knowing that would mean extra work for her in the long run.
She shook her head, "Finding a decent caterer won't be an issue and there's wedding cake waiting to be tasted back at our apartment. I can have all that booked by next week."
He stroked her cheek with his thumb and kissed the tip of her nose, "It's settled then."
Regina kissed him firmly, humming as she smiled with pure joy. They called the women back into the room and requested a contract to look over. She promised to return it via fax the following week and with that, the couple returned to their busy days. Robin went home to the apartment smiling from ear to ear, pleased to have found the perfect venue. He finished the laundry and started on supper while Regina went back to work, drawing up her final contract of the day and asking Tamara politely to email it to her client. Of course, Mallory bombarded her the minute she returned to the office with questions about the library. She was thrilled to inform her that they'd finally found the perfect one.
When she walked through the apartment door that evening, she was delighted to find dinner already made and the table set. The family sat together and discussed their days, sharing the news with the boys who didn't seem to care much about the details of the wedding. The dishes were done, Henry leaving for a movie with Grace while Robin escorted Roland downstairs for his sleepover with the Nolan twins. With the few minutes she had to herself, Regina changed into comfortable clothes and washed the makeup from her face, removing her contacts and placing her glasses on the bridge of her nose. She walked back to the kitchen and found Robin arranging various plates filled with individual slices of cake on the counter. He looked up at her and smiled, the sight of his dimples causing her heart to flutter, "Comfy?"
She nodded and seated herself on one of the stools across from him, "Very."
He handed her a fork and leaned on the counter as he asked, "Which do we taste first?"
She shrugged her shoulders and examined each piece before deciding, "The red velvet with cream cheese icing."
They each took a bite, finding it to be perfectly moist and absolutely delicious. He swallowed, "Wow. This is going to be a tough one."
She shook her head, "It's good, but I don't think red velvet will be good with the colors we chose."
He nodded and peered down at the next, "Yellow cake, raspberry filling, and vanilla frosting."
Again, they tasted the cake and Robin laughed immediately when he spotted the look of disgust on Regina's face. She shook her head, "Absolutely not."
"You just can't stand the taste of fruit when cake is involved," he leaned forward and wiped the frosting from the corner of her mouth with his thumb.
"Exactly," she agreed, appreciating that he knew that about her. She had a terrible sweet tooth and although she enjoyed healthy eating, she didn't like mixing the taste of fruit with something as terribly delicious as cake. She sighed, "There aren't very many chocolate options."
"If it's chocolate you want, why don't we just buy a Death by Chocolate cake and call it a day?" He teased, knowing it was her favorite.
"Because I don't share Death by Chocolate," she stated seriously, causing Robin to roar with laughter. She smirked and looked back down at the sweets, poking her fork into the only slice of chocolate cake with rich chocolate pudding in the middle and a sweet white chocolate frosting. She seductively put it in her mouth and closed her lips around her fork. Unexpectedly, she moaned loudly, the taste of the various chocolate flavors hitting her tastebuds in all the right places. She dipped her fork into it and leaned across the counter, holding it up for him, "You have to taste this."
He opened his mouth as she fed him and he had to admit, he liked what he was tasting. It was all chocolate, but it wasn't too rich like the Death by Chocolate. It was remarkable, equally as moist as the red velvet had been. He looked into her eyes and hummed as he swallowed, nodding as he spoke, "That's the one."
She chuckled and leaned back in her chair, satisfied that she was right, "Of course it is."
"Oh, bugger off," he rolled his eyes before swiping his finger along the icing and wiping it across her cheek. She gasped as he laughed, but took a handful of red velvet and smeared it in his beard. He ran around the counter as she jumped up from her stool, making a run for it toward the bedroom. He chased her down the hall, lifting her from behind and carrying her to the bed. The two laughed and shouted, Robin throwing her onto the mattress and crawling on top of her. Their laughter settled as they looked at one another, feeling pure happiness in their hearts to be exactly where they were with the person they loved most. He leaned down and licked the frosting from her cheek, "I think you taste better."
She bit her lower lip and whispered, "There's only one way to find out."
Robin and Regina slept peacefully in their bed during the early morning of that day in July. His arms were wrapped tenderly around her waist, keeping her close as their breathing remained steady in their slumber. After a busy few weeks signing their venue contract and finding a caterer, it was a gift to be able to sleep soundly that night. They were both so deep in their own dreams, not even the pitter patter of Roland entering their bedroom could make them stir. He remembered their first Christmas together when he accidentally hurt his father by jumping on him so he opted out of crawling into their bed. He stood on Regina's side, noticing the way his dad was holding her and tried to think of a way to get them up. He nudged them softly and whispered, "Mom, Dad. Wake up."
Robin groaned and rolled over while Regina merely took a deep breath and remained fast asleep. He huffed in frustration; this was not going according to his plan. Roland put his hand on his mother's cheek and tapped lightly, "Mommy, please get up."
Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up once she spotted him standing there. She cleared her throat of the sleepy rasp she was sure would come out before asking, "What's wrong, sweetie? Are you okay?"
Roland smiled, his little dimples so deep like his father's, "It's my birthday."
She brushed her fingers through his messy hair, "Yes it is. Are you excited?"
He nodded, but then looked down sheepishly, "I'm sorry I woke you up. I just couldn't sleep anymore knowing my party is in a few hours."
"How about this? You can stay here with me and Daddy until it's time to wake up. Is that fair?" She asked through a yawn. When her son jumped and giggled, she immediately wrapped her arms around him and hoisted him into the bed between her and Robin. She kissed his little cheeks and snuggled him close to her. When they settled, she was happy to see Roland was very close to falling back to sleep. She kissed his forehead and whispered softly, "Happy Birthday, my Little Thief."
Her head was spinning. The living room was slowly being destroyed by the small children running all over the apartment. Jumping on furniture, Legos littering the floor, shouting and yelling that was sure to disturb the neighbors. She stood in the kitchen, leaning on the counter as Henry and Grace attempted to clean up each new mess, but they weren't quick enough. Each time they fixed one thing, another problem arose. Roland was happy and giggling, clearly enjoying the time spent with his friends. Presents and treats lined the table while crumbs went tumbling to the ground, their little faces covered in the remnants of their food. She did her best to make them clean up after themselves, but the chaos of one too many little ones crowding the apartment was creeping in on her. Robin approached her, placing his hand on her lower back as he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Look around," she scoffed. Regina was a very neat person; everything in her life had a particular place, but this party was growing out of hand.
"It's nothing we can't clean once everyone leaves," he commented, although he understood how much it was bothering her.
"When can we hit the piñata?" Roland asked, jumping on the couch.
She looked up and narrowed her gaze at the little boy, "When you stop jumping on the furniture."
"But it's my birthday!" He exclaimed happily.
"I understand that, Roland, but there are still rules in this house, no matter what day it is," her tone was calm, but the look on her face spoke volumes into how serious she was. He stepped down and sunk sheepishly into himself, clearly ashamed with his actions. He wasn't scared of much at his young age, but when his mother looked at him that way, he knew what he'd done was wrong. She looked away and heard him join his friends near the window where a few boys were building a Lego castle. She leaned her back against the counter to face Robin and sighed, "They can't do the piñata here. I'll find melted chocolate under the couch and candy between the cushions."
"Well, what do you suggest?" He asked, his tone growing toward annoyance. They were both stressed, not having anticipated this day to be as chaotic as it turned out.
Henry turned the corner and stood beside them in the kitchen as he offered, "We could take them to the park. They'll be outside and the fresh air will tire them out."
"You could take them to the park," Regina repeated as she crossed her arms over her chest, "I'll clean up here and have the cupcakes and favors ready when you get back."
Robin nodded reluctantly at his son, realizing he was being forced to watch all the children on his own in a public place. Henry went to gather the kids for their adventure in the park while he looked back toward his lover with a sigh, "You're lucky I love you and these bloody kids of ours."
She chuckled and grabbed hold of his arm, rubbing her palm over his tattoo while still peering into his icy blue eyes, "I know I am."
