For Day 2 of OQ Prompt Party
#252: Deathbed confession, #263: a secret getting revealed & Personal prompt: The girls learn the truth
This takes place when the girls are 10 years old, a couple of years before Bryony learns that Cora was the one to switch them.
Kids ask questions at the least opportune time. It's a question Regina and Robin have learned time and time again in the time since they became parents. Roland asking about the hickey on Regina's neck during a parent/teacher night. Henry's sudden interest in the birds and the bees at dinner in Disney World. Bryony mentioning that "Mommy wrestles with Daddy" in the middle of Aesop's. Evie has always been much quieter, the people pleaser. She's shone in comparison to her siblings to keeping "TMI Questions" for the privacy of their home.
That all changed when she was 10 years old. The family's gathered in their usual booth at Granny's diner. The older boys are distracted with video games while their younger son is busy coloring on a placemat. Robin's fussing with Bryony's hearing aid to make sure she can keep up with the conversation while she rolls her eyes. Regina watches on with a small smile. Both girls are growing more independent by the day. It won't be long before they're teenagers. Henry's already heading off to college, Roland won't be far behind…
"Why didn't we know Daddy for a while?"
Roland and Henry peak up from their phones. Regina's smile drops. Robin stops the fiddling and Bryony tilts her head up at him. The only one unfazed by it all is Connor, his tongue sticking out as he colors a barn blue. Robin's eyes lock with Regina, a bit of shock in his deep blues.
"Um, where um…" Robin clears his throat. "Where did all that come from?"
Evie shrugs, some of her blonde hair covering her face in the process. "I've been thinking about it. You weren't around, then you were. But Bryony and Roland were with you."
Robin slowly nods. Regina finds herself mute for the first time in her life. They knew naturally one day this would come up. After consulting several therapists, they were told to wait until they were older. In the meantime, they explained that they hadn't known about the other. It placated the girls for the time being. They rarely spoke of a time before their family was one. Regina wasn't even sure if they could remember it, the girls had been so young. Roland had discovered the truth when he entered his pre-teen years, but promised to let his parents tell the girls.
This wasn't how that discussion was supposed to go down.
"Hey, Evie, Bry," Henry cuts in. "I just downloaded this super cool game on my phone. Why don't you come check it out?"
Bryony practically crawls over Robin to get to their older brother. Evie isn't as easily persuaded until Roland mentions that he has some new music on his. That distracts her enough and she walks around the booth to sit beside them. Conner remains unmoved. Regin and Robin keep their eyes on one another, not the least bit relieved. Their older sons have saved them from going into their family during in the middle of the diner but they know this discussion can't be put off much longer.
Neither mention it to the other until well after the kids have gone to bed. Evie nor Bryony mention it again, which doesn't bring ease to Regina. Henry apologized for potentially overstepping once they got home and she simply pressed a kiss to his forehead, muttering it was fine. He didn't seem entirely convinced but a quick "Mom look" got him to go join Roland in a round of Smash Bros.
Regina sits on her bed, rubbing some lavender and honey lotion onto her skin. Robin emerges from the bathroom, scrubbing a hand over his face.
"Thank God for Henry, huh?"
Regina lets out a sigh. "Was that a good thing?"
"Did you want to discuss your mother switching the girls in the middle of a place where the restrooms are labeled "Outhouse"?"
She rolls her eyes. "I meant just pretending like Evie didn't ask it. Who knows how long she's been sitting on that? Or Bryony? And instead of addressing it, we ate dinner like nothing was wrong."
A long sigh escapes Robin's lips as he drops down on the opposite side of the bed. "We knew this day was coming. There's no way we could hide it forever."
"In a way, I wish we could. Just say that families are made in different ways and we all love each other regardless…" She trails off, shaking her head. "But it's not realistic. They deserve to know the truth. It's their story just as much as it is theirs."
"I feel like it'd almost be easier if it was all hospital error," Robin muses. "I mean, it'd still be terrible and hard for them to understand. Still, it's better than saying "Sorry, Bryony, your grandmother didn't think you worthy enough of being a Mills"." Regina cringes and he moves closer, wrapping his arms around her. She melts into him easily, letting out a long sigh. "That sounded so much worse than it did in my head."
"But it's the truth." Regina gnaws on her lip. "My fucking mother decided that a child with medical issues would be too much of a burden. Didn't even give me a chance to absorb the news, she switched her with the closest baby…"
The anger seeps up from her toes to the top of her head, just as it does any time she gives this headspace. Her mother had no clue who these other people were, she just decided that they would raise her child. The one she carried inside of her. The one she nearly died birthing. The entire thing gave Regina such anxiety that she hadn't allowed herself to give labor in a hospital with Conner, opting for a birthing center. Cora is long gone and yet she hates hospitals. One of the last times she was in one, her baby was taken from her and no one did a damn thing to stop it.
"Dammit." She yanks away from Robin and starts pacing the room. "I hate her! I hate her so much for doing this to us. I hate that I hate myself for being so mad, because of course I wouldn't change Evie. But I lost three years with Bryony. And who knows how long it would've been had Gold not mailed the letter? Jesus!"
Regina kicks the nightstand, real pain enveloping her toe. She clamps her eyes shut, fighting off the tears. Robin's aftershave envelopes her nose, making it clear he's near but he doesn't dare touch her.
"This shouldn't how it is. Their biggest concerns should be junior high and math tests, not a sociopathic grandmother!"
"I hate it too," Robin whispers. "Every day. I have so much regret and anger. I love Bryony so damn much…but then I think of how hard it was for Evie to get used to me. The way she sobbed when you told her I was her father. Cora stole that from me. She stole my daughter."
"I don't want them to have this anger, Robin." Regina's eyes flicker open and she turns to face him. Confusion is written across his face. "It's bad enough Henry and Roland know. But I don't want Evie to feel resentment or anger. I don't want Bryony to feel like she's unwanted or less than because of her deafness."
"Neither do I," he says, sliding his hands through hers. She squeezes them tightly. "But what else can we do? We can't put this off much longer."
"We say it was medical error. I was being operated on. You hadn't gotten the call about Evie yet. So much chaos, the only two babies in the nursery at the time and yet some tired, overworked nurse got confused."
"That's a lie, Regina."
"And it'll protect our daughters from feeling the way we do every single day."
"If they ever found out…"
"I would rather them hate me for lying than feel this pain so young."
He tilts his head, his soft, beautiful lips turning downwards. "Are you sure about this?"
"No," Regina breathes. "But I need to do it before I think too much about it."
They wait for the weekend. Henry is out with friends, Roland has soccer and Conner goes next door to play. Robin pulls Bryony away from basketball and Regina manages to pry Evie from The Sims. The girls sit mere inches apart, legs swinging from the couch, their parents across from them on the love seat. They're so different from hair (Bryony's got her mother's beautiful raven locks, while Evie's hair is so fair that it's practically white) to styles (Bryony definitely opts for shorts and graphic tees and Evie is rarely seen in anything but pink). And yet, they're closer than can be. It wasn't always that way, they used to keep their distance. Now, one is never seen without the other. Something out there wanted them to be sisters, best friends.
That only adds to the guilt building in Regina's heart. They love each other so much. The last thing she wants is for the two of them to resent each other.
Robin speaks after Regina remains silent for a few beats. "Evie, the other day you asked why I wasn't around when you were younger. It's not something we discuss often, huh?" He signs as he speaks, not something they need to do as often anymore but they agreed they don't want Bryony to miss out on any part of the conversation.
"Not ever, Dad," Bryony points out. "We never talk about it."
"You're right," Robin says. "And a big part of that was, we weren't sure when you two would be ready to hear it."
"We're not little kids. We can handle it."
Regina chokes back a sob. Her girls are growing quickly before her eyes, turning into little women. In their minds, they're old enough to do an know everything. And even after raising two teenage boys, Regina has a fierce need to protect them from any pain.
"You're growing up," Regina admits, speaking for the first time since they sat down. "And you deserve to know the truth." Evie tilts her head. "You see, when I was pregnant with Bryony, I got very sick. I ended up in the hospital for awhile before I gave birth and ended up having to get a C-Section. Do you know what that is?"
"They cut open your tummy, right?" Evie says.
Regina nods. "Anyway, I was very weak after that. I didn't even get to see Bryony, so she went to the nursery."
"And Evie," Robin says. "Your biological mother didn't tell me that she was having you. So, I didn't get the call until much later."
"But you didn't take me home," Evie frowns. "You got Bryony."
Robin scratches the back of his neck. "I did."
"Did you pick out the wrong baby?"
"No…well…yes, but it's a lot more complicated than that."
Regina rests a hand on his knee. "There was a mix up," she says. "You see when babies are born in a hospital, they get a special bracelet that matches their parents'. Someone took Evie's bracelet and put it on Bryony. Same with you, Evie, Bryony's was put onto you. We didn't know for a very long time."
Bryony and Evie exchange looks, frowns on their faces. Regina's heartbeat picks up. Robin gives her hand a quick squeeze before going back to signing and talking.
"We know this is very confusing girls," Robin says. "And we want you to know, it's not at all your fault. It was someone at the hospital."
"You can ask us anything you want," Regina adds, her own hands shaking along with the signs.
Evie is quiet as usual. Bryony traces the design on her shorts. "How didn't you know?"
Regina blinks a few times. "I'm sorry?"
"You carried me in your tummy. And you couldn't tell that Evie wasn't yours?"
A shallow breath escapes Regina's lips. She's brought back to the hospital, holding that pale baby with blonde whisps of hair and blue eyes. She looked nothing like Regina nor the donor profile. All babies look the same, but even Henry had dark hair upon birth. She was so tired and out of it, she had questioned the nurse. Cora placed a hand on her shoulder and assured her that the nurses knew what they were doing.
"You're just tired, darling. Perhaps she gets her coloring from my side of the family."
Regina gazed wearily down at the newborn pressed against her bare skin. "But…"
"Why don't you get some more sleep? I'll tend to her in the meantime."
She had known something was wrong. There was that feeling deep in her gut. But she was in so much pain and so damn tired, all she wanted to do was sleep. So, she took her mother's word and drifted off. When she awoke and held the baby once more, she felt that magnetic pull she had with Henry. That was her daughter. She felt so silly for doubting it…
Until she got that letter three years later. If she had just pushed harder, insisted they look more into it then…then what? She wouldn't have Evie? She would've had more time with Bryony, though. It's just too damn much. This is why she refuses to give it enough headspace.
Except now she has to, because her daughters are staring at her, waiting for answers.
"I was very, very tired," Regina admits. "And I listened to the wrong people. But it isn't because I didn't want you, Bryony." She gets up and slides beside her, Robin sitting next to Evie. Regina carefully tilts her daughter's chin up. "What happened with this family is so incredibly rare. No one ever thinks that their baby could've been switched." Bryony's frown doesn't leave her face. "But I know this is confusing and hard, so you can feel whatever you do. Angry, sad, anything."
"We're here to help you two with it," Robin says, pulling Evie closer to him. "And we know a doctor that the two of you can talk to." He presses a kiss to his daughter's head. "We just need you to know that we love you. Both of you. And nothing is ever going to change that."
Evie nods, putting a hand on top of Bryony's. The younger sister slips her fingers with the older. Regina holds back some tears, gently stroking Bryony's hair. Her daughter keeps her eyes on Evie, but she doesn't pull away from her mother. It's a start, Regina supposes.
