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EPILOGUE: ONE YEAR LATER
Regina walked out on the porch armed with bowls in each arm, the dogs at her heels, and the boys midway through an argument about which superpower was better. The heat layered her skin with sweat, her shirt clung to her back. "Put those down right there, boys."
Henry and Roland dropped bowls and napkins while their argument resumed, and they went off toward Carl and Penny. The dogs, Storm, and Rogue, scampered after them with yaps and barks. As promised, Robin chose girls and it took the boys hours to pick names for them. It worked out in the end, she mused.
Putting the bowls down, she rested her hand on the table to give herself a minute. Tables were covered with pastels in bright colors, atop them was enough food to feed an army, and Robin was happily manning the grill. People were milling about in her yard, she thought. The yard she'd worked hard on with her boys.
Conversational hum filled the air, food aroma made her stomach growl, and seeing almost everyone in the community made her heart soar.
"Can I help you with that, Regina?" Maggie took a lid and slid it under the bowl. Music hummed loudly, kids were giggling and running, huddles of people were enjoying a summer afternoon. She hoped the sun would go behind a cloud. Just for a little while, she bargained.
"Thanks, Maggie. I just have the fruit salad and the hamburger toppings in the fridge. I'll ask David to grab the other cooler and that should do it," she smiled.
It had been Robin's idea to invite everyone over for their first summer party. It had been hell and back for people to accept her again. It pained her, unnerved her, and it hurt, she admitted. To see the looks, hear the whispers, and to know that she wasn't trusted.
When she'd go into town to grocery shop, walk along the pier to relax, or stop at the gas station, people stared. She'd tried to smile and be polite. Apologize to people she encountered and show them the real her. It took time and plenty of hard conversations, hard nights, and an argument from Robin. He'd defended her and she was thankful for that.
It finally changed when baby Robin was born. It seemed that they'd brought a wealth of celebration, happiness, and acceptance when she was born. People came to visit her in the hospital, leave flowers, meet the baby. Even now, she was spoiled and would remain so.
Granny was the first to warm to Regina and they'd had a heart to heart. Honorary Grandma status sealed the deal and the spoiling came quickly and never seemed to stop. Robin really was that chance for her and the reentry into the community she needed.
Regina glanced toward Belle and Ashley as Robin toddled around with Alexandra and their younger son, Trent. Her daughter, she thought always made her smile. Robin had eyes like her mother, dimples like her father, and a mixture of the two in hair and stature.
"Let me give you hand," she said. They entered the house and took the contents out of the fridge. Maggie slanted her a look, "Have you told him yet?"
"No, he has no idea. With the store permits coming through, the stock is ordered, and the cleaning up, he's up to his eyeballs in his own work. The boys have been giving him enough to worry about with them leaving for camp next week."
"When are you gonna tell him?" They walked out of the house and placed the last bit of food on the table. "I can't wait until you do," she confessed.
Regina grinned, "Tonight. I'll tell him tonight. Honestly, I'm not good at keeping secrets. If I wait any longer, he'll figure it out. Come on, let's eat."
Under the shade of an umbrella, Robin sat on Regina's lap in a sunflower sundress, brown curls framing her face, and mouth dirty with ketchup. The boys had resorted to sitting on the grass with other children and shared bits of food with the dogs.
Robin and David stood under a tree with a beer in hand and talked a mile a minute. Smoke from the grill bellowed around them.
Regina told Maggie, "I get the first order in a couple of weeks. I can't believe it. The contractor said the eatery will be done by then. They still have to put in the custom cabinets, set the counter and island in place, and finish tiling the floor. I'm gonna have my own business, Maggie."
"Yes, you are. You worked your ass off, Regina. You had a baby and still managed to sneak over there every chance you got to pitch in. Even when Robin forced you to get rest, you went around him, like you do," she took a bite of salad. "Well, congratulations. We'll have to celebrate when you open. How about an adult girls' night?"
"Sounds like heaven. I'm outnumbered." Kissing the top of Robin's head, she said, "Even with this one and the dogs. The men in my life are a handful," she laughed.
"Mama, done." Robin smiled with her dimpled face full of ketchup. "Want papa," she said.
She took a napkin and cleaned up her face. "Alright, off you go." She caught Robin's gaze and gestured for the baby. He gave a nod and stood watching the baby toddle to him. She watched little Robin take small careful steps and go straight into her daddy's waiting arms. When he hoisted her up, he kissed her cheek and her heart stuttered.
Watching him with her was like nothing else. "I love that man," she said.
Maggie laughed, "I know. You're lucky and I'm happy for you."
Regina sighed, "Thanks. I'm happy for you and David. You tried a long time and baby Neal is gonna be here in a few months," she grinned.
Maggie with her gentle eyes pressed a hand on her swollen belly. They'd tried and tried, and Regina remembered when Maggie came into the house and sobbed when she told her the news. They'd cried together in happiness knowing that their families would grow. They'd be happy. They'd keep being happy.
"I can't wait to see his face and have everyone spoil him like they do Robin."
"No doubt," she laughed.
"When do you think you'll set the opening?"
Setting her plate aside, Regina sipped her water. "I haven't set it yet. But I want to get the eatery done, the painting of the shelves finished. I still need to go over the stock coming in, the orders I'll be putting in. I still have so much to do," she thought.
"You'll get it done," she said as she gathered empty plates. "David said he'd talk to Leroy about pitching in with the painting."
Regina turned to see Leroy throwing a horseshoe toward its target, "He told me when he got here. I'm grateful he'd help. I have Marco and Archie wanting to pitch in too," she said.
Rising, Maggie gathered more dishes, "See? You'll be ready in no time. When is the last inspection?"
Regina rose to help her, stopped at a table to gather, and walked toward the house. "When it's all done. If I push it and pester them to death, a month. Longer if anything comes up, but I'm hoping six to eight weeks at most."
Discarding dishes, throwing food in the garbage, and rinsing plates, they worked as a team. "Just in time for the boys to get back from camp. I'm still shocked Robin agreed to let Roland go."
Regina laughed as she turned off the tap, "I know. It took some convincing," she smiled.
"Oh," Maggie hummed. "Well, I'm sure that wasn't a hardship," she smirked.
"It's good for the boys to get out and I don't want to be nervous to let Henry have some freedom. I kept him in this bubble for so long, he deserves to spread his wings and see that there is no fear. That it's the sky for him and he can do what he wants and not be afraid. I'll miss them like crazy," she admitted.
"I imagine, but you'll have your hands full with the baby and the shop. Alright, it looks like kitchen duty is done. I'm gonna go steal my husband and make him take me out on the boat."
Regina watched Maggie from the screen door walk to David. With practiced and unconscious movement, he draped an arm around her waist. Kissed her cheek, like he always did. Then, after a brief few minutes of conversation, she led him to the water and onto the boat.
Robin sat on the grass with baby Robin in his lap. He smiled down at her and had her giggling. She grinned from where she was and thought, I'm luckier than I deserve.
Robin scrubbed the grill with a brush under the lights above him, sprayed water that steamed from the heat, scrubbed again. When the grill was clean, he sprayed it with more water, closed the cover, and flipped off the switch.
Taking his tools inside, he found Regina sitting on the island. "Grill is clean, and the last stragglers just drove off. The boys in bed?"
"I sent them upstairs and told them to shower, it's been a long day. I doubt they're still awake. I heard the last thumping half hour ago, but I suspect they were four-legged."
He put aside the tools, rinsed his hands in the sink, and glanced at her. She was looking down at a stack of papers and twirling a pen around in her hand. "Good. Robin?"
"Bathed, changed, and fast asleep," she said. "It might be time to change out the crib for the toddler bed. She's getting too big too fast," she said glancing up.
Drying his hands on a towel, he took the pots and pans, hung them on the wall where the rest went. Took the others and put them under the sink, the baking sheets in the oven, and called it a night. He was too tired to put the dishes away and it didn't look like she was inclined to get up anytime soon.
"Did you have a good time?" He sat next to her.
"I did. It was the best idea you had. I'm glad we had the party," she smiled at him.
"I didn't get much time with you. Maggie seemed to be monopolizing all the time. What were you talking about?"
"The shop," she said.
"Uh-huh," he said.
"What?"
"You tell me. You get quiet and distance yourself when you're hiding something from me. I've noticed the last few days, but I didn't want to push you. You shut down when I push you," he said taking her hand.
Glancing down, it gave him pride and pleasure to see the wedding band on her hand. The picture on the wall held a picture of them at their wedding, the day he made her his wife. The bond that would bind them together forever. "You wanna tell me or do I have to pry it out of you?"
Glaring at him, she said, "Can you stop analyzing me? Maybe I'm planning a surprise for you, ever think about that?" She tried to pull her hand free, but he only linked their fingers. Pulled her closer.
"You suck at planning and I always figure it out," he teased with a grin.
"Really?" she hummed. "I can surprise you," she challenged.
"Yea?" he rested his arms around her waist. Held her close. Pressing his lips to her cheek, he said, "You smell good."
As his lips sampled, she closed her eyes and tried to ignore the humming in her blood. "Robin."
"Hmm?" He skimmed her hair behind her shoulder and closed his mouth over her warm skin. Then, he rested his chin on her shoulder and met her eyes. "Sorry, you distract me."
Avoiding the topic, she said, "We have so much going on in the next few weeks. The boys are jazzed about camp, the eatery is almost done, the stock will be in soon, and I'll have my hands full until the opening. I might ask Maggie and Belle to help me plan a party. I have checks to deposit, another payment to make to the court, and Robin has her checkup coming up."
"It'll get done. We'll take it step by step and you'll forget about the long list rolling around in your head," he kissed her.
"I'll relax when I can actually start checking things off the list and stop mulling them over. I'm not good with idle," she pouted.
"I know, but you're changing the subject," he said. Squeezing her sides, he asked, "What's the surprise?"
Regina sighed knowing that her idea of spontaneity wasn't going to work the way she'd hoped. She'd tried to keep it under wraps longer. But it was time and she couldn't stall anymore. "Let's go outside and sit on the swing," she suggested.
Robin grabbed the baby monitor on the counter, "Sounds like a plan. He took her hand and led her outside. When they settled on the swing, he kicked it to moving. "Remember the night I asked you to marry me?"
Regina settled in, "One of the best nights of my life," she said honestly.
"A lot has happened since that night. We have three kids, geez, a pack of dogs, this house, your shop. We're lucky."
"Yea," she said softly. "I was nervous about today."
He took her hand and linked their fingers and trailed his fingertips with his other hand along her arm, "I know you wanted it to go smoothly. For the most part, it did. It was a good turnout and they we'll have the Camden Campout next month. It'll be fun."
"That's another thing on my list," she grumbled. "It won't be the same without the boys," she said. "But it'll be nice to introduce the baby to tent sleeping," she laughed.
"Oh, joy."
For a few moments, they snuggled, breathed in the night air, and enjoyed the silence. Regina closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, "I'm happy and I didn't think I'd ever get here."
"I'm glad you did, but it took a war, you won some battles, lost others. You didn't come out unscathed, but what did touch you didn't ruin you. It made you stronger, you're the strongest woman I've ever known. To know that you're gonna pass that on to our daughter only makes it sweeter."
"I wasn't always strong, you know that. I was scared and ran because I couldn't face my fears or my past. Well, I'm not ever running again and I'm never giving up my happiness."
Robin kissed her, "I love you."
"I love you, too."
"You know…" he said while teasing her with soft kisses along her lips, temples, neck. "The house is quiet, the kids are asleep, and I do believe we have privacy out here," he pressed his hands, skimmed, molded, glided. "You smell amazing and feel good too," he said before closing her mouth with his.
The kiss was long and deep, stunning, and drowning. When he lifted his head, he asked, "Can I convince you?"
Regina laughed, "It wouldn't be the first time, but I think you'll change your mind when I say what I have to say."
"Yea? What's that?" his teeth grazed over her bottom lip, he felt her body quiver. He drowned in a kiss so deep and so steamy, he felt his body set aflame, his blood turn hot. When his mouth tasted and feasted on her throat, he felt her body shudder, her breath tremble.
Pressing a hand to his chest, she met his gaze. Then, leaned forward and spoke softly in his ear, "I love you more than I can explain. You changed my life and gave me a family. And I hope to God, you're happy because we're gonna add one more to this loud household."
Robin stopped his hands from exploring, his lips from trying to taste, and jerked back. His mouth gaped open, "Are you serious? You're sure?"
Nodding, she bit her lip. "I'm positive."
For a moment, she held her breath when he didn't react. When it clicked, he glanced down at her flat belly, met her eyes, and grinned. "Regina Mills, you kill me." He covered his mouth with hers.
He peppered her with kisses and hugged her so tight, she struggled for air. "I can't wait. We're in for it now," he laughed. "Let's pretend you didn't tell me that and we'll go make good use of the couch," he said. "We'll give it a thorough examination."
Laughing, she gasped when he stood and lifted her into his arms. "Robin…" Gripping him, she struggled as he booted the door open. "Put me down, this is ridiculous," she said in between laughing jags.
"I'm never letting you go," he said. They tumbled on the couch and his body covered hers. They made love in their living room while their children slept upstairs.
Regina who had hidden most of her adult life, scared of everything, ran when things got hard, she'd finally found someone to give her roots. A man who made her feel safe, loved, and above all, herself. There were no more dangers, no more heartbreak, no more questions.
There was love, happiness, and the promise of a future. The conflict she'd carried in her heart, had been solved. It was full of life and love. They had plenty to look forward to and it was going to be loud, messy, hard, and there were going to be so many people in the middle of it.
They wouldn't have it any other way.
THE END.