ATTENTION: THE AUTHOR IS POSTING THE LAST CHAPTER ON MAY 5. TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE READ HER STORY, SHE IS ALLOWING THE ENTIRE STORY TO BE PUBLISHED UNTIL MAY 22.
THIS BOOK OR ANY PORTION THEREOF MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT PERMISSION. THE SCANNING, UPLOADING, AND DISTRIBUTION OF THIS BOOK VIA THE INTERNET OR VIA ANY OTHER MEANS WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER IS ILLEGAL AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
REGINA AND AMELIA SAT IN Dr. Whalen's office with nervous energy surrounding them. For days, Regina waited to hear the results of the blood test. In light of that, she'd tried to keep herself as busy with Amelia as she could. Robin was beginning to pick up on little things about her behavior.
He'd yet to mention it, but she could see him scrutinizing her face, her moods. To avoid the subject, she'd tell him she was nervous. Zelena finally called and in the morning, she'd be grabbing breakfast with her. With Christmas in a few days, she was nervous. That part wasn't hard to fake.
Now, sitting in Dr. Whalen's office after a phone call, her nerves and her emotions were heightened. Robin was with Jordan as he'd been every day since they'd been in London. The more time she spent in the hospital, the more jumbled her nerves became. Hospitals were her least favorite place to be.
But how could she deny Robin the support of being there for him in this hard time? Instead of complaining, she kept it to herself. Which only put her emotions more on edge.
Dr. Whalen was a tall lean man with blonde hair, soft blue eyes, and a boyish smile. He spoke with confidence and poise, "I've gotten the blood results back. We put in a rush as requested."
Amelia took her hand and squeezed. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I'm ready."
Dr. Whalen handed her a piece of paper, "It looks like your blood is a match." For a minute, her breath shuddered out before he continued. "So, what we'll do is take one more test here. Once you get home to Texas, I'll arrange for the other tests to be conducted. You'll have to travel to Dallas for tissue testing. Is that a problem?"
Regina sighed in relief. Hearing she crossed the first hurdle was more than she imagined, but she'd have to figure out a legitimate excuse to get to Dallas without revealing the reason to Robin. "No," she said. "I'll make it work. I'll need some notice to speak with my boss."
"Of course, we'll have it all scheduled and arranged beforehand. You'll have plenty of time to make plans. At this time, there's not a lot we can do. If you head up to the lab in the next couple of days, they can draw the second sample of blood. Then, your part here is done."
"Is that it? Just another blood test here?" Her heart was pounding, her blood humming.
"Yes, that's all we can do at this point," he said at length.
"Thank you, Dr. Whalen for doing this and for not telling Robin. I know that puts you in an awkward position." Regina twisted her hands together, the guilt eating at her. Her emotions were out of control.
"I can keep confidence, don't worry. We'll work it out."
"Thank you, again," she said rising. When she walked out of the office, she turned to Amelia and was enveloped into a hug.
"Oh, I didn't know what to expect," she said with a teary tone. "Thank you." Regina almost lost it there, but she needed a minute to herself.
"Why don't you go with Robin and I'll head up to the lab. If he asks, just tell him I went to eat."
"I won't say anything, I'm a dreadful liar," she said whipping her eyes.
"Go, I'm going to get some air," she said thickly. Seeing Amelia's tears sent her over the edge.
Regina walked down the corridor, down a hallway, and into the elevator as fast as she could. At the ground level, she surpassed the café, the lobby, and walked straight outside into the winter snow. Hugging her coat to her body, her feet kept moving. She didn't have a destination in mind, she just needed to go somewhere.
Somewhere that wasn't full of doctors, illness, and death. A place where she didn't have to hold her breath. Although, she didn't admit it to Robin, she hated hospitals. Spending enough time in them when her father was sick was enough for her to hate them. When she inhaled the fresh air, she started to feel better. The smell was overwhelming, the emotional turmoil was stifling the longer she spent in Jordan's room.
Her heart wanted to burst anytime she saw Robin or Amelia with Jordan. He looked so ill and much like her father in the last year she had him. Overwhelmed with the news of the blood test, she finally felt the dam break.
The tears she'd been keeping deep within her burst out as her feet hurried along the sidewalk. People looked at her with concern as she passed them, but she continued her way. Her chest was bursting with soft sobs, her face was soaked, the chill of the air drifted up her dress.
When she came across a café, she went inside and ducked inside the bathroom. The warmth seeped into her. To her luck, it was clean, and a soft plush chair sat in the corner. Sinking into the cushions, she let herself go completely. After her crying jag, she managed to pull herself together, fix her makeup, and right herself.
She ordered herself a coffee and sat in the café as flurries began to fall. As she came to terms with what was, she decided that she'd wait until the next day to do her blood work. She was meeting Zelena in the morning. Her nerves were all over the place, she wasn't ready for her own purpose of being in London.
As she sipped on her coffee, she waited until her emotions were in check. In the meantime, she called Maggie for some support. "Hello?"
"Hi, Mags. It's me," she said hoarsely.
"Regina? What's wrong? Are you alright?"
"Oh, Maggie. There's been so much going on and I should've told you before. I need some advice."
"On?"
"I told you about Robin's dad and how he's been sick. I took a blood test, Mags."
"Wait, you're testing to see if you're a match? Are you sure about that? That is a huge decision and could change your body forever."
"I know, but I'd have done anything if I could've kept my dad longer. Jordan still has some time and if I can give that him, I would," she said sniffling.
"Regina…I wish I was there to hug you. You sound so upset. What does Robin say about all this?"
"I…haven't told him. Amelia, his mother, and I did this behind his back. This is why I'm so upset, I can't go to him for support. Mags, I hate lying to him, but I didn't want to get his hopes up."
Maggie expelled a breath, "So, what's got you all bent out of shape right now?"
"The doctor told me that my blood was a match," she felt her belly turn over and quiver.
"That's good right? If this is what you wanted, you should be thrilled. Why are you so upset?"
How could she explain it? "I don't want to disappoint them, and Amelia is already thanking me like this is going to happen. I can't bear to see the hurt in her eyes if it doesn't work out."
"Take a deep breath and wait and see. I mean all you can do is be honest with her. Do you have to keep it from Robin? You've been together for less than three months, and that's a huge secret to keep."
Regina's fingers tugged on the top of her cup, "For now, I think I have to. I don't want to tell him unless I'm sure that I can do it. He's fragile right now. You remember how I was at that point," she breathed.
Maggie was silent a minute, "Just try not to stress about it too much, okay? Enjoy your vacation and let it play out. When do you meet with Zee?"
"Tomorrow morning, we're having breakfast. She's been texting me. We decided that I wasn't going to talk to my mother until after Christmas. We don't want to ruin the holiday," she explained.
"Good idea. So, where are you now?"
"At a café down from the hospital. I had to get out of there. The smells and the sounds were making me sick."
"I miss you," she said.
"I know, I miss you too. Listen, I should get back before they notice. I love you," she said.
"Love you, call me if you need me."
"I promise," she said and ended the call.
An hour later, she finally made her way outside and back toward the hotel. When she entered the lobby, she found Robin sitting in a chair waiting for her. He stood and went to her, "Are you alright?" He reached up and traced under her eyes with his fingers.
"Yea, I just…I needed some air," she kissed him. The guilt settled in her belly and burned in her throat. She hated lying to him.
"God, I'm sorry Regina. I didn't think about how hard being here would be on you," he sighed. "I guess I've been so wrapped up in my father that I've neglected your feelings." He wrapped his arms around her and held on.
"It's alright," she hugged him and laid her head on his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she simply inhaled his scent. "How is he?"
When she pulled back, she noted his eyes were a bit tired, his face a bit hollow. "He's in better spirits today."
"That's good. Every chance he has a good day will be better for all of you. Have you eaten?"
"No, I came to find you and see if you wanted to go home. I could use some time away from here. Come with me?" He scrutinized her face and touched her cheek, "You look tired. Have you been crying?"
"I'm pretty tired, let's go. We'll eat and I told Amelia I'd finish the pies for her."
"I'll help. Have you talked to Zelena today?" He took her hand as they walked toward the parking structure.
"No, I'll call her in a bit. I still need to know where we're meeting. She promised my mother wouldn't be there. That's waiting until after Christmas."
"Good, less stress beforehand," he kissed her hand as she got into the passenger side of the car. He closed the door and went around getting in next to her.
At the house, Robin keyed in and the first thing Regina did was escape to the bathroom. In the mirror, she stared at her reflection. Touching up her makeup, she took a few deep breaths and promised herself to give in to a nice evening.
Robin waited for her in the kitchen. He was cutting two sandwiches into triangles. He set them on plates, added vegetable sticks, and brought them to the table where she sat. He watched her with speculative eyes. "What?"
"Thank you," she said shaking her head. "I haven't had much of an appetite, I guess."
Sitting across from her, he said, "I guess with everything going on, I haven't either. Unless you count all the sugar."
"Yea," she put a hand over her stomach, "The gym will be calling my name after the holidays."
"Nonsense, you're beautiful the way you are." He smiled.
Taking small bites, she forced herself to eat. "So, I got an e-mail from Gold."
His eyes shot up to hers, "I thought we weren't working during this vacation," he scolded.
"I know, but I didn't answer his e-mail and he called and left a message. It looks like they'll be starting depositions starting January twelfth. It also looks like Mueller has decided to double team with civil and criminal attorneys."
Robin swallowed, "What do you mean?"
Picking at her food, she explained, "It looks like we're sharing this case with Belfrey. I guess the University has some dirty secrets that can result in a huge scandal like I thought. Prostitution, fraud, money laundering, you name it. So, we're the first step. Then, Belfrey swoops in for the win," she frowned.
"Gold didn't say anything else?"
"Not much, other than apologizing to me for the case going to both of the firms. I wanted this case, but I didn't realize how big it would be. I'd be in over my head, so it makes sense that we're teaming up. We're meeting her on the tenth."
"That's two days after we get back," he pointed out.
"I know, not much of a reprieve, but if we don't, we won't be nearly prepared for the deposition. It starts with Sean Mueller."
He was quiet as he ate, "I guess it's the best, but I'm sorry it'll affect you. I know how important this was to you."
"It's alright, I'm still part of it. So, it ends up leading to the same result we hoped for."
"I suppose it's all we can do right now. For now, let's enjoy our time off. I'm happy I brought you here," he said ducking his head.
Standing, she walked around the table and sat in his lap, "I'm glad I could be here for you. I love you," she leaned in and kissed his lips softly.
"I love you, too. Come on, let's start on those pies."
THEY WERE SITTING on stools surrounded by pie trays, dough, filling Amelia had previously made, and a number of other ingredients. Robin watched Regina out of the corner of his eye. They'd laughed and enjoyed Christmas music as the pies baked. There was something troubling her and it irked him. He'd joked with her and her smile never quite met her eyes.
She seemed to open up to him partially, but deep down he could feel her pulling back. He'd caught her crying more than once, chalked it up to the heightened emotion of the last few days, and left her alone. Now, he was dying to bring it out of her. Something was holding him back. The genuine smile she'd give him. The trust.
While they prepared the next set of pies, they drunk wine and enjoyed each other. They were still learning about one another. It was fun to hear about her as a child. Skinny and shy, she'd said. A girl with a goal in mind and a stubborn spirit. He could imagine her that way.
He shared his story with her and the heaviness of that no longer weighed on him. He'd never shared that story with another person outside of his family. Regina had responded in a way that not only told him she was the right person for him, but that she was the only person for him.
Inside he was waiting for the perfect moment. He'd talked to his mother, asked her advice before requesting she take his great grandmother's ring out of the safe. The Locksley ring that she'd willed to him as a boy. The one that he wanted to give Regina. It was a ruby diamond surrounded by tiny white diamonds in a circular pattern.
The band was engraved with his great grandfather's initials, K.L. He wanted to give it to her, but with all the pain and uneasiness, it wasn't the right time. It occurred to him that they'd barely known each other a couple of months and it might scare her, but it felt right. It didn't matter how long they knew each other.
The important thing was they knew everything deep down they needed to know. He knew her heart, her secrets, her fears. She knew his and they both accepted them. They accepted each other flaws and all. So, when he kept glancing at her and getting a blush or a smile in return, his heart knew it was right.
At the moment, the ring was in his mother's bedroom. He didn't want to take the risk of her finding it for any reason. Putting it out of his mind, he took the cherry and apple pie they'd filled and put them on a tray as the weather turned frightful on the radio. Regina smiled, "Do we really need these many pies? How many people are going to be here?"
"Fifty or so, I'd guess. People love pie," he took the oven mitts and took one try out of the oven and replaced it with a new one. So far, on the counter he counted eight pies. They still have a few to go.
"Fifty?" she exclaimed. "How do you fit all those people in this house?"
"We manage. The den, the kitchen, the living room. We all spread out and mingle. It works. Most of the women usually stay at the dining room table. The kids just go wild over the house."
"I imagine. I'm looking forward to meeting all the people you've told me about," she smiled. He loved her smile.
"I can't wait to show you off," he laughed. With the look in her eyes, he explained, "You're the first woman I've brought home for Christmas," he admitted.
"Really?" Suddenly turning to meet his eyes, her cheeks turned pink.
"Yea, there was never anyone important enough to me."
"What about Greta? You married her?"
His gut clenched, "I know I did. No, I planned to, but she was too busy to come." He picked up the last try of pies and set them on the stove. Sat down next to her, took her hand. Shaped her jaw with the other, "I'm glad it's you."
He watched her eyes warm, her lips curve, "I am too. Thank you for bringing me." He kissed her softly. When she sighed into it, he lingered. Overcome with love, he said, "Come here." He stood, turned off the oven, and led her into the bedroom.
"Robin, we have to finish the pies," she tried to pull away.
"It'll keep," he said unbuttoning her blouse. "You need to relax, you're all stressed, and you look sad."
"It's been a stressful few days," she admitted as he un-tucked the tails of her shirt and glided her shirt from her. He unzipped her skirt slowly, trailed his fingers down her skin as he dropped it.
"Step out," he said softly. At her hip, he tucked his thumbs under the stockings and slowly peeled them down her legs, making sure to graze his fingers on the journey. Her skin was warm, she was trembling. He stood and removed his shirt.
He framed her face and sunk into a kiss. Regina wrapped around him and sunk with him. He guided her toward the bed and laid her down. He rid himself of his jeans and boxers and slid under the covers. Very slowly, he kissed and seduced her. Tasting, testing, molding, and comforting.
He held her and she held him, he unhooked her bra and removed it. He covered his mouth over her breast and when she gasped sweetly, his chest tightened. Sometimes the smallest touch was a wonder. He opened his mouth over her belly, peeled off her panties, and trailed wet kisses down her legs, up her thighs.
When he moved up the bed, he took her into his arms, kissed her like he loved her. So soft and so sweet it brought tears to her eyes. "I love you," he whispered against her lips. Wiping her tears with his lips, he slipped into her slowly and made love to her under the sheets.