A pounding headache. All she could think about was her agonizing headache. She took an aspirin a half hour ago that did absolutely nothing.
"MOM! Are we gonna make cookies this year?!" Henry yelled from the hallway, emphasizing his last word.
"Yes Henry," Regina sighed from her bed. "Just give me a minute!"
"You said that 10 minutes ago."
"And I'm saying it again. Go prepare the kitchen, I'll be right down," Regina said before trying to get up.
She was feeling horrible and the thought of cookies made her stomach turn, but she had promised Henry and Roland so she managed to pull herself together and walked down the stairs heading towards the kitchen.
"We're ready!" Henry said looking down at Roland who was nodding in confirmation.
Regina couldn't help but smile at the two boys, eager to get started.
"Okay well, let's start. Henry you can start putting the eggs, butter, and milk in this bowl," Regina said walking over to the counter top and reaching for the bowl, handing it to Henry.
"Roland you and I will mix all the dry ingredients. Do you remember which three?"
"Yes! Sugar and the cookie soda!" Roland said, looking proud for remembering two out of three. He stepped on his stool so he was high enough to reach everything.
"Baking soda honey." Regina laughed, running her fingers through his adorable curls. "You forgot flour," She added before gathering the three ingredients and placing them in front of Roland, who handed her the ingredients one by one so she could mix them all in a bowl.
After mixing the dry and the wet ingredients together it was time to add the chocolate chips, which was Roland's job.
He excitedly emptied the Hershey's bag into the bowl. Looking up to Regina, like he always does, asking permission to taste test.
"Go ahead." Regina laughed, giving both Roland and Henry a nod. "Not too much though, there are raw eggs in there!"
"Hmmm, it's yummy!" Roland exclaimed, reaching for another scoop, but Regina stopped him before his spoon reached the bowl.
"If you eat all the cookie dough now we won't have anything left for the actual cookies. If you guys start rolling them into balls I'll pre-heat the oven and get the cookie sheet."
Half an hour later the cookie dough was rolled and ready to be put in the oven. After setting a timer Regina turned to look at the two boys.
"So, what should we go do while we're waiting?" She asked.
"A movie!" Roland said excitedly.
Regina knew she had to clean up the kitchen first but she wasn't really feeling like it. She'd rather sit down on the couch, relaxing a little.
"Sounds like a plan!" She said following the boys into the living room.
After much debate, they settled for How To Train Your Dragon. Regina was lying down on the couch while Henry and Roland were sitting on the other one. Twenty minutes into the movie Regina fell asleep, her exhaustion getting the best of her. If it wasn't for the timer that went off a half hour later, she would still be asleep.
"The cookies are done!" Roland yelled, getting up and running to the kitchen.
"Roland slow down, honey," Regina said getting up and walking over to the oven.
"They have to cool off first. I'll tell you when they're done, okay," She said giving Roland a wink.
"Okay Gina,"Roland said walking back to the living room to sit back down next to Henry.
Regina took out the cookies and placed them on the countertop. She knew she had to start cleaning up before it would get too late. She started with the dishes, rinsing the bowls, spoons and measuring cups before putting them in the dishwasher. Then she put all the used ingredients back in the cabinets and wiped off the countertop. All the while still feeling lightheaded and nauseous.
She felt like throwing up. She actually felt like she was about to throw up. She ran to the bathroom and emptied her upset stomach in the toilet.
Great, just great she thought as she gets up, walking over to the sink to splash some cold water on her face and wash her hands. She should probably take Roland home before he gets the flu too and maybe it would be better to let Henry stay with Emma tonight.
So she gathers her car keys and her phone before she walks to the living room and explains to the boys that she isn't feeling so well and that she's really sorry to end the play date, especially since they were having so much fun when she walked in on them playing on the play station.
"What about the cookies!" Roland said with a pout.
She totally forgot about the cookies she had put on the counter top to cool off.
"I'll wrap them up so you and Henry can take them with you."
"Don't you want any cookies Gina? They can make you feel better," Roland asked after Regina had finished wrapping up the cookies and handing it to each of them.
"No honey, cookies won't make me feel better," She explained, smiling at his innocence. "Come one, let's get you guys home before your mom decides to come pick you up herself," She said to Roland, walking them to the car.
She dropped Henry off first and explained the situation to Emma before she gave Henry a kiss and told him that as soon as she was feeling better she'd come get him so they could go do something fun.
Then she went to Robin's camp to drop off Roland.
"Which one is yours?" Regina asked Roland, looking at the three tents she knew were in the vicinity of Robin's but they all looked very similar.
They walked to the one Roland pointed at and found Robin chopping vegetables, most likely for his and Marian's dinner.
"Daddy!" Roland said, hugging Robin from behind where he was sitting.
Robin turned around, startled. "Hey my boy, how did you get here," Robin asked setting Roland on his lap.
"Gina," Roland said pointing behind Robin.
Robin turned around to see Regina looking down shyly, as if she was intruding on a private moment.
"I see. Well you're back a bit early so why don't you go get washed up for dinner down at the river. Your mama is down there and she'll want to hear about all the fun you had," Robin told Roland as his little legs scurried down the hill.
After Roland left there was an awkward silence between Robin and Regina as Robin stood up to stand in front of her.
"I'm sorry I dropped him off so early. I just think I have the flu or something and I didn't want to get him sick."
"It's fine. Are you alright? Do you need anything?" Robin asked, sounding very concerned.
"No, I'm fine, thank you."
"Uhh, would you like to stay for dinner? We're having fish and veggies."
"That's a very kind offer, but I don't think your wife would be okay with your ex staying for dinner,"Regina said chuckling.
"I guess you might be right,"Robin said grinning at her.
"Yeah, well I better get going. Have a nice night Robin," Regina said turning around to leave.
"Regina," Robin called out as Regina halted.
"I'm sorry."
Regina turned around and looked at him with confusion.
He jogged up to where she was standing.
"I'm sorry that I didn't warn you that Marian was going to drop Roland off. I tried calling you, but the service is terrible out here. I just wanted you to know that I wasn't trying to intentionally make you.. uncomfortable."
"Oh it's fine, Robin. Honestly, Marian is very sweet."
"She's a keeper," Regina said with a sad smile, walking to her car once again as night fell and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Even though they had agreed on staying friends it still hurt seeing him happy with Marian and knowing, actually wishing that it would be her.
She got in the car and started driving back home when she looked in her rear view mirror and spotted Roland's stuffed penguin. She knows that he can't sleep without it.
"He loves that penguin. I got it for him when his mother died and he was just a babe. It hasn't truly left his side since."
Regina remembered Robin telling her this one night when she tried to wash it before Roland's bedtime and Roland threw a fit looking for it.
Regina chuckled to herself thinking of the memory.
She thought it would be better to call Robin to tell him she was coming back to give Roland his penguin.
She looked up from the steering wheel and saw a light drizzle of rain and thought to herself to hurry before it started pouring. Approaching a stop sign, she dug in her purse to get her phone, and dialed Robin's number.
Then it happened.
Before she knew it she saw bright lights and her car was flipping.
It felt like she was in slow motion, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. She had heard the many theories of your life flashing before your eyes, but the only thing she could think of was Robin. The regret of letting him go so easily. She should've fought harder. Now she didn't know if she'd ever see him again. Is this really the legacy she was leaving? A broken hearted woman who did nothing but cause others pain; even the people she cared about?
The ordeal was over in less than ten seconds, yet it felt like an eternity.
She lied on the ground of shattered glass, ten feet away from her overturned car, in the rain. She couldn't feel anything. Her breathing was shallow and unsteady.
Focus Regina.
Just breathe.
The dial tone on her phone was still going. After a few seconds she heard his voice.
"Regina?"
Silence.
"Regina? Hello?"
She gathered all the strength she could muster and grabbed her phone.
"Robin," she didn't even recognize her own voice. His name was a shallow whisper on her lips. Then, everything went black.