(A/N-Thanks to Kara for beta reading this. Appreciate it so much! And thanks to those who read, review, follow and fav this story)
The next day came along, and Roland had come over from school to stay there until Robin could come and pick him up. Roland was in the workout room with his Nana and Regina, watching his Nana exercise her hurt arm.
"You're doing quite nicely, Mrs. Locklsey," Regina said.
"Ruth, dear, Ruth," she said with a smile.
"So she's getting better, Regina?" Roland asked from a chair.
"Yes, she is getting a lot of her mobility back, we will have her doing more cartwheels than you, Roland," Regina said as Roland let out a mouthful of giggles.
"I'm not so sure about cartwheels just yet," Ruth said.
"What's this about cartwheels?" David asked as he walked into the room then.
Regina looked up and smiled at him as he gave her arm a brush with his hand as he went to his mother,"When I get this arm back to where it should be, I'll be challenging Roland here to cartwheels."
"Well, that would be a sight to see for sure," David said as he turned and winked at Roland,"Now if I was you, Roland, I would be practicing for that challenge."
"Can you take me to the park to practice, Uncle David?" Roland asked.
"That sounds like a great idea," David said as he gave Roland a thumbs up.
"Regina, would you please come with me to the park?" Roland asked as he gave her a cute smile.
"Oh, Roland, I've got to finish with your Nana today," Regina said.
"Nonsense, we can finish early today if that's alright?" Ruth asked.
"See! Please, Regina," Roland said as he continued,"I don't remember my mother, so it's nice to have you around."
Regina's heart strings pulled tightly,"But, Roland, what about your Nana? Maybe she would like to go with you to the park?"
"Oh, no. I'm going to take a nap this afternoon. Why don't the three of you go together?" Ruth suggested.
"Well, if you're sure," Regina said.
"She's sure!" Roland yelled as he launched himself at Regina's legs, making her hug him as he hugged her legs.
"Wait, Roland, what about your father?" Regina asked.
"I'll send him a message about going to the park," David said.
"Alright, give me an hour and I'll be ready," Regina said as David and Roland left the room. Once out in the hallway, David went to his knees before Roland.
"That was great, Roland. You did wonderful," David said.
"Are you sure Papa won't be upset, Uncle David?" Roland asked.
"No, Roland. He might be a little jealous," David answered.
"What's jealous?" Roland asked.
"Well, Roland, it's when you wish you could be like someone else," David answered. "Like when you want something of someone else's."
"So what is Papa going to want?" Roland asked.
David smiled as he thought, Regina. "Well, he's going to want to be me for a time period."
"Because you're going to be spending time with Regina?" Roland asked with a child's innocence.
"Exactly, Roland." David said.
"And he won't be mad at you?" Roland asked.
"He might be, but I promise he'll get over it very quickly," David answered. "This is just to make him ask Regina out for a date."
"What's a date?" Roland asked.
"It's what adults do when they like one another," David answered. "They go out to dinner, or a movie or whatever they like to do to spend time together."
"I see," Roland said. "So then after Papa goes on a date with Regina, she'll be my new mommy?"
David laughed and ruffled his nephew's hair,"Hopefully she will be. Now let's pinky swear about our promise to keep this to ourselves." David put out his pinky and Roland slid his by his uncle's.
"Alright, now let's go get ready to take Regina to the park," David said as he watched Roland go to his room he had here.
David pulled out his cell phone and started to type a message to his little brother.
Taking Roland to the park, we'll be back later.
He quickly hit send and started to go make a few other calls. A few moments later, he got a return text from Robin.
That's fine. Have a good time, I'll be at Mom's around five.
David looked at his watch, it was barely two now, which means he would have almost three hours of time with Regina, plenty of time to make his brother a little jealous.
Half an hour later, David was pulling up to the park with his nephew and Regina. Roland headed immediately to the swings and called out for Regina and David to watch him, which they did.
"So how are things going with mom and the house?" David asked as he got them some lemonades.
"Your mom is wonderful. I love working with her every day," Regina answered,"and the house is a joy to be in. I think I could get lost in there."
"Well, we can't tell you how much we have enjoyed having you there for mom," David said.
"I can't thank you all enough, for how wonderful you all have been," Regina said.
"Including Robin?" David asked gently.
Regina smiled and couldn't stop the blush from appearing on her cheeks. David smiled as he watched her reaction to him bringing up his little brother.
"He's been very pleasant," Regina answered.
"Since he acted like an ass," David finished for her.
"He was just trying to look after his son," Regina said.
"Roland is very attached to you," David said.
"He's a wonderful little boy, very caring about everyone," Regina remarked.
"He would make someone a very good step son," David said.
"Are you trying to set me up with your brother?" Regina asked, catching onto what David was saying.
"He would be a good catch," David said,"once you look over the fact that he can be a bit of an ass at times."
"I have no interest in your brother," Regina stated.
"Why not?" David asked. "He's a good person, and he does have a sense of humor if you give him a chance. He has a stable career, very family oriented, oh, and did I happen to mention he has an adorable little boy?"
"A time or so," Regina answered.
"And the best part, he has a better looking brother," David said as Regina laughed at his antics.
"So what do you say?" David asked.
"About what?" Regina asked.
"Are you sure you have no interest in Robin?" David asked.
"David, I...just can't get involved with someone again," Regina said as she felt tears sting her eyes.
"Hey, hey, come here," David gently pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
It became clear to David that Regina had gone through something, maybe a broken heart recently. Maybe he had acted too soon with pushing Regina towards Robin. Maybe he had ruined the whole possibility of something that he knew could be there between them.
"It's alright, I'm just cautious when I become attract-" Regina stopped talking as she realized what she had revealed to David.
David moved back so that he could look at Regina's face. He let a small smile appear on his face as he said,"You're attracted to Robin?"
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Regina asked. "You saw it, and that's why you're doing all this, isn't it?"
"I care about you, Regina," David said,"I don't know why, but it seems so natural to be friends with you. And yes, I can see the attraction that you and my little brother have for one another. I saw it the first day you came to the house."
"You've been a really good friend, David," Regina said,"I hope that even after I'm done with your mother's therapy, that we can continue our friendship."
"I hope for that as well," David said. "Now, can you go get a lemonade for Roland while I make a quick phone call?" He gave her some money so she could get the drink for Roland who went to the slides next.
He walked up to his nephew and asked him,"Now, you know what we talked about right? What I need you to do next?"
"Yes, I'm going to-" Roland began, but David stopped him from saying anything else.
"Good boy. Give me a few minutes okay," David said as Roland nodded. David turned and headed over to where Regina was and started to talk to her, while Roland pulled out his cell phone and started snapping several photos of his Uncle David and Regina.
A few minutes later, Regina walked up to Roland and gave him his lemonade. He took a long drink as he handed his uncle his cell phone before he started to do cart wheels. He smiled as he watched Regina watching his nephew. She cared for the little boy, that was obvious. He just hoped that Regina would open herself up to Robin, and Robin open himself up for Regina. He smiled as he took his nephew's phone and looked through the pictures his nephew had taken. He found a few that he knew should do the trick. He selected them, and then sent them to Robin, as he typed a message.
Hi Daddy! Having a great time at the park with Uncle David and Regina.
David smiled to himself, hoping that the pictures of Regina and him would make his brother a little jealous. He could just picture his brother in his office, fuming with anger and jealously at him. David saw that the images had been seen but there was no reply, David smiled and started whistling as he walked to where Regina and Roland were.
David had no idea how right he was, Robin was indeed in his office, looking at the pictures of Regina and his older brother together. David putting his hands on Regina's shoulders, Regina putting her hand on his brother's upper arm. Both of them sitting on a bench, looking at one another, and smiling.
He knew his son was innocent and just wanted to share his day with him, but seeing Regina with David, or any other man, caused him to feel something he hadn't felt in such a long time.
Jealously, plain and simple.
He was extremely jealous of his brother at the moment, the way Regina just seemed to light up around him. Not that she had any reason to light up like that around him, not after the way he had went off on her like he had. He had apologized to her and he meant it. He had hoped to be able to start a friendship with her, and hopefully she would be encouraged towards his advances to her later on.
Robin had to come up with a plan and a quick one, before it was too late and Regina was his sister in law. He couldn't fantasize about her like he had been doing for over a week now and have her as a member of the family. An idea hit him on how he could try to fix this problem that he had.
David might be upset with him, but he was determined to not let him win Regina's heart. He quickly pulled out his phone and started to make a few calls. Within ten minutes, he had the number of the person he needed to put a stop to David's pursuit of Regina.
Because pursuing Regina was his job!
(A/N-So who did Robin call? Find out in the next chapter.)
