Chapter Sixteen: Honor
Memorial Day came and went, Regina and Robin having survived their first argument. Although some might not consider it one of substantial weight, they were proud of the way they handled it. They actually spent a lot of that same day discussing their various world views and ensuring they remained levelheaded and open-minded. They learned a lot about each other because of that tiff; they were grateful for it.
During the second week of June, Roland was due to leave for his second year of summer camp. His bus was expected to leave very early that Monday morning while Regina would already be at work so she planned a special farewell dinner for him the night before. You would have thought it was his birthday or Christmas morning based on his excitement.
She allowed him to choose the meal for the evening: baked macaroni and cheese, or 'macaroni pie' as he insisted on calling it. She pulled out her gluten-free cookbook, one she'd bought specifically with Robin in mind, and went shopping for the ingredients that morning.
Her apartment was filled with joy and love, the two couples coming together to create one family with each passing day. Robin and Henry sat on the leather sofa discussing The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, his summer reading assignment, while Regina and Roland were hard at work preparing dinner.
The little boy sported an apron, perfect for his size, that Henry used to wear while assisting his mother in the kitchen. She matched in her own apron as the elbow noodles boiled on the stove. She helped him grate the cheddar cheese before he insisted on doing it himself. She allowed him to, appeasing his growing need for independence, but kept a close eye on him. She strained the macaroni in a colander over the sink before spreading it into an aluminum pan. Roland dumped the cheese into the pan as she stirred in the milk and butter to create a liquid cheese sauce. She handed him the homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs she'd prepared (mostly various seasonings without a wheat base) and he sprinkled it across the top. He watched her carefully place it on the highest shelf of the already preheated oven and set the timer.
Regina had promised him a surprise treat for dessert. Unbeknownst to him, the apple turnovers were already put together and residing in the fridge waiting to be baked during their supper. The two worked together to tidy up their mess as they anticipated the sound of the timer signaling the completion of their creation.
"Regina," the boy began to speak as he wiped any leftover cheese from the counter into the garbage pale. "Are you my step-mom?"
"Technically speaking Roland, no I'm not. But is that how you see me?" She asked, curious as to what sparked this conversation.
"No. Step-moms are evil. They don't make macaroni pie with their stepsons," he replied matter-of-factly and Regina chuckled. His next comment pulled at her heartstrings, "I wish you were my real mom. I know you're not, but sometimes I like to pretend you are."
"There's nothing wrong with pretending, dear," she smoothed his messy hair and placed a gentle kiss atop his head.
"Plus, that would make Henry my big brother and that's super cool," he said, grinning innocently. Regina nodded with a sad smile, shifting her gaze to the intellectuals still deep in conversation on the couch. The timer beeped and she turned her attention back to their meal.
"Alright boys, go wash up," she announced, pulling the hot pan from the oven and placing it on the stove to cool. When Roland raced Henry to the bathroom, she took the opportunity to reset the temperature on the oven and slide the tray of apple turnovers inside to be baked.
"Smells heavenly," Robin said, approaching the sink to wash his hands.
"Just wait until dessert," she flirted, winking at him over her shoulder as she cut evenly sized portions and placed them on the dishes. Their sons came racing back down the foyer and she looked up, "Roland, hang your apron back on the rack before you sit down to eat please."
He did as he was told while Robin helped Regina carry the plates to the table. The family sat down together, enjoying their meal and indulging in various conversations; topics ranging from the U.S. Women's Team winning the World Cup to the new Fantastic Four movie due to premiere in the next few months.
Henry and Roland worked together to clear the table while Regina pulled the dessert from the oven, the sweet smell of apples and cinnamon wafting in the air. She let them cool as she retrieved the vanilla ice cream from the freezer to defrost. She heard the young boy rambling from the living room about the events he hoped would occur at camp and wishing his older friend could join him.
"Anything I can do to help?" Robin asked, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder.
"I think I've got it all under control," she replied with a smile, putting the pastries at the bottom of the bowls and scooping generous portions of the frozen treat on top.
"Thank you for doing this," he said, kissing her shoulder through the fabric of her blouse. She ceased her actions and turned her head to get a better look at him.
"You're my family. There's nothing I wouldn't do for Roland that I wouldn't do for my own son," she stated, catching the light reflecting in his captivating blue eyes as they filled with heartwarming tears while he absorbed her words.
The next morning, Robin and Henry saw Roland to the bus after Regina left for work. The excited little boy climbed the stairs, greeting the driver with those irresistible dimples, and turned back to wave to his family. The men waved back, both feeling proud and a little sad. Yes, Henry had to admit he would miss hanging out with his little buddy.
The bus pulled away and Robin suggested the two go out for breakfast. They walked around the corner and entered Granny's Diner, the bell above the door announcing their entrance. They seated themselves at the counter between a smelly little man with a grumpy attitude and a quiet nun reading as she sipped her tea.
A rather tall young woman approached them with menus. She had long brown hair with red streaks, an excessive amount of very bold makeup, and made equally as bold clothing choices; today's outfit being a skirt short enough to be confused as panties, a tied button down showing off her abs, and pumps that made her legs go on for days.
"Hey fellas, I'm Ruby. Can I start you off with some drinks while you look over the menu?" Her smile was bright and Robin observed that she was rather beautiful underneath all that makeup. It was a shame she felt she needed it, at least that's what he assumed.
He turned to the boy and gestured for him to order his beverage first. "Cranberry juice and a glass of water, please."
"Coffee for me. Milk, no sugar," Robin said and the girl nodded as she wrote it down. He watched as the man beside him intentionally dropped his fork as Ruby walked by. She sighed and bent over to assist the man, revealing a little more of her upper thighs; her underwear might have been exposed if she were wearing any. At that moment, Robin couldn't have been more thankful that he didn't have to raise a daughter.
He turned his attention back to the teenager and noticed he was trying to sneak a peek at the waitress's newly exposed rear. He wanted to say something, to reprimand perhaps? No, to teach him; yes, that seemed to be a better word. He wanted to teach the boy what it meant to have honor and respect; to be chivalrous, despite it being 'dead' as so many believed it was.
"Henry," Robin began, the teen snapped his head quickly, hoping he wasn't busted. "Staring is not polite."
"Yeah, sorry," the boy muttered, his cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.
"I understand the urge, my boy. I was your age once. But my father taught me something very important," he began and Henry sat up straighter in his seat. "And that is to have respect. If I caught someone looking at your mother the way most of the men here looked at Ruby just now, I can assure you I wouldn't be calmly seated. That young lady is not a piece of meat; she is a woman, the most beautiful of all creatures on this earth, Henry. Women give us love, support, family. The honorable thing would be to respect them because they are very precious."
Henry nodded with understanding as Robin continued, "And it also shows a great deal of respect for yourself. Would you rather be perceived as honorable or demeaning? Would you rather be more like me or the man to my right?"
The boy looked at the stout little man. He was balding, the strands of hair he did have were a disheveled mess. His beard was misshapen, his skin dry and dirty-looking; the way a construction worker's skin looked after a hard day on the job. He reeked of stale cigarettes and beer, coughing every few minutes into his omelette. He looked exhausted and physically worn down, his eyes and lips drooping into a permanent frown.
Then he looked at Robin, a man he already idolized in so many ways. He was well put together, clean, full of life and energy. He smelled like the woods and a fresh cup of coffee. What he admired most about the man was his intelligence. Aside from his mom, Robin was the smartest person he ever met. And he saw first hand how happy Regina was now that he was in her life, treating her with respect and showing her affection. Of course he would rather be like Robin; there was no doubt about it.
"I see what you're saying," Henry said, but he did have a question. "But sometimes it's just an instinct to look. Is that disrespectful?"
"I don't see the harm in looking. We are human, after all, Henry," he chuckled before adding, "What separates a decent man from an indecent one is not found in the act of looking, but in the conscious decision to look away rather than gawk. Does that make sense?"
"Totally," he nodded with a smile and the man patted his shoulder.
"You boys decide what you want?" Ruby asked with a polite smile, appearing before them with her tiny notebook and pen already in her hands.
And the answer was yes, Henry did make a choice: he decided he would be honorable from that day forward.
That afternoon, Henry's phone rang while he was catching up on some Netflix. He paused the episode of Breaking Bad apprehensively, not wanting to miss what happened to Walt at Los Pollos Hermanos, and looked at the caller ID. Mallory Bolla.
"Hello?" He answered, a bit confused by the unexpected call from his mother's colleague.
"Hi Henry. Your mom mentioned you were doing some little jobs around your building. You up for expanding into Bolla Manor this week?"
He chuckled and replied, "What do you have in mind?"
Mal had to pick up Lily from college, but instead of going over the weekend she decided to make it a mini vacation. She would tour the town, spend time with her daughter, and perhaps even go out at night and meet a nice guy. She couldn't leave without finding someone to take care of their dog, Pongo, and she never liked leaving him in a kennel. Luckily, Henry was happy to volunteer his services.
They arranged for him come over that evening and he would stay the week in her apartment. She would provide any snacks he liked, but imagined Regina would check on him often and make him come home for dinner. Still, he liked the idea of having an entire place all to himself. And Pongo too, of course.
Regina left work fully aware of their arrangement and stopped off on her walk home for Chinese takeout. She knew she'd walk in the door and he'd be itching to eat and run, so she simplified her life. She arrived home to Henry and Robin playing video games in the living room, viciously pressing the buttons on the controls while 'talking smack,' as they referred to it.
"Why would you choose Aquaman? He's so weak," Henry chuckled.
"Weak? I'm sorry, can you lift a shark with your bare hands and beat someone with it? No, I don't believe you can so step aside Captain Doofus," Robin replied and the two laughed, pushing their shoulders into one another to try and throw them off their game.
Regina smiled from the kitchen, unpacking the Chinese food containers as she admired their interaction. It was natural for them, much like it was for her and Robin, to enjoy each other's company. Henry didn't remember much of his time spent with Daniel in those three years he'd been alive; certain poignant memories, of course, but nothing like this. She was pulled out of her reverie by the sound of a very frustrated Englishman and rather pompous teenager.
"I told you! Aquaman is weak," Henry laughed.
"You got lucky, lad. Rematch when you get back from Mallory's," he suggested and the men shook on it.
"Yeah, I actually have to get going soon. What's taking mom so long?"
"Uh, hello?" She raised her hand and waved it from the kitchen. They'd been so mesmerized by the game, they had no idea she'd gotten home.
"Woah! When did you get here?" Henry asked walking to the opposite side of the island and leaning over it. Robin came around the other side and pulled his beautiful woman into his arms.
"I believe I came in just in time for Robin to lose," she commented, rubbing the loss in his face even further.
"I'm convinced Henry cheated. I will be properly investigating the scene of the crime once I devour this food," he stated and Regina placed a gentle, loving peck on his lips as she laughed at his poor sportsmanship.
After dinner, Henry grabbed his backpack to head over to Mal's. His mother hugged him and told him no parties and no Grace; she knew he wasn't much for partying in any respect, but Grace... He was infatuated with the girl. She had no plans to become a grandma anytime soon, but trusted her son to make wise choices.
She walked him to the door, closing and locking it after he was gone. She lingered there for a moment, embracing the peace and silent solitude that filled the apartment. They were alone. For an entire week, they didn't have to be parents. They could just focus on being lovers.
Before she could turn, she felt Robin's strong arms around her waist. She placed her soft, delicate hands on his and interlocked their fingers. They swayed, still allowing themselves to live in the peaceful moment. Regina even hummed softly in contentment before she heard him say, "We're finally alone, my love."
"For one whole week," she added, grinning happily.
"I wonder," his voice was deep and husky, his tone obvious with suggestion as he moved his hands down along her hip bones traveling inward when they reached her thighs. Regina exhaled and closed her eyes, feeling his hot breath against the back of her ear when he said, "Whatever shall we do with an entire week alone together?"
12:36am- Robin lay awake in Regina's bed, holding her naked body close to his own. They'd spent the better part of an hour, after making love, just talking and being close. She was on his right side, her left cheek pressed into his chest with her arm draped comfortably across his abdomen. His right arm held her tight to his side, keeping her exposed body warm beneath the blankets. The fingertips of his left hand drew soothing patterns on the skin of her forearm. He couldn't see her face, but knew she'd drifted to sleep when her breathing became even against his chest.
1:13am- He finally drifted to sleep, still in their same position. Robin didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to close his eyes and miss seeing her. He wanted to watch her, observe her in her peaceful slumber. He wanted to see Regina in a way that even she couldn't. But not tonight. Tonight he would rest. Another night, he told himself, he would admire her.
2:54am- Regina twitched in her sleep, entangling her legs with his for comfort. Reacting to her touch, Robin adjusted his body by rolling onto his right side to face her. His left arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into him. She hummed softly and he smiled, both awake, but only slightly. Their eyes remained closed, their faces nearly touching. Her right hand hung over his left hip as she pressed gentle pecks upon his lips. They drifted back to sleep, continuing their tender kisses until falling victim to their dreams.
3:47am- Robin groaned with discomfort realizing his right arm was numb from the weight of her head against his bicep.
"Regina?" He whispered.
"Hmm?" She hummed sleepily in response.
"My arm fell asleep. Roll over."
She released an audible exhale as she rolled onto her back, freeing his arm. He turned toward her onto his stomach and placed his head in the valley between her breasts. His left arm lay over her tiny waist, his elbow bent next to her hip as his palm pressed into the side of her ribs. The fingertips of her left hand ran through his hair while her right arm rested atop his. He clenched and unclenched his right fist, trying to bring the feeling back as he spread his arm up under the pillow. Once they were finally still and comfortable, they soothed one another back to sleep with the sound of their breathing.
5:22am- Regina opened her tired eyes when she felt sweat pooling between her legs. Robin was in a deep sleep, his left leg spread over both of hers. She didn't want to wake up. There was still time before her alarm would go off. But she was so hot. Her hair was sticking to her forehead and the back of her neck. She was so uncomfortable. She placed her hand on his cheek and rubbed it softly, the hair from his beard prickling her delicate palm.
"Robin?" She whispered, receiving no response.
"Robin?" She said a bit louder and he stirred, but didn't wake.
"Babe," she stated in conversational volume yet it seemed like she shouted in the silence of the early morning.
"I'm up. You alright?" He woke with a start, opening his body to allow the cool air to flow between them.
He rolled onto his back and Regina sighed with relief as she kicked off the blankets. Her naked body lay spread eagle and exposed against the air conditioned breeze that kissed her soft skin. When she cooled off, she moved closer to Robin, but turned onto her right side to face the dark curtains hiding the entrance to the balcony. He rolled into her, his left arm loose around her as he put his hand between her breasts. She placed her left hand over his as she tucked her right arm under her pillow.
"I like when you call me babe," he kissed her shoulder blade fondly and she felt his erection pressing into the back of her thighs. He didn't pursue his body's natural desire for her though; his need for sleep winning him over instead. It didn't take long for the feeling of his chest rising and falling against her back to send Regina into her slumber as well, grinning from his comment as she drifted.
Robin sat up abruptly, startled by the sound of Regina's alarm. She stirred, but didn't open her eyes as she groaned at the annoying noise. He reached over her and silenced it, noticing the time was 6:15, before returning to the warmth of her body against his.
He began kissing her all over her upper body. She hummed softly at the sensation, but refused to open her eyes. He moved down her side and gently nudged her onto her back. She was smiling, but hid her tired eyes in the crook of her elbow.
"You have to wake up, my love," he said, his sing-song tone causing her to mumble a foreign sound. He, of course, took that as a refusal. "Come on. You don't want to be late."
She shook her head, mumbling some more and he chuckled. She was adorably stubborn when it came to waking. He realized this was probably what always made her so late. Regina Mills was not a morning person.
"I know a way to get you up," he whispered against her navel.
"Nothing will get me out of this bed," she stated firmly. "Your efforts will be worthless."
"I beg to differ," his voice was suggestive as he spread her legs open and neared her sex. Regina breathed out heavily in anticipation for a sensational morning greeting, but was startled with surprise.
Robin changed course quickly when his hands grabbed at her sides and wiggled his fingertips against her flesh. She writhed beneath him, trying to escape his torturous tickling as she shrieked and giggled with joy. Her eyes were open and her hands desperately attempting to pry his away. He finally stopped and she plopped back into the mattress with a sigh of relief. He leaned over and placed a lingering, loving kiss upon her lips.
"Good morning, my sweet," he whispered with a small smile, his eyes glistening with happiness as he stared deeply into hers.
"Good morning, babe," she replied with a content smile of her own.
The week flew by for the couple, spending their nights and mornings together in bliss. Occasionally Henry would drop by for a book or a bite to eat, but otherwise they were in the uninterrupted company of the person they loved.
Friday arrived before they knew it and Robin had the most romantic evening planned to surprise her. He walked with her to her office, but informed her he would be unable to join her for lunch that afternoon. He made up a fake excuse about having to meet up with his brother which she believed instantly. On his way back to the apartment, he stopped by market for the ingredients he would need for their meal and the liquor store for a bottle of red wine.
Just on the other side of 81st Street, Henry was doing a bit of scheming himself. He dropped by the market that morning to pick up a few things he needed for a date he planned for Grace. He went back to Mal's apartment and was hard at work all afternoon preparing for a romantic dinner for two, homemade by the teenager himself.
Robin did much the same; busy in the kitchen for the majority of the afternoon. He pushed the furniture aside and threw a blanket over some pillows on the floor in the middle of the living room. He grabbed his old record player from his apartment and set it up on the coffee table, relying on his pal Frank Sinatra to set the mood for the evening.
Henry set the plates in the dining room, dimmed the lights, and found an instrumental smooth jazz station on Spotify. He told Grace to arrive in more formal attire than their usual and he changed into a suit once the food was arranged on the table.
Robin lit candles and dimmed the lights, pouring two glasses of wine to breathe while he anticipated her arrival. He heard her fumbling with her keys on the other side of the door and jumped to start the record. Regina entered, looking like she had a really rough day at work, but was stunned by what she saw.
Henry opened the door when she knocked and held it open for her, gesturing for her to walk into the apartment. Pongo greeted her happily, wagging his tail against the floor as he sat at her feet. The boy held out his arm and Grace took it, blushing slightly at the sight of him looking so dapper. He led her to the dining room where she grinned from ear to ear.
"What is all this?" Regina asked, placing her purse on the table in the entryway before approaching him.
"Dinner," Robin replied simply, handing her a glass and leading her to their romantic picnic.
"Oh Henry, you shouldn't have," Grace beamed and hugged him tight. He separated from her and pulled her chair out so she could take her seat.
"The fact that you think so is exactly why I should have," he said with a smile as he sat in his seat across from her and they began to eat.
"Robin, you've gone to too much trouble," Regina said, smiling as she shook her head in disbelief.
"No, my sweet. For you, it's not nearly enough," he replied, sinking into the pillow as he sat down with their plates.
The two men sat across from the women, enjoying their meals and beaming with pride. They were gentlemen showing genuine appreciation for the beautiful ladies who held their hearts. They were exceptionally thrilled at the satisfaction that they were honorable and they were in love.