Recovery is a bitch.
Regina knows and understands the importance of allowing her body to heal from the injuries she sustained but she's no good in being idle. Doing nothing, lying in bed for hours, it is driving her crazy. She's this close to climbing the walls. Hell, she's not even allowed to browse a few documents to occupy her time!
She knows Robin meant well but he is really going overboard, not to mention her mother. She somehow decided to take up residence in her house after she's released from the hospital. Her argument—someone needs to be with her when Robin is at work.
Robin did not argue much to her surprise.
Regina is glad that what happened to her did not cause him to upend his career but truly, she can manage on her own without the constant hovering.
Ever since the hospital, Robin and her mother developed a bond of their own. They became thick as thieves and they usually gang up on her.
Her father stayed with her for a week and then he went back to their estate since there is a business to run but her mother stayed. She said that she is needed to plan for their wedding but truly, she knows she's there to keep an eye on her.
"Mother, I can get myself a glass of water. The kitchen is not that far", she muttered under her breath.
As usual, her mother brushed her off before returning to the living room with a glass of water for her.
"You wouldn't have to if you agreed to hiring help around the house", she's about to say anything when her mother raised both hands, "I know. I know. It's your house. It was just a suggestion",
Regina sighed before drinking her water.
"How are you feeling, dear? You should be resting",
"I have rested enough, Mother", that came out rather harsh. "I'm sorry. I know you all mean well. I know you're just looking after me and I appreciate it but I am fine. I can still do things on my own. I just…I just need to feel like I can still do things on my own", she explained.
Cora studied her daughter for a moment before coming to an understanding. She's doing a lot of that lately, learning to understand her daughter.
"Of course, you still can. This is not permanent. Consider it as vacation. This does not mean your life has been put on hold. Your life is still on going. Your job is just waiting for you and Robin is still with you. You're still going to get married",
"I know that", her eyes darted towards the painting hanging on the wall. "It's over. I know that. He's locked up far away from here. I am just scared that I will go back to being that kind of woman. I don't want to be. That's why I am pushing myself", Regina confessed.
She wouldn't want to admit that in front of Robin because he didn't want him to see how this has affected her. He already feels guilty even though there's nothing to feel guilty of. She didn't want to add more to it.
"Oh, darling…" Regina turned to look at her mother. "Don't you see it? You're no longer that woman in your painting. You stopped being like her when you decided to free yourself from Graham. If you fear that you will revert back to that, you won't. I know you. You are my daughter. You always learn from your mistake and you always strive to do better. There's no need for you to push yourself. Just give yourself the time to heal and you'll see, things will go back to the way it's supposed to be", Cora replied.
Regina smiled, touched by her mother's words. Since the whole incident with Graham, it's a miracle how that horrifying experience mended her relationship with her mother. They started seeing things on an eye-to-eye level.
"Thank you, Mother",
The day her mother was due to leave the house, it took her an hour to convince her that she could manage on her own until Robin gets back. He's been called to an emergency meeting but he would be back in a few hours.
Regina spent the time tidying up the place though there's not much to clean up. Her mother took care of everything. Her fridge is fully stocked. Everything is in pristine condition.
Her eyes landed on the spot where she fought off Graham to the brink of death. There's no spot of blood left on the floor but in her mind, she can still see it.
Unlike what most think, she can remember every single bit of that day. She remembered the blows she received. She remembered how she fought, the broken piece of glass she used to stab him. She remembered the pain. Most of all, she remembered the satisfaction she felt at knowing she wasn't going down without a fight, that she found the courage to defend herself.
That's how Robin found her, standing right in front of that spot, eyes lost in the memory.
"Regina",
His voice almost startled her before she smiled at him. He's worried that something is going on but he knows that smile. He knows that it is genuine.
"Hey, honey…Mother just left. She would have stayed until you return but I convinced her that I'll be okay. How's the meeting?" she asked as she approached him for a kiss.
"Nothing too severe. There's been a small accident at one of the site but it's been taken care of", she kissed him again and it made him smile. "Uh…there's something I need to tell you",
Before he can actually say it, his parents and sister entered the house.
"Oh…hi", Regina was completely caught off guard.
"I'm sorry. They showed up in the office", he whispered.
She looked at him and smiled. "It's alright",
Regina could tell that they also didn't forget to pack. They're going to stay with them.
"Welcome to Storybrooke. What brings you here?" she asked them.
She can tell that her house is not what they expected at all. It's hard to read what they think of it.
"We wanted to visit Robin and of course, to visit you", his mother answered.
Regina almost winced. She's been made aware that his family learned about her past and that they visited at the hospital while she was unconscious.
"Of course, you're welcome here. Thank you for visiting at the hospital. Robin told me you came. How about a tour?" she offered since Ruby seemed eager to take a look around the house.
Robin shot her a look.
"Go take a shower. I'll entertain them", she said to him.
Ruby is mostly interested in the art pieces she has in the house. Robert appreciates her kitchen while Isabella has been very quiet.
Once they reached the pool, she found herself alone with the woman.
"You have a lovely home, Regina",
"Thank you. How long will you be staying? I'll have the rooms arranged later and Mother just did the grocery shopping so…" she trailed.
Isabella looked at her seriously.
"You were married", she started.
Ah…there it is. She knows the woman was just biding her time.
"I was",
"…and you didn't tell us. Did Robin know before he proposed to you?" she asked.
Somehow, Regina didn't like where this conversation is going.
"Yes, he did know. I didn't tell you for the same reason I didn't tell him at the beginning of our relationship. I was hiding from my ex-husband for the obvious reason which landed me in the hospital", she answered.
"…but you weren't planning on telling us at all", Isabella deduced.
Regina hummed.
"If you were in my position, has gone through the things I did, was it something you would be so keen on advertising to the family of the man you love?" she asked her back.
Was her tone bordering on rudeness? Perhaps. She doesn't like being cornered in her own home.
"Point taken but you are about to marry my son. I think we're entitled to know everything about you, Regina",
"I respect you, Isabella. I think you are a great mother and that you love Robin more than anything else. So why don't we just be straight with each other? You are demanding honesty from me anyway. Tell me what you really want to say to me", Regina demanded.
She can feel her skin itching.
"Alright…I don't think you should marry my son", somehow, she already knew the woman is going to say this.
"…and why is that?" she asked.
Robin not once mentioned to her about what his parents thought when they found out about Graham. Now, she knows why.
"You are a divorcee. I know I shouldn't hold that against you but from where we're from…it's not our custom. No one in our family married someone who's been married before. All things aside, Robin is a well-respected man in our community. Marrying you…if people learn the truth about you, it will cause some damage to his reputation and our family. You will not just bring yourself into our family, Regina. You'll be bringing tons of baggage with you and right now, it may not affect the two of you but in the long run, it will. I don't want my son to get hurt", Isabella answered.
So, they came to Storybrooke to convince her to call off the engagement. They want her to break up with Robin.
"You would rather I hurt him now",
"He will be hurt, yes, but he will move on. He will find his footings again and one day, he will find someone deserving of his love",
She felt that one.Someone deserving of his love…like she does not deserve his love?
Perhaps.
She has questioned that many times before. She wondered what she has done in her life to deserve a man like him.
"I love your son, Isabella",
"I know you do. God…I know you do and he loves you too much to let you go first. That's why I am asking you. Don't condemn my son to a life he will end up regretting. Set him free",
Regina can only stare at the woman. In her eyes, she can see the genuineness of her request. It does not come from disdain or hate. It came from her love for her son but still…she felt the sting of it.
It's not her fault her ex-husband turned out to be an abusive monster. She is certainly not sorry about setting herself free. Why is she holding that like some kind of a flaw over her head?
"Everything alright here?" Robin cut in.
Regina couldn't respond. What is there to say? His family doesn't want her to be his wife. Should she make him choose? She doesn't have the heart to do that. He loves them. They love him. Does she has the right to be selfish to keep him for herself?
"Yes…I, uh…I'll just go upstairs and prepare their rooms. Would you be okay taking care of dinner?"
Robin doesn't buy her answer at all and she knows that. She cannot lie in front of him.
"Yes…don't worry about it", he replied instead.
She nodded before walking away. She needed to get away.
Robin watched Regina disappear upstairs before he turned to his mother.
"What did you do?" he almost growled.
"Son…I am only looking after you", he can already guess what his mother said to Regina to make her react that way. "We already told you. We only want what's best for you",
He couldn't believe it. They made the effort to come to Storybrooke for this.
"I should go and tell Regina to stop preparing the rooms. You won't be staying in this house. If you want to remain in Storybrooke, go to the inn", he replied before following Regina upstairs.