Cursed Hearts

Red Like Hope

For the rest of the day, Robin had fallen silent, not knowing how to react to the information he had walked in on earlier. Roland had quickly retreated back to his room before any real words could be exchanged, and his father couldn't find it within him to bring up all of that discomfort again. He wanted to talk to him, but he needed a break from resurfacing drama- just for a few hours. With the tv turned on, the bedroom door shut, and Regina's red curtains drawn tightly, the possibility of a quiet evening almost seemed achievable. He got an hour of solitude in before his wife abruptly entered the room- there was a bright smile on her face, immediately stirring up intrigue. She was brimming with excitement, an unusual mood for her in the last few weeks.

"What're you doing locked up in here for?" She asked, her cheerfulness waning into a slight confusion.

Turning off the tv, Robin hastily searched for an answer, not knowing how to bring up the topic of their son's sexual orientation. "Just wanted some time to myself- you seem happy, what's the occasion?"

Her smile returned, remembering why she was there in the first place. "I had a full meal just now- beans and rice. Ate the whole thing! These pills my psychiatrist prescribed to me are actually working!"

Robin let out a surprised smile, not expecting to hear those words. "That's amazing! I'm proud of you."

Acknowledging his praise, she then went over to the vanity mirror, where she lifted up her shirt and gazed at her reflection. "I ate so much, my stomach is sticking out," she stated, her head tilted to the side, "it looks like I'm pregnant."

She began to laugh softly as she admired her happy countenance in the mirror.

"Hey, as long as it's mine," Robin chuckled, moving over on the bed so she could sit down next to him.

She playfully took his hand and placed it on her stomach, tracing her finger across his wedding band as she did so. "Of course it's yours."

The excitement radiating off of her was still something he was adjusting to- it felt like forever since she had been so positive. It caused a flood of relief to run through him, nearly making him forget about his awkward run in with his son. Having her settled so closely to him, her body warm and present... it was everything he needed.

"Sometimes I wish I could go back to when I was pregnant," Regina admitted, her voice soft, "after you finally came back, when we were a family again. I felt like I had so much purpose then, creating new life in all."

Robin let out a breath, allowing her words to sink in for a moment. "You still have purpose- a whole lot of it. You're the best mother to our kids and a very upstanding member of this community if you ask me."

Letting out a small laugh, she rested her head on his shoulder. "I guess you're right- I wouldn't be where I'm at today without you by my side, and I'm grateful for that."

--

Caroline, usually one to enjoy her free time, headed down stairs, desperate for a distraction from the silence. After Emma had left her alone with Zelena's puzzle pieces, the girl began looking through one of the spellbooks that had been left out from their attempts to rescue her mother. It seemed exciting at first- dangerous even- to read each spell, hoping to find one that would connect her to her aunt. But, after a while, it began to feel as boring and tedious as her homework was.

Grabbing a snack from the kitchen, Caroline was surprised to see Roland sitting silently on the couch, staring off in the distance.

"How long have you been sitting there?" She asked him, a startled look on her face.