Building a Family

Father-Daughter Reunion

Part 3: Father-Daughter Reunion

Regina had arrived at the restaurant early, nervous and eager to get the meal over with. She didn't know how this would play out and that frightened her. It was times like this that helped her understand why her mother tried to control everything, even if she didn't approve of it.

She spotted Robin walking toward her table, his face blank. He had always worn his heart on his sleeve and she had liked that she didn't have to guess how he was feeling. When had that changed?

He sat down across from her. "Hello, Regina."

"Robin," she replied with a nod.

"So where do you want to begin? Talk about my camp and my plans to possibly bring it to Storybrooke? Or do you want to go straight to Sophie?" He leveled her with a hard gaze.

"I think it's best if we go straight to Sophie," she said, swallowing. "She told me you two met. Thank you for treating her."

"Of course. Roland adores her." He paused before saying: "She looks like you."

"She takes more after you personality-wise though."

Robin nodded. "I realized that yesterday."

Silence descended upon the table, Robin glaring at her while she tried not to throw up from how nervous she was. At last, he asked in a low voice: "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought I did," Regina replied. "I thought you rejected us."

After everything that summer, you thought I would do that?"

Regina sighed. "I didn't know what to think. I hadn't heard from you in two months and I was pregnant. I convinced myself we were just swept away by the romance but passions had cooled. I figured you had moved on."

"Really?" Robin leaned back, arms crossed. "Or did you move on?"

"Me? I was pregnant. Hard to move on when your stomach keeps getting larger and larger. Men don't tend to flock to that," she hissed.

Robin frowned. "I went to your mother's, when I hadn't heard from you. It was going to be a surprise for Christmas. She said you were on a date."

"Christmas?" Regina frowned then, shaking her head. "The only thing I did that year was go to the office Christmas party. Alone."

"I saw you a few days later with Graham." He nearly growled the name. "You were strolling arm-in-arm."

"Graham's a friend. He's only ever been a friend! And I was pregnant. My center of gravity was shifting with the addition of a growing life form and the pregnancy was effecting my balance. I was holding onto everyone at that time so I didn't hurt myself or Sophie. Not to mention it was probably icy since it was December." It was Regina's turn to glare at him. "So you drove away because of Graham?"

"I drove away because you never came to see me. I could take the hint," Robin replied.

She sighed. "I didn't know you were in town. Mother never told me."

"Of course not." He let out a humorless chuckle. "Do I want to know why?"

"You had no family connections and no ties to the community. You had no set address and no career to speak of."