Building a Family

Marian

Robin glared at Marian, crossing his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see Roland," she replied, also crossing her arms as she glared back at him. "So, is there something you want to tell me, Daddy?"

He bristled at the tone she used for that last word and the fire burning in her eyes. His first instinct was to protect Sophie but he knew the truth was better than a lie at this point. All Robin could do was control how much information he gave Marian. "Yes, that is my daughter."

"Do I even need to ask who her mother is?" she asked bitterly. "How long have you known about her?"

"I don't have to answer that," he replied, his anger flaring up inside him. "You've come uninvited to my house. The last thing you have the right to do is interrogate me."

She shook her head, pointing at the window as if pointing to Sophie. "I knew it! I always knew you were cheating on me with that woman and now I have proof. You've been raising a daughter with her for who knows how long!"

Robin recognized that. It was her paranoia creeping up again, the same one that had haunted them throughout their relationship. He dropped his arms and calmed down somewhat, deciding to give her that information. "I just found out about Sophie at the beginning of the summer. Honest."

Marian looked him up and down. "Really?"

"Yes," he said. "It's actually a long story..."

"And did you go back to Regina because of her?" she asked, narrowing her eyes again as if trying to solve some puzzle.

He hesitated, unsure how to answer that question. Sophie had brought them together but he had gotten back together with Regina because he loved her. Yet something told him that any answer would anger Marian.

"All you need to know is that Regina and I are together again," he replied at last. "That's it."

"Is she the reason you're so secretive? That you're keeping me from my son?" she asked angrily.

He frowned, shaking his head. "Regina has nothing to do with that. I'm trying to do what's best for Roland. He hasn't seen you since he was a baby. You can't just walk back into his life."

Marian stepped closer. "You didn't do that with Little Regina in there?"

"What happened with my daughter is entirely different," Robin replied, disliking how much hatred she had put in her voice when she said Regina. "She came looking for me. She invited me into her life."

"And Regina was okay with it?" she challenged.

He scowled. "Can you stop saying her name like she's some sort of disease?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to disrespect the great Regina Mills, who is clearly either a goddess or a saint."

"This. This is why I didn't tell you about my daughter with Regina. Hell, this is why I didn't even want to tell you about Regina at first!" Robin said angrily, motioning wildly with his hands.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, eyes blazing. It was as if they were trying to warn him to stop.

He didn't back down though, knowing he was in the right. "The jealousy, Marian. I can feel it rolling off you. It's making you act all paranoid. Just like last time."

Red splotches appeared on her cheeks. "I am not paranoid!"

"Then stop blaming Regina for everything," he said. "I'm the one making the final decisions, including the decision to ask you to wait so we can ease Roland into this and the decision not to tell you about my daughter."