A Soulmate's Story

Chapter 27

It was a quiet evening by the docks, the moon casting a pale glow over the still waters. Regina stood there, hands wrapped around herself as she leaned against the railing, lost in thought. The calmness of the night didn't match the turmoil inside her. She had come to reflect, to find some peace after the events of the potluck, and how things felt unfinished with Henry and the rest of her tangled relationships. She wasn't expecting company.

A voice broke through the stillness. "Regina?"

She turned to see Archie approaching cautiously. There was a hint of guilt in his expression, and Regina's stomach tightened, sensing the conversation that was about to unfold.

"Archie," she greeted him with a short nod, her voice measured but cool. "What brings you here?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, hesitant. "I just wanted to check in on you, see how you're doing... after everything."

Regina's eyes narrowed slightly, her mind racing. "After everything?" she repeated. "What do you mean?"

Archie sighed and took a step closer. "I spoke to Emma," he admitted, guilt evident in his voice. "About... our therapy sessions."

Regina's breath caught, her heart skipping a beat. She felt a wave of anger rise up, but it was laced with disappointment, and maybe a touch of fear. "You what?" she said, her tone sharp, though she kept her voice low.

"I didn't mean to betray your trust, Regina," Archie quickly explained. "But she came to me, concerned about Henry, and—"

"And you thought it would be a good idea to tell her about my private sessions? To share that I've been trying to change? Trying to be better?" Regina's voice shook, the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide peeking through.

Archie held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "I didn't tell her everything, I swear. But she's his mother too, and she needed to know that you're working on yourself. I thought it would help her see that you're serious about wanting to be a part of his life."

Regina's eyes flashed with hurt. "You had no right," she whispered, turning away from him, her hand gripping the railing tightly. She stared out at the water, the cool air doing little to calm the storm brewing inside her.

"I'm sorry," Archie said softly, stepping beside her. "But you've made progress, Regina. You're trying. Emma just needs to see that. And I... I think she will."

Before Regina could respond, footsteps echoed behind them. She turned her head slightly and saw Ruby approaching, her gaze fixed on the two of them. A curious, perhaps even suspicious, look crossed Ruby's face.

"Oh, I see what this is," Ruby said with a smirk, clearly misunderstanding the situation. "Late night therapy session?"

Regina rolled her eyes, her walls immediately going back up. "Oh, don't worry, dear," she said dryly, with the same sharp dismissal she used on Ruby in the past. "You don't need to worry about my dark side rearing its ugly head."

Ruby blinked, taken aback by the coldness in Regina's tone. She glanced at Archie, unsure of what to say, before deciding to let it go. "Right, well... I'll leave you two to it," she said, walking off with a small shake of her head.

Regina sighed deeply once Ruby was out of earshot, her fingers loosening from the railing. She looked back at Archie, her eyes still hard, though the hurt remained. "You should have told me first."

Archie nodded, regret in his eyes. "I know. I'm sorry. But Emma needed to know, for Henry's sake. She's coming around, Regina. Just... give her time."

Regina didn't respond. Instead, she gave him a curt nod, turning her gaze back to the water, lost in her thoughts once again.