Run Down

Telling Robin

How was she going to bring this up with Robin? Maybe she wouldn't. She could just tell mother that he couldn't make it - it was short notice after all - but then again if she had to go to this 'gathering' maybe a familiar face wouldn't be so bad.

There was no doubt about it, it was going to be awful. What would she wear? What would Robin wear? Then she realised it didn't matter what either of them wore because her mother would not be happy with anything. She was just that type of person.

When Regina got home from the restaurant and replied to her text from Robin which read:

How about ice cream? Hope you don't mind Roland tagging along.

The boy was adorable, a mop of curly hair and dimples deeper than his fathers, so of course she didn't mind. Robin said he'd be there to pick her up in around thirty minutes. She headed upstairs, kicking off her heels and swapping her dress for dark wash skinny jeans and a tank top that she could throw on a light coat over. Her brown chelsea boots sat at the foot of her bed and she slipped them on, before going to the mirror and re-applying a light layer of make up.

Robin was there early, Roland bounding in in front of him when she buzzed them into her apartment. He smiled widely at her, teeth on full show, and Regina ran a hand through the floppy curls on his head.

"Hi Regina!" He said, jumping up and down on the spot.

"Good afternoon," Robin was looking at her, eyes lit up with amusement as he flicked his gaze up from his son.

"How are my favourite boys today?" She asked, mostly for Roland's benefit, and he clapped his tiny hands together in front of him.

"We're getting ice cream!" Robin chuckled and Regina grinned down at the boy, then back to his father.

"Shall we?" He asked, holding out his arm for Regina to link and she did, slipping her hand through the gap and shutting the door behind them on the way out.

---

As they walked, Regina explained about  Cora's gathering. Roland was in front, happily lapping up his ice cream, oblivious to the building anxiety eating Regina from the inside out.

"I may have inadvertently signed you up to something." She said, looking down at her boots so her hair fell over her eyes. Robin's brow furrowed, he looked curious but amused so she continued. "My mother's having a party...thing tomorrow and  so I have to go but I might have mentioned you and she'd like me to bring you." It was rushed, the words tumbling from her tongue into one long sentence. Robin's lips slowly were turning up at the corners as he watched her. "I completely understand if you can't, it's really short notice and my mother isn't the nicest--"

"Regina," She looked up then from her hands that she was wringing together in front of her and into his eyes, filled with a lightness that instantly calmed her. "I'd love to go."