Misinterpreting Fate (Book 2)

25. Bonding

Chapter 25: Bonding

Sam

We stared at each other, neither of us even blinking. I wish I knew how to interact with little kids. I did decently well playing with Matty on those times he would come bug us, but Matty definitely seemed different than Regal. She just sat there, staring at me. I wasn't sure how to handle her.

After seeing Matty yesterday when I was at Ryan's house, I realized that Regal was my sister. I shouldn't not get to know her - or, rather, she shouldn't not be able to get to know me. She's never done anything wrong, so why shouldn't she have me there as her brother?

Sarah, however, was a different story. She had done wrong, so I was still hesitant about giving her a chance. I could barely even think of her as my mother right now, not after learning how she tried to kill me when I was a baby. That's why she was sitting on a bench on the other side of the park, just far enough away to still be able to keep an eye on Regal. Both my parents were here too, although that was mostly to keep an eye on Sarah rather than me.

Regal and I were sitting on the playground, being watched by all three parents. It was rather awkward, honestly. But this is what Sarah wanted and since Regal was her daughter, this is what was happening.

"You don't look like my mommy," Regal said eventually. It was more words than I've ever heard her say before. "She says you her baby too, like me. Shouldn't you look like Mommy?" Regal did look like Sarah, with the green eyes and the blonde hair. They even had a similar face shape, although Regal was a whole lot cuter. 

I took a deep breath, trying to come up with a response suitable for a five year old. "I look like my daddy instead. Sometimes that happens."

"Is your daddy the same as my daddy?"

I shook my head. "No. But that's okay. Sometimes that happens too." I honestly had no idea who Regal's dad was. I didn't even know if he was in the picture or not. He's never been mentioned before.

"Oh." She looked down at her sneakers, playing with the velcro straps.

"Those are pretty cool shoes," I pointed out, needing to say something to change the topic. I didn't want her to start getting into all the 'why' questions right now. I felt like they were about to be next. She was probably too young to need those answers anyway.

She smiled widely as she jumped to her feet. "They have lights!" Then she laughed - the first laugh I've heard from her. "Look!"

"Woah!" I smiled. She really was pretty cute, once she wasn't sitting there silently anymore. Maybe she was just shy around strangers; I knew I was when I was her age.

The next few seconds suddenly slowed down to the point where it felt like an eternity. I watched as Regal's foot slid out from under her as she danced around. I reached out for her, trying to catch her, but I wasn't fast enough and she landed on her butt. Sarah was immediately on her feet, rushing over to us while she screamed at me for hurting her baby. Dad and Poppa were on her tail, trying to get her to stop yelling.

As soon as she saw her mother freaking out, Regal started crying. She wasn't hurt, that much was obvious, but Sarah was scaring her with her panic.

"Hey," I said softly to Regal, moving so that I was kneeling right in front of her. "It's okay. You're okay, Regal. Don't cry, okay?" I honestly had no clue how to comfort little kids. I was just trying to mimic what Ryan and his mom sometimes did when Matty would get like this.

Time switched back to normal when Sarah started climbing up the plastic slide, trying to get to us.

"Sarah, what the hell?" Dad demanded, grabbing her arm to stop her from climbing any further.

"My baby!" she cried. Then she got off the slide and faced Dad. "That fucking son of yours hurt my baby! I thought you were supposed to raise him with manners!"

I couldn't focus on them right now, no matter how much I wanted to hear what she had to say about me right now. I had a little sister to comfort.

I held out my hand. "Come with me," I said quietly. "I want to show you something."

She grabbed hold of my hand and I helped her stand up. I had no idea what I was going to show her, but I was going to try my best to make something up. If there was one thing I've learned from Matty, it was how easily amused little kids are. I just hoped Regal was the same way.

Poppa gave me a concerned look when I started leading Regal further up the playground. I shot him a thumbs up. We were fine. Regal would be fine, once I distracted her from her screaming mother. I couldn't imagine having to grow up with her. I don't know if I would have turned out the same person I am now.

Halfway up the steps, I knew exactly what I was going to show her. With Regal's tiny hand in mine, I brought her to the tallest point of the playground. We sat down in the corner and I pointed through the bright red railings.

"Look, Regal," I said quietly. "Can you see the pond? This is my favorite spot on the whole playground. You can sometimes see the swans swimming in the water."

Her interest was captivated immediately, searching for any sign of the swans. They didn't seem to be out today, but there were a few ducks, which made Regal just as happy to be able to see them.

If I looked in the other direction, I could still see Dad, Poppa, and Sarah from here. They looked like they were arguing with each other, Dad and Poppa trying to stop her from chasing after us, probably.

I wasn't sure I was ever going to understand my mother. She seemed so different from me, it was hard to even imagine that I had the same DNA as her. I almost wished I didn't. I think the only good thing that came from her was Regal. I definitely wanted to keep Regal in my life from now on, there was no question about that.