Modern Fairytale ~ #Wattys2015

Hocus Pocus

Roland enjoyed his time spent with Uncle John during his remaining days of summer while his father was due back at the university. They'd gone to the Central Park Zoo and he was learning all about the bass guitar. He loved the bear of a man who gave great hugs (not as good as Regina's, but close).

When school began, Henry resumed his duties of walking the boy to school, but always kept a close eye on him. He refused to let him release his hand from his grip the entire way. Robin had informed the faculty of their situation and were instructed to only allow a select few to ever pick him up: Henry, Regina, John, or himself.

On a few occasions, teachers had notified Robin that a woman was lurking beyond the gate of the schoolyard while the children played during recess. Their description of her matched Marian and he immediately told Mallory during one of their informal meetings when he met at the law firm for lunch.

Because her services were being rendered free of charge, they only met during lunch breaks and after work, when she was off the clock. She was willing to arrange meetings at any time, but Regina suggested doing it this way so she could focus her office hours on cases that would sustain her income.

She'd informed the couple that she'd been in touch with Marian's probation officer to make him aware of the woman's actions. He said he'd pay close attention to her, but didn't believe she would take any legal action. Although this should have been a relief, it was far from it. If she didn't want Roland through custody hearings or contractual agreements, he feared she would take matters into her own hands.

Apartment 13 remained full for weeks, the family adjusting rather nicely to the new living situation. Henry and Roland alternated between beds so they could share in the comfort of a box spring support rather than one constantly being in pain from the mattress set on the floor. They'd developed a system that worked for them and the boys shared their space with ease.

Robin and Regina had grown closer, her constant support the only thing keeping him afloat. He'd taken it upon himself to attend weekly sessions with a work colleague, Dr. Archibald Hopper, Chair of the Psychology Department at Columbia. They were one hour sessions where he discussed the torment of anticipating Marian's next move, constantly worrying about Roland's safety, and the way he'd hurt Regina.

The events of that night came up quite often in their meetings. Archie took notes and listened each time Robin expressed his distress about the possibility that he was capable of something so horrible. He'd asked Robin how Regina had reacted and when the man answered, his colleague reassured him, "It seems to me she's a very understanding person. She is a huge support in your life."

"Which is why it tortures me that I used her like that," Robin had replied and Archie shook his head in disagreement.

"You didn't take advantage of her. What you described to me was not the reaction of a woman who felt used, even in the slightest. Is that why you're afraid to be intimate with her? Because you feel like you've abused her in some way?"

"We are intimate," Robin answered.

"Let me rephrase: are you afraid to have sexual intercourse with Regina because you believe what you did to her was abusive?" Archie held his pen firmly in his grasp, ready to take notes on Robin's response.

"Yes," he answered in a whisper. "What I did was not love and it certainly wasn't respectful. Regina doesn't deserve to be treated so inconsiderately."