Modern Fairytale ~ #Wattys2015

Escucha a Tu Alma

When it came to choosing the star, Henry requested they use the one from his mother's collection of holiday decorations. He explained that he made it with his father when he was little and it was very special to him. It was an unusual looking ornament; pieces of stained glass bound together (Daniel's handy work, no doubt) with the random placement of googly eyes and various superhero stickers (Henry's special touch). No one in the room objected, Roland even suggested Henry be the one to put it on top.

"I know you wanted to, buddy, it's okay. How about I lift you up and if you promise to be very careful, you can do it?"

"I promise," the little boy shouted.

Regina took out her camera, not wanting to miss the moment between the new brothers. The teenager lifted the child into his arms, his tiny bottom resting on his shoulder as he reached forward and placed the star with careful precision. They were both grinning happily as she snapped the shot; she'd keep that one for herself.

Regina and Robin prepared his apartment for his parents. They'd cleaned and decorated together while the boys remained wrapped in blankets watching Elf on the couch in Apartment 13. When their work was complete, Robin poured a glass of wine for them to share as they sat together on the sofa admiring their handy work.

"What are your parents like?" She asked, indulging in the first sip.

"Josephine is rather outgoing and very helpful. She'll probably offer to help you prepare the meal or, at the very least, insist on doing the dishes. Richard, on the other hand, is soft spoken, but incredibly intelligent when he does socialize. All in all, they're good people," he smiled at the thought of his mother and father, excited for them to finally meet Regina and Henry. "What about your mother?"

"Cora is," she paused to find the right way to put it. "She's what I would call a protective observer. Polite and sophisticated, of course, but always noticing things most people don't bother to pay attention to. But she means well."

"What about your father? What was he like?"

Regina thought for a minute. She was surprised she rarely spoke of her father in Robin's presence. Aside from the few stories she'd chosen to tell, she never really discussed his demeanor. She decided to open herself up to the memory of him, feeling surprisingly at ease as she did so.

"He was gentle. Always gentle. I never once heard him raise his voice to me or my mother, which I imagine was quite the challenge," she chuckled, knowing how stubborn they could be. "He was a nurturer. While mom was the disciplinarian, dad was the teacher. I love my parents equally, but I found it came easier with him. He was always compassionate and honest and sincere in everything he did."

Robin listened intently, sipping from the glass as she continued, "I remember him humming to himself a lot. He seemed really content with who he was. And he would always make sure I knew how special I was. He used to say, 'Tu corazón y tu cerebro son importantes. Pero siempre escucha a tu alma porque es pura.' It means, 'Your heart and your brain are important. But always listen to your soul, for it is pure.'"

"And what does your soul tell you now?"

"That it finally found its mate."

***********************************

The week before Christmas was incredibly hectic. Cora was expected to fly in on Tuesday so of course she planned a dinner at her penthouse on Wednesday specifically so she could meet Robin and Roland before the holiday. Thursday, Richard and Josephine would be arriving so Regina knew she had to prepare a special evening to introduce herself and Henry. That left Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to follow immediately; yet another meal for her to make for Friday, but luckily her mother had volunteered her penthouse for Saturday. Needless to say, Regina couldn't wait until Sunday.