Taking Control

Chapter 34

I absolutely love the sound of my wife voice, but I so do hate these damn council meetings. I'm glad I don't have to be at all of them. Things are pretty good at home, except for the fact the Regina and I have been arguing a lot over the stupidest things. It seems she's always mad at me for some reason. The twins are almost 8 months old now and Sammy really wants to start walking soon, I just know it. She she can stand on her own but she hasn't really figured out how to take that first step yet. Henry is still on the small size according to the doctors growth charts, but he's perfectly healthy for being so small when he was born. All of a sudden I hear Regina's voice boom throughout the room startling me. "Sheriff Swan-Mills, if the towns needs are so boring to you please leave".  "My apologies Madam Mayor. It won't happen again".  "That's nice to know Sheriff you may leave now".  I roll my eyes. "I said I was sorry. "Yes Sheriff we heard that. You still may go. I'm sure you have some reports to do. Have a good afternoon Sheriff". I let out a deep huff and get up and leave the room quickly. "What the fuck crawled up her ass today?"  I say as I walk down the stairs and out of the town hall. I go back to the station and into my office and slam the door. I just sit at my desk and reflect on my anger a bit. "What the fuck Gina?"  I say to the empty room. Not to long after my office phone started to ring. I look at the caller ID and it the mayors office main line so I know it's not Regina. "Hello. Sheriff speaking".   "Hello Sheriff. This is Kathryn, the Mayors secretary".  "Hey Kat. What's up?"   "The Mayor would like to see you this afternoon if you have the time".   "Yeah. I guess I can make some time. Tell her I'll be there at 3:30".  "Ok. Thanks Sheriff. I let her know". Have a good afternoon".
Regina was right I do have a few reports to do and before to long it almost 3:30 so I head over to the Mayors office.
I walk up to the door and Regina's secretary isn't there. I knock on the door. "Come in". So I do. I close the door behind me and walk over to her desk. "Please have a seat". I sit and after about 5 minutes of watching her writing I lose it. I stand up, put my hands on her desk and lean over. "Ok Regina, what the fuck did you call me here for?"  I say a little louder than I should have. "Sheriff Swan-Mills you will sit down or so help me...".  I interrupt her. "You'll what Regina, you'll punish me?"  She gives me an evil look. "Regina you've had a bug up your ass lately. Was it something that I did or didn't do?  What the fuck is going on?"   "Nothing Emma. This meeting was a mistake. Let's just forget it. You can go".  "No. Not till you tell me what the fuck is happening with us".  "Nothing is happening. It's your day to pick up the kids so you should get going". I was going to try to continue this conversation but it would do no good right now. Something is clearly bothering her. I'll just have to get it out of her later, because this is really pissing me off.
I leave to pick up the kids and go home. It's almost dinner time but I don't feel like making anything. Regina hates my cooking anyway so I just take care of the twins. I opened up 2 jars of baby food for them to share. I opened squash and some mashed potatoes with gravy. It's really great that they both have good appetites. They eat both jars and then I give them a dessert of some banana slices and that's when Regina walks in the kitchen. "Hello my babies". They both smile seeing their mommy walk in. Henry mashes a banana slice in each of his hands and laughs as he gets kisses from his mommy, and then Sammy mashes a piece of banana in her hair. Yup. They are definitely my messy kids. Regina gives her a kiss as well and then kisses me on the cheek. "Hello dear. What's for dinner?"   "I haven't made anything. I wasn't hungry and I know how you hate my cooking so I just focused on the kids".  "That's fine. I'm going to take a shower".  "Fine". She walks away and I finish feeding the twins.  I clean them up after they ate. Not that I care because I love my kids and I love spending time with them, but for the last week Regina hardly helps with anything. Something is really going on and I need to find out what. This afternoon I thought she was purposely starting an argument to do some Papi and Madam Mayor stuff, but even that hasn't happened in a while. After I cleaned up the kids from dinner I took them into the living room and sat them down in their playpen with their favorite toys. Regina never came back downstairs. The twins played happily with their toys and each other. It was really cute. I took a few videos on my phone to watch later and show off. At 8 o'clock I took the kids upstairs. I put Sammy in her crib to play a bit and gave Henry a bath then I did the same with Sammy. After the baths I walk into my bedroom and see Regina sitting on the lounge chair in our room reading. "I'm about to read the twins a story before bedtime, would you like to join us?"  She let's out a sigh that pisses me off. Like what the fuck? Am I disturbing her to say goodnight to our kids?  "Ok fine". She puts her book to the side and gets up. "If you don't want to then don't. I've don't this alone enough times". I turn and leave and slam the door behind me. I go back to the twins room. I pick out a fairytale book and pick them up and sit on the floor with them on my lap and start the story. I try to do some voices from the story to keep them interested. They both get very sleepy before the end of the story so I stop reading. I try to carefully get up. I walk to Henry's crib and give him kisses then lay him down in his crib. I instantly grabs hold of a little puppy stuffed animal that he loves to sleep with. I cover him and it looks like he falls asleep. I do the same with Sammy. She grabs her little stuffed lamb. I cover her and she's quickly out. I stand and watch them for a moment. Tears come to my eyes. What the fuck happened to make Regina not want to join us in all this. Whatever it is she better resolve it quickly because my kids deserve better than this and so do I. I turn to leave the room and see Regina standing in the doorway. I don't say anything to her as I walk past her and go downstairs. I walk into the kitchen and get a beer out of the fridge and sit at the island. Regina walks in soon after and gets a bottle of water from the fridge and sits next to me. It's silent for a few moments till Regina begins to speak. "Your very good with the twins Emma".  I take a sip of my beer. I nod and take another sip. "Thanks".   "I'm sorry I haven't been very available to you all lately".  "What's going on Regina? Do you not want this life anymore?  Just tell me Regina so we can move on".  "Is that what you want Emma? Me to leave you and our children?"  I stand up and start pacing around. "Of course not, but you have been so different towards all of us lately. I know something is going on. I love you Regina. I love this life we've created together. Is this not what you want anymore?"  "I want this every day Emma".  "Then fucking prove it". I yell. "I think I'm pregnant Emma". She yells back. "Shit. I'm sorry Emma I didn't mean to tell you like this".  I'm surprised at the words that come from my wife. "How long have you known?"   "I don't know anything yet, but I guess about a week now".  "Why haven't you told me?"   "Because Emma. I don't want to have another baby right now or if I ever want another one. I'm trying to figure this all out".   "So you just thought you'd keep me out of the loop and treat me like an asshole while you ignore our kids".  "I don't know what to say Emma".  "Don't say anything Regina. That's what you've been so good at this last week".  I finish my beer grab a new one and leave Regina alone in the kitchen. I go into the living room and turn on the tv. Regina comes in right after. "Don't you want to talk about this?"   "Talk about what Regina?  You have ignored me for weeks, now you say you think your pregnant and don't want it. I can't say anything. It's your body. I will try to help you with any decision you want to make".   "And what if that decision isn't one that you want to hear?"  "Regina I don't know. Everything has been so fucked up. Instead of talking to me, you've ignored me and our kids. Then you surprise me with this news. I don't know what to think. Why couldn't you just talk to me?  We've always talked".  "All I can say right now is I'm sorry Emma".   "That's great. I'm going to watch some tv and sleep down here on the couch. I'd like it if I was left alone for a little while please".  I see tears form in her eyes and I lay down on the couch and look at the tv. She leaves the room to go upstairs I guess.  How the fuck did things get so messed up in our lives?  I finish my beer and shut off the tv. I check the doors and shut off the lights. I grab a pillow and some spare blankets and a sheet out of the closet and sleep on the floor in the twins room. It's hard to hear them from downstairs without the monitor and I don't know if Regina put the bedroom one on, plus I'd rather sleep close to my kids anyway.