"Are you sure you'll be there on time?" Regina asked as she followed behind Christian who was getting ready to leave for work.
"Yes Gina I will meet you at the doctor's office, please stop worrying." He said as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I can't help it. What if something is wrong with her, like she's not gaining weight? She felt a little light this morning."
"Babydoll please stop stressing, you are a great mother. Everything will be fine." Christian reassured her before planting kiss on her lips before turning to leave.
"5:30 don't forget!" she called after him and Christian responded with a wave before closing the door behind him. Regina let out a sigh as she tried to figure out what to do with herself for the next hour and a half before Jasmine woke up. It was only two weeks since she had given birth, but Regina could not imagine her life without Jasmine. She walked into the kitchen to find Elizabeth cleaning up the dishes from breakfast. Regina picked up a dish towel and began to dry the dishes.
"Every time I see you and Christian together it just makes me so happy. I am so proud of this little family." Elizabeth beamed as she finished cleaning the skillet she was washing. "You two have come a long way."
"You know what you're right Lizzie, we have come a long way. Four years ago I wouldn't believe you if you told me we would be engaged and have a daughter. Everything just seemed so impossible back then." Regina thought about how hurt and abandoned she felt when Christian left for Africa. Although the break-up was by her own doing she still wanted Christian to fight for her, when he didn't she felt like he didn't care enough about her to put his ambitions on hold.
"I guess we both needed some time to grow up." She said with a reflective sigh as she started on preparing Jasmine's bottles for the day. Once she finished preparing the bottles Regina could hear Jasmine beginning to wake-up.
"Why is she up so early?" Regina mumbled to herself as she rushed up the stairs to the nursery. When she walked in to the nursery and peered in to the crib Regina was as greeted by Jasmine's big brown eyes peering back at her.
"Good morning sunshine." Regina cooed as she picked up the baby and kissed her forehead. Regina was grateful that Jasmine was an easy baby like she was unlike Christian. Regina had learned from Diana that Christian was a very fussy baby that required a lot of attention.
Regina sat down to feed Jasmine when the doorbell rang and she knew that it could only be Sandra who would stop by so early. She could hear Elizabeth greet Sandra as she entered the house. A minute later Sandra walked in to the nursery.
"Good morning." She sung as she kissed Regina's cheek.
"Morning mom, you're here early...again."
"I know, I'm sorry but I couldn't resist coming by on my way to work. How's my Princess this morning."
"Great, she must have known you were stopping by she woke up extra early today." Regina said handing Jasmine over to Sandra, who was just dying to hold her little bundle of joy.
"She has her first check up today right?"
"Yes I'm a little worried."
"Don't be everything will be fine, she is growing beautifully." Sandra reassured her as she watched Jasmine finish off her bottle.
"How's daddy, is his cold getting any better?"
"He's starting to feel better. Maybe now he will listen to me when I tell him to put an actual coat on. He is so hardheaded I see where you get it from."
"I'm not...yeah your right." Regina laughed knowing that it would be just a waste of energy to disagree with Sandra's statement.
"So when are you and Christian planning on giving us more grandchildren?" Sandra asked. Regina could only stare at Sandra as she tried to figure out if the woman was serious. She had just given birth;there was no way she was even thinking about the possibility of having another child.
Sandra noticed the blank expression on Regina's face and laughed.
"Too soon?"
"Yes definitely too soon."
Christian had mentioned the possibility of having another child after Jasmine's first birthday but Regina brushed him off. She had no idea why everyone was so baby crazy when she was so deeply in love with her daughter. Regina didn't know if her heart was big enough to love another child like she could her first.
****
"Where are you off to now?" Quincy asked as he looked up from the documents Racheal had brought over for him to go over.
"To see my niece,"
"Why are you so obsessed with Regina and her baby?"
"Because she's our sister Quincy. Don't you want to get to know your big sister?"
"No not really, I don't see any benefit from opening up old wounds and that's exactly what you're doing."
"I don't know when you got that stick shoved up your butt, but you need to consult a doctor about getting it removed. Regina is our sister-"
"-half-sister." Quincy said interrupting her and Racheal rolled her eyes.
"You know what, I am not about to argue with you over this. I am going to see my sister and my niece, just email me the revisions when you are done." Racheal turned on her heels and walked out of the office shaking her head at her hopeless brother.
When she reached the Regina's house she could hear Jasmine's crying from the door. She was about to ring the doorbell when a haggard looking Christian opened the door.
"Hey Racheal, I saw you drive up."
"Hi brother-in-law, what's wrong with my princess?" she asked as she shrugged off her coat as she stepped in to the house.
"She's been a bit cranky since we brought her back from the doctor's visit."
"How did it go?"
"Great, nothing bad to report." Christian said as he led Racheal in to the living room where Regina was trying to rock Jasmine to sleep. Regina looked up and noticed her sister and a huge grin spread across her face as Christian took Jasmine from her and took her to the nursery.
"Hey sissy," Racheal said as she sat next to Regina and kissed her cheek.
"It's about time you made it over. Where have you been?" Regina frowned, she had become used to seeing Racheal on a weekly basis and talking to her almost every day. After the baby was born she felt as if there was a bit of distance between them.
"I've been busy with the new line and coming up with new designs. Plus I figured you don't need me hovering over you while you're trying to get this whole mom thing together."
"Don't be silly...I missed you." Regina said linking their arms together.
"I missed you too. So, how is it being a mommy?"
"Wonderful, exhausting, nerve-wracking, interesting, complicated, I could go on but you get the idea." She said and Racheal laughed.
"Yeah I do. I showed mother the pictures of Jasmine and she said that she looks just like you."
"Yeah my dad said the same thing."
An awkward silence fell over them, which was unusual because they always found things to talk about. Regina knew that Racheal wanted to talk about Melanie, she always became a little uncomfortable before bringing her up.
"She feels bad...for what happened." Racheal said finally breaking the silence.
"Who?"
"Mom, she feels bad about messing up your Babymoon. She said that if she had known she would have waited."
"Mmm,"
"She's been trying real hard lately... it's weird. She never took interest in what I do but she's been coming by the studio and even helped me finish designing a bag.... She's trying." Racheal said hoping to gather a response from Regina, who remained tight-lipped.
"I'm finally starting to get the mother that I've always wanted but I feel like I'm betraying you in a way."
"No you're not, why would you think that?"
"I can't stand what she did to you and because of that she pretty much let boarding schools and nannies raise me. I know I should be angry, and that I should hate her but, I can't."
Regina could see the turmoil on Racheal's face as she watched her try to process her emotions. Regina love the fact that her sister was loyal to her but she did not want to keep her from having a better relationship with Melanie just because they had issues.
"I don't expect you to Rach, what's going on between Melanie and I is just that. You don't have to pick sides. I am glad that you are finally getting the attention from her that you deserve, so do not feel bad."
"Thanks Gina," Racheal said with a sniffle.
"Don't you dare start crying on me; I will kick you out."
"You're so mean to me." she said hugging Regina as she laughed.
*****
Regina secured her earring as she rushed to the front door expecting it to be Racheal. Christian had prepared a romantic evening for their anniversary. It was the first time in three months that she would leave the house without Jasmine and she was a bit apprehensive about it. When she opened the door Regina was shocked to see Melanie standing in front of her.
"What-"
"-I'm sorry I keep dropping by like this, I couldn't help myself. I wanted to see how you and the baby were doing."
"We're fine." Regina said as she stepped aside to let Melanie in which really surprised her. "I just put her to bed-"she said as she closed the door "-would you like to see her?"
"I would love to."
Regina led Melanie to the nursery and when she laid eyes on Jasmine tears filled her eyes.
"She's beautiful Regina...she looks just like you." she said breathlessly, tempted to touch the baby but stopped not wanting to wake her. "Except her hair, you were born with a head full of hair." She said with a laugh.
"She's gets that from Christian, apparently all of the Grey children were bald until they were one-" Regina bent down and picked Jasmine up and placed her in to Melanie's arms."- I am praying she gets some hair before then."
Regina watched as Melanie cradled Jasmine in her arms, her shoulders tense, body stiff. She would have expected a mother of three to be at ease holding a baby. Jasmine began to stir and Melanie gently placed her back into her crib hoping that she would stay asleep.
"I have something for you to give to Jasmine." Melanie said as sat across from Regina in the living room. She dug in to the large shopping bag she came with and produced a large pink and yellow throw blanket.
"I made this for you before you were born-"she said rubbing her hands over it as if she was reluctant to let it go before handing it over to Regina. "-it was the only thing of yours I had on me when I left. It smelled like you for a long time..."
Regina admired the intricate lace pattern, letting the soft material slip through her fingers. She could picture Melanie making the blanket in anticipation of her; for some reason it made Regina feel a little bit better that at least before she was born her mother wanted her.
"I am sorry about the way our last meeting went, you were right I was just making a bunch of excuses. The truth is I was weak, plain and simple, I was looking for a way out of my marriage way before the stillbirth. I wasn't ready to be a wife or a mother but I loved you more than I could have ever imagined. I'm sure you know what I mean, right?"
"Yes, I love Jasmine more than anything in this world. I love her more than I love Christian, so I can't understand how you could have just walked away from me when I needed you." Regina said as she battled to keep from crying, she refused to waste her tears.
"I had always planned to come back for you. When I married Clarence I had planned to fight for custody of you. I hoped that we could be a big happy family but Clarence had other ideas. He didn't want anything to do with Darrell or you, I was going to leave him but he threated to keep Quincy from me. I knew that no court would grant me custody when I had no means of income and barely a place to stay. I couldn't leave Quincy behind, I couldn't put myself through that again. I consoled myself knowing that your grandparents were taking care of you and I knew that your father would do right by you. I wish I could have been so much stronger back then, for you ...and for me."
Regina held her breath as she took a long hard look at her mother; she was a broken woman filled with regret. She knew that she could would never have the daughterly affection towards her, it was far too late for that. But, she was open to possibly forming a cordial relationship with Melanie, she was tired of holding on to the bitterness, it was exhausting.
"I wish you could have been stronger but wishing won't change the past will it? I think I grew up pretty well without you and honestly I don't think I have the energy to keep hating you-"Regina let out a long sigh as she ran her hands along the blanket. Her mouth seemed the clamped shut as she struggled to get her words out. She closed her eyes as she gave herself a mental kick in the butt before she spoke again, "-I forgive you."
Melanie's eyes stretched as she registered what Regina had just said. Tears filled her eyes as she fought the urge to wrap her arms around Regina.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want my negative feelings towards you to mess up my relationship with my daughter...it isn't fair." She said taking a slow breath in "I won't give you false hope it's too late for us to have a relationship like you want. I don't even think we could ever be friends but, I will try to be cordial."
"I guess it was naive of me to expect something more from you. I won't be picky I will cherish any time that you decide to give me."
There was still so much more Melanie wanted to say but she did not want to over stay her welcome. She was determined to not mess up the second chance she had been granted, not only with Regina but with all of her children. The doors were finally open, for now it was enough.
"Babydoll are you ready?" Christian called out as he walked in to the house. Christian stopped in his tracks when he noticed Melanie sitting in his living room.
"Hello Melanie, I'm sorry I didn't know you were here."
"Don't worry about it I was just leaving." Melanie said getting up, preparing herself to leave.
Regina watched as Melanie drove away and let out a sigh as Christian wrapped his arms around her.
"Are you okay?"
"She just has a knack for wanting to talk on special occasions doesn't she?"
"Did she ruin the mood?"
"No, never. I just don't want to leave my baby."
"You promised me."
"I know, I know."
When Racheal arrived she forced Regina out of the house so they could enjoy the evening Christian prepared.
"What are we doing here?" Regina asked as she stepped out of the car surprised to see them parked in front of their old apartment complex.
"Well it is our anniversary and I thought that it would be nice to visit where it all began."
"You mean the place you made a complete fool of yourself the first time you asked me out?"
"What can I say, you made me nervous."
"And I don't now?"
"Of course you do but at least now I can function." He said pulling her in to him and kissed her lips. Christian took Regina by the hand a led her in to the building. They rode up the elevator up to the sixth floor and Regina smiled as she remembered bumping in to Christian as she stepped off of the elevator causing her to drop her groceries. She thought it was cute the way he fumbled over himself as he tried to help her with the bags. They had seen each other in passing multiple times but neither had the courage to speak up. Christian stopped at Regina's old apartment and produced a key from his pocket.
"We're going in? How did you manage that?"
"That's my secret," he said with a boyish grin as he opened the door and let Regina inside, she was met with a trail of red and white rose petals leading into the living room. Soft candle light filled the room, on display was the table Christian had set up which had stacks of presents just for her.
"You didn't have to go through all of this trouble Christian." Regina said as she sat down in the chair he pulled out for her as her eyes began to fill with tears.
"Yes I did. You have done so much for me; you deserve to be spoiled." He said wiping her tears away before kissing her lips.
"Are you hungry?" he asked as Regina wiped the smudge of her lipstick from his lips.
"Starving. Did you cook?"
"I thought about it but I knew you would want to eat sometime tonight." He said with a laugh before disappearing in to the kitchen. Christian returned with a garden salad to find Regina on the phone with Racheal.
"She's sleeping, that's good. I just wanted to make sure everything was ok." Christian placed the salad in front of Regina and shook his head. "Call me if you need anything." Regina ended the call and gave Christian a weak smile.
"Will you at least try to keep the calls at a minimum tonight?" he asked as he sat across from her.
"I'm sorry I just-"
"-don't apologize, I understand that you are anxious but Jasmine is fine. I just want you to relax tonight."
"I'm trying,"
"Good, now let's eat we have three more course to get through." He said before digging in to his salad.
As the evening progressed Regina was able to relax and enjoy the company of her soon to be husband. Their lives had been so hectic recently it was greatly appreciate to have an evening to themselves where they could just talk and laugh with each other. Regina thought that Christian's decision to have their anniversary dinner in her old apartment was more than appropriate. It reminded her of the beautiful memories they had together and how well they complimented each other. Their love and understanding of one other had grown far beyond her expectations within the year, and she could not wait to become Christian's wife.
For once in a long time she could honestly say that she was genuinely happy with her life.
"I am so full-" Regina yawned as she laid her head on Christian's shoulder "-it's really been a beautiful evening." After dinner they had spent over an hour lounging on the sofa enjoying the silence between them which seemed to speak louder than words.
"I agree, I have no idea how I'm going to top myself next year." Christian said patting himself on the back and Regina rolled her eyes. "Come on mommy it's time we go home to our daughter." He said as he stood up and held his hand out for Regina to take.
As Regina watched Christian lock the door she felt like they were closing the chapter on their past life together. All of the hurt and misunderstanding were all gone, now they only had the future to look forward to.