Foreign Reality
“Okay.” Robin twists in her seat as soon as they park in the parking lot of the grocery store. “A few rules before we go in.”
Melina and Natasha’s eyes land on her.
“We stick together. No straying where I can’t see you,” Robin tells them before glancing at Melina. “You are my wife. You are their mother.” She then turns to look at Natasha. “We are your mother’s. You call us mama or mom. Do not leave where either Melina or I cannot see you. Do you understand?”
They both nod their head and Robin takes a large breath before smiling. “Great. Let’s go on in.”
Robin fetches Yelena from her car seat, the girl immediately latching her fingers into Robin’s hair again. Robin adjusts her grip. “Take your mom’s hand when we cross the road.” She tells Natasha.
Natasha complies, her hand reaching up to grasp Melina’s as they walk through the parking lot. They step inside and Robin snags a shopping cart, depositing Yelena into the child’s seat. “You push.” She tells Melina before glancing at Natasha. “In our sights.” She reminds her.
Melina lets go of Natasha’s hand to push the car. They start in the produce section and Robin takes a few moments to think of diet plans for them. She knew what widows usually ate versus what they should be eating. Natasha was on the skinny side, verging on being undernourished. Whatever orphanage they picked Yelena up from obvious skimped on formula and baby food.
“Are you going to stare at the vegetables all day?” Melina comments, shaking Robin out of her stupor.
“Haha,” Robin rolls her eyes as she grabs a bag and starts to pick out vegetables. “Are you well versed in cooking?”
“I can follow instructions from a cookbook,” Melina shrugs indifferently.
Robin lived on instant noodles and protein bars. Her office was almost constantly full of people that General Dreykov wanted her to patch up. She never got more than ten minutes to eat. “I can’t cook for anything.”
Robin starts to load the cart up. She figured that she could pick up some cookbooks or something for her and Melina to look through.
She’s standing in the cereal aisle, debating on whether or not to buy a box of sugary cereal that Yelena had become enamored with because of the bright colors.
Then there is a shrill cry of “Mom!” and Robin jerks to look at where Natasha had been standing only moments ago to discover that the spot was now empty. She spots the head of copper hair at the end of the aisle, the girl wiggling in the hold of a stocker that had grabbed her by the back of her shirt.
Robin shoves the box into the car as she quickly closed the distance between them. “What do you think you’re doing?” Robin demands, reaching out to grab his wrist. “Let her go!”
“Is this your daughter?” The stocker demands, giving Natasha a small shake. “I caught her stealing--”
Robin twists her hand and the employee lets out a pained grunt as the hold he has on Natasha breaks. “What is wrong with you?” Robin spots some old couple watching from the freezer section and decides to make a small scene, turning the tables on the man. “Do you just go around grabbing all the little girls when they’re not in their mother’s sight?”
“She’s stealing--” The employee protests, setting his hands on his hips as Robin glanced down at Natasha with a raised eyebrow.
“Empty your pockets,” Robin orders Natasha. The girl startles but doesn’t hesitate to reach down and turn out the pockets on her shorts. “Show me your hands.” Natasha holds her palms up to reveal her empty hands. Robin turns to raise an unimpressed eyebrow at the man. “What did she steal?”
“I saw her take a candy bar!” The man protests, gesturing to the end cap of candies and chocolates Natasha had been standing in front of.
“I was only looking--” Natasha quickly replies, looking up at Robin. “I promise.”
Robin knows that. She knows that Natasha did anything because the little widow isn’t stupid enough to blatantly steal and then get caught.
“If you’re done accusing little girls of baseless crimes,” Robin tells the man and while he doesn’t apologize, he also doesn’t stop Robin as she pushes Natasha back toward the car where Melina was occupying Yelena to keep her attention off of them.
As soon as it is the four of them, Robin turns her attention to Natasha. “What did I say about staying in my sight?” Robin demands, gripping Natasha’s chin to pull her head up to look at her. “Hmm?”
“I’m sorry…” Natasha whispers, averting her eyes to avoid Robin’s gaze.
Robin sighs and turns to rearrange a few groceries in the car. “Come on.” She turns and picks Natasha up under the armpits before setting her in the basket of the shopping cart in the empty space she just made. “Since I cannot trust you to stay in my sight.”
Natasha curls up in the cart, a frown on her face as she looks up at Robin in confusion and Robin realizes that she’s waiting for a slap. Robin shoves away her frustration at General Dreykov’s preference for public humiliation and shaming.
Robin turns to face Melina, the question she was going to ask dying in her mouth when she realizes that the woman was also expecting Robin to lash out and beat Natasha in the middle of the grocery store.
Robin closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths before she reaches out to Melina and cups one side of her face, ignoring the way she tenses up under her fingers. “Relax, my dear.” She whispers softly. “You are too tense. There is no punishment this time.” She can see out of the corner of her eye that Natasha had read her lips and relaxes slightly. Robin leans in closer to whisper into her ear. “Breathe, Melina.”
Melina inhales sharply as if suddenly becoming aware that she was breathing shallowly.
Robin leans forward and kisses her cheek just for show. “It’s alright. We’re doing well. We’re almost done.” She pulls away and faces Yelena who had tugged the box of cereal out of the car and was hugging it close to her chest. Robin lets out a sigh. “Okay, little one. You’ve won me over. We can get the cereal.”
Yelena bounces in place in excitement as Robin tries to speed up their trip. Robin snags a few sweet things for them to try.
“I’m not allowed to eat that,” Natasha had replied when Robin asks her if she had ever tried Pop-Tarts.
“Well, remember the change to our diet?” Robin comments more for show than anything. “We’re trying new foods.”
Natasha slowly nods her head. “Right.” She accepts the box of Pop-Tarts from Robin and was intensely studying the English on the box.
Robin snags a few pieces of candy from the display at the checkout, adding them to the conveyor belt. The woman checking them out is content to chatter on about the weather and coo over how Natasha was a polite young lady for helping her mother unload the shopping from the cart.
Melina unloads the groceries from the cart and Robin snags one of the candy bars before moving to help the girls buckle up. She’s adjusting the seatbelt when she spots a pink line of irritated skin wrapped around Natasha’s throat and immediately moves to inspect it. “Chin up.” She instructs, brushing her thumb over the skin.
She remembers the stocker grabbing Natasha by the back of her shirt and figures that the collar of her shirt had been lifted and bunched around Natasha’s neck, effectively choking her. She debates turning back around and going into the store and beating the man over the head with the cans of Spaghetti-O’s he had been unloading before grabbing her. Robin is glad that at least it won’t bruise. She doesn’t need questions asked if Natasha shows up for her first day of school showing signs of being choked.
With the girls in the car, Robin helps Melina finish unloading the groceries into the car. “You did well.” She tells her. “Thank you for not getting involved in the little incident.”
“You had it handled,” Melina replies, reaching up to shut the trunk of the car. “You didn’t need me.”
Robin lets out a hum. “Of course I need you.” She replies before kissing Melina’s cheek as she passes and climbs into the passenger seat before opening the candy bar. She breaks off the first piece for herself.
She had loved the candy bar when she was a child. She hadn’t eaten one in nearly eight years. It still tastes just how she remembers and it brings Robin back to a time in her life where she had been safe and happy and blissfully unaware of a man named General Dreykov. Melina breaks Robin out of her thoughts as she slides behind the wheel. She snaps off another piece and holds it out to Melina. Melina glances at her and then the piece of chocolate with a raised eyebrow.
“C’mon,” Robin said and Melina reaches out to take the piece and eat it. Robin then breaks off a third piece and twists in her seat to hold it out to Natasha.
Natasha froze, staring at her. “I… didn’t listen to your rules. I was bad,” Natasha said, not reaching out to take the piece of candy. “Bad girls do not get rewarded.”
“Eat the chocolate, Natasha,” Robin tells her, waving the piece slightly. “Before it melts in my fingers.”
Natasha hesitates and Robin knows that Natasha thinks that this is a test. Natasha then quickly snatched the piece and shoved it into her mouth before Robin could change her mind. Robin just breaks off a much smaller piece and passes it to Yelena for her to enjoy.
“Well, what’s your consensus? Did you like it?” Robin breaks off another piece and pops it into her mouth. “I ate this candy all the time as a kid. It’s my favorite.”
“It’s very sweet,” Melina comments but doesn’t reject it when Robin passes her another piece.
“Yummy!” Yelena crows, licking chocolate from her fingers.
“Did you like it, Natasha?” Robin glances in the mirror at the girl. Natasha nods her head quietly and Robin holds out the package to her. “Split the rest of this between you and your sister. You can have it.”
Natasha takes the packaging and moves to break off a small piece as she had seen Robin do and passes it over to Yelena.
Robin realizes that she needs to enforce the relationship between the two children as well and quickly coos to Yelena. “Aw, Natasha is being such a good big sister to you. Can you say thank you to your big sister?”
“Thank you!” Yelena parrots, chocolate smeared on her face and fingers.
Natasha looked slightly overwhelmed at the interaction and busies herself by eating the last piece of chocolate.
It was quiet in the car on the way back so Robin turns on the radio and they listen to a 70s hits playlist. Robin gets Yelena out of her car seat once they’re back at the house and Yelena lets out a squeal of joy when she sees a neighbor walking their dog. Robin heads over and introduces herself and chats the neighbor up as Melina and Natasha unload the groceries.
The woman welcomes them to the neighborhood and Robin gets the latest gossip about the other neighbors and hears a little bit about how the house had been sold for a while now and they were wondering if anyone was actually coming to live in it.
Robin makes up some excuse about staying with her in-laws because of an ill father and delaying the move. The woman lets out a sympathetic noise and wishes Robin’s pretend ill father-in-law well.
“Mama--” Natasha finally interrupts them and Robin glances down at her. “Mom needs you inside.”
The woman fawns over Natasha and encourages the girl to give her dog a pat because her dog loves children.
Robin has to politely excuse themselves and guides Natasha inside. Yelena reaches toward Melina unloading the groceries as soon as she sees her, wanting to be held.
“You’re filthy,” Melina comments, leaning away from Yelena’s sticky fingers.
“It’s just chocolate,” Robin said, holding Yelena out. “You can grab a wet wipe and clean her hands and face.”
“I don’t--” Melina starts to deny her but Yelena lets out a whine when she grows impatient.
“It’s okay. Take her,” Robin presses Yelena into Melina’s arms before kissing her cheek. “You’re doing fine. Getting messy is part of motherhood.”
Melina looks overwhelmed with the toddler so Robin grabs a wet wipe and starts to clean Yelena up from where she was in Melina’s arms.
Yelena squirms at the cold wipe so Robin starts to coo at her. “Aw, you love your mommy, don’t you?” She thinks that toddler fingers might be the strongest thing she’s encountered as she tries to pry Yelena’s tiny fists open to clean the chocolate from her palms.
Melina is tense and rigid and Yelena squirms unhappily in her hold, able to sense that Melina was uncomfortable.
“Try to relax,” Robin tells Melina, reaching out to rub the woman’s arms gently. “She can sense you’re uncomfy.” Yelena lets out a loud whine so Robin steps forward and hugs Melina, trapping Yelena between the two of them as she sways them. “There is our little girl!” She smiles down at Yelena. “All nice and clean!”
Yelena settles down, grinning as she looks up at Robin with honey-green eyes that make Robin’s heart clench. Melina is gradually relaxing under Robin’s touch.
“Oh, but we’re missing somebody!” Robin pulls away briefly to turn and look at Natasha who was watching the whole thing with wide eyes. “Come here.”
Natasha shuffles closer in confusion, letting out a startled gasp and tensing up when Robin scoops her up into her arms.
“There we go!” Robin moves to balance Natasha on one hip as she wraps one arm around Melina again until they’re squished in a tight circle. “Our little family. Mama and Mommy and Natasha and Yelena!”
Natasha is rigid in her hold and Robin makes a mental note to get the girl used to touch quickly because if she acted this way every single time someone touched her then someone would eventually notice and the last thing they needed was child protective services showing up and accusing them of abuse. That would definitely blow their cover.
Robin finally sets Natasha down and reaches out to take Yelena back from Melina. Melina finally relaxes all the way when Yelena is wriggling happily in Robin’s arms instead.
“You’re doing great,” Robin tells Melina with a smile.
“Thank you ma’am,” Melina replies, turning her back to continue unloading groceries and Robin lets out a small sigh.
When Yelena takes a nap that afternoon, Robin takes a nap with her because she planned on staying up all night.
Robin wakes up when Melina shakes her shoulder, telling her that dinner is ready. Yelena is curled against her side, her head tucked against Robin’s chest and her thumb in her mouth as she peacefully sleeps.
Robin wants to be selfish and continue to hold the little girl just a little bit longer but she’s not actually her mother. She’s a doctor of the Red Room. That’s all she will ever be and all she is good for. So Robin wakes Yelena up and heads down to dinner.
Dinner was a quiet affair other than the sound of Yelena happily babbling to herself as she plays with her food. Robin helps Melina do the dishes up before putting Melina in charge of Yelena for the night with the order to not bother her unless it was absolutely necessary.
Robin changes into her pajamas and takes the rocking chair from where it was tucked in the corner of Yelena’s room and pulls it out into Natasha’s.
Natasha watches Robin quietly in confusion as the woman settles the rocking chair into the corner of the room by the window.
Robin was going to wean Natasha from the handcuffs and get her more used to touch.
Besides, that gave Melina the whole bed to herself. Robin knows that Melina hated sharing the bed with her. Now Melina could sleep without worrying about rolling over into Robin in bed and Robin could watch Natasha to ensure that she didn’t run now that she wasn’t handcuffed.
Should be easy enough, right?