The Legacy Tree: Chapter 11
Story continued from our Premiere Issue
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“Dammit, Robyn!” he exploded.
“What?!”
“I was coming down to pick up my parents’ painting this weekend. I told you that!”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Holy hell, I forgot. I am so sorry, Erik.” Every word out of her mouth these days was a lie. She knew full well he was driving to Maryland this Saturday…both Erik and her mother had told her…which was exactly why she planned to be out of town. The only difference was she was really going to be at a small bed and breakfast in Ocean City…alone.
“Can’t you reschedule?” he asked harshly.
“Oh, Erik, we’ve already made plans and taken time off work. Jake had to change his construction schedule for this trip.” She had no idea if that’s what it was called, but she was winging it. “He’s got people coming to take care of his dogs and the horses.”
“My parents party is next weekend…I can’t wait any longer to pick up the painting.” he growled.
She knew that, too. “Honestly, Erik, I’m so sorry! If Jake hadn’t gone through all this trouble to set up this wonderful weekend…”
Wonderful, my ass, he thought. “Fine…just great…fabulous.” he sighed. “Maybe I can hang around until Sunday evening and drive home late Sunday night.”
She coughed.
“What?”
“We won’t be home until Monday night.”
Erik actually pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in disgust. “Okay. Whatever. Your weekend, your life.”
She bit her tongue so that she wouldn’t cave in. “I’m so very sorry. I’ll miss you.”
“Sure. Have fun, Robyn. Don’t forget to bring a fishing rod.” He said sarcastically.
“Actually, Jake said they have several on the boat. He’s thought of everything.” she said quickly.
“Of course. Good night, Robyn.”
“‘Bye, Erik.” Hanging up the phone, she covered her eyes with her hand and let out a long sigh.
****
Erik knocked on the Douglass’ front door. After a moment, it swung open.
“Erik!”
He smiled wanly and let Melanie engulf him in a hug. “Hi, Mrs. Douglass.”
“Come in! I have your painting all finished. As soon as you look it over, we’ll wrap it all up for your Mom and Dad.” Melanie tugged him inside.
“Great.” he followed her inside and downstairs to her studio. “So, I hear Robyn is out of town.”
“Oh, yes. Too bad she missed you, hmm?” she murmured absently as she led him over to an easel.
“Off to the water, huh?”
“Yes.” Why her daughter had suddenly developed an affinity for the beach was beyond her. Ocean City in March was generally cold and wet. “So what do you think?” she stood back and studied the painting with a critical eye.
“I think she’s crazy for just up and going off like that.” he grumbled, his gaze flickering over the restored painting.
Melanie stopped and stared at Erik. He certainly seemed distracted by Robyn’s sudden travel plans. She knew they were friends, but why was he so all-fired upset? Hmm, and why had Robyn’s travel plans cropped up after she found out Erik was coming to town? What about all those phone messages she’d written down when Robyn was in bed after her miscarriage? She hadn’t connected those thoughts before now. “It’s been a long time since you’ve seen her, yes?” An idea began forming in her mind.
“Not since her birthday.” he responded glumly.
She calculated quickly. Good golly…Erik was the father. Had Robyn ever told him? “She has been a busy little bee, hasn’t she?”
“Yeah.”
She didn’t think he could sink any lower.
“And she told me about meeting Jake at your house.” he muttered darkly.
Jake? Why, that had been weeks ago. “Mmm.”
He huffed loudly and shook his head. “Well, the painting looks just great. Thank you so much for doing it.”
“It was my pleasure.” She pulled out her plain brown wrapping paper. “Why don’t you help me wrap this baby up.” Whoops! She snuck a peek at his face, but he seemed unaffected. So, Robyn never told him. What had happened between them?
He helped her carefully wrap the painting. “I guess Robyn’s not due back until Monday.”
“Right.” She was careful as to what she said. She was sure Robyn had her reasons for what she’d done. And until she found out what they were, she had to keep quiet. “Would you like to stay for dinner? We’d be happy to put you up for the night.” she offered.
“No, uh, thank you. I’m going to just head home.” he reached for the wrapped painting. “I hope Robyn and Jake are having a great time.”
Melanie blinked as Erik turned away toward the stairs. Robyn and Jake? Oh, dear. She followed him upstairs and to the front door. “Are you sure you won’t have some coffee before you go?”
“No, thanks.”
“Okay. Drive carefully going home, Erik. And I hope we see you again soon.” she said softly as he stepped out the door. She had always liked him…
“Good bye, Mrs. Douglass.”
****
Robyn tapped on her mother’s front door before opening it. She had called this morning to say she was heading home from Ocean City and her mother had asked her to stop by. “Mom?”
“In the kitchen.”
Shuffling her feet, Robyn took her time walking through the house to the kitchen. “Hi.”
Melanie looked up from her notepad. “Hello.”
Robyn froze in the doorway, unsure of the vibes she was getting from her mother. “Everything all right?”
“Of course.”
Oh no, she knew. How could she know? Did Erik know?What had happened here? She slipped into the chair across from her mother. “How did you find out?”
“I don’t know anything for sure.” Melanie murmured.
“You’re right, it was him.”
Melanie nodded and met her daughter’s gaze. “Want to tell me what happened?”
“It was just that one weekend. And when we left it seemed…strained.” Robyn started. “It felt like he pulled away immediately… like it had been a mistake. Then, when I found out about the baby…I knew he’d feel trapped.”
“How did you know that?”
“We talked a lot about his brother George’s situation.” Robyn answered. “Erik made his position pretty clear.”
“Don’t you think George’s situation is a little different from yours? You and Erik have known each other for many years.”
“I don’t think it matters. Erik seemed to be looking for a casual relationship…not a wife and child.” was her defense.
“But you didn’t talk to him about it? You weren’t the only one involved in that weekend, Robyn.” Melanie reminded her.
“I was going to tell him about the baby. But I barely had time to come to terms with it myself before I miscarried.” she whispered.
“And now?”
“And now what?”
Melanie frowned. “Aren’t you going to tell him?”
“What would be the point of that?”
“He deserves to know. And you deserve to not carry this burden alone.”
Robyn was silent for a moment. “He’ll hate me.” |
“You’re already trying to drive him away. If you really don’t want to be with him, then telling him won’t make any difference.”
Covering her mouth with her hand, Robyn tried to stifle her sob. “I love him.”
Melanie covered her daughter’s free hand on the table with her own. “You have to be honest with him.”
“I’ll lose him.”
“You might want to try trusting him. See what happens…you might be surprised.” Melanie encouraged her. “And tell him the truth about Jake, too.”
“Oh hell, you know about that, too?”
“Erik mentioned that he thought you two were away together this weekend. I can’t imagine what else he’s been thinking about the two of you.” Melanie said wryly.
“I thought it would drive him away. I thought it was for the best.”
“Well, here’s hoping it isn’t too late, darling.” Melanie patted her hand.
****
Robyn left Erik a message that evening when she got home. Trying not to frighten him, she just indicated that she really wanted to speak to him.
Upstairs she dug out the gray shirt she had stolen from him. It had been months since she’d put it on, and even now she just stared at it. It was too much to hope for, she knew. Even so, she could picture them together…happy and in love. Touching the soft fabric, she pushed the wistful images from her head. If he could even forgive her lies, it may be too late for any kind of a real relationship.
****
He was not going to call her back.With a sniff, he pushed his mail around on the kitchen table where he’d sat and listened to her messages. She was probably calling to go on and on about her fabulous weekend. There was no way he would going to sit and listen to her bubble over with happiness. Just to spite her, he’d gone out on a date with the beautiful blond from his gym. Lets not even discuss the fact that the date had been a disaster…it had been a date.
He grunted and got up from the table. Who did she think she was anyway? How could she just take his heart and smash it like this? He would just have to go on his merry way and date lots of gorgeous women. He didn’t need her.
The hallway leading to his bedroom was dark, but he didn’t even stumble over the half-full laundry basket on the left. He flinched and paused when the phone rang. At the sound of her voice, he continued into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
****
Robyn persevered, leaving messages on Erik’s answering machine at home. Either he was persistently ignoring her or he had been called out of town. She knew he would be home over the weekend for his parents’ anniversary, so she expected a call from him soon.
When the weekend came and went without word from Erik, she began to really worry. It was a week later when she began to get angry. How dare he be so rude? She deliberately waited until after midnight on Friday night to call his house.
“Hello?”
His voice was gruff with sleep. “Erik?”
He grunted a response.
“It’s Robyn.”
“Robyn?” his speech was slurred and slow.
“I need to speak to you.”
“Jeezus, it’s after midnight…couldn’t it wait?”
“It’s waited two weeks…” she told him. “And if you had returned my calls, I wouldn’t have had to wake you.”
He groaned. “I’ve been busy.”
“Well, you’re not busy now, are you?” she demanded.
“Can’t this wait until tomorrow?”
She was about to spit out an answer when she heard a quiet voice at the other end of the line. Her heart shattered when she heard him whisper, ‘Go back to sleep.’
“Hold on a second.” he muttered into the phone. A moment later, he was back. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Opening her mouth, she choked.
“Robyn.”
“You’re not alone.” she whispered brokenly.
“No, as a matter of fact, I’m not.” he said angrily. “Are you?”
“I didn’t think…”
“Well you should have. It’s a good thing Tiffany is a forgiving woman.”
Oh God, he was back with his ex-girlfriend.
“So why did you call, huh Robyn? Was it just to ruin my night or did you need something?”
He was so angry. “I’m sorry.” All the fight had gone right out of her. “I won’t bother you again.”
Before Erik could respond, she had hung up. Holy hell…what had he done? In a moment of weakness, he had called Tiffany and invited her to dinner. How they had ended up in bed was almost beyond him. And to make matters worse, Robyn had caught him in his trespass, embarrassing him enough to make him angry at himself.
What had been so important that Robyn had called him in the middle of the night? Taking a deep breath for courage, he called her back.
“Hello?”
He groaned quietly, hearing the tears in her voice. “Robyn, I’m so sorry for snapping at you. I was angry at myself, not you.”
“I’m happy for you and Tiffany.” she hiccupped.
Lowering his voice, he was honest with her. “There is no me and Tiffany. It was a mistake.” When she didn’t respond, he sighed. “What’s going on with you…what’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“I’m here honey…I’m listening.” he responded.
“I can’t talk to you about this over the phone.”
He gulped. Had something happened between her and Jake? “Are you hurt?”
“Please, Erik, I can’t do this over the phone.” she refused to elaborate.
“What do you want to do? Should I come meet you? I can drive down first thing in the morning.” he offered.
“Yes, okay, tomorrow.”
“Robyn, whatever it is, it’ll be okay.” He had promised long ago to take care of her no matter what…and he would. If her problem was with Jake, he would take care of him. “I’ll be there by noon, honey. Try to get some sleep, okay?” When they hung up, he turned to find Tiffany standing in the hallway behind him. With a sigh, he rose to address his current situation. |
