Chapter 2

Anna came into her home to find Robert lying on the sofa fast asleep. This was not an unusual occurence. He often took naps on her living room sofa. It was nearly traditional after long difficult cases to find Robert haunting her house for a week afterwards. What was extraordinary was that he was napping with Robin's teen music blaring loud enough for her to hear it coming into the driveway.

She rapped on her daughter's bedroom door. She really wasn't expecting a response. Who could hear anything over the discordant din?

Miracle of miracles, the music volume decreased and the door opened. "Hi, Mom!" exclaimed Robin, her only child.

"Why is your father here? Did we have a family dinner I forgot about?" asked Anna.

Robin shrugged. "He just showed up. We talked for a while then I went to do homework."

"Are you done with homework?"

"Not yet. Soon."

"Finish your homework and I'll see to your father."

Anna knelt by Robert. Even in sleep she could see how tired he was. The last few months had not been easy on any of them. And, they weren't young operatives anymore, were they? Regrouping and recuperating would surely take time and patience. She decided to let him sleep. She left for some take out.

The takeout boxes were lined up like dominos on the table. They were all empty.

"I couldn't eat another bite," said Robin.

"Yeah, this was top shelf, Anna. Where's it from?" asked Robert

"The new place on fifty-fourth street The Golden Wok," Anna replied. "There was a flyer and coupon at the office."

Robert nudged his daughter. "I think we've found a new favorite, eh, Robin?"

"I bet their dim sum is great." Robin pulled her chair out. "I've got a little bit more homework to do then I have to watch a movie for Film Arts class. You want to stay and watch, Dad?"

"What's the movie?"

"The Great Train Robbery with Sean Connery," answered Robin.

"My kind of movie," said Robert enthusiastically.

"Sean Connery? I'm in," Anna added.

"Um, it's set in Victorian times if I remember right. Everyone's buttoned up and corsetted," Robert said.

Anna rolled her eyes upward. "I'm not looking for beach scenes and speedos, Robert. I wouldn't mind them but they're not the main attraction."

"Yeah, Dad. Sean Connery is hot for an old guy," added Robin. "He's got charisma."

"Yes!" Anna and Robin exchanged high fives. Anna put in, "And, he's manly, dashing and heroic."

It was Robert's turn to roll his eyes. "Oh, please, no REAL man could live up to that description. It's a fantasy."

"Sean was very charismatic and lived up to his image in person," said Anna.

"You've met him? Sean, is it?" asked Robert.

"Did you, Mom?" asked Robin.

"Not met exactly," Anna blushed a little. "Before we lived in New York City, we lived in London for a time. Robin, you were too little to remember. I managed to get VIP tickets to one of his film premieres. There was a receiving line and I was able to shake his hand and blither on about how much I loved his movies."

"Blither on? You?" asked Robert.

"I was star struck. Who wouldn't be? It's Sean Connery."

"I can see you shaking his hand, Mom, but not blithering," Robin said.

"To this day I can only remember a blurry memory of shaking his hand and then my mind blanking out. I do recall my surprise at how much taller and imposing he was in person." Anna's hands gestured in the air. "His shoulders went out to here. And, his hands are really big. He looked incredible in a tuxedo."

"Wow!" exclaimed Robin.

"I second that wow," remarked Robert. "Anna Devane bowled over, amazing."

"There are seven years of my life that you know very little about, Robert," said Anna. "Why be so surprised?"

"I just don't connect that sort of ... of hero worship with you, luv," explained Robert. "Why be impressed with a celebrity who plays a spy? You've done the real thing that movies only pretend to do."

"True but it doesn't diminish my enjoyment of a good actor, does it?" asked Anna. "Just like you and other men drool over Bond's young nubile costars in their utterly impractical apparel. Assaulting a fortress in a bikini or a catsuit, very realistic I'm sure."

"We men are simple creatures of habit and hormones," said Robert. "Women, when they get to be a certain age, are supposed to be beyond that sort of thing."

Anna and Robin laughed heartily.

Robert shook his head. "I just meant that ... that women look beyond the physical. They want security, fidelity and commitment. Looks don't really matter."

Anna scoffed. "Looks do matter to a point. I wouldn't want a man who'd completely let himself go, for example. He doesn't have to be a male model or an athlete but he can't be a slothful couch potato with horrible hygiene habits either."

"You've just admitted that you're as shallow as most of the rest of humanity."

"Men and women are equally shallow when attraction enters the picture," Anna said. "You can't disagree with that. Would you give a ... an average looking woman a second glance? Be honest."

Robert smiled. "You've spoiled me for that. You, Holly, Cheryl and Katherine are all gorgeous and strong women. For me, the looks and the strength are equal parts of the attraction, the intrigue. And, maybe, I admit, the looks thing does have an edge in getting my attention but that's only initially. Can you say, Anna, that I ONLY see a woman's outer beauty?"

"No. I can't." Anna looked at Robin. "Isn't it gratifying to know that your father is not a complete chauvinist? Only half of one."

"Look, if you can keep the girly 'he's so cute' comments to a minimum, I'll stay and watch the movie," said Robert.

"We'll try, Dad," said Robin.

"I make no promises, Robert," said Anna grinning. "If they dress Sean in a Victorian swim suit, I might just lose it."

A/N: Check out the home page for the video trailer for this story.