Chapter 4

Seven month later

Anna waited by baggage claim, ready to see her daughter and granddaughter again. She hadn't seen them in two months, not since her last visit to Paris, and she was sure that Emma had probably grown another 10 inches since then.

"Grandma!" Emma came off the escalator and running right into her grandma's arms. Robin came running up behind her, smiling widely.

"Hi mom!" She hugged Anna and then started looking around. "Where's Uncle Mac?"

"He went to get a luggage cart since I am sure you did not pack light."

Robin laughed. "We're going to be here a month, need to make sure we have plenty of clothes."

Emma nodded. "A lady has to plan for every occasion."

Anna raised her eyebrows at Robin. She explained. "We visited Brenda at Thanksgiving."

"All you need to say." Anna laughed and hugged the girls one more time, just thrilled to have them home.

Robin smiled as she saw her Uncle Mac coming towards her pulling the cart. She ran up and hugged him. "Uncle Mac!"

He held her tight. "God I've missed you." Emma came running up right behind her. "And you too." He picked up Emma and held her and Robin close. "Our girls are home."

"For a visit Mac." Robin laughed.

"Can't blame a guy for trying." He kissed Robin's forehead and then Emma's cheek then let them go to get the luggage. They were just leaving the airport and headed to the car when Robin's phone rang.

"Hey!" Robin got a huge smile on her face and walked away from the group for a moment. "I told you I'd call when we get to my mom's." She paused for a moment and then giggled. "We got here in one piece and we're on our way there. I'll call you after we get settled in. I love you too."

She hung up the phone and rejoined her family. Emma smiled at her mom. "Zach?"

"Yes, he said to have fun and hopefully he will be able to sneak away for a weekend to come and see us."

Emma's face lit up. "Really?"

Robin nodded. "But right now we need to get to the car and get to Grandma's so we can call your dad and figure out when we can take you to see him."


"She is out." Anna had just tucked Emma into bed.

"It was a long flight." Robin was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, just relaxing.

"Did you get in touch with Patrick?" Anna watched Robin's reaction carefully.

Robin nodded but didn't get upset. "Yeah, he texted me. I was actually going to ask if you would be able to wait here for him tomorrow? He wants to pick up Emma at 9 but I already promised to meet Maxie at Kelly's for breakfast."

"Of course. Did you talk to Zach?"

Robin smiled. "Yes – he said hi and he hopes to see you soon."

Anna smiled back at her. Robin had met Zach about a month after she signed the divorce papers. A private security contractor, he had been hired by the Sorbonne to beef up their security on campus. Robin was doing an 18 month teaching sojourn and her office was one of the first ones reviewed. It didn't take long for them to become friends and then a couple.

Anna liked Zach. He and Robin were comfortable around each other and seemed to have a really great connection right from the beginning. He loved Emma and Robin both and did everything he could to make them happy and his first priority. He wasn't Patrick but he made Robin happy.

"He's worried about Patrick." Robin said quietly.

"Why?" Anna never got the impression that Zach was jealous of Patrick.

"Because of what happened last time I saw him, the night I signed the divorce papers." Patrick had avoided Robin since that night. He would talk to Emma and take emails and texts from Robin but refused to speak to her again. He said he needed time to adjust to their divorce which Robin found ridiculous because Patrick was the one who left. "I know you weren't there but it was brutal. Zach is afraid he is going to say something to hurt me again."

"And you?"

"I have never been and I will never be afraid of Patrick. I love him and always will. I have always been upfront with Zach about that but," Robin sighed, "the Patrick I love is not the man I saw that night. It's almost like he was pushing me away to...I don't know. A part of me regrets signing those papers but if Patrick is truly done with our marriage than I deserve to be happy."

"What if Patrick said he made a mistake?" Anna knew that Patrick had said he was dating again but she had not seen him out at all in the 2 months since he returned to Port Charles. "What if he wants you back?"

Tears briefly filled Robin's eyes but she kept them from falling. "I don't know. I really don't know."