Chapter Twenty Nine ~ That's What Friends Are For
Marmaduke had prepared an beautiful dinner for Mrs Heliotrope and my return. I insisted quickly that the chef eat with us, which he eventually obliged to and I was happy at the sight of the tiny chef.
Everyone questioned Mrs Heliotrope and I of our stay in London, and for the most part Mrs Heliotrope talked of what we did and of the Haversham family. I remained mostly silent, because I knew if I answered, I would probably burst out and confess about everything that had happened with Robin and Mr Gomez. Mrs Heliotrope appeared to understand as she provided everyone with suitable answers until inevitably, Loveday turned to me. Though the question she posed on me was something I wasn't expecting.
"So, tell me what happened when Mr Gomez and my brother arrived." She said. I fell silent and glanced at Mrs Heliotrope who appeared equally confused. "They left a note to my father before they left explaining where they were going. Father told me about it." Loveday explained, taking in our confused faces.
"Oh." I nodded. A thoughtful expression came across Loveday as she studied me.
"Is everything alright?" She asked, glancing between Mrs Heliotrope and myself. "Did something happen that we should know about?" Uncle Benjamin was watching us too, waiting for some form on an answer, a small frown on his face. I glanced at Mrs Heliotrope again in a slight moment of panic.
"You might as well tell them what has happened, Maria. They will find out sooner or later, I suspect." Mrs Heliotrope reasoned softly, offering me a small smile.
I nodded at her logic and with a sigh, told them all about the drama that had occurred in London. There reactions were just as expected; Uncle remained silent with a thoughtful frown on his face, he appeared to be contemplating something, whilst Loveday looked as if she was about to burst.
"He left you?" She hissed when I finished. I quickly jumped to Robin's defence.
"Don't blame Robin. I'm more to blame." I insisted.
"Why, did you force the boy to flee back home like the coward he is?" Uncle Benjamin's tone jumped in suddenly. Even Loveday seemed surprised by this and she turned to her husband with a raised eyebrow.
"That's my brother you're talking about." She warned him slowly, though Uncle's expression didn't waver.
"And Maria is my niece." He replied in an equally hard tone. The pair glared at each other for a long moment of silence as Mrs Heliotrope and I glanced at each other awkwardly.
"Have you spoken to Mr Gomez or Robin since their return?" I braved asking. Loveday turned away from the glaring contest and addressed me.
"Mrs Harper sent me a brief letter informing me of their safe return but otherwise no." She told me. I nodded in defeat. "Maria, are you-"
"I'm going to bed." I declared, cutting her off and standing up. Everyone looked at me with questioning expression, but I knew I couldn't bare sitting there any longer. "It's good to be home." Was what I left on.
No one followed me.
I couldn't run fast enough as I made my way up the manor to my bedroom. When I reached the top step, I paused to look at my bedroom door - it was just as small as I remembered and I smiled. Inside, I found a similar state and I stood gazing around the room like the first time I ever came to Moonacre.
After shutting the door behind me, I pulled off my dress and threw it onto the chest in the corner. My bags had already been brought up to my room and there was nothing left but to collapse with exhaustion onto my bed.
In the silence, my thoughts revolved around one thing - or one person.
ROBIN'S POV
"You're a fool, Robin De Noir." Michael spoke suddenly. Him and Luke had made themselves right at home in my chamber when I returned back from Father's room. They took one look at my grim expression and forced me to fill them in on what had occurred. Naturally, them being my friends, I told them everything.
"If you don't have anything productive to add, shut up." I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
"Apologises but, I just never would have guessed that the Great Robin De Noir is actually considering marriage!" Michael cried, using his hands in flailing gesture as if to prove his point. I glared heavily at my friend.
"Sod off." I hissed. Luke grasped my shoulder in a restrained manner as if to remind me not to repeat what happened last time Michael had angered me. "I don't see why it's so ridiculous for you to grasp. I've been courting Maria for a year now, surely you expected something like this to happen sooner or later?" Michael thought for a moment before shrugging.
"Yes, but I always thought you'd end up marrying her due to being forced to not because you want to." I frowned in confusion, so Michael continued with a grin on his face. "I thought you'd end up getting her pregnant so then your father and Sir Benjamin would make you marry her." Luke had to physically hold me down then as I tried to leap up and plant my fist in Michael's face for a second time. The fool must have known that as he grinned and chuckled to himself. "Lighten up, Robin. I'm only messing. Guess I didn't think you don't seem like the husband type." He reasoned. I shot him another glare, calming myself down and settling back in my chair. I then glanced at Luke, who had a pensive look on his face.
"Go on then, spit it out. What do you have for me? I'm sick of listening to this dolt." I waved a hand in Michael's direction, then waited for my reply.
"Well, unfortunately I am agreeing with Michael with the fact that this is something I didn't expect from you. No offence Robin, but Michael is right; you don't seem like the marrying type." I narrowed my eyes, but said nothing. "But if you love Maria as much as you say you do, then I really don't see why you shouldn't marry her."
"It's a big decision." I muttered, sighing. "She's only seventeen."
"My mother was younger than that when she had me." Michael offered and I bit my tongue from spitting out an insult about his mother.
"Plus, I'm sure you could hold off the marriage until she's a little older if that's what is bothering you. Propose to her, make her your fiancé, prove to her that you ain't a coward and that you care."
"What do you mean, prove I ain't a coward?" I hissed, squaring on Luke. He held his hands up in defence.
"You run off and leave her in London. You didn't even give her a chance to explain or even listen to what she said to that Haversham bastard. Alright, maybe you aren't a coward, Robin, but you're a downright idiot!" I studied them both in silence for a moment, before letting out an exasperated sigh and leaned back in my armchair.
"What are you afraid of, Rob?" Michael asked, in a surprisingly soft tone. "Are you afraid that she'll reject you? Heck, I don't know if I could refuse if you proposed to me so I think it's doubtful that she will." I let myself chuckle and smiled at my dumb friend.
"Can I ask you both something?" I began, slowly. I had suddenly taken an interest in the floor, avoiding their eye contact. Their grunts of affirmative made me clench my fists tightly. "Do you hate me?" I looked up then and stared defiantly at them both. "I know that I've changed a lot after Maria came. I've treated you both wrongly and I've pushed you away. Everyone has always called me the fool, but I guess now I truly realise that I am." I paused, swallowing hard. "Do you hate me for all that I've said and done to you both over the past three years? Do you hate me for all the constant whining I do over Maria? Do you hate me for what happened to Danny?"
I struck a nerve then with all three of us and there was a moment of silence in the room as we remembered out fallen comrade. I would have hazard a guess that I was drawing blood from how tightly I had clenched my fists. My friends both looked at me with looks I couldn't place, so I merely waited for my answers.
"Robin," Michael began, a serious tone. "If you could possibly believe that we hate you for any of those reasons or blame you for happened to - to Danny then, yes, you are a fool."
"We've been friends since we were babies, Robin." Luke intervened. "We've all had points where we deserve a good clout in the face, but that doesn't mean we hate each other." Luke sighed. "Yes, we get annoyed sometimes at you for your bickering about Maria. Yes, the situation has changed between us all. But you gotta remember what your father said, Robin. We're growing up now and we can't go playing in the forest for the rest of our lives."
"Heck, maybe one day Luke and I will find our own Marias!" Michael cried.
"I doubt there's a woman out there who could truly tolerate you, Michael." I muttered, earning myself a grin and a wink from my friend.
"We don't hate you, Rob." Luke sighed. "If you're ever unsure of anything in life, then be sure of this; we're your friends, we'll be here whatever happens, no matter what."
"God, this is all starting to sound a little bit weird now." Michael mumbled, folding his arms across his chest. I smiled at them both and nodded.
"Well, it goes both ways." I replied, glancing between them both. "Thanks."
"As much as I enjoy this big love fest, we have issues that need to be discussed." Michael cut in. "Are you or are you not going to ask Maria Merryweather to be your wife?"
I unclenched my fists to see that thought I hadn't drawn blood, my nails had left scars in my skin. Staring down at my hands, I tried to imagine my future after making both decisions.
The first future showed me apologising to Maria and everyone I knew, telling them I acted foolishly and that I was fine now. Everything quickly drifted back to normal, Maria and I spending our days in the forests with each other; denying the temptations that were imbedded within us and that just seemed to be clawing it's way slowly out. The years drift by and we get older, thought routines stay the same. And the passion within us both still fights on, though we keep it at bay, knowing we can't stretch that far. Though one day, a faceless stranger comes along. He's every bit the man Maria desires and before I know it he has swept her off her feet and has done the thing I was so cowardly to do. They marry and I am cast aside. They live a life together of happiness and I am alone.
The second future sees me talking to Sir Benjamin, asking for his niece's hand in marriage. He beams with glee at the prospect, as does Loveday. They tell me Maria is waiting for me in the rose garden where Maria first told me she loved me. I go out and find her, declare of my love for her and that I wish to marry her. She accepts and she becomes my bride, our wedding being the happiest day of my life, Maria's beauty radiating in a glow. We get a home of our own and those desires we have been keeping hidden need not be kept hidden any more. Years pass and before I know it, I am holding what could only be described as awe in my arms. Something so beautiful and so wonderful and so magical. I am holding the new littlest De Noir and that faceless stranger is cast away like every other man Maria has rejected for the sake of me.
"You think too hard and you'll explode." Michael's voice muttered and I glanced up and focused on my friends. They were both looking towards me, eyes expectant. "Well? Yes or no?" Luke raised an eyebrow in question.
I gave them my answer in something just above a whisper, my voice hoarse and thick. Luke must have heard as his eyebrows practically shot up into his hairline, his face paling, though there was a hint of a smile appearing on his lips. Michael's hearing however, was still questionable.
"What was that?" My friend even resorted to leaning forward as to catch my answer this time. I grinned broadly.
"Yes." Michael heard it that time. "Yes, I'm going to ask Maria to marry me."
(A/N) Yes, I'm rubbish. Apologises.
This is pretty much a filler chapter, so that's why it's not very good. When I reread it, I wondered what on earth I was yapping on about half the time. It's not the best of chapters, I realise, but I would love your constructive critisim if it is quite terrible.
On the chapter update situation; I've not abandoned this story, I assure you. Life catches up on you sometimes and I struggle to find the time to write for this story. Yes, I will admit some of my flare for this fandom has been lost over the time, but I have enough left in me to crack on and finish this story the right way. It will take a little bit of time, but things are hard at the moment, so you lovely readers must understand that updates may be hard to come by sometimes. They're there, I promise, you just got to be patient a little longer!
Thank you very much for sticking with me and for all your comments. :)
-Jemlou-
