Why he had taken Mari's painting, he didn't know. It wasn't even finished. He'd just felt like something had been taken from him and the painting was the key to the puzzle. Even as he sat in his tree-house home Robin knew he didn't have his missing piece back. Instead he was resentful towards the unfinished work of art. How could that girl just come into his sight and everything about him change?? For God's sake---he had nearly done his homework!!
Leaning against the wall of one of the larger rooms in his network of rope ladders and bridges, he held the painting out for his complete examination. Part of him wanted to return it to Mari, see it get finished. The other wanted to toss it into the nearby river and watch it decay over the years. Setting the painting off into the corner, Rob went and walked through his home, leaning over one of the bridges and watching a few ducks go across the lake nearby.
A snarl drew past his lip as he heard a bell ringing off in the distance. His dinner was ready, he knew. Long ago had his parents both lost their voices in shouting for their son to come home for supper and now had a bell installed on the back porch of their house. Going down the nearest ladder, Rob began to walk slowly through the woods, kicking up leaves in a trail. With a sigh he jumped up the steps and stopped when she saw his mother's pink high heels. Looking up, he raised an eyebrow.
Michelle, tall and blond, was dressed in her bright pink cocktail dress and her hair pulled back into a bun. "Robin Jacob Henderson, must you wear those clothes to dinner??" she snipped, her dark grey eyes surveying her son as if he were a dog that had rolled in some garbage. "It's just dinner...I eat, then I go up to my room and go to sleep." Michelle groaned and rolled her eyes, stepping back into the house. Rob followed and noticed on the carved white-wash table sat their best china with the red flowers painted on. "I told you a few days ago that we were having the new family in town to come for dinner. What was their names again???"
"Victor and Nancy." Jackson answered, his dark hair slicked back and tucked neatly behind his ears and glasses as he set the last few water glasses on the table. The thick 80's frames and grey suit was the only way Rob ever really saw his father. His bright cerulean eyes magnified three times behind their lenses made him look like a bug-eyed car salesman. "I think they have a daughter, too. Bright young lady from what I know," And you knew plenty, Rob thought spitefully. "Perhaps you'll recognize her from school when they arrive. But right now you need to go upstairs and change into something decent."
Rob made a face before dutifully going up to his room and putting on a clean, white dress shirt but leaving his jeans, coming back down just as the doorbell rang. When Michelle opened the door however, Rob shared in her shock to see two women standing there. "I'm sorry, we're not interested." Michelle said hastily, about to shut the door before the taller of the two pushed it back open. "Is this not the Henderson residence?" she asked in a pleasant but deep resonating tone. The woman's bleach-blond hair was shorn to her skull and a tattoo could be seen on the side of her neck. The second woman was smaller, more feminine wearing an ankle length skirt and floaty shirt with red hair and blue eyes.
Michelle stammered before turning to Jackson for support. "Yes, ladies but you see we're expecting company." he started formally. The taller woman folded her arms. "You're expecting Victor and Nancy?" she asked looking between the two adults. Michelle nodded, a weak smile on her face. The smaller woman pointed to herself. "I am Nancy...and this," she said pointing to the taller of the two, "Is my life partner, Victoria. She, however, prefers Victor. I tell her often how confusing it is for people." She smiled warmly holding out her hand, shaking Michelle's and moving in to take Jackson's.
Victoria walked in and gave a nod to Rob as if they were already aquaintances. Stuffing one hand into the pocket of her jeans, she beckoned someone inside from the doorway. Rob looked back and jumped, meeting Mari's green eyes. "We're the Malone's."
Leaning against the wall of one of the larger rooms in his network of rope ladders and bridges, he held the painting out for his complete examination. Part of him wanted to return it to Mari, see it get finished. The other wanted to toss it into the nearby river and watch it decay over the years. Setting the painting off into the corner, Rob went and walked through his home, leaning over one of the bridges and watching a few ducks go across the lake nearby.
A snarl drew past his lip as he heard a bell ringing off in the distance. His dinner was ready, he knew. Long ago had his parents both lost their voices in shouting for their son to come home for supper and now had a bell installed on the back porch of their house. Going down the nearest ladder, Rob began to walk slowly through the woods, kicking up leaves in a trail. With a sigh he jumped up the steps and stopped when she saw his mother's pink high heels. Looking up, he raised an eyebrow.
Michelle, tall and blond, was dressed in her bright pink cocktail dress and her hair pulled back into a bun. "Robin Jacob Henderson, must you wear those clothes to dinner??" she snipped, her dark grey eyes surveying her son as if he were a dog that had rolled in some garbage. "It's just dinner...I eat, then I go up to my room and go to sleep." Michelle groaned and rolled her eyes, stepping back into the house. Rob followed and noticed on the carved white-wash table sat their best china with the red flowers painted on. "I told you a few days ago that we were having the new family in town to come for dinner. What was their names again???"
"Victor and Nancy." Jackson answered, his dark hair slicked back and tucked neatly behind his ears and glasses as he set the last few water glasses on the table. The thick 80's frames and grey suit was the only way Rob ever really saw his father. His bright cerulean eyes magnified three times behind their lenses made him look like a bug-eyed car salesman. "I think they have a daughter, too. Bright young lady from what I know," And you knew plenty, Rob thought spitefully. "Perhaps you'll recognize her from school when they arrive. But right now you need to go upstairs and change into something decent."
Rob made a face before dutifully going up to his room and putting on a clean, white dress shirt but leaving his jeans, coming back down just as the doorbell rang. When Michelle opened the door however, Rob shared in her shock to see two women standing there. "I'm sorry, we're not interested." Michelle said hastily, about to shut the door before the taller of the two pushed it back open. "Is this not the Henderson residence?" she asked in a pleasant but deep resonating tone. The woman's bleach-blond hair was shorn to her skull and a tattoo could be seen on the side of her neck. The second woman was smaller, more feminine wearing an ankle length skirt and floaty shirt with red hair and blue eyes.
Michelle stammered before turning to Jackson for support. "Yes, ladies but you see we're expecting company." he started formally. The taller woman folded her arms. "You're expecting Victor and Nancy?" she asked looking between the two adults. Michelle nodded, a weak smile on her face. The smaller woman pointed to herself. "I am Nancy...and this," she said pointing to the taller of the two, "Is my life partner, Victoria. She, however, prefers Victor. I tell her often how confusing it is for people." She smiled warmly holding out her hand, shaking Michelle's and moving in to take Jackson's.
Victoria walked in and gave a nod to Rob as if they were already aquaintances. Stuffing one hand into the pocket of her jeans, she beckoned someone inside from the doorway. Rob looked back and jumped, meeting Mari's green eyes. "We're the Malone's."