Robbie sat in the living room and studied the drawings in the portfolio. There was one particular drawing that he had looked at more than once and it set him on edge. Like the other drawings this one was extremely accurate if not more accurate than the others. The eyes haunted him as he stared into them. Robyn had captured them perfectly, fire mixed with hardness and cruelty. There was evil in those eyes, deep penetrating evil which sent a jolt of fear straight to his heart. He'd never expected to see that face again but here it was in black and white. The fact that the owner couldn't hurt him anymore reassured him but the drawing still put him on edge.
Someone knocked on the door and he hid the portfolio behind a cushion before calling for the person to come in. The door opened and in crawled a rather harassed looking Ché. Robbie was rather surprised to see him but welcomed him anyway.
Ché smiled when he saw Robbie, "Thank you for your welcome. I would stay amigo but I'm in a rush. Robyn left something behind in the airship that I thought she might like back. Is she in?"
"I'm sorry Ché. She's out at the moment and I'm not entirely sure where. Whatever it is you can give it to me to pass on."
"Ok. Here you go." Ché said reaching into his pocket and Robbie watched as Ché pulled out a bra. "Greta didn't claim it to be hers so I guessed it was Robyn's unless Ziggy's hiding something. I really must be going now; I have students waiting for me. I'll let you know how my schedule is for taking you to Andalusia with Robyn."
Robbie nodded and watched as Ché crawled back through the open door. Aware that Robyn would die of embarrassment if she caught him holding one of her bras he went upstairs to put it away. He'd never quite understood her problem with him handling her underwear when he did the laundry, she'd always take it out and clean it herself. Whenever he asked her about it she never gave a clear answer and when he'd asked Sportacus about it he'd been told it was something she'd always done. In his infinite wisdom he put it down to his being a man, had there been a mother on the scene he was sure that laundry wouldn't be an issue.
The silence in the house was broken by the sound of a door opening and closing. Footsteps from two pairs of feet sounded on the floor tiles in the kitchen and he could hear faint whispers. Slowly he crept over to the stairs and sticking his head over the banister tried to see who had entered the house. He could see shadows but no more, he was in the wrong position. Having a pretty good idea of who it was downstairs he descended. His assumption was correct; standing in the middle of the room was Robyn and surprisingly Kit.
Robbie looked sternly at Robyn, "I want a word with you. Get upstairs and go to your room, I'll join you there in a moment." When Robyn did as she was told he turned to Kit, "I'll speak to you later. Don't go anywhere."
"I wasn't planning to." Kit replied rather taken aback by Robbie's manner.
Nodding sharply he made his way up to Robyn's room. When he got there she was pacing the room. At least she knew she was in trouble.
Robyn turned to look at her father when she noticed he was there, "Daddy-"
"Sit down." Robbie interrupted.
"I'd rather stand-"
"Sit down!"
More than a little surprised at her father raising his voice to her for the first time ever Robyn did as she was told. She knew that trying to plead her case was futile, her father was angry. Very angry and the full force of that anger was directed solely on her. There was nothing she could do but ride it out.
Still angry Robbie lent in close to Robyn, "Do you have any idea what trouble you caused me last night? Do you have any idea how worried I was? What the hell kind of stupid idea crept into your head to sneak out last night! I was awake all night haunted by all the possibilities of what might have happened to you and when you do decide to come home you sneak in like some kind of dirty stop out hussy!"
"How dare you?" Robyn hissed standing up and forcing her father to back off, "How dare you tar me with the same brush as her? I admit what I did was wrong and had you not been so hasty to shoot your mouth off I would have said so!"
Robbie knew he'd gone too far. Anger had spoken for him and now he'd made his daughter's temper rise to a level that put her on the edge of a fit of temper. Her eyes flashed and she was beginning to tremble. It scared him that when she was like this she looked just like her mother and he'd pushed her to it. He had to calm her down before she fell off the edge and really lost it.
"Robyn calm down."
"Calm down! Calm down! Concerned for my welfare! That's rich coming from the man that just called me a slut! What other names have you got-?"
Before she could finish Robyn fell to the ground and started to seizure. Kit ran into the room after hearing the shouting stop and ran back out to the bathroom to get Robyn's emergency supply of Diazepam. He came back in seconds and administered it the only way it could be. It wasn't the best way but it was the quickest and he was sure he'd be thanked for it after.
Once Robyn's seizure had stopped Kit helped Robbie get her in bed. They both tucked the sheets around her and waited for her to wake up. Their wait wasn't a long one.
Kit looked at Robyn and then at Robbie, "I'll leave you two alone."
After kissing Robyn on the forehead Kit left the room and went downstairs.
Stroking his daughter's cheek Robbie spoke softly, "I'm sorry Robyn. I didn't mean what I said."
"I deserved it."
"No you didn't."
"I did. Perhaps not to that extremity but I did deserve it. I messed up and I'm sorry. I was just so caught up in myself I didn't think."
"You're in love. Love makes us do crazy things and say crazy things."
Robyn smiled faintly, "How much of the town do you think heard all that?"
"I'd say three quarters. You really do have one hell of a set of lungs on you. Coupled with your temper, which I think you got from me, there's no one you can't shout down."
"You really think I have your temper?"
"Let's put it this way, if you had your mother's temper I'd probably be dead by now if not definitely."
"That's a turn up for the books then." Robyn chuckled and then sobering looked up at her father, "If it means anything me and Kit didn't do anything. It was just like old times."
"I know. You're not a hussy but you're still a dirty stop out, what's more you're my dirty stop out. You little rebel you." Robbie said light heartedly. "We're still best buddies aren't we?"
"Only if you let Kit move back in when we've sorted everything out."
"I'm sure I can agree to that if you let Sportacus move back in for the winter."
"Oh goodie. Another full house with three men versus me, such fun."
"What are you talking about? Sportacus is girly enough to make it even."
Robyn laughed at this, "I'll be sure to tell him you said that when he moves in."
"I'm sure Kit will come to my rescue when he moves in."
"Thanks daddy."
"No problem sweetheart. I better go talk to Kit and let you sleep it off."
Robyn needed no further invitation. Closing her eyes she went straight to sleep.
Slowly Robbie got up and went downstairs. When he got there Kit was pacing the room in much the same way Robyn had been. Fixing Kit with a look that could melt an iceberg Robbie folded his arms. He walked over to Kit as menacingly as he could and when he was close enough threw his arms around the younger man.
"Congratulations." Robbie said patting Kit on the back.
"Thanks. I tell you, you had me going for a second there. I promise, I swear that I will never let you down again."
"I know you won't. The way you dealt with Robyn back there showed me just how devoted you are and I'm glad you guys are back on track. Sportacus on the other hand…"
"Won't be very happy." Sportacus finished walking in through the front door.