ROBERT & HOLLY SCORPIO: DESTINED FOR ETERNITY

CHAPTER 10

JUNE 1983

The day of Celia Quartermaine and Grant Putnam's wedding arrived and escalated into a day of many mishaps before they did it make it to the church alter to recite their vows. Robert could only stare at Holly as she stood beside Celia in her matron of honor dress. He knew without any shadow of a doubt that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever known. And more than that, he knew that his heart would belong to her through eternity. As the minister spoke the sacred wedding vows over Grant and Celia, Robert realized for the first time in his life what those words really meant. He longed to be able to stand before God and Holly and the entire world and share those vows with her once again, only this time from his heart and soul. When he looks over at Holly, she is staring at him with such intensity that Robert knows she can easily tell exactly what he is thinking. But she doesn't look away in embarrasment, instead she meets his gaze with a smile. As for herself, Holly is thinking how no man has ever lived the marriage vows of "Love, Honor, and Respect" as much as Robert Scorpio has shown to her over the past four months. Distracted out of her reverie when asked to take the wedding bouquet, Holly turns her attention back to Celia.

Sitting in the church pew listening to the wedding ceremony, Luke Spencer watched Robert and Holly very closely. One thing for sure, Holly was incredibly beautiful and it hurt like hell that he couldn't claim her as his own and that everyone here thought she was Robert's. And Luke had to admit that anyone looking at Robert would know that to be a true fact. For Robert was looking at Holly as if he would never let her go, as if she was his and his alone, as if . . . . Luke stopped his thought abruptly for he was about to say "As if he really loved her." Luke quickly closed himself off from that thought. Holly was HIS, she made HER choice, and that was HIM. She loved him, NOT Robert. Didn't she?

During the wedding reception, Luke finally managed to get Holly alone for a brief moment. "Meet me tonight," He pleads. "We need to talk."

Relieved to see Luke being reasonable for once, and hoping Robert had talked some sense into him after the incident at The Floating Rib, Holly agreed to his request. "Where?"

Luke looks confused. "I never thought of that. It will be a while before I have the casino ready for me to live in."

"What casino?" Holly asks in surprise.

"Brock and I are opening a casion on the waterfront. I will have an apartment upstairs and then there should be no problem with us having a place to meet, but until then I . ."

Holly interrupts him. "Does Robert know about this casino?"

"Not that I could care less what Robert thinks," Luke says sarcastically, "But no, we haven't officially announced our plans yet." He looks at Holly, trying to tell what she is thinking but unable to do so. "Why?" He asks her.

"I just think, as the Police Commissioner, he should be aware of what is going on," She admits.

Before Luke can ask her anything more, Audrey Hardy is headed their way. "How about I call you later?" Holly says quickly. Not waiting for an answer, she turns and goes over to meet Audrey. As Luke watches the two women talk and laugh, he continues to stare curiously at Holly. Has she really changed so much that she cares what society thinks? Unable to stomach the festivities any longer, he leaves quietly.

When the music begins, Robert searches for his wife and finds her talking with Audrey Hardy and Gail Baldwin. He interrupts the women with a polite smile. "Would you care to dance?" He asks Holly.

Holly's smile lights up her face. "I would love to." She takes his offered hand and they walk toward the dance floor. Then Holly abruptly stops as she looks around the room. "Maybe I better not," She says softly.

Robert squeezes her hand. "It's okay, Luv. I saw him leave quite a while ago."

Once again she is amazed at his ability to read her so well. "I'm sorry."

"Not a problem. Now, would you REALLY like to dance?" He asks again.

"Of course I would," She laughs and teasingly drags him to the dance floor as a slow song begins playing. "After all, we do seem to make a habit out of dancing at wedding receptions," She reminds him.

Robert takes her into his arms and they glide naturally across the dance floor. "Ah, yes," Robert recalls, "Brian and Claudia."

As they dance, both recall the memory of what happened after that dance, when they were home alone. They had watched the movie 'Rebecca' and then shared their first real kiss. Coming out of his reverie, Robert looks down into Holly's eyes. "A night I will remember forever," He tells her.

Knowing that her emotions are about to be her undoing, Holly decides to lighten the moment. "Oh, really?" She asks in disbelief. "Along with a hundred other equally memorable kisses, I suppose."

Instantly recognizing her attempt to stay away from anything too serious tonight, Robert gladly joins in with her banter. "No," He retorts. "I can be perfectly truthful when I tell you that I had never ever ate popcorn and watched 'Rebecca' with a beautiful woman at my side."

Holly can't help but laugh. "Gee, thanks, for remembering the night so well."

Robert twirls her around effortlessly. "I prefer to think of the last dance we shared when . . ." He quickly stops talking when he realized what he said. Holly gets very quiet. Both are remembering their last dance followed by their night of making love for the first time. Unable to stay silent, Robert bends down and whispers into her ear, "Definitely a night to remember."

"Yes," Holly says softly, unable to look into his eyes. "Yes," She repeats "It was beautiful."

Unable to stop himself from holding her tighter, Robert tightens his arms around her. Holly allows herself to lean into his strong arms as she follows his lead. Then the music stops and they just look into each others eyes for a brief moment before finally walking off the dance floor. Noting her silence, Robert asks, "Are you okay?"

Yes, fine," She tells him, but without much conviction.

Silently berating himself for once again making her uncomfortable, Robert decides Holly probably needs some time alone and he had some WSB security issues Connie had asked his input on. This would be the perfect time. "Listen, I want you to go ahead and take the limo home tonight." Holly looks at him in surprise. "I have some work to do," He explains.

"At headquarters?" She asks in surprise. "It's awfully late. You can always use the Communications Room."

"Not exactly." He tells her honestly. "I have to meet Connie at the University."

"Oh," Holly says quietly. "I see. So you will be late."

"Probably. It's about the WSB and Jerrold's security."

Holly does her best not to let her jealousy show. She realizes that she has no right, none whatsoever. Robert let her have her freedom, she has to do the same. She has to let him go, she had to let him get on with his life. But why did it hurt so much?

Once they part and Holly is in the limo, she feels a lonliness that she had not experienced in a very long time, as if part of herself was missing and it made her feel extremely vulnerable. Hating the feeling, she quickly decides that this would be the perfect night to call Luke. After all, she had told him she would, and with Robert working, why not?