Chapter 13
Robin walked in the front door of their house and greeted Molly as the teenager sat in their living room studying. "Thank you so much for watching Emma tonight."
Molly got up from the couch and started packing away her books in her backpack. "Not a problem – you guys pay great and besides, you're helping me through biology."
"Which reminds me – I reviewed your biology paper and made a few notes." Patrick and Robin had asked Molly to babysit Emma for them while they attend their couples counseling sessions. They had already had three sessions in the past week and they were making great progress. While Patrick and Robin were both coming to terms with the many horrible things they had been through both together and separately over the past four years and there was one thing remained constant – they loved each other. They still had things to work through but both of them had no doubts that they would work through whatever came up together.
"Thank you so much." Molly took the paper from him and looked at his notes. "I keep getting the order mixed up for the spinal column."
"Let me give you a little trick for that." Patrick waved her over to his desk and pulled out a pad of paper. "I'll write it down for you."
Robin sighed in contentment as she watched the scene play out before her. She imagined Patrick doing the same thing with Emma in a few years and felt a mixture of joy and sadness at the thought. Joy at the bright and beautiful little girl that she had and sadness that she had missed so much time with her just having a normal life. Emma had spent years with other people taking her to school and helping her with homework, attending her dance recitals and reading her bedtime stories before bed. All things she had missed because of the Cassadines and Jerry Jacks.
Robin quietly made her way up the stairs to Emma's room and looked in on her little girl as she slept. Emma was holding the koala bear she had given her for Christmas two years ago tight in her arms and tears came to Robin's eyes. She was so intent on watching Emma that she didn't hear someone walk up behind her and jumped when an arm snaked around her waist.
"Easy there adventure girl." Patrick kissed her cheek and pulled her close. "I was just coming up to see where you were."
"I just needed to see her." Robin sighed. "I have missed so much time with her, with both of you."
Patrick turned her around in his arms and gently wiped away the tear that ran down her cheek. "It's not your fault Robin."
"I keep telling myself that but if I hadn't gone to save Jason…"
"Then Victor would have made you disappear and you would not have been able to at least speak to Emma." Patrick hugged Robin close. "I hate that you were in trouble and I didn't do anything to save you."
"Patrick…"
Patrick started walking Robin back to their bedroom, still holding her close in his arms. "Robin, we both know you didn't have a choice and I am just so grateful that I am getting another chance to be with you." He walked her to the bed and laid down with her on it. "In every way."
"Not every way – I still haven't decided what I am going to do about work." Patrick had not been pushing her but she knew he wanted her back at GH.
"Robin," Patrick pulled her on top of him and gently stroked her hair, "I am not pressuring you."
"I know and I appreciate it." She laid down on top of him and listened to his heartbeat through his chest. "I just don't know if I can work for Obrecht – not after what she did to me."
"There is always that job that my dad has for us in Berkeley." Noah had called Patrick and told him that the hospital he was working at was looking for two people to split the Chief of Staff position. "Dad said that he can stall the committee for a few more weeks while we make a decision."
"It's a great opportunity – what do you think?"
"I think that you haven't been able to decide anything for almost four years so I will do whatever you want." Patrick felt that Robin had earned the right to make the decision.
"I don't want to upset Emma – Port Charles is all she has ever known – but I think a change of scenery might do us good. A new place for a new start, far away from mobsters and spies." Robin took a moment and then made her decision. "I feel like I owe it to Alan's memory to at least hear what GH has to offer me and then make a decision from there."
"Sounds logical." Patrick leaned up and kissed the top of her head. "But we don't have to make any decisions tonight."
Robin lifted her head and smiled at him. "You're right – we don't so what should we do for the rest of the night?"
Patrick reached for the buttons on Robin's shirt and began undoing them. "We could do a crossword puzzle."
"Too much thinking this late at night." Robin kissed his chest.
"I recorded the hockey game." He slid the shirt off her shoulders and arms, throwing it to the side of the bed.
She responded by reaching for his belt and pulling the buckle loose. "If you want to spend the next couple of hours watching men bump into each, that's fine, but try not to think about me up here," she kissed his neck, "all by myself."
Patrick flipped Robin over and smirked at her. "I'll watch it tomorrow."
He watched from the car as the lights went out before he began making notes on his tablet.
5:00 PM – Couples counseling
6:00 PM – Dinner at Kelly's
7:30 PM – Walk along the docks – sat on pier and talked
8:30 PM – Metro Court for dessert – visited with her cousin Maxie and her boyfriend
10:00 PM – Home - babysitter left 10 minutes later – lights out
He knew they were sleeping together again but that didn't matter - he would end that soon enough. He pulled out his digital camera and began reviewing all the pictures he had taken over the past week. He had gotten pictures of Robin with her daughter, her parents, her uncle Mac and, of course, her ex-husband. She looked so happy and he only wanted to add to that happiness.
He put down the camera, started the car and headed back to the hotel so he could make plans.
It was time to reunite with Robin.
