Chapter 23
"Alright Dad, I'll let Robin know." Patrick was finishing accepting the offer from Noah. "I love you too and we will see you soon."
"Let Robin know what?" Robin was packing up some of Patrick's belongings from the office while listening to his conversation. After making love in his office for the last time, the couple had decided to visit the supply closet to find a couple of boxes for his things but had been sidetracked by old memories and had one more quick consult in there for old times sake.
"Apparently there is a problem with staffing at the hospital and they need us to start ASAP. The board got the funding but we will have to start in two days or the deal expires and we will have to find new jobs." Noah hated putting the couple in that position but he had an obligation to his current employer.
"But they gave us until the end of the week to make our decision." Robin was confused by this change of events.
"Yes but one of their research physicians quit without warning and one of the benefits of hiring us was getting a world class researcher to help with consults as well as doing their duties as co-chief of staff." Patrick understood the urgency. "They already have temporary housing set up for us."
"But we haven't even told Emma yet." Robin hated blindsiding her little girl this way.
"Emma will go wherever you go." Patrick had no doubts that their daughter would be surprised but the move would be good for her. "Plus we'll promise to get her a puppy and let her help pick out the new house."
"We need to tell my parents and Mac." The adults may be harder hit by their decision than anyone.
"They knew we were considering it." Patrick pulled Robin into his arms and held her close. "This is a new start for us and I think everyone knows it is the best move."
"I know." Robin put a few more things in the box and looked around his office. "I think that's it. Should we go tell Obrecht the good news?"
"What good news?" Patrick had left his office door open while they packed up their things and Liesel stood in the doorway. "Why are you packing up your things?"
"We took your advice – we found something better." Robin leaned into Patrick as she smiled at Obrecht. "We leave Port Charles for good tomorrow."
Obrecht walked into the office and shook her head. "You may be leaving Port Charles but Dr. Drake is under contract and I am sure the board will have no problems suing him for breach if he leaves."
"There is just one small problem with that Dr. O." Patrick knew she hated that nickname. "My contract expired at the beginning of December. I took a 30-day extension while I considered my options but that extension ended today. I am free to work wherever I choose and I choose to work with my wife."
Obrecht glared at the couple. "Very well, well I hope it is worth losing your seniority here at General Hospital. Please keep in mind that we will not hold your position open for you. If you leave, you will come back as a new hire."
Patrick couldn't help but laugh a little at the woman. "I am well aware of that."
"Then I guess there is nothing else to say but goodbye. Hopefully you will treat your new Chief of Staff better than you have treated me."
Robin's smile grew. "Trust me, we will."
"Well, if that is all, good luck to you both." Obrecht spat the words at them as she turned on her heel and left the room.
Robin turned around in Patrick's arms and began giggling. "That was a lot more fun than I had thought it would be."
Patrick kissed her. "Yes it was. Let's get girl from school and head home – we have some packing to do."
"I don't understand." Emma stood by the couch and took off her coat. "Why did you get me from school early?"
Robin sat down on the couch and patted the cushion. "Sit down baby." She waited for Emma and Patrick to both join her before continuing. "You know how daddy and I have been talking to you about maybe going to work in California with Grandpa Noah and Uncle Matt?"
Emma nodded her head. "Yes, you said you would talk to that mean woman daddy works with and see if you could work with daddy first. Did you talk to her?"
"Yes baby and she was not really nice about my coming back to work there." Robin looked at Patrick who jumped in.
"The truth is that your mommy and I think that we need a new start away from Port Charles." Patrick really wanted Emma to understand.
"Is this because mommy got hurt last night?" Anna had worked with the police to keep what happened with Manrico out of the press. Emma had been told that Robin was in a minor accident but was doing fine.
Patrick decided to be as honest with his daughter as possible. "Partly, yes, but we also want to spend some time with Grandpa Noah and Uncle Matt. Plus, this new job is a really good opportunity for me and mommy."
Emma took a moment to think about what her parents were saying. "But what about Grandma Anna and Uncle Mac?"
"They will come to see us all the time and we will visit them too." Robin hugged Emma. "Do you know that Grandma Anna used to live in London and we still saw her at least once or twice a year? If we could do that when she in another country, imagine how many visits we can do when we are just across the coast from each other. And Uncle Mac will definitely be out to visit. Georgie is in Seattle so he can see both of you in one trip."
"Disneyland is in California, right?" Emma had begun doing research when her parents first talked to her about the job offer.
"Yes." Patrick laughed.
"When would we have to leave?"
"Well, they need us to start as soon as possible so we would have to fly out tomorrow night so mommy and I can start work in two days." The hospital had first class tickets for the family on one of the last flights out tomorrow night. Patrick smiled at Robin. "The movers will pack everything up this weekend and send our stuff and cars to California for us."
"But what about the wedding?" Emma wanted her parents married again as soon as possible.
"We can do it in California…" Robin began to explain but Emma cut her off.
"No, you are getting married in Port Charles." Emma jumped off the couch and picked up her mom's phone. "We'll just have to do it tomorrow."
"Emma, there is just not enough time." Robin loved that her daughter was so insistent on reuniting her parents but Robin wasn't certain that they had the time to put together a wedding.
"Yes we do." Emma searched through her mom's contacts and called up her cousin. "You are getting married tomorrow or my name isn't Emma Grace Scorpio-Drake!"
