no good words left

There is nothing I can say
There are no good words left anyway
Besides people are cruel and the world still moves without you, ohhh

...

Hello! This is Robin's toaster. Robin's new answering machine is in the shop for repairs, so please leave your message when the toast is done...Cachunk!

One would think he'd be used to hearing his own voice but still there was a split second when Robin seriously considered covering his ears ...

"Oops, wrong one, sorry ..." he apologized sheepishly and gave the buttons on the answering machine panel another try. This time he found the right one and was rewarded with a digital voice informing him he had 5 new messages.

BEEP Hi Robin! Hi Robin's toaster... Gee, I wish I had an answering machine that well mannered. Mine keeps chewing on the tape all the time!... Um...anyway I guess you're out or something, so I'll call again later... Bye!

"That was Allan, right?" Marian asked as the first message ended. Robin couldn't help but notice how cute she looked with her tiny nose wrinkled and her slightly arched brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to match the voice with a name.

"Yes, that was a'Dale," he answered and drew her closer to give her a quick peck on the cheek as the answering machine started playing the next message, - A telemarketer trying to sell a lifetime supply of sun block.

The third message was from his grandfather wondering why he hadn't called in several days. And the fourth one was from Much, warning him that his grandfather was going to call.

By the time the machine moved on to the fifth caller Robin was beginning to feel nervous. Sarah was pacing the room in circles like a shark waiting for the prey to show some sort of weakness. "What could she possibly have overheard?" There was something about her behaviour that left an uneasy feeling in his gut...

BEEP Hi it's Will… I thought you'd be home by now... I guess not... I hope you're having a good time... but not too good of a time... Look, Much and Allan filled me in on what's been going on lately and man I have to tell you that I think what you're doing is wrong. You can't string the poor girl along like you are. That's not cool... You and I both know that in the end she is not someone you'll take home to meet your grandpa and its no-...BEEP

It was probably a good thing that his friend was cut off short. Not that it matter much though, the damage was already done and Robin knew he had a lot of explaining to do...

The room had gone silent and when he looked up he found both sisters staring at him -Sarah with an expression of malicious triumph on her face and Marian with eyes wide with confusion and betrayal.

"Sorry you had to hear that..." he began slowly not sure how to form the words to make things right again. Lying to her wasn't getting any easier.

"Marian, you know how strongly I feel about you, right? Or at least I hope you do! Because I really, REALLY like you... "

He reached for her hands, but she jerked away.

"Don't touch me!"

"Okay, fine I won't! But please listen to me! The thing is, I wasn't sure in the beginning... you know, about what I felt and what I wanted out of this relationship. I was having some doubts and I kind of talked to Allan about it at one point... I needed to vent and he was there to listen. But a lot have changed since then. I mean, you and I have gotten a lot closer... I'm still confused as hell about a lot of things but I know now in my heart that you're the right girl for me so please don't make a big deal out of this!"

"And this is the truth?" Marian asked with an edge of weariness in her voice.

"Well, it's the short version of it...But yeah, I love you and that's the truth..."

"Bah! The short version. Excuse me for laughing! You left out more than you included," Sarah interrupted loudly and wrapped an arm protectively around Marian's shoulder.

"She's so gullible my sister -always has been! But you're not fooling me, not for a minute. I knew you would try to talk your way out of this so I took the liberty to look into a few things..."

"Stay out of this I can take care of this myself!"

"No you can't. He's a jerk, can't you see that?! He's been feeding you lies since day one and I'm not just saying that I have proof, I have it in black and white!" Sarah said, pulling out a big folder of documents she had been hiding behind her back.

"You recognize this Robin? I found it on your desk upstairs. Should I tell her what it is or do you want to do it?" she asked and waved the folder triumphantly in the air.

Unfortunately he did recognize them... All to well... If Robin had been nervous before, he was desperate now.

"Those papers are strictly work related and very private. You shouldn't have read them and you shouldn't have gone through my stuff! Hand it over!" he demanded sternly, trying to act calm but on the inside his mind was racing a mile-a-minute.

"She will do no such thing!" Marian stepped in and took the papers from her sister. "Stop shouting! You two are giving me a headache. I want to know what this is all about...Do I have to read them or are you going to level with me, Robin?"

He lifted his head to look at her, the pain he saw in her eyes were unbearable.

"Okay, fine... I'll tell you what's in there. It's nothing but a protocol from a meeting..."

"And?"

"... and an analysis of my public image made by a PR consultant."

"And?...There has to be more because I still don't get it..."

"Let me fill in the blanks for you, sister dearest. Someone, his grandfather I'm guessing, wants him to make some major changes in the way he present himself in the public eye… there is something about a lawsuit… Basically Mr Hotshot here needs to clean up his act... There is a whole chapter about what car he should drive, what clothes he should wear and what kind of social functions he should attend. There are even some suggestions listed in there about what type of girl he should be seen with... "

"It's not as bad as it sounds, Marian..."

"And I quote "someone that isn't too perfect, someone with the "girl next door" kind of look, someone down to earth with flaws and emotional baggage..," read it yourself, it's on the last page..."

"It's not as bad as it sounds..." Robin repeated. The words sounded unconvincing even to him.

"The hell it is Robin! It's even dated, 29 sept 2008, it says... That's the day we met. I can't believe i trusted you...," suddenly overwhelmed by what she had just found out, Marian exploded with rage and tears. "Get out of here! I never want to see you again. Get out!"

"Marian, hunny, calm down, I'm not going anywhere, it's my house..."

"Ohhh...alright then... I'm out of here! Don't follow me, don't come anywhere near me! I don't want to see you ever again!," she sobbed before she stormed out the room.

"I'm sorry, darling. I never meant to hurt you," he called out after her as he tried to reach her before she could leave. But he was held back by a surprisingly strong Sarah.

"I don't think so! You heard her! I'm not letting you go after her"

"She is upset, she shouldn't be alone..."

"I agree! Look, I have my car parked down the street. I'll go after her and make sure she gets home alright."

"Take care of her! Tell her I'm sorry, okay?!" There was bitterness in his voice, mixed with sorrow.

He knew defeat when it slapped him right in the face. He also knew he only had himself to blame... He had hurt her, hurt her deeply. So deeply she may never come back to him again. He had lost the only thing that made sense in his life. The only reality of unconditional love he had ever known.

She was gone...