"Not for a couple of days Mrs. Lockheart… I still feel rather weak. I was in a coma you know." Robin sighed. "Well alright just get some rest, even that poor aide from Envio Bio misses you." Mrs. Lockheart joked. "Ok, well I am going to go back to bed if you don't mind." Robin said trying to sound weak. "You do that. Bye now." Mrs. Lockheart said hanging up the phone.
"Finally." Robin growled and snapped the volume on the radio on and turned the heat on in her car to blow over her. She bit her lip and pulled out the old map she had found in the glove compartment looking over the faded lines. "The turn off is…" she located it on the map and then pulled back on to the road.
She turned a little way down the road and grinned seeing the sign for the reservation. It had been years since she had been to the old reservation with her mother. They had went to order special hand blown glass ornaments for their Christmas tree for a local crafts men who lived on the reservation.
She parked her car and gathered her purse and got out locking her doors. She walked a couple of steps and stopped. Behind her six men exited from a store their heads snapped toward her. Her body tensed as they started walking towards her. "Can I help you?" A man asked his fist in balls at his side. "I was looking for the Quileute rez, I am pretty sure this is it." Robin said smoothly. "Yeah, but can I help you maybe back to your car?" the man asked.
"I don't think so. You see I need to inquire about a local glass blower that lives here." Robin snapped her body ready to spring into action. Fight or flight considering she was surrounded by six twenty something men who were half a foot taller then her at least she was poised for the latter. "What about him?" Another man asked the only one without close cropped hair. He had a long glossy pony tail and seemed painfully familiar to her. "When I was a little girl, my mother had ornaments made for our tree. I need to get seven new ones made if at all possible. They are gifts for my new neighbors." Robin defended.
"New neighbors you say? Well that is very kind of you." a voice said behind the wall of men. "Go back inside Dad." the man with the pony tail said. "Jacob Black, stop being so rude to the beautiful young lady." A old man said wheeling around the men in a rickety wheel chair. "I seem to remember that, Gann right?" the man asked. The guy Jacob's face changed for a second then hardened.
"That is right. Is he still around?" Robin asked. "Yes, well I haven't seen you in a while… Robin if I am not mistaken." Robin nodded slowly. "Yes, Robin Gann." She motioned to herself. "Do I know you?" she asked cocking her head. "Well I am Billy Black." Robin smiled and went to him giving the old man a hug. He had been really sweet to her when she had run off from her mother. Given her taffy from his pocket so she wouldn't cry until she found her mother again.
"I am sorry. I just I remember being lost and you gave me taffy, and there was a little boy." she made a face realizing how silly she sounded. "No it's ok." he chuckled. "Not everyday an old fart like me gets a hug from such a beautiful young lady like you." Robin blushed and looked at the men all of their mouths hanging open.
"Well don't just stand there catching flies Jake you remember little Robin." Billy chuckled. "Oh Jacob he was your son about a year older then me I think?" she laughed standing on her toes to see around the men. "Where is he?" The man with a pony tail stepped forward extending a hand that radiated heat. "Sorry about before." he nodded and the men disappeared. "Ok wow, you can't be Jacob… he was like eight and that would make him like eighteen not twenty two." Robin said making a face. "I look old for my age." he shrugged.
"Well why don't you walk her on over to Clancy's maybe he is willing to do some new pieces for an old customer." Billy winked. "I am going to finish my lunch." Billy said nodding. "Swing by before you go." he asked. "If it's ok with uh Jacob here." she smiled.
Robin stood there looking at Jacob. He was tall, six five easily and had glossy black hair and flawless russet skin. "So…" He started to walk a little nervously while Robin followed. "So, you look different." she said nervously. What had that been all about? "Thanks, you look real different too." he said stiffly. "Naw, look like this my whole life, I just grew curves." she joked. "So, ornaments for your neighbors?" he asked looking at her nervously. "Yeah, Esme is going to love it. I want one for each of them. You know when I look at it I'll know that is Carlisle Cullen all over." "Cullen?" Jacob asked stopping.
"Mmmhmm, they just moved in down the road from me not to long ago. I kind of adopted them." she laughed nervously. Jacob looked at her his mouth hanging open. "Well I lost my parents a while ago, so it is kind of nice…" she stammered. Why did she have to explain this to a boy she had played with ten years ago? "Hmmm." he said starting to walk once more.
"Clancy?" Jacob asked knocking on a battered screen door. A old grizzled man came to the door and pushed it open. "What can I do you for Jake?" he asked. "This is Robin Gann, it seems she is interested in getting some Christmas ornaments made. I be back to get her in about thirty minutes, so listen to her idea and see if your up to it." He turned and walked away nodding to her. "Thirty minutes." he said tersely.
Ok that was weird, was she just not allowed to walk around this place or what. She turned as Clancy grimaced but Jake was nearly gone. "I don't do much glass blowing anymore." The man said tersely. "Well you see my Mother had a set made for us about ten years ago. She had three ones that were special." Robin opened her purse and pulled out a softball sized wade of tissue paper.
She began to unwrap it careful to keep the tissue paper for future wrapping. "One for my Dad, one for herself, and one for me." She presented the glass orb to him. It was the size of a baseball and started at a deep almost black purple and radiated out into a softer lilac at the edges. On the bottom was the makers mark and the side had her name inscribed into it. He took it in his hand and started to inspect it. "I remember these." he nodded. "Some of my finer work. Why don't you come inside and we can talk over what you want."
Robin followed him inside and sat down at the table where he indicated and she removed a sheet of paper. "I was hoping of getting seven made all about the same baseball size. Inscribed with the names a topaz one, one that starts black and then radiates yellow like a sun flower… well here you can look at the paper." she slid the paper each with seven diagrams on it draw out detailing what she wanted.
The old man whistled and looked at the purple ornament. "I don't really think I have this sort of work in me any more." Robin's face feel and she reached across to take the ornament she had brought with her. "I tell you what, I can give it a try and I can let you know what I come up with." he smiled at her. "Ok, I appreciate that. Here… this is my number." she took out a pen and scrawled her number on the top corner of the paper.
"Do you need this to like compare to?" Robin asked biting her lower lip. "No, you keep it." he shook his head and pushed the glass orb towards her. Robin started to wrap the glass in the tissue paper her head hung. Had she expected too much from this? She tucked it into her bag and looked up. "Well thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you either way." she nodded. "Now just you wait a minute, I'll be right back…" he slapped the table looking red in the face and rising.
He hobbled into the other room. Robin bit her lower lip chewing on it waiting. "Why did you shake… she is a nice…" Robin perked up leaning further across the table to hear the conversation better. "So your just gonna ask me not to do this and not give a reason Jake? Well what does Billy say? He knows I could use the money… Right well if it is from Billy… ok well bye Jake."
Jacob had asked him not to do her order. That was strange why would he do that? Did it have something to do with her welcoming committee? Clancy shuffled back into the room and sighed. "Well on second thought, I don't think I will be able to do your order. I am just to old for it." he sighed. "It's ok, I understand. Sometimes you can't do anything with what your given." she removed her bill fold and removed a couple crisp twenties and laid them on the table. "Thank you anyways." Robin said standing and turning. "Well you have a good rest of the day." Clancy told her. Robin nodded before pushing the screen door open.
She waited until she was out of Clancy's yard before she started stomping to her car. "Hey, where is the fire?" Jacob called jogging to her side. "Well I just remembered I have something to do. Tell your Dad I am sorry." She unlocked her door placing her bag carefully in before slamming her body into the seat. She stuck the key in the ignition and turned it.
She heard the starter clicking but the car didn't roar to life. "Looks like something is wrong with your car." Jacob said leaning against the frame of the door. "That is impossible!" Robin snapped. "Why it is an old car, great car but still old." he grinned. Robin slammed the door closed trying again. Rosalie had just given it a tune up and the car had run perfectly, there was no way there was something wrong with it.
"Maybe I can help. I am pretty handy with cars." Jacob said tapping on the glass. Robin rolled the window down and made a face. "Look there is nothing wrong with my fucking car ok? I just had it tuned up." She snapped. "Well, look maybe the mechanic just did a bad job pop your hood I'll check it out for you." Robin rolled her eyes she couldn't picture Rosalie doing a bad job at anything if she tried.
"C'mon, at least let me have a chance to see what a Aston Martin looks like…" Jacob said leaning into the window. "Fine." She popped the hood and watched as the tall boy rounded to the front of the car. My car is broken down is there something I should know? She sent to Rosalie, almost instantly she got the reply. Impossible, that car is in pristine condition. That is what she thought. She opened the door and peered out. "Well?"
"It looks like this starter is bad…. " Jacob said popping his head from the side of the hood. "Fuck it is gonna cost an arm and a leg to get this towed home." Robin exclaimed hitting the wheel. "Hey calm down, I can tow it for you, free of charge even." Jacob offered. "Tch you gonna pull it there?" Robin shot. "Ouch, no I can tow it there for you no problem." Jacob said holding up his hands. Robin made a face then shook her head. "No I better get a tow truck out here. Hate to bother you and blah blah."
"OK I get it you're a tough cookie, look I insist. Make up for the welcoming?" He fished. "How about I just call it good on the offer of a tow and you can let me wait with your Dad until the truck gets here?" Robin counter offered. "It might take hours to get a truck out here, and I have one here." Jacob smiled at her widely. "You aren't going to let this go are you?" Robin sighed. "I did say I insisted." Jacob nodded.
"Great, fine whatever. I mean thank you." Robin nodded. "Perfect, look why don't you grab a bite to eat in the café there while I get things started here." Jacob said the words a question but yet sounded like an order.
Now she knew how people felt when talking to her. "Great." She tossed him the keys with a flip of her wrist. Jacob caught them and grinned. "Try the soup it's great." He called jogging away. Robin moved into the store Billy had exited from behind the behemoth committee. "Robin?" Billy's voice asked from a table. "Why don't you come sit here with me a spell?" he asked. "Ok, my car is broken down so Jacob is going to tow it for me." She said sliding into a chair.
"You want anything to eat, you look awful pale." Billy said sliding a paper menu to her. "No than…" Esme's face popped into her mind. "On second thought, I should. I just got out of the hospital." she nodded looking down at the menu. "Oh?" Billy asked. "Yeah, nothing really serious, I just was focusing really hard on school work and neglected to eat and I collapsed from exhaustion." Robin shrugged, it seemed like a good cover story.
"Huh." the old man huffed. "Coke, and a cheeseburger, medium rare no lettuce, with extra everything else." Robin ordered. "Ok, waffle fries or home style?" the waitress asked. "Waffle please." Robin ordered. "Is this together or separate?" "Together, and here I can pay now." She retrieved her bill fold and pulled out a fifty and handed it to the waitress. "No change thanks." Robin nodded as the waitress eyed her but left.
Billy looked at her his brow raised. "Well Jacob offered me a free tow, so it's the least I can do as a thank you." she shrugged. "Well you better stop her that was a fifty." Billy chuckled. "I know, just I was raised to tip well. Besides, waiting tables doesn't get a person a lot of money. So I figure it helps those who money situation is less fortunate then mine. I have plenty of money, it just in other areas I am less fortunate." she shrugged again.
"Really? How do you figure?" Billy asked. Robin thanked the waitress who brought her drink. "Well, my parents were mugged, and the mugger's gun went off. He was a kid like my age, and he just kept shooting after that. My parents died in the hospital miles away. It has been pretty hard on me. So I figure those of us who fortune isn't the best should stick together." Robin said nervously.
"Well, your parents did a good job raising you if that is how you feel." Billy nodded. "Thanks, there are a lot of people who would disagree with that. I kinda have what people like to call an attitude problem." she grinned. "You seem like a good kid." he said taking a bite of his sandwich. "Naw, just you know I am respectful to those who I think deserve respect, which isn't a lot of people. But you were really kind to me as a kid." she sighed.
The waitress came bye with her burger and smiled. "Can I get you anything else?" Robin shook her head and pointed at Billy who also shook his head. "Ok well let me know if you change your mind." the girl smiled and left. "So you need to replace some of your ornaments?" Billy asked as Robin started to pick through her fries. "No, they are for my neighbors… they just moved in a while ago." She nodded popping a hot greasy fry into her mouth.
"Mmm. They just have been really nice to me, and me not so much to them. A olive branch of sorts." She said watching him carefully over the top of her glasses. "You don't like them?" he asked. "I guess they are alright. I just can't put my finger on it." She said while working her way through the fries covering her moth when she spoke.
"Well people have good instincts. They may not be as nice as they seem. Some people could take advantage of a nice girl like you." Billy said. Robin almost narrowed her eyes but stopped herself. There was nothing unreasonable about what he was saying. The world at large would probably try to work her over. Not the Cullens though, they were her life vest almost.
"You're right. I'll be careful." she nodded. "So these neighbors of yours are they weird at all?" Billy asked. "Well it is a young couple and they like collect kids. Maybe that is why I am nervous about them. I am pretty independent." She shrugged. What exactly was the old man fishing for?
"I am all set up outside." Jacob said coming inside. "Alright, well let me finish my food then we can head out." Robin said taking a big bite of her burger. "So you are going to tow her home Jake?" Billy asked. "There is no law saying I can't not yet anyway." Jacob answered sitting down. "You are right about that. You just be careful. Towing can be tricky business if you aren't careful." Billy nodded. Robin raised her brow and set her food down. "If it is a problem I can get a service out here."
"No Jake's got it all rigged up you two will be just fine." Billy nodded. Robin bit her lip and picked her food up and started to eat again. "You hungry?" Robin offered shielding her mouth. "Sure, you buying?" Jacob asked. "I already bought." She shrugged. "Ok, well I can finish that if you want…" Robin rolled her eye at the comment and motioned the waitress over. "Hey Jake, can I get you anything?" "Can I have my usual to go?" She nodded and left.
Robin continued to eat savoring the taste of the food filling her empty stomach. Nothing made her appreciate food quite like an empty belly. "Well I will leave you two to it. If your ever up this way swing by." He said kindly to Robin. "For sure, I might just come this way to see you." she smiled and moved to hug the old man before he wheeled out.
Robin finished her food while Jacob waited. The waitress brought the food while Robin started to stack the plate from her lunch and added Billy's to it. "Well I'll see you later Jake." she smiled. "What about the food?" Jacob asked and the waitress pointed at Robin. She shrugged and stood up. "Ready?" Jacob pulled some crumpled bills out of his pocket and slapped it on the table. "Don't believe in tipping?" he asked. Robin merely shrugged again and headed to the door.
"No don't just shrug it off, Rose is a nice girl and she gives good service." Jacob said following behind her. "Just leave it alone." Robin sighed. Jacob climbed into the old truck while Robin went around to get in. "Are you sure this thing can tow my car to Platte City?" she sighed. "Yes." Jacob said in a clipped voice as he pulled out a tenderloin sandwich. "Look not that it is any of your business, but I gave the waitress a fifty dollar bill for like a fifteen dollar lunch. twenty if you count yours that is what like a hundred and fifty percent tip? I do believe in tipping but I don't have to explain what and when I do things." Robin snapped.
"Oh, sorry, I just I don't know." Jacob said starting to drive one handed. "Well, I might not be as big of a bitch as you think I am." Robin snapped crossing her arms over her chest. "I never said you were a bitch." Jacob said through his food. "No, you just assumed I was a white prissy bitch who expects others to dote on me and you didn't want a girl like that on your rez." Robin said turning her head to look out the window her face flushed with anger.
"That isn't what I thought at all." Jacob sighed. "No then why did you and the five cronies try to give me a scare when I got here earlier?" Robin asked turning to study his profile. "You looked like someone who is banned from the rez that is all. We thought we would make it clear in case you had forgotten from the last time you weren't welcome. Our mistake." Jacob said pulling out another tenderloin sandwich from the to go box.
"Then why couldn't I just walk where I needed to go sans escort? And why did you insist on driving me home it seems a little hostile." Robin pointed out. "Well my Dad asked me to walk you, and really driving you home seems hostile? You're a pretty girl." He looked over at her grinning. Robin blushed and looked down. She didn't really think of herself as pretty, just as herself. "Well thank you I guess." she said biting the inside of her cheek.
"Besides, we are childhood friends." He grinned. "Hey buddy eyes on the road." Robin said pointing at the wind shield. "Besides, playing together once does not make us old friends." she added. "You're right, but it is so much more romantic if we were childhood friends. Good story to tell the kids." he chuckled. Robin laughed and shook her head. "Well there is a line if that is what your hoping for." She said thinking about Edward. Not to mention Colten who would probably be all over getting her back now that Edward was MIA.
"So you have a boyfriend?" Jacob asked. "Well I am not sure, we are sort of fighting and he is like on lockdown. Then there is the ex, and it is a big mess." she sighed. "Oh, well if you change your mind…" he chuckled. "Well you are kinda hot, if you weren't joking I might consider." Robin laughed. "I was being serious." Jacob said sobering up. "Funny." Robin smiled and leaned forward to turn on the radio on.
They lapsed into silence and Robin was vaguely aware she was singing as she gazed out the window. "So uhh, do you live in Platte City?" Jacob asked. "Uh no off the Interurban." she nodded. "Oh ok well when we get there I need you to tell me where to go." "Ok." Robin nodded. "I like your singing by the way." Jacob grinned looking over at her. "Hardy har, I have no singing talent what so ever." she said flatly. "No for real, it isn't perfect or anything but it is interesting. Sort of like Janice Joplin." Jacob said in earnest.
Robin couldn't help but smile, not only was Janice a favorite of hers but the old school reference won him major cool points. "Well give get me smoking a pack a day and in twenty years I'll have a career as an impersonator." Robin laughed. "Way to take a compliment." Jacob chuckled. "Well part of my charm I guess. But for real thank you. No one has ever said that about my singing. Oh umm turn left here." She said sitting up straighter in her seat now that they were closer to her house.
"You are way out here aren't you?" he asked making the turn carefully. "Yeah, but thankfully you just follow this road and the first house is mine." she nodded. "Oh way to give directions." he laughed. "That is me best navigator at Platte County High as voted by my peers." Robin joked. "Oh is this you?" Jacob asked slowing down as they approached the house. "Yep." She pulled her phone out to check the time. She had little less then an hour until school let out. "Ah, subconsciously you want to ask for my number." Jacob laughed. "Or I had an yearning for a time check…" She snorted.
"Way to wound a man's pride…." he chuckled. "How found of you of your lawn?" he asked making a face. "Why?" she raised her brow. "Well if it is a lot I am going to have to try and back the truck up, if it isn't that important I can just drive up there let the car down and back out after I go through the lawn around the car." he explained. "Well trying to back everything up seems risky and I love that car so lets go with the latter." Robin nodded. "Hey this is a great car, I don't blame you for loving it." Jacob said smiling turning into the drive way. "If it was a Gremlin hatchback I would love it. It was my Dad's his dream car. I am just glad he has good taste." Robin said softly.
"Ok wait in here while I go set her down and then you are free as a bird. Get it? Bird?" Jacob grinned opening the door. Robin flipped him off and smiled. "Oh look did you get it?" she asked. She had loved that her name wasn't common like Sarah or Samantha. She hated that everyone felt inclined to make reference to a boy in tights, or some cheesy rock song. Jacob only shook his head grinning and left to go set her car down on all four wheels and put in in park.
Robin got out and looked at her car no worse for the wear. "Thanks for the tow, you sure I can't pay you? At least gas money?" she asked. "How about this, you agree to go out with me on Friday, and I call it even?" Jacob asked. "I don't think I am free on Friday…" she said chewing her lip. "Well why don't you give me your number and I will give you a call then?" he asked. "Jacob there is a line remember." she chuckled trying to keep it light.
"Well I am great at waiting, and it's Jake. Besides, no cuts for your number one music fan?" He asked leaning against the back of the truck. "I don't think so… but I'll see you around kay?" Robin said shaking her head. He was trying pretty hard. "OK I can see your going to make me work a bit harder for this no problem. I'll see you around." He said pushing off the truck to get in.
He paused before climbing in and turned to look at her. "Just be careful. Don't get to friendly with those neighbors of yours. They aren't what they seem." he said before disappearing into the cab of the truck. Robin stood there chewing her lip in thought. What the hell was that about? She watched as Jake pulled slightly into the lawn to maneuver around the car before pulling on the drive and disappearing down the road. What exactly did Jake Black think he knew about the Cullens one thing was for sure, she didn't want all of them disappearing like Edward had. She would keep it to herself until she had something better then cryptic questions and warnings.
Robin went inside and kicked her shoes off then going to let the dogs outside. She grabbed a Coke and went to the kitchen table that had two chess boards joined together. Jasper was teaching her the complex rules he and Emmett played by. She studied the pieces trying to figure out what Jasper's next move would be and what moves she could make to counter it. Her phone started to vibrate and she checked it. Get out here right now from Rosalie.
Robin checked the time and realized she had lost forty five minutes to the game analysis. Robin went to the deck door and let the dogs in before scurrying outside. "What the hell did you do to the starter?" Rosalie exclaimed to the popped hood. "I don't know I just got in it after some shopping and it wouldn't start." Robin shrugged as she walked closer. "Ew gross did you give the dogs a bath or something?" Rosalie asked. "No do I smell?" she made a face.
"Forget it. I can fix this easy." Rosalie sighed. "Hey Robin want to go into town for something with me and Jazz?" Alice said her amber eyes sparkling. "Ok yeah sure." Robin shrugged. "You ok here?" Robin asked looking at Rosalie. "Yes…" she said tersely. Emmett's face fell and he went to Rosalie's side for damage control. Robin sighed and went to climb in the car with Jasper and Alice.
"What do you need from Platte City?" Robin asked. "Oh there is a package that wouldn't fit in the mail box and they didn't want to leave it." Alice shrugged her face crinkling. "Robin?" "hmm?" she asked looking at Alice her brow raised. "You shower today?" she asked and Jasper grinned. "Yeah I did. Thanks for asking sorry I smell less yumtastic then usual." she snapped. She sat back into her seat and started to fall into conversation with Jasper about there game.
Once Alice was in town she sped through not worrying about the cop and went to the post office. Robin groaned seeing the beat up brown Mazda. "What is the matter?" Jasper asked looking at her. "That is Colten's car." she explained. "Oh that is the ex right?" he asked and Robin nodded. "Well let's go say hello." Jasper chuckled. Robin sighed and climbed out of the car with the others. "Thank you in advance." Alice murmured and moved to walk by Robin's side rather then Jasper's as Colten exited.
"Wow, you done with Edward and moved on to the Hale model of the Cullen family tree?" Colten asked tersely. "Wow, that was just wow Colten. Spiteful." Robin stammered her mouth hanging open. "Well I guess a guy gets that right when he girlfriend turns into a slut. Where is Edward maybe he can join the club." Colten said crossing his arms. "Colten shut up." Robin said clenching her fist. Jasper placed his hand on her arm and Robin had to bite the inside of her cheek to retain her anger.
"Don't worry bro once she moves on you can be a card carrying member too." Colten spat. Robin's vision started to spot in anger. "Shut your mouth before I shut it for you by turning it to hamburger." Robin threatened. Jasper's hand fell away from her arm and she made a face. If she so much as bloodied his nose Jasper would loose it. "You know what Colten? You aren't worth it. Edward is on a little trip, unlike you he doesn't stick to me so much I suffocate. Why do you think I needed space? I needed someone to be with me while I was going through a rough time but not someone who makes it all about them." Robin said shoving past him to go inside.
Alice and Jasper followed right behind her and Robin pushed the air form her body in frustration. "You ok?" Alice asked rubbing Robin's arms. "Yeah. Just a little confused…" she looked at Alice and lowered her voice. "if you knew that was going to happen then why invite me?" Robin asked. "The package is addressed to you." Alice grinned. "I said it before and I will say it again, if he wants to give me stuff he can come home to do it." Robin fumed tapping the counter with her fingers hearing more customers file in. "Let's leave we are holding up the line." "Miss someone has to take this, there is no return address." The postal worker said snapping her gum at them.
"She will take it. After all I came home to give it to her." a heart wrenching familiar voice said behind her. Robin spun nearly knocking into Edward in the process. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed his cool lips to hers giving him several intense pecks tugging at his lower lip. Then she realized she was angry at him and pushed herself away slapping him in the face. She looked at Alice and Jasper and scoffed. She moved past Edward and torn out of the post office.
She started jogging past the car down the grassy slope to the main road out of town. Fuck them she would walk, stupid traders she thought fuming. Though she did smile walking opposite of Colten with a flat tire via pine cone.