"How can you not be a Mets fan?" With the way Patrick said it, one might have thought Robin had two heads.
"I guess I'm just not much of a sports girl." Robin replied noncommittally.
"And to think, I thought we had so much in common." Patrick mused, leaning against the back of the couch.
"We have nothing in common." Robin clarified, folding her arms.
"This makes me wonder if maybe we jumped into this whole thing way too fast." Patrick rambled to himself.
"Only you would base a relationship on the Mets." Robin sighed.
"It's an issue!" Patrick argued.
Cruz paused as he was crossing from the kitchen towards the couch. "Yeah even Barnaby over there likes the Mets."
Robin gave him a look that said, quite frankly, 'Stay out of it' and he twirled back around. Laura placed her right hand on Robin's shoulder, startling her. "Let them have their game. I was actually hoping we could talk."
If not for Patrick's pleased expression, Robin might not have found herself worrying about the content of a talk with Laura Spencer. "A talk?" she repeated, feigning confusion.
"Just a talk between us girls." Laura stressed each word causing little tingles of dread to slide up and down Robin's back.
Hoping her eyes conveyed her situation, Robin locked gazes with Elizabeth. "I guess a talk would be okay."
"Famous last words" Elizabeth mouthed.
Laura led Robin out onto the porch and they each took a seat on the ivory-white swing Luke had put in when Laura was pregnant with Lucky. "It can get a little overwhelming with a crowd that size, can't it?"
I don't know what you're talking about, Robin thought worriedly. I felt much more comfortable in there than I do out here alone with you. "Um...yeah."
"So I just feel like we haven't gotten a real chance to talk with all that's happened." Though she was using simple English, she might as well have been speaking in tongues for as much sense as her words made to Robin.
"I saw that Luke got a motorcycle." Robin was thankful for something to talk about, something so far away from Patrick that maybe Laura would forget whatever it was she wanted to ask. She knows. I know she knows.
"He assures me that it's not the result of a mid-life crisis." Laura smiled, her eyes saying she didn't have to understand everything her husband did. "He keeps trying to get Cameron on it."
"Oh, how funny." Robin felt as if she was standing on a thin piece of cardboard in the middle of a running river. If she made any sudden movements, she would surely fall in.
"I have a confession to make." Laura had managed to steer the conversation full circle with as little effort as changing her tone.
"Are you sure you want me to know? I never could keep a secret--" Robin's voice was desperate.
"This actually concerns you." Laura cut her off smoothly.
She knows. Oh, God. Until now, she had been able to convince herself that maybe, just maybe she hadn't seen them in bed together. She knew her face was beet-red and had to avert the older woman's poignant gaze.
"Concerns me?" Robin asked in a small voice. This was worse than any nightmare she had ever had.
Laura rested her hands over Robin's icy ones. "I actually feel a little embarrassed about it."
"Embarrassed about what?" She would take it now as she had no other choice. It'd be best to get it out now.
Laura had done all she could to hint at what she knew to be an almost absolute certainty. Patrick hadn't told her then. Great, she cringed inwardly. She could make a life out of embarrassing her boys' girlfriends. It was really that easy. She wasn't exactly happy about it. "When I dropped Morgan off the other morning, I came to tell you--"
"I'm sorry I missed you." Robin responded lamely.
"I figured you were home and forgot to knock..." Laura admitted shamefacedly, lifting her eyes to Robin's.
Robin squeezed Laura's hands, not wanting her to keep going. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Laura beat her to the punch.
"I know both you and my nephew are consenting adults so I feel as though I'm flying without a parachute here." Laura told her.
"Laura, really you don't need to--" Please stop, Robin begged her telepathically. Please!
"I was surprised to say the least." Robin knew she had no right to be mad, but that statement was all it took to make her defenses shoot up around her.
"I know, Laura. I'm so sorry you had to walk in on that."
"I should have knocked." Laura whispered.
"And we should have locked the door." Robin added solemnly. Hell would have been a welcome place to hang out after tonight's girl talk, she thought morosely. "I'm embarrassed--"
"Don't be!" Laura interrupted, her lips curving into a smile. "I couldn't be happier."
And the award for well-intentioned statements goes to Laura Spencer. Robin had to wonder just how much she knew about their relationship. It wasn't exactly strong in foundation and she couldn't say for certain that it would last. Most of all, she felt rage build up inside of her. What if she hadn't known? What if she hadn't figured it out? Would Patrick have sent her out here blindly? Well, he basically had. He hadn't warned her, hadn't even attempted to.
"Patrick deserves a nice girl and I think he's stumbled upon one. It's perfect, because we already love you." Laura beamed.
If Robin hadn't known Laura her entire life, she might not have read a little more into the comment than the older woman intended. "It's still pretty new." Robin tried to assure her, feeling like a quicksand victim. She could struggle all she wanted. It wouldn't affect the outcome in the slightest.
"I have a feeling about this one." Laura replied, her sweet tone making Robin shiver all over. So this was what Elizabeth had gone through. And she had teased her friend because of it? Talk about eating her words. There had to be a way to fix this. Surely! Then Laura said it, "I've missed seeing you at the family table."
Say your prayers, Patrick Drake. I'm going to kill you!
If Patrick noticed Robin and Laura re-enter the house, he didn't feel the need to look up from the tied game. Laura headed toward the kitchen where she could work on getting the dishes finished and Robin went in search of her friend, finding Elizabeth squeezed between three rowdy boys and a slightly inebriated young man. Tapping her on the shoulder lightly, she moved her head toward the stairs, hoping she wouldn't have to explain.
Sensing the need to debrief after a Laura Spencer ambush, Elizabeth stood up carefully. She motioned for Robin to lead the way upstairs. She assumed Robin knew the house way better than she did.
Robin led her friend to the guest room across the hall from the bathroom. Dropping into a heap on the floor, she put her head between her drawn-up knees and forced out a few short breaths.
"How bad was it?" Elizabeth slumped down on the ground and rubbed her friend's back.
"She thinks Patrick and I are meant to be. I wouldn't put it past her to be calling a wedding planner from the kitchen." Robin murmured her breaths still uneven.
Elizabeth whistled low. "Did she mention motherhood yet?"
"I think the only reason she didn't had more to do with Morgan." Robin grumbled.
"Good point." Elizabeth hugged her friend's shoulder. "So scale of one to ten, how dead is Patrick?"
"One million."
"Reconsidering loaning me Anna's gun then, are we?"
"I want to watch him squirm."
"Squirm is good. Humiliated is better."
"Publicly humiliated is the best."
"Truer words never spoken. Now how do we go about accomplishing this?"
The sound of the toilet flushing silenced the young women. Cruz emerged from the bathroom and stretched his arms out wide letting out a long sigh. Thinking he was alone, he did a little victory dance past the guest room and caught the sight of Patrick's dark bobbing up the stairs. Stilling all movements, he made his way toward his friend. "Trying to ruin my reputation?" He teased, watching Patrick's eyes narrow.
"You're not my type, but thanks for helping me win that bet about which way you swing. I tried to tell Lucky." Patrick mocked.
Elizabeth held Robin back as the smaller woman physically lunged at Patrick from her position on the floor. Holding her finger to her mouth, she motioned for Robin to keep quiet and moved further back into the dark room.
Cruz rolled his eyes. "Did he even process that you were talking?"
"I'll let you get back to your--" Patrick coughed and then continued, "Dancing."
"Don't hate on those of who actually have rhythm there Captain Overbite."
"Please." Robin mouthed to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth held her hand up to her mouth to suppress the giggles she felt threatening to erupt.
"What are you doing up here anyway?" Cruz wanted to know, noticing that Patrick's hands were free.
"Laura wanted me to get her necklace for her." Patrick replied.
"Which is code for?" Cruz prodded.
"I guess she wants me to look for Robin."
"Is she missing?" Cruz inquired.
"Her and Elizabeth." Patrick shrugged.
"You'd think Lucky would be looking for Elizabeth." Cruz's smile was wide as he said this.
"You think he's not?" Patrick snorted. "If he hadn't driven her over here, I think he would be convinced she left to go home."
"I'm surprised she could talk him out of bed." Cruz chuckled.
Elizabeth felt her eyes go wide and knew if there was any light in the room Robin would see her blush a deep shade of red.
"You really think any of that was true?" Patrick didn't sound all that convinced.
Robin placed a warning hand on Elizabeth's arm. She may be the police commissioner's niece, but there was no way she could get her friend out of a murder charge.
"All I know is I'm surprised he can still walk at all." Cruz answered.
"The red number would have done me in." Patrick agreed.
Robin felt her hold on her friend's arm slacken a little. This had moved into justifiable homicide category.
Elizabeth felt her breaths come in short bursts as she quickly cycled from embarrassed to furious. Lucky Spencer wasn't going to walk alright, just for entirely different reasons.
"Four times. Where do you think he got all that energy?" Cruz asked.
"Maybe he's been a little more than friendly with some of his protégés." Patrick replied.
"Boys? Are you okay up there?" Laura's voice sounded from the stairs.
"Right here, Aunt Laura. We'll be right down." Patrick called to her.
"Maybe we just underestimated Elizabeth." Cruz said, putting an end to the conversation. There was always Jake's.
Robin carefully stuck her head out to watch the retreating backs of the two men. Making sure they were safely away, she turned back to her stricken friend. "Are you alright?" She asked cautiously.
"He's dead." Elizabeth said hollowly. "He's dead."
"We'll get him. We'll get them both." Robin promised, nodding adamantly.
Laura shook her head as Patrick called back down to her question. She had sent him up there to find Robin and he found Cruz instead. She should have known. "Well there's one missing person found I guess." She sighed.
"I forgot to get your...necklace." Patrick admitted sheepishly.
Bobbie laughed. Sending Patrick after anything was a fifty-fifty shot at best.
Luke stood and moved to stand behind his wife. "It was just a code for the womenfolk to talk about you behind your back anyways."
"We know about the code." Cruz assured the older man. Bobbie's expression said that he still had a lot to learn about the code.
Lucky came in from the kitchen, holding a small flat package. Lulu had been giving him nine kinds of hell for doing her the favor of running that loser off. This had been a welcome excuse to get out another pointless go around. "Hey why is this here for Cruz?"
"What do you mean?" Bobbie couldn't help but ask. All eyes turned toward her and she blushed.
Laura moved to grab the package from her son's hands. "Since he refused to let us come to the ceremony last week, I bought him a little something to celebrate his wins."
Bobbie recovered quickly. "Re-refused to let you come?"
Laura nodded as she handed Cruz the present. "Can you believe he said that it wasn't that important?"
"That is pretty unbelievable." Bobbie responded in a tight voice.
Cruz tried to stammer a defense. "Well I know you were busy..."
"Busy? You're family, Cruz. I must say, I was a little surprised at your insistence we not bother. And then you won? I, for one, wouldn't have minded seeing you accept the award." Laura's answered sadly.
"Yes Cruz. I'm sure the whole family would have loved to see that." Bobbie kept her voice even and her eyes trained directly on him. Lie to her would he?
Robin and Elizabeth had only caught the end of the exchange. Confused and otherwise pissed off, Robin decided to trust the first emotion and ask, "What's going on?"
Patrick answered her, "It seems Cruz thought we were too busy to come to his awards dinner."
She resisted the urge to beat him in the shin with the heel of her shoe.
Lucky moved towards Elizabeth and tried to put his arm around her waist. Not trusting herself not to grab a knife and cut off a vital part of his anatomy, she pulled away and closer to Robin, leaving a clearly confused Lucky to stare at his hand. He better get used to looking at that hand, she thought darkly.
Bobbie attempt a smile that, on any other night, someone in her family would notice was forced. "Well it's been a wonderful night but I do have to get going."
"You know, we should go with you. I'm sure the guys are too drunk to handle a car right now. Laura, would you mind letting them stay here until they sober up?" Robin made sure to speak quickly so that none of them would have a chance to argue with her. Elizabeth had that murderous look back in her eye. Bobbie had provided them with the perfect escape route.
"Of course not. They can all bunk in Lucky's old room."
"But we're not drunk," Patrick insisted reaching for Robin's right arm.
Robin pulled back and grabbed Elizabeth's arm at the same time Lucky attempted to pull her over towards him. Elizabeth allowed Robin to pull her towards the door where their purses lay. "Well we don't want to take any chances now do we?" she forced out in an insincere sweet voice.