"So anyone up for a viewing of A Little Romance?" Dillon asked holding up the DVD. Seeing his suggestion meet with resounding silence, he shrugged and sat down next to the portable DVD player he brought with him. "Guess that's just me then."
The various members of the Spencer family ignored him from their positions in the waiting room they had overtaken. At one point there had been another family waiting with them, but one card game with Luke and they left the area for "calmer" spaces. It was no matter to Luke; their departure just meant more room for the seemingly unending parade of family and friends that seemed to flow from the elevators.
Laura sat near Bobbie, their heads huddled together in some sort of conference. It was probably something to do with the new baby, Luke deduced. He knew his wife. She was out of her mind with worry for Cameron but she needed to concentrate on something else. She would pounce on Bobbie's situation like a starving dog on a bone. Lulu was trying to play cards with Lucas and was losing terribly. It was amazing to Luke that of all the Spencer traits, that one somehow skipped his daughter all together.
Cruz had gone in search of coffee, a wise move Luke thought considering what he was reasonably sure Bobbie and Laura were talking about. If Lucas, Patrick, and Lucky were feeling better about that whole situation he would have started a betting pool on when exactly Laura was going to start hinting around about marriage for the newly discovered pair. It wouldn't take more than a month or so, he reasoned.
Robin ran her fingers carefully through Patrick's matted hair as he lay in her lap, his long body taking up three chairs. She would have to tease him later when she pointed out that he, most assuredly, did snore. It wasn't loud. It was adorable, like a grizzly bear's stomach rumbling. Like Winnie the Pooh, she mused. She wanted to stretch out her legs because her bottom was starting to fall asleep, but she didn't want to disturb him. It was as if he hadn't slept in weeks. She knew the fight with Logan had taken a lot out of him and, while she wanted to believe it was really over for now, that he was past it, there were too many loose ends left to tie up. This hadn't even been the real fight yet.
Elizabeth entered the room and ran her fingers through her hair. Spotting Robin and Patrick across the room, she maneuvered carefully through towards them and sat down on the one available chair next to Robin not completely consumed with Patrick's body. She giggled when she heard a snore emanate from Patrick's mouth. "He sounds exactly like Lucky."
"Have a nice talk?" Robin asked, not wanting to pry...at least not any more than she usually did.
"Yeah. We worked it out."
"What was said? Did you mention the..." Robin leaned in closer, "L word? And I'm not talking about the television show." She added, knowing a smartass comment wasn't too far away.
Elizabeth blushed and looked towards the wall. "No. We apologized for acting like jerks and then we talked about Cameron."
"You're not a jerk. And neither is Lucky. You're dopes." Robin corrected with a smile.
"So have the two of you actually talked or did you just jump to post make up relief?" Elizabeth asked with her head tilted, pointing to the other couple.
"Totally jumped." Robin answered softly.
"And the whole Logan thing, been mentioned at all?" Elizabeth wondered. "You didn't really think I was going to let that slide did you?"
Robin bit back a grin. "We haven't really talked about anything. He's been asleep forever and..." She glanced over her shoulder. "Yep, my butt is totally asleep."
"Well the snore gives that away." Elizabeth joked.
"Logan's still a sore subject. I didn't want to push him and I'm in no hurry to discuss that...person." Robin whispered, remembering where she was.
"Person. You are being generous my friend. You do realize we are going to have a long discussion on what exactly the attraction was there, right?"
"He had a nice sense of humor." Robin recalled, scrunching up her face. "And, in the beginning, he was charming."
"If that was his charming face I saw, I have to ask. Were you drunk?"
"Only at the wedding. No, seriously, it wasn't always like this." Robin assured her friend. "He had all of these crazy schemes about how our lives were going to be. I guess a part of me is still waiting for him to succeed. That must be why he still gets to me. And Patrick knows it."
"And we are back to the whole avoiding the conversation thing."
"Not avoiding." Robin shook her head. "I just want to have a little happy before we have to discuss something that's just going to make us mad."
"I can't fault you for a little happy." Elizabeth smiled. "I'd take a little happy right now."
"Cameron looks so helpless. I've never seen him be so still for so long. It's not natural." Robin swallowed back a threatening gulp.
"I don't think I have ever seen Lucky look so unsure of himself." Elizabeth blinked back her tears. "And Cameron, he looked so little. I never thought he was small until..." Her voice trailed off unable to finish her thought
"They will get through this. And I know you'll be right there with Lucky when Cam wakes up." Robin nodded adamantly.
Elizabeth nodded and leaned her head on Robin's shoulder. "And I'm sure you'll be there feeding every last person on the floor."
"Was the basket too much?" Robin asked quietly.
"No. I think it will probably be the only thing he eats tonight." Elizabeth reassured her. "I do have to ask about the book though."
"What book?" Robin inquired innocently.
"You're good. But I saw it. The Firebrand? I mean I love it, but it's not exactly on a guy's reading list."
"I was appealing to Lucky's feminine side." Robin replied, glancing down at Patrick's hand and shaking her head.
"You know for some reason I just don't believe you..." Elizabeth's further conversation on the subject was halted by the arrival of a frantic woman. With her curly, shoulder length and dark blue eyes, she appeared to be the same age as Laura. She was wearing a well cut blue and white print dress that showed off her curves to their best advantage. While her appearance didn't scream money, the causally stylish outfit spoke of style and taste that came with being able to afford it. The older woman wrung her hands, scanning the room for a familiar face and ran immediately for Laura when she found her across the room.
"Laura! What happened? We just got the message." She collided with Laura's outstretched arms.
"Who is that? Do you know?" Elizabeth whispered to Robin as Laura softly explained what was going on.
"Jessalyn's mother. Cam's grandmother." Robin clarified her attention on the women in front of them.
"Oh." Elizabeth searched her memory. She was certain Lucky had mentioned Cameron's other grandparents before. "Lisa right? And her husband is Tony?"
"Yeah, that's right. They live half an hour away from here." Robin told her.
Elizabeth nodded, keeping an eye on the door. If Jessalyn's parents were here, then Jessalyn herself surely couldn't be that far behind. Elizabeth had to admit she was curious about Cameron's mother. She had no information on her other than her name. And even that had been hard to come by. If Lucky hadn't explained to her who Tony and Lisa were one day, she doubted she would have even got that much information. Who was this woman and why did she have no contact with her child as far as Elizabeth could see?
Cameron never mentioned her. He by far wasn't the only child in her school with only one parent raising him, but she never heard about weekend visits with his mom. When she had the class draw pictures of his family, she couldn't recall seeing anyone he identified as his mother. There could be any number of reasons she wasn't on the school emergency contact card, but her absence was still glaring.
All that could probably be explained if Lucky would just talk about her. But he didn't. Not that Elizabeth hadn't tried. She hadn't wanted to seem pushy but she had asked a question or two about Cameron's mother. The only information she had been able to get from him was her name was Jessalyn Grimes and they had met in college. She would have asked Laura questions but she was afraid that would lead right back to Laura sizing her up for a wedding dress.
She was probably beautiful, Elizabeth mused. She had to be if she attracted Lucky's attention. He may be sweet, kind and wonderful Elizabeth allowed, but he was still a guy and they did tend to react to the physical first. Especially college guys. Had he loved her? Really loved her? Did he love her still? Was that why he was quiet about her? Did she still love him? Was she on her way? Was she here already? When the elevator doors opened next, would Elizabeth be able to get the answers to any of her questions?
"I know that look. What are you thinking about?" Robin wanted to know, snapping her fingers to capture her friend's attention.
"Nothing. I was just wondering if I there was something I could do to help." Elizabeth tried to protest.
Normally, Robin would have let the subject drop. It was clear that her friend was uncomfortable. "You can tell me what's bothering you for one."
"Nothing is bothering me."
Robin closed her hands over Patrick's shoulders and shook him awake. "We're gonna go outside for a minute." She explained pushing him into a sitting position and standing up when she was certain he wouldn't fall into a heap on the floor. She then turned to Elizabeth, "Outside."
"Yes Ma'am." Elizabeth mocked, saluted, and obediently followed her friend down the hallway.
Robin didn't stop until they reached the parking lot. "What's the matter?" She asked, already noticing that her friend seemed a little less agitated away from the rest of the family.
Elizabeth shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just worried about Cameron. That's all."
"This is me." Robin stressed each word.
Sighing Elizabeth looked at her hands in desperation. "It's stupid."
"It's an issue." Robin corrected.
"A stupid issue?"
"Elizabeth." Robin warned.
"Fine. It's Lisa."
"Lisa? What about her?" Robin lifted an eyebrow in confusion. Lisa had never been mean to anyone as long as Robin had known her.
Elizabeth threw her hands up in exasperation. "She's Cameron's grandmother. Jessalyn's mom. Which means the mysterious Jessalyn herself is probably on her way here and I know nothing about her except she's Cameron's mother and she apparently wants nothing to do with her son…which is beyond me but anyways. I can't get Lucky to say more than a word about her and I figure in less time than it will take us to get back to the waiting room, she'll be standing there." Elizabeth looked into Robin's eyes. "She'll be here and I have no idea what to expect."
Robin didn't say anything for a long while. What was she supposed to say? Lucky hadn't told her...that much was obvious. How had he managed to keep it from her all of this time? No wonder she was so flustered. "You don't have to expect anything, Elizabeth." Robin promised, closing her hands over her friend's as she tried to get her to understand. "Jess is dead."