Taking a quick breather after succeeding in escaping her mother, Robyn made her way to the upstairs balcony with her glass of wine in hand. Shutting the glass door behind her, she wondered where Dean could be.
Feeling the cool breeze over the railing, her eyes wondered on the figures moving around down below in the backyard.
From behind, a recognizable firm arm slipped around her waist during the time the intruder pecked behind her ear. "You've got a beauty mark right here. There's a couple on your back, some on your stomach, your collarbone" he pecked the same area once more, "and thighs. I'm determined in finding them all."
"I was just thinking about you," she grinned, "and that is going to take you awhile. You'll have to explore me entirely."
"That I can do."
"Wait, when did you get here? More importantly, how'd you make it up here??" she inquired once she backed off the railing and faced him.
Reaching for her glass, he gave her cup a quick swirl under his nose. "Did you drive here?"
"Yeah I did, but answer my quest-"
"Robyn definitely does like her drinks every once in awhile, and that's a fact," a female voice interjected causing Robyn eyes to roll upon learning her identity, "Anyways lovebirds, food is about to be served. Come down when you're ready." Yasmine announced with her eleven months old son set on her hip before leaving them alone.
"Oh come on, don't look at me like that. I don't drink that much," she justified as they skedaddled back into the large home, "but really, how?"
"You're uncle let me in since you weren't answering my calls, really nice guy by the way."
"I left my phone in my coat," she remembered just as they made their way down the flight of stairs, her hand linked to his.
"He introduced me to your mom, she's the one who told me where you went. You are the perfect mixture of your parents, that's fascinating," he complimented on a semi baffled note. She failed to realize that his adorable reaction was based on the fact that he could hardly remember what his very own father looked like.
"My mom?? Fuck what'd she sayy?"
"That I thought I raised you with manners," Leona scolded. Her oddly overwhelming voice boomed from behind them.
"Mom you swear more than me, cut the bull," she rolled her eyes, "you've met Dean I heard?" Robyn shyly unlaced their fingers.
"Briefly. We, I want to know more on my daughter's companion. Please, follow me into the dinning room."
• • •
"You mean to tell me that you singlehandedly pushed the car back to the dealership?? That must have definitely been a ride," Dean chuckled whilst letting his white teeth show. All the men present laughed as they stood in the spacious living room around the mini bar, most of them partially drunk.
"The customer was so angry about the car breaking down, mind we took a different route so I had no clue where we were, she let me push for a good fifteen minutes until she hopped out the passenger's seat and helped! God I was so embarrassed," Antoine, who owns the wealthy "Calvin's Dealership" car dealership, explained, "when we got back, she called me an asshole and threatened to sue me for apparently endangering her! That day I vowed to always double check my cars personally." He had told this failed test drive story over a hundred times, and it still managed to crack him up every time.
"Dad is telling him that fucking story, he must really like him," Jordan cut through Robyn's stare at her man as they lingered across the room, finally escaping the kitchen's madness where all the women shared their latest gossip stories, "Dean seems to be enjoying himself with the Calvin men too, hey maybe he'll fit right in," she shrugged once she slipped her phone out of her pocket.
"Isaiah's chatting it up too, your brother has always liked to expose me at the worst times! Wonder what he's saying now," Robyn worried with her nerves acting up. She couldn't help but feel nervous in the current situation. She hadn't spoken to him alone since before dinner and that was almost an hour ago. Also, Leona had pulled him aside for a word earlier, what possibly could she have said? Too many unanswered questions.
"Calm down, Dean won't fall out of love with you over some reminiscing on how much of a dork you were in your teenage years, jeez Rob," her cousin elbowed her before taking an unexpected call.
"Hey baby boyy," ignoring the remark, Robyn cooed to her drooling, happy nephew, "where's your mama huh? Let's go find her, also auntie needs an excuse to leave." Scooping the preciously chubby infant from his walker, she balanced him on her hip as she went around the loud men. Dean merely catching a quick glimpse of her before she disappeared into the hallway.
"Robyn dear, is that you? Come in," Leona called from the inside of Antoine's personal home office.
This was quite a large home for a married couple. They had gotten lots of work done to their logement for family occasions like this one, in which everyone knew they were serious about.
Sliding the door open, still in her hold, baby Leo giggled as he clapped his tiny hands. She pecked his forehead with a smile.
"What are you doing?" Robyn asked.
Her mother was neatly seated behind the desk with her reading glasses on and some important looking forms in hand.
"Ant asked me to look over some things for him," dropping the sheets of paper, Leona motioned for Robyn to take a seat as if she were a client, "I see you've been avoiding me all night."
"Your vision is great! Maybe you don't need those glasses after all!"
"Oh stop it Robyn," Leo bounced on a sarcastic Robyn's leg joyfully, "two things we need to discuss, one, obviously your brother isn't here and he let me know it is because of work-"
"And you believe that?" she laughed dryly, "Arion is still mad that dad gave me the job we both wanted. He needs to man up and get over it! He's almost thirty years old." Her colourful eyes did the motion of a bowling ball as she let Leo roam around the room. Watching him carefully enough for him not to knock over anything valuable. "Anyways he's practically running the business in Miami, what more does he want?"
"Your father pit you both, my two babies, against each other and for that I cannot forgive him until you guys fix your relationship- Leo, Leo hun, bring that to your Great-Auntie. Thank youu," she voiced in a soft manner causing him to reluctantly hand her the ink filled pen before pinching his cheek. "However, two, you know how I feel about strong family bonds and ours is severing..I'm willing to put my personal feelings aside to fix these issues. I would really appreciate it if you could give your father another chance."
"Are you talking with him again?" Her eyes darted into her birth givers knowing that she wouldn't dare lie in that moment.
"He gave me a call a couple of nights ago, but that was it!" Leona defended once she tossed her glasses aside, trying to avoid any further eye contact.
"Dad has caused you so much pain over the years mom, why do you keep doing this to yourself??" frustrated, she stammered trying to find a reason, "I will- I'll reach out to him for dinner or something, but only if you promise to not see him while you're in town mommy?" Using "mommy" or "daddy" always used to get Robyn what she pleased back in earlier times.
"Okay," she sighed with a quick batter of her eyelashes.
"Say you promise," Robyn urged.
"Are you the parent or am I? God Robyn, I promise."
Leona was definitely the strongest woman she's ever known, nevertheless she's always had a weak spot for Marcus. Even through all the lies, different women, infidelities, and verbal abuse, she managed to love him. That is one of the many reasons Robyn could barely stand to be in his presence. He took advantage of the love she had for him and disrespected as well as embarrassed her mother countless of times...
Marcus was an amazing father to his children. Raised them to be polite, well mannered, humble, etc, he was present for every recital or sport game, taught them values that stuck with them till this day, and many more. That, she could not deny. However, everything else he did in dark, always came to light... There were things, a child/teenager did not need to know about a person they believed would never let them down.
• • •
"Finally I've got you all to myself!" she smirked as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Robyn gladly accompanied him outside for their lonesome and also to say her goodbyes.
Knowing that he would've grabbed what was his if they were anywhere else, he placed a hand right above her butt keeping things PG-13 before pressing their lips together.
Breaking away from the long kiss, he leant on his matte vehicle with that sly grin of his.
"You have to go now huh," she pouted just when a cold air blew by.
"Yeah, I've got a meeting in the morning with some contractors-" he paused after taking a whiff of her breath, "Baby I don't want you driving tonight, ask Isaiah if you can hitch a ride later."
"I know, I wasn't going to," she replied, already irritated to why people seemed to constantly baby her. She backed away enough for him to stand up straight again.
Lifting her head, he slid a finger underneath her chin. "You know I'm just looking out for you, stop getting mad. You're my priority right now, and I don't want you driving under the influence, that's it."
"I'm not a drunk and high eighteen year old at some party. I'm not in need of lecturing right now. Can I just enjoy some kissey time before you go?"
"Kissey time? What the fuck is that? And wait, that's what I'm being used for?" He smiled with an eyebrow raised at the same time she nodded, corner of her lip trapped in between her teeth. "Okay let's say in about twenty-four hours we could do that, lots of that. I want to take you out."
"It's a plan!" she scanned his face before allowing space for him to enter his car, "By the way, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Actually I'm more surprised than anything but 'glad' works too."
After starting his car, he looked up at her, "Your family is very welcoming. I felt as though it was all genuine. It was a surprising experience for us both..especially my talk with Mrs. Desmond or Calvin herself," he chuckled seeing the change of demeanour in her eyes, "Don't fret. We'll talk tomorrow. Oh and tell your uncle he has to show me his vintage car collection next time." Bringing her in by her arm, their lips met briefly before he pulled off in his Camaro.
"Huh, next time," she happily mentally noted before making her way back.
** ** ** ** **
If you're wondering what Robyn's parents look like, I've added them to the CAST (the second published part).