Can you hear it in my voice
Was it something I let slip
Does the whole world know
Isn’t it obvious

July 1, 2006

Kelly’s: Courtyard

Robin shifted and sipped on her iced tea waiting for Patrick to meet her for lunch–it would be the first face to face meeting since getting engaged. She wanted to make sure that he was okay with the wedding plans she and Brenda were making–for all she knew, he’d prefer a small ceremony and if that’s what he wanted, Robin didn’t think it’d be right to force something much larger down his throat.

She nervously lined her silverware up next to her empty plate, making sure the fork and knife were perfectly straight and parallel to one another. When she heard someone sit across from her, she looked up and frowned. “Carly.”

Carly sighed. “Look, I’m not here to fight, I’m not here to argue, I’m here to apologize so just let me get this out so that I can pretend it never happened.”

Stunned, Robin sat back. “Apologize?”

“I made some comments when I found out you were pregnant that I shouldn’t have,” Carly sighed. “Something about irresponsibility and being selfish.”

Robin snorted. “Real rich coming from you.”

Carly glared at her. “Just be quiet so I can say this and go, okay? I ranted and raved in front of Jax and he flew off the handle and informed me that women with your condition have an excellent chance of delivering safely and that I was a bigot for even saying differently. In short, we had an argument and the only way for me to make it up to him is to apologize. So, I’m sorry.”

Robin pursed her lips. “Are you actually sorry or are you just saying to make Jax happy?”

“You’re a pain,” Carly complained. “I’m actually sorry. I made a comment based on ignorance and I’m trying not to be that person anymore. In fact, I’m glad that you have a good chance. I love my boys and being a mother has changed me for the better, I like to think. And if you want to have a family, then I hope it works out for you.”

Robin bit her lip. “Thank you.”

“Oh, and I have also been instructed to make amends for bitching about your engagement to Patrick,” Carly muttered. “I based that on the fact that you may have put him at risk and…I’m sorry for that, too. I just…I like Patrick. I’m sorry we can’t be friends but I can understand why he’d want to put you first. You’re the mother of his child and his fiancée.” She hesitated. “It’s good that he’s making you a priority–that he’s making you a top priority because I’ve been in relationships where that doesn’t happen and it doesn’t end well. And I can understand why you wouldn’t want me to be friends with Patrick after what happened with Jason.”

Robin stared at her for a long moment before pinching herself. “I just wanted to make sure I was actually awake. Are…is this really happening?”

Carly rolled her eyes. “Yes. I told you, Jax won’t talk to me unless I make this right and as much as I hate to say it, he’s got a point. What happened between us was years ago and it mostly turned out for the best. Except for some choices later made by myself but I can’t really blame that on you. I mean, I can and I have but I just don’t like taking responsibility for myself.” She shifted. “Look, I know that you have a lot of friends and family in town that have probably threatened the pants off Patrick but I doubt anyone’s done the same for him. Don’t hurt him, Robin.”

“Why…why would you think that I would?” Robin asked hesitantly.

“Because you’re getting married for the same reasons that Sonny and I were going to six years ago,” Carly said after a moment. “Or for the same reasons that we said we were getting married. We were both crazy about each other but we both had too much pride to admit it. We’d both been burned and we drove each other insane while we fought how we actually felt. So we said it was for the baby and that was the end of it. I know that I hurt Sonny a lot during that period and he hurt me, too. I just…I wouldn’t want history to repeat itself because I lost my baby. And I wouldn’t want that to happen to Patrick. So…just be careful with him.”

“Carly, I don’t–” Robin licked her lips. “I don’t think you understand what’s going on here.”

“No, I do,” Carly tapped her fingers against the empty water glass. “I know you’re telling yourself that Patrick is marrying you because of the baby and I’m sure that’s what he’s said, and that you’ve told him that’s your reason for saying yes but Robin, a man like Patrick doesn’t do things out of obligation.”

“Carly–”

“And you’re blind if you don’t see that.” She hesitated another moment. “Just…don’t hurt him. He deserves to have someone in his corner saying that.” Carly stood. “I’ve said my piece, I’ll go now.”

“Carly…” Robin sighed. “You’re right. What’s in the past should stay there. And that includes the whole debacle with Jason. If Patrick wants to be friends with you, I won’t protest. Just…” she smiled faintly. “Try really hard not to sleep with him.”

“Oh, it’ll be tough,” Carly joked. “But I think Jax might have a few things to say about that. Thanks, Robin. I’ll make my next apology to him then.”

“What apology would that be?” Patrick asked as he joined them. He scanned Robin’s face but she just looked more bewildered than upset so maybe Carly hadn’t said much yet. “I thought we talked about this Carly–”

“Carly was just apologizing to me,” Robin said quickly. “And she wished us luck.”

Patrick frowned and looked at Carly skeptically. “Why?”

“Because Jax is the eternal white knight,” Carly grumbled. “And he has impossibly high standards. Plus,” she sighed somewhat dramatically. “He has a point in this. What you do, what Robin does, it’s not my business and I’m just being a pain in the ass when I do what I think is helping so I’ve apologized to Robin about some comments I made and we had a nice little discussion about how our past should stay in the past.”

“We talked for five minutes and no bloodshed, I promise,” Robin swore.

“And I should apologize to you for that scene in the hospital,” Carly told him. “It’s none of my business what you do and why you do it. Brenda just…taps a special nerve and I go crazy. I’m working on that. If you and Robin are getting married, then that’s great. It’s good for a kid to have a stable family. God knows how I might have turned out different.” She hesitantly patted Patrick’s arm before leaving the courtyard.

“Is she for real?” Patrick asked, taking the seat that Carly had just vacated.

“I’m not sure. But I think maybe the violent and nasty chapter of my relationship with Carly has ended. Which is good, because she cares about Jax and Jax means a lot to me.” Robin hesitated. “If you want to be friends with Carly, that’s fine. She’s promised not to try and seduce you which takes care of my number one problem with her.”

“I’m glad you threw the word try in there,” Patrick remarked. “Because she wouldn’t succeeed.”

Robin smiled shyly. “Yeah, well, I’m starting to let myself trust you. And I want you to know that it wasn’t really what you’ve did in the first few months we knew each other, it was mostly my issues.”

“Yeah, I’m aware of that.” Their conversation was halted as Robin’s cousin Georgie came to take their orders. When she’d disappeared back inside, Patrick cleared his throat. “So…how are you feeling?”

“Better…since Brenda came to town. She’s staying with me right now and practically bullies me into sleeping and eating. I wasn’t doing a lot either before.” Robin bit her lip. “She’s part of the reason I called. Ah, she’s got this whole kick about a huge ceremony and I just…I wanted to see what you wanted to do.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he’d rather go small and get it over with soon but Patrick stopped and watched her expression as she waited for his answer. Her fingers were tapping nervously against the edge of her empty plate and he could hear her foot tapping against the rung of her chair. And the hopeful expression that lingered just underneath the surface sealed the deal. “A big wedding is fine, Robin.”

Robin blinked in surprise. “I wouldn’t have pictured you–”

“Hey, wedding are for women anyway,” Patrick shrugged. “You just tell me what to wear, where to stand and when to do it, that’s fine. Men just go for the food.”

Robin laughed and sat back. “Are you sure, though? I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to…”

“Hey, this is your town, Robin. And judging from the amount of death threats I’ve received since we first started seeing each other, there are going to be people lined up and down the block to see you get married.”

“Yeah, that’s what Brenda said. And it’s true, there are so many people that I want to come just so that they can stop worrying…” Robin broke off and looked away. “And I’m sorry about my parents, and my family and anyone else who’s said anything to you. They still think I’m a little girl.”

“No…” Patrick cleared his throat. “It’s good to have people that love you so much and as for that thing with your dad last night, I’m sure the bruises will heal eventually.” He laughed as Robin gasped. “I’m just kidding. He stopped by my apartment, shook my hand assured me that if you cried even time that wasn’t due to hormones, and he’d kick my ass. He doesn’t want to make you a widow after all.”

“Oh my God, this is mortifying,” Robin groaned. “Well, if it helps, Carly just warned me not to hurt you so at least you’ve got one person in your corner.”

“Well, that’s nice of her. Unnecessary but nice.” Patrick looked up as Georgie brought their orders.

“So, do I get to be a bridesmaid?” Georgie asked, placing Robin’s chili in front of her. “Maxie said you probably weren’t going to have any but I wanted to check.”

“Well, if I remember Brenda’s diagram correctly, she’s the maid of honor,” Robin frowned in thought. “You, Maxie and Liz are the first choices for bridesmaids.”

“Aww…what about a flower girl and ring bearer?” Georgie asked. “You have to have them.”

“I’m not sure,” Robin said hesitantly. She looked to Patrick. “Maybe…?”

“Cameron’s probably old enough,” Patrick pointed out. “Whether he can make it down the aisle with some rings, that’s something we’d have to find out. And doesn’t Alexis Davis have a daughter?”

“How do you know Alexis?” Georgie asked curiously.

“She and Ric were my lawyers during the transplant thing,” Patrick explained.

“Oh.” That satisfied Georgie but Robin frowned. Before she could say anything, Georgie continued. “I’m sure Alexis would love to let Kristina be in the ceremony. After everything you did for her and Molly in the train crash…”

“Oh, it was nothing,” Robin brushed if off.

“Nothing?” Georgie repeated. “Performing a C-section and saving two lives in a collapsed tunnel is not nothing, Robin.”

“A C-section?” Patrick repeated.

“I have to go,” Georgie said. “Enjoy your meal.” She disappeared back inside.

“You performed a C-section in the Glencoe tunnel,” Patrick stated, somewhat stunned. “What…”

“Alexis was pregnant with her daughter Molly and went into labor after the crash.” Robin shrugged. “It was touch and go and we couldn’t turn the baby, so Jason gave me his knife and we used a bottle of whiskey to help Alexis cope with the pain. She nearly died, but it all worked out. Patrick, about the transplant–”

“I can’t believe you never told me that,” Patrick interrupted. “How could I not know that?”

“It’s not a big deal,” Robin said.

“Robin, if it were me, you had better believe for like the next five years, I would have been introducing myself as Patrick ‘I performed a C-section with a knife, some string and no casualties’ Drake.”

Robin laughed. “Oh come on, Patrick. You don’t introduce yourself as Patrick ‘I performed complicated neurosurgery with a pen light and the patient survived’ Drake.”

“You were just never on the receiving end of that particular come on,” Patrick teased.

“Oh, I’m so disappointed,” Robin said dryly. She hesitated. “Patrick, why did you need a lawyer during the transplant mess?”

Patrick froze and stared at her. “What?”

“You told Georgie that Ric and Alexis were your lawyers during the transplant stuff. We didn’t need lawyers–Noah dropped the lawsuit and that was the end of it,” Robin said slowly. “So when did you retain them and why?”

“Oh.” Patrick coughed. “It was before my dad dropped the lawsuit. I just…I wanted legal advice about you know, the situation. I mean, Sneed came after you and the only reason they didn’t come after me was because I was recovering. After I got out of the hospital, that would have changed and I just…I thought we should have lawyers.”

“Uh huh,” Robin said, clearly unconvinced. “So you technically didn’t retain them.”

“No, but that’s how I know them.” Patrick pointed his fork at her chili. “You should eat.”

“Why didn’t you mention it to me?” Robin pressed. “What if I had another lawyer?”

“Because I didn’t get a chance to. Dad dropped the case and there didn’t seem to be a point.”

“Okay,” Robin allowed, deciding to let it go. It didn’t really seem important anyway. “But Kristina is a good idea for a flower girl.” She bit her lip. “Are you sure you don’t mind letting Brenda run wild? Because she can get kind of uncontrollable.”

“Robin,” Patrick began. “If having a big wedding with all your family and friends will make you happy, that’s what I want.” He reached across the table and took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb across her engagement ring. “However, you will be making it up to me on our wedding night,” he continued, lowering his voice an octave.

Robin flushed, jerked her hand out of his grasp and jammed a spoonful of chili in her mouth.

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