Robert woke up groggy, lost and scared. He didn’t know why, he couldn’t understand, but he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that just wouldn’t go away. He looked around to try and find what was wrong. Then he saw. The space next to him was empty. He jumped out of bed and ran downstairs, his jeans still unbuckled.
"-ELIZABETH?
-I’m right here, boy Kiara, is your father always this edgy in the morning?"
He entered the kitchen and saw his daughter, his son, Stefan and Elizabeth at the table, eating breakfast.
"-Are you hungry? Asked Elizabeth, getting up
-You cooked? Asked Robert in disbelief. I think I’ll have an English muffin
-Come on Uncle Lucky, be a Spencer, live on the edge, teased Stefan
-Fine, what do you got?"
Robert glanced at the plate Elizabeth put in front of him. 2 eggs once over easy, 2 toasts, a glass of OJ, a coffee and a couple of slices of cheese. Robert looked at her with a smile and dug in. This was really good. Really, really good. But it tasted an awful lot like Kiara’s cooking.
"-Did you cook this? He asked with his mouth full
-You bet I did. Answered Elizabeth with a smile
-Oh yeah, did you used Kiara’s recipe? Because Kiara is the only one who knows I like my eggs with a dash of salt.
-Ok, ok, she cooked the eggs. But I made the toasts"
Everyone laughed, including Robert. He said she knew she couldn’t cook to save her life and Stefan defended his mother, saying she could make one mean macaroni and cheese plate!
After breakfast Stefan said he had to go and see his girlfriend, and he asked Robert permission to invite her to dinner that same night. Robert accepted after checking with Lucky and Kiara. Lucky said it would be his pleasure to see Belinda again. It was settled. Soon after that, Lucky and Kiara left for a special day together, and Elizabeth was left alone with Robert in the kitchen.
"-Did you sleep well? Asked Robert
-Like I haven’t sleep in years. She answered with a smile
-What time do I have to take you to work?
-You aren’t staying there
-You bet I am. I am not leaving your sight until Tom is behind bars
-Lucky, I told you, no one is seeing my work until it’s done, certainly not the one I’ve been working on for some time now"
Robert sighed and passed a hand on his head.
"-Listen, Elizabeth, I know I’ve tried to get you to show it to me several times, but this isn’t one of those times. I will work in the back, as far away from the painting at possible, if that is what you want. I have work to do too, and I won’t try and get you to show it to me
-If you promise....
-I promise"
An hour later, they were on their way to Medallion, sitting in Robert’s car, talking about anything and everything. When they arrived, Elizabeth unlocked the door and the alarm went off. Laughing, they tried to stop it but couldn’t, and Robert didn’t even have time to call off that the police arrived at the scene.
They were finally able to work it was nearly lunch time. A lot of clients came in and asked to speak to Elizabeth. Every time she would make Robert promise not to peak and he would, and every time he had to physically restrain himself from doing it. This painting was important to Elizabeth and she wanted it to remain a secret. And Robert would respect her wishes. He never betrayed her in the past, he wouldn’t start now.
When Elizabeth came back in the back store after the third client had asked to speak to her, she saw Robert, in the back right end corner, his right leg resting on his left, his briefcase on it and he was writing fast on his laptop. Elizabeth looked at him over the easel. He didn’t know, but him being here helped her a lot to finish the painting she was working on. He was so handsome, with his little round glasses, gave him the real business man look, and his concentrated face made him so sexy. He didn’t even noticed she was staring at him intensely, memorizing every detail of his face with an artist’s eye.
She was startled by a phone and saw it was Robert’s. He quickly answered, never leaving his laptop with his eyes.
"-Jackson-- file number please-- 20023 is that it?-- Ok, what’s the problem? What? I did the installation myself-- Well I don’t care if that son of a -- I know, sorry Lindsey, I’m just really stressed right now-- Not for a couple of days-- I know, I miss your pretty face too-- your massages are the best-- I will call you-- When did I leave for a couple of days and not brought you flowers when I came back?-- That’s better-- See you soon. Robert hung up and smiled at Elizabeth. My secretary.
-You seem quite friendly with her. Elizabeth said, trying to hide how jealous she was
-She is a pearl. I have never met a woman like her."
Elizabeth didn’t say anything else, she just went back to her painting and Robert went back to his laptop. She was jealous. He knew it. Her eyes had the same expression than when he was chasing her sister, and he smiled. If only she knew. If only she saw Lindsey, she would know there was nothing to worry about. Lindsey was the sweetest 64 year old in the world, and Kiara loved her like her own grandmother.
"-Do you always bring flowers to your secretary?
-To Lindsey, yes, she deserves them more than anyone. She was the first person I hired and she will be the last I fire, trust me"
Elizabeth furiously continued her work, but her heart wasn’t into it anymore. It was almost finished anyway, and even though she heard him say he loved her, it was obvious he had a thing for his secretary, too. He continued to work on his laptop, smiling. Elizabeth thought he was thinking about Lindsey, and he was truly thinking about how she was going crazy. Finally she took the easel and put it in the corner, the painting facing the wall and walked to him.
"-Finally done. I only have to wait until it’s dry and then, it’s over! Are you almost done? It’s lunch time and I’m starving
-Sure, I can finish later, come on, I’ll take you to the outback, what do you say?"
They walked out and walked to the Outback. Mac was there, with his wife, Miranda. They sat at a table in the corner and looked at the menu. Robert was torn between the steak and the spaghetti. Elizabeth already knew what she wanted. The chicken breast salad. They ordered and talked about everything and anything, until they heard behind Elizabeth;
"-Well, I can’t believe I lived to see the day"
Elizabeth turned around and saw an old woman, smiling warmly at Robert.
"-It was about damn time you got out of your shelf and ask a woman out, even if it is only for lunch. The woman turned to Elizabeth. I told him time and time again that staying hung up on the same woman for 17 years wasn’t healthy, that he needed to get out and forget about that Elizabeth woman. I’m glad he finally decided to follow the advice of an old, senile woman as he put it more than once"
While Elizabeth was looking at the woman, Robert was motioning to cut his throat, to show the woman to stop talking and keep quiet. When the woman finished her speech, Elizabeth turned to Robert with a big smile on her face.
"-I’m sorry. Meet Lindsey, my secretary. Linds, I’d like you to meet Elizabeth Webber. Said Robert, blushing all the way to his ears
-Oh my God, THE Elizabeth? Asked Lindsey
-The one and only. Said Elizabeth with a smile
-I’m so sorry Ms, Robert here talks so much about you, and I didn’t know you were seeing each other again. I guess my mouth got ahead of my brain again. Don’t worry, Bob here is used to it.
-Bob? Asked Elizabeth with a laugh
-Hey, she is the only person in the world who can call me Bob, not even you, Lizzie. Robert answered with a smile
-Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. Why don’t you join us?
-I wouldn’t want to intrude. Answered Lindsey
-Since when do you care about intruding! Said Robert with a laugh. Sit down!"
Lindsey sat down and Elizabeth wasn’t able to wipe that silly grin off of her face. Lindsey was old enough to be his grandmother. And the fact was, he wasn’t seeing other women. Even his secretary was grilling him about getting a life outside Elizabeth and he didn’t seem he wanted to. Now, all she needed to do was get him to understand she didn’t want him to have a life outside Elizabeth. She wanted him to have a life with Elizabeth.
When they came back to the shop, Elizabeth was finally ready to show him her painting. She took his hand and led him to the easel. She turned it around and his face changed. It was so amazing. She blended together his old face and new one, to show only one man. The man he always was. The love of her life.
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