“Of course you are, come in,” she says, stepping out of the way. “Don’t mind the shouting,” she says and rolls her eyes.
I hear most of it coming from Robin at the back of the house, and I take a step towards the noise.
“Why don’t you let me sit with this little sugar bear while you go see if you can calm them down?”
She reaches for Charlotte, who immediately smiles and wiggles her arms. Robin’s mom is already taking her out of my arms before I can answer and talking sweetly to her. She takes the diaper bag next and sets it down in front of her. According to Robin, her mom had six kids, so I know my baby is in good hands. She takes Charlotte over to the couch in the living room and completely ignores me. I’ve noticed that babies are a wonderful distraction.
“Anderson,” she calls when I start to walk out of the room. “Go easy on them, they’re just doing what we’ve taught them. They go a little overboard sometimes.” She smiles softly, and I can kind of understand where she’s coming from.
If she’s spent her whole life telling Robin’s five brothers to look after her, then they have a responsibility to make sure she’s safe. But I’m here now and I’m going to make sure nothing happens to my family. I’ve made my claim to her brother already, but now is the time to set all of them straight. This is it for me, and I’m going to make damn sure that everyone knows it.
“You are too young to be living with someone!” I hear shouted from the back of the house, and I walk towards the noise.
“Are you kidding me? You and Julie were sixteen when you were sneaking out of the house and doing exactly what you’re preaching against. Don’t think I don’t know about that.”
“That’s different!” Kent fires back at Robin just as I push open the door to the kitchen.
The sight that greets me would be comical if it didn’t hurt me so much to see Robin upset. She’s standing in the middle of the kitchen going toe to toe with Kent while her other four brothers are seated at the kitchen table. Her dad is at the bar in the kitchen reading a newspaper and ignoring everyone. I’m sure with six kids in the house the man never got a moment of peace.
“Great, just the guy we were talking about,” Kent sneers, and Robin’s dad looks up from his paper.
I walk over to him and hold out my hand to introduce myself. “Mr. Honeydew, I’m Anderson. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about me.”
The old man’s eyes crinkle at the edges as he stands up from his chair and takes my hand. “That’s all I’ve been hearing about for the past couple of hours.” He looks over at his kids and smiles. “You’ve stirred up a hornet's nest, son.”
The word son takes me by surprise and for a second I’m thrown back to a time when my dad was alive and I had someone to talk to. I don’t know if he meant it the way he said it, but if anything it was nice to hear. He claps me on the shoulder before he turns to face the room.
“Robin, I believe you have a visitor,” he says before he turns back to me. “Is that a baby I hear out there in the front room?” When I nod he smiles even bigger. “I think I’ll go see if I can pry her out of Mary Beth’s arms.” Before he walks by me he leans in close. “Don’t take any shit.”
He pats my shoulder again before he walks out of the room and leaves me alone with Robin and her five brothers.
“Dad, are you really not going to say anything?” Kent calls in surprise, but the door to the kitchen has already swung close.
“You know how he is about babies,” one of the brothers says from the table.
When I step into the room I lock eyes with Robin and she immediately relaxes and comes over to me. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head.
“Sorry to bust up the party, but I couldn’t stand it anymore.” She looks up at me and I can see tears forming in her eyes. “Don’t cry, beautiful. I’m here now.”
“This is family business,” Kent says as he crosses his arms over his chest.
“Really?” I say, pulling Robin to my side and staring him directly in the eyes. “Because it seems like you’re the only one with your panties up your ass.” I feel Robin tense beside me and at least one of the brothers coughs to cover a laugh. “Your parents are out there in the living room right now loving on my daughter, so they don’t seem too concerned about the choices their daughter has made.”
“That’s not fair! They’re both nuts when it comes to babies,” Kent says, throwing his hands up in frustration.
“Or maybe you’re the one acting like an asshole in this situation and nothing anyone can say seems to calm you down.” I rub Robin’s back as I stand my ground. “Look, you’re Robin’s family and I know how important that is to her, but she’s not a child. She’s old enough to make her own choice, and she’s made it.” I look down at her and she looks up at me. “Right, beautiful?” She nods as she blushes.
“Just because she’s infatuated with you doesn’t mean that this is real. She’s just got some crush on you that will turn to heartbreak when you kick her out in a month.”
“I don’t know where you’ve gotten your information from, but that’s just an outright lie.” I clench my fist at my side just thinking about not having Robin with me. “I moved here to raise my daughter in a place that we could make a home. I never expected to find someone as wonderful as Robin in the process. She’s an exceptional person who is kind and loving beyond anything I’ve ever known. She’s more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever seen in my life, but she’s that way on the inside, too. The day I looked at her I knew she was the one, and to belittle that by saying I’m going to toss her aside really pisses me off.”
There’s silence in the room as I look to all her brothers.
“I came here to take Robin home, and that’s where she’s staying from now on. You guys are important to her, and what you think is important to her. So I urge you to not create a rift between our family and yours.” I place my hand on her hip as I take a small step towards Kent. “And if you ever set foot on my property with the intent to take what’s mine again, I’ll not only have your badge, but I’ll have your ass with it.”
He narrows his eyes at me and I just stare right back at him, challenging him to say any different. I mean what I said and there’s nothing I’ll let come between Robin and me. Ever.
“As far as those pictures you told me about, I’ve made some calls and I have someone on it. She’s safe with me and I want my eyes on her at all times from now on. I won’t risk anything happening to her, and by my side is the safest place for her to be.”
“Take me home,” Robin says as she gently tugs on my arm.
“Anything you want, beautiful,” I say, taking her hand as we leave the kitchen.
When we walk to the front of the house I see her dad holding Charlotte, who is fast asleep. Robin’s mom is only inches away, looking down her at her like she wants to take the baby out of his arms.
“I said you could hold her for a minute. Time is up,” her mom says, and her dad tries to turn so she can’t get to the baby.
“Just give me five more.”
“Now you’ll never get Charlotte back,” Robin says.
“Hey, Anderson.” Robin’s mom stands up and comes over to block me from Charlotte. “I was thinking since her diaper bag is all packed up with a couple of bottles, maybe you could leave her here with us for a few hours?” She looks up at me with pleading eyes that are so much like Robin’s.
“I don’t know,” I say and look at her sleeping so soundly. “She’s never stayed away from me before.”
“Just for a couple of hours. I’ll have her back before dinner. We could bring her back with some supper for you two?” she tries again, and I can see that she really wants to. “Let me get some baby snuggles in and then do something nice for you two. I want to try and make up for Kent showing his ass.”
Robin chuckles beside me and I look down at her. She nods like it’s okay, so I agree. Robin's mom looks so happy, but her dad is practically beaming. They really do love babies.
I kiss Charlotte goodbye and Robin does the same before we get in my car and head back home. On the drive back it’s quiet between us, but there’s something simmering below the surface.
“There’s a lot of things we need to talk about,” she says, and I squeeze her hand. “Like what you said before I left the house and what all this means now.”
“There are a lot of things that need to be said.” I glance over at her as I turn into the driveway. “But when I get you in the house, talking is the last thing I’m going to do.”
I park the car and go around to open her door and help her out. When I take her hand in mine I pull her body to my side as we make our way in the house. I unlock the door then go inside and lock it back. I set the alarm for good measure, and once that’s done I scoop Robin up in my arms.
She lets out a squeal as I take her upstairs and carry her into the bedroom. “I’ve got a team of private investigators looking into those pictures. And in the meantime, I’ve got a couple of security guys stationed around the house.”