Chapter 3
Present time
''There,'' Robin said as he patted the book affectionately. ''I hope she likes it.'' Robin slouched back in his chair, releasing quite a heavy sigh. ''Or else I'll be sleeping on the couch for the next week.''
As with all considerably long silences, this one too had to be broken. This particular silence was broken this time for, shall we say, a very lovely and worthy cause. A light knock came on the door of Robin's office, bringing him, rather abruptly, back into the real world. He looked at the clock. 6:04. He had promised to be out of his office two hours ago. So, it went without saying that he knew who it would be. Still, he liked teasing her.
''Who is it?''
''Oh, as if you didn't know,'' said a smooth, sultry voice.
Robin smiled. 'Ah, she wants to play coy,' he thought. 'Game on'
''You know, I really don't know, you'll have to specify, there are a lot of women who come up here every day, I just simply can't keep up with them all..no don't tell me, let me guess uh... Roxy? No no, it can't be Roxy, it's not Tuesday... must be Lonna, or maybe Sunny....''
''EXCUSE ME?'' demanded the voice. '' Sunny? Roxy?''
Robin couldn't hold it inside any longer - he burst out laughing at this point. It was so easy to play with Megan, and he loved that about her, among countless other things.
''I'm just kidding sweetie, come on in. I could use some company.'' Megan came in with a teasing smile and a look on her face that said ''Shame on you.'' When she was witing a good distance to him, she gave him a joking swipe on the shoulder. Robin the laughed giddily, and grabbed her hands to pull her in for a kiss.
Megan sighed in contentment, wrapping her arms around her husband.
''You know you are absolutely terrible, don't you?'' Robin looked at Megan in a bit of confusion, but still answered her all the same.
''Yes, I know. I said I'd be down..''
''Two hours, thirty three minutes, fifteen seconds, and four cups of coffee ago.''
Yes, Megan was just THAT good. Nothing to be said after that.
''Well then,'' he said, slightly abashed, ''I always said you were good.''
''You did?'' Megan said flirtatiously. At this point, she started tracing her finger across the back of his neck, turning it into a massage half way. Of course, this drove Robin absolutely crazy, but he wasn't going to show his poker face so soon. It wasn't the way they played.
''I always thought you meant something else when you said that.''
''Oh you!'' Robin chuckled and playfully waved her off. This was in no stretch of the imagination because he was trying to get rid of Megan, but more because he had skillfully been covering the book with his hand the whole time she was in the room. He could only keep that up for so long.
''Ok, this time, I mean it. I promise honey, I'll be down in....five minutes, ok?''
Megan frowned slightly, but she knew better than to argue with Robin when he was in 'the zone.'
''Okay, but you better come downstairs soon, or everyone will start to think I'm a widow.''
''I promise,'' he said through another chuckle. ''I'll be right there,'' and he sent her off with a small but tender kiss. When she left the room, Robin couldn't help but let out a little sigh of relief. He took his hand off of the book, studying it carefully.
''Close call,'' he muttered to himself. If she had discovered the book at that moment, all would have been lost and for naught. Luckily, he was able to distract her..this time. Robin carefully placed the book in the bottom drawer of his desk, never taking his eyes off it for a second. With that, he got up from his chair and made his way downstairs, dreading yet simultaneously taking delight in all the socializing that was to follow.
10 Years Ago
(and by 10 years ago, I am referring to the last chapter, back when Robin was in high school Sorry if the timing gets confusing.
''Ok, breathe, just breathe, you got it,'' Robin coaxed himself. For some reason, he couldn't quite place why he was feeling so nervous. After all, he had gone on countless job interviews before. Maybe it was because everything he had before was a job, while this could lead to a career. Maybe it was because he was having second thoughts in the pit of his stomach, or maybe even because Mr. Ondrik's comment had gotten to him.
Still, Robin mustered enough courage to dismount his bike, relase one last sign of nervousness, and prepare to clim the mountain that was Kim Jew Photography.
Once inside, he was greed by the important sounding ringing of telephones, the clicks of shutters, what seemed like a thousand busy voice, and, most notably, the chipper sounding voice of a lovely front desk receptionist. She was a bit short in stature, but more than made up for that with her cheer and her smile.
''Good afternoon, and welcome to Kim Jew Photography, how may I help you, sir?''
''Oh hello there,'' Robin said nervously. This is is. No going back now. ''My name's Robin the Frog. I'm here to see Mr. Castle? I have an interview.''
The young receptionist consulted her clipboard, pointing a slender and lovely finger down her papers as she searched for his name, which she had no trouble finding.
''Oh yes, Mr. Castle has been expecting you, sir. Go right on in, his office is the first door on your right.'' She pointed down a long hallway that looked ten times longer due to Robin's anxiety.
''I see. Thank you,'' Robin said through a (very) dry throat.
''Any time, cutie pie.'' The receptionist said this with a smile and a wink as she picked up an incoming call.
Robin smiled back nervouslyand started to make his way down the hallway, stopping only for a second to take one last look at the receptionist, almost burning her image in his mind. 'Wow, what a cutie,' he thought to himself.
Sadly, if Robin would have only stayed a second longer, he would heard the phone ring and the cheery reply of, ''Thank you for calling Kim Jew Photography, this is Megan, how may I help you?''