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Janet looked over at Ryan and winked. Ryan smiled and shook her head in disbelief. "How do you remember all this stuff?" she asked.

Robbie laughed. "It's my job. Film is what I do. You can't create in a vacuum. You have to know where you've been so you can move into uncharted waters."

They worked quietly for awhile until Ryan made an announcement. "I don't think I'll go to university. I think I'll study film and become a producer."

Robbie went very still and her eyes turned an icy blue. "You are not going to waste your life. You are going to university. You are going to study science like your Aunt Elizabeth," she said quietly.

Stormy green eyes met her Mother's in challenge. "It's my life. I'll choose. I'm not sure I want to be a physicist! What's wrong with producing film anyway?! You do!"

Robbie got up and dusted herself off. "I would have liked to study biology. There is nothing wrong with film. But there are some pretty self-interested individuals in the industry who are not above taking advantage of young women trying to break into the business. I don't want you involved in that crap. Your Aunt put her studies first. I...I don't want you hurt."

Ryan stood up as well. "I can take care of myself, I always have!" she shot back and saw her arrow hit home as her Mother's face paled. "Damn it, Mom, don't be so controlling. Besides, Aunt Elizabeth is more interested in sleeping with David than physics at the moment!"

Robbie's eyes snapped around and looked at Janet. The answer to the unspoken question was written all over Janet's face. The eyes turned back to Ryan. For a moment, everyone held their breath. Then Robbie was in motion. In three strides, she was across the room, had pulled her truck keys from the hook on the wall and was out the screen door. Janet was only a few steps behind her.

"Robbie! Robbie! Stop!" Janet called, finally catching up to grab the director's arm as she stopped to open the truck door.

"Why? So you can lie to me again?" growled the taller woman, turning to loom over Janet.

Janet held her ground and looked up into the angry face. "I didn't lie."

"An omission is as good as a lie. I think you would have thought to mention that David was taking advantage of my sister!" she seethed, turning to get into the truck.

Janet slipped in between. "David is NOT taking advantage of your sister, for God's sake, Robbie! This is just the reason I haven't shared the information with you. When it comes to Elizabeth, you just don't act rationally! I wanted them to have some time together to establish a strong partnership before they had to deal with you."

"This is MY family!" Robbie roared.

"No," Janet responded quietly. "This is our family. Or have you forgotten that?"

"Of course I haven't! Don't try to change the subject. You told me this guy was honourable. You said I could trust him!" grumbled Robbie, waving her arms about dramatically.

Janet sighed and sat down on the edge of the driver's seat. "Robbie, he is honourable. Elizabeth had a hell of a time seducing him," she revealed.

"I don't...what?" Robbie asked in shock.

"Elizabeth seduced David. I know this because she phoned me several times for advice."

Robbie stood looking dumbfounded at Janet. Then she turned, paced about a bit and came back to stand in front of Janet again. "Ahhh, is Bethy okay with this? I mean, are they alright together?"

"By all reports they are having a marvellous time. David e-mailed me that Elizabeth has gained five pounds. They are taking dancing lessons together and David has taken up painting spacescapes. Bethy said he is very good."

"Yeah, yeah, I know! David can turn his hand to anything," she quoted impatiently. "Why didn't Bethy discuss it with me?" she demanded in a hurt voice.

Janet got up from the car seat and wrapped Robbie in her arms. "Because, you are a wonderful sister, who sacrificed everything for Bethy but you are just a wee bit over-protective," Janet explained.

"I just want the best for her. I don't want her hurt again," justified Robbie weakly.

"I know, love, and Bethy knows that too," answered Janet, reaching up to steal a kiss. The kiss lengthened.

"Thanks," whispered Robbie, against Janet's soft, warm lips.

"For what?"

"For not letting me drive to Toronto to pull David's tongue out and nail it to the floor," Robbie muttered.

"I think Elizabeth would have been upset," grinned Janet, leaning back to kiss the end of Robbie's nose.

"What about David's store?" Robbie asked.

"David is staying in Toronto and becoming the manager of Bethy's condo. David's brother, Ted, is going to manage the store as soon as he is healed. His back is never going to be strong enough to do construction work again. It is an ideal situation for everyone."

Robbie's face turned grumpy once more. "Am I the last person to know?" she asked.

"No! In fact, I was stunned at what Ryan said. I don't know how she knew!" confessed Janet.

Robbie smiled. "She probably stopped by the donut shop. They know everything there before it happens!"

Janet laughed too, then went serious. "Robbie, you can't control Ryan's life either. You can advise, support and protect but you can't direct, bully or refuse. You need to talk to her," Janet said, holding her lover close so that she felt secure.

"I want her to be a scientist," Robbie protested.

"Not your call, Robbie," Janet responded firmly. "She has to make her own decisions and accept her victories and her lumps like all of us."

"I'm her mother! And I'm paying the bills!" argued Robbie, pacing again.

"Robbie that argument is guaranteed to drive a wedge between you and Ryan. Think about it, how would you react to a statement like that?" Janet stated calmly.

Robbie stopped pacing and looked up at the northern stars. The stars were so much bigger and brighter up here than in the city and there were so many more of them. Bethy liked to look at the sky up here. She was going to have to let David take care of Bethy now and she was going to have to give her teenage daughter some room to grow as well. Damn, this was hard!

Janet walked over and hugged Robbie close to her. "Please," she said.

Robbie sighed. "Okay, I'll talk to her. But I'm going to remind you of this conversation when Reb runs away with Jim Ableton's son to open a Bait Store in Helingone!"

"God forbid!" snorted Janet.

***

Robbie found Ryan in her room. "Ahhh, can I come in?" she asked the teen who sat on her bed doing homework with her earphones on. Ryan nodded, stopping her music and pulling her earphones off.

To Robbie's surprise, the teen got up and came to hug her mother. "I'm sorry. I got angry and said things that were hurtful," Ryan admitted.

"Yeah, well, I acted like a jerk," Robbie responded. She led her daughter over and they sat together on the bed. Ryan now had a room to herself, finished in French country oak furniture.

On the wall was a row of movie stars, both men and women. They were framed black and white promotional pictures. Robbie had each one sighed by the actor. On the chest of drawers were a set of family pictures. There was one of the four of them standing around their snowmobile at the winter carnival. The one Robbie liked best, though, was a picture Janet had taken of Robbie and Ryan's faces as they talked quietly together. She thought Ryan liked it too.

"Listen, I really would like you to go to university but I realize that you have to do what's best for you. I just worry. I didn't make very good decisions as a teen and I hurt a lot of people because of it, including myself. I love film, Ryan. And I'm good at it. But by dropping out of school I closed a lot of doors of opportunity. I would have liked to be a scientist like your Aunty Bethy."

Ryan smiled and leaned against her Mom. "Well, I hadn't planned on quitting school anytime soon."

Robbie wrapped an arm around her daughter and laughed at herself. "I guess I did kind of over react. Let's make a deal. Once our school is up and running next year, you can sit in on some of the night classes as long as it doesn't affect your marks at Bartlett. Then you can see how dull cinematography is compared to memorizing the periodic table!"

Ryan laughed. "Mom! You are impossible!"

Robbie gave her kid a hug and snorted. "And you're not?!"

"Ahhh, I hope I didn't get Aunt Bethy in trouble. I didn't know that you were not aware that she was having a relationship with David."

Robbie got up and paced about the room a bit. "I guess I'm still dealing with some emotional baggage. I'm a little over protective when it comes to Bethy. She was for a long time...very introverted and scared. I guess I just got used to riding shotgun for her."

Ryan nodded. "She thinks you are wonderful."

Robbie smiled impishly and wiggled an eyebrow. "Yeah well, I am!" Ryan laughed. "But if I have a fault it is that I'm over protective of my family."

"That and you can't cook," teased Ryan, leaning on one elbow on the bed.

"Nope, I fixed that problem. I married your mother!" Robbie countered with a proud smile.

"You'd better not let Aunt Janet hear you say that or you'll be eating your own cooking for a month!"

"Good point!" Robbie laughed. "So how did you know about Bethy and David?"

"Ted sort of implied it. He's wearing a brace but he's back in town and working a few hours each day in the store, learning the inventory and books. Moe's clerks are still doing most of the work though. Sally and Beatrice don't mind the longer hours though, because they can use the extra money."

Robbie raised an eyebrow. "I gotta get out more. I'm not hearing the hot news in town!" she smiled. "You complete your homework while Janet and I finish off the sail. Then we'll raid the cupboard because I think your other Mom has some of those cranberry muffins hidden away somewhere."

"Cupboard on the right, top shelf, blue tin box," Ryan stated.

Robbie threw her a look over her shoulder as she headed out the door. "You'd better not have eaten them all, you little sneak!" she warned.

"Takes one to know one," Ryan responded, her nose already back in her books.

***

Robbie bent over Janet as her wife worked at the sewing machine and gently nuzzled an ear. "I love you," she whispered.

Janet turned and looked up into those amazing eyes that at the moment seemed grey with worry. "Are you still fretting about Bethy?" Janet asked, before accepting a lingering kiss that sent shivers down her back. A moan escaped her lips as they parted.

"No. Well, a little. But I need to talk to you about something else. Alberta phoned me at work today," Robbie revealed, with a frown as she shifted back and forth on the balls of her feet.

Oh, oh, insecurity alert! Janet thought, and stood to snuggle deeply into Robbie's arms. "Can this wait until we have made passionate love to each other for most of the night?" questioned Janet, rubbing against her lover slowly.

"Ooooh, nice. But no. We need to talk," Robbie stated firmly, stepping back. Janet frowned in concern and led Robbie by the hand over to the couch. They got comfy in their favourite spot, Robbie propped in the corner with her long legs running the length of the couch and Janet sitting in between with her back resting against Robbie's chest.

"So what is it, Robbie?" Janet asked in concern.

"They've identified the kidnaper as a Jose Pennon. Seems he is a small time enforcer for drug dealers by trade. He's been in South America for awhile, staying one step ahead of the law. Alberta's worried because he has no history of having worked in Canada or being involved in kidnapping for ransom. She thinks someone might have fired him to hurt our kids."

"Robbie, that's insane! Who would do such a horrible thing?!" Janet gasped, turning to look at her lover. Robbie said nothing. She just stared back at Janet with sad, bitter eyes.

"Oh, no, Robbie! She wouldn't!" groaned Janet. "Surely not!"

Robbie sighed and buried her head for a minute in Janet's soft hair, taking comfort before she spoke. "We ruined her life by exposing her as the murderer of my father. She killed once in revenge. Maybe it is possible that she is prepared to do it again. I don't know, Janet. I just don't know!"

"What should we do?" Janet asked, curling deeply into Robbie's arms, needing her warmth.

"I don't know," Robbie sighed. "Go on and hope that Pennon was working alone, I guess. But I think we need to take precautions for a while. Janet, I'm going to hire a bodyguard for the girls."

Janet sat quietly for a minute, one finger absently drawing figure eights on her lover's hand. "I hate the thought of that," she finally admitted.

"I know, but the alternative...I don't know about you but I can't go through that again!" Robbie confessed, the tightness in her chest making her voice rough and strained.

"No. No, neither can I. It was awful. How much are you going to tell Ryan?"

Robbie sighed and hugged Janet close. "I'm afraid it is going to have to be everything. A body guard is not someone who can discreetly follow along behind."

"No, I guess not," agreed Janet, looking sad and unhappy.

"You know what we need?" Robbie asked into Janet's ear.

A shiver of desire ran through Janet's being. "Hmmm, what?"

"Cranberry muffins, toasted, with blackberry jam on them!"

Janet laughed and rolled to her feet. "You and Ryan were scheming in there, weren't you?!" she said, offering her partner her hand and hauling the taller woman to her feet.

"Well, the subject of cranberry muffins might have come up briefly in our conversation," Robbie admitted, with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I can just imagine!" laughed Janet. "I'll put the kettle on. You get the muffins down. They're in..."

Top shelf, right side, blue tin," Robbie recited.

"How did you know?!" exclaimed Janet, in mock annoyance.

"I sent in my spy to gather data before I started my campaign," Robbie grinned shamelessly.

Janet shook her head and headed for the kitchen. One Williams was a handful. A house full of them was an impossibility!

Summer Heat Part 4 by Anne Azel

Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the property of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. The characters and events in the Seasons Series are the creation of the author.

Special thanks to Pat for her expert knowledge on rescue and firefighting methods. Thanks also to Sheri for providing the information on the beautiful island of Tobago.

My grateful thanks to the many readers who have traveled with me through the Seasons. You are the best! My deepest thanks to Lisa and Inga, my beta readers, who work very hard on my behalf and to Susan for her insightful critiques and for overseeing the character continuity. Lastly, to all those individuals who have written me about their own life stories, my respect and my best wishes.

Note: The Seasons stories interrelate and should be read in the order they are posted.

Warning: This story is alternative fiction, please do not read on if you are under age or if such material is illegal in your end of the swamp.

Robbie had phoned Polinski at his law firm the next day and he had sent up Roger Sullivan. Sullivan had been a cop in Bramford but had quit after five years and gone solo. Most of his work now came from law firms investigating damage suits or divorce cases. He had worked for Polinski once before over an incident involving the Williams' girl when she'd broken some kid's arm. Polinski said the kid was a spoilt brat and nothing but trouble. He would have turned the case down if times had been better but summer was his slow season.

Robbie sat at her desk and looked Roger Sullivan over. He seemed okay. Relatively fit, rather average looking, with sandy hair and pink skin dotted with freckles. He dressed conservatively and had a quiet, calm manner about him. He'll do, Robbie concluded.

"I'm sure you have heard that our children were kidnapped," Robbie began. Outwardly, Sullivan didn't react, other than to nod his head in acknowledgment. Inwardly, he sighed heavily; babysitting two gay women's kids. What a job! He should have stayed with the police force!

"There is some concern that the kidnapper might have been working for someone else. The police are looking into that. In the meantime, I don't want my girls left alone. If Janet and I are not there, you will be. The daycare will be locked from now on and you'll only be able to enter if you are on an approved list. Bartlett is too big a school to make completely secure, so you will need to stay with my eldest daughter during the day.

Sullivan nodded his understanding.

"Once the girls return to the house you are free for the rest of the day and of course weekends. Do you have any questions?"

"Your oldest is a teenager, ma'am. Is she going to be comfortable with this? I really need her co-operation," Sullivan stated firmly.

Robbie smiled down at the desk, enjoying a private joke. Ryan had teased her that anyone Polinski had picked for the job would have been warned that Ryan was trouble. Robbie looked over at Sullivan. "She is not happy about it. But the kidnapping was a very scary experience for our two girls. Ryan understands that it is necessary until we can find out for sure who really was responsible. She won't cause you trouble."

Sullivan nodded, feeling some of the tension draining. Williams didn't seem to be the Holy Terror she was supposed to be and the kid sounded like she was going to be reasonable. He'd give it a shot and see. "Okay, I'm satisfied. When do you want me to start?"

"This Monday. If you go into the Donut shop, Stacy should be able to tell you were you can find Greta Corry. She's a hard lady to track down. Greta rents rooms at her place, mostly to the Ontario Provincial Police officers stationed up here. She provides breakfast too. Tell her to send the bill to me." Robbie stood and Sullivan nodded, thanked Robbie Williams and left.

He smiled as he walked among the trailers that currently made up the nerve centre of Robbie's new studio complex. Williams was just as beautiful in real life as she was on the movies. Wait until he could tell the guys down at the gym that he'd been away working for Robbie Williams! Their jaws would be trailing the ground. No need to tell them he was really protecting the kids.

***

Saturday morning found the Williams all in the lake. "No, Ryan!" stated Rebecca, emphatically, "I don't want to swim with you!"

"Why not?" asked Ryan in surprise. She had been looking forward to teaching her baby sister how to swim.

"You drowned me," Reb accused.

"Reb, I had to hold you under the water so you wouldn't get burned," justified Ryan, feeling rather embarrassed and hurt by her sister's attitude. In the past, she had silently enjoyed Reb's complete adoration. "If it hadn't been for me, you'd be a crispy critter!"

"No swim with Ryan!" came the stubborn response from the small child as her lip curled into a pout.

Janet slipped off the dock and came over, realizing that Ryan was starting to get upset. Ryan still was easily hurt. It didn't take much for the emotionally insecure child not to feel she was wanted. This situation needed defusing quickly. "Ryan, could you help me try to locate the old anchor we used to tie a raft to. Robbie wants to build a new one so we can swim out to it. I've got some idea where it was. If we can find it, we'll tie a rope and plastic jug to it until the raft is ready."

"Sure, Mom. What about Reb?" asked Ryan.

Janet smiled wickedly at Ryan and winked. Then she looked up on the beach where Robbie lay on her stomach on a lounge reading over her script. She wore a black bikini and her skin was lightly tanned. Only here and there were there circles of lighter skin where the deeper burns had been. She looked great! Especially from this angle, Janet concluded. Her wife had a nice ass. "Robbie, could you give Reb a swimming lesson. Ryan and I are busy."

Robbie looked back at her family over a muscular shoulder glistening with suntan lotion. "Okay," she flashed a smile.

"Suckered!" Janet whispered to Ryan and the teen giggled. "Come on, race you out there!" Janet yelled and pushed Ryan playfully as she ran and dived into the deeper water. Ryan was right behind Janet, her competitive Williams' nature coming out immediately at the challenge. Robbie smiled as she got off the chaise lounge and walked down to the water's edge where Reb sat in the sand. The two bodies sliced through the water, arriving at the dive spot at the same time. Two wet heads bobbed up and down, giggling and chatting. Robbie watched with pride and the warm, fuzzy feeling she got whenever she realized how lucky she was.

"Obby, I go too," demanded Reb.

"You can't, Reb," Robbie said, sitting down next to her little daughter.

"Why?" asked Reb.

Because you can't swim," explained Robbie.

"Why?" asked Reb annoyingly. Why was a word that had just become Reb's mainstay of conversation.

"Because you wouldn't let Ryan teach you," explained Robbie, bending to come nose to nose with the child.

Reb's enormous liquid eyes turned stormy blue. "Ryan drowned me!"

"Did she mean to?" asked Robbie in surprise.

Reb looked confused and shook her head. "No."

"Oh. Was it an accident?" asked the child's adopted Mom, persistently.

Reb frowned. "No."

"Hmmm, I don't get it, Reb. Why did Ryan drowned you?" she asked conversationally.

"Because of the fire," Reb explained impatiently.

Robbie looked all around. "There isn't any fire now, Reb. It's all gone."

"All gone?" Reb asked for reassurance.

"Yes, all gone," Robbie smiled, slipping an arm around her daughter.

"Why?" asked Reb.

"Because the rain put it out," explained Robbie.

"Why?"

"Because water drowns fire," Robbie explained patiently. "You want me to show you how to swim while Ryan is busy?" she continued before another why came her way.

Reb sat watching her Mom and big sister laughing out in the water and diving for the elusive anchor for a minute. "You no drown me, Obby," she stated.

"Okay," Robbie agreed happily. "I'll be careful."

***

Janet dived down into the cool, clear water and skimmed along the sandy bottom looking for the barrel of rocks that they used to tie a raft to as children. When her lungs started to burn, she arched her body and with strong strokes of her arms rocketed to the surface again. She hadn't played like this in years. It was so super to be a family. Ryan was just a wonderful child. A much more stable blend of personality traits than her mother. She had her Aunt Elizabeth's quiet logic and Robbie's creative spark and daring.

Janet wondered if Robbie had any idea just how bright Ryan really was. She wondered if she should talk to Robbie again about Ryan's test results and then rejected the idea. Ryan needed space to decide for herself what she wanted to do with her life. If she talked to Robbie, Janet wasn't sure that her focused partner would not force Ryan into a life style she didn't really want.

She looked over at her gorgeous lover as she patiently fitted water wings onto Reb. Robbie was such an amazing mixture of fire and ice it was hard to know always which way she would go. She had been wonderful about the swimsuit. Robbie had walked in and found Janet sitting on the bed crying as she looked at the swimsuit that was specially designed with a pocket for a breast mold to be added.

Robbie had sat down beside her and held her close. Then she had stripped the housecoat off her and they had made love tenderly. Later, Robbie had taken the swimsuit from the floor where it had fallen and gently slipped it on her lover with a good number of kisses and caresses. 'You are beautiful. You excite me. And I am so proud to be seen at your side,' Robbie had said, in such a sincere manner that Janet never felt awkward again slipping into her swimsuit. Robbie could be so wonderful.

"I think I saw it!" Ryan yelled, breaking the surface to the right of where Janet trod water. The teacher smiled and brought her focus back on the job at hand.

***

"Okay, Reb, this swimming is easy. Even Rufus can do it." The dog in question raised a large, unruly eyebrow and looked at the two humans with mild disinterest. Rufus had no intension of going in the water. Lying in the sun was so much more fun.

"First, you have to lie on your stomach in the shallow water like this," said Robbie demonstrating. "Then you kick your feet and move your arms. Okay, you try."

Reb, who had watched with intense, big eyes, rolled over on her belly and dutifully kicked and stroked with her arms as she had seen Obby do. "Great, kid. Now you got to remember to keep your fingers together to scoop the water. That's right." Reb giggled as she splashed water all over Obby as she dog paddled, anchored to the shore by her belly.

"Now, this is what happens next," explained Obby. She walked out deeper in the water and did the dog paddle for Reb to see. The she came back to shore where Reb sat looking very apprehensive.

"I'm going to support you with my hand just like the sand did. We'll move out into deeper water slowly. You know I won't let go of you, Reb, so you just relax and splash me all you want. You are really safe. Swimming feels good, Reb. Its just like when I used to lift you up and let you fly."

This idea appealed to Reb. Robbie kept the child in the shallow water for a bit so Reb could still feel the bottom, then gradually, she drifted her small charge out into deeper water. Reb kicked and splashed in glee as Robbie spun her around in circles like she used to do over her head, when Reb was smaller. "Obby! I fly, Obby!" Reb laughed.

"No, you are swimming! Way to go, Rebel!"

"I swim by myself," demanded Reb. Robbie caught her daredevil daughter up into her arms before the small child could wiggle free.

"No, Rebecca, you have to practise a lot first. It takes more than one lesson to learn to swim."

Big, liquid blues looked seriously back at Robbie. "I can swim. I go swim with Ryan and Mommy," the child stated firmly.

"Okay, Rugrat. But you have to hold on to me, okay?" negoctiated Robbie. Reb nodded, a smile flashing across her face.

Janet was just tying the line to the empty bleach bottle that Ryan held when she was hit in the face with a splash of water. "I swim, Mommy! I swim! Look Ryan, I swim. Now I can't drown!"

The small child wore a full life jacket now and clung to Robbie by the back straps of her bathing suit. Janet laughed. "That's great, Reb! Good for you!" praised her mother.

"Ryan, I swim with you now!" begged the now fearless child.

Ryan looked a bit sulky. "Thought you didn't trust me?" she muttered.

"I trust, Ryan. I swim like Ryan too," protested Reb.

Her big sister was won over by Reb's enthusiasm. With a few strong strokes, she was beside her Mom and Robbie slipped Reb carefully from her own shoulder's to Ryan's. Reb wrapped her arms around Ryan's neck and her legs around her big sister's waist. "Go Ryan! Go! We fly!" giggled Reb, as Ryan did a breast stroke through the water around her parents.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16