Robbie looked down at the tablecloth, tracing patterns with a long, slender finger gracefully. "Listen, I'm kind of head of the family now. I feel I've got some responsibility to see that Rebecca here is okay."
"Were you and Billy close?" asked Janet looking up from watching Robbie's hand. She had beautiful hands with long artist's fingers. In fact, Roberta Williams was a knock out. One of those rare people that were very comfortable and unaffected by their incredible good looks.
Robbie frowned, "No."
"Robbie, Billy never saw his daughter. The Williams family does not have any responsibility to Rebecca. I'm quite capable of raising her on my own."
"What the hell sort of relationship did my brother have with you?!" Robbie asked in irritation. Janet was saved from answering by the arrival of their food. This time Janet noticed that Robbie deliberately did not look up at the waitress. Nor had she last time. She doesn't want to be recognized! I hadn't even thought about her being famous.
"Thanks," smiled Janet, drawing the attention to herself.
"You're welcome," replied the waitress, walking off.
"I'm sorry," Janet said, reaching over to touch Robbie's arm.
Robbie liked the touch but didn't show it. "Sorry for what?"
"For bringing attention to you last time the waitress was here. It never occurred to me...I'm sorry," repeated Janet sincerely.
Robbie shrugged and looked uncomfortable. "So you tell me about your relationship with Billy and I'll stuff these eggs into the kid, okay?"
Janet looked into those remarkable blue eyes while she considered. They seemed to glow with an inner light. "Okay," she said, wondering if Robbie would understand.
Robbie picked up a fork determinedly. Janet took it away and handed her a teaspoon. "Just put a little on and blow on it first so it is cool," she cautioned. Robbie nodded and scooped up some egg and blew on it. Then offered it to Rebecca. Rebecca grabbed the spoon with a laugh and tipped it over into Robbie's lap.
"Shit!" Robbie snapped.
Janet raised an eyebrow in annoyance.
"The kid got egg all over me!" protested Robbie. Janet said nothing. Robbie scooped up, blew on and offered egg again. This time Rebecca refused to open her mouth but one egg filled hand came up and grabbed Robbie's hair.
Janet saw the look and reacted immediately, "Here," she said, hurriedly offering Robbie her napkin, "like this." Janet took the spoon and readied a mouthful. "Here you are, sweet one, open up for mommy. That's a good girl. Do you like the eggs Aunt Robbie got you? Come on, have another spoonful," Janet coaxed, putting the spoon in her daughter's mouth then lifting it up so the egg was scraped off as the spoon was withdrawn.
Robbie watched intently, finding the exchange between mother and daughter fascinating.
"Okay, now you try," Janet smiled handing the spoon back to Robbie. Robbie repeated the action. Right down to Janet's expressions and voice tone. Rebecca ate her egg happily and Janet sat with her mouth open in shock.
"That's me!" She gasped.
Robbie smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. Rebecca burped and threw up on Robbie's hand.
Robbie lifted her hand and watched the partly digested egg drip off. "And just what expression do I use to describe what I am feeling now?" she asked quietly, pulling a face.
"I usually say, Oh dear," offered Janet trying not to laugh.
"Nope, 'Oh dear' just doesn't cut it dramatically," sighed Robbie.
"Here," said Janet softly, taking Robbie's hand and wiping it clean with her napkin. "Tell you what, you eat your dinner and I'll finish feeding Rebecca. I'm used to eating with one hand."
Robbie didn't protest. She'd had successfully stifled, for now, any nesting instinct that might have been lying dormant within her. She looked down at her cool and partly congealed omelette. Janet's eyes followed. "You get used to eating your food cold," she sighed. Robbie nodded and ate her dinner moodily, watching silently while Janet ate and fed Rebecca at the same time.
They left some time later, Janet carrying a now tired and grumpy child to the truck. Robbie gingerly held the crying child while Janet got in the rear seat and then with relief passed Rebecca over. Janet strapped her miserable daughter into her car seat while Robbie walked around and slipped into the driver's seat once again. For a while the sound of wailing pierced the air above Janet's soothing voice.
Then both child and mom went quiet as Robbie started to sing. Her songs were old Welsh lullabies and her voice was low and melodic. Soon Rebecca was fast asleep and Robbie pulled to the side to let Janet get back into the front seat. "You have a beautiful voice," she said as they started off again.
"Hmm," responded Robbie disinterestedly.
"Have you sung professionally? I don't remember you singing in any of your movies except in
'Dark Night' but that was just a few words and you were drunk then," pattered Janet.
An eyebrow went up, "No, I don't sing professionally. And I wasn't drunk. I was acting drunk.
There is a big difference," the actor clarified.
"You don't drink alcohol at all?" asked Janet in surprise. She had understood that the famous director had lived a rather wild life.
"Rarely and never to excess," responded Robbie. "Where do I turn off the highway?"
"Just north of Bartlet," Janet responded, as she studied the profile of the actor.
"Nothing is north of Bartlet," observed Robbie sarcastically, "Is there something wrong with my face?"
Janet smiled, "No, you are really very beautiful but I guess you hear that a lot. No, I was trying to understand you. You are a very complex person."
Robbie had heard she was beautiful a lot but somehow that Janet thought so made her tired spirits rise. She wasn't sure, however, if she wanted Janet to understand her. She probably wouldn't like what she found.
Janet had shifted so that she leaned against her door and was looking at Robbie. She was a strange and beautiful enigma, filled with a pulsating energy that could focus in a instant in violence or in care. Janet couldn't explain why but she really didn't dislike this woman as she had first thought she would. In fact, she found herself very much impressed by Roberta Williams.
She had found the Williams family a trying experience. What if anything happened to her? Legally, her daughter would be handed over to Alexandria. That scared the hell out of Janet. Elizabeth seemed nice, but she lived in her own world. She wouldn't have time for an active child like Rebecca. Then there was Robbie...
"Can I ask you a question?"
"I guess," Robbie sighed, waiting to hear one of the standard fan questions.
"Would you be Rebecca's guardian?"
The truck swerved onto the gravel shoulder and then bounced back on the tarmac. "What!?"
"If anything were to happen to me, I want to make sure Rebecca has someone that will take good care of her. Billy's dead and I don't have any family. I don't want Rebecca running any chance of having the childhood I did," explained Janet.
Robbie stole a look at the face of the serious woman beside her. "You were an orphan?"
"Yes."
"Who raised you?"
"My grandfather," answered Janet openly.
"Why me? Do you know anything about me?!" asked Robbie, in disbelief.
"All I've read about you was pretty negative. You are supposed to be a creative genius but a tyrant. Did you really cause Sally Gershman's nervous breakdown?"
"Most likely. So why me then?" Robbie repeated stubbornly.
"I've seen a bit of that tyrannical nature tonight, but I don't think Rebecca would be intimidated by it. I've also seen another side of you today. Elizabeth adores you. Alexandria respects you and I've learned that you have a really soft heart."
"Crap."
"Will you be her guardian?" repeated Janet, proving herself just as stubborn as Robbie.
There was a long silence as various emotions washed across Robbie's face. "Yes," she finally said.
"I'm glad," Janet said softly and leaned back against the headrest.
An hour later, they turned off the Bartlett road and bounced down a rutted dirt lane pressed in on either side by thick trees. "Do you live with the bears?" asked Robbie sarcastically.
"Only in the winter," Janet yawned, as they came to a stop outside a log cabin. "This is where we live," Janet explained.
Robbie looked at the log cabin in disbelief, "Who with? Daniel Boone!?"
Autumn Winds
Part2
by Anne Azel
Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the property of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended.
My thanks to the readers who have been so kind in showing their appreciation. You are a great bunch! My special thanks to Lisa, Inga and Susan, my long suffering and hard working beta readers.
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.
I like it, Robbie concluded looking around the small log home while Janet busied herself getting an exhausted Rebecca to bed. The log walls were varnished a soft honey colour and the furniture was over stuffed, traditional and comfy. The sofa and chair were in a deep burgundy plaid and the matching chair a forest green.
The focus of the room was a huge fireplace of granite stones on either side of which were large windows. Robbie looked out but the night was too dark to see the view. The kitchen was to the other side, separated by a log counter with a cut stone top. The third wall was built-in bookcases with a t.v. centre inset. And the last wall opened onto a hall, off which were two bedrooms and a bathroom.
They had entered by the side door, near the kitchen. The front door was in a small entrance hall beside the living room. The front door, from what Robbie could see out the window, seemed to open onto a front porch that ran the length of the house.
It was small but very well organized and tastefully decorated. Robbie put her overnight bag down on the chair and walked over to look at the large painting over the mantel. The artist was a well known Eastern Woodland Indian painter. The image was of Corn Mother feeding her young. The subject was simple and bold in colour. Like that too, Robbie thought then wandered across the room to look at the books.
There was a scattering of popular literature but the vast majority of the books were related to educational philosophy. Hell! Billy married a school marm!
"Sorry to leave you standing there, Robbie, but I had to get Rebecca to bed," explained Janet walking back into the room.
"You're a school teacher?! Over paid, under worked, summers off, don't care about basics or kids, school teacher?!" growled Robbie lifting the book in her hand to reveal the title, Methodology in Gifted Classrooms by J. J. Layton.
"What! Listen you..." started Janet in annoyance, the red warming her cheeks. Then she saw the sparkle in Robbie's eyes. "I bet you were a real terror in school," she laughed folding her arms across her chest and giving the tall woman her best teacher look.
Robbie's face became instantly innocent as she pointed her index finger at herself. "Me?"
"Hmmm, it explains why you turned into a rude, overbearing, ego-centric workaholic," growled Janet in her best imitation of Robbie's voice.
Robbie feigned surprise and hurt and Janet walked over to her and took the book from her hand and placed it back on the shelf. Their bodies were very close now and again Janet sensed the warm, gentle heat and spicy scent of the famous actor. It's no wonder she has such a wild reputation. Robbie Williams would be very hard to resist, thought Janet.
She turned to find Robbie very close, looking down at her. For a moment there was a silence that radiated tension then Robbie stepped back and asked, "Well, are you a school marm?!"
"Yes, I'm the principal at The Bartlet School for the Gifted," revealed Janet over her shoulder as she hurried to put the kitchen counter between her and Robbie. The way she was feeling about this woman was definitely not good. Shit! "Can I get you anything? I usually have a cup of tea around this time," rambled Janet.
Robbie nodded and moved to stand by the dark window in contemplation. "Yeah, tea would be good," she responded after a minute. Damn, I must be tired. I almost kissed her! What the hell is the matter with you Williams! Robbie thought trying to pull herself together. What the hell am I doing here?!
"So just what kind of relationship did you have with my brother?" asked Robbie going on the offensive, "You never did answer me."
Janet grimaced and put down the mug that she was holding. She looked over the counter at the tall woman who had turned to look at her. Their eyes met. Janet licked her lips. There was no point in lying. Robbie would check, she knew she would. "I needed money quickly. Lots of money, so I sold my body to your brother," she answered quietly pleased that her voice hadn't cracked with the emotion she was holding firmly in check. The blue eyes registered surprise followed by doubt.
Janet swallowed and fumbled to make the tea with shaking hands. The splash of the hot water and rattle of the china were painfully loud in the deafening silence that had followed her statement. When she finally looked up Robbie was still standing there looking at her, a shrewd and calculating look on her face.
"Would you like to put your bag in your room while the tea is brewing?" Janet asked to end the silence.
"Yes," Robbie replied meeting Janet's eyes. Janet read perplexity. Robbie saw pain in the green eyes that looked back at her.
Robbie followed Janet into a bedroom that was clearly hers. Here the large logs were hung with Navaho rugs. They weren't big but they were of a good quality, Robbie noted as she leaned on the door jamb after placing her bag on the floor. "So you sell your body, huh?" she purred and saw the shock and anger rise in Janet's eyes. "How much?" she enquired with a voice laced with steel.
"It was a one-time business deal, Robbie. Back off!" Janet warned, stepping back as Robbie stepped toward her. The tall woman looked hungry and mean and she walked like a dark, jungle cat stalking its prey. Janet reached behind her as she took the last step back.
Quickly, she picked up the wood based lamp and swung it at Robbie. Robbie stopped it with one hand. For a long minute the two women glared at each other. "What did you think I was going to do? Rape you?!" drawled Robbie, one eye brow arched in annoyance.
"Let's get one thing straight here, Williams. If you are going to be part of Rebecca and my life, you will not try your little mind games or intimidations on me!" snarled Janet.
"I want to know the truth!" growled Robbie.
"Truth?!" snorted Janet, pushing past Robbie and heading for the kitchen, "After the Williams' staging I witnessed today, I'd be hard pressed to believe that truth could survive in your world!"
She walked into the kitchen and found that her hands were shaking so hard with anger, she couldn't pour the tea. Robbie stepped around the corner and Janet jumped.
Robbie rolled her eyes and turned to pour the tea with steady hands and carry the mugs into the living room. The coffee table, she put the mugs down on, was in the shape of an old fashioned sled. Janet had unusual and creative taste, Robbie decided, as she sat down in the green chair and stretched out her long legs crossing her ankles comfortably. She raised an eyebrow at the angry woman who still stood in the kitchen and waited.
Janet came around the counter and dropped into the Burgundy chair at the other end of the coffee table. "That was a disgusting thing you did, you god-damn bitch," snarled Janet her voice shaking with emotion.
Robbie shrugged unimpressed. She'd been called worse. "And your business deal wasn't? I told you before, accept my authority. Everything you have ever heard about me is true and there is a lot you haven't heard. Now, tell me what I want to know."
"I am prepared to accept your intelligence and ability, Robbie. But you have no authority over my life and never will. We will start to get on a lot better when YOU accept an equal relationship with me," responded the petite woman confidently.
Robbie got the ghost of a smile that Janet found so sexy. "I'll give you this, school marm, you can hold your own! I don't want the press digging up any dirt that I don't know about and can't react to immediately. What you tell me will not go any farther."
Janet nodded. "There is not too much to tell. My grandfather was a gambler. As he got older he lost some of his sharpness and all of his money. He signed my name to some debts that he was not able to pay. He died and I found out I owed a fortune. The creditors would not consider payments and the bank would not give me a loan for that amount of money. I was facing a prison term.
I was desperate. I met your brother at a party. He was desperate too. He said he needed an heir but he didn't want any obligations to either the child or its mother. I said I'd have and raise an heir for him in exchange for the money I needed," explained Janet looking at the fireplace, her face white with stress.
Silence.
Robbie got up, "I'm going to bed now. Where are you sleeping," she asked abruptly.
Janet looked up, her eyes blinking at the sudden change of subject. "Here, on the couch," she stated. Robbie nodded and was gone. Janet leaned her head back on the chair, emotionally drained by the day and by Robbie Williams. The woman was impossible, an erratic blend of fire and ice.
Robbie lay in Janet's bed, her hands folded under her head, and stared at the ceiling. She was taut with anger and she had absolutely no idea why. She had got what she wanted from Janet. She had spirit, that little one. The bed had a lingering scent of hot summer herbs and honey that she knew was the chemical makeup of Janet.
Billy had got what he wanted too. Her heart jolted and a pain filled her chest, Shit! That was it! She was jealous that Billy had bedded Janet! Get a grip here, lady! This woman is nothing to you! She probably isn't even gay. You're just experiencing some latent nesting syndrome because you like Rebecca. Reb was all right. Really, well behaved for a kid. Wonder why Billy suddenly felt he had to have a child? Then an awful realization exploded on her mind. A fear gripped her heart and she rolled out of bed, grabbing her night gown.
Janet was still sitting in the chair. She looked and felt completely numb. The bedroom door opened and in a few quick strides Robbie was in front of her, "Why did he marry you? He could have got an heir without marrying you?! Why?!" she demanded.
Janet sighed and answered in a voice devoid of energy or emotion. "He insisted. He said his child couldn't be a bastard. We even waited a few months after we were married before... He wanted no doubt that the child was his legal heir. He said it was important.
Then Robbie understood and cold icicles of fear ran down her back. "This is important," she stated seriously, fighting not to show any of her true feelings, "Did he tell you anything else?"
Janet shook her head and the towering woman seemed to relax a bit. She wore only a blue, silk bed jacket tied with a belt. The jacket ended half way between her knee and her hip. Her legs were incredibly long and shapely. She must sleep naked, Janet thought and then looked away to the dead ashes in the hearth.
Robbie looked at the woman intently. No, she didn't know anymore, she reasoned and turned on her heel and was gone. Janet barely noticed her leaving she was so exhausted.
Janet woke early, to the sound of Rebecca demanding attention. For a minute, she had no idea where she was, then the events of the day before filtered back into her consciousness. She'd better get up. No doubt her damn uninvited houseguest would want a hunk of raw meat thrown in her direction for breakfast. With a sigh, she rolled off the couch onto her feet and moved blurry eyed towards Rebecca's room. "Hi sweetheart!" she called to the small child who stood in her crib holding on to the bars. At the sight of her mom, she bounced with glee. "Want to shower with mommy this morning?" More giggles of delight.
Janet stripped off Rebecca's diaper and carried her into the bathroom. The happy child played with her rubber ducky until her mom had turned on and adjusted the water for their shower. After much singing, giggling and soap bubbles the two emerged squeaky clean and with a warm glow. Janet slipped a Toronto Maple Leaf jersey over her head and a similar one over Rebecca's. Then mother and daughter headed off for the kitchen to see to breakfast.
Robbie's bedroom door was open and after hesitating, Janet moved farther down the hall and looked in. The bed had been stripped and the sheets left neatly folded at the end of the bed. Robbie's overnight bag was zipped closed and lay on a chair. It was the only indication that Robbie was still around. Rebecca squirmed to be let down and Janet came back from her thoughts and lowered her active daughter to her feet. Rebecca looked into the room. "Mommy's room," said the child pointing.
"Yes, mommy's room," agreed Janet. "Come on Rebecca, let's get some breakfast, okay?"
Rebecca giggled and ran wobbly on her feet towards the kitchen.
"What will it be partner?" asked Janet looking over the counter and down at her daughter who looked back with serious blue eyes.
"Banana, peas," came the response.
"You'd like a banana on fresh bread?" clarified Janet with a smile at her daughter's good manners.
"Yes, peas," came the response as Rebecca ran across the room and stood by the screen door. "Oby come. Oby come," the little child reported happily.
Janet felt her gut tighten but she smiled and said, "Good, Robbie can have breakfast with you, Rebecca."
Robbie kept a steady pace up the dirt road. It was nice running in the cool of the woods rather than out on the hard pavement of the city. The air smelt of pine not diesel and the ground was softer under foot. She picked up the pace enjoying the high that a long run always gave her. The road bent and Robbie caught a glimpse of the lake before she dropped back into the mottled shadows that lead back to Janet's log cabin.
Running up the wide wood stairs, she came to a stop on the large porch that over looked a long, narrow lake. The view was framed by tall pines and out on the lake a pair of loons called to each other in a lonely, plaintive cries.
"Oby!" came a voice from behind her and the director turned to see Rebecca standing at the screen door, looking at her.
"Hi, Rebel! How are you doing this morning?" Robbie asked feeling herself drawn to her brother's child by some powerful inner force. She carefully opened the door and stepped in. Rebecca looked way up and fell on her bum in the process. "Oops, you okay, kid?" asked the dark woman from way above her.
Rebecca reached up her small arms, "Oby up. Oby up," she insisted. Strong arms wrapped around her and the next minute, she shot up in the air and was looking down at Oby's face. She laughed happily and the tall woman laughed too.
Robbie swung Rebecca up into her arms and walked over to where Janet was working in the kitchen. "Morning," she said stiffly.
"Good morning," came a hostile voice in return.
Robbie smiled cruelly. "Still got our feathers ruffled have we?" she drawled. Janet gave her a murderous look but said nothing. She sliced a banana onto a piece of fresh bread, folded the bread over and passed it to her daughter who was still wrapped contentedly in Robbie's arms.
"What would you like to eat?" she asked the tall woman formally. Robbie looked down at Rebecca who was busily pulling out slices of banana and mushing them into Robbie's shoulder.
Robbie smiled wearily as a partly chewed piece of sticky fruit slipped down her cleavage. "You did that deliberately, didn't you?" she asked an eyebrow going up in annoyance.
"Yes," smiled Janet from behind her coffee mug as she watched her daughter be... well, her daughter. Rebecca laughed with a mouth full of banana and reached up with a sticky hand to grab Robbie's nose. Banana slime now dripped from the famous woman's face. Janet snorted into her coffee.
"Okay, Reb, you've given your mom enough entertainment at my expense," said the tall woman coming around the counter to place Rebecca in her highchair. The banana sandwich went on the floor. Robbie sighed and bent to pick it up. "I can't understand why the world is over populated," muttered the director looking disgustedly at the mushed sandwich before she dropped it into the garbage.
"Go clean up and I'll finish feeding Rebecca and get us some breakfast too," stated Janet looking at the woman who now stood beside her.
Robbie looked down at Janet. The petite woman had spunk and a nasty sense of humour. She was pretty and intelligent too. Her little brother had picked some good genetic stock it would seem. "So you are speaking to me now, huh?" she growled.
"It would be childish not to. However, for the record, you are not forgiven for your appalling behaviour last night," stated Janet turning away. She could feel Robbie behind her. Feel her warmth and the intense energy that always seemed to be around her. Then the feeling was gone, Robbie walked passed on the other side of the counter.
"Breakfast isn't necessary," stated the retreating figure.
Janet's eyes followed the arrogant woman in amazement. Robbie bullies her last night and then gets her feelings hurt this morning because Janet is still angry at her! The woman was the strangest piece of work that Janet had ever come across! Angrily, Janet peeled the remainder of the banana and passed it to her daughter to eat. "Here you are, Reb," she said softly. Now where had that come from?! Robbie had called her that. Damn! The name seemed to suit her fearless daughter too. Perplexed, she turned back to the kitchen and started to prepare blackberry pancakes for the two of them.
Robbie stormed into the bedroom and stripped off her sweats. Opening her bag, she pulled out her dressing gown and slipped it on and then took out underwear, jeans and a sweatshirt. She headed down the hall to the bathroom and was dismayed to find it smelt of the warm sweet herbs that were Janet. Shit! Why am I angry? Who cares if she thinks I'm a bastard? I am! Damn the woman anyway, Robbie grumbled, as she slipped out of her wrap, and stepped on a wet rubber ducky in the shower.
Janet had cleaned Reb up and was just placing her in her play pen when she heard the crash. She walked over to the hall and then hurried down to the bathroom door. "Are you okay?" she asked the door. No answer. "Robbie, are you okay?!"she repeated, her voice a little louder. There was still no answer. Janet knocked on the door. Nothing. She turned the knob and looked in. Robbie lay on the bathroom floor, half in and half out of the shower. Janet's shocked mind registered three things one after the other: She's naked. She's gorgeous. Oh my God, I think she's dead!
Robbie came round a few minutes later to find herself in Janet's arms and covered respectfully with a bath towel. Her head throbbed and her knee ached terribly. She closed her eyes and played hurt to the best of her ability. Janet held an ice pack on the lump growing on her temple and she was calling to her softly. "Robbie, Robbie are you okay?"
The actor milked the scene for all it was worth before opening the baby blues. "You left that duck there on purpose, didn't you?" she drawled, her eyebrow going up in question as she looked at Janet.
"Well, no, but I wish I had," revealed Janet with a grin.
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