Greater Than Rubies, a Novella inspired by the Jewel Trilogy (15 page)

Robin snorted. “Yeah, and he – “

With a small smile, Tony said, “Yes. I know. The point is, people are going to dig, discover, and it’s going to get out. The reporter was correct. I think you should be open about your past. Do another interview with him. We’ll give it on the condition that we get to read the final product before publication. Stop the fire before it becomes a storm, so to speak.”

Embarrassment, horror, fear, all sprang up in her chest, drowning her. “Wait. You can’t be serious.”

“I am completely serious.” He reached for her hand and took it with both of his. “I can’t stop this from happening. We can just try to control it.”

Terrified that she would just burst into tears sitting right there, Robin closed her eyes and pulled her hand away. “Please,” she whispered.

“My love, you have nothing for which you need be ashamed. You were a child and your story is a remarkable tale of endurance and sacrifice. You made it. Look at the woman you became.”

He was right. They would never stop. The best defense was a good offense. She took deep long breaths. In and out. Inhale, exhale. Finally in control, she opened her eyes and looked at her fiancé. “If you think I need to, then I will. But I wish you didn’t think I needed to.”

“Robin,
cara
, I am sorry that it came to this, and I’m even sorrier that I didn’t foresee it. Please forgive me.”

This time, she reached forward and took his hand. “Tony, this isn’t your fault. It’s just life. And for whatever reason, people care about stuff like that. It’s never been important to me, other peoples’ stories. But I guess this is considered news. I trust your judgment in handling it, and I know you wouldn’t put me in a position that would hurt me.”

His eyes grew intense and Robin’s heart skipped a beat. “Never,” he said. “I promise you that.”

“I just wish – “

Tony waited, but she didn’t finish the sentence. Finally, he asked, “What,
cara
? What do you wish?”

Robin picked her fork back up again and cut a piece of scone. “I just sometimes wish you weren’t richer than dirt. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about people questioning how genuine my love for you is or what my motivations might be for marrying you.”

OBIN
leaned back against the booth as the waitress placed a salad in front of her. Craig sat across from her and fidgeted as the waitress gave him his soup. He picked up his spoon but set it back down again. “Can we bless this?”

“Absolutely,” Robin said, lacing her fingers in her lap and bowing her head.

Craig cleared his throat and said, “Dear God, thank You for this food. And thank You for my daughter and for her birthday. I know my future is not bright, what with the prison sentence in front of me, but I’m glad to at least get this one with her. Amen.”

Robin smiled and put a hand to her chest. “What a beautiful prayer. Thank you.”

He shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. “This is all new to me. I don’t always know what to say or how to act.”

“Likewise.”

With a nod, he picked up his spoon again. “That’s right. It’s new to you, too. You make it look easy.”

“I have a good teacher,” she said, looking at the ring on her finger. “Tony has been great.”

“You got yerself a good man, there, girl. You keep him.” He looked around the steak house. Loud country music blared from the speakers and peanut shells littered the floor. Robin loved the nostalgic post WWII decor and the relaxed atmosphere. “Pretty nice place, huh?”

“I think it’s wonderful. Thank you for inviting me.” She chewed on some iceberg lettuce and swallowed. “Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure.” Craig took another sip of soup, then pushed his bowl aside.

“Well, two things, really.” She was still trying to learn how to relate to her only living parent.

“Anything.” His fingers tapped on the top of the table. Robin had noticed that he never sat still anymore. She remembered all the years serving him at Hank’s and could always tell when he had reached his drink tolerance, because his fidgety body would slowly slow down.

“I have four months left on my lease and don’t really want to break it. Maxine’s apartment is ready for her to start moving into it. I know the halfway house is pushing you to get out.”

Craig nodded. “Now that I have a job, they need to free up the bed. It’s been hard to find something temporary, knowing what May will bring.”

“Well, Maxine has offered to let Sarah and I stay with her, if you would be willing to take over my lease. I know it’s two bedrooms, instead of one, but I can pay half of the rent if you need me to.”

Craig nodded. “What’s your rent there?” She told him. He frowned. “I might could swing it. I think Casey’s being a little more generous with my pay because I’m the boss’ dad.” He grinned. “I’m okay with that, though, ‘cause I won’t be here for too long.”

In a spontaneous movement, she reached forward and took his hand. “I’m really proud of you. You going forward to the police and turning yourself in is amazing.”

With a shrug, he said, “I can’t run anymore.”

She squeezed his hand and went back to her salad. “You’re doing the right thing. But it must be intimidating.”

“Well, I don’t know. I been inside more of my adult life than out. So, it’s not like an unknown. Would be better if I knew how long they’s going to give me. Barry doesn’t seem to think it will be more than ten years, seein’s how I turned myself in and it’s manslaughter. But, we’ll see. What is going to be hard is to start a ministry inside. Abram and Tony, they’re helping me and teaching me. I go to class every Wednesday to learn how.”

Robin grinned. “I know. It’s so exciting.”

Craig shook his head and smiled at the same time. “So strange this turn in my life. But you know, we were praying about it and, this is going to sound funny.”

Robin waited. When he didn’t speak anymore, just kept his lips tight and his eyebrows knotted up, she prompted, “Go ahead.”

He took a breath and raised one shoulder in a half shrug, “Well, it was like I heard someone talking to me inside my head. Like I heard an actual voice. It was telling me that I had already been to prison for a reason. That I already knew the system inside for a reason. That everything had already been planned ahead of time to bring me to this place and time that is coming. I can’t get my head around it. I took two lives. It makes no sense to me. And since then, I find myself feeling excited about the idea of going back in. Imagine being excited about going back to prison.”

“I know what you mean.” Robin took a drink of her soda and pushed her plate aside just as the waitress arrived carrying platters of steak and potatoes. Her mouth watered at the tantalizing aromas wafting her way.

After she cut into her steak and chewed the first bite, she said,” I was also wondering if you wouldn’t mind giving me away at my wedding. I’d contemplated asking Hank, but – “

He shook his head. “I ain’t been much of a father to you. Hank did so much more.”

“But you are my father. I’m incredibly proud of you and want to show you off. But also, I was praying about you or Hank and I kept hearing my voice saying I must honor you because you are my father.” She watched as he tugged at his collar and nervously took a sip of his iced tea. “I spent so many years feeling like I was alone. In the last few months, I’ve gained Tony and his friends and now I’ve found my dad. I want you to be the one to give me away.”

Craig’s eyes blinked rapidly and he cleared his throat a few times before speaking. “I’d be honored,” he whispered, then furiously cut into his steak.

ONY
rose from the couch as Robin came into her apartment. “Hi. How did the dinner with Craig go?”

“Hi.” Robin shed her coat and put her purse and keys on the bar dividing the kitchen and living room. “It was really nice. My steak was great.”

“Is he going to give you away?” Robin walked toward him and put her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. She loved the way it felt when he put his arms around her, and for a moment, she just breathed in the smell and feel of him.

“Yes,” she said, pulling back and kissing him. “He thought Hank should do it, but I convinced him. He’s also going to take over my lease.”

Tony frowned. “Your lease?”

Robin shrugged and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Instead of breaking my lease at the end of April, I’d rather give the apartment to Craig. Sarah and I are going to go stay with Maxine.”

“Why didn’t you come to me? I could have helped work this out. I could have gotten Craig a place, or you a hotel room or something.”

“I don’t know. Maybe because it doesn’t have anything to do with you, and it was easy to work out?”

“
Cara
, everything pertaining to you pertains to me.”

Robin sat down on the couch and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Do you want to give me the specifics of your day and all of your wheeling and dealing, or do you plan to just gloss it over with your smooth voice and romantically tell me how the day stretched on and on in front of you until the moment you could see me again?”

Tony stared at her for a moment before throwing his head back and laughing. “Touché,” he said. “Point made and point taken.” He sat next to her and pulled a box out of his jacket pocket. “Happy Birthday, my beautiful bride-to-be.”

Her knee-jerk was to complain about yet another expensive gift, but since it was her birthday, she grinned and took the box from him. Inside, nestled in tissue paper, was a business card. “What is this?”

“That is an all-inclusive spa weekend for you and your sisters to be taken at some point before the wedding. It includes – for each of you – a 90 minute full body massage, masks, hair and nail stuff – all that spa things that I am told women most enjoy. This place is supposed to be the spot to go to in Boston.”

Robin read the business card. “So I just call the number.”

“
Si
. The reservation for the three of you is under your name.”

She put her arms around his neck and said, “Thank you, for my present.”

“You are most welcome. I confess, I find that I am curious to see how much more relaxed you feel after enjoying your spa day with your sisters.”