Trifecta (31 page)

Julia nodded, not looking at him, wondering why he was
doing this, torturing her this way.  It felt like a lump the size of a fist was
in her throat, which began to ache like it does when you want to cry and can't.

"Well, Julia," Robin said gently, "you put
it on the wrong hand.  I distinctly remember placing it on your left hand last night. 
Although the circumstances were not at all what I would have chosen."  He looked
at her downcast face.  "And I'm not doing a very swell job of it right this
minute either, am I?  You look so sad."

Julia's eyes opened very wide and she finally looked at
him.

"Were you crying," Robin asked.

Julia shook her head, feeling a tear steal down her cheek. 
She tried to wipe it away but Robin was kissing her cheek there, already.  "This
ring is the first present.  It's a real ring, Julia.  I swear.  Real diamonds. 
I got it for you, and I'm asking you to wear it on that left hand.  For the rest
of your life."

He took her left hand and put the ring on her finger. 
Then he startled her as he stood up and pulled the tee shirt off over his head in
one sudden, swift movement.  "The house goes with the ring.  And I took off
my shirt," Robin said, turning around with his arm spread out in front of her,
"to show you the rest of what goes with it."

Julia stood up and hugged him.  This was what she had wanted
so badly that she hadn't let herself believe it.

"Take off the rest," Julia said.  "I need
to inspect the property."

Robin looked down at her.  "And now I suppose I'll
have to perform?"

"I judge on performance, too," Julia warned,
laughing up at him.

"Not only the jury," Robin groused, "but
now the judge."

"Please hurry," Julia said, frantically unbuttoning
the pearl buttons on the front of her dress.

Robin finished more quickly and helped her take off her
bra and panties.  Then they were lying on top of the enormous bed holding each other. 
"Did I tell you I wanted to make you the happiest woman in the whole world?"
Robin asked, after they had to stop kissing to get their breath back.

Julia shook her head.

"I forgot most of my speech," he said, smoothing
the hair off of her forehead.  "Seems like I waited forever for this.  You
make me forget everything, Julia."

"You were perfectly eloquent," Julia said.  The
sun was shining brightly on the bed and she fleetingly wondered if he would notice
the changes in the proportions of her body.  Then she forgot everything as his hands
and mouth worked their magic,  awakening her again to the joys she had discovered
with him before.

The lovemaking went on for several hours, but it seemed
like minutes had passed.  They were finally lying on their backs, holding hands,
totally relaxed.  Julia thought she might have fallen asleep for a couple of minutes,
but she wasn't sure.

"When is the party really going to start?" Julia
asked lazily.

"Tonight.  Good thing too.  I'm wiped out," Robin
said sleepily, kissing her on the cheek.  "We should take a nap."

Julia turned and looked at him.  His eyes were closed and
he appeared to be asleep, but she didn't believe that he could fall off that quickly. 
"You know, I've been terribly selfish."

"How can you say that?  You're the best lover..."
Robin protested, opening his eyes and turning his head to look at her.  "I've
never felt so satisfied and happy.  And physically exhausted.  How can you even
think such a thing?"

"I mean you gave me another present," Julia answered, 
"I was so happy about it, I was planning to keep it all for myself."

"The ring, the house and me go together.  That's the
first present.  Scooter's baby was the second," Robin said.  "And in return,
you're the wonderful present I get for myself."

"This present I'm talking about is very special,"
Julia said, smiling.  "Something you don't know about."

"My love goes with everything.  I didn't mention that
because I thought it was a foregone conclusion.  Is that it?" Robin asked.

"This special present was made by the feeling we have
for each other.  See, when we were separated for a while, I didn't think you cared
about me.  I was totally miserable, but I wanted this present so very badly and
was so thrilled about it, I wasn't even going to tell you.  I was going to keep
it all for myself."

"Is this a riddle?" Robin asked.

"Yes.  It's really your first present to me.  And
it's the first present I'm giving you.  I want lots of them, so someday you'll probably
be pleading with me to not to give you any more."

Julia took Robin's hand and placed it on her abdomen, below
her belly button.  "Right here," she said softly.

Robin jumped up so fast he startled her.  "The first
time?"  He was crouching on his knees, both arms planted on either side of
her shoulders, his face inches from hers.  "You can't possibly mean what I'm
thinking.  It's already happened?"

"Evidently we're very compatible, physically,"
Julia said, laughing at his astonishment.  "You said, just today, that it was
magic.  And it was."

Robin collapsed dramatically on the bed beside her.  Then
he gathered her Julia in his arms and rolled her on top of him, suddenly galvanized
and full of energy by the news she had given him.

Robin stopped abruptly and pulled up on her shoulders,
holding her a few inches away from him.  "You haven't eaten anything today,
have you?"

Julia shook her head.  Robin rolled her over on her back,
scooted down and placed his head on her stomach, as though he was listening.  Then
he kissed the skin there.  "I love you very much already," he said very
distinctly to her stomach.  Then he looked at her.  "I've heard they can hear
when they're still inside, although it's probably a little early for that.  But
I want the baby to know my voice before it's born."

Robin sat up.  "Damn, you were almost shot today. 
A tree branch knocked you unconscious.  And instead of feeding you, I give you alcohol
on an empty stomach."

Robin leaped off the bed and pulled her up into his arms. 
"I have to get you something nourishing fast, you poor thing.  On top of everything
else, I've given you some pretty strenuous exercise the past couple of hours.  There
must be some food in the kitchen."

"You don't know?" Julia asked, a little alarmed,
noticing for the first time how her empty stomach was rumbling.  "This pregnancy
makes me ravenously hungry.  That was the first sign.  When I started getting suspicions
that something was different inside me."

"Really?  We'll feed you immediately," Robin
said.

Then he changed his mind and sat down on the edge of the
bed, pulling Julia into his lap.  "I want to understand something perfectly
first.  Even before we go find something to eat that will be good for the little
present inside.  From what you said, you were going to keep the baby?  You planned
this even though you thought we were estranged, and it wouldn't have a father?"

Julia was looking at his wonderful chest in front of her
eyes.  "I've always wanted children.  But I wanted this particular baby more
than anything in the world.  I was thrilled to be pregnant.  Because it was yours. 
I knew how smart and beautiful it would be, because it was a part of you."

Robin was shaking his head.  "That's the nicest thing
I've ever heard, Julia.  Except for last night.  When you said the woman I chose
would be the luckiest person on earth."

"I'm no paragon."

"I never wanted a paragon.  That would be boring as
hell.  I want you."

He got up off the bed and took her hand.  "This is
going to be so much fun.  You and a baby!  I can hardly believe it.

J
ulia was standing in front of an almost empty
refrigerator in a white terry robe Robin had given her.  She was a little appalled. 
Robin evidently thought it was normal to have an army of frozen dinners in the freezer
compartment. 

"No junk food?" Julia asked, so famished she
would have settled for Ding-Dongs and Cheetos.  There was a bottle of white wine,
a carton of eggs, some old cheese, an onion and one can of beer.

"The caterers will bring lots of stuff.  But that's
hours away.  I'll make a quick trip to the store.  Ice cream and pickles, I presume?"

"Cheese and onion omelette?" Julia asked.  "I
don't want to waste one minute of our time together."

"I'll make it," Robin offered, giving her a melting
smile.  "You sit and relax."

Julia coached from the sidelines, advising that he would
have to cook the onions first or they would be raw when the eggs got done, when
it became apparent Robin really didn't have a clue about how to cook a simple omelette. 
He only cut his finger once when he chopped up the onion.  Julia only had to jump
up twice to turn down the heat when she noticed the eggs were burning.  The omelette
was pronounced heavenly.

After lunch Robin proposed a swim in the pool.  Bathing
suits were unnecessary because they were so high up in the hills that no one could
see into the back yard. 

"Except maybe a helicopter," Julia said.  "Or
a mountain climber.  Or a plane."

"You're shy!" Robin said.  "The probability
of a plane or helicopter is almost nonexistent.  So it has to be me, even though
you know I adore your body.  This whole thing is going to be very interesting. 
Sometimes I feel like I've known you all my life.  But still, you're always surprising
me."

"I won't live with you first, Robin," Julia said
warningly.  "No trying it out for a while, to make sure you didn't make a mistake."

"I don't make serious mistakes," Robin said with
total conviction. 

Julia was following him back up the stairs to his bedroom. 
"Oh, and you're not at all arrogant, either.  Never make mistakes?"

"We're going to have to get married soon.  I don't
want us separated again.  Unless you want to live with me in wicked sin forever." 
He was smiling.

"No way, Robin."

He was rummaging around in a drawer and pulled out one
of his black tanks tops.  "I exercise in these.  You can wear it to swim in."

Julia nodded, slipped out of the robe and put the silky
shirt on.  It fell to her mid-thigh.

"Wow," Robin said when she turned around.  He
was pulling on swimming trunks.  "See, I knew exactly how that would look. 
And I never make mistakes on the important stuff.  I can hardly wait to see you
in that, after it gets wet."

Julia looked down and saw that the shirt was so large it
barely covered her chest.  She pulled up on the straps but it just slid down again. 
Robin was smiling at her appreciatively, and with exaggerated lechery.  Julia tried
to snap him with the towel he had handed her, but he jumped out of range.

Robin took off at a run out of the bedroom.  "I can't
stay here and look at you.  We'll just end up in bed again."

Julia rushed after him laughing.

When she caught up with him he was standing at the edge
of the pool, the deep end, facing her with a smile.

"What are you planning, Robin?" Julia asked suspiciously. 
"I don't trust that look on your face."

"Come here, Julia."

She shook her head and stopped a few feet away.

"I can't keep my hands off you.  I need a hug right
now."

Robin looked gorgeous with the sun shining on him in his
bathing suit, all lean legs and wide shoulders.  His stomach was perfectly flat. 
She couldn't resist.

"See?" he said, leaning forward to kiss her when
she walked up to him hesitantly.  He didn't even put his arms around her until he
could feel her arms reaching around his neck.

Julia let out a tiny shriek when she felt them tilting
backward.  Robin did a perfectly straight dead-drop backwards, holding Julia tightly,
and they landed in the water with an enormous splash.

Julia came up, laughing and sputtering. 

Robin was treading water.  He smiled back at her, and said
solemnly, "Lost my balance there.  You made me dizzy, Julia.  It's not my fault."

"Oh, really?" Julia said, feigning indignation. 
"You took shameful advantage of me in a weak moment.  On purpose, I might add."

"You think I did it on purpose?"  He looked surprised
and very innocent.

Julia dove under the water and went beneath him, giving
him a good goose along the way.  She came up in front of Robin.  "I know you
did." 

"We have to settle this like reasonable adults,"
Robin said.  "I'll race you to the end and back."

They made elaborate negotiations about who would do what
to whom when the winner was announced.  The bargain involved peeling grapes, bathing
in champagne and massages with mink mittens.  It degenerated to a discussion of
sexual slavery for the loser, with both of them getting ever more silly with the
suggestions for the poor loser.  There were more mundane chores included, like cleaning
up after Scooter's puppies for a month.

Julia knew she didn't have a chance in a race with Robin. 
No way.  She would have to cheat.  She though she could incapacitate him for a few
seconds.  The problem was, her own body could be traitorous.  The plan would backfire
if he got his hands on her.  Julia said she had to rest for a moment before the
race.  They had been treading water in the deep end for some time, but their laughter
about the silly race was what really made Julia weak.  She needed a minute to recover. 
Robin was solicitous.  After all, she was in a delicate condition.

Julia got out of the pool, went over to her towel and picked
it up, rubbing her hair vigorously.  She knew the shirt was clinging to her provocatively
as she walked back to the pool and she put a little extra bounce in her step, hoping
it wouldn't be too obvious.  Robin's eyes never left her.

"Forget the race," Robin said.  "I can think
of lots of better things to do."

Julia patted her face dry and then walked away like she
was going to put the towel down on a chair.  She suddenly turned and threw the towel
on top of Robin's head.  Perfect shot, she thought gleefully as the enormous towel
covered his head, the ends falling in the pool, immediately soaked. 

She backed up quickly for a running start, rushed forward
and did a flat dive almost over his head.  By the time Robin had snatched off the
wet clinging towel, Julia was half way down the length of the pool.  He yelled,
No fair, and started racing after her with a vengeance.

On the last leg of the race Julia could tell by the splashing
behind her that Robin had almost caught up when she was a few feet from the end
of the pool.  When she grabbed hold of the side she thought she won by a hair.

"Damn you're fast," Robin said when he surfaced. 
"I don't get a slave for the next month."

Julia was laughing and out of breath.  "All bets are
off.  I'm already your slave."

"Great.  And I'm yours.  Permanently.  I meant it
about the wedding, Julia.  We need to plan it right away.  I want a big one, with
all our friends and relatives."

"It'll have to be soon if you want traditional.  I
would look pretty silly wearing white, with a gigantic stomach," Julia said. 
"They'll think it was a shot-gun wedding if we don't make it fast."

They were hugging under water and didn't hear the bell
ringing until they surfaced. 

"What's that?" Julia asked, grabbing the side
of the pool to get her breath back.

"Front door.  Must be the caterers.  They're awfully
early.  I'll go check."

Julia admired Robin as he levered himself out of the pool
and grabbing a towel, went through the sliding glass doors into the house.  He had
the greatest tiny butt.

Julia got out of the pool and put on the white robe.  She
didn't want anyone else seeing her in Robin's shirt.  As she went to the glass doors
and looked inside, she recognized Tony and a woman standing with Robin.  Damn, it
was the red-haired Sarah.  The woman who'd had an affair with Robin. 

Robin turned around, saw Julia at the door and motioned
her inside.

Julia felt bedraggled and frumpy with her hair dripping,
dressed in a robe.  Sarah, she noticed, was impeccably attired in a beautiful grey
silk suit and very high heels.  Her hair was piled on top of her head in an intricate
hair-do.  She looked beautiful.

"Sarah and Tony came by early, to help with the preparations,"
Robin explained.  He put his arm around her shoulders.

Robin was telling them where to put the presents they had
carried in when Scooter bounded into the room.  The little dog ran straight to Julia
and started to jump up and down.  Julia picked her up.

"The last time I was here that dog peed inside my
shoes," Sarah said.  She was laughing and the two men joined her.  "I
don't think she likes me.  It wasn't a mistake.  She was careful to pee in each
one."

"You never told me that," Robin said, but he
knew the damage was already done.

"I'm going to go dry my hair," Julia said, carefully
keeping a false smile in place.  She started carrying Scooter up the stairs, as
much for comfort as anything else. 

"I'll go help Julia," Sarah said and followed
Julia up the stairs.

"Hair dryer is under the sink," Robin called
after them.

Wonderful, Julia thought.  She wanted to be alone.

The two women went into the bathroom and Julia found the
hair dryer and plugged it in.  She wondered how men tended to be such fools where
women were concerned.  Sarah was beautiful and they all went ga-ga, like some stupid
knee-jerk response.  First Robin and now Tony. 

"You can sit down in front of the mirror," Sarah
said, taking the dryer out of Julia's hand.  "It's hard to do the back by yourself,
and you have such beautiful hair.  We can just turn the ends under.  Is that okay?"

Julia nodded uncomfortably.  Scooter jumped in her lap
and started licking her chin.

Sarah turned on the machine, paused, and then shut it off. 
She was looking at Julia seriously in the mirror.  "I think, no, I hope, we'll
be seeing lots of each other."

Julia nodded and smiled at the beautiful reflection next
to hers in the mirror.

"That was a thoughtless remark.  About my shoes. 
You had to know they weren't on my feet when Scooter peed in them.  And I would
like us to be friends.  Sometimes I make the most stupid, unthinking remarks.  I'm
really sorry."

"No problem," Julia said.

"See, I was so jealous of you.  I had this enormous
crush on Robin.  For years.  We went out occasionally, but he made it very clear
that we were only friends.  And then I saw the two of you together.  The way he
was looking at you.  And I knew.  So I was hurt and bitchy the last time."

"It's really all right, Sarah," Julia said, smiling
at the woman.  She felt herself relenting.  Sarah was trying to make amends.

"I know it is," Sarah said, grinning back at
Julia.  "You're wearing the ring.  Tony told me all about it."

"Does everyone know?" Julia asked.

"Everyone who'll be here.  Except Robin's parents,
of course."

"I hope they approve," Julia said, knowing her
apprehension showed.

"Don't worry.  They'll probably be thrilled Robin
is finally going to get married."

"I didn't know you and Tony were seeing each other,"
Julia said.

"Tony and I were good friends," Sarah explained. 
"Like brother and sister, almost, because we were constantly seeing each other
at parties and different occasions.  I always liked him, but he would never ask
me out when I was seeing Robin.  Then Robin told him about the ring, and Tony asked
me out.  I really like Tony a lot.  I'm thirty years old, Julia,"  Sarah said,
rolling her eyes comically.  "That's like dead in this town.  I want this to
be a lasting relationship with Tony.  I'm hoping to be your friend, because Tony
and Robin are best friends.  I'm really sorry we got off on the wrong foot, so to
speak."

Julia smiled at her, amazed at the complex emotions that
had appeared on Sarah's face as she was speaking.  The woman was sincere and really
very nice.  "I don't know anyone here except Robin.  And Tony of course.  I
would love to have a friend.  I'm a little frightened about living in a place I
don't understand at all."

"But you and Robin were miserable when you were separated,"
Sarah said as she began drying Julia's hair.  "It's like a story-book romance. 
You had a horrible beginning here in Los Angeles, Julia.  The tragedy with your
brother.  And then working for that sleaze-ball, Quijada.  But I think you'll learn
to love it."

"Maybe you could help me with the wedding," Julia
said hesitantly. 

Sarah turned around and sat on the edge of the sink, facing
Julia.  "Oh, yes!  I'm glad you asked.  I know everyone in this town.  Would
you believe I even went out with Aaron Quijada once."

"No!" Julia said, shocked.

"Yes.  I thought he was very strange.  Real creepy. 
I almost socked him when he tried to make a move on me.  I'll tell you all about
it some time.  But I can make you the most beautiful, romantic wedding in Los Angeles. 
I know all the caterers.  And the best place to get wedding gowns."

"It has to be fast," Julia warned.  "Within
about a month."

Sarah looked a little surprised, but they made lunch plans
for the next day to discuss the arrangements.

"Now tell me about your date with Aaron Quijada,"
Julia urged.  Within minutes both women were having hysterics as Sarah described
her nightmarish date.

Robin and Tony were downstairs discussing Aaron Quijada's
upcoming trial.  Then it turned to the attempt on Julia's life that morning.