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I'm so sorry I wasn't there in court for you, Robbie! 2 page

Already there had been some underhanded play. A very embarrassed official had come to Janet and Greta and told them that according to the Hockey Association regulations all players had to wear athletic cups. It appeared that someone on the Heligone team had pointed out to the officials that if there was an injury they could be liable if the women were not wearing the proper protective gear.

"An injury to what?!" Janet had exploded, but the red faced official had just shrugged. It had been Amanda Singh who had saved the day by phoning her husband, Mohammed, who owned the local clothes store. He arrived with a large grin and enough athletic cups for the team. There had been incredible joking and giggling in the dressing room as the team fitted the useless gear into place. Stacy had the team near to hysterics when she announced that she thought she'd start wearing one full time because it was a handy spot to tuck her tips.

Greta's voice cut into Janet's thoughts. "Okay, ladies, come over here!" The team headed over to the bench for their final instructions.

Robbie bent down and lifted a beaming Reb over the boards to her other mother. "There you go, Reb. Don't forget to cheer for us, now."

Reb looked at Robbie with big, baby blue eyes. "I won't forget, Obby. I cheer!" she promised seriously. Robbie leaned over and patted Reb's helmeted head.

"Okay, it is the Williams/Barlow line out there first," explained Janet, as she balanced Reb on the boards. "Stacy, you take the face off and try to get the puck to Obby. She'll take it down the ice with Ryan at her heels. Once over the blue line, Ryan, you cut ahead and go behind the net. When you come around the other side, Obby will have passed the puck and you tap it in the corner. That's our entire game play. Any questions?"

The team shook their heads and prepared to head out to centre ice. "Obby?" called Janet.

"Hmmm?" the director responded, coming back to the boards.

"Remember this is a FUN game. Be good," Janet warned.

Robbie scowled good naturedly and skated off to her position shadowing Jim Ableton. The ref got ready to drop the puck.. Ableton smiled at Robbie and in a voice just loud enough for the players to hear he said, "So, Williams, you wearing an athletic cup?" Several of the male players snorted.

Robbie winked at her daughter on the other side of the face off circle. "Sure am, Jimmy. I keep trophies in it. But you're safe 'cause I only keep the big ones." The ref dropped the puck. Stacy snapped it over to Robbie and the Williams were on their way down the ice while the men were still laughing at Ableton. Ryan rocketed behind the net, Robbie passed and Ryan was there to jam the puck in the corner of the net before the Helingone goalie could react. Less than a minute into the game, and the ladies were leading one nothing!

"It worked! It worked!" screamed Greta, from the bench.



"Kill them!" yelled Reb, at the top of her baby lungs and Janet looked down at her daughter in shock. The Williams clan had struck again!

The less than friendly game was tied at two two in the third period when Ryan was fed a shot from Stacy and found herself on a break away. She picked up speed and careened down the ice with Jim Ableton behind her. Seeing he couldn't catch Ryan, he dove with his stick out, stretched, and tripped her up. Ryan skidded across the cold ice on her face and went head first into the corner boards. Her helmet flew off and she lay lifeless on her ice.

For a second, everyone froze in horror, the only sound, the grating of Ryan's helmet spinning like a top on the ice. "Ryan!" Robbie screamed into the silence, and dropping her stick and gloves, the director charged over to her daughter.

Janet passed Reb to Greta and went over the boards. She ran down the ice and slid in beside Robbie, who knelt by the still figure of her daughter afraid to move her. "Ryan, honey. Ryan, are you all right?" Robbie asked in a shaky voice.

Ryan heard her mother scream her name as the blackness closed in around her. Now she tried to fight her way through the pain and fog to reassure her mom that she was okay. The mouth wouldn't work. She tried rolling over. "Don't move, Ryan!" a panicky voice commanded. Ryan felt her mother's hands trembling as they tried to support her neck and head.

"I'm okay, Mom," Ryan finally got out, opening her eyes to watch several faces of her mother and aunt spin around in front of her. "Honest. I just got my bell rung." She blinked several times and the world came into focus.

"The kid shouldn't have been playing anyway," justified Ableton from behind Robbie. Robbie gave a roar of anger that echoed through the arena like a war cry. She rose like a mushroom cloud above her teammates who were clustered around Ryan. Abeton swung his stick up in reflex when he saw the fire in Robbie's eyes. In a lightening move, Robbie pulled the stick out of his hands.

Another Heligone player skated over to try and grab Robbie from behind. Amanda casually stuck out her goalie stick and tripped him up sending him sprawling into Stacy, who went down.

Gloves came off, sticks dropped and a bench clearing free for all exploded around Robbie. The crowd cheered them on. Janet covered Ryan with her body and secretly prayed that Robbie would knock Ableton's block off!

The game was ended by a very frustrated and over-work ref who sent the players to their dressing rooms and called the game a tie.

***

Janet drove her truck load of Williams olives home in stony silence. Three guilty Williams sat wedged in the back seat. Ryan rested her sore head on her mother's shoulder and Robbie held a tissue to her own bloody nose. Ryan poked her mom.

"Ahhh, are you mad at us?" Robbie asked nasally.

Silence. Her back to her family, Janet smiled. Let them sweat, she thought.

"I mean, I know you must be upset, but you're not going to stay mad, are you?" Robbie tried again, feeling Ryan's hand slip into her own. Robbie gave her insecure daughter's hand a squeeze.

"Well, let's see...in three years, Lips has never had a penalty and in just one game, the Williams managed to cause a bench-clearing brawl. Then there is the not so little matter of one of you having trained Rebecca to chant 'Kill them.' I could probably be philosophical about all of this had it not been for the lecture I just got at the doctor's office for letting Ryan play when she was recovering from a major head injury! Like it is MY responsibility to keep you motley crew of Williamses in line!" Janet growled, in mock anger.

"We're sorry," Ryan said worriedly. Robbie gave her a hug to reassure her that everything would be okay.

Janet snorted. "I don't believe THAT for a moment! You three were in your element, up to your collective backsides in trouble!"

"Obby killed them!" offered Reb, helpfully.

"Shhh, kid," whispered Ryan.

"Ahhh, Reb, don't say that, okay?" Robbie said, reaching past Ryan to pet Reb's shoulder. "It's not nice."

"Ryan say it!" protested Reb, incredulously, refusing to believe that anything her big sister did could be wrong.

"Ryan isn't going to say it anymore either!" stated Robbie firmly, giving her daughter a look. Ryan smiled sheepishly.

Janet decided that she had made her troublesome family squirm long enough. "The only reason the three of you are not sleeping in the snow tonight is the shiner Obby gave that big bully Ableton!"

Ryan's worried face broke into a big smile. "Mom rocked, didn't she, Aunt Janet?!"

"You bet she did!" Janet agreed, and heard the collective sigh of relief from the back seat.

"Does this mean we can still order in pizza?" asked Robbie tentatively.

Janet laughed and shook her head as she pulled up in front of their cabin. "We might as well, since we have to sit up for a while with Ryan and make sure she hasn't got a concussion!" giggled Janet.

***

Much later that night, Janet rolled over to kiss her lover's sore nose. "How are you doing, champ?" she asked.

"Okay," came the nasal response and Janet smiled.

"Robbie, how would you feel about reconstructive surgery?"

"My nose isn't that bad,"muttered the director.

"I meant for me," came the serious response.

Robbie sat up and turned the light on, watching her partner blink in its glow. "What?!"

Janey pulled herself up beside her lover. "How do you feel about me having reconstructive surgery to form my missing breast? I...I've been reading up on it."

Robbie blinked, went to say something, stopped and tried again. "Well, I don't know. I mean I never thought about it. It doesn't bother me that you have had a mastectomy but the thought of you having more surgery does bother me. Why would you want to? Did I say or do something that made you think I don't find you appealing?" Janet's worried wife asked.

Janet looked at her hands that lay folded on the bedclothes in front of her. "No, you've been great."

"Well, then, forget it!" responded Robbie irritably. Those days had been like a nightmare. Robbie just wanted to forget it and move on. The last thing she wanted to do was walk through a set of hospital doors with Janet again. If anything happened to Janet ... no! She didn't want to deal with this!

"Robbie, unlike other surgeries, a mastectomy is a day to day reminder of your battle with cancer. The reminder is there in the morning when I wake up and it's there when I take a shower. It's there when I go to bed or when I'm trying on clothes and it is definitely there when we make love.

"You've been a wonderful partner through it all but I can't help but wonder if you are affected more than you would ever admit to me. These little insecurities pop into my head now and again. I think I handled the whole episode pretty well emotionally and intellectually, but I have to tell you honestly...there are days when I don't want that reminder...can you understand that Robbie?"

Robbie licked her lips and tried to absorb what Janet had told her. She nodded, reluctantly. "Yeah, I can understand. What would they do?"

Janet got more comfy. "Well, there are different procedures depending on the type of mastectomy. For me, it would be quite a long process. First, a saline implant that can be inflated would be implanted and a muscle from either the stomach or back would be placed over top. Gradually the implant would be inflated over a number of weeks to stretch the muscle and skin. When the muscle has been stretched sufficiently, the inflatable saline implant would be replaced with a permanent silicone one."

Robbie looked at her, eyes wide with fright. "No! Those implant thingies are dangerous!"

Janet smiled and gave her partner a reassuring hug. "Actually, the hullabaloo over silicone is greatly exaggerated. Most problems occurred in the early years of testing or because of inexperienced doctors. Normally, everything goes just fine."

Silence. Then, "Don't you need that muscle in your stomach or back?" argued Robbie.

"The use of the stomach muscle is not recommended for active women because if you lift heavy things you risk getting a hernia. The loss of the muscle in the back does weaken it but with proper exercise the remaining back muscles can compensate and you can regain that strength."

"Oh." Robbie could feel a tension headache coming on. She knew she had to work through this with Janet but it was hard.

"Once the permanent implant is in then they'll reshape my good breast so they match and have a more youthful shape," finished Janet.

"Shit! More surgery?!" exploded Robbie, in annoyance. She definitely didn't want this to be happening! Okay, so it was a bit weird having a wife with one breast but hell it didn't matter. It wasn't affecting their sex life...or was it?!

Robbie turned and looked deeply into Janet's eyes, searching for the truth. "Aren't you having good orgasms? I mean, is it bothering you to the point where I'm not satisfying you? I thought it was good. I mean it's great with you...am I doing something wrong 'cause..."

Janet's lips ended the flood of insecurity. "You, Robbie Williams, are as sexy as hell in bed and there is nothing wrong with our sex life! I just...I just want to feel whole."

Robbie saw the pain in Janet's eyes and pulled her close. "Okay, lover. If you want this, then I want it too. When?"

"Not for a few years, I think. I want to make sure...well, that they got it all. I need time to get over the treatments too." She hugged Robbie close feeling the tenseness in Robbie's body. "You okay, with that?"

"Yeah, I'm okay with that. Thanks for talking to me about it. It will give me time to...you know get used to the idea," confessed Robbie.

Janet smiled. Her big, brave hockey star was a wuss when it came to anything that was going to affect Janet. Love you for that! she thought and leaned over for another kiss. "We could just test to make sure my evaluation of you as a super lover is accurate," teased Janet. Robbie obliged.

***

Robbie and Rufus dropped Janet, Ryan and Reb off at The Bartlett School for the Gifted and headed into town to run some errands. Her last stop was to David Potts' General Store to pick up the large bag of dog food of the type that Rufus preferred.

Rufus sat by the window watching. Inside the store, Robbie hefted the heavy bag on the counter and waited for David to ring it in. "Robbie, before you go," started David, the colour rising in his face. "I wonder if I might have a word with you."

The colour drained from Robbie's face as quickly as it had risen in David's. Oh shit! "I'm kind of busy," evaded Robbie.

"Please, Robbie. It will only take a minute." Robbie nodded and followed David through the store and back into his office. A new Pentium III sat on the desk top. Robbie sneered at it.

"Won't you be seated, please." Robbie sat, trying to look relaxed when she was anything but. Remember you promised Janet, she kept repeating to herself as she watched David carefully take off his apron, straightened his tie and slip into his jacket.

"As the head of the Williams family, I thought it proper that I make my intentions known to you and ask your approval to step out with your sister," David managed to get out, determination winning over his natural shyness.

"Just what are you intentions?" asked Robbie, a little sharper than she had intended.

David swallowed nervously. "Well, I have told Elizabeth, we communicate daily by e-mail, that you and Ryan are going to star in Twelfth Night. I offered to buy her ticket if she was free and if you were willing to set up Bill's trailer again for her to stay in. Also, Elizabeth has a season concert ticket to the Roy Thompson and I was going to ask if I could buy a ticket and join her to hear Yo Yo Ma next month."

Robbie looked at David with eyes cold as ice. David stood quietly with embarrassed dignity. Robbie stood and looked directly in his eye. "Yes, if Elizabeth wishes, she may come to see Twelfth Night with you. Yes, I will arrange for the trailer. Then I'll talk to Elizabeth and decide about the Toronto concert. I don't want my sister hurt, David."

David looked truly upset. "Robbie! I wouldn't do anything to hurt Elizabeth or anyone else!"

Robbie smiled letting some of the tension go. Janet was right, David was just plain sweet. "Yeah, I know, but Bethy well, she's not out going like me..." Robbie fumbled for words. This was not David's business, damn it!

David nodded. "I know. She has been badly hurt in the past. She told me so," revealed David softly. "Robbie, I haven't had much experience with dating. But I feel very comfortable with Elizabeth and she needs me. You know that condo she owns is such a burden to her. She can't seem to find a decent manager and..."

"Elizabeth owns a condo?!" exclaimed Robbie, eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes, the one she lives in. She is doing very important research and she doesn't need to be bothered with number 32A's leaky showerhead, now does she?" asked David, coming to Elizabeth's defense.

Robbie smirked. "No, leaky heads are a bitch," she acknowledged, knowing David would not pick up on the double meaning.

David nodded in agreement. "And you know, she doesn't take care of herself. She gets so involved in her work that she forgets to eat properly. I've been sending her some treats. She is very fond of my sticky buns."

Robbie tried not to laugh. She never thought she would end up enjoying this conversation with David! David went on unaware of Robbie's merriment. "I thought I'd take my tool box down to Toronto, that's if it is alright, and see what I can do to help out around there. I'm not as active as my brother Bill, but I think I can handle a tool as good as any man!" David finished with feeling.

Gathering all her stage presence, Robbie managed to say, "I'm sure you can, David. Please tell Bethy we'll look forward to seeing her. The kids will be delighted that they will be seeing their aunt again." Then she escaped to the truck. Rufus sat on the front seat beside her and watched her with a puzzled expression. Robbie kept bursting out laughing and wiping her eyes to see the road as she headed the truck back to the cabin.

***

Janet sat at her desk working at her computer, listening with one ear to the family noises. Squeals and laughter floated out from the bathroom where Robbie was dying Ryan's hair to the same colour as her own and helping her with her make up for the play opening tonight. In the living room, Reb had recently discovered that Rufus followed voice commands and she was making the shaggy dog's life a living hell.

"Sit!" commanded the small figure looking up at the huge dog that stood in front of her. Rufus reached out his massive muzzle and licked the top of Reb's head affectionately before sitting as he had been told. "Good dog!" praised Reb, petting the wide, shaggy chest.

"Reb, play with your toys and leave poor Rufus alone. He needs to sleep." suggested Janet.

Her daughter, Rebecca, looked at her with big, serious eyes and then back at the dog. "Sleep, Rufus!" she commanded, and then sat down on the rug to play with the blocks that Ryan had bought for her. Sometime later, Janet looked over to see her daughter fast asleep curled up against Rufus's side. Quietly, she got out Robbie's camera and took a picture. Sometimes, she loved her daughter so much it almost hurt.

Carefully, she lifted her daughter and got her ready for bed. Carolyn and Amanda were going to take turns baby sitting during the play nights. She went into the bed room to change. A few minutes later the other half of her family barged in all smiles.

Janet started in surprise. With the expert make up job and change in colouring, Ryan was the spitting image of her mother. "My God! You two could be twins!" gasped Janet. Both Williams smiled.

"Mom's a bit taller but I'm gaining on her," observed Ryan.

"Kid, you are never going to be as tall as me!" teased Robbie, giving her daughter a poke. "I'm just going to check on Elizabeth and then as soon as Carolyn arrives we can be off."

Janet looked at Ryan after her mother had left. The resemblance was amazing! "Are you nervous?" asked Janet.

Ryan frowned and thought about the question in the serious, intense way that her aunt Elizabeth had. "I would have been if I'd been playing next to Greta but not with Mom. Mom will make sure everything goes all right. If I forget a line of something, she'll ad-lib. She's cool," Ryan observed proudly.

Janet nodded. "Yes, she is. That sounds like Carolyn's car so we'll better get our coats on. You'll need lots of time to change into your costumes and review before the performance."

At the trailer, Robbie had tried to stall, saying that she didn't think she should leave Elizabeth alone. Janet pointed out the obvious, that Carolyn and Reb were in the cabin only a few feet away if there was a problem. Robbie chewed on her lip and tried to think of another excuse to stall until David got there. Janet, however, gave her a warning frown and herded her into the truck, noting Elizabeth's look of relief as she did so.

The play was a roaring success. Elizabeth had a wonderful evening with David and the entire family, including David, had ended opening night with a late dinner at Maria's. The next day, Elizabeth had taken the helicopter back to Toronto. David had shown up in time for the goodbyes and been so bold as to kiss Elizabeth on the cheek. Janet had held onto Robbie really tightly!

Ryan blossomed on stage and had a sense of timing with the audience that had them in stitches as she played Viola the shipwrecked twin who had dressed as a man and found the Lady her master, Orsino, had sent her to court on his behalf was actually falling in love with her!. Sebastian, the male twin was played by Robbie and the audience howled as she was courted by the Lady, Olivia, who thought she was still the male Viola .

The following weekend, Janet had time to note how Robbie only took over the stage when Ryan was not on with her. She carefully let her daughter have the limelight. Robbie was just good down to the centre of her being but she hid it so well behind that protective wall of aggressiveness, Janet realized. From the wings on the last night, Janet used up the rest of the film in Robbie's camera. The cast took their final bow and walked off stage to a standing ovation.

The cast party had been a cheery affair and the Williams clan had slept in a bit the next morning. Robbie and Janet were up in time, however, to get a special breakfast ready. It was Ryan's birthday, and Robbie was trying to make up for all the birthdays she hadn't been there for Ryan.

Finally, Robbie could stand it no longer and she went in to wake her daughter up. "Happy Birthday, Ryan!" she grinned, hugging her daughter close to her as Ryan sleepily sat up in bed. She felt Ryan stiffen and realized the old hurts were returning. Robbie was getting better at dealing with them though. "Ryan, I wish I could make up for all those birthdays when I should have been there for you. Please, just indulge your mother today, and let me try to show you how much your birth meant to me in my heart. I love you, Ryan."

Ryan's body relaxed and she hugged her Mom back. "I love you too, Mom," she responded softly.

"Come on! We've got a birthday planned for you that will be the talk of the town!" laughed Robbie, pulling her daughter out of bed. The morning had been a happy if riotous affair. They had breakfasted on French crepes filled first with ham and scrambled eggs and second with fruit and whipped cream. Then they'd sat around the fire and let Ryan open her presents. Reb's present was opened first. It was a crayon picture of Ryan in a sailboat on Long Lake, Reb explained in her serious way. It had been carefully framed down at Paul Digby's art and framing shop. Ryan promised to hang it on their bedroom wall and gave her little sister a teary hug.

Janet had bought Ryan her own life-vest and had a cherry wood paddle made for her that had her initials etched into an oak leaf pattern on the blade. Ryan ran her hand over the polished wood and looked up with tears rolling down her face. "Thanks, Aunt Janet," she got out hoarsely.

Then Robbie's gifts got brought out. A table saw, jig saw, tool kit, and a set of plans for the building of an Australian sailing dory. "I thought we could build it together this spring," explained Robbie nervously. Ryan said nothing. She wrapped herself in her mother's arms and stayed there sobbing. Janet took Reb to clean up and left the two alone.

"You okay, Ryan?" asked Robbie insecurely.

Ryan nodded and pulled her mother closer. "We're going to stay together, right mom?" Ryan asked.

Pain shot through Robbie's heart and she stroked her daughter's hair. "We are a family, Ryan. That's forever. I promise."

"That was some birthday!" Ryan sniffed, pulling away a bit to wipe her eyes.

"Kid, this is only the beginning! We're going to have a great day! Come on, let's get dressed, and go and have some fun!"

The Williams clan was just slipping into their coats when the knock came at the door. Janet opened it. It was Constable Jarvis, who boarded down at Greta's. "Hi, Jerry, come in!" said Janet. "We were just celebrating Ryan's birthday!"

A look of pain ran across the young Constable's face. "Robbie, this isn't correct procedure, but I asked the Sergeant if I could come in here and leave the others outside. We all know you, what with all of us volunteering on the fire brigade and well, this isn't easy. "Roberta Williams, I'm arresting you for the murder of your father..."

"What?!" interrupted Janet in disbelief, moving to stand by her partner defensively.

Robbie's hand came up to touch her shoulder lightly before falling away. "Shhh, Janet. Let him read me my rights."

Jerry Jarvis bit his lip. "I gotta put these cuffs on you, Robbie. It's the rules." Robbie nodded and turned around putting her hands behind her. The Constable stepped forward and nervously snapped the metal cuffs around her wrists. She turned back again and Jarvis took out the card to read Robbie her rights.

"You've got to come now, Robbie," he explained, when he was finished. The room was deathly quiet and he felt very uncomfortable. Robbie looked around the cabin that she had come to love.

Her eyes met Ryan's and saw the pain of betrayal. Ryan turned and walked out of the room. Reb looked at her with eyes wide with fear and on the verge of tears. Then her eyes met Janet's and she saw that Janet knew the truth and loved her anyway.

Janet reached up and kissed Robbie. "I'll come as soon as I get in touch with your lawyer, love." Robbie nodded. Jarvis looked at his boots. He'd heard rumours that Robbie and Janet were gay but he hadn't really believed it. This was turning into a hell of a day.

"Is the press out there too?" Robbie asked quietly.

"Just Lucier so far," Constable Jarvis responded.

Robbie grinned cynically. "An exclusive, eh? Lucky him. Let's go."

Janet watched Robbie leave with the Constable. She never looked back.

 

Spring Rains html

 

Spring Rains Part 2 by Anne Azel

Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the property of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. The characters and events of the Seasons Series belong to the author.

My special thanks to Fran, who allowed me to tell you part of her story on the journey to recovery from cancer.

My special thanks to Pat for her expert assistance in rescue and fire fighting procedures.

My thanks to the many readers who have taken the time to let me know that you are enjoying my stories or to share your own with me. You are special people. My grateful thanks to my beta readers Lisa and Inga for their hard work and to Susan for her guidance and insights.

Check out the Seasons dolls at http://www.geocities.com/maclay529/azel.jpg

Thanks Barbara!

Note: The stories in this series are interrelated and should be read in the order they are posted.

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

The library of the hundred and ninety-five year old house was warm and cozy. One wall was book shelves rising to the ten foot ceiling. On the second wall, a fire in the old hearth crackled softly against the morning chill, the third contained an archway of french doors and the last held a carved Victorian china cabinet. The walls not covered by books, were rag rolled to look like soft suede and framed on them was an eclectic mixture of rare art; a fragment of an ancient Egyptian painting on papyrus, an illustration from a 16th century Persian manuscript, and two 18th century wood block prints from a Japanese pillow book. On the mantel was a section of rock containing fossilized fish from the Green River prehistoric fossil beds and sitting on the oak library table, were the woman worked, was three Nigerian clay ink pots tied together with bark. An Edwardian chandelier bathed the room in mellow light and Antonio Vivaldi's Larghetto concerto OP. 3 played softly in the background.


Date: 2015-12-11; view: 711


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