Cornett Residence
This house has been sectioned off into two living spaces, separated by floor as opposed to wall throughout the middle. The first floor has been reserved for a renter while the second floor has been claimed by the owner of the duplex. The living space is large and spacious, perfect for a summer's day when the windows are open. Much the bachelor pad, it is sparsely decorated. All the basics that are required are there but rarely used and so the area is immaculate. A large living area and kitchen lead to a hallway which contains the doors for the bathroom, master bedroom and guest bedroom. The only difference between the two bedrooms is that the master room contains a computer desk and laptop.
So many things have changed around his home in the past few months. He now has not only one but two hamsters, one named after him, and an overly spoiled puppy. His baby sister, one whom he'd all but written out of his life, now lives in the bottom apartment. The love of his life is currently sharing a home with him, even if in a separate bedroom. It may only be temporary but it is still a change. And now? The parents of that very woman are in his living room. He shouldn't have told them to come over whenever they like, but Robert is in a very dangerous situation all the way around. He has to play his cards just right, and part of that is maintaining that open and welcoming environment. He's seen to Hope's every waking need; and even some while she's asleep. Now? The man is just tired. So he's seated in a recliner, his healing leg outstretched so he can take some of the pressure off of his knee. He's even falling asleep, but is doing his best not to show it.
With everything that has been going on, all Hope managed to utter upon getting in the previous evening was 'hi, I'm fine, going to bed' and then she crashed. This morning, she's been to see the doctor, hand her wrists and ankles doused with ointment and wrapped so that the rope burns will heal, and she's been cuddling up with Serenity until she was ready to face more than the brief statements she gave to the police and the reporters.
Hope, with puppy in tow, peeks out into the living room. She fiddles with the ring on her finger, and then forces a cheerful grin to her face. Rather than disturb Bobby, she goes to give her mother a hug, and then steps back into the middle of the room.
"Really guys, I'm fine. You don't have to stick around. Once things settle down, I'll start making arrangements for the wedding."
Babs looks at the ring, then at the nearly sleeping man. "Are you sure, dear? You don't want to be making a mistake."
"Mother, I'm positive. Don't start." Cheerful though stern. Hope isn't going to take that type of stuff from her parents.
Mr. Tyler is extremely quiet, with a stern, worried look on his face.
Oh, yes. That is the best approach to take. Perhaps Faith isn't entirely crazy for having issues with her parents. All the same, all Bobby does is peer through mostly closed eyes. His aim is her mother but he quickly turns to look at Hope. It's for the best in the end not to make a scene. He did save her, sort of, according to reports. And he is keeping a rather large secret, all for the love of his fianc. "I know my situation doesn't seem ideal but it will get better." Waking up from his near slumber, Bobby rubs subtly at his knee. "If you'd like, though, I can leave you three alone for a little while. I have some errands to run." He should talk to Faith, too, but he's not mentioning that name at the moment.
Hope shifts her gaze toward Bobby, and shakes her head. To elaborate the fact she doesn't want him to leave, she goes to perch on the arm of the chair and grab his arm. "Bobby, your situation is fine. You can't help having needed the surgery. Mama's just really tired from having to come down here for us once again, isn't that right?"
Babs just looks at the pair, settles her back straighter and peers at them. "He's hardly who we thought you would have ended up with. Now that Reynolds boy would have made a good match…"
Isaac clears his throat and gives his wife a stern look. "He's dead, Barbara. So long as Hope is happy, that is what matters. She deserves that."
Her father's response actually has her jaw dropping open a little bit. She just stares at her parents, not at all sure how to respond to any of it.
"I agree. That Reynold's boy would have been a wonderful match." He's not going to lie about it. "Unfortunately, I don't think it's fair to say such things. It's been a long, hard road, and in the end I've been able to meet a wonderful young woman because of it. I'm far from happy that any of this has happened, but my life is made better by just knowing her." None of what he's saying is a lie; Robert makes sure of that. "I also have to agree that her happiness is what's important here. She's worked hard and been a caretaker for so long. Isn't it time that she gets to do what she wants?" If it doesn't go over well, he'll accept it for what it is. Until then, he'll take every opportunity for her to be close without making a public scene in front of her parents.
"Actually," Hope says quietly, "he would have been a wonderful match for Faith." That's all she's going to say on that. For some reason, she can't bring herself to tell her parents that 'that Reynold's boy' is a vampire. "I am happy, mother, and I'm well aware that I have another year of school to finish. You won't have to worry about that, I have money now that I've been putting away. I can take care of the wedding and my schooling if you and father don't want to help with it."
"Of course we'll help," Isaac says. He seems to be happy that he'll have one less person to worry about. As happy as Isaac can be at any rate. "We'll take care of the reception and the dresses."
"But Isaac…"
"Be quiet, Barbara," he snaps at her. Looks like there's a bit of tension in the Tyler family.
"That's very thoughtful of you, father. We both appreciate that."
This is almost more awkward than what happened with Tripp. They each are moments he'd rather not relive, ever. "As Hope said, we wouldn't ever expect you to pay for anything. Yet the fact that you're offering means so much to us." It does mean a lot to him, because then she won't try to pay for everything. This is so very much not where he had expected his life to be, but Robert isn't going to complain. The fact that there aren't any explosions when the crazy is mentioned is actually rather comforting. "Would anyone care for anything to drink?" Oh, yes. Feeling the tension, he's already standing with cane in hand. "Or are you hungry perhaps?"
"Mmph. Well it's not every day one of our daughters gets married," Isaac says. He may not be thrilled at the fact that his daughter got engaged without the propriety of her young man asking for her hand, but all things considered the less he has to worry about the happier he'll be. "Thank you for the offer son, but we should be on our way. We need to check in on Faith before we head back home."
"But Isaac… it's too soon for a wedding!" Babs wrings her hands together and then peers at her daughter and the 'much older man' her daughter is dating.
"Mother, would you stop? Please? I'm well cared for, and I'm in love. It's more than I could have ever hoped for, all things considered. I'm happy." Hope stands and makes her way to the door, holding it open. "Thanks, daddy. I appreciate you both coming all the way here, and helping with the search. I'll call you as soon as we start making official plans."
Yeah. The crazy may actually have hit the nail on the head. Bobby just watches the parents, not really knowing what to say. He has a comeback for everything, for each and every point, but in the end he knows that it's better to just let things go for the time being. If they continue on like this after the wedding? Then he has a place to say something. "Thanks again for coming by. You're of course always welcome here." Not that here is good enough for their daughter, or that they'll really give him the time of day. But he has to offer. He has to be the gentleman. And if he weren't so damn angry at Ivan he might almost give him the head's up about the potential surprise visit.
Before leaving, Isaac at least heads toward Bobby to shake his hand and give him a pat on the shoulder. A muffled, "Welcome to the family, son," is offered. There can be more discussion later, but for now Isaac's main concern is getting Babs out of there before she upsets their traumatized daughter.
After the handshake, the duo leave, and Hope just sort of slumps into the chair Bobby was sitting in previously. "God have mercy on us all," she says with a bit of a sigh. "Though I have to say I'm surprised at my father's offer. I expected him to forget which daughter I was."
He just stares at the after they leave. He may very well be broken, and it isn't until he actually sighs that there's any sign of life within Bobby. A shake of the head is given before he looks down to where Hope's seated. "They're your parents and they just want what's best for you." He really isn't one to talk about the motivations of parents, all told. He did get up for a reason and soon makes his way to the kitchen. "Do /you/ want anything to drink?" Nothing alcoholic for her, not one bit. "I think it's just all been so much for them. At least with my parents? All the drama of our lives was pretty much hidden. You girls couldn't be any more public."
"Orange juice? If we have any? I think my blood sugar is still low. I don't remember eating in the time I was gone. I mean, I must have, right? But… it's weird, Bobby. I just don't remember." Hope gnaws on her lip, then looks out toward the window. Lifting the puppy up to her lap, she ruffles the dogs ears and then sighs. "It's not like I tried to be all public with my life. It just sort of worked out that way. I'm just really scared that I can't remember anything. What if they broke my mind like they did with Faith? I don't want to wind up in a place like that."
It's not too long before he returns with a glass of orange juice for her. Where is his drink? He shot it. Any conversation waits until then. "It isn't the same though, Hope. What happened to you? That can happen with medication. Drugging. You still remember everything else. You know that Tripp wasn't ever your brother and that he 'died' years ago. You're not crazy, you were just drugged." He seems to genuinely believe this, and to be telling the truth, but only because he knows that she's not crazy like Faith. "Or it could even be suppressed memories. That can happen in really stressful situations." Robert is going straight to hell.
Taking the orange juice, Hope sips from it very quietly for a long while. She lets everything he's saying sink in, then her lip wobbles a bit and she sets the glass down. "What.. what if it is the same? I don't remember being tied up. I don't remember anything except a rag shoved at my mouth, and then seeing you and Tripp in that hotel room." It could be stress, true. But it could be something else. She's rather panicked about that. "W-what if it's the person who sent me the car? What if they took me? There's just so much that's unanswered, Bobby. I didn't want to act scared in front of them, they might not have ever left, but…" She takes a deep breath, and pets the puppy to try and calm herself.
When she's finally a little calmer, she looks away from him. "We have to get married now. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced you to do that."
Things just never get any easier for the man. Part of this he's willing and able to respond to, some of it he's not. It's again a slower process than normal but he kneels beside the chair and pulls her to him, not giving her the chance to run off without talking. "Then you shouldn't take cars from strange men. Or from no one, as you have no idea who sent it." A hand moves to smooth out her hair as he speaks. "I still have time before I have to start working again. I'll be right here with you. If you want to go out? I'll either go or arrange for a friend of yours to. We'll play it safe for a while. It could all turn out to be blown over." He knows it will be, since Tripp isn't going to kidnap anyone else for a while. For all of this he has an answer, but when she adds that last part he just gets quiet. "You think this is a joke, don't you?" Robert's tone isn't angry, but it is hurt. "I'll never force you to do anything you don't want to, but it isn't a joke."
Pulled toward him, Hope releases her hold on the puppy, lest Serenity get smooshed between them and yelp. She's doing her very best not to cry about this all. Being strong sometimes sucks, and she'd love nothing more to going back to the highly charged emotional girl she was before her sister went crazy. "Classes are over now for the summer. I should probably try to find a job I can handle during the day. Maybe see if Hana needs help at the flower shop. It would be better than having to work nights." Since she knows the flower shop isn't open all that late.
Pulling away from him as he asks that, she yells, "NO I DON'T THINK THIS IS A JOKE!" Taking a deep breath, she gives herself a moment to calm down again. "You wouldn't have spent that much money on a ring if it were a joke. I just… it's going to have to be a rushed wedding. In case…" They weren't exactly all that careful, considering she figured she was about to die.
He sees now that this is how it is going to be for quite some time. Does this make him change his mind at all? Not in the least. "A day job isn't a bad idea, but don't feel like you /have/ to find anything, either. You know me; I'll make sure you live comfortably no matter what's going on." He has much more to say about things, but then she's yelling at him. He eases back more so that he's sitting on the floor, the kneeling position too much for him at the moment. "There are tests for that. And it doesn't mean that it needs to be rushed, even if that is the case." Leave it up to Robert to be the calm one at the moment. "This isn't the days of your parents. These things happen. Regardless, I know how I feel and I'm not changing anything no matter what." There's a slight pause as he considers stopping but decides against it. "Rushing it keeps you from having the time to change your mind."
"I know there are, but they won't work just yet." It's not like it's been weeks or anything, or even that she's absolutely worried about it. But it is a concern that needs to be addressed before it becomes a problem. "No, Bobby. I promised you someday, before you even meant to propose… and I promised you that if I got out of this without turning into a monster that the answer was yes. I just… before anything else happens to either of us…" She fiddles with the ring, and then looks down at the floor where Serenity is about to pounce at his back. "… before I get taken again, or Faith goes missing, or something of the type… I want to do this. I'm sure I can get everything together in three months. We already have the church, and the flowers…" Hana can supply those. "Everything else I've had planned since I was twelve. I just need to make a few calls, and go for fittings."
He just watches her. That's all he can do. Up until the point where he's pounced. So he finally moves, if only to draw the puppy up in his arms and pay her the attention that she deserves. Even in doing so, however, his eyes fall back to Hope. "You promised some day. You didn't say immediately." Does he sound nervous or upset? Not in the least. "I just want you to make sure that you're doing what you want. People will be against it. Your parents will be against it. I'll be by your side but I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to wait. I'll wait for you." Thankfully this is where the conversation has moved to. Robert can actually tell the truth here.
When Robert is pounced, Hope giggles. She can't help it. Kittens pounce, it's unusual for puppies to do so!
"August, Bobby. It's what I want. I know people will be against it, and I've half a mind not to include Faith in the wedding just to keep Ivan away, but…" Faith is her sister, and she has to be there. "I guess we could always invite her and tell her to leave Ivan at home." Not that she actually has issues with Ivan now. She doesn't agree with him taking advantage of her sister, but she's pretty sure that since her sister ran out on him, she's using him just as much. "I'm pretty sure my father is okay with it, even if Babs isn't. He wouldn't have offered to pay for anything if he wasn't." She fidgets a little, then finishes off her orange juice. "The only thing I don't have planned is your tuxedo. You'll have to pick that. But could you maybe get a pink tie? I'll show you the dresses later. I have a book."
Puppies can pounce, apparently. Maybe it's just his luck. He seems to have a bit of a bad streak running, even though he has this amazing woman in his home. Robert almost seems thrown off by how much planning she's already taken care of. "You really know exactly what you want, don't you?" This only causes him to smile. "I can wear that, sure. Just the tie, though. I'm not getting a pink tux." That is completely out of the question for so many different reasons. "And Ivan, well, hey. He's with your sister, so whatever. But I swear, if he throws another show at my head I'm not going to play nice." Ivan's lucky that Bobby didn't cane him the last time that it happened.
"Ew! Pink tuxedos are tacky and so seventies." Hope's nose wrinkles up, and she laughs. "Let me go get the book."
"He… threw a shoe at you? After I got kidnapped outside his building? After going to help him?!?" That seems to get her ire up, but she's going to let it pass. Happier things to think about, and to show him. It may be quick, and it may seem sudden, but if she can pull it off it'll be her dream wedding. "If he throws another shoe at your head, I'll have security escort him out of the reception. It's my big day and if he ruins it, I hope God smites him."
It got her to laugh! This is a very good sign. "Hey, you know, if he throws a shoe instead of a punch he can be that type of woman. I probably would, wait, no." This actually causes Bobby to think. Hope went missing outside of /Ivan's/ apartment building after going to go see /Ivan/ to do /Ivan/ a favor. Yet Bobby never threw a punch at him. "I guess I'm more rational than I thought." Yet as they say, greener pastures are elsewhere, and that's where his attention is. "If you're really serious, we can begin planning it all. I'm positive it will work, but I just want to make sure you're okay with it. I know I'd be the happiest man in the world if we went through with it."
That's right. Hope went missing outside the Ravello after going to give her day planner to Ivan. "I think you are. I think it's a good thing you didn't punch him too." It means he's likely over his rough patch, which means that he really is serious about this. She's already on her way to get the book and while she's gone she can still hear him. But it's not until she returns that she says, "I'm serious. I'm okay with it. I'll have to check the weekends in August and see what Reverend Newlin has available." The large fluffy black and pink binder is handed over to him, and she sits on the floor beside him. "I've been clipping things since I was twelve. I've got the honeymoon all planned too. How do you feel about Hawaii?"
Counseling has happened. Life lessons have been learned. The man has gone through his troubled moments and is in his right mind. He's not going to try and explain this to her, however. If she trusts him then she'll find out just how much of a douche he isn't these days. "It wasn't worth it. I know I can take him down easily, unless he pulls that illusion trick. What good would showing him that have done? I want you and your sister to be happy." Even if he's not too happy with Faith. "And by the way, I said some things about Faith to Ivan, just to bother him. I have no doubt he'll tell you I was being mean to her. I just couldn't stand there without trying to make him look bad somehow." Honesty is the best policy. Yet Hope returns with a book and he immediately begins flipping through it. "And you're positive that this here, everything here, is what you want?" The pages continue to flip as he actually takes note of her selections. "I can do this. And Hawaii. I think it's far enough away where we can escape the drama of our lives."
"It's okay. I said some not nice things about Faith to Ivan too." Hope was irate that her life had once more been disturbed because her mentally ill sister decided to wander off all upset with Ivan. "I'm positive. I've been going through it once a year for the last ten years. Modifying it with updated styles, and well, looks. I changed to the black dresses with pink sashes, since I want Mellie to be part of the wedding party, and I doubted she'd go for an all pink dress." See? Hope had this all modified at the accidental fake proposal earlier. "I hope you don't mind that? Me asking her, that is."
He suddenly doesn't feel bad at all. With this accomplished, the issue of the crazy and the politician is set off to the side. They aren't important right now. Robert's too busy looking at everything, memorizing it all as best as he can. "Well, I'll tell you that I'm not going to dictate anything. This is your big day and you should have whatever you want. In the end I'm happy just knowing you'll be my wife." He'll also be happy that he's not wearing a pink tuxedo. Still Hope is stared at in disbelief. "And she said yes?" That's the part that Bobby doesn't understand. "I'd love to have family in the wedding, especially if they aren't forced."
"Weeeeell…" Hope lets that trail off for a moment. "This was back before everything got messed up. She said she'd think about it. Which I think is a good sign?" And that was when she thought it was going to be an all pink dress! "I hope she'll say yes, but I'm not going to force her. It's got to be her decision in the end. I'll show her the dresses and see what she thinks. The only thing you'll really have to worry about is groomsmen, and a nice dress for your mother." Yes, Hope has no issues with Bobby's mother, even though she was afraid the same fate would befall her.
It's difficult to tell what he should react to first. "I don't think that her opinion is going to change much at all." He could elaborate that she was far from thrilled at Scarlett being in the house but he wisely keeps his mouth shut on that. "And she never outright says yes to anything. But make sure there are pizza rolls around for her and she'll do what you want." This is how he manages to keep her around. That and paying her rent and all that. But then Hope is talking about his mother and Bobby focuses on the book. "We'll see about Mom." That's really all he wants to talk about when it concerns her.
"I'll ask her again then… next time I can catch her here." She's not going to head to Mellie's workplace. A million horses couldn't drag her there. Hope bites her lip and then flips the page in the book. She does it quickly, skipping a page so he doesn't see the dress. That's bad luck. "If you want to change anything, you just let me know, alright? It's not just my big day. It's our big day, and I want you to be happy too. Oh!" She flips to the very back where it shows a picture of a beagle holding a pillow around its neck. "Flower girl or ring bearer, but Serenity's going to be in the wedding too!"
Thank goodness for a change in topic. It isn't that he doesn't love his mother but it is a sticky situation. One that he just doesn't want to think about. With the thoughts of his family past him he turns to Hope and grins. "You know what I want? I want you to be the most beautiful, happy bride ever. The beautiful part you have down already. The rest? I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy." It may sound sappy but that is how Robert feels. He's thrown off by the mention of Serenity being in the wedding and eventually laughs. "You really have thought of everything."
"I'm a planner, Bobby. It's what I do best. Why do you think they roped me into being the poster girl?" Hope giggles a little, then snaps the book shut. She leans her head against his shoulder and smiles. "You know what'd make me happiest right now though? Another really long nap, all cuddled up in your arms. I want to feel safe, and your arms are the safest place I know."
