Secrets // SFR&TM Sequel

Chapter Four - Robert

Robert wasn't impressed when his teammate stumbled into the room at three in the morning, but tried not to hold it against him. Then Beau told him why he was gone.

"You're such a fucking idiot, Beau. I thought you said you hadn't cheated." Robert yelled as they packed up their things. "Actually, I knew you lied. Everyone knows you're lying and everyone thinks you're a dumbass. Especially since you have someone that loves you more than anything. So was the puppy to just apologize in advance for what you were doing during this trip?"

Robert could go on about how ridiculous he was acting, but didn't have the time to care right now. He had a flight to catch to get home to his wife.

Scarlett wasn't home when he pulled into the driveway. She had mentioned that she was going to do some shopping and run some errands so he wasn't worried.

He sat down on the couch, turned on the tv, and thinking about whether or not to mention anything to Scarlett when she got home. If he didn't tell her, she wouldn't know and he hated keeping secrets from her.

"Hey babe," Scarlett called from the kitchen, "Can you come here for a second?"

Robert stood up to stretch before going to help his wife put groceries away. Her hair was all over the place and she looked as if she was about to cry. The red eyes hinted that she already had.

"What's wrong?" Robert asked as he turned her face towards his and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I'm emotional and I hate grad school and I just can't handle stupid secrets."

"Secrets? What secrets?" Robert furrowed his brow. He couldn't think of anything he had been keeping from her, with exceptions of a few surprises he had planned but he didn't understand why that would make her upset.

"Beau is cheating on Drew." She bit into a chocolate bar, trying not to break down. Robert sighed and ran a hand through his hair. When he didn't answer, she looked up at him. "How long have you known?"

"A couple months." He admitted.

"A couple months? A couple months and you didn't think to tell me this?" She started to raise her voice.

"Beau said-"

"Beau has a fucking son and fiancée and you let him do this shit? How the fuck do you think Drew is going to feel about this? Since you started keeping his secrets, you might have secrets of your own that you're hiding. I mean why not?" She threw her hands out, making her frustration obvious to her husband.

"Scar, that's the only thing I'm hiding from you, I promise." Robert placed a hand on either shoulder, leaning down to look his wife in the eyes. "I love you and would never do anything to ruin that. I'm sorry."

"Patrick called me last night, he said he saw Beau." She wiped the tears that were tempted to spill from her eyes.

"Is he going to tell Drew?" Robert was worried that he would and not give anyone notice. As much as he hated that his best friend was doing something like this, he felt the need to protect him. Just as he would do for anyone else.

"No. I told him not to, until I talked to you about it. How can the whole team know about this and not care?" Scarlett was visibly shaken about the whole ordeal. If it was her, she would want to know. "I hope he does tell her, though."

"Scarlett." Robert tried to calm her down and convince her to not say anything rash, but once she got started, she doesn't always stop. Her ranting could go on for hours if she wanted to.

"No. Just because he's your best friend, doesn't mean you get to protect him from what's coming. He deserves every single bit of heartbreak he's going to get." Scarlett started crying and Robert rushed to her side. "But Drew doesn't."

"Babe, why are you so upset?" He rubbed her back, knowing it calmed her down. Or at least helped her stop crying.

"Because for all I know, you could be doing the same thing." He sighed. Ever since they had been dating, she always had a idea in the back of her mind that Robert was cheating. He hated that she would even think that he would.

"I promise you that I'm not. Ask anyone on the team. I go have a few drinks and then get back to the hotel and skype with you before bed. Scar, I would never do anything like that."

"I'm going to sleep." She walked away, leaving Robert to finish putting their groceries away. He knew he had to tell Beau, or that he should at least, but he didn't exactly want to give him a heads up. Drew should know what was happening behind her back, even if it means she moves out of Pittsburgh again.

He finished putting the food away, left with only things that were going up to their room, which included a box of tampons. He knew he shouldn't be upset that Scarlett wasn't pregnant, but every time mother nature came, he was disappointed all he wanted was a little girl running around the house.

Robert climbed the stairs with the two bags and walked into the bathroom where his wife was washing her face.

"So you're not pregnant?"

"Nope." She wiped her face off with a towel while Robert studied her. "Why? Is that a problem?" Scarlett snapped. The mood swings are a normal thing he had to deal with. He thought about what to say, which only upset the woman standed in front of him. "Sorry I want to finish grad school before I have a child. We already discussed this."

"I didn't mean-" He started as Scarlett brushed past him.

"Bull shit, Robert. I know you want a child. I pick up on all your fucking hints. I want a child too, you know. I want to be a mother eventually. I especially want to have your children. Stop fucking acting all upset because I don't want to get pregnant yet. It only makes me feel like a failure as a wife."

"Scarlett, no." Robert shook his head and whispered, "I'm sorry that I'm upset, I'm just ready. We can wait. I don't know I'm just excited."

Scarlett climbed into bed without another word. Robert went to brush his teeth and change into sweats before joining her.

"I love you." He told his wife before going to sleep.

"Love you too," she mumbled back.