Chapter 1
Chapter One
"Just a second mom, I need to grab Emma's coat and I'll be right back out." Robin ran into the house while Emma and her mom waited in the car. She went to the closet and grabbed it and was headed back out when she noticed an envelope on the coffee table by their wedding picture. Curious, she walked over and saw her name on the front in Patrick's handwriting. She opened it and read.
Robin,
By the time you read this I will be gone. I have been asked to work on a special case out of state.
I'm a coward. I took advantage of this surgery to do what I should have done a long time ago – let you go. You deserve better than me, than this life I have given you. After I thought you had died I realized that I am no better than my father – I fell apart and almost destroyed everything we had built. Emma almost lost me after losing you, the same thing my father did to me and I cannot go through that again.
I'm a weak and selfish man – I need to be the center of attention. I need you to focus on me and you cannot do that, your work and our daughter need to come first. It's not fair to any of us, especially you.
So I am doing what is best for you – I'm letting you go. I am giving you custody of Emma and only ask that you let me have visitation and consistent contact. You lost too much time with her already and I do not want you to lose anymore. The divorce papers will be here by the end of the week, all you need to do is sign and then we can both move on with our lives.
I will contact you when I have settled in so I can talk to Emma. I will always love you but trust me when I say that this is the best thing for all of us.
Patrick
Robin felt the tears flowing down her face and collapsed to the floor. After all they had been through to be together he was just giving up?
She was still sitting on the floor a minute later when Anna came in the door. "Robin? What's keeping you?" Anna was shocked at the state her daughter was in. "Robin? What is it?"
Robin silently handed her mother the letter. Anna read it and then made a phone call. "Mac? Could you please come over and take Emma for a little bit? Something's come up."
Anna hung up the phone and just held her daughter as she cried.
Patrick stared out the window of the airplane as it took off from Port Charles.
"I trust you did not tell your soon to be ex-wife of our little arrangement?" Victor smiled at Patrick as he spoke.
"No, I wouldn't risk her or Emma's safety and you know that." Patrick glared at the man sitting across from him.
"I didn't just know it, I counted on it. These surgeries are very delicate and you really are the only option. Since I have no way of knowing how long we will need you and it didn't seem fair to keep the lovely Dr. Scorpio-Drake in limbo."
Patrick didn't say anything – just played with his wedding ring as he stared out the window. She'll forgive me, he thought. When this is all over and I can tell her the truth, she has to forgive me.
