COUNTERPOINT
An original romantic serial

From Alina Adams the author of "When a Man Loves a Woman" (DELL 4/00), "Annie's Wild Ride" (AVON 8/98), "Inside Figure Skating" (METROBOOKS 11/00 & 9/99), "Thieves at Heart" (AVON 12/95) and "The Fictitious Marquis" (AVON 6/95)

Available weekly by e-mail from http://www.AlinaAdams.com

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CHAPTER 57

      Gabriel figured he'd give his back time to adequately scab over before he allowed himself to think about the other drama going on in his life. Frankly, he had so many lately, it was hard to keep track. What with Robin/Victoria, Robin/Nicole, and, of course, Gabriel/Nicole, it had been pretty easy to avoid thinking about the one scenario in which he actually got to be the principal player. The one with his long-lost father.
      Douglas Cooper had kept a respectful distance while Gabriel recovered, and the man formerly known as Baby Sean Cooper had followed suit, loath to break the silence and make the first move. But now, his self-imposed deadline was nice and scabby. (Gabriel could tell because it itched like hell, and every time he brushed against something it felt like his back was coated in sand paper). He'd promised himself that, as soon as that happened, he'd tackle this whole, "I'm a Cooper, he's a Cooper, wouldn't you like to be a Cooper, too" quagmire.
      And, the fact of the matter was, Gabriel was genuinely interested in learning more about his family.
      Unfortunately however, the information he wanted most desperately couldn't come from Douglas.
     
      "Knock-knock," Gabriel stuck his head through the doorway to Robin's Cooper Shipping office, his fingers resting on the doorknob, one leg already in, the other still outside and ready to escape on a moment's notice.
      His newfound brother looked up in surprise. "Oh," he said. "I - hi. Hello."
      "Can I come in?"
      "You're... uhm...you're up and around."
      "You heard about my little run-in?"
      "Victoria told Douglas. Douglas told me." Robin stood up awkwardly, and gestured for Gabriel to take a seat. If he wanted to, that is. "How are you doing?"
      "I'll live."
      "That's good."
      "You don't sound sure."
      "Damn it, man, what do you want from me?"
      Gabriel smiled. "I was wondering when the real Robin Cooper was planning to show up. That guy who was in here when I first walked in kind of freaked me out."
      "What do you want?" Robin repeated, feeling equally comfortable in their familiarly combative pattern. He had no idea how he was supposed to treat this man. Was he here as Victoria's brother, or Robin's?
      "I need you to do something for me."
      Robin faked a deep, royal bow. "Anything for the man currently shacking up with my ex-wife."
      "Is she?"
      "Is she what?"
      "Your ex-wife?"
      "Any minute now."
      "So you filed the papers?"
      "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
      "I don't know. When you dumped Victoria - "
      "Is that what this is about? You're here to harangue me for telling Victoria - "
      "Oh, please."
      "I did it for her own good. I did it to protect her. I'd rather hurt her a little now - "
      "Stop it. Hearing it from her was bad enough. I don't think I could bear listening to another ode to your nobility and honor. Besides, if I was here to talk about your dumping Victoria, there would have been a thank-you card in my hand and a yahoo on my lips."
      He'd been insulted. Robin knew that. But he was also so relieved that he was willing to let it go. For now. "So what do you want then?"
      "For you to tell me something."
      "About Nicole?"
      "No. About our mother."
      Robin froze. He'd been turning to sit down in his chair, and he felt his muscles contract as if stung by a tranquilizer dart. Everything froze. His arms, his legs, even his heart. For a moment, he couldn't move. It took all of Robin's effort to force his body into his chair and his face into some semblance of calm. Instantly, a million thoughts flashed through Robin's head. Followed by pure terror, and the fervent hope that Gabriel wasn't here to ask the one thing Robin was most petrified of his asking.
      He felt as if his tongue were numb and his jaw in the grips of tetanus. And yet, he managed to croak out, " What - why - why come to me?"
      "I want to know something about her. Elizabeth Cooper. I - I've never had a mother. I had foster parents, and the last set, Brian and Maggie, they were actually very nice, very kind people. But, I've never had a real, true mother of my own. And I want to know what she was like."
      "Why come to me? Why not Douglas. He can tell you a lot more things about her than I ever could."
      "Yes," Gabriel said softly. "But you are the only one in the whole world who can tell me what she was like as a mother."