A Flight's Desire

Chapter 49: Family First

Flight 211 landed right on time at eleven in the morning at LAX. Some of the passengers walking out of the plane noticed a certain best-selling author that also travelled with them from Budapest to Los Angeles. They stopped her respectfully and got her autograph. They also took many pictures with her that they would always cherish.

Robin Hale knew that many of them were noticing her after the articles that had been released, but she didn't care. She knew how to separate the fans of her book and the fans that were like her. After talking to Ben over the past two days, she knew how to deal with the situation.

Robin Hale had to admit that she was a good actress herself. She checked out her luggage and walked towards the entrance of the airport. She was finally home. She breathed the fresh air of Los Angeles and searched the crowd for the person who promised to be there. The second she saw him, a huge smile spread across her face. She crossed the barricades set up for an orderly exit and once she was out, Robin ran over to Ben and he spun her around in the velocity. "Hey! Welcome home, love." He set Robin down. "How was the flight?"

"Tiring," she groaned. "That too without a certain Caleb Walker to keep my thoughts company." She punched his arm playfully. "I was thinking about today's confrontation the entire time. I couldn't sleep properly but when do I ever do? So, is everyone there at the restaurant?"

He nodded. "Yup. All we have to do is reveal our decision while they are getting to know each other in the short time that we've given them. I hope they've gotten introduced to themselves. Otherwise we would have to start from scratch."

Robin blushed. "We are finally doing this, aren't we? We're going to tell them what we've decided."

Ben embraced her once again and rested his left cheek on top of her head. "Yes, we are. It's better that they know. Trust me."

She looked up at him and shook that hair that fell over her eyes. "I do. That's why we are in this mess in the first place."

He laughed. "I know. I'm irresistible."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "That you are." She winked. "So, shall we?"

He bent down to pick up one of her suitcases. "We shall."

The two of them got inside Ben's car and they drove down to the common restaurant that the Hales and the Summers shared their love for. The two families sat at the rooftop under the shades of the tent that was set up.

Robin and Ben walked up the stairs hand in hand. Ben was ready to finalise their decision but Robin seemed to be hesitant. "All okay?" Ben asked her.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Just jitters about what we are about to do. I've never exactly been the type to tell Lincoln exactly what I wanted. He has always been there for me, whether it be bullies at school or problems with math and accounts...."

"Hey." Ben clamped her shoulders. "I'll be there the entire time. There is no way you are getting rid of me now, Hale."

She managed to smirk through her heart beating at its top speed. "You have to be there the entire time or else I might commit arson." She pulled her hair behind her ear. "And you can't get rid of me either, Summers. You're stuck with me for life."

"And I'm glad for it. Let's finish this once and for all."

Ben was going to enter the terrace when Robin pulled his arm. "They'll be happy....right?"

He cocked his head and pulled her into a comforting hug. "If you are having second thoughts-"

"With you? Never."

"I'm glad to hear that." He smiled. "They'll be gleaming with joy. I'm pretty sure that my family already knows how I feel because they kept looking at me funny after you left that night."

Robin's head jerked up, her eyes opening wide. "Really?" She thought about how Lincoln had reacted when she told him about Ben. "I guess my family also knows. In a way." She nodded. "Okay, let's get this over with."

The two of them walked out onto the terrace and found their family seated at the eighteen-foot table. Candice was the first one to notice them after which she nudged her mother to look at Robin and Ben. The five people at the table stood up when the two reached it. They had been speculating what could have had them get together finally but it was all answered when Robin and Ben entered.

Lincoln pulled Robin into a deep hug. "Welcome home, kid."

She was in tears. She noticed that Lincoln was wearing their father's iconic perfume and that was more than enough for her to get emotional. "Hi, Lincoln." She hugged Melody and the baby next. After that, she hugged Fiona and Candice and shook hands with Harry while Ben greeted her family. Ben was so glad to see Robin with his folks. He knew even more that he belonged with her.

The two sat down at the head of the table and faced their family. Harry was the first to break the ice about what was going on. "Can we finally know why we've been brought together here on such an impromptu notice?"

Lincoln smiled. It was clear that he had gotten along with Harry about their love for history. Melody and Candice would have talked about marriage life and what it was to be a mother. Fiona would have moved between conversations, but it was evident that the two families had gotten introduced to each other.

Both Robin and Ben felt that it was a crash of two worlds. But it was going to be the best of both worlds.

"So." Ben cleared his throat. "Thank you for coming here on such short notice. I know that my message was quite vague but we...." He looked at Robin. "We have something important to tell you."

Robin took a deep breath. "Thank you so much for coming here. I know that my flight was at the end of this month and because of my awesome sister," she looked at Melody. "I was able to come home soon." She took another breath. "I'm sure that you've seen the articles going about that talked about Robin and I being together and-"

Ben tugged at her arm. "Wait Robin, where am I in the equation?"

Robin closed her eyes with her right hand while Ben laughed with the rest of them. "This is too hard! I feel like I'm giving my final exams!"

"You weren't scared even during that time," said Lincoln. "Come on, Rob. It's just us."

Robin took another deep breath in. Enough was enough. She might as well get to the point. "Ben and I are together." Ben took her hand at that moment. "We realised that we weren't just friends and we decided to do something about it."

"We wanted you to find out from us," said Ben. "But the tabloids went crazy. We're sorry that you had to find out from them but I'm not sorry that Robin and I are, in fact, together." He looked at her and caught her with her heart in her eyes.

There was a moment of silence at the table, which made Robin and Ben search for the answers in their faces. "Well," started Fiona. "I guess that we don't have to keep speculating about it then."

"It's about damn time!" Melody said.

"Oh God...." Robin buried her head in Ben's shoulder.

Their family knew!

The Hales and the Summers greeted each other once again and passed on their congratulations to the two lovebirds. They knew in their hearts that Ben and Robin were meant to be.

And they were.