Love in the Sticks - HEA

At Last! A response! But not, he realised, from the box in front of him.  Irritated by the interruption, he cast a glance over his shoulder.

On the water feature stood another robin. Her soft eyes gazing at him hopefully. 

She released a volley of trills and whistles, her gaze never shifting from him. Her obvious fascination soothed his bruised ego. He wanted a family, and his first love wasn’t interested. What should he do?

He’d spent the last three days trying to woo his heart’s desire, and now this female robin looked at him with adoration. He shuffled his feet and puffed his feathers. She hopped into the concealing branches behind her, taking her songs with her.

His world seemed to hold its breath while he faced down his first love. As he studied his reflection in the glass eye centred in the green box his patience snapped. Never-the-less, he found it hard to turn away without one more try.

 His peck, part frustration and part regret, garnered no response.  It became all 'goodbye'.  He'd spent the last three days hoping to win his true love's affection in vain, now he needed to look to his future.  And his future waited for him on a tree branch not far away.
* * *

Building a new home and looking after his family consumed all his time and attention.  If he ever thought of his wasted devotion, the memories faded when his first chick left the nest.

Who knew how time consuming the demands of his newly fledged babies would be? He may not have his first love at his side, but his chosen partner proved to be a good mother, rearing strong healthy chicks.  And now, as he brought a juicy worm for her to feast on while she brooded their second batch of eggs he looked down with pride at his first born, already self-reliant and capable of fending off any competition.

Happiness beat in his little heart and he threw back his head and sang out his contentment at the top of his voice.