How Will I Know

Chapter Four: Confirmations

Robin couldn't hold back a smile as Elena stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby of the hotel, she looked beautiful; he cleared his throat as he approached her knowing that he needed to focus. 

"Hello," Robin greeted softly it was weird to think that this woman was his wife; he had only ever thought he would call Bouchra his wife and now they were divorced. 

Robin had no idea how to feel about the fact that he was married to a complete stranger, he just hoped that when they got things checked out that this was all some terrible joke that he would be able to forget soon. 

"Sorry if I'm a little late," Elena murmured slightly out of breathe, Robin shook his head dismissing what she had said; he had come down early to avoid more questioning from his concerned team-mates who had seen the news in the papers. 

The two of them stood quietly for a moment before Robin cleared his throat again nervously, they had no idea how to act around one another and they doubted that this trip was going to be easy. 

"Are you ready to go?" Robin asked wanting nothing more than to get this over and done with, he wanted answers and the faster that they got them the better. 

Elena nodded the sooner they learnt if they were married the better, then they could figure out the next step; she couldn't imagine what would happen if she had to remain married to Robin. 

"As I'll ever be," Elena replied brushing some hair from her face, the pair stood awkwardly before Elena took a deep breath and slowly started walking. 

Robin followed her as they walked out of the hotel in silence, they didn't make it fair before they were mobbed by the press; it was clear that they had been waiting outside of the hotel for a while. 

Robin held back a curse as he pulled Elena close as they headed for his rental car, he hadn't expected it to be like this since they were in America but it was clear that there would be no peace for him for a while.

Robin helped Elena into the rental car that he had gotten from the hotel as he tried to ignore the shouts of the press wanting to know who his new wife was and what would Bouchra think when she found out. 

Elena stiffened slightly at the mention of Robin's ex-wife, she hadn't even thought about who else would be affected if their marriage was real; she knew that there had to be something that they would be able to do. 

Robin got into the driver's side of the car, he ran a hand through his hair as he pulled on his seatbelt; Elena glanced at him wondering what he would tell the press if they weren't legally married and how he would deal with it. 

The drive was silent with both Elena and Robin lost in their thoughts and soon they found themselves standing outside the office of the man that had married them the night before. 

"If it isn't Mr. and Mrs. van Persie," the priest said letting them into his office, Elena smiled at him softly as he offered them a seat; sitting down the man smiled at them wondering how he could help them. 

The priest had been happy to marry the very much in love couple, they had been so sweet and he had been closing up for the night before when they had come to him with their friends wishing to get married. 

"So what can I do for you both?" the priest asked smiling at the couple cheerfully, he was so used to marrying drunken fools that marrying an actually couple in love had been a refreshing change. 

The priest was sure that they had a long and happy marriage ahead of them, they had rambled a bit about their future plans and he was sure they would be great parents one day. 

Robin and Elena looked at one another before Robin shifted and looked at the priest, wondering if he knew how drunk they had been when he married them; he was sure it would have been obvious.

"We were wondering if the marriage was legal," Robin asked slowly, he wanted to know how bad the damage was and he knew that the media were already going crazy over the fact that he had gotten married. 

The priest stared at the couple, they seemed a little awkward now especially after they had seemed so in love last night when he had married them; it made him wonder if he had made some sort of mistake about them. 

"Of course, it's legal," the priest said the two stared at him, Elena didn't know if she wanted to cry or start hyperventilating while Robin looked like he was going to faint, he wasn't sure that he could cope with a new wife right now. 

Robin was just getting his life back on track, he had two children to focus on and he was worried how this was going to affect them; he didn't even know what would happen with the transfer window. 

"Is there any chance of an annulment?" Robin asked unsteadily, the priest who had married them stared at Robin then he looked at Elena; it was then that he realised what had happened and he felt so stupid. 

The priest sighed watching them while he rubbed his temples, the two of them had seemed so happy when they had married them; he sighed knowing he couldn't mess with their lives but it was clear they were meant to be. 

The priest was tired of constantly watching drunken couples wander in and get married before getting annulments and divorces when they discovered what they had done; he was determined not to let it happen to this one. 

Elena was silent, she couldn't believe this and she wanted to cry that this was how she had gotten married; she wanted nothing more than to fix this before it got any worse. 

Robin was a footballer and it wouldn't be long before everyone knew that he had gotten married in Vegas; they would be all sorts of questions asked that she didn't have the answers to.

"I'm afraid not especially if the marriage has been consummated," the priest murmured gently, he knew he shouldn't be doing this but they both deserved to be happy and he didn't see what giving the marriage a chance could hurt. 

Plus the priest had seen how they had been the night before they had been all over each other it was impossible for them not to have consummated their marriage. 

Robin and Elena took in what was happening to them, they were truly married to one another and there didn't seem to be anything that they could do about it; it was clear that they would have to find another way to end their marriage. 

Elena knew nothing of marriage law, she had never considered getting divorced or annulled when she finally got married, she was the until death do you part kind; she couldn't believe that this was actually happening to her. 

It all seemed so unreal and Elena doubted that Robin had any interest in remaining married to a complete stranger; it was a fact that she didn't blame him on. 

"Plus with your recent divorce Mr. van Persie, it will take a little longer to file for a second one," the priest continued looking at Robin who paled at the mention of his divorce from Bouchra; he hated that it was coming back to haunt him like this. 

Robin ran a hand through his hair, he was going to have to stay married to Elena and he was hopeful that they would be able to work something out; he was sure that in a year or two things would be back to normal. 

Robin looked to Elena, they needed to go back to the hotel and talk about this since there was so much to discuss and he knew that they needed to get a story straight to hide what had really happened.