All right, some sappy goodness before the drama picks up again. Enjoy!
Chapter 47- Celebratory Cuddles
Skye was up at 7am sharp to make sure she was ready for her interview at 9. She even attempted to make breakfast for everyone, but ended up burning the eggs and bacon, so Myrtle took over while Rae and Skye did another mock interview. Skye was starting babble a sure sign of nervousness, but Rae tried to reassure her that she'd be fine even without the Chandler name. Myrtle encouraged her to arrive 15 minutes early, something that seemed foreign to Skye since she was always late for things, but she complied and left with one of the guards in good time.
"Oh Mama, she's been working so hard, I really hope she gets this," Rae said. "Even though I know she'd prefer a different job, and she really is a good reporter… when she reports the truth. But it'll really encourage her if she gets it."
"I think a job like this will do her a lot of good," Myrtle said. "It'll humble her and help her work on her character."
"Maybe I should've called Renee and asked her to hire Skye as a favour to me," Rae said.
"That would be a dreadful idea," Myrtle said. "Skye has worked very hard. Helping her prepare is one thing but asking Renee to hire her for your sake would be something Adam Chandler would do."
Rae sighed. "Maybe you're right."
Ring. Ring.
Rae lifted the phone to her ear. "Hello?"
"Hi Rae," it was Alan. "Can I please speak to Skye?"
"Hi Alan. Skye is at another interview this morning."
"Oh, good. I was just going to ask her about yesterday's interview."
Rae sighed. "It didn't go so well. But I've really been trying to help her prepare for this one."
"I'll be sure to call her back in a little while," Alan said. "I also wanted to check in to see if she's received anymore threats."
"She's been really focused on this interview and we watched Little Women last night, so I don't know when she would've received one. But I can ask her when she gets back."
"We really need to keep that communication open with her," Alan said. "Make sure she keeps talking about it, so she doesn't keep it to herself again."
After Rae hung up, the phone rang again. This time it was Erica.
"I just can't decide whether to add flowers at the Yacht Club or have a carnival theme for Myrtle's birthday," Erica said.
"Maybe a bit of both?" Rae looked over just as Myrtle headed into the kitchen, so she was able to talk. "We could make it elegant but have a clown or a magician or something perform."
"Perfect. And I thought I'd put up a few pictures of her through the years. I know she lost a lot in the fire, but my mother saved some and I got them when she died."
For the next hour, Myrtle and Rae sat and had a cup of tea and cookies as they waited for Skye. Shortly after 10, she finally returned as excited as ever.
"Well, Skye, how did it go?" Rae asked.
Skye squealed and jumped up and down. "I got it! I got it! I start on Sunday!"
"Oh, that's wonderful," Rae said.
"Delightful!" Myrtle agreed.
"I didn't even have to highlight the Chandler name. Renee even said that it's hard to find workers these days that arrive so early before a shift. I beat out two teenaged punks who aren't available during school nights."
"Oh, wow." Rae grinned at Myrtle.
Skye squealed again and plopped down between them and hugged Rae. "Thank you so much for helping me, Mom."
Rae rubbed Skye's back and smiled at Myrtle who was winking at her. "I'm so proud of you. Why won't we go out for lunch to celebrate?"
Skye let go of the hug and started playing with Rae's bracelet. "Can we uh… celebrate here and watch another movie? Maybe order pizza?"
Rae chuckled a little. "Any way you want to celebrate is good with me. Why don't you go order the pizza and pick out a movie?"
"Kay!" Skye jumped up and skipped down the hallway.
"Well, someone's excited about their new job," Myrtle said.
Rae turned to her. "Mama, have you noticed she's acting like a little girl?"
"Skye always acts like a little girl," Myrtle said. "She's just making steps not to act like a spoiled rich girl. One step at a time."
"I guess you're right. And to be honest, I'm kind of enjoying it. I just… I'm a bit worried for her though. After you went to bed last night, we watched Little Women together and she was very cuddly."
"Good. She's opening up to you."
"Do you think that's normal for her age?" Rae asked. "I mean, for my own selfish reasons I'm enjoying it, but like I said… I'm worried about her. And I think that's why she wants to watch another movie so we can cuddle again."
"Then keep enjoying it. Remember you said a while ago that there's a frightened girl hiding behind walls of attitude?"
"Yes."
"That frightened girl is trying to come out and she needs to feel safe and loved," Myrtle said. "I really doubt Althea ever cuddled much with her. Maybe that's what she needs right now. You and I don't actually cuddle, but we show affection for each other. Maybe Skye's affection is cuddling."
"Maybe you're right," Rae said. "Maybe I'm over-analyzing this… or under-analyzing… I don't know… because you seem to be analyzing her perfectly right now."
"Don't over think it. Just enjoy your time with her and listen to your instincts."
A couple minutes later, Skye returned with a VHS tape and plopped down between them again. "You know, Mom… VHS is sooo yesterday. We should really get a DVD player."
"Maybe you can save up and buy your mom a DVD player for Mother's Day," Myrtle suggested.
Skye rolled her eyes.
Rae lifted the tape. "Terms of Endearment… Are you sure you're in the mood for a tearjerker?"
"It's a mother-daughter movie and we are mother and daughter and grandmother," Skye stated as if it were obvious.
"Okay, well it's your celebration so if that's the movie you want to watch, then that's the movie we'll watch…"
"I've never seen this one," Myrtle said as Skye set up the movie.
"Well, I'll grab the tissues." Rae left for a moment and returned with a box of Kleenex and set it on the coffee table.
Skye sat in the middle again and reached for the blanket as the movie started. She wrapped the blanket around all of them, then leaned against Rae.
"I met Shirley Maclaine once," Myrtle said. "I beat her in darts at the carnie once."
Rae raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Myrtle nodded. "She was seeing Marty the lion tamer and stopped by to see him."
Skye slipped her arms around Rae's waist and Rae wrapped an arm around her. "Teach me to play darts, will you, Grandma?"
"Certainly," Myrtle said. "I think BJ's has darts. I'll take you this weekend."
"Oh, Skye," Rae said as Skye started to play with her bracelet again. "Your dad, Alan, called. Maybe you can call him after the movie to tell him about your new job."
"Okay, I will."