I didn't plan for this chapter to just be one scene, but it was longer than I thought. I loved writing this Skye/Lila scene though 😊
Chapter 56- Skye's Admission of Love
Skye sat up in an empty cell as Adam unlocked the door and stepped inside.
"Oh, Daddy, I knew you'd come!" She ran over and hugged onto him, crying into his shoulder. "I knew you'd come and save me."
"You're an adopted Chandler," his voice echoed, and he stepped back. "An adopted Chandler… Adopted Chandler…"
"No, Daddy, no, don't say that, please take it back," Skye said. "I promise, I'll do anything you want…" But as she tried to cling onto him, he slammed cell door shut and locked it.
"You're not a real Chandler," he said.
"No, Daddy…" Skye grasped onto the bars and tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please, Daddy… get me out of here. Please… Please…"
Hayley, JR, and Colby suddenly appeared at his side, JR wearing a suit, and the girls in blazers and pencil skirts.
"It's time for my children to take over the business," Adam said. "Standing tall like real Chandlers."
"Daddy!" Skye cried out as they all disappeared, and Alan took his spot with Emily in a bridal gown.
"I can't believe this day has come," Alan said. "My precious little girl is all grown up."
"I never would've found the perfect man without you chasing away all the boys who were bad for me, Daddy," Emily said. "I don't know what I would do without you, Daddy."
Alan kissed her cheek and wrapped his arms around her. "You are the best daughter a father could ask for, and I'm honoured to share this day with you."
Skye leaned her forehead against the bars and fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.
As Alan and Emily disappeared, Myrtle and Rae appeared.
"Mom, Grandma…" Skye cried out. "Please get me out… please save me…"
"I never thought I'd get my life back," Rae said. "I wasted so many years looking for my child only to find that Skye. I was never so disappointed in my life. Then she took over everything… tried to sabotage my relationship with John, got jealous of my clients… she even cuddled with me like an annoying little kid. I'm glad she's gone so I can move on and pretend she doesn't exist."
"No… please, Mom, please…"
"She can't even paint a room or make her own bed," Myrtle added. "And don't forget those articles she wrote about you."
"And she brought all this danger to our lives," Rae said. "We're better off without her…"
"No… No… No…" Skye woke up abruptly, cold and sweaty. She glanced beside her at Kendall who was fast asleep. They opted to share the only bed since neither of them slept well on the floor the night before when they let the kids take the bed.
But Skye left the bed and dropped to the floor crying and she hugged her knees to her chest.
"What's the matter, dear?"
Skye slowly looked up to find Lila looking down at her with concern.
"I—I didn't mean to wake you," Skye said and pushed her tears away.
"You seem very sad," Lila said. "Did you have a nightmare?"
Skye pressed her hand to her forehead and stared at the floor.
"Would you like to talk about it?" Lila asked. "When I have bad dreams, I like to talk to your grandfather about them. It makes me feel so much better. He often does the same with me. He's usually the cause of his bad dreams though."
Skye sighed. "I just… I don't want to feel like a nobody anymore."
"Why do you feel like a nobody?" Lila asked.
"Because nobody wants me."
"Your father and mother were so very happy to find you," Lila said. "Alan was relieved and excited to have another daughter. He wouldn't stop talking about you before I was kidnapped."
Skye looked up at her again. "Really?"
"All he wants is to have a good relationship with all four of his children," Lila said. "He is closest to Emily but wants that with you and the boys as well."
"Are you sure he doesn't just want Emily? That's the little girl that he loves and he's protective of her."
"He loves all of his children equally," Lila said. "He wants nothing more than to bring all of you together."
"He just seems so different than my adoptive father. Daddy wouldn't even come visit me when I was in jail and I doubt he'll come rescue me now."
"But I know Alan must be very worried about you," Lila said. "He would do anything to protect his children."
Skye chewed her bottom lip. "I just want to go home! But part of me thinks that Grandma and Mom are better off without me. That they're glad that I'm gone."
"Or maybe they miss you very much," Lila suggested. "You shouldn't assume the worst."
"I'd rather be doing chores than sitting in this cell," Skye said. "They really are daunting and boring. I guess I took all the servants for granted. But you know… I kind of feel… good after doing them. It makes me feel accomplished. And my mom and grandma always seem pleased. I don't know why it makes me feel good to see them happy after I do my chores."
"Because they are proud of you and you want them to be proud of you. You want to please them."
"I used to make fun of Grandma being an old carnie," Skye said. "My first reaction to finding out she was my grandmother, I laughed because I thought it was ridiculous." She started crying again. "But now one of my dreams is to ride the ferris wheel with her and check out all the carnival games with her."
"That sounds very lovely," Lila said. "I haven't been on a ferris wheel since I was a little girl."
"Why are grandmothers so easy to talk to?" Skye asked. "I didn't have a grandma or grandpa growing up. I never knew Adam or Althea's parents. But what I don't understand is my mother… Rae. I…I… I hated this woman. I made it my business to hate her. She's the last person on this planet that I would ever choose to be my mother. And I avoided her like crazy once I found out. I spent my whole life trying to get Daddy's attention, but with my mom… I don't have to do anything. She's just there whether I'm good or bad or just neutral. Even when I think I've scared her off she comes right back. Then she helped me prepare for my interview. It wasn't even a chore for her to carve time out of her day to help me. She wasn't off drinking or in an institution, and she wasn't too busy with work or a child that she loves more than me. She really genuinely wanted to help me and even seemed to enjoy helping me. She hugged me a few times before that and it felt good…" She lowered her gaze again. "But I kept thinking about all the little girls I went to school with, the ones that I bullied… they were all so close to their moms. They would sit on their mom's laps and play with their hair and hold hands…"
"You wanted that too?" Lila asked.
"I just… I wanted to try it to see what it felt like…"
"Did it make you feel loved?"
Skye nodded. "More than that, it made me feel safe… something I've never felt before. I realized I like being close and being touched, but not in a sexual way for a change. And I felt like if she let go, she would leave me, and I'd be alone again. Except she didn't leave, I was taken from her again. Well, technically Junior and I walked right into the danger."
"She didn't leave you and she won't," Lila said.
"I just felt alone all my life, other than when I was with Uncle Stuart, but since living with Mom and Grandma…"
"You don't feel alone," Lila finished for her.
"And that scares me so much. I'm afraid I'm going to lose them… well, I did. But all I want right now…" Her eyes welled with tears again. "I just want my mom to hold me again and tell me that everything is okay."
Lila opened her arms wide. "I'm not your mom but I can hug you."
Skye slowly rose to her feet and embraced Lila, crying into her shoulder. "Junior hugged me too and said that he loves me. He doesn't care that I'm adopted… or stolen. But I hated him too."
Lila patted her back. "Your concern for your brother and sister's safety did not show hate, it only showed love."
"But I don't want to love anyone again… Everyone I love always leaves."
"I think you do want to love and be loved. It's okay to love, whether the person you love is close or far away," Lila said. "Your actions show that you already do love. It's okay to admit it and say it out loud."
Skye nodded through her tears, still clinging to Lila. "I don't hate Junior anymore. I love him. And I want to tell him."
"You will, dear. You will."