Chapter 76- Like a Lady

Skye ended up staying the night at the Quartermaines at Alan's suggestion after her first therapy session. They called Myrtle who agreed that it might do Skye some good and she decided to lift her grounding sentence. She was starting to think she was being too hard on Skye and with her going to therapy that would be enough for her right now.

Skye was surprised the next morning to find Alan and AJ playing with Michael in the living room.

Michael placed the last block on his high tower, then he and AJ pushed it, so it crashed to the floor and Michael started to laugh. "We build it so high and then… and then I pushed it over and it fall down! Did you see it, Grandpa?"

Alan leaned over from the couch and smiled. "I did see it. It was so very exciting."

"Let's do it again, Daddy!"

"Skye!" Alan smiled when he noticed her. "Good morning. You slept late."

"Yeah, I didn't sleep much at all," Skye said. "Michael is back?"

AJ grinned. "Alexis went to the judge this morning and was able to get temporary unsupervised overnight visits. I now have Michael two nights a week, at least until our next court date."

"That's great news," Skye said.

"I would like to ask you a favour though," AJ said.

"Who?" Skye looked at Alan and back to AJ. "Me?"

"Yes. I have to go to Elizabeth's ultrasound this afternoon. You know… to keep up the act. Mom and Dad are working this afternoon and Em has a class. Plus, Grandmother is a little under the weather and I don't want to ask Grandfather, or he'll be recruiting my son to ELQ before he turns five… Dad suggested you. Can you babysit Michael for a few hours?"

"Oh… um…"

"Alexis advised AJ against leaving him with a nanny or one of the servants," Alan spoke up. "She said it'll look good to the judge and family services if he's bonded with family instead of our help."

"I'm sorry it's short notice," AJ said. "But Dad said you're here for the day anyway. You could take him to the park if you want. Do you mind?"

"Okay," Skye said. "I suppose I could bond with my fellow redhead."

"Excuse me." Reginald appeared in the doorway. "A Mr. Cambias is here to see Miss Chandler."

Alan squinted his eyes as Skye headed to foyer.

Michael Cambias was standing there holding a bouquet of flowers and handed it to her. "Good morning, beautiful." He leaned forward and kissed her.

Skye took the flowers and smelled them. "Good morning."

"I missed you last night."

"After our first date?"

"I felt bad for cutting it short," Michael said. "That's why I got you a present."

She blushed a little. "You mean, you got me something more than just the flowers?"

He pulled out a box and handed it to her.

Her eyes grew wide. "You bought me a cell phone?"

He grinned and set his hand on her hip. "That way we can talk to each other all the time. As much as we want…" He did a trail of kisses on her cheek.

"Sounds a little to me like you want to know where my daughter is at all times."

Skye turned around to find Alan standing there with his arms crossed and looking stern.

"Oh, Dad, this is Michael Cambias," Skye said.

"I've heard the name," Alan said.

Michael grinned and offered his hand, but Alan didn't shake it. "I am your daughter's new boyfriend."

Skye was about to speak up and say that they never acknowledged going steady, but she decided to go along with it. "Yes, he is."

"Skye, I need to head out," Michael said. "But it's already set up for you and I'm in your contacts." He kissed her again. "I'll call you later."

Alan glared at him as he left. "Skye, how long have you been seeing this man?"

Skye shrugged. "It's still kind of fresh."

"And he's already touching you like that?"

"Oh, come on," Skye said. "We're both consenting adults. He's a Cambias… he's very rich and from a prestigious family. He'd get along great with the Quartermaines."

"Just be careful around him. I mean it."

FargateFargateFargate

John came over to be with Rae while Myrtle went to visit Stuart and have a little break. Myrtle didn't trust Kendall to be in charge in case of an emergency and John was wanting to come over anyway.

"How are you feeling?" John asked as he sat next to Rae on the couch.

"I have good moments and bad moments. I was up most of the night vomiting and worried about Skye."

He frowned. "Myrtle said she spent the night at Alan's. I'm sure she's okay."

"Mama didn't want to tell me, so I had to pry it out of her. Skye started going to therapy last night."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

She nodded. "I'm just wondering what made her decide to go. I mean, I'm sure it was Alan. But why last night?"

"At least she's going."

"I know. I guess I'm just worried that she won't open up to me as much since I'm sick. But I want her to know she can always come to me no matter what."

They looked over as Kendall walked down the stairs in a blue sundress smiling.

Rae raised an eyebrow. "You look nice. Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes, I am," Kendall said. "Myrtle un-grounded us, so I'm going on a date."

"A date? Who's the lucky guy?"

"Jasper Jacks," Kendall said.

Rae frowned. "Oh."

"Skye has moved on to Michael Cambias and the other guy I'm interested in isn't available considering he got a girl pregnant."

"So, you just jump on the next available guy without dealing with your feelings for the other two men first?" John asked.

Kendall rolled her eyes. "Jax is interesting too. And he's sponsoring our business. It will look good that both of us are dating two of our sponsors."

Rae squinted her eyes. "So, for you and Skye dating is just about public image right now?"

"And about having a good time," Kendall said.

"Are you sure you're not just dating Jax to get back at Skye for going out with Michael?" Rae suggested.

"I'm over that," Kendall said. "This is simply going to help Fusion and we're having fun together."

After Kendall left, Rae groaned. "Now I'm even more worried about Skye. Playing these games with Kendall…"

"Well, she'll just have to reap the consequences," John said.

"And just who is this Michael Cambias? I hope he is good to her."

FargateFargateFargate

Stuart pulled a chair out for Myrtle at BJ's and sat across from her. "How is Rae?"

Myrtle frowned. "She has good days and bad days. I just hope her surgery coming up will help her."

Stuart looked at her sadly. "It just makes me so sad to see you and Rae and Skye going through all this. But I know you're all so strong. You have big hearts, and you'll help each other get through this. And—And I want to help in any way that I can."

"Oh, Stuart." Myrtle smiled at him. "You have the biggest heart I have ever seen. You are always a help, especially when you're there for Skye."

"But I haven't been." He frowned and stuck out his lower lip. "I've been so busy, but I wanted to come check on all of you and visit you."

"Now, look, darling, we're going to put an end to all this foolishness! You have called to check on us every day and you were there at the hospital with us. We know that you have trouble getting out of town on your own, so you have nothing to feel bad about. And especially since you have your own issues right now while you're going through a divorce."

"Well, I still want to be there for you more. But I have news."

"What news?"

"Me and Marian signed the divorce papers this morning," Stuart said. "I'm single again."

"Oh, Stuart," Myrtle said. "I know that must give you mixed feelings."

He smiled. "But I'm happy because Marian is happy, and maybe everyone can be happy."

"You are very kind to want Marian to be happy."

"But… you know, all I keep thinking about is—is you, Myrtle. I think about your smile, your red hair, and all the really nice things you do for everyone. Especially Skye, she looks up to you so much. And I'm so happy that kind of brought us together."

She smiled back at him. "I'm happy she did too. While a lot of things she does is questionable, she does get some things right."

He shifted nervously in his seat. "That's why I wanted to ask if you'd want to be more than friends? I know I'm not that smart or strong like other guys and I probably can't drive you places, but I want to treat you like a lady, and we can take care of Skye together. Make her feel loved, and I—I want to do that for Rae too. And we can include Scott, and—and maybe we can be like a family one day. But if you… if you want to go slow, that's okay too. Or if you don't and you want to be friends, I will be happy about that. What I'm asking is… will you be my girlfriend?"

Myrtle was blushing and she reached for his hands. "Stuart Chandler, I was waiting until you were officially divorced to ask you the same thing. If you feel like you're ready, then yes, I would love to be your girlfriend."

His face lit right up, and his eyes filled with tears. "I will try so hard to be the boyfriend you deserve."