Runaway and Skye (The Dimming... Part 2)

Sunday, 10 July, 2033

16:59

When Skye pulled her Tesla into Springvale’s Botanical Cemetery, she expected she’d have to make a trek on foot through the gardens to Tyler Devereaux’s gravesite. But as she drew nearer to Tyler’s final resting place, she spotted Millie’s chestnut pigtails waiting for her on the curb of the narrow road. She pulled over, leaned across and flung the passenger door open. Millie dropped her pink backpack into the footwell and climbed in. Then she fidgeted in her lap.

“Millie, honey, what are you doing out here alone in the freezing cold?”

“I wanted to talk to Mama Tyler about something.”

“Oh, honey, you’re ten years old. I’m sure your mum would’ve brought you here if you’d asked.”

“But I didn’t want her to hear.”

“Then you call me, kiddo. You don’t go venturing out on your own.”

Millie looked at her with her big blue eyes. “You didn’t tell her I called you, did you?”

Without giving a yay or a nay, Skye asked, “Whose phone did you use?”

“There was a nice lady visiting her dad.”

Skye reached into the back seat and retrieved a blanket, then spread it over Millie’s lap. “Okay. Let’s get you home and warm, devil-child.”

As Skye pulled the car out of the cemetery onto the main road, Millie asked, “Skye, can you miss someone you never met?”

“Do you miss your mama?” Skye stole a look at the glum young lady and caught sight of a nod. “Well then, there’s your answer.”

“But how? My friend, Jilly, says I can’t. I never knew her, so I can’t miss her.”

Skye slowed down with the traffic, then stopped at a set of red lights. “What are some things your Mama Tyler liked to do?”

Millie twisted the cord of her jacket. Then she looked up and said, “I know she liked to paint. And she was a really good drawer.”

“What else?”

“Um… I know she was smart. She was an architect.”

“I think she was probably very smart, just like her baby girl.” Millie grinned. Skye asked, “What else?”

“I think she was kind. Mummy only likes kind people.”

“That’s some spot-on reasoning, kiddo.”

“She liked ice-cream. And chocolate. And funny movies. Oh, and books.”

“What was her favourite ice-cream flavour?”

Millie chuckled. “Mum says she liked rainbow Paddlepops.”

Skye laughed. “I wonder what rainbow tastes like.”

“Oh! Her favourite movie was Steel Magnolias.”

“I love that movie!”

“Me too! Maybe you and me and mum can watch it together. Tonight!”

“We’ll see.” Skye gave the young girl’s knee a pat. “See? You do know your mama. Don’t let anyone ever tell you you can’t miss her, Millie. Your feelings are your own. If you miss your mama, then you miss her, plain and simple.”

Millie turned her face away and murmured, “My mum misses her.”

Skye said softly, “I know, honey. They loved each other very much.”

“That’s why I wanted to talk to Mama today.”

“Is it okay if I ask what you talked with her about?”

Millie nodded. “I know she was smart, so I knew she would get it. And I know she was kind, so I knew she wouldn’t be mad.”

“Mad about what, angel?”

“About letting Mum love someone else.”

Millie fell silent then, and stared out the passenger window at the tree-lined street whizzing by, with the lights of buildings growing bolder as the sun dipped below the skyline.

Skye thought back to the day she and Lexi had met. Before that, they had communicated via video phone. Skye was a police officer stationed in Sydney, and involved in the investigation of the car crash that had so tragically taken Tyler’s life. That was July 2023, almost ten years ago to the day. Lexi and Skye had soon after met during one of Skye’s visits to Melbourne, and she remembered all too well how broken Lexi had still been over her partner’s death. Skye doubted she would ever feel as strongly for anyone, as Lexi obviously had for Tyler. As a result, Skye stopped falling into women’s beds, and focused solely on her career.

As time went on the two women lost touch, but Skye had never forgotten about Lexi. In ’28, Skye successfully applied for the Victoria Police Critical Incident Response Team. She bought a house on a lake, and once settled into her new surrounds, reached out. Lexi had seemed genuinely pleased to hear from her, and a friendship had blossomed that for Skye would become something more. She had tried to ignore them, but her feelings grew. They were feelings she didn’t know were mutual, and she didn’t want to rob Lexi of anything else when the woman had already lost so much.

Skye handed Millie the phone from the console and said, “Why don’t you call your mum? I’m sure she’s worried sick about you.”

Millie turned the device in her small hands. “I think mum’s looking for another place for us to live.” The dear child dropped her chin to her chest.

Skye said, “Are you sure, honey? She hasn’t mentioned anything to me.”

Millie shrugged. “I don’t want to go. If we move, I can’t take my unicorns. Mama Tyler designed them for me.”

Unnerved herself by the possibility, Skye downplayed her alarm. “I’m sure if Mum is thinking about moving, she has a very good reason.”

“What if we move so far away that you can’t visit?”

“Well, honey, you’d have to move a long, long way away for me to not come visit.”

“Can I tell you something?”

“Anything, kiddo.”

“You have to promise not to tell her.”

“Well now, that depends.”

“Please, Skye.”

Skye merged into a right-turning lane, and stopped on the demand of the red arrow. “Okay, I promise. What is it?”

“When you visit us, Mum smiles and laughs more than she ever does with anyone else. But when you leave, she goes quiet. And then I think she gets sad.”

Skye swallowed a lump. “Millie, honey—”

“I think she wants to be happy, but I think she’s scared it will make Mama Tyler unhappy. So I wanted to ask Mama Tyler if that was true: if my mum being happy would make her sad.”

“What do you think her answer was?”

“I think Mama Tyler loved my mum so much, that she would never, ever want to see her be sad.”

Millie’s concern - that one of her mums might not let go - had played on Skye’s mind as well. Skye said, “Do you remember the first Summer your mum brought you to my house on the lake?” Millie nodded. “Do you remember the paddle boats?”

Millie’s mouth opened wide. “Yes!” She added matter-of-factly, “I had very much fun.”

“Do you remember how we took you to those boats every day?”

“I was scared at first.”

“You were scared. But every day we walked you down to the water and asked if you wanted to give it a try. You saw the fun the other kids were having, and you knew we were going to be right there with you. And so, on the fifth day, you finally said yes.”

“I sat between you and Mum.”

“And you splashed us every chance you got.”

Millie giggled. “I wasn’t scared anymore.”

“No, you weren’t scared anymore. You were very brave. Your mum didn’t take you out on that boat until you decided you were ready. She knew that eventually you would be, in your own time.” Skye didn’t know if Millie would understand, but she could see the cogs turning behind those intelligent eyes.

Millie surprised her then. “But I wouldn’t ever have done it if I didn’t know I was allowed. Mum had to tell me it was okay first.”

Skye thought on it. And then she was dumbstruck. She couldn’t know if Millie had realised what she’d said, but out of the mouths of babes had come a simple truth that had somehow wiggled out of Skye’s line-of-sight. “You know what, kiddo? Your mama Tyler would be very impressed with your brain. But there is something you need to remember. Whatever your mum decides, it isn’t just for her. It’s for both of you. She has to do what she thinks is best for you, Millie. You’re her number one priority. You know what that means, right?”

“She’s my number one pri-om… pri-lom… pri-bobbity, as well.”

Skye curbed a chuckle. “Oh, honey, I can see that. Perhaps you should tell her when I get you home. In the meantime…” Skye reached across and gave Millie’s hand a squeeze. Then she said, “Jukebox, please play The Unicorn Song by The Irish Rovers.”

The delightful tune started to play, Skye tweaked the volume, and Millie squealed with glee.

***

It was after six and dark when Skye pulled the car up at the house. The front door burst open, and Lexi came rushing down the footpath with a puffer jacket in hand. Her long dark hair was tied back, but her dishevelled fringe hinted at a ruffled psyche. Millie climbed out, and Lexi threw the garment over the little runaway’s shoulders. Then she bobbed and took Millie in her arms.

“Millie Banks-Devereaux, don’t you ever, ever disappear like that again.”

“I’m sorry, Mummy.”

Skye retrieved the backpack from the footwell, then climbed out of the car and circled to the two ladies.

Lexi glanced up at her while she cupped Millie’s puffy cheeks. “Where have you been, young lady?”

“With Mama.”

“And how did you get to Mama?”

“I… I stole the card from your purse. I caught the bus.”

“Oh my g… why? Why would you do that? You know if you want to go visit your mama, I will take you any time. I’ll always take you.”

“I know, Mummy. I’m sorry.”

Lexi’s head lolled, losing Skye the sight of a profuse worry. After a few moments she raised it again, and revealed a restraint that probably, at least, convinced Millie. “How much was the bus fare?”

Millie fished in her pocket and handed Lexi the card. “Fifty-two dollars.”

Lexi took it and said, “You’re going to have to work it off with chores. You know that.”

“Yes, Mummy.”

Lexi wiped her own pale cheek. “Go on, inside with you, scallywag. And wash your hands, okay? I’m about to serve dinner.”

“Mummy?”

“Yes, Millie.”

“You’re my priority.” Millie threw her arms around Lexi’s neck. “I love you, Mummy.”

Lexi hugged her tight and sobbed, “I love you too, baby.”

Then Millie turned and hugged Skye’s midriff. She muffled into Skye’s belly, “I love you, Skye.”

Skye leaned over and kissed the young lady’s crown. “I love you too, kiddo. Now go on, do as your mother says. I’ll stop by someday soon for that movie you promised me.”

Millie smiled, relieved Skye of the backpack, then ran inside.

With her arms across her chest, Lexi stepped close. “Thank you so much for picking her up. And for calling me. I was so worried.”

“I cancelled the police report.”

“Thank you. I just… I don’t understand. She’s never done anything like this before.”

Skye touched Lexi’s elbow. “Hey. She’s okay, I promise you.”

“Did she tell you what was so urgent that she couldn’t wait for me to run her out there?”

“I think… I think ultimately it comes down to a little girl wanting both her mums to be happy.”

“I don’t… I’m not sure I understand.”

Skye looked over Lexi’s shoulder to the modest three-bed red-brick, a house that had felt more like a home to her than her own sprawling lakeside manor. “Is it true you’re thinking about moving?”

“Well, the idea is only new. I… I hadn’t thought about it seriously. And it’s not that I particularly want to. Did she talk about that?”

“She’s worried she can’t take her unicorns. But I think it’s more than that. I think… I think she thinks you’re running away.”

“Running away? From what, exactly?”

“I think… I think she thinks you’re running away from me.”

Lexi’s jaw set. Then her eyes fell. She unfolded her arms and shoved her hands in the back of her jeans. “Why on earth would she think that?”

Skye whispered, “Do you want me to answer honestly?”

Lexi again crossed her arms in front, looking more nervous than a lemming on a cliff’s edge. “I wish you would.”

Skye’s own anxiety was particularly robust when she replied, “I think Millie knows I love you.” Lexi’s expression didn’t change. But there was more emotion in those eyes than could be contained. Skye murmured, “I’m not telling you because I expect anything from you. It’s just… it’s the simple truth. And I really didn’t want to walk away from you one more day, without telling it. When I’m with you, everything feels right. And when I’m not, it just… it just doesn’t. I love you, Lexi, and I love your daughter, and if you don’t feel the same way about me, I still want us to be friends. I don’t want to take anything away from you. Ever.”

Lexi said nothing. She just stared with those unblinking eyes.

Skye steeled her bottom lip. “I should… I should go. I’m sorry, Lexi.” Skye turned with every intention of rushing to her car and not looking back.

A little voice cried, “Skye! Skye, wait!” Skye slowly faced them.

Lexi quickly wiped her cheeks, then lifted Millie into her arms. “What is it, noisy girl?”

“I found Steel Magnolias. Can Skye stay and watch it with us?”

Skye said, “Another time, kiddo. I… I have some work waiting for me.”

Lexi lowered Millie to the ground and said, “Stay. I haven’t had a good dose of Ouiser sarcasm for as long as I can remember.”

“Oh, no. I couldn’t. You guys are about to have dinner, and I really—”

Millie interrupted. “Mummy, are we really moving?”

Lexi smoothed her daughter’s hair. “I think we should stay, don’t you?”

Millie hissed, “Yes.”

Lexi looked to Skye and said, “Stay. I made lasagne. From scratch.”

Millie squealed, “Yes!”

Lexi offered timidly, “There’s plenty to go around. There’s even enough for seconds if you’re hungry. And I think… I think there might be some wine in the cupboard.” Skye was as bereft of word as Lexi had seemed only moments before. Lexi came close and reached low for Skye’s hand. She whispered, “Stay. Please. Maybe later I’ll get around to showing you how I feel.”

Skye had no intention of further denying the request. Millie took Skye’s free hand, and together the three of them left the cold of the night, for the warmth of a home.