Always Okay | (Adopted By Elizabeth Olsen)

Chapter 9

Word Count: 3458

Lizzie's POV

After Alexis went to bed, I stayed in the living room to finish up some work. Tomorrow was my real first day of work since she was found. I've been dodging in-person meetings and interviews a lot these past two weeks, but I can't do that anymore, especially with the mound of doctor bills I know are coming. I'm well off but I'm not exactly sure how it'll change with Alexis's medical and lawyer bills and her living with me in general. I want to be able to give her everything, the life she deserves, so that means I also need to go back to work. The real world where it isn't just me and Alexis living in a bubble.

Tomorrow we have an Avengers press junket at a local hotel, then a dentist appointment after. I'm sure she's gonna be thrilled by the number of people she'll have to meet and then the dentist. If it's any consultation though, she did really well with Clay today, so I'm hoping the same for the dentist. However, between cutting your hair versus cleaning your teeth, teeth are a lot more personal. It involves a lot more trust to have someone digging in your mouth than snipping pieces of your hair that can easily grow back.

I open my laptop and read through the few remaining emails that I have been putting off, before pulling out the checklist I made for Alexis. It had a list of everything I needed to get done prior to us leaving for filming in March. First is a press tour for Avengers then Captain America right after. I'm pretty sure there's nothing major that will trigger her for captain America but for my other upcoming projects, I'm not sure if I should try to find a sitter or what. It's not age-appropriate for her and worse I'm pretty sure some if not most of the plot details will trigger her.

My phone starts to ring on the table next to me and I hit answer before looking at the caller ID. "Hey Scarlett," I answered flatly. I glanced at the clock on my computer to see I've been worrying about Alexis for the past thirty minutes.

"Hey Lizzie,  I was just calling to check-in and see how you've been holding up and if you're ready for tomorrow?" Scarlett replied after making a quick note of my obviously weary tone.

"Oh you didn't have to do that," I said instantly pushing her away. Ever since the whole Alexis debacle went down the first time, I had such a hard time connecting with people. I pulled away from my family and friends, pretty much everyone that reminded me of her. I wanted her back more than anything and I didn't feel like I could really trust anyone after so many said 'it's better this way. She'll get to live a normal life. Think of how much happier you'll be now that you don't have her weighing you down.' That was far from the truth and I knew that, but I was so tired of fighting so I just stopping talking to them about her. It wasn't until I met Scarlett that I felt like I could bring her up without someone telling me it's better this way or I know she's up there watching over you because everyone pretty much believed she was dead after she had been gone a few months. They even hosted a small gathering in her honor, which I refused to attend because she wasn't dead. To me, she was just missing.

"Lizzie," Scarlett said sternly, already knowing that I would try to push her away.

"What?" I said trying to get myself out of this conversation.

"Tell me what's wrong, or I'll drive over there and beat it out of you myself," she replied with a chuckle.

"Okay, crazy lady," I replied sarcastically, "I'm so worried about tomorrow, this will be the first time she's been out with me for work and we have doctor's appointments lined up throughout the week. I'm terrified something bad is going to happen. Someone might say something that sets her off or that she'll get lost or bored or worse. She'll find something to that add to the list of many reasons why she hates me," I rambled on trying my best to not sound too crazy.