Always Okay | (Adopted By Elizabeth Olsen)

Chapter 23

Word Count: 3378

Alexis's POV

"Aunt Ashley.." I started nervously.

"You can ask me anything," Ashley smiled down at me.

"W-was was Lizzie better off without me?" I said quickly as my eyes flicker up at her to catch her reaction before returning to watch my fingers nervously twitch.

"Um, uh," Ashley paused trying to formulate a response as my face fell. She paused. She fucking paused on the question bn, if that wasn't an answer I don't what is. That pause said enough - she was. She was better off without me, just as I thought. Scarlett was wrong. And as I began to come to this conclusion, I felt a few tears pierce behind my eyes. I couldn't take it anymore, not on this bench from hell, just awaiting my next pit stop. So I got up and left. But I didn't know the city that well and I was still very fearful of being taken again, so I decided to stay within their view, but far enough away that they couldn't hear me anymore.

If Ashley didn't think Lizzie was better with me, then of course she's a part of the plot to get rid of me. Scarlett, I don't know how she got roped into this. She's been trying to convince me to this whole day, but then again she's a damn good actress so who's to tell?

"Alexis?" I heard from behind me, it was Ashley. I didn't bother to turn around though, I already knew what was coming next.

"It's fine, I just wish she might have missed me, as I did her," I answered.

"Alexis, she missed you like crazy. She wasn't herself without you. You were Lizzie's missing piece. It doesn't matter that without you she's taking acting jobs, she probably would've done the same if she had you. She would've met a nice guy, even if you were there, maybe not the douche bag Boyd. But still, a nice partner, someone who cared for you both," Ashley started to explain but it just felt like she was trying to backtrack her mistake from earlier. And now I was just listening to her make up things so that I wouldn't be as fussy when they sent me away.

"I said it's fine, there's no need to make shit up. I know she didn't miss me the same way," I growled through gritted teeth.

"Alexis," Ashley said as she stepped next to me, "Lizzie missed you like crazy. When you left, it was like a piece of her was gone. She had a hard time being at home because it always reminded her of you. She barely ate for about the first two weeks. MK and I had to force her to do things since she was staying with me most nights. She slept in my bed because she couldn't sleep alone without you. She needed you, she wasn't herself without you."

"Please don't lie to me," I squeaked out. It was like I didn't want to believe that Lizzie had missed me because it was easier to hate her, especially since my Grandpa spent nearly every day reminding four-year-old me how much of a disappointment I was that I got sent to him.

"Alexis, I promise you I won't ever lie to you," Ashley said as she stepped in front of me.

"Why didn't she come back for me? Why didn't she visit as she promised?" I asked in a small voice. She was supposed to visit over the summer, but she never came. Grandpa said it was my fault, she didn't like me anymore, but all I remember was feeling like a disappointment. I was only four and torn between wanting my Mama back and hating her for sending me away. It didn't matter that it was her parents' idea, my grandpa told me it was her, and I believed him. It made sense, she was barely nineteen and who wants to adopt a daughter at nineteen.

"Alexis, please know that Lizzie loved you more than anything, but when she asked your Grandpa about visiting he said it would be too much for you. You needed to get used to living with just him, which meant to him you needed to be less attached to Lizzie. Lizzie called him every week asking to talk to you, but he always said you were busy and eventually he just started telling her to stop calling. He was your legal guardian, so he got to choose who came to see you and who could talk to you. He threatened Lizzie with a restraining order if she didn't comply and that practically broke her," Ashley explained slowly as I stood frozen watching her for any signs of doubt or lies.