Riker's Precious Child

Chapter Two

After countless hugs and joyful tears, I ran up to pack and say goodbye to Tate. Tate was in my room as I packed.
Tate: I can't believe you're leaving Lila
Me: me either. I'm going to miss you
Tate: we have to stay in touch
Me: but how? Neither of us have phones.
He stopped as if thinking and then snapped his fingers.
Tate: i know! Email! We can use the emails we used to submit school work to the homeschool program.
Me: yes! Tate! You're a genius!
I zipped my bag and sighed. I can't believe his was happening. I was leaving this place. I now belong to someone. I was someone's daughter again. I had a family now. A father, I've never had one of those! I grew up with just a mom.
Me: I think that's it
Tate: yeah...
I saw a tear roll down his face. I hugged him for op the last time.
Me: I guess this is goodbye.
Tate: I guess it is. I don't want you to leave as selfish as that sounds
Me: I know Tate, but think, in 7 months we will both have families
Tate: hopefully
Me: we will. Whoever that friend of your moms is, he or she will find you. I know he will. Goodbye Tate. I'll miss you.
Tate: I'll miss you more, Lila. I love you. You are the best friend I ever had.
Me: I love you too. And I could never ask for a better friend than you. You've always been by my side. Goodbye, Tate.
I gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked out with everything I owned in one small suitcase riling behind me. I came downstairs to see Riker waiting for me, grinning. He took my bag from me and led me to his blue Toyota.
️Riker: is this all you have?!?
Me: yeah, it's all in that one bag.
I hopped into the passenger seat and waited for Riker. He hopped in and started the car.
Me: wow! I can't believe this!
️Riker: what?
Me: I'm in a car, leaving the orphanage. I have a home! I have a father!
️Riker: and I have a daughter!
He put his arm around me and pulled me close. I laid my head on his shoulder. His is something I have always wanted: to be embraced by a father. For the last year, I just wanted to belong to someone again. For someone to love me. And if I couldn't get my mom back, this was the next best thing right here. We sat like this for a while just enjoying this moment. But then I decided I better sit up so he could drive. We didn't say anything at first, but why should we? We were too happy and joyful for words to express. Then he decided to break the silence.
️Riker: I guess I should start off by telling you that I'm in a band.
Me: R5 right?
️Riker: yeah you a fan?
Me: sort of. I mean I used to be. I was a really big fan before my mom got sick and the I had no time for that kind of stuff.
Riker: I understand.bwell anyways, we all live together so hats where you will live too. The others are Ellington aka ratliff, Ross, rocky, and...
His phone rang. I looked down at the screen. The contact name was "Sissy" with a queen emoji with it. He picked up the phone a gestured towards it.
️Riker: and Rydel. I better answer. The queen awaits.
I listened to him as he answered the phone.
️Riker: yo!...yeah. I'm on y way back....yeah....uh huh....she's sitting right beside me... well don't I just let you talk to her?... Yeah, cool... I'll hang up and you FaceTime me back... And I wanna be part of the convo!...Alright, bye
He hung up and looked at me.
️Riker: she wanted me to tell her all about you. So I figured you just tell her yourself. She's gonna FaceTime me and I'll give you the phone
Me: ok awesome
His phone rang again and he handed it over to me. I answered it and saw the face of a blonde girl come up. She had the same brown eyes as Riker. I recognized her from my old posters. so now shes my aunt?
riker: Rydel, meet Lila Ren Lynch aka Renna.
Lynch... He said Lynch. Im part of the family, I'm a Lynch!
Rydel: Renna.., love that name!
i laughed. i guess I was no longer Lila Zachery. i was now Renna Lynch.
Me: Riker Came up with the name. I guess it's sticking!
Rydel: well I love it, no matter who came up with it!
Riker: pretty clever huh?
Me: not really, all you did was take my middle name...
Riker: and add the "na" to the end. That took some brains!
Me: hardly
Rydel just laughed at us
Rydel: so how oldies you Renna?
Me: 14
Rydel: when's your birthday?
Me: October 7th
Rydel: only 5 months away! And you'll be 15! Ooooooo! I can teach ya how to drive!
Riker: um, no Rydel. That's my job. I'm her father and that's a dad job. Dad taught both of us how to drive!
Rydel: but it COULD be an aunt job!
Me: how about you both teach me!
Rydel: fine... I guess I can share you.
Riker: you better, she is MY daughter
Rydel: yeah well I'm just glad to finally have another girl in the house
Riker: you have ross!
Rydel and I both laughed
Rydel: true true. I forgot about ross
What kind of family did I join? A crazy one that's for sure! But I loved it! We talked for a while longer.
Rydel: do you play any sports?
Me: I used to do competitive gymnastics when me mom was still healthy and alive. Then she got sick and I didn't go as much. Then I hurt my back pretty bad and had to quit for good.
Rydel: what happened?
Me: well all the pounding from tumbling ruined my spine. The muscles that supported my spine weren't big enough in comparison to the rest and host allowed the damage to come in. I got an MRI done and found out that I had a bulging disc. They put me in pain meds and I had to go through pt. it helped
Rydel: helped?!? But didn't heal?
Me: sadly no but it's better than it was.
Riker: uk I didn't see this on your records.
Me: I didn't allow them to get their hands on that record. They would've labeled me as handicapped. I wasn't going to let that happen. They wouldn't have put me in the adoption hopeful list. Then I wouldn't have ever met you.
Riker: well I'm glad of that then. I'd rather not know about that injury than not know you at all. And if you don't know, I'm on Dancing with the Stars right now. We have a pt there who is one of the best in the business. She'd be happy to help you, if you want.
Me: that would be nice thank you
Riker: no problem. I'll call her later.
Rydel: are y'all close? Our sister keeps asking me where you are and when you'll be back. I can't stay quiet much longer!
Riker: but you're my only sist- ohhhh. Ross.
Rydel: yes! And you know it's hard to resist that puppy dog face of hers! I'm so close to letting the secret out.
Me: secret?
Riker: only Rydel and my parents knew I was gonna adopt s kid. Rydel, stay strong. Do NOT tell him! Her, I mean. We are only ten minutes away!
Rydel: hurry! I got to go. Ross is coming. Love you both!
Riker: you too sista!
Me: love you too Rydel! Can't wait to actually meet you
Rydel: same here. Now got to go!
She hung up and I burst out laughing. Riker looked at me like I was going insane. And maybe I was. This is what he and Rydel have done to me in only this short time. I just kept on laughing.
Riker: is you okay?
I shook my head and kept laughing.
Riker: what's wrong? What's so funny?
Me: I'm just thinking about how crazy my new family is.
Riker: you think they're crazy now? Wait until you actually meet everybody!
Me: oh boy
Riker: hey what can I say? We're Lynches!
He turned to me and smiled even bigger
Riker: and now you are too!
Me: I wouldn't want to be anything else!
His eyes lit up in happiness
Riker: good. Cause you are stuck with us.
We turned off onto another road.
Riker: text Rydel saying we are about to pull up.
He handed me the phone and I sent the text.
Riker: ok when we get there, leave your bag in my he car. We will get it later. There will be too much excitement when we first get there for you to worry with the bag. Be prepared, you'll be attacked in hugs, question, screams, and who know what else. Just a warning. Like I said, we're Lynches, so who know how crazy things will get!
He turned into the driveway and took the key from the ignition.
Riker: alright, Renna, this is your home. Ready to meet the fam?
Me: totally! I'm a little nervous honestly.
Riker: don't be! They'll love you! C'mon lets go
We got out and walked towards the door. He unlocked it and stepped inside. I followed right behind him. We had just walked into some sort of living room area but no one was here. Riker put his finger to his lip to tell me to stay quiet. Then he opened up his month and screamed.
Riker: I'm back losers!
Then Riker motioned me to walk back s few steps. I took a couple steps backwards and boy was I glad I did. Because suddenly a blonde boy ran in and tackled Riker to he ground. I just stayed back observing the scene. Another boy with brown hair that had a reddish tint to it came in and tried prying the other boy if of Riker. No one had noticed me at this point.
Riker: Ross! Get off of me! I can't breathe!
Ross: no way! Never ever! Ratliff, stop that ticked!
Ratliff: when you get off of Riker, I'll stop
Ross: never!!!!! He left without telling me goodbye so he is gonna pay for it!!
I giggled but hey we're being so loud that they didn't even notice. Another boy walked in with shoulder length hair and was followed by Rydel. The boy helped ratliff and continued trying to pry Ross of Riker. But Ross wasn't letting go. He was strong (you should see his biceps!) and held onto Riker tight. Rydel spotted me and winked at me. I smiled and shyly waved at her. She walked up to where she was directly across the dog pile from me then she whistled.
Rydel: stop that! And get up! Straight line!
They immediately stopped and formed a line facing Rydel, there backs to me.
Rydel: thanks you. Now Riker had a reason for leaving. Turn around.