CHAPTER 8

Kiara saw her father look at Elizabeth for a while, and Liz was looking at him too. They were standing in front of each other, without saying anything. Then, Kiara saw her father go into his "Robert Mode".

"-Mrs. Cassadine, he smiled, his voice warm but impersonal. She had been important to Lucky, but she was a stranger to Robert. Come in, your son’s in the living room."

Elizabeth slowly stepped in but couldn’t take her eyes off of Lucky. Her Lucky. The love of her life. Kiara wanted to kill her father as he extended his hand to Elizabeth.

"-Robert Jackson. I’m Kiara’s father.

-I know who you are, Robert. Answered Elizabeth, ignoring his hand. Lucky, are you ready?

-Mom we were just in the middle--

-I’m in a rush Lucky. Get your stuff and let’s go"

Kiara knew how to read her father. She knew he was in turmoil right now. He was staring at Elizabeth with such intensity. She was looking at her son getting his Amp ready to go.

"-Robert, I can still lend you my guitar if you want. Said Lucky

-No thank you Lucky, it’s quite all right. I’ve played enough with it"

Kiara’s heart stopped. He would go back to being Robert, she just knew it. The glimpse she had of her real father was gone for good, because her and Lucky wanted to reunite their parents. They moved much, much too soon.

When Elizabeth turned around to look at him, Robert smiled, his hands in his pockets, like a good host. Lucky, both his guitar cases in his hands passed in front of his parents, saying he would come back right away for the amp. Robert excused himself and took the amp, following Lucky to the car. He placed the amp in the trunk and closed it. Lucky took the money out of his wallet and handed it to Robert.

"-No you keep it. Said Robert

-It’s was all in good fun. It’s yours. Really.

-All right. Robert said, taking the money. Just you know, I was impressed with your Elvis."

Robert tried to ignore the warmth in his heart as Lucky flashed his biggest smile at him. He opened the car door to the boy and closed it. Robert leaned over, putting both his hands on the railings, and quickly turned around as he heard footsteps. He came face to face once again with Elizabeth. She passed by him, opening the door on her side of the car.

"-Thank you for your hospitality Robert. Elizabeth said

-Wasn’t a problem. He answered simply. Putting his hand on the railing of the door he leaned down near his son. Thank you for the afternoon Lucky, I really had fun. Your Elvis still needs work though, he said, before ducking Lucky’s fist. Good afternoon Elizabeth

-You too.

-Say bye to Kiara for me OK? Asked Lucky

-Will do. Take care of your mother"

His statement surprised them all, and Elizabeth pressed the gas before he even had time to get up. Robert waited until he couldn’t see the car anymore and went home. Kiara was waiting for him in the living room. He passed right by it and started to climb the stairs.

"Dad-- Kiara called from downstairs

-Don’t you EVER pull something like that again you hear me?"

Kiara’s heart broke. Robert really was back.

"-We just thought that--

-You just thought that maybe if I saw Elizabeth again I’d mellow out and let you too be together is that it?

-Well, at least friends. And we are tired of seeing you two suffer from being apart.

-Read my lips Kiara. IT-IS-OVER-AND-DONE-WITH. Elizabeth and I have been through years ago. I mean it Kiara. Don’t do that again. EVER! You are dreaming of something that can never be. Lucky is dead and buried and there is no way he is coming back to life. Get over it!"

Robert ran up the remaining stairs and Kiara was startled at the force the door slammed shut.

Lucky was looking outside the window, waiting for his mother to talk to him. She was mad, he knew it. Just to see her white knuckles on the wheel. He just wished she would say something. Anything. Yell, shout, cry, but talk to me mom, he thought, you know how I hate the silent treatment. She knew it. That’s why she was doing it.

Elizabeth just didn’t know what to think. Robert wasn’t Lucky. Lucky would’ve taken her in his arms in a tight embrace, he wouldn’t have just extended his hand to her like she was some stranger. But deep down inside, she knew it was Lucky. She would’ve met Robert on the street or at the store and, even though his face wasn’t the same, she would’ve known. His eyes were the same. Deep down inside that cold man, her Lucky was there, buried. He must have suffered a lot for him to become like that. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to know what happened to him. She wasn’t sure she would be able to take it.

Elizabeth dropped Lucky off at his apartment. She still hadn’t said one word to him. Arriving at his room, Lucky saw he had a message. He already knew it was from who. His sister.

"-Hey Lucky, when you get a minute, can you call me? My father was way pissed at me and I have to tell you what he said"

He quickly picked up the phone to call her. He wasn’t able to ignore, to stay away. His brain was telling him to distance himself from her, at least until his feelings were back to platonic, but his heart was stronger. Always have been.

"-My mom didn’t talk to me. She didn’t say anything at all. He said as she picked up

-This is awful. He’s back to being Robert. Lucky, you saw how he was, smiling, laughing, teasing. Now he’s just.... empty.

-There is nothing we can do Kiara. He doesn’t want to be Lucky Spencer anymore. He doesn’t want to be my father, Laura and Luke’s son, Lesley Lu’s brother, Stefan and Lu Ann’s uncle, Bobbie’s nephew and he certainly doesn’t want to be Nikolas’ brother.

-But don’t you see? He’s so important to all these people, and they were important to him, too. We have to find a way to get Lucky Spencer back. It’s not that I don’t love Robert, but he’s not happy. His eyes were twinkling earlier, I had never seen him like that.

-Maybe if we get him to meet these people, one of them is bound to have him come out of his shell. My mom told me time and time again how much he had a soft spot for his sister. I think I will call my aunt Lesley Lu and tell her about Robert. He never said not to tell anyone, did he?

-Not to me, and obviously not to you. I’ll wait for your call"

Lucky was dying to say "I love you" but he knew Kiara would answer "I love you too" and it would hurt them both beyond repair. They could never be. Lesley Lu was ecstatic to learn her brother was still alive and Lucky gave her the address, making her promise not to tell Robert who she got it from.

Kiara was in the living room, her eyes closed, remembering the afternoon. They had so much fun. Lucky was so handsome playing Elvis, fighting with their father. The doorbell rang and she got up. She came face to face with a young woman, not much older than she was.

"-Can I help you?

-Kiara Jackson? I’m your aunt, Lesley Lu Spencer

-That was fast! Kiara said with a laugh. Come on in, although I have to warn you, he’s not in the best of moods.

-That’s ok, I’ve seen worst, like my father and my other brother fighting. Lucky’s temper is a sheep’s temper compared to that

-I bet so, Kiara laughed again. I don’t know either of them but from what Lucky --my brother Lucky-- she rectified, told me, it’s quite a show. Have a seat, I’ll go tell dad you’re here"

Lesley Lu sat on the couch, looking around. This wasn’t the house of her brother. She remembered Lucky to be out going, daring. This was the house of a business man. She heard steps going down the stairs and she got up. She saw a man turn the corner and she came face to face with a complete stranger, but her heart started to race when she looked into his eyes. Her brother’s eyes. The brother she missed so much. Tears started to roll down her face as she saw Lucky look at her, trying his best to prevent his own tears from falling. Lesley Lu took a deep breath and ran in his arms, so fast Robert had to take a step back not to fall. He held her close to his heart, closing his eyes. His baby sister was in his arms. His baby sister who was now a grown woman was holding on to him for dear life. They tighten the embrace, both desperate not to let go, trying to erase years of pain and miss.