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Authors: Cindy Woodsmall
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right?”
“Considering how surreal this tabloid ‘switched at birth’ thing is, I’m fine. It feels as if I’m being punked.”
“Punked?”
“It’s a television show, and I can hear the hook—‘Aspiring actress college student has been sent back in time, a time before electricity and cars, where people live off the land. Will she adapt or go insane?’ ” Skylar set the mug on the table. “I’m leaning toward insane. You?”
She sounded every bit as apathetic as she was sarcastic, and once again Lovina looked to Isaac. His eyes were glued to the table, probably trying to keep from lecturing Skylar. Lovina couldn’t let the awkward silence settle into nothingness. “There’s no chance of going insane. People are built to adjust to their surroundings. But I also don’t think you are, as you said,
fine.
”
Skylar set down her coffee. “How would you know how I feel?”
Her tone bothered Lovina. It wasn’t accusatory. Her question was more like an observation.
Lovina put her hands in her lap and clutched them, holding tight. “This is a tough situation, and no one expects you to be happy, but you seem particularly unhappy, and we thought you might have a couple of suggestions for ways we could help.”
“Maybe seeming unhappy is my personality. You don’t really know me well enough to have a clue, do you?”
What could be done to break through her defenses, her apathy? “So what would you like to see happen between us—parents and daughter—while you’re here?” Would reminding her they were her parents help her
want
to try?
“ ‘See happen’? You mean other than being allowed to return to the twenty-first century and attend college?” Skylar took a bite of her biscuit.
“I meant relationshipwise.” Lovina couldn’t keep her hands still. “This is our chance to get to know one another. We don’t want it to feel like a punishment.”
Skylar took another bite of biscuit. “I don’t know what else to call it. I was given the choice of rehab or living here. Quill talked me into coming here, and I thought it would be better than rehab. For the record, it’s not.”
If this young woman weren’t their daughter, Lovina would be tempted to show her the door.
Isaac shot his wife a look. “You see being here and doing chores as a punishment, but our only wish is to get to know you.”
“That is just so shady.”
Lovina wondered if Skylar thought they didn’t know she was calling them liars.
Isaac sat up straighter, his face taut. “Why?”
“You’re not trying to get to know me. Nobody here cares who I am, which is fine. But be honest about it. You want to use me as another worker. When I arrived, I wondered why anyone would have this many children. Now I know.”
Isaac closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “That’s not true, but, more important, what’s your point for saying those things? Do you need to vent, or do you hope to keep pushing us away?”
Skylar blinked, and her guard seemed to drop momentarily, as if she was shocked that Isaac had pinpointed her desire to keep them at bay.
What would this relationship be like if they hadn’t missed out on her childhood: seeing her blow out candles on her birthday cake, watching her clap and beam with excitement over dozens of things each month, kissing a scraped knee to make it better, walking with her to her first day of school, greeting her with homemade snacks when she came home, helping with homework, having daily devotions. But Lovina was never given that opportunity, and she feared Skylar would never want to have anything to do with her.
Skylar raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you already have a daughter my exact age?”
Was Skylar being aloof and difficult because she thought they had no room in their hearts for her? Lovina had so many unanswered questions. If they didn’t understand Skylar, they wouldn’t be able to find a way into her heart.
“We have other daughters. That’s true,” Lovina said.
“Considering how surreal this tabloid ‘switched at birth’ thing is, I’m fine. It feels as if I’m being punked.”
“Punked?”
“It’s a television show, and I can hear the hook—‘Aspiring actress college student has been sent back in time, a time before electricity and cars, where people live off the land. Will she adapt or go insane?’ ” Skylar set the mug on the table. “I’m leaning toward insane. You?”
She sounded every bit as apathetic as she was sarcastic, and once again Lovina looked to Isaac. His eyes were glued to the table, probably trying to keep from lecturing Skylar. Lovina couldn’t let the awkward silence settle into nothingness. “There’s no chance of going insane. People are built to adjust to their surroundings. But I also don’t think you are, as you said,
fine.
”
Skylar set down her coffee. “How would you know how I feel?”
Her tone bothered Lovina. It wasn’t accusatory. Her question was more like an observation.
Lovina put her hands in her lap and clutched them, holding tight. “This is a tough situation, and no one expects you to be happy, but you seem particularly unhappy, and we thought you might have a couple of suggestions for ways we could help.”
“Maybe seeming unhappy is my personality. You don’t really know me well enough to have a clue, do you?”
What could be done to break through her defenses, her apathy? “So what would you like to see happen between us—parents and daughter—while you’re here?” Would reminding her they were her parents help her
want
to try?
“ ‘See happen’? You mean other than being allowed to return to the twenty-first century and attend college?” Skylar took a bite of her biscuit.
“I meant relationshipwise.” Lovina couldn’t keep her hands still. “This is our chance to get to know one another. We don’t want it to feel like a punishment.”
Skylar took another bite of biscuit. “I don’t know what else to call it. I was given the choice of rehab or living here. Quill talked me into coming here, and I thought it would be better than rehab. For the record, it’s not.”
If this young woman weren’t their daughter, Lovina would be tempted to show her the door.
Isaac shot his wife a look. “You see being here and doing chores as a punishment, but our only wish is to get to know you.”
“That is just so shady.”
Lovina wondered if Skylar thought they didn’t know she was calling them liars.
Isaac sat up straighter, his face taut. “Why?”
“You’re not trying to get to know me. Nobody here cares who I am, which is fine. But be honest about it. You want to use me as another worker. When I arrived, I wondered why anyone would have this many children. Now I know.”
Isaac closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “That’s not true, but, more important, what’s your point for saying those things? Do you need to vent, or do you hope to keep pushing us away?”
Skylar blinked, and her guard seemed to drop momentarily, as if she was shocked that Isaac had pinpointed her desire to keep them at bay.
What would this relationship be like if they hadn’t missed out on her childhood: seeing her blow out candles on her birthday cake, watching her clap and beam with excitement over dozens of things each month, kissing a scraped knee to make it better, walking with her to her first day of school, greeting her with homemade snacks when she came home, helping with homework, having daily devotions. But Lovina was never given that opportunity, and she feared Skylar would never want to have anything to do with her.
Skylar raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you already have a daughter my exact age?”
Was Skylar being aloof and difficult because she thought they had no room in their hearts for her? Lovina had so many unanswered questions. If they didn’t understand Skylar, they wouldn’t be able to find a way into her heart.
“We have other daughters. That’s true,” Lovina said.
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