Page 19 of Skylar

“What?” Skylar frowned. “Who’s staying with Shiloh?”

“Julia said she’d spend the afternoon with the kids so that Charli could get a break,” her mom said, referring to Blake’s aunt. “Layla is also off work and will give her a hand.”

“When does Shiloh have her first treatment?”

“She’s going into hospital on Thursday, providing all the tests come back indicating it’s okay to move forward with the chemo, then she’ll have her first treatment on Friday.”

Skylar didn’t ask for clarification of what the treatment was. Medical stuff would just go over her head. It was enough to know that Shiloh was sick and that the treatment required to get rid of the cancer was going to be rough on the little girl.

Also, because of all the medical professionals in the Halverson family, she trusted them to tell her what she needed to know. They would understand what was happening with Shiloh’s cancer and the treatment, and that was enough for her.

Once they finished their lunch, Skylar cleaned it up while her mom checked the meal she’d put in the crock pot earlier. Apparently, she’d been experimenting with crock pot recipes recently. In the few days Skylar had been there, the meals she’d had had been pretty good. Better than some of the ones she’d had growing up.

When the doorbell rang, Skylar froze. Neither of them moved to answer the door since they knew that if it was Charli, she’d walk right in. And if it wasn’t, they’d ring the bell again.

Sure enough, Skylar heard the door open and turned to see her sister walk into the kitchen. Right away, she could see the toll Shiloh’s diagnosis had taken on her sister.

But still, she smiled and came right to where Skylar stood. Reaching out, Charli pulled Skylar into a tight hug.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she murmured against Skylar’s ear. “I’ve missed you.”

Skylar clung to her, feeling emotions threatening to rise and flow over the walls that usually held them back. She blinked back tears when she felt Charli take a breath that caught in her throat.

Soon, her mom joined them, wrapping her arms around both of them. They stood like that for several minutes, and when they stepped back from the embrace, they all had damp eyes.

“Why don’t we go to the den?” her mom suggested, then led the way to the small cozy room at the back of the house.

The room wasn’t big enough for the whole family, so it was only used by her parents when it was just the two of them, or when only two or three of the kids were there with them.

Charli let out a long sigh as she sank into their dad’s favorite chair, pulling her legs up to rest her knees against the arm of the chair.

“How are you doing, darling?” her mom asked.

“I’m okay, I guess,” Charli said. “Tired, though. I’m just not sleeping well.”

“I’m so sorry that you’re having to deal with this,” Skylar said. “That should be me.”

Charli held up her hand as she shook her head. “No. I believe that God works things out the way they should be. Shiloh has been a blessing to our family, and I know she’s exactly where she should be.”

That was always how Skylar had felt, but still… “Her being sick will take you away from your other kids.”

“They will be fine,” Charli said. “Plus, there are plenty of people who will step in and help with the kids and with Shiloh.”

“Definitely,” her mom agreed with a nod. “We have so many people in the family who are willing to pick up any slack.”

But that wouldn’t be her, and it should be. Of anyone in the family, she should be the one stepping up to help. She’d handed over the responsibility of Shiloh to Charli and Blake, and now they needed help.

Skylar pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them, hooking her heels on the edge of the seat cushion. “Do you want me to be here?”

Charli and her mom exchanged glances, then Charli said, “You need to decide that for yourself. We’d love to have you here, and not just because of what’s happening with Shiloh. But you need to figure that out on your own. We’re not going to pressure you.”

Skylar glanced at her mom, who gave a soft chuckle.

“Okay. Maybe a little pressure from me.”

“You’ve been trying to get me to move back for ages,” Skylar said. “So I know it’s not related to what’s happening with Shiloh.”

“I want to thank you for going to Aiden to ask him to be tested,” Charli said. “How bad was it?”

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