Page 91 of Skylar

“Thank you for the invite, but I think that this time, it’s best for us not to be here. If we come, Willow won’t want to leave, and I think it’s important that Aiden and Skylar have that time with Shiloh.”

“We’ll come for lunch, but then we’ll take the other kids home so they’re not a distraction either,” Charli said.

With the plan settled, Charli and Blake decided it was time to go. Shiloh and Willow were disappointed when they were brought inside and told that they had to part ways.

As Shiloh came to say goodbye to her, Skylar had to once again hold back her tears as she wrapped her arms around Shiloh’s frail body. “I love you, sweetie.”

“Love you too, Auntie Sky.”

She moved on to Aiden, and gave him a hug, then high fived his hand when he held it up for her. It was interesting to see how Aiden interacted with her. He was gentle with her, just like he was with Willow, but he was also willing to do whatever it took to coax a smile or laugh from her.

He would have made a great dad.

Pain spiked again, and she crossed her arms over her waist and turned away from Aiden and Shiloh.

“This was such great news,” Charli said as she slid her arm around Skylar. “Are you doing okay?”

“I am,” she assured her. “Just a little emotional with it all. I kind of didn’t dare hope that we’d have a match since the chances were so slim. And yet here we are with a match, and it’s Cole.”

“I can’t wait to talk to him to find out how he took the news.”

“I’m just so grateful that he came to be tested. I didn’t pressure him, because it seemed unlikely that he’d be a match.”

“Something prompted him to come,” Charli said. “Or maybe I should say someoneprompted him. I believe God has been at work in all of this.”

“You’re not mad at God for allowing this to happen to Shiloh?”

“No. I don’t understand why, but there’s no way Blake or I could have made it through this if not for our faith that God has a purpose in everything that’s happened. We might never know what that is while we’re on this earth, but I trust that God is at work. Whatever happens, He’s in control and working this out for His glory.”

Skylar had heard those words plenty of times over the years, but they struck deeper now. As an adult, she had an understanding of life that she hadn’t had as a teen. Back then, things working out for God’s glory hadn’t held a lot of meaning. Her life had been relatively simple. She hadn’t faced any huge tragedies.

But then she’d gotten pregnant and had to give up her baby. From that point on, she could understand more about the complexities of life and the situations people faced. Some of it she’d also seen in her own siblings’ lives.

Life wasn’t black and white. Families didn’t always get along. People like Rori and Lexi had family issues that were deep and hurtful. And yet, they’d risen above them and had come to love God in spite of those circumstances.

Could she do that? Could she give her life fully to God, as she’d once pledged to do? Now that it might require difficult things of her?

The question lingered in her mind as they said goodbye and the house emptied out until it was just her and her parents. When they headed to the family room at the back of the house, Skylar went up to her room.

Once there, she pulled out her work heels and slipped them on again. The idea of going back to wearing them for hours on end did not appeal to her at all. Wearing them had never bothered her before, but now, putting the heels back on represented something that left her an emotional mess. It represented her leaving behind her family, and those she loved the most.

After wearing them for a while with no pain, she slipped them off and put them beside the suitcase that now sat open on the loveseat near the window. She needed to pack soon, but not right then.

The next day, when they got home from church, Skylar went to change into something more comfortable before returning to the kitchen to help her mom and dad with the meal. As she worked alongside her parents, she realized that this would likely be the last time she did that for the foreseeable future.

When her mom bumped her hip playfully to get her to move out of the way, Skylar just about burst into tears. She was going to miss them so much.

Given that she’d lived apart from them for so long, she wouldn’t have thought that she’d find it difficult to leave. But she was really struggling with being away from her family in a way that she never had before.

It wasn’t too much later when Charli and Blake showed up with their kids, followed shortly after by Aiden. They gathered around the tables on the back deck, delving into the food that had been prepared.

The meal was lively since Charli and Blake had brought their two youngest. A pair of boys who had more energy than Skylar could ever remember having.

But Charli and Blake were very patient with them, correcting them when necessary. It was clear that the boys loved all three of their older sisters, but they were especially gentle and loving towards Shiloh. The youngest had insisted on being able to sit next to her and had offered to share his food with her, even though she had her own plate.

It was a good reminder that Shiloh was part of a wonderful family. If there was one thing that had gone right in that whole situation in Skylar’s estimation, it was that she’d asked Charli and Blake to adopt Shiloh. Even though her feelings were still a mess over all the things that had transpired back then, she had peace in knowing that Shiloh had been well-loved by her family.

Once the meal was finished and cleaned up, Charli, Blake, and the other kids left, promising to come back in a couple of hours to pick Shiloh up.

---