30. Had Responsibilities

30

HAD RESPONSIBILITIES

O n Tuesday afternoon, Sloane got Shiloh set up in her office after school. She didn’t think she could get things organized as fast as she had. Most things were going to take time and others not so much.

On Friday, Knox County had already sent over everything they needed to, including school records to the elementary school that Shiloh would be attending. Not the same as Dane’s kids and that was a good thing in her eyes.

Sunday, she’d spent most of the day shopping and getting Shiloh clothes and some toys and a few other things to keep her occupied at home.

Monday, she painted the little girl’s room and they sat down to order whatever her sister wanted as decor. No reason not to make Shiloh feel as if this was her new home and she wasn’t going anywhere. She figured that might help calm some nerves. The problem was, Shiloh didn’t ask for anything and she had to guess.

Once she knew everything was set for school, Sloane went early and met with the teacher and principal and had an appointment to talk to them more on Thursday. She’d been nervous about sending Shiloh before that, but her sister wanted to start. The school had said she tested on the low end of most of the kids back in Tennessee but nothing to worry about. It just meant Shiloh probably didn’t go to a preschool program like most did now.

It was kindergarten and more about socialization at this point. They’d work on the rest as it came.

Sloane didn’t need to be at the spa today. She’d told them to clear her schedule through Wednesday, but Dane had told her that Chloe was coming with Tiffani.

She had plenty of excuses not to be here, but she could tell Dane thought it might be nice.

The fact Tiffani kept bringing Sloane’s name up was a good thing. It meant they were more accepting of her in his life.

Now if she could only figure out how to even see her boyfriend. Which was why meeting his kids was the thing to do.

“I won’t be long,” she told Shiloh after she popped her head back in. “I just need to talk to some of my staff and see what my schedule is going to be like for the rest of the week.”

After school care would start next week and she’d have to make sure she could run and get her sister between three and five each day. It shouldn’t be too hard to do. Her schedule would have to be filled knowing that.

Shiloh was just going to have to come here after if she was scheduled and she would be at times. There was no way around it.

She didn’t have a nine-to-five job and she had responsibilities to her staff too. Plus it was her source of income on top of it.

“I’m good,” Shiloh said. “I like this game. ”

“Good,” she said. It was an educational electronic toy that Dane told her would be good for Shiloh. She’d get to play and learn at the same time. “If you need me, you know you can just walk up front. Someone will get me. The bathroom is two doors down. Don’t hold it until the last minute, remember?”

“Yes,” Shiloh said and then looked back down at her game.

She let out a sigh. Sometimes her sister talked to her, other times not much. She should be thankful they were at least talking and knew things could be touch and go for a long time.

It’s not like she knew the first thing about being a parent. Several of her staff had kids and were already texting and giving her suggestions today.

She walked toward the pedicure room, took a deep breath and then turned the corner. Chloe was there with Tiffani, but neither of them noticed her.

It gave her a moment to look at her boyfriend’s daughter.

The stylish haircut on the light brown hair, nice and brushed with a clip holding it away from her face.

Tiffani was wearing a baby blue dress with pink flowers floating on it and pink sandals sat next to the water basin.

“Hello,” she said. Might as well let them know she was there.

“Hi, Sloane,” Chloe said.

“Hi,” Tiffani said. “You’re dating my Dad.”

She smiled and noticed the shocked look on both Brittany and Elle’s faces. She didn’t let them know. It was none of their business.

“I am,” she said, moving forward to sit next to them. “I’ve heard so much about you and your brother Tyler. ”

“I wanted to come,” Tiffani said. “I like getting my nails done. Dad said maybe you’d do them sometime.”

“I can,” she said. “If you’d like it.”

“I would,” Tiffani said.

“Tiffani,” Chloe said. “That isn’t what you ask.”

“I know,” Tiffani said. “But I’m trying to find something we have in common. That is what Dad always says we have to do when Mom is dating someone.”

Ahhhhh, this little girl was so brave at the same time she was nervous.

“You know what?” Sloane said. “I bet we have a lot of things in common. Do you like brownies?”

“I love brownies,” Tiffani said.

“I make really good brownies. I made them for your dad and he and I had six of them that night.”

Tiffani’s jaw dropped. “I’m telling him that’s not fair. He never lets me have more than two.”

She grinned at Chloe’s wink. “What do you like doing?”

“I like to swim at Aunt Chloe’s. Do you like to swim?”

“I like the water,” she said. “But I never really learned how to swim.”

“I’ve got to take lessons. Maybe we can take them together.”

“That sounds like it’d be a lot of fun.” And something Shiloh could do too. She’d make a mental note later on.

“Do you like board games and books and cartoons?”

“I haven’t played a lot of board games,” she said. “But I bet they’d be a lot of fun. I like playing cards.” That was something they had when she was a kid. “I know all sorts of card games. I do read books when I’ve got time. I’m not up to date on cartoons, but I used to love to color as a kid.”

Another thing they’d had. Cheap leftover crayons from dumpster diving and sheets of paper. It was better than nothing.

“I love to color too,” Tiffani said. “Grandpa colors with me too, but he’s got adult coloring books and markers. Animals are my favorite.”

“I’m so glad to know that,” she said.

“See,” Chloe said. “You do have some things in common. Do you feel better now?”

“I do, but Tyler might want to know things too. Do you like to play outside? Dad plays soccer with us and pushes us on the swing set and he plays hide and seek.”

“I’m a champion hide and seeker,” she said. A free game and there were all sorts of places to hide on the land. Most of the time she just hid away so no one could find her and she’d be alone in her own thoughts.

“That’s Tyler's favorite thing to do,” Tiffani said.

“Do you feel better now , Tiffani?” Chloe asked.

“I do,” Tiffani said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “I’m glad we got to talk.”

Sloane wouldn’t ask or bring up their getting together again. Not with Shiloh in the picture.

The kids were just learning about her and it’d be best she didn’t add the fact she had custody of a child.

Dane would have to take the lead there too.

She left the room after that feeling much more confident than she’d thought she’d feel.

“How are you doing?” Vanessa asked her. “Hanging in there?”

“By the skin of my teeth,” she said. “But I’ve done worse. Can you make sure that I’ve got an hour break between clients between three and five? I don’t care when it is or how it falls. After school care is open until five, so I’ve got to just get there by that time. I think the rest of the week I’m fine to sneak out.”

“Not a problem,” Vanessa said. “Do you want me to just go in and block you off from four to five each day but with a note that you can roll into four as long as you’ve got the time to leave?”

“That’d be great,” she said. “I’ll make sure everyone knows what is going on. Things are going to change a little. I can’t be here all the time until eight, but it’s still my business. I’ll get it figured out.”

“It’s great you’ve got a boyfriend now,” Vanessa said. “Maybe he can help.”

“I can’t and won’t ask him,” she said. “He’s got his own crazy life to work around.”

Dane was going to be on call starting Saturday. He didn’t have the kids this weekend and they normally would have spent it together. She was sure they still would, but it’d be at her house.

She went back to her office and saw Shiloh quickly drop something to the floor.

“What was that?” she asked.

“Nothing,” Shiloh said.

She moved closer and noticed the empty granola bar wrapper.

She squatted down to pick it up. “It’s fine, honey. If you’re hungry, then eat. I told you that when we got groceries yesterday.”

“I’m not supposed to take food without asking,” Shiloh said.

“I’m not that way,” she said. “If it makes you feel better to say you want a snack, then go ahead. I’m not going to tell you no. I want you to feel comfortable enough to eat when you want, but there are rules. Sometimes I’m going to say dinner is coming soon and not to fill up on snacks.”

“I know,” Shiloh said.

She’d packed the girl’s lunch today, but maybe she was too light with it. “Did you eat enough at lunch?”

“Yes,” Shiloh said. “But they have a snack in the morning and I didn’t have anything so I pulled it out of my lunch box. That is what a lot of kids did. I didn’t want the teacher to give me a few crackers like she did for those that didn’t have anything.”

Which might be embarrassing for a child on their first day.

“I can just pack more for you each day or we can put more food for your snack in your backpack. I’ll make sure there is something there so you can have a snack in the after-school program too. How is that?”

Shiloh nodded, but then her game started and she went back to that.

She’d let it go and do a bit more work and then they’d leave before dinner and talk about school and try to get in a routine.

If that was even going to be possible at this stage of her life.