34. Massive Conflict

34

MASSIVE CONFLICT

M onday morning, Sloane opened the spa. She’d dropped Shiloh off to school and had some time to herself before her first appointment of the day.

She had to prepare herself for it since she’d seen the name on the schedule and knew she’d be getting quizzed.

“You’re early,” Heather said to her.

“Not really. Just getting into a routine with Shiloh. I find it’s easier for her to bathe and wash her hair at night. I even have her picking her clothes out too. All she has to do is get up, get dressed, eat and brush her teeth. It doesn’t take that much time now.”

“How are you feeling about everything?” Heather asked. “Still crazy overwhelmed?”

“Yes and no,” she said. “Sometimes I lie in bed and ask myself if this is my life, but other times I know it is.”

“Not to make it worse for you,” Heather said, “but girls are hard. You’ve heard my stories on the teenage phase.”

“I hope to have a better handle by then,” she said, laughing. “Right now it’s getting Shiloh to trust me and tell me things she wants, needs or is feeling. I was almost embarrassed last Thursday when I had the parent-teacher conference. There were things Shiloh needed for school that she didn’t tell me. She was afraid to give me the sheet and hid it.”

She’d been going through Shiloh’s bag with her at night to make sure she was on top of things, but having never gone to public schools until she was a junior, there were things Sloane didn’t know to expect or understand.

“They have tons of school supplies you need to have,” Heather said, rolling her eyes.

“So I’m learning. Plus they said sometimes girls keep an extra pair of sneakers there for gym days and recess.”

They’d only bought Shiloh one pair and Shiloh insisted that was all she needed. Since her sister wore sneakers daily it didn’t seem to be an issue.

Shiloh was warming up to the fact that she had more clothes and things to choose from, but she still wouldn’t ask for anything.

The only thing she asked for was a drink of water, which Sloane said repeatedly, she didn’t need to be asked for that. Not even milk. Or any drink. There was nothing in her house that was bad.

“One of my daughters wanted to wear dresses every day. We would pack her sneakers for her until they told her to keep them there too. There are no lockers with locks so there is the fear they get taken or misplaced,” Heather said.

“Which would be a reason Shiloh wouldn’t want to do it. She’s had very little in her life and won’t risk losing what she has now.”

“I have to say she looks good in the month or so she’s lived with you,” Heather said. “It appears she’s put some weight on and she’s not as skittish. ”

“I can see it too,” she said. “She’s got a healthy appetite and I’m weighing that with letting her overeat. We started counseling last week and they said to let it go and just keep healthy choices in the house for now.”

Just another thing she had to work into her schedule. Weekly sessions with a therapist for both of them.

Her plan was to let Shiloh do it alone, but Trent had advised it would be better if she was doing it also while they were being monitored.

She hated that social services came into her house and checked everything over.

That the social worker talked to Shiloh and she didn’t know what was said. But she’d been told everything looked good and they didn’t see the need to come much more than quarterly after the next visit. She hoped by then everything was finalized and Shiloh was officially in her care.

She’d never had so many people be privy to her life before and at times she wanted to lock herself in and tell them to get the hell away from her.

“Sounds easy enough,” Heather said. “Have you heard anything more about your mother?”

She realized she hadn’t said the results to anyone. She wasn’t used to volunteering that kind of information.

“Yes,” she said. “Last week I found out it was Lyme Disease that was untreated for most of my mother’s life. It explained a lot. Shiloh and I are getting blood work this week to check. I don’t see there being an issue, as we’ve got no symptoms, but better safe than sorry.”

“I’m so sorry,” Heather said, hugging her. “It’s bad enough to lose someone so young but to have it be to something that could have been prevented has to be worse.”

“Yeah,” she said quietly.

She’d never say that Shiloh would have a better life with her than staying with her mother.

Those thoughts were a massive conflict in her brain.

She wanted to say her mother did the best she could with her and Sabrina, but she only felt that way because she knew nothing different for years.

Once she realized there was a whole world out there and they were thrown into it blind, there was a lot of anger on her part.

Sabrina was more emotional and expressed it toward their mother and the two of them fought nonstop.

“I’m going to set my room up,” Heather said. “I know we’ll be talking more today. I’m here all day.”

“I appreciate you and Kaitlyn stepping up for me to be able to not stay until eight every night. I can come back, but it’s nice to get Shiloh in bed by seven thirty while I can.”

“We are a family here,” Heather said. “Just because you own the place doesn’t mean you’re the only one that can open and close. Most owners have managers.”

Sloane knew that. She’d been thinking of that too. She didn’t know if Heather was hinting at it or not. If she had to choose between Heather and Kaitlyn, she’d go with Heather for now since Heather had been here longer.

“Something to think about,” she said. “Just another change.”

She wouldn’t step back from doing as many massages as she was. That was the bulk of her income in tips. The rest of the money she wanted to go into the business, only giving herself a modest salary.

Having a child to care for now...she didn’t know how much longer she could do that.

“Change is all a part of life,” Heather said. “Kind of sucks most of the time, but other times, it’s good. Like when you’ve got a sexy guy in your life.”

“There is that,” she said, laughing. “He’s been wonderful.”

The two of them went to their rooms to get ready. Sloane came out twenty minutes later and Vanessa was checking Diane Fierce in for a ninety-minute massage. More than enough time for them to chat.

“Good morning, Sloane,” Diane said. “How are you doing?”

“I’m well,” she said. “How are you?”

“Couldn’t be better. Well, that’s a lie. I could be better and that is why I’m here. I think I pulled something putting up Halloween decorations last week. I’m thrilled to get in as quickly as I could.”

“Where do you hurt?” she asked.

“My right shoulder,” Diane said. “I can feel a knot there. I’m sure you will be able to.”

“I’ll have you lie down on your stomach to start,” she said, opening the door for Diane to go in. “Why don’t you get undressed and I’ll be back.”

She left the room and went to get a bottle of water to keep in her room, then returned and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Diane said.

She came in and saw Diane on her stomach but leaning on her hand, her elbow bent watching her walk to the lights and dim them and then get the oil that Diane liked. She kept notes of those things but asked anyway. “Would you like something different or the same oil today? I’ve got a nice citrus-smelling one. Very light.”

“Why don’t we try that?” Diane said. “I know certain scents have a calming effect on your body.”

“They do,” she said. She covered her hands with the oil and then felt around on Diane’s shoulder and found the knot. “There it is.”

“Yes, it is,” Diane said. “That will teach me to save things for Grant. It sure is nice to have a man around to take care of things like that.”

Not wasting any time to dive in. Though Sloane could play with Diane a bit, she decided it just wasn’t worth it.

“It is,” she said. “I know you know what is going on.”

“I do,” Diane said. “Though I doubt I know it all.”

“No,” she said. “Not many do.”

“Dane might,” Diane said. “I bet he’s been a huge source of comfort for you.”

There was no reason to deny it.

“He has,” she said.

“And you’re not used to relying on anyone?”

“What gave it away?” she asked, laughing.

“I know a lot of strong women like you that don’t like to rely on anyone. Doing that doesn’t make you weak.”

“I’m learning that,” she said. “But it does take some of the control out of my hands.”

“Control is overrated,” Diane said, snorting. “What is better is how you react to situations when they pop up. I’d say you’re doing a great job of it.”

“I hope so,” she said. “And thank you again for the character letter. I really appreciated it. It’s harder knowing that someone else is relying on you.”

“You said you wanted a child someday. Guess that someday came a little faster than you imagined.”

“You’re telling me.”

“Are you going to take Shiloh trick or treating in a few days?”

“I am,” she said. “First time I’ve done it myself. I had a hard time getting Shiloh to pick out a costume. ”

“What did she end up with?” Diane asked.

“A doctor,” she said, grinning. Sloane knew some of it had to do with Dane and it touched her heart that was what Shiloh picked out when they went to the store to buy something.

If she’d had more time she might have tried to make something, but she barely had enough time to tell if she was coming or going.

“I find that very sweet. Sounds as if someone else likes Dane.”

“Shiloh does,” she said. “She doesn’t talk to many, but she is pretty open with him. Not as much as with me but more than anyone else. Slowly but surely we are all getting there.”

“Will you be bringing Shiloh to Willow’s birthday party in a few weeks?”

“I will be,” she said. “If I go, she has to go with me. And yes, Shiloh has met Dane’s kids.”

“I wasn’t going to ask,” Diane said.

“Sure, you were,” she said. “You’d find a way to fit it into the conversation.”

“You know me well,” Diane said. She heard the humor in her client’s voice.

“I’m getting there,” she said.

“Can I guess it went well with Tiffani and Tyler?” Diane asked.

It’d taken a few minutes of silence for Diane to ask that. She wasn’t going to volunteer it.

“As well as could be expected,” she said. “We haven’t had a chance to get them together again since that one time.”

She'd be meeting Dane’s parents that day too. She hoped there weren’t any incidents with the kids .

“I’m sure it will be fine. I can’t wait to see them all together.”

“You’re going to be there?” she asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Chloe isn’t just our employee, but being married to Royce, they are business owners with us. We’ve gotten very close with them and the Kennedys.”

“Of course you have. You’ve had a hand in Elise and Gabe’s relationship,” she said. “I heard about that.”

“Everyone is aware of what we do,” Diane said. “People play dumb, but they know what is happening.”

She laughed. “I’m not playing dumb. You had no hand in this.”

“I will admit that Carolyn and I thought you and Dane would be good together but had no way to make it happen. But we were thinking it.”

“I’m glad you’re so honest,” she said. “But it’s better this fell into our laps the way it had.”

“Everyone says that and thinks it,” Diane said. “I just call it fate. And since we did bring up Dane’s name to you a few times before, you knew who he was and maybe thought of him in a way you wouldn’t have otherwise.”

She smiled. “I should have figured you’d find a way to take some credit.”