Page 116 of Fierce-Dane

“Not a problem,” she said.

Zander stood up and shook hands with Dane. “Good to see you again,” Zander said.

“You too,” he said.

“I was just filling Zander in on everything about my childhood,” she said.

“I’ll let you both talk,” he said. “I’m just here for support.”

Which she’d told him he didn’t need to be, but she found he was always there when she needed him the most.

She and Zander talked more, then she added the last part about the locket. “It’s the only thing I’ve got of my mother’s. Shiloh said a friend gave it to her. It’s a picture of Sabrina and me from when we were in school. A friend could have been another woman. It could mean nothing.”

“Why don’t you hold onto that for now,” Zander said. “I’ve got enough to get started. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I’m not guaranteeing I can find out who Shiloh’s father is. We’ll see if we can figure out any man in her life around that time and just go from there. I don’t like to give false hope and should warn you that we could also come up with things you don’t want to know.”

“I don’t think much could surprise me anymore,” she said. “Not with the way I grew up and what is happening now.”

Zander left after that and Sloane went to plop back down on the couch.

“Sounds like it was a long day,” he said.

“I don’t know what it’s like to not have a long day,” she said. “I’m not sure I will again.”

“Sure, you will,” he said. “Everything feels overwhelming right now. I know. But I do have some news for you. Part of the reason I was late.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“I went to talk to Mick. He was working late and I wanted to see if there was any news.”

She knew everything was being done for the sake of Shiloh and that as Shiloh’s doctor ordering the tests, he’d get the results prior to her.

“Was there?” she asked. “Do I have to add health worries to my list of concerns now?”

“Actually, no,” he said. “We did find out what most likely caused the results of your mother’s organ failure. It’s sad and something that could have been prevented.”

“What?” she asked, her shoulders sagging.

“Your mother had Lyme disease. Left untreated it will develop all sorts of complications in someone who can’t fight an infection. Did she ever complain about joint paint?”

“All the time,” she said. “She always said her legs or back or hips hurt. They told her she was being a baby. Are you kidding me? This is all from a tick bite?”

“That is how it’s looking,” he said. “You said no one saw doctors. Simple antibiotics could have stopped it from attacking her organs at the very least. It’s rare but not unheard of what can happen. If she saw a doctor regularly.”

“She wouldn’t have,” she said. “Even if she had one, she wouldn’t go. She didn’t like doctors.”

“I’m sorry, Sloane. Sorry that this all happened and it might have been prevented. I’m going to have Shiloh tested now. It’s unlikely she’s been bitten by a tick, but you’ll feel better knowing. I think, considering where you lived, you should too. Some people can go years with no symptoms and not know they were even bitten.”

“I’ll make an appointment for both of us to get tested.”

She didn’t know what to think of this.

That so much of her mother’s life was based on poor choices.

Here she was once again being stuck living with the results of them.

“I know it’s hard to understand, but maybe try to think of it as you’ll be able to give Shiloh a much better life.”

“And there you are again saying the right thing at the right time without even knowing it,” she said. “Is it horrible to feel that way?”