Page 118 of Fierce-Dane

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 sucksmost 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.