Page 93 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Chapter Fifteen

major operation. This time they removed her other breast and
a whole bunch of lymph nodes. I’m not sure what those are but
I know it’s really disconcerting to see her poor body. I try not
to look too hard when she’s naked. Between the radiation and
the chemotherapy, there’s always some kind of treatment going
on. She’s been in and out of the hospital a lot. My gut tells me
she’s really sick, but she always tries to be so strong. She doesn’t
want us to know.
She was released from hospital for just one day so she and
Mike could get married. None of us kids were invited. Not his
three kids either. That really hurt my feelings. One day they
are boyfriend and girlfriend and then BOOM, without any
warning, suddenly they are man and wife! Just like that.
I’m trying my best to like him, I really am. My mother
must really love him, so I guess we just have to do our best and
accept him into our lives. Vian and I are even trying to call him
Dad. No matter how much time has passed, it still doesn’t feel
right.
Anyway, back to babysitting. When I go to work it also
helps to take my mind off all the stuff going on at home. At
least I think it does. I’ve started babysitting for a new couple
who live across the street. This is the second marriage for both
of them and she has a little boy. Tommy’s a really cute kid.
My bedroom window faces their two-story house on
the corner of Willowbrook Drive. We live in a very nice
neighbourhood. Much different than the townhouse, where we
first lived in the city. In fact, our new house is on the 8th green
of Willow Park Golf Course. Pretty snazzy, right? And our
neighbours’ house is beautiful. I’ve been inside a few times now.
I see Tommy’s stepdad coming and going to work every
day in his fancy cherry-red pick-up truck. He’s usually sporting
pricey snakeskin boots and white cowboy hat. But trust me, he’s

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