Shane doesn’t have a good relationship with his family at all. He moved to Texas for college and never left, hoping to put as much distance between him and them as he could. He’s never said it, but I think his tumultuous relationship with his family is why he volunteers with kids in any capacity he can. It might even be part of the reason he’s so close to Nevaeh.

After running around helping wherever needed all day, I’m walking down the hall when I spot Shane in Dylan’s room. Dylan is a sweet ten-year-old girl who has been in and out of the hospital, battling kidney disease caused by systemic lupus erythematosus. I’m not surprised to find Shane in her room. He has a soft spot for her.

“Hi, Kai!” she greets excitedly.

“How you feeling, sweetie?”

“Good. I got to see a puppy today!”

“Is that right?” I look over to Shane because I know he had something to do with her getting to see the puppy today.

“Yep,” she answers proudly. “And guess what else?”

“Hmmm, you were crowned queen for the day?”

“I’m a queen every day, silly.”

“Oh right, my mistake. I’m fresh out of guesses then. Help me out.”

“I heard you have a girlfriendddddd.” Her voice is light and airy as she sings girlfriend and Shane bursts out laughing.

“Yeah, I told her you stole my crush but that I’m okay with it.”

“Well, she was my crush first so it was only right.”

“I guess.”

“Is she pretty?” Dylan asks.

“She’s beautiful.”

“Is she nice?”

“Very.”

“Does she like dogs?”

“She loves them.”

“Okay, I like her.”

“That’s all it takes?”

“I’m easy to please.”

“Me too, Dyl. Me too.”

We spend some more time with Dylan until she gets tired and we go off to help with other things. On my way home from the hospital, my office manager, Faith, calls me to inform me that one of the clients I booked to start next month decided she doesn’t want to work with me after all. I find it a little strange but it’s not like I haven’t had clients change their minds before, so I hang up and head home.

With the Christmas weekend behind us, Olivia and I are back to her normal physical therapy schedule. She’s my last appointment of the day, so she’ll take an Uber here and we’ll drive home together afterward.

When Olivia arrives, Jay and I are wrapping up his session. He makes a point to smile in her face and personally invite her to see any of his games next season. She extends him the same invite and he gladly accepts before leaving.