Chapter 37

Why? Because before all that other stuff happens the very next day, which is Sunday, comes and it is time to tell Sarah about Nan.

It is early Sunday morning and Sarah is staring at Nana and Christopher suspiciously. Karen had an emergency and couldn't make it. "Is something wrong?" She's afraid that something has happened to Hannah. "Is Hannah alright?"

"Hannah's fine, sweetheart. We'll be picking her up next Wednesday through Saturday, and then we'll have her from the next Wednesday after that for twelve glorious days. Nan has already said you can stay over the whole time"

Sarah looks at Nan who smiles and nods her head. "Well, something is wrong."

Nan's smile fades. Nan is sitting in her chair, Sarah is sitting on the corner of the couch closest to Nan's chair, which is two feet away, and Christopher is sitting right next to Sarah on her right. "Sarah, I'm sick."

Sarah looks over and up at Christopher and he strokes the back of her hair then he leaves that same right hand on her lower back. "You mean sick from the hospital?"

"I have cancer."

"Cancer?" Sarah's eyes flood with tears. Even kids know that word means nothing good. "So you'll take medicine and get better."

Nan slowly shakes her head. "No, baby, not from this."

"What does that mean?" she asks Nan. She turns to Christopher. "What does that mean?" she says, starting to cry.

Christopher looks over at Nan, who is grief stricken. Not because she is dying, but because Sarah has to lose more family at such an early age. "It means Nana is dying."

"Why? No! Nana, no." she pleads, hitting her hands on her thighs. Tears start to spill from Christopher's eyes. "What's going to happen to me?"

"You are going to go live with Christopher." Christopher's head snaps up as he looks at Nan. "That's right, I have talked with Karen and she has decided not to contest my will that I updated a week ago. She will leave the final decision up to Sarah, but there shouldn't be any problems."

"A week? How long have you known?"

"Since the day after the operation."

"What!" She turns to Christopher with an accusing stare. "Did you know?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Nan asked me not to."

"Why? Why, Nana, why would you do that?"

"Because you were just coming out of your shell, and you were having so much fun with Christopher I didn't want that to stop and I didn't want to hurt you."

Sarah folds her hands in her lap and bows her head and cries. Christopher starts rubbing her back. You can barely hear her when she asks, "How long until you die?" she stammers it, trying to catch her breath.

"Maybe six months."

Sarah looks up at Nan quickly, horror stricken and heart broken. "But I love you, Nana."

"I know, Sarah. I love you and I will always love you as I watch over you from Heaven."

That was the wrong thing to say. Sarah is still mad at God for her parents dying in the car crash when she was six. Sarah angrily wipes the tears from her eyes. She runs upstairs, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

Nan and Christopher look at each other. "Thank you."

"It's not a hundred percent yet because the government will still have their say. This is all kind of overwhelming to me. Not in a million years would have I ever thought of leaving Sarah to a person, much less a man, whom we have only known for not even six months, but Sarah loves you, and I know you love her and will take very good care of her.

"I fully believe now that you two have saved each other from your own tragedies. From your strength and love Sarah has bloomed into the beautiful little girl we now have. I have left everything in my Will to you to be guardian for it until Sarah is old enough to claim it. I have no cash, but there are no back taxes or payments on the house. Of course there will be yearly property taxes, so I hope you will pay those."

"I promise you, Nan, I will love Sarah with all my heart and I will preserve anything you want me to for her. I know you love this home, so I will keep it for Sarah."

Nan starts crying and looks up the stairs towards Sarah's room. "Thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for Sarah and me."

"You are welcome. It truly is my honor. You are an elder of my tribe. I stand for my kind and all good folk with pride and strength."

"Christopher?"

"Yes, Nan."

"If it looks like it is going to get real bad towards the end, I may want you to take Sarah before I die."

"Oh, I don't know. Sarah deserves to face this with you, and she would never want to leave your side if you are suffering."

"I know. She has a beautiful heart."

"And a strong one. She will be sad, but she'll get through it."

Nan nods appreciatively at the kind words and then she sighs. "I guess we are not going to church today."

"Let me go talk to her." Christopher gets up and gently hugs Nan.

He goes up to Sarah's room and knocks. "Yes." she says in her small voice.

"Hi, baby." says Christopher, as he opens the door. He closes it behind him. Sarah is lying on her stomach facing the wall. She is wearing her Harley shirt. Christopher goes over and sits on the bed, folding up his left leg and leaving the right one hanging to the floor. He tenderly places his hand on her upper back. She doesn't move or say anything, she just continues to cry. Christopher starts stroking her hair.