"It's too hot for all that." Harrison said, disagreeing with Tate's suggestion of planning a trip to hike to the Lighthouse in Palo Duro Canyon for Indigo's birthday. "Y'all asses will fall out and need to be airlifted out. And I'm going to tell Melanie Lawson I told y'all not to do it."

"I second that." Xavier agreed.

"You might be right." Tte said

"Might?" Harrison questioned. "Didn't you get sunburned last time with your shenanigans, light skin."

Tate remembered the ailment. He wasn't able to wear a shirt or lay on his back for three days and he flinched from the smallest touch to his skin. Be it Indigo or water. He hadn't planned on falling asleep under the sun but the audiobook sent him into slumber.

"Y'all need to plan the outdoorsy adventures for October through January because May to August ain't the time to catch a heat stroke."

"You can't catch a heat stroke." Xavier clarified.

Harrison shrugged, "Anyways, it's your time." He gestured to Tate.

Tate coated the tip of the pole-stick with chalk, lined the stick up to the red ball and sent it rolling down the pool table to knock a green ball into the left corner pocket. It was game night. One of the traditions that held strong over the years after the many changes to everyone's lives. This week it was being hosted at Larsen's. Downstairs there was a riveting game of Trivial Pursuit happening between Indigo, Saxon, Hazel, Stella & James, the kids, and even Cooper and his dad stuck around for the fun. Tate, Harrison, and Xavier however were upstairs in the gameroom. Tate always ushered them upstairs since very few people in the house knew how to play billiards. Indigo didn't understand the rules fully and the girls weren't tall enough or had the coordination to maneuver the sticks without hitting each other or tripping someone. Plus, they lost interest quickly.

"New plan." Tate started as Xavier sidled to the table for his turn. "Camping at Dahlia ranch. We can barbecue. Indigo's favorite. Ride the horses and relax by the campfire and if it gets too outdoorsy there's the estate and guest houses for refuge."

"Now, you being smart." Harrison informed.

"Shut the fuck up. I'm always brilliant."

"Five dollars for the jar." Thyme said skipping into the room, her favorite mode of transportation besides her skateboard. "Daddy, can I tell you something without your snitching?"

Snitching. To snitch. It was becoming her new favorite word and an annoyance to him. At least it wasn't Damn anymore. All it took was Indigo hissing out the word after stubbing her toe when the girl was six, which was the reason they had a swear jar to begin with.

"Ladybug, you can tell me anything." Tate affirmed. "What is it?"

Thyme glanced at her nephew then gestured for her dad to kneel down and once he did she whispered in his ear, "Mama's crying in the kitchen. She said she was fine but she looked sad."

Tate stood up and took in his daughter's concerned expression, "I'll handle it. Don't worry."

He stroked her cheek and his words gave her the reassurance she needed. Her smile returned and she gave him an abrupt hug before skipping back out.

"What's that about it?" Xavier asked.

"I'm going to check on something." Tate informed ignoring the question. "Play without me. I'll be back."

This was the third instance of her crying in a week; the first in Zane's nursery and the second time he heard her crying in the bathroom during her nightly soak before bed. His frustration amplified and he was going to find out what was going on with his wife.

******

Indigo didn't sense Tate's presence as she stood in front of the stove stirring jalapenos into the multi cheese sauce. Her consciousness was a million miles away as she watched the green peppers combine with the off-yellow substance. Only one thought held her psyche hostage. Her surroundings weren't a concern. Nor were the nachos she was preparing.

"You want to go to HEB?" Tate asked, causing her to flinch out of her deep thoughts but she didn't turn around. "Get some chips? Ground beef?"

"If you want to." She said plainly, keeping her focus on the saucepan. "You don't have to."

"I do..unless we're going to eat cheese soup." Tate approached her but she didn't acknowledge his presence. She just kept stirring methodically. The dampness of her face gripped his heart and he was filled with concern and sadness. He wiped away the falling tear she ignored but she stayed in her trance. "What's wrong?"

"Noth—"

"Don't tell me that lie." He insisted. "I'm not Thyme."

Indigo let out an audible breath, her shoulders slumping. "She told you."

"Of course." He turned the stove off, moved the pot from the aisle, and withdrew the wood spoon from her hand despite her protest. "Be real with me. What's wrong?"

She raised her sight to him and he watched a fresh round of tears cloud her vision and all he wanted to do was solve whatever was making her hurt. "She might die this time. She barely survived the first time. It took three rounds of chemo and surgery. I don't know what I'd do...if....she died...I can't lose my sister."

Her slow tears turned into a silent sob as he pulled her into an embrace preventing her from collapsing. She gripped her arms around him as if he was a tree in the midst of hurricane strength winds.

Tate peered ahead stunned, "I thought she...was in remission."

"Not anymore." She sniffed, pulling away from him. "Oh God."

"What?"

She held her mouth as if she made a mistake.

"What?" He asked again.

"I wasn't." She started then stopped wiping away more tears. "She wanted to keep it between us until she knew for sure." The look she gave him expressed what she meant. Keep it between them until she knew death was the only outcome. "You can't tell anyone. I promised her. It's the only thing she wants. To be treated how she's  treated now and not like a fragile egg."

He shook his head as tears filled in his eyes.

"Tate please." She begged then held her temples. "I shouldn't have told you."

A part of her wished she hadn't. He would've loved to remain ignorant. It was bliss after all but she was breaking under the load and there was no way he'd let her go through it alone. Even if he had to go through pain, himself.

"No, we don't keep secrets from each other." He pulled her back to him this time for himself.

She rested her head on his chest and said, "She starts chemo in two weeks."

"Where is it now?"

"Her spleen."

"Can't they just remove it." He said. "A splenectomy?" 

"The procedure has already been scheduled."

He pulled back. "How were ya'll going to hide this from everyone."

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Sax thinks she can and if it's the last thing she..." Emotions stopped her words. She took a deep breath as he rubbed her back. "I'm just trying to be supportive."

"I understand." He did. It was the same thing he did after his mom was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.  She wanted to travel the world and he accompanied her to some of those countries. It was why he, Indigo, and the girls went to Brazil with her after she picked out her urn. It was a great trip. He thought about it during those times when his grief tried to drown him. The summer they spent in his mom's birthplace brought him memories that were comforting and a son.

"Tate," She looked up at him. "Felix wants to see Greer."

He took in several breaths trying to remain calm. "He'll have to wait."

She nodded.

"We have more important matters at hand."

"Is it ready?' Frost asked, hopping on the barstool. "Are ya'll crying?"

Tate watched the happiness drown from his face and understood Saxon's logic even more. "Your Aunt forgot the chips."

"And I burned the cheese." She added drying her face.

Frost shrugged. "I didn't watch nachos anyway."

"Then what do you want?" Indigo asked with a genuine smile forming.

"Uh," He thought. "Raising Cane's."

Indigo turned her nose up.

"It's what the boy wants." Tate declared. "You want to ride with me."

"Yes!" Frost replied eagerly.

"Go get your shoes." He instructed and watched the boy run out the kitchen which was his typical mode of travel. "Text me what you want." He kissed her forehead and before he could go in for Indigo's lips needing more of her, Greer ran in.

"I want to come, too." Greer said.

"Me too!" Thyme shouted behind her sister.

"Adira, you too?" Indigo asked the teen shuffling around her cousins.

Adira shook her head and held up her cup. "Need a refill."

"I'll be back." Tate informed taking his daughters' hand and letting them lead him to the front door as they talked away, enjoying the normalcy of the moment knowing sorrow might be on the horizon. But he hoped it wouldn't come to that. Hope was all he had.

Do you think Indigo needed to tell Tate?

Is Tate right that Felix will have to wait?