CHAPTER FOURTEEN – HELP COMES WHEN IT MATTERS

"Don't apologize," her father said, stroking her hair. "You've been holding all this in for too long." Tim cleared his throat. "Yeah, sis. We're here for you, you know? You don't have to deal with everything on your own." Joan looked up at her brother, surprised by the concern in his voice. "Thanks, Tim," she said softly. Her father gently turned her face towards him. "Joan, listen to me. You are one of the strongest, most determined people I know. You get that from your mother." At the mention of her mother, Joan felt a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill over. "But even the strongest people need support sometimes," her father continued. "It's okay to admit when things are tough. It doesn't make you weak. It makes you human." Joan nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. "So here's what we're going to do," her father said. "First, we're going to sit down and look at your schedule. Maybe we can find ways to lighten your load a bit. And second, you're going to pr