Losing Him (Mitchell Family #8)(29)

After the lawyer left, I felt like I had a lot to think about. Between Jessie asking me to move back in with him, and thinking about letting go of my mother’s house, I knew which one I wanted to choose. It was hard to not be excited, even when I felt like we might be rushing back into things. I don’t know why it was a big deal. We’d lived together before and been happy. I knew it could be that way again.

When we finally sat down for dinner, it was great to be together holding hands and saying grace. Jacob was little, but I think he knew how special it was. His daddy and I hadn’t been spending any time together for months. This was a huge deal.

I think Jessie could tell that I was happy. Considering why we were there, I wasn’t siting around crying. For the first time in months, I was optimistic.

After dinner the three of us decided to go out to a movie that was being held at a local church. It wasn’t the one that my mother attended, but the whole town was invited. The feature was a kid friendly movie and family’s could lay blankets and chairs on the grass and cuddle up together.

I figured that it wouldn’t be a big deal since it wasn’t happening until it was dark. Even if someone was there that didn’t care for me, we wouldn’t have to see them.

I was wrong.

The movie had started and we were comfortable on our little blanket. Jacob had a juice box and some fruit snacks to eat. Jessie was holding me in his arms, playing with my hands. It was heaven.

Then Jacob had to use the bathroom, which was a porta-pot that had been set up in the parking lot. Jessie offered to take him, but it really wasn’t a big deal, so I insisted. Once I got him inside, I closed the door and waited outside. To my left I could hear someone getting sick. They were in one of the portable bathrooms. Instead, they were hunched over in the grass beside it. It was so dark that I could only make out that it was a woman. She kept gagging and hurling.

I rushed into the porta-pot and grabbed her some paper to wipe off her face. When I reached her again, she was still getting sick. “Miss, I grabbed you some tissue. Are you alright? Do you need me to call someone?”

She shook her head and spit a few more times. “My family is here. I’ll be okay.”

“How about I just stand here with you until someone comes?”

She nodded, but continued to throw up. I watched her pull out her phone and send a message in the midst of her vomiting. At one point she gagged so much that I held onto her back. She was smaller than me in stature and wore a baseball cap with her hair pulled out of the back. I felt so sorry for her and her family. They had come out for a family night and she was so ill.

I heard his voice and didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

“Baby, I was looking for you. I told you to stay home and rest.” Ty’s voice was just as familiar to me as it had been when we were children.

I froze.

How was I suppose to react?

At that same time, Jacob came rushing out of the porta-pot. I looked over and saw Jessie approaching. He must have gotten worried because I was taking forever. Jacob ran out to him. “Dad, I could hear my poop falling into that toilet hole. It was so cool!”

Jessie looked over and saw me standing in between two strangers. “Babe, you okay?”

I couldn’t speak. Realizing that I was right in between Ty and Miranda was horrific. I just looked at him with worried eyes.

“Heather, are you alright?” He asked again.

In one second, Miranda was spinning around and Ty was grabbing my shirt. They both just looked right at me. Miranda, having just puked up her organs, shoved me back, almost into her husband.

Jessie wasn’t having someone shove me. He put Jacob down and approached us. “What the hell, lady. Don’t touch her like that!”

Ty walked up and shoved Jessie. “Back off, dude. You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Jessie wasn’t one to back off, though. He came at Ty. “What the f*ck is your problem?”

Finally, I knew I couldn’t have them fighting. I pushed them apart and looked from one man to the other. “Jessie, stop!”

“What?” He looked at me puzzled.

I put my head down. “This is Ty and his wife Miranda.”

“Did they follow you over here?” He seemed angry.

“No! I saw someone getting sick, so I wanted to help. I didn’t know…”

“You’re the last person that I would ever want help from. I’d rather keel over and die than get help from you!” Miranda hated me. That wasn’t anything new.

“Hold on a minute. It’s been years. How about we act like adults?” Jessie was attempting to help, but I could tell that it wasn’t going to go well.

Miranda pointed at me. “This bitch almost killed me and my boys. I don’t ever have to be nice to her. Why don’t you take her pathetic ass back to whatever town you came from and don’t come back!”

Jacob was hiding behind my legs. I felt so bad that he was a part of all of this. “Please. Our son is here. Can we just walk away, before he hears anything else?”

“Please! Walk very far way!” Miranda added.

I grabbed Jessie’s arm, but he pulled away from me. “What do you mean, she almost killed you?”

Ty grabbed Miranda. “Leave it alone, baby. Let’s just get you home.”

She tugged her way out of his arms. “No! he needs to know the monster that he’s living with. He needs to know what this bitch is capable of.”