Losing Him (Mitchell Family #8)(63)

I could hear the guys in the kitchen talking. They were laughing about something and I felt like I was in some kind of alternate reality. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever consider that I’d be able to be cordial with this family. They were proving me wrong.

Van and Amy looked at each other and smiled. “We think that would be nice.”

It made my night even better.

Jessie and I didn’t stick around much longer. We had celebrating to do on our own. I had a special place that I wanted to take him after dinner, but before I could leave Amy’s house, I needed to ask Van something. I pulled her to the side, where nobody could hear us. “Van, can you do me a favor?”

“Sure. What?”

“Can you thank Ty for me?”

“Thank him for what?”

I smiled and felt embarrassed to say it out loud. “Thank him for never giving me a chance. If it weren’t for that, I’d never have met Jessie and we wouldn’t have the most amazing son. I guess everything does happen for a reason, doesn’t it?”

I wasn’t naive. I knew we’d never be best friends, but we were something other than enemies and it was enough for me. At the end of the day all I felt was grateful to be in the presence of such wonderful people.

Epilogue


6 months later.

Heather

It took me a long time to become the woman that would have made my mother proud. As I looked in the mirror, wearing the wedding dress that she’d made for me, I felt accomplished and happy.

It took four months for my mother’s house to get a contract on it and another month before they settled. The money that I made was going to go into two separate accounts. One was for my brother and the other for Jacob. I think she would have wanted that.

Connor and Amy helped us get the house emptied out the week before the house sold. They were a blessing to have, since we lived so far away.

Jessie’s parents were surprisingly nice about us getting married. His mother had actually taken over and turned my small affair into something that was magnificent. I appreciated it so much, but more so because she was Jacob’s only living grandmother.

A wedding was supposed to be one of the happiest days of a woman’s life, but mine was bittersweet. I was ecstatic to be marrying Jessie, but saddened that I had no family to share it with. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t wish I could pick up the phone and call my mother. I missed her so much.

I spent the week before my big day in a state of depression over it. Not because I wanted people to feel sorry for me, but because I missed every single thing about her. No child wants to walk down the aisle without a parent at their side.

While the chairs filled up outside, I was steady pacing around, worrying about being able to keep myself from losing it. I was going to be strong and walk down that aisle, because Jessie was at the other end waiting for me.

I peeked outside and only noticed his family. A couple girls from the hospital had showed up, but nobody else that I recognized. I was freaking out.

A knock at my door caught me off guard and I jumped before running over to answer it. Van and Amy stood there. “You look beautiful, Heather,” Amy said as they entered the room.

I didn’t waste a single second. I grabbed both of them and hugged them, while tears ran down my face. “I didn’t think you would come.”

“Conner never passes up free booze,” Amy teased.

Van took my hand. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Amy excused herself while I sat down next to Van. “What is it?”

She looked right at me with a serious look on her face. “I don’t want to make you upset, but there’s something that you should know. I told you how I talked to your mother about having cancer. She helped me so much more than my own mother could. It was hard for my mom because she was so scared for me. I needed someone that knew what I was going through. After my mastectomy, I spoke with your mother. She knew she was dying. The cancer had spread and her time was limited.” Van started sniffling and I matched the sounds with my own tears. “Your mother fought so hard, Heather. She didn’t want you to be alone in this world.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“She asked me something and I never told anyone, but you.”

I sat there wondering what it was.

Finally she smiled and grabbed my hand. “She asked me to forgive you.”

“What?” I kind of knew this already, but hearing her say it on this particular day was special.

Van cried harder. “I promised her that I would.”

It was all starting to make sense. Van being at the funeral and all of her kind acts were a direct result of a promise she’d made to my mother while she was on her death bed. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Heather, I keep my promises.”

She held my hand as we sat there. It took me back to a time when two little girls were friends and boys didn’t exist. Sure, Van was there because she felt sorry for me, but I had to believe that she was there because she wanted to be. If I had to risk my life for anyone other than my family, it would be there’s. They would always hold a part of my heart. In good times and bad I knew I wouldn’t be where I was without them.

Walking down the aisle wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Jacob walked down and grabbed my hand. He pulled my arm, making me lean down. “Daddy says I should hold your hand.”