Losing Him (Mitchell Family Series Book 8)

by Jennifer Foor

  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.”

  I didn’t waste any time putting hand in his. We walked together slowly with our eyes focused on the man we both loved. When we made it to Jessie, he grabbed one of each of our hands and we stood forming a circle. Jacob got a kick out of being a part of the ceremony, while I battled with being able to go ten minutes without sobbing.

  When the pastor told us we were married, I think I took my first full breath. Jessie kissed me deeply and pulled away to whisper in my ear. “I love you.”

  I’d waited over thirty years to hear a man say that to me and mean it. I don’t think it would ever get old.

  That night, once we got off the plane in Jamaica and checked into our hotel, Jessie and I laid in bed looking into each other’s eyes. He played with my hair while smiling at me the whole time. “You look happy.”

  “That’s because I am,” he answered.

  “How would you feel about having another baby?”

  He pulled me on top of him and cupped my naked ass. “Are we going to start trying now?”

  I shook my head and sat up, grabbing my abdomen. “We don’t even need to try. I’m six weeks along.”

  That night I did something that I never thought I ever be able to do.

  I made love to my husband; the man who finally loved me.

  For the longest time I had given my heart to Tyler Mitchell. Losing him was when I finally found my happily ever after.

  The end of Book 8

  Look for Book 9, Loving Her in December 2013.

  Here is the first 3 chapters of Twinsequences for you to enjoy!

  Chapter 1

  Just walk away.

  “Can I have an iced mocha latte with skim milk and whipped cream?” Yeah, the whipped cream cancelled out the skim milk, but at least I attempted to be good. Besides, it had been my breakfast for the past four years of college.

  “That’ll be three dollars and thirteen cents. Please pull around.” I loved routines, my life, and the future that I was going to have.

  I couldn’t believe that I’d finally graduated and was now able to start my life. After I’d found a job, it was my plan to go back to school and get my bachelors degree. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t ambitious. It was in my blood, with my parents both being doctors.

  They’d wanted me to follow in their footsteps, but I still wasn’t sure that was the right career path for me. The hardest part was the fact that I hadn’t been home in years. It wasn’t because of my parents and it wasn’t even because of my sister, well, not directly because of her. She couldn’t have known what was going on inside of my head.

  No, there was someone else that I couldn’t face; someone that I’d be forced to be around if I went home to visit.

  Stoshua Wheeler.

  I guess to better understand my reasoning, I’ll have to go back to my senior year of high school, the year when everything happened. It was then that I decided that I needed to be as far away from my twin sister, and this town, as I could get.

  Growing up, and being just minutes apart, was awesome having a twin. We talked alike, dressed alike, and shared everything. Every memory I ever had as a little girl, my sister was with me. We were inseparable and the best of friends. Imagine having someone that is the mirror image of you. We shared the same friends and even interests.

  Then high school happened.

  It was the first day of our senior year. My sister, being captain of the cheerleading squad, changed her outfit at least six times. She couldn’t decide on putting her hair up or leaving it down.

  While she had a nervous breakdown, I straightened my hair and put on the outfit that I’d picked out the night before. I’d already looked up my syllabus and known my schedule, since I volunteered at the school during the summer.

  The one thing I hated about high school, was having to share a car with my sister. Sure, it was a BMW, and all of our friends envied us, but my sister had the crazy social life. I was usually stuck bumming a ride with one of my friends.

  As usual, I ended up being the first student to arrive in class. Most people wouldn’t enjoy AP Chemistry first thing in the morning.
I felt it to be invigorating.

  The class filled with familiar faces. When you were enrolled in the classes that I was in, you were always stuck with the same people. It was good to have the same friends, even though my studies were more important than any kind of socializing.

  I’d been on a mission ever since middle school. My focus was to have the best grade point average that was possible.

  I was prepared for the new school year. Nothing could distract me. Well, that’s what I thought. Five minutes after the bell rang, the most handsome specimen of a man

  walked into my classroom. His hair was wavy and he was so tan. Even before I saw his blue eyes, I think I knew they were going to make me melt.

  The teacher took his schedule and looked out at us. The only empty seat was next to me. I usually preferred sitting alone, so that I could focus.

  “What kind of name is Stoshua?” “Joshua was already taken,” he replied sarcastically. I couldn’t help but laugh. A couple students turned around and gave me a dirty look. When I looked up at the front of the classroom again, the new guy was

  looking right at me. I didn’t know what to do, so I looked down at my hands and refused to look at him again. My cheeks were rapidly growing hot and my heart was pounding out of my chest.

  I wasn’t used to feeling so embarrassed, but this guy was so gorgeous. To make matters worse, the teacher had him sit right next to me and assigned him as my lab partner. It was the first day that I didn’t want to be in chemistry and also the first time I’d had a panic attack.

  As the months went by, my obsession with the new guy, turned into an infatuation. The more I tried to stay focused on school, the more I fantasized about Stoshua. We got to know each other and became close friends. I was too shy to admit that I was interested in him. I’d never dated and I didn’t know how to be in a relationship.

  He became my second best friend. On the weekends, we’d watch eighties movies and hang out, studying or going places together. We talked about everything and had each other on speed dial. With my sister being so involved in herself, Stosh was my only confidant. Sure, I could never admit how I felt about him, but it didn’t matter. All I wanted to do was be with him, every second of every day. I fantasized about changing my last name to Wheeler. I designed my wedding gown in my head and named our first born son.

  Don’t act like you’ve never done it before. We all fantasize about being swept away by our own version of prince charming. For me, he was my kryptonite. I lived and breathed to be near him, all in hopes of one day to become Mrs. Stoshua Wheeler.

  At the end of the school year, a few weeks before prom, I had this feeling like he was going to ask me. Since we had even more classes together that semester, we were together all of the time. He’d come over to study and stay for dinner, or I’d do the same at his house.

  Even though I didn’t know for sure, I believed that he liked me as much as I liked him.

  I’ll never forget practicing over and over what my conversation with Stosh was going to be. At first, I wrote him notes. After going through almost an entire notebook of paper, I decided that it was better if I just came out and said what I was feeling.

  Gaining the courage to put myself out there was nerve racking. Once any other logical option was exhausted, I knew I had to go for it. My sister knew I was up to something immediately. This particular year had been harder for me. As focused as I was on school, I felt like she was leaving me out of things. She hung out with her friends more than she spent time with me. Most nights, she snuck in the house after curfew and smelled of booze. Her defiance was associated with her popularity and the type of people that she hung out with. In some ways I was jealous. Ivy was always having fun, where I was always focused on being the best person I could be. Responsibility was important to me, but not my sister.

  With prom being so close, it also meant that finals were even closer. I’d studied for weeks and was sure to ace all of my exams. Ivy came to me one day in

  tears. “Will, you have to help me. I’m in big trouble.” Only two people called me Will. Ivy and Stosh. “What’s wrong now? Did you break a nail or something? Did you lose your

  favorite mini-skirt? Is your period due?” She raised her eyebrow, like I was out of line. “I’m being serious!” She pushed

  me and sat next to me on my bed. “If I fail my exam, I won’t graduate.” “What are you talking about?” She rolled her eyes and stood up to admire herself in the mirror. “It’s Biology.

  You know I hate that class. The teacher is pissed at me because he’d never have someone like me. He has it out for me, I swear.”

  I shook my head. My sister could never admit that something was her fault. “So, you want me to help you study?”

  She gave me a dirty look. “Are you kidding me, right now? Um, hell to the no. I want you to take the exam for me.”

  “You’re crazy! I’m not doing that! Besides, I would miss my own final to help you.” She must be insane if she thought I would be willing to trade places with her and let her take my test. My sister was beautiful and very popular, but she sucked at anything that had to do with academics.

  “I am going to hook that day. The makeup exam will be the following day and you’ll be all done. Please Will? I don’t want to fail my senior year. I’m begging you.” I walked over to my window. Did she even know what she was asking me to

  do? How could I possibly do something so illegal? How could I chance losing everything that I’d worked for?

  I’ll tell you how...

  I did it for my twin sister; the one who shared the egg that created us. She was my partner, no matter what the sacrifice. I’d do anything to make her happy. In fact, I couldn’t be happy unless I knew she was too.

  That was my biggest mistake.

  I was already disappointed in myself, but it was something that I felt obligated to do, no matter what the risk was. “Fine. You owe me big for this one.”

  “Anything! You just name it.” She wrapped her arms around me. “What would I do without you, sis?”

  “Apparently, flunk Biology.”

  She snickered as she started to walk out of the room. “Now that you’ve helped me solve my itsy bitsy problem, I can concentrate on getting myself all sexified up for this party tonight. Everyone is going to be there. I’m so excited.”

  Everyone wasn’t going to be there. I’d be catching up on biology, in my room, alone.

  I only studied for a few hours before I got bored and my mind went back to Stoshua. I was running out of time to tell him how I felt. It was going to happen.

  There was a big end of year assembly for the seniors. We were both on the clean up committee and would have to stay after school. When we were alone, I was going to tell him everything. He would finally find out just how crazy in love with him I was. Since I was so sure he felt the same way, I was excited and optimistic.

  The assembly was focused on superlatives, which my sister won a lot of. She was most beautiful, most daring, and most popular. Everyone cheered when she went up to collect her little awards.

  I spotted Stosh in the crowd and caught him looking back at me three times. It gave me even more courage.

  After the assembly was over, I weeded through the crowd to find him. I should have known when I saw him standing in front of my sister that something was wrong. It just didn’t dawn on me that it would go the way it went.

  They both saw me heading their way. My smile turned upside down and my heart was beating a thousand times too fast. “What’s up?”

  They looked at each other and then back at me. “Stoshua just asked me to prom. We are going to be the hottest couple there. I just know it.” She put her arm into his and waited for me to reply.

  Of all the people on the entire planet, nobody could have hurt me like my sister did at that very moment. I was literally crushed into a million pieces. “I didn’t know you guys liked each other.”

  They both looked at each other and shrugged. After all of this t
ime, I’d thought he was interested in me, when the whole time he’d only been into my sister. She’d probably told him to be nice to me.

  I felt like such a fool.

  “That’s great.” I could feel the burning in my throat. I was choking back my own pain to try and be happy for my sister. It was impossible to even look at Stosh. I wanted to die!