Blinding Trust (Mitchell Family #7)(24)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“No! She thinks everything is fine. I don’t want her to worry about me. She found out she has cervical cancer last month. She’s been going through chemo and hasn’t been doing well. I can’t stress her with my problems. She needs to think everything is fine.”

I got quiet for a second before speaking. “I’m sorry to hear about your mom. I hope everything works out.” Immediately, I started thinking about having to get a mammogram. Overwhelmed with anxiety, I started to sob. “Gosh, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me.”

Heather just stared at me. “Van, are you alright?”

I nodded, but continued to cry. “I’m just going through something, myself. I came here to clear my mind, but my problems are still the same no matter where I go. I just feel like I can’t win, you know?”

She put her hand on my shoulder and as weird as it was, I felt okay about it. “I envy your life, Van. You have beautiful children and a sexy husband to go with it. I can’t imagine what’s gotten you so sad. I understand if you don’t want to tell me. I should just go.”

We weren’t friends, but I felt like I was going to explode with emotions. “I’m having trouble with my oldest son and now I have to go have a test done because my doctor thinks he felt a lump in my breast.” I shook my head. “I can’t believe I just told you that.”

Heather used to absorb people’s dirty laundry and use it against them. I regretted telling her something that my husband didn’t know.

“Look, I know we aren’t friends but, you need to take my advice, Van. Get the test as soon as possible. My mother waited and now she is fighting for her life. I know you have no reason to believe me, but it’s good advice. Do it for your children. I’m sure you don’t want them to be without you. I couldn’t imagine one day without Jacob. He’s my rock and he’s showed me what love is all about. Now, if his father would just get on board, we would be perfect.”

I smiled through the tears. My next sentence was like sticking my own foot in my mouth. “I know why you loved Ty so much and why you did the things you did to try and have him.”

She was as confused as I was and I knew the topic should have been off limits. “Come again?”

“I just…I get it now. I see why you risked so much to be with him. When you love someone so much, it’s so hard to accept that it isn’t meant to be. People change, Heather. We grow up and we learn from our mistakes.” We stood there for a while not saying anything. “I hope that man comes around. Family is what’s important in life. He’s a fool if he takes that for granted.”

I walked out of the bathroom and got back to being with my loved ones. Spending time with Heather reminded me of my family back home. Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to be back there with them.

I ended up staying until Monday, after Miranda and Amy begged me to. We stayed up late each night playing cards and listening to Ty and Conner acting like idiots together. The more I was around them, the more I believed that Ty and Conner were both hatched from an idiot egg. They never did anything without each other and the way they communicated was like they had a secret language.

Even though I enjoyed my weekend away, I think Addy and I both wanted to get home. I missed Colt and the kids and with my mind going awry I needed to be close to them.

I’d made my mind up about one thing, though. I wasn’t going to worry Colt about what the doctor found in my breast. Since he said it was probably nothing, I would just wait it out. He didn’t need to be anymore stressed.

I could handle it.

I had to.

Chapter 12

Colt

She was acting different and I didn’t know why. I could tell she missed us, but Savanna was keeping something from me and she was doing her best to try and act normal.

I thought her weekend away was going to be enough to clear her head. Instead, she came home and seemed even more distant. At first, she seemed happy to be home and she even hugged Noah, but I could sense the animosity between them.

After hugging me, Addy ran up to play with her sister, like everything was fine.

Once Savanna had finished unpacking, she came and sat next to me on the couch. Her reading device was in her hand and she seemed more focused on it than me sitting right next to her.

I reached my arm around her and pulled her close, so that I could kiss her on the temple. “I missed you, darlin’.”

She smiled but didn’t look up. “I missed you, too, babe. Were the kids good for you?”

I felt annoyed that she wouldn’t look at me while she talked, so I took the device and pulled it out of her hands. “What are you not tellin’ me?”

She grabbed it back. “Nothing. You’re being silly. I’m just relaxing. You know the ride is hard, especially with Addy.”

I cocked and eyebrow and looked at her. Something was off and I was determined to find out what it was.

A little while later, I went out to the barn and called my cousin, Ty.

Sex advice hotline, how can I direct your call?

It’s me. Cut that shit out. I need to talk to you about somethin’.

I thought you were Van.

Of course you did. Look, Ty, I need to know if you noticed anything off about Savanna. Did she talk to Miranda about things?

Not that I know of. I noticed she was being weird and I asked what was up. She said she was fine.

But you don’t believe her?

Hell no! Look, man, I know Van and I can tell when something is on her mind. She was out of it. Maybe you should talk to her about annilingus.

What?

Jesus, you two are so naïve. Ass licking, dude.

You need mental help! Can you please be serious for a damn minute and help me out here.

Just ask her.

Yeah, well, she won’t tell me what it is. I’m startin’ to think that this has nothin’ to do with Noah.

You’re going to have to ask her. I don’t know anything. I’ll ask Miranda, but I think she would have told me if she knew something.

I was just checkin’. Thanks, man.

No problem. Call the sex advice hotline anytime between nine a.m. and five p.m. eastern time.

I shook my head and just hung up on him. If his life depended on being serious, he’d be dead by now.

When I went back inside, Savanna was doing the dishes, while Noah dried them. They weren’t speaking to each other, but at least they were sharing a small amount of space. I leaned against the wall and watched them.

Savanna didn’t understand how much I loved her for taking on the responsibility of raising Noah. She could have walked away, but instead, she threw herself into it as if her life depended on it. I appreciated her so much.