Folding Hearts (Mitchell Family #2)(17)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“It was Tucker. He got her alone and jumped her,” Colt explained.

“Oh my God! I need to go see her. Can you take the baby for me?” She cried.

I stood up and grabbed Izzy out of her reluctant arms. I think it still shocked the family that I had a connection to her the way I did. “It’s okay. Go ahead. We have her taken care of.”

She handed us the diaper bag and made her way toward the triage nurse to be let into the back where her daughter was being cared for. Two hours later, they came back out. Miranda’s face was cleaned up, but it looked so bad. The bridge of her nose was busted open and had butterfly stitches. Her left cheek was swollen and already turning purple. Dried blood was caked over her scalp. Her busted lips were both swelled to double in size. Miranda had a sling on her right arm and walked like she was in pain elsewhere.

We all rushed to her side, but she never spoke. Her mother took Izzy out of Van’s arms and the three of them made their way to her car instead of Colt’s. I understood, but I couldn’t help but want to make sure she was okay.

The ride home was quiet, with the exception of Colt and Van telling me I needed to pack up my shit and leave first thing in the morning. They didn’t want the police to know that I had been involved. The plan was to say that I came home a day earlier and had nothing to do with being at the small dive bar.

I argued with them, but left as they suggested. I was so pissed that I made it home in record time. I was glad that I could kiss Izzy goodbye, but Lucy said that Miranda stayed the night with her mother and I didn’t want to wake them to say goodbye.

Chapter 11

Miranda

I should have screamed or at least let someone in that bar know that I felt threatened by Tucker’s presence. I should have known that he was going to hurt me.

For three days my mother stayed by my side and nursed my wounds. Tucker had slapped me before, but it was nothing compared to the beating that he gave me. I had two cracked ribs, a broken nose, contusions all over my face and a dislocated shoulder.

I couldn’t hold my daughter and if I thought the pain of losing her father was bad before, well, knowin’ what he was capable of made me feel so sad for her. I had a family that would make sure she never wanted for anything, but I knew firsthand what it was like to grow up without a father. Not having that in my life caused me to rebel against my mother more than I wanted to admit.

After three days, I left my mother’s small house and headed to the main house. My mom and aunt argued with me about it, but I needed my space. My shoulder wasn’t better, but I had Lucy to help me with Bella and could manage the rest by myself.

The truth was that I was tired of being judged. They refused to admit they were doing it, but I could see it in their eyes. They blamed me for this happening.

Nobody ever considered that all of this might be hard on me. I mean, first I catch my no good boyfriend cheating, then he says he wants nothing to do with our daughter, and finally he beats the shit out of me in a public parking lot. How could I not be a bit messed up over all of this?

To make matters worse, I hadn’t been able to talk to Ty since it happened. Sure, he had been calling and texting me like crazy, but after everything I didn’t know what to say to him. I had been ready to throw myself at him that night with no regard as to what would happen afterwards. We were friends and he had made it clear that was all we were. Whatever happened between us was just us thinking without our minds. Neither of us wanted to get involved with each other.

I had seduced my share of guys and none of those times had ended with a healthy friendship. Ty and I needed to take a break from each other, in order to forget that either of us ever considered taking things further.

Tucker was convicted of assault and sentenced to one year in jail. He was ordered to attend drug and alcohol classes while incarcerated. As much as I appreciated that he was behind bars, it still didn’t make me feel any better about my life or current situation. I had nothing to show for as far as a future for me and my daughter.

A month went by before I was able to pick up the phone for one of Ty’s calls and then I felt so embarrassed for waiting so long that I couldn’t figure out what to even say. He asked a million questions about Bella and even if he could video chat with her. I felt bad for keeping him from her. He hadn’t done anything to deserve being shut out. I was acting like an immature child. He clearly cared so much about my daughter. I was an ass**le.

I spent the next four months trying to get my life back on track. Since Lucy’s kids were both moved out, she actually enjoyed watching Bella while I took cosmetology classes. I was lucky enough to have a mother that offered to pay for any kind of further schooling I was interested in, but I had to admit that school just wasn’t something I was ever really good at.

With me being so busy, I hardly had time to even think about my friendship with Ty or lack thereof. I couldn’t say it was for lack of trying on his part. He called or texted at least three times a week. Apparently he had gotten a job at a local shop working on cars. He said the money was pretty good and he didn’t mind working a nine to five job during the week. What that really meant was that it helped him not be so lonely. He rarely talked about Van, but I knew he missed having her around. They still talked often, but with her and Colt’s wedding coming up, I could imagine the conversations weren’t to his liking.

Speaking of the wedding, it was only months away. Van had decided on an outdoor theme here at the ranch. Colt and Conner had been working to restore an old red barn where the service was to be held. The thing hadn’t been usable in at least ten years and was filled with random farming equipment. I got that Colt wanted everything to be perfect for the big day, but he could have built a brand new barn in less time.

Things finally seemed almost normal. Our family was back to normalcy. Mundane days led to relaxing nights curled up on a couch watching sitcoms. And watching mundane sitcoms was exactly what I was doing when I got the call.

I was sitting next to Lucy watching a popular singing competition when my cell phone rang with a blocked number. I had no idea who it could have been, but I answered it anyway. My friends played jokes and cranked called people when we were younger so I just assumed it was going to be a fun kind of call, in fact I answered it with a sarcastic tone and waited for whoever to hand me some punch line.

The voice on the other end sent the fear of God into me.

“You think you can just go about your life like you didn’t ruin mine? You better watch your back you little bitch. I am getting out early and when I am through with you, they won’t be able to identify either of the bodies. I am goin’ to cut you slow so you can watch yourself bleed out.”