Letting Go (Mitchell Family #1)(2)
Author: Jennifer Foor

His daddy was a farmer, like a full-fledged works the farm himself, farmer. His parents had been together since they were thirteen. We had been together since we were fourteen. So naturally, Ty just always assumed that we would grow up and get married. When we started college, things became intense. Between the schoolwork, the new environment and his pledging with a fraternity, our priorities were not on the same page.

When we entered into our second year at college, I began to really struggle. I figured if we just stopped worrying about “us” for a little while, I could focus on school and get through it, then eventually start our future together. I never broke up with him because I thought it would be forever. Tyler took it the wrong way from day one. His new friends, basically the football team, convinced him I was interested in someone else and that he should move on too.

They were wrong.

My main focus was school. My parents did not have money to pay for my tuition, so through scholarships and grants, I was able to attend college. I was required to maintain a certain grade point average and if it fell, I lost my ride.

On the day I found out about Tyler’s accident, my mother insisted on driving me all the way to the hospital. I was in shock. Apparently, he had stolen a car and when they first discovered the accident, they didn’t know it was Ty. Finally, they found his wallet at the hospital and the police notified his family. Ty was not recognizable, and it wasn’t just from all the tubes and wires that were hooked to his body. His legs and arms were being propped up and they were covered in casts. He had a severe contusion on his head, and they had to shave his hair and operate to remove the swelling around his brain. His face was black and blue and both of his eyes were completely swollen shut, not that he ever opened his eyes.

I refused to leave when my mother left that night. Instead, I slept in a chair. I wasn’t supposed to, but the nurse was pretty nice and said that the more time I spent there, the sooner he might wake up. At first, I had this notion that if I stayed long enough he would open his eyes and I could tell him how much I loved him and that I would never leave again.

However, he never woke up.

His mother and father started to only visit on weekends. With him not being able to help and now having the hospital bills, they couldn’t afford to hire someone to work the farm while they sat at the hospital. I promised them that I would spend every day there, except when they came, just in hopes of seeing those brown eyes that I loved looking back at me.

My friends tried to get me to go out and get my mind off of things. My best friend Brina had been around for all of mine and Tyler’s ups and downs. Our town was tiny and everyone knew everyone. We all even attended the same church when we were younger.

Ty was never Brina’s favorite person, but she would never want him to be like that. I refused her offers each and every time. My mother took me to see a shrink, claiming I was giving up on life. She didn’t understand that Tyler Mitchell was my life. I couldn’t let go, I wouldn’t.

The past six months had been hard for me. My professors were very lenient considering what I was going through, and I was the poster child for needing extensions, but I managed to keep up with my grades. I still had a few more weeks left before summer break. One good thing was that the hospital was about ten minutes from the campus. After my classes, I would go straight to the hospital. Some of the nurses had been nice enough to bring a folding table for me to do my class work on.

For hours, day in and day out, I would sit there talking to him. Sometimes I would even study aloud with him. For my literature class, I would read everything aloud. I held his hands, kissed his face and cried against his chest, but he never even moved a finger. He just lay there lifeless, hooked up to machines.

When the accident had first happened, his parents were so kind to me, but as time passed, they began to blame me for everything. To say that I wasn’t their favorite person anymore was an understatement. The hardest part of that, for me, was that Tyler had bought me a horse a few years back that I happened to keep on his farm. When I made the drive home, I would always stop and see Daisy, my Morgan Quarter horse mix. She was only about sixteen hands high, but it was plenty enough for me, since I was only five three.

Besides Brina, Daisy was my only friend. People at college even stopped talking to me. It hurt so much and the worst part was that I knew it was my fault. I caused all of this to happen, and every time I looked at him lying there, hooked up to so many machines, it made me want to die myself.

My new shrink had prescribed me some antidepressants when I admitted to her that I had thought up a plan on how I was going to end my life. I had planned it all out so that I would die in Tyler’s arms at the hospital. I had even managed to swipe enough pills to do it. My confession did not go over well. I had to spend twenty-four hours in observation for starters, and continue with therapy indefinitely.

When I had suicidal thoughts now, I kept them to myself.

No matter what anyone says to me, I know I caused this. They can use every nice word known to man and candy coat their words, but it doesn’t matter. I broke Tyler’s heart and after a fight at a party, I ruined his life.

Chapter 2

Savanna

I had set up a makeshift study area at the hospital. Exams were a week away and I needed to get good grades on all of them. The lighting was poor in the hospital room, and I could never get used to the damn beeping of the machines. I was halfway through reviewing my notes when I lay my head down on the desk. My body was over exhausted and I just wanted to take a nap.

I woke to a familiar voice calling my name. When I opened my eyes, I saw Ty trying to pull the wires off his face and body. I got up and ran over to the bed. “Oh my God, you’re awake. Ty, I missed you so much. I can’t believe you finally woke up. I am so sorry about everything. Please forgive me Ty. I never wanted us to be over.”

“Shh, don’t cry baby. What happened? What day is it?” He asked while looking around the room.

“It’s Friday. God Ty, it’s been six months. You were in a coma.”

“Stop playing baby.” He said as he laughed.

His eyes sparkled and I had forgotten how perfect they were. His dark eyelashes accented them as he blinked. “I’m not kidding. I have to get the doctor.” I said as I started to head out of the room.

“Wait! Please just come hug me.” He requested.

I rushed back to his side and reached my arms around him. When I placed my lips against his, I could feel the tears rushing down my face. I had missed him so much. Our celebratory kiss intensified and he pulled me up onto the bed with him. I didn’t care who walked in, I just wanted to be close to him, to feel him holding me. Our tongues met and mingled together and he reached his hands down the back of my shorts and grabbed my bare ass. He used his hands to grind me against his hardness and I gasped. I had waited so long to feel this again. I reached down and pulled up the hospital gown as he began tearing down my pants. Ty threw the thin white blanket over my back as I positioned myself over his rock hard shaft. He slid inside of me and we both moaned simultaneously at the feel of being together again. We began moving at a steady pace, when I lay my head on his chest and closed my eyes for a second.