Loving Her (Mitchell Family #9)(35)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Amy walked me out, and she’d been right about my client. After she stood up and hugged me, she reassured me that Amy could finish up. It wasn’t a big deal. I had to be grateful of my job and my partner. It didn’t hurt that she was also family.

Our houses were close enough that I didn’t have to walk to work, but I was lazy and chose to drive. Bella was in middle school and she hated to ride the bus, so after taking her in the mornings, I just drove right to the salon.

I pulled in next to Ty’s truck and saw him sitting on the porch of his mother’s house, which was located behind ours. They both waved, and I walked over toward them. Once I made it up the porch steps, I could see that they’d been having a heart to heart. Ty wasn’t crying, but he definitely was upset. His eyes were bloodshot and his mother looked equally devastated.

“I told you that you didn’t have to come home early.”

“Yes, I did. I couldn’t be there for another minute knowin’ how she’s actin’. I just came to tell you to give me some time alone with her. This crap ends here, today.”

Ty tried to smile, but I could tell he wasn’t convinced things would be resolved so easily. “I haven’t gone inside since we got home.”

“Her little ass better be in her room.”

“Miranda, don’t be too hard on her. She’s upset.”

“That is no excuse. Don’t sit there makin’ excuses for her breakin’ your heart, Ty. She’s not goin’ to keep actin’ like that.”

“Just don’t go overboard. She’s fragile.”

I shook my head and thought about him still looking out for her, considering everything that was going on. It made me angrier with her.

I walked into the house and saw her sitting at the kitchen table. She was on her IPad and it immediately pissed me off. I grabbed it off the table and tossed it on the counter. “There will be no electronics in your possession, young lady.”

“I was messagin’ Noah.”

“You and Noah are the reason that all of this is happenin’. What were you thinkin’ today, Bella? Why would you hit another person?”

“He made me mad.”

“You make me mad, but I don’t punch you in the face. This is goin’ to end, or you’re goin’ to be one miserable little girl, understand that! I’ve had it with you and the way you’re actin’. Do you have any idea how much you’ve hurt your father?”

She shrugged but wouldn’t look at me. The one thing I noticed was that she wasn’t emotional at all. Her face was empty.

“Isabella Mitchell, answer me.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m not a Mitchell.”

“The hell you aren’t.” I’d lost my cool, not that I really ever had it. “You are a Mitchell in every way. That man out there has been in your life since day one. How dare you take that from him? How could you be so cold? Yeah, we lied and made you think he was your birth father, but look at what he’s done for you. Half of your friends don’t have dads at all and you have one who goes above and beyond, day after day. That man out there would die for you. He’d do anything to make sure you want for nothin’. I get that you’re mad, but dammit Bella, look at what you’re doin’ to our family.”

She still wouldn’t speak to me. I was at a loss for words. She’d never been so defiant and I didn’t know what else to do. “You’re not goin’ to say anything?”

She still remained silent.

I pointed toward her bedroom. “Get in that room and don’t come out! You’re punished until I say you aren’t longer. No phone, no electronics and no television. You’re goin’ to learn to be respectful or you’ll be miserable forever.”

She stomped into her room and slammed the door. A part of me wanted to bust in and punish her more for that. Since I’d already taken away everything she loved, I didn’t have another thing to strip from her.

I sat down in the chair that she’d gotten up from and began to cry. This was all too much for me. I couldn’t believe that it wasn’t all a bad nightmare.

I’d never punished her like that, and it broke my heart into a million pieces to have to do it. I wondered, if this lie had ruined our perfect little girl forever.

Chapter 23

Tyler

Izzy never came out of her room for dinner, nor did she show her face for the rest of the night. It tore me up knowing she was right in the next room, but refused to make the initiative to work things out with me.

We ate in silence, even the boys aware that something was wrong, even though they just didn’t know what. The last thing I wanted was for them to find out about Izzy. I didn’t care how this all turned out. To me, and anyone else that I knew, she was mine. She could be pissed and never talk to me again, but she’d still be my daughter.

Miranda was going a little overboard with the support. She was waiting on me as if I’d lost a limb and couldn’t move. It only made me aware of the situation more, instead of helping me through it. She meant well, so I didn’t have the heart to ask her to stop. Besides, she needed to keep busy to distract herself.

By the time we’d tucked the boys into bed, they couldn’t hold in their curiosity. I put the covers over Jax and he sat up in bed. “Dad, what’s wrong with Bella? Is she sick or somethin’?”

“She’s not feeling like herself.”

“Can she play tomorrow?”

“We’ll see, buddy.”

As unfortunate as it was, days passed and Izzy refused to associate with me. Day after day she’d go to school, come home, and stay locked in her room. Finally, after a week, Miranda got us an appointment with a counselor that specialized in family issues.

I would have liked to solve everything without having to bring someone else into the mix, but we were at a last resort. Izzy refused to talk to me, to look at me, or to even be in the same room as me.

She’d even stopped associating with the rest of the family and totally shut down. Our appointment was in the morning, so the three of us got into the car and headed on our way. It was the first time in weeks that we were in such a confined space. None of us talked.

Once we got inside of the office, I felt nervous. It hurt coming clean the first time, and not knowing what this doctor was going to expect from me was nerve wracking.

She took me and Miranda in first, sitting us side by side. We held hands as we waited for the questions to begin.