Folding Hearts (31 page)

It didn’t take her long to break through the crowd of people in the room and grab Miranda’s hand. She studied it then finally looked up at me, not Miranda. She dropped Miranda’s hand and went running out of the room. I really felt bad for Colt. He must of really been taken back by the way she was acting.  I didn’t know what her problem was, but she was acting like she was jealous.

He went running after her anyway.

Miranda’s mother finally broke the silence in the room. “Everyone who isn’t related to me needs to leave this room right now.”

Brina and Courtney, who had been standing around enjoying the entertainment
, walked out annoyed.
Even Lucy left the room.

My aunt was waiting for my new mother in law to tell her what was going on.  I reached over and grabbed Izzy another piece of sausage. She hopped down and started running around the kitchen island. With one motion of her hand my aunt pointed to the small kitchen table. Miranda and I sat down
at the round table.  “I think I have pretty much figured it out, but
we need to decide what is going to happen next. My son is to be married in one week and clearly this is
a
problem.”

Colt’s mother resembled Miranda’s but was older by a few years. She had a little more gray hair, but after losing her husband almost two years
ago
, she had a more aged look. Ever since I was a little kid I had called her Aunt J. She was the sweetest lady I had e
ver met.  I could tell she wasn’
t happy with me.

Miranda had her hands folded on the table. I reached over and ran my fingers across them, sliding my hand into one of hers. I gave her a short squeeze before I cleared my throat to start explaining. 

“There is nothing to discuss. Miranda and I are married. This should have nothing to do with Colt and Savanna. It’s none of their business.”

“Tyler Mitchell don’t you dare say that. If it is causing problems between he and Savanna then it is
a quandary.”

Miranda, who had been super quiet, must have gotten frustrated. “I’m sorry but it isn’t our fault if Van is acting this way. Ty and I are happy. Can’t anyone be happy for us? Has anyone realized how much they are hurting me? Don’t you think I would like to be congratulated. Don’t
we deserve our families support at all? I mean, I know we did this behind your backs, but look at how everyone is acting. None of you would have supported our decision. That’s what this was too, it was our deci
sion. Ty and I are adults and we
want to spend our lives together, raising our daughter
,
then we will.”

Her grip on my hand was deadly, but I didn’t dare pull away.

“How can you expect anyone to act happy Miranda. You married someone who has been your family your whole life. You lied to all of us for months. Did you just call her your daughter?” Aunt J announced.

My poor aunt Karen, I mean Mom, sat with her hand in her face, shaking her head.

“Would either of you have supported us? It’s obvious that I already know the answer. I’m sorry we hurt your feelings, but this wasn’t your decision to make. As far as us being family, well we all know that Miranda and I are not related. We share the same cousin. It doesn’t even matter. We can sit here until we are blue in the face, but it isn’t going to change my mind. Miranda and I are married. We are a family. If this is going to continue to be such a problem for everyone, then I will pack up the car and take my wife and daughter and go home.”

Conner was standing at the breakfast room door. He was outside, but the windows were open. He had heard my ever
y
word, yet he just stood there with his head down.

My aunt
reached her hand over to her sister. “I am very confused about the daughter part. Is there something I need to know?”

She almost snorted. “No. Ty a
dopted Bella. They had her name
changed to Mitchell.”

“I’m the only father she has or will ever have. Is that going to be a problem too?”

The room was silent and I could hear footsteps approaching us. I knew it
wasn’t
Conner coming to kick my ass, because he was still standing at the door fuming.

“There isn’t goin’ to be a problem.” Colt
’s
voice filled the room and when we turned around I saw him holding Van’s hand. That was a good sign, at least I hoped it was.

“Is everything okay between the two of you?” My aunt asked her son.

Colt and Savanna pulled up two chairs and we scooted over to make room for them. Izzy was getting bored and came running over toward me. “Daddy up.”

I picked her up and just out of pure habit I filled her face with kisses.  Everyone at the table stared at us.

While still watching me and Izzy
,
Colt
answered
his mom. “Everything is fine. Van just got upset for a minute. I think it would be better if she explained it though.”

Van gave a half smile but still looked sad. She played with the napkin on the table and wouldn’t look up. “You two being together was a shock at first. I just never expected the two of you to fall in love. I’m so close to both of you and never had any idea about it. When I came to visit and saw you together, it was hard at first, but I got used to it.
This might sound terrible, but I never expected Ty to ever change. At first I was scared for Miranda, afraid he would just hurt her like he hurt me.  When I saw him with Bella I was shocked. The way he loves her is just beautiful.”

I gave Van a smile. I couldn’t believe I got a compliment out of her.

She smiled back and continued talking. “It hurt me that he was so happy, not because I wanted to be with him, but because it made me feel like I was the reason he was always unfaithful. I saw him and Miranda and the fact that they were just as in love as Colt and I and it hurt me. Then I saw the ring. For years I thought that ring would be mine and to see that he had not only given it to her, but had it changed just for her….I don’t know. I just snapped.”

I felt bad for Van. She was right, but it wasn’t to spite her. “I didn’t do any of this to upset you Van. I changed the ring because she deserved to have something new that came from my heart, not something that an old girlfriend wore for a day. Her wearing that old ring seemed wrong to me and it wouldn’t be fair to you either. I would have got her a whole new ring if it weren’t my grandmother’s.”

“No, you did the right thing.” She reached over and grabbed Miranda’s hand. “You know I love you.
I am so sorry that I doubted your relationship. I was being ridiculous. I can tell it’s real between you. Ty looks at you like Colt looks at me. I didn’t want to admit it before, but it’s the truth.”

Colt looked across the table and put his arm around Van. “Ty, we don’t want you to leave. Our wedding won’t be the same without you both in it. You are our family, my blood, nothing is going to change that.”

“Thanks Colt, but I think we need everyone to be okay with it.”
I explained.

Conner came rushing through the door, pointed his finger toward me. “There is no way in hell I will ever be okay with the two of them.”

I gently handed Izzy over to her mother before standing up to face Conner.

“Boys you need to calm down and talk this out.” I wasn’t sure if my aunt said it or Miranda’s mom.

I held my hands up in the air, letting him know I had no interest in fighting him.

“What is your real problem with me Conner? Ever since Izzy has been born you have been nothing but a dick to me. What did I ever do to you?”

She must have heard me saying her name and climbed down from the table. Izzy was at my ankles, grabbing my legs. “Daddy up.”

Conner watched me pick her up and shook his head. “That is my problem. You think I didn’t notice how you were with that kid. Everyone else might have been busy with other things, but I noticed. Every time you came to visit, you spent more time with her than anyone else.”

“I watched her being born Conner. You are pissed at me for loving a child?”

“It wasn’t normal.”

“So your beef with me is because
I love Izzy?”

“Bella.” I heard everyone saying at the same time.

“She is my Izzy.”
I shook my head.

“No
, you
just aren’t gettin’ it. I knew all along that if you loved Bella than my sister would want you. Even I know nothin’ is more
attractive
to a mother than to see a man carin’ for her child. You came around lovin’ all over her, lettin’ her sleep on your chest. It got even worse after you saved her from Tucker at that bar. She never would admit it, but I knew there was somethin’ goin’ on between you.”

“There
wasn’t
Conner. I swear,
” Miranda said from behind me.

Conner put his
hand up. “Save it. You might not
have acted on it, but it has always been there. The way you were always lookin’ at each other. Are you really goin’ to deny it now?”

I didn’t have to look back at my wife. I put my head against Izzy’s and at the same time as Miranda we said ‘no’.

I heard her mother gasp. “This explains why you didn’t fight me about going to North Carolina.”

“Mom, I didn’t know and neither did Ty. We never talked about our feelin’s. We were just friends.”

“But you had hopes?”

I was afraid to turn around to look at Miranda on account of Conner standing in front of me.

“Yes.” I could hear that she was getting choked up.

Conner shook his head, letting out some air as he let out a cackle. “How long did it take once she got there? How long did it take the two of you before you just couldn’t take it anymore?”

“That is none of your business.” I reacted too fast and if my child
wasn’t
in my arms, I was sure he was going to pounce on me. I swung her around just in case.

“Actually, I want to know. I sent my daughter to Ty. I think we should all
hear
the story.”

Oh mother fucking hell! I am dead!

“So Ty, how long did it take you to get into my sister’s pants?”

I considered telling them a total lie. It would have been easier.

I looked from Conner to Izzy. “Uncle Conner wants some hugs.” Conner gave me a dirty look but reached his arms out for Izzy. She gave him a quick hug.

“This is goin’ to be good if he had to hand me the kid.”

I looked around the room at my family. With the exception of Van I had known everyone my whole life. “I didn’t even know Miranda was coming. I’d been working late every night and left my phone in my Jeep. Things hadn’t been going good for me. Aside from work, I
spent most of my time alone.”

Everyone in the room was looking at me.

“Daddy.” Izzy reached her arms out for me.

I grabbed
her before continuing.
“Miranda showed up at my door and after helping her get settled I slept over at my parents.
Since I knew she was upset, I offered to take her and Izzy to a petting
zoo. Anyway, after spending the day together, I was invited to a party and I asked her if she wanted to tag along. My mother really took to Izzy
,
and the party didn’t start until after her bedtime
,
so it wasn’t like I was asking her to be a bad parent.”

“Obviously. Because goin’ out to parties is what every mother should be doin’.”

“Conner please. Your sister is a good mother. Don’t act like she isn’t allowed to have a life. The child was asleep and with family.” My new mother in law took up for me. Conner wasn’t happy.

“I wanted to go to the party. It was an ABC party. You know, the kind where you have to wear somethin’ other than clothes. I always wanted to see what they were like.”

Jesus Christ Miranda! There are some details they didn’t need to know.

“I had no idea what her outfit was going to be. I got dressed at my parents and when I picked her up she was wearing a coat. I should have known that it wouldn’t
be good, but I just wasn’
t thinking. Miranda decided that saran wrap was a great idea for a
costume. I’m not talking like she wrapped her whole body. Very little was covered. Trust me when I say that I mentioned both Conner and Colt’s name when I saw what she had on. Once we got into the party, everyone had their eyes on her. I freaking panicked.”

Miranda started laughing. I was glad to have her take over for the next part. “Yeah, he wasn’
t
too happy with my clothing choice. I started dancing with these two guys and Ty got all protective. He forced me to pretend that I was his girlfriend so that I wouldn’t be approached by anyone else. But….there was one little problem with that. The more we were pretendin’ the more real it got. Ty pulled away from me and distanced us. I swear he did.”

I shook my head just thinking back on that night. “She’s right. I pushed her away.
I pulled her out of that party and headed home. The thing was, I felt so bad about kissing her that I pulled over to talk about it.
That’s when we both r
ealized there were real feelings involved. The rest is history.”