Experience the true story of two women, each strongly bound to and influenced by the same charismatic man. As each woman desperately tries to save her marriage to him, in spite of his deceit and infidelities, each comes perilously close to losing herself. This firsthand account from one man's two ex-wives will draw you in from the very first page. You will laugh with them, cry with them, and ultimately share in their triumphs, as these two successful career women detail their love for and betrayal by a well-known public official. What they lived through and learned about themselves is inspiring. The events that could have caused them to lose faith instead made them stronger, and they have found richer lives and greater success on the other side of the pain. Lib and Jan give a compelling account of the parallel circumstances and coincidences that bring together two women from very different backgrounds and experiences. They were able to learn and gain strength from each other, and are now telling their story in order to help other women who may be living through similar situations. Through sharing their experiences they hope to assure others that it is possible to overcome the loss of a dream, and that there is a wonderful life of limitless possibilities open to those who find the courage to look for it.
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Editorial Reviews
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1945 - FARMLAND, INDIANA
With reckless abandon, four-year-old Janet Mend ran out the back door of the farmhouse where she and her parents lived and headed for the barn. She had heard from her mother that Dr. Whitley, a family friend who rented the farmhouse to the Mends, was in the stable. Janet loved when Dr. Whitley visited, because she knew he'd let her ride one of his horses. Janet had gotten her love of horses from her father, who let her ride with him at a young age.
As Janet ran towards the stable to greet Dr. Whitley, she secretly hoped he would let her ride Ginger, a new Shetland pony who was too spirited for most kids to ride. Janet loved the thrill of being on a more spirited horse, and Dr. Whitley knew it.
When she reached the door of the stable, she saw Dr. Whitley leading Ginger towards the opening. Janet stopped in her tracks with a grin too large to hide.
"Well hello there, Janet," said Dr. Whitley. "I was hoping you'd come out and see me. I need someone to help me break this pony. Think you'd be up for it?"
"Would I ever!" Janet exclaimed - her big blue eyes round with excitement. She ran to the pony and petted its brown mane. The pony whinnied and jumped at her touch.
Dr. Whitley helped Janet onto the pony's back and placed the reigns in her hands.
"Now, Janet," Dr. Whitely began, "I know you can make this pony mind."
"I know I can, too," she replied.
Before Janet could signal the pony to run, it galloped wildly through the field. She held onto the reigns as tightly as she could in order to control the pony. With each step the pony took, she laughed harder and harder. And the more she laughed, the faster the pony ran.
Dr. Whitley stood just outside the pasture gate watching Janet, laughing and clapping his hands as encouragement to both her and the pony. He waved as Janet rode past with total abandon, her shiny brown hair flapping in the wind behind her.
Despite the fact that the spirited pony scared other kids in town, it didn't scare Janet. She loved the adrenaline rush, and the excitement of riding outweighed any fear. Besides, she honestly believed that nothing could ever happen to her as long as the doctor was there. In her mind, if she fell off the pony and hurt herself, Dr. Whitley could "fix" her so she could get back up and ride some more. As long as he was there, she was invincible!
THAT SAME SUMMER, six hundred miles away in the small town of Gibsonville, North Carolina, twelve-year-old Libby Milton climbed the stairs to the second floor office of Dr. Q.L. Little, the only doctor in town. She stood on the landing, stretched her two thick black braids, and crossed them underneath her chin for a second. Then she released them to spring back to their natural shoulder length. Just before she opened the door to the waiting room, she tugged on her blue shorts and tucked in her white blouse. She peeked through the screen door and was relieved to see that the waiting room was not crowded.
As she entered the room, Libby gave the perfunctory "hey" to everyone. She quickly walked across the floor to find a seat next to Mr. Cobb, her cousin's next-door neighbor. He was the only other black person in the room
The strange thing about Dr. Little was that he only had one waiting room, and there were no signs directing black people to any particular area. Out of habit perhaps, white and black patients often segregated themselves as they entered the room. This arrangement meant that sometimes black and white acquaintances had to raise their voices to talk to each other across the room.
Many people in the waiting room knew Libby from town, and they began asking her questions: "Aren't you one of Oscar's children?" one person asked. "Is Oscar still working for Garland?" another chimed in. "How's your mother? Is she still working?" someone else asked.
Libby answered each question kindly. Deep inside, though, she really wanted the questions to end. She didn't like calling attention to herself. She hoped she'd be out of there soon.
Mrs. Little, the doctor's wife and receptionist, stepped out of the office to summon the next patient. She glanced over at Libby and asked, "Are you Omi's niece?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"She said you'd be here. Going to Girl Scout camp, huh?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Little looked around the room and announced to everyone: "I'm going to let Libby see the doctor next since she won't be but a minute. The doctor just needs to look in her mouth, listen to her heart, and sign this form. Is that all right with ya'll?"
Everyone nodded affirmatively.
Libby was mortified. She knew Mrs. Little meant well, but now, thanks to that announcement, Libby had a big problem to deal with. Just before school closed for the summer, Miss Baker, Libby's home economics teacher, had encouraged her students to save their money to buy a good, firm girdle. "You don't see white girls walking around with their behinds jiggling," Miss Baker had said. Libby had been saving all her baby-sitting money for Girl Scout camp and hadn't bought a girdle yet. Now she had to walk past everyone with her behind jiggling away.
Going to Girl Scout camp was a major event for Libby. She had never been camping before, and now she was not only going camping, but camping with troops from Greensboro, a big city sixteen miles away. Libby was secretly envious and intimidated by big city girls. They always seemed to know so much and dress so well. Some of them had even been to New York City.
"Come on, Libby," Mrs. Little said, bringing Libby out of her thoughts and back to the present moment. "Let's get you ready to see the doctor."
Libby stood up and wiped her sweaty palms on her shorts. As she quickly walked across the floor with her heart beating rapidly, she just knew that everyone was staring at her jiggling behind.
* * *
Two girls with two distinct outlooks of life living in two very different worlds. Though they were very different in every apparent way - a white northern farm girl and a black southern rural girl - the lives of Jan Mend and Libby Milton would cross paths forty years later, all because of one man and his seemingly unscrupulous ways. Lib followed the man because she wanted safety, security, and love; Jan followed because she loved him and felt she had found her soul mate. She also yearned for adventure and risk. When Lib was with him she could be happy being herself; when Jan was with him she was back on that Shetland pony and ready to have the ride of her life. In the end, both women would ultimately learn that what they longed for was already inside each of them - that the man they each thought they loved actually squelched their dreams because he was not who they believed him to be.
The events portrayed in the following pages are the recollections of Lib and Jan. The stories are from their perspectives only and are not meant to portray anyone in a negative light. Their goal in sharing their story is to empower women worldwide to believe in themselves. No woman should feel intimidated or less important than the significant person in her life. Lib and Jan want others to learn from their story so that no one has to face the same heartache that they endured. It is with these sincere intentions that they invite you into their different yet mirrored lives...
With reckless abandon, four-year-old Janet Mend ran out the back door of the farmhouse where she and her parents lived and headed for the barn. She had heard from her mother that Dr. Whitley, a family friend who rented the farmhouse to the Mends, was in the stable. Janet loved when Dr. Whitley visited, because she knew he'd let her ride one of his horses. Janet had gotten her love of horses from her father, who let her ride with him at a young age.
As Janet ran towards the stable to greet Dr. Whitley, she secretly hoped he would let her ride Ginger, a new Shetland pony who was too spirited for most kids to ride. Janet loved the thrill of being on a more spirited horse, and Dr. Whitley knew it.
When she reached the door of the stable, she saw Dr. Whitley leading Ginger towards the opening. Janet stopped in her tracks with a grin too large to hide.
"Well hello there, Janet," said Dr. Whitley. "I was hoping you'd come out and see me. I need someone to help me break this pony. Think you'd be up for it?"
"Would I ever!" Janet exclaimed - her big blue eyes round with excitement. She ran to the pony and petted its brown mane. The pony whinnied and jumped at her touch.
Dr. Whitley helped Janet onto the pony's back and placed the reigns in her hands.
"Now, Janet," Dr. Whitely began, "I know you can make this pony mind."
"I know I can, too," she replied.
Before Janet could signal the pony to run, it galloped wildly through the field. She held onto the reigns as tightly as she could in order to control the pony. With each step the pony took, she laughed harder and harder. And the more she laughed, the faster the pony ran.
Dr. Whitley stood just outside the pasture gate watching Janet, laughing and clapping his hands as encouragement to both her and the pony. He waved as Janet rode past with total abandon, her shiny brown hair flapping in the wind behind her.
Despite the fact that the spirited pony scared other kids in town, it didn't scare Janet. She loved the adrenaline rush, and the excitement of riding outweighed any fear. Besides, she honestly believed that nothing could ever happen to her as long as the doctor was there. In her mind, if she fell off the pony and hurt herself, Dr. Whitley could "fix" her so she could get back up and ride some more. As long as he was there, she was invincible!
THAT SAME SUMMER, six hundred miles away in the small town of Gibsonville, North Carolina, twelve-year-old Libby Milton climbed the stairs to the second floor office of Dr. Q.L. Little, the only doctor in town. She stood on the landing, stretched her two thick black braids, and crossed them underneath her chin for a second. Then she released them to spring back to their natural shoulder length. Just before she opened the door to the waiting room, she tugged on her blue shorts and tucked in her white blouse. She peeked through the screen door and was relieved to see that the waiting room was not crowded.
As she entered the room, Libby gave the perfunctory "hey" to everyone. She quickly walked across the floor to find a seat next to Mr. Cobb, her cousin's next-door neighbor. He was the only other black person in the room
The strange thing about Dr. Little was that he only had one waiting room, and there were no signs directing black people to any particular area. Out of habit perhaps, white and black patients often segregated themselves as they entered the room. This arrangement meant that sometimes black and white acquaintances had to raise their voices to talk to each other across the room.
Many people in the waiting room knew Libby from town, and they began asking her questions: "Aren't you one of Oscar's children?" one person asked. "Is Oscar still working for Garland?" another chimed in. "How's your mother? Is she still working?" someone else asked.
Libby answered each question kindly. Deep inside, though, she really wanted the questions to end. She didn't like calling attention to herself. She hoped she'd be out of there soon.
Mrs. Little, the doctor's wife and receptionist, stepped out of the office to summon the next patient. She glanced over at Libby and asked, "Are you Omi's niece?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"She said you'd be here. Going to Girl Scout camp, huh?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Little looked around the room and announced to everyone: "I'm going to let Libby see the doctor next since she won't be but a minute. The doctor just needs to look in her mouth, listen to her heart, and sign this form. Is that all right with ya'll?"
Everyone nodded affirmatively.
Libby was mortified. She knew Mrs. Little meant well, but now, thanks to that announcement, Libby had a big problem to deal with. Just before school closed for the summer, Miss Baker, Libby's home economics teacher, had encouraged her students to save their money to buy a good, firm girdle. "You don't see white girls walking around with their behinds jiggling," Miss Baker had said. Libby had been saving all her baby-sitting money for Girl Scout camp and hadn't bought a girdle yet. Now she had to walk past everyone with her behind jiggling away.
Going to Girl Scout camp was a major event for Libby. She had never been camping before, and now she was not only going camping, but camping with troops from Greensboro, a big city sixteen miles away. Libby was secretly envious and intimidated by big city girls. They always seemed to know so much and dress so well. Some of them had even been to New York City.
"Come on, Libby," Mrs. Little said, bringing Libby out of her thoughts and back to the present moment. "Let's get you ready to see the doctor."
Libby stood up and wiped her sweaty palms on her shorts. As she quickly walked across the floor with her heart beating rapidly, she just knew that everyone was staring at her jiggling behind.
* * *
Two girls with two distinct outlooks of life living in two very different worlds. Though they were very different in every apparent way - a white northern farm girl and a black southern rural girl - the lives of Jan Mend and Libby Milton would cross paths forty years later, all because of one man and his seemingly unscrupulous ways. Lib followed the man because she wanted safety, security, and love; Jan followed because she loved him and felt she had found her soul mate. She also yearned for adventure and risk. When Lib was with him she could be happy being herself; when Jan was with him she was back on that Shetland pony and ready to have the ride of her life. In the end, both women would ultimately learn that what they longed for was already inside each of them - that the man they each thought they loved actually squelched their dreams because he was not who they believed him to be.
The events portrayed in the following pages are the recollections of Lib and Jan. The stories are from their perspectives only and are not meant to portray anyone in a negative light. Their goal in sharing their story is to empower women worldwide to believe in themselves. No woman should feel intimidated or less important than the significant person in her life. Lib and Jan want others to learn from their story so that no one has to face the same heartache that they endured. It is with these sincere intentions that they invite you into their different yet mirrored lives...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Out of The Ashes,
By The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mirrored Lives: The True Story of Two Women, One Man, and the Betrayals that Brought Them Together (Paperback)
It has been said each of us has a twin soul somewhere on this earth. In MIRRORED LIVES, Jan and Lib are such twin souls. These two women are from very different backgrounds, but fate will have its hand in bringing them together through the manipulation and deceit of one man. Jan and Lib form a friendship like no other; and through this bond are able to put their parallel lives into writing, serving as empowerment for other women with similar circumstances.Lib, a black southern rural girl, searches for love and security, but believes she is nothing more than mediocre. She falls hard for the young and charismatic Sidney. The two marry soon after college graduation, but it becomes evident the honeymoon was short-lived. It will take many years of infidelity, abuse and neglect from Sidney before Lib finds the courage to leave her "secure" marriage. Jan, a white northern farm girl, grows up seeking adventure and risk, much like her spirited young days; but to her dismay she soon realizes her life has become predictable and unfulfilling. She leaves her 24 year marriage to find peace of mind, but instead finds Sidney, a smooth brother indeed. Has Jan finally found her soulmate? After a short time being married to Sidney, Jan also finds out that everything that glitters is not gold. Jan and Lib form an unusual alliance with one another, more out of necessity and survival than anything else. I was intrigued by the women's relationship, void of the usual drama associated with ex's. The poem entitled "After A While" deeply touched me and should be required reading for all of our daughters. The transition between each story flows quite well, making it a smooth read; yet the numerous quotes in the beginning of each chapter should be limited to only one or two. Also, I wanted to read more of Lib's point of view, she seemed like a woman with so much more to say than what was presented. MIRRORED LIVES is more than a testament to the strength and courage of these two, it is also a source of encouragement for all women to hold on, have faith, believe in yourself, and know that true love is found within.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
With reckless abandon, four-year-old Janet Mend ran out the back door of the farmhouse where she and her parents lived and headed for the barn. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North Carolina, Peace Corps, Anna Cook, Major Duncan, Mary Ann, Salt Lake City, Bennett College, Girl Scout, New York City, San Antonio, Sidney Lander, While Lib New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
With reckless abandon, four-year-old Janet Mend ran out the back door of the farmhouse where she and her parents lived and headed for the barn. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North Carolina, Peace Corps, Anna Cook, Major Duncan, Mary Ann, Salt Lake City, Bennett College, Girl Scout, New York City, San Antonio, Sidney Lander, While Lib New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 3
books:
- Thank You (Small Wonders Series) by Adventure Publications in Front Matter
- North Carolina by Irvin S. Cobb on page 12
- All the Colors of the Race by Arnold Adoff on page 104
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