Page 112 of Mistaken Intention

“Fine. But these people don’t have the right to keep my granddaughter here against my will.”

“Yes, they do,” Josie says, even as Hunter steps forward again. “They have every right to keep her here and to look after her. They’re related to her.”

“So am I,” he thunders. Josie takes a half step back and on instinct, I move closer to her. I might not know who she is right now, but the need to protect her is still flowing through me as strongly as the blood through my veins.

“Then why didn’t you ask after her at the hospital? Why did you disown her mom when she got pregnant? Why did you ignore her, instead of giving her the support she asked you for?” she says, her voice stronger and louder than I’d expected. “I’ll tell you why… it’s because you’ve always had to be the center ofattention. Everything has to be about you. It was the same with my mom. When you married her, you expected her to make you the focus of her world. And she did it, because she thought you loved her as much as she loved you. She ignored the way you put her down, and the tantrums, and the bullying. She ignored all of it.”

“Huh… so that’s why she divorced me, is it?” he says, raising his chin.

“No. She divorced you because you had an affair when I was sick in the hospital. You resented me for taking her away from you, and you punished her by sleeping with her best friend… the only person she had left to turn to.” Josie steps up close to him, glaring into his face. “She thought I was gonna die, but were you there, helping her, holding her hand, comforting her? No. You were thinking of yourself and taking from her the only other person she cared about in the world.”

“That’s ancient history.” He waves his hand, dismissing her.

“Yes, it is. But I won’t let you try to control Maisie’s life and then drop her when it doesn’t go your way.”

Hunter steps forward, looking down at Josie. “Neither will I.”

I’m beyond confused now. What has any of this got to do with Maisie? She’s Hunter’s daughter, and surely can’t have anything to do with this guy… or with Josie.

“Whatever you think your rights are,” Josie says, “Maisie’s place is here.”

“Yes, it is.” Hunter turns to me and Josie does too, both of them looking right into my eyes. “With her father.”

Everything stops. The wind, the heat from the sun, the birds singing in the trees… the pain in my chest. It all ceases at once.

Her father?

I focus on Josie. It’s obvious from the guilty look in her eyes and the way she’s biting on her bottom lip that she’s knownabout this all along. The baby I’ve assumed to be my brother’s, who I’ve talked about and discussed with her as belonging to him and Livia, is mine. I can tell just from the look on Hunter’s face. Josie’s kept that from me, and built a web of lies so great, I can’t see beyond it.

How could she?

Part of me wants to take a leaf from her book… to run away, to hide, to pretend this isn’t happening. But I can’t.

I’m suddenly overwhelmed by a much stronger force than self-perseveration… a need to protect my daughter, even though I don’t remember her.

I step forward, ignoring Josie and put myself in front of her step-father.

“Maisie is my daughter.” The words sound alien on my lips, but I give them enough conviction to fool him, and he raises his eyebrows. “She belongs here, with me.”

“What about me?” he says, sounding pitiful. “I’m her family, too.”

“You should have thought about that when you had the chance. You’re not gonna take my daughter from me, especially if all you want is to make her dance to your tune. No-one will ever do that to her. If my daughter wants to dance, she’ll make up her own goddamn tune, and sing it at the top of her voice.”

“But…”

“But nothing. I have nothing more to say to you… now get off of my property.”

I glare at him and he stands his ground for a moment or two longer before he lets out a huff and strides back to his car, getting in and driving away with a screech of his tires.

I wait until he’s disappeared from view, so I know he won’t be able to see us in his rear-view mirror, and then I turn around.

Hunter is right behind me, and Josie’s to my left, just a foot or so away. My brother is the one to step forward, but I push him away.

“Fuck off, Hunter.”

He stumbles back, righting himself quickly enough, his eyes wide, and Josie steps away, like she thinks I might lay a hand on her.As if that would ever happen.

“Please, Drew,” she whispers.

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