Page 24 of Mistaken Intention

“Yes, I do.”

“Does he love you?”

“He says he does, and I believe him.” I can tell that from the look in her eyes.

“Okay. You’re gonna have to give me some time.”

“To get used to the idea?” she says, frowning.

“No. To find a house.”

“A house?”

“Yeah.”

“But you already have an apartment.”

“I know, but that’s just somewhere I live when I need to be in the city for work. You’re making this move to Boston on the proviso that I’ll see Maisie here, rather than at the place I consider to be my home. I can understand why, but if that’s what we’re gonna do, I’ll need to buy a house here, so I can make it a home for her.”

“I see what you mean. Well… you’ll have plenty of time. Manuel and I haven’t even started looking for a place of our own yet.”

“Do you need any help… financially, I mean?”

“No. We’re fine, thanks.”

“If you change your mind…”

She shakes her head, and I know there’s no point in arguing. I guess it’s understandable that her boyfriend doesn’t want me to buy their new home for them. In his shoes, I’d probably feel the same.

“Thank you,” she says.

“What for?”

“For not being mad at me. For understanding.”

“That’s okay. I—I just want us to promise each other, whatever happens between you and Manuel, and me and Josie, nothing’s gonna come between us and Maisie. Can we do that?”

“We can.”

I nod my head, and although I still feel threatened, I guess I always knew my relationship with Lexi would come to this one day… that we’d have to make compromises if we were going to make it work.

I reach forward into the footwell for my phone, just as Maisie grizzles behind me.

“It’s okay, baby,” Lexi says, as I grab my phone.

I sit up. Lexi’s twisted in her seat, checking on Maisie and I open my mouth to tell her to watch the road, just as a truck pulls into the lane right in front of us and brakes sharply.

“Brake! Hit the fucking brakes!”

She spins around, braking hard, but it’s too late. We’re going too fast, and I drop my phone, bracing for the inevitable impact. My instincts are telling me to protect Maisie, but I can’t get to her. All I can do is watch, completely helpless as the back of the truck gets closer and closer, the car spinning as Lexi loses control.

She screams. I feel the jarring impact, the sound of metal on metal, my own voice calling out to Maisie that it’ll be okay… and then it’s silent… eerily silent, and everything fades to black.

Chapter Three

Josie

“Nurse Emerson?”

---