Page 28 of Mistaken Intention

He turns, going with Doctor Walters, and I look down at Maisie.

“It’ll be okay,” I whisper. “I’ll make sure of it. Daddy will be okay.”

He has to be. I need to tell him I got the message.

***

Drew

There’s a humming sound in the background, like blurred, hushed voices. I don’t know who’s talking, but I wish they’d speak up, so I could hear them properly… and that the damned beeping would stop, too. It’s persistent, regular, and really annoying.

Is this a dream? It has to be, because my eyes are closed, so I must be asleep. If that’s the case, it’s the strangest of dreams. There’s nothing tangible about it. I’m sure my dreams are usually more coherent than this, although I can’t remember any of them at the moment, which is odd, because I’m sure I must have had some amazing dreams in my time. In this instance, though, I can’t work it out at all.

It’s just a haze…

A loud crash startles me, and I hear someone calling out for quiet. That was clear enough, and they’re quite right. A little quiet would be good.

I feel my hand being lifted… held. That’s real. It’s not part of a dream, and I do my best to focus on whoever’s holding it. They’ve got a soft touch and tiny hands. It’s a woman, andalthough I don’t know who she is, I feel relaxed and let my hand rest in hers, flexing my fingers.

“Hunter?” That’s a female voice coming from right beside me. The woman, perhaps?

“Yeah? What is it, baby?” Hmm… a man’s voice. Not one I’m familiar with, any more than I am with his name, but he sounds friendly enough. The ‘baby’ tells me he’s with the woman, which seems a shame. I like her hands… and her voice.

“He moved his fingers.”

I try to pull my hand away, but can’t. She’s holding on to me, and I suddenly feel less comfortable.Let me go!

“I’ll get a doctor.” That’s the man again. A doctor? Is this a hospital? I guess that would make sense of the hushed voices and beeping sounds.

“Don’t get your hopes up. Sometimes it’s just a reflex.”

Whoa… that’s a different woman. Her voice does something strange to my body, like bubbles bursting over the surface of my skin. I don’t know who she is, but there’s something about her…

I can hear movement, although I can’t make out what it is, and I wish the woman would speak again. I liked the way she made me feel. Her voice had an aura of comfort to it.

The first woman finally lets go of me. There’s a rustling sound, and then my hand is picked up again… only this time I can feel I’m being held by a man. I tense against him, unsure what’s going on.

“I think you’re right,” he says. “There is some movement there, and some resistance.”Yeah… to you holding my hand.

This is yet another voice. It’s not the same man as earlier. Hunter, was it? This man’s voice isn’t so deep, so I guess maybe this is the doctor.

“Do you think he’s coming round?” That’s the first woman again.

“It looks like it. Mr. Bennett? Drew?” Who’s he talking to? Is there another man in here? He squeezes my hand. “Can you hear me, Drew?”

He’s talking to me? Why’s he calling me Drew? My name’s… my name’s… Oh, God… what is my name?

What’s going on? Panic wells inside me, bubbling beneath the surface and threatening to boil over.

“I think it might take a little longer,” the doctor says, releasing my hand again.

No, it won’t. It can’t. I need to know what’s going on here. I take a breath and attempt to open my eyes. These people obviously know who I am. They know my name and seem familiar with me. I’m sure if I can just see their faces, it’ll all come back.

I crank my eyes open, blinking against the bright lights, before I slam them shut again. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea, after all.

“Did you see that?” the first woman says. She sounds excited.

“See what?” That’s not the doctor. It’s the other man, although I’ve forgotten his name already.

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