Page 57 of Mistaken Intention

It’s nowhere near as difficult for me as it seems to be for him, but I smile, hoping it’ll help. “It’s okay. I’m guessing you’ve asked me to be here because you want my opinion about whether it’s wise for Drew to meet with his mother?”

“Yes.”

I nod my head. “I don’t know how Drew reacted to his mom leaving, but he was very young when it happened, so I imagine it would have been traumatic for him… for all of you.”

“It was.” Hunter glances at his mother again. “To be fair, I think it was harder on me than it was on Drew or Ella. I was eleven. I blamed myself.”

“Hunter?” His mom’s voice cracks and she reaches across the desk, although he ignores the olive branch. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“That’s not the point right now, Mom. The point is, should we let you see Drew? Should we even let him know you’re here?”

I sit forward and they both look at me. “Drew remembers nothing about his past yet,” I say. “He’s still struggling to come to terms with the idea of having a brother. He doesn’t understand the setup here, or his life before the accident. We haven’t even broached the concept of him having a sister, and I’m concerned this situation could cause more harm than good.” I turn to Mrs. Bennett. “I’m not judging you for anything you’ve done in the past, and I’m not questioning your motives. All I’m saying is that, while it might make you feel better to see your son, at this point in his treatment, it won’t help him.”

“What should I do?” she asks.

“Wait. I’m sorry to keep saying it to everyone, but it’s all you can do. Once Drew remembers things for himself, we can re-assess the situation and ascertain his state of mind a little better.”

“And how long will that take?”

“I don’t know. This isn’t a precise process.”

She turns back to Hunter, like she’s about to plead with him to change my mind, but he merely shrugs his shoulders. “If that’s what Josie says is best, that’s how it has to be.”

She seems to deflate, staring at the top of his desk for a moment, but then she raises her head again. “What about Ella? Will you let me see her?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, either.”

“Why on earth not? What do you think I’m going to do to her?”

“Turn her life upside down. She’s grown up with no memories of you at all. You can’t suddenly walk back in here and expect her to accept you. Besides, we still need to think about Drew in all of this. He hasn’t met Ella yet, but when he does, the last thing we need is for her to blurt out that you’re back. I knowthis isn’t what you want to hear, but if it’s gonna work, it has to be handled right.”

She swallows hard, blinking rapidly, like she’s trying not to cry. “Do you want this to work, Hunter? Do you want me back in your lives?”

“That depends what you want from us.”

“Forgiveness.”

He shakes his head. “I’ve always given you the benefit of the doubt, Mom. If Drew could remember anything, he’d be the first to tell you, I’ve always been the one to defend you. But you’re asking a lot. Especially right now, with everything else we’ve got going on. We haven’t heard a word from you in over twenty years. For you to just arrive on our doorstep, unannounced…” His voice fades and I can see, just from the look in his eyes, how hard he’s finding this.

“I know.” She gets to her feet, revealing that she’s a little shorter than me, and is wearing a plain pale blue dress. It fits her well, but doesn’t look expensive. Hunter stands up, too, and I follow suit, realizing she’s about to leave. “Can I call you?” she asks, looking at him.

“What for?” He seems confused by her question.

“To stay in touch… for updates on Drew.”

“I think it’s best if I call you.”

She tilts her head. “Will you, though?”

“I’ve said I will, so yes. Don’t expect daily reports, or even weekly ones, but I’ll call you if anything changes.”

“I—I’d better give you my number.”

He nods his head, picking up a pen and writing it down on a notepad, then he comes around the desk, heading for the door. When he gets there, he opens it and she crosses the room, looking up into his face.

“I’m sorry I hurt you, Hunter.”

He sucks in a breath. “I’m sorry I was so abrupt. I’m just looking after Drew and Ella’s interests.”

---