Page 58 of Mistaken Intention

“Like you’ve done since I left?” she says and he shrugs his shoulders.

“Maybe.”

“One day, I’ll be able to explain what happened, and hopefully you’ll understand.” He doesn’t answer, and after a moment or two, she turns to me. “Thank you for taking care of Drew,” she says.

“You’re welcome.”

She exits, Hunter following behind, and I hear the front door open and close as I deflate into my chair again. Moments later, Hunter returns, closing his office door behind him.

“I’m so sorry about that, Josie. She was here when I got back. I had no idea she was coming, and I didn’t know what to do.”

“It’s okay. It must have been a shock for you.”

He sits down opposite me again. “That’s one way of putting it.” He leans back, shaking his head from side to side, trying to take it in, I guess. It’s easy to see he’d rather do that by himself, so I stand and he looks up at me, like he’s only just remembered I’m here. “Before you go, was what you said just now completely accurate? Does Drew really not understand yet that this is his home… and that I’m his brother?”

I sit again, just perching on the edge of the seat. “He’s asking questions, but so far, that’s all they are. He’s not drawing on memories at all.”

“I thought the doctor hoped he’d pick up on things when he got back here.”

“He did. But there’s a lot for Drew to take in. He’s trying to piece things together still.”

“And not getting very far?” he says.

“He’s finding it difficult.”

“And nothing he’s seen so far is helping?”

I shake my head. “Sometimes I think it’s just confusing him further.”

“In what way?” he asks.

“Well… he saw your wife in the garden, carrying Maisie. She was with Ella, and her baby, too. Drew didn’t recognize any of them.”

“Not even Livia?”

“Not that he said, and the babies meant nothing either. He assumed at least one of them must be yours, and that he’s an uncle, not a father.”

Hunter closes his eyes for a second, sucking in a breath. When he opens them again, I’m surprised by the level of pain that’s staring back at me.

“This is…” He stops talking, his voice filled with too much emotion.

“He’ll be okay, Hunter.”

He nods his head. “I know. To be honest, that’s not what’s worrying me right now.”

“What is then?”

“I’m concerned about Livia,” he says, surprising me.

I’d half expected him to tell me something else about his mom, so I can’t help the frown that forms on my face. “Livia?”

“Yes. She’s really struggling with looking after Maisie.”

“Is that why you’re here and not at your office in Boston?” I ask. “So you can help?”

“No. I’m here because of Drew. I want to be close by while he recovers.”

“In that case…”

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