Page 6 of Shattered Trust

Enough of a settlement that she wouldn't have needed to sell the house and move.

He scowled, wishing he'd known about her financial difficulties. He never should have backed off. But then again, he'd never imagined she'd been forced to move either. All this time he'd been imagining her and Josh living in their nice house, getting back into their normal routine. He had seen her in the emergency department a few times over the past two months but had kept it light, asking how she was, without getting too personal.

Concern nagged at him as he made phone calls, leaving messages with several contractors about Lindsey’s home. If he had his way, he'd put the stupid thing on the market. She and Josh could live with him until they got back on their feet.

He winced. Yeah, sure. Like she'd allow that to happen. Not. Give it up, Monroe.

“Do you have laundry that needs to be done?” Lindsay stood in the doorway of the living room. “Our clothes smell like smoke.”

“Ah, sure.” Do not imagine Lindsey touching your boxers, he told himself sternly, as he fetched the laundry from the hamper in the bathroom. “Are you sure you don't mind?”

“Why should I?” She gave a careless shrug. “May as well combine loads.”

She acted as if doing his laundry was no big deal, but in all the years since he'd left home no woman had ever done his laundry. Sharing that sort of chore seemed more intimate than it should. And the awkwardness between them was driving him crazy. He wished she would relax, but it seemed as though Lindsey was constantly in motion, doing one thing or another.

When Josh returned from skateboarding, Austin suggested they go out and grab a bite to eat. At first Lindsey looked like she was about to argue but then she nodded in agreement.

He took them to a nearby family restaurant, unsure of what kind of food, other than pizza, Josh liked to eat. Apparently he had chosen well when Josh grew excited over the variety of menu options.

“The new subdivision across the street from our old house is awesome for skateboarding,” Josh said after the waitress had taken their order. “You should see the houses, Mom, they're really cool.”

Lindsey simply smiled and nodded. “I'm glad you and Tony had fun. What else did you do besides skateboarding?”

“We hung out at his house—he has the newest video game and it's so sweet...” his voice trailed off and suddenly he slouched in his seat, picking up his plastic cup of soda and holding it in front of his face.

Austin glanced around to see what had caused Josh's sudden change from chatterbox to mute. He caught sight of a police officer in full uniform sliding into a booth not far from theirs with his son, who looked to be about Josh's age. He frowned. A friend from school? Or maybe an enemy, since Josh didn't look happy to see him.

“Sit up, straight.” Lindsay scolded with an annoyed frown. “Don't spill.”

Josh sat up a fraction of an inch and continued to blow bubbles into his glass with a straw. Austin could tell he was hoping the other kid wouldn't see him.

“What's your favorite subject in school?” He thought it was time to change the subject. He edged his chair over, hopefully obstructing the kids view of Josh from the booth.

“I don't know.” Josh shrugged, still slouching in his seat.

“Come on, you must have a favorite,” Austin urged. “English? Math? History? Science?”

“Math is okay, I guess.”

Lindsey glanced at him in surprise. “Just okay? What are you talking about? You love math.”

Josh didn't answer as the waitress chose that moment to bring their food.

As they ate, Josh didn't say more than two words unless asked. Austin wondered what was up with Josh and the cop’s son, but decided he'd wait until he and Josh were alone to ask.

Lindsey didn't seem to notice Josh's silence. Would she resent his interference if he asked Josh what was going on? Or would she remind him that Josh wasn't his concern? He didn’t want her to get angry at him again. Or worse pack up and leave.

Lindsey and Josh shouldn't be alone. Sam should have been there with them.

Sam's death had been his fault. Over these past few months, the truth had been gnawing at him. Sometime soon, he needed to confess to Lindsey how he had been the cause of Sam's death.

“Lindsey, your next patient has been placed in room six.”

“Thanks.” She flashed a quick smile at the charge nurse and glanced at the clock hanging over the main electronic census board, amazed to realize her shift was nearly over. These short six hour fill-in shifts were wonderful, especially while Josh was in school.

But then her smile faded as the reality of her situation set in. Short shifts were nice, but she really needed to pick up more hours to pay for homeowners’ insurance. Yet with all the trouble Josh had gotten into over these past few months, the thought of leaving him home alone even for another hour or so bothered her. She’d prided herself on always being home for him.

Shaking off her troubled thoughts, she read the name listed beside bed six and the emergency department census board where the patients’ names automatically lit up the moment they were registered in triage. Her assigned patient was Blaine Larson, a sixteen-year-old with a possible concussion he had sustained during a fistfight.

---