Page 56 of Deserving Maisy
“You’re coming too,” Jack said.
It took a second for that to sink in. Maisy shook her head. “I can’t. I have to sign the papers. If I’m not here, he’ll be mad.”
“Then he’ll have to be mad, because I’m not leaving without you.”
Maisy’s eyes widened. “You have to! You have to go!” she said, pushing against his chest urgently.
“Not without you. You could be carrying my baby. I’m not leaving you here.”
Her hand went to her belly, and she sagged in his arms. “A baby,” she breathed.
“Yeah, so you’re coming with me.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Jack asked.
Maisy nodded. “He’ll hurt the baby. Less money for him. Wish I could get rid of it.”
“Get rid of our child?” Jack asked.
She didn’t like the hurt tone of his voice. She shook herhead so hard she got dizzy. “No! I’dneverhurt my child.Ever!The money. I wish it wasn’t there. Mom and Dad would still be here, and Martha, and you would’ve never come but that’s okay. Everyone else would be alive.”
“It’s okay, Maisy. You’re all right. I just need you to come with me now. You’re still pretty out of it from the Valium, but I need you to be as lucid as possible so you can get on the plane.”
“We’re going on a plane?” Maisy asked.
“Yeah, is that a problem?”
“I’ve never flown before. Wanted to, but Jason said it wasn’t a good idea. That I was too sick.”
“You weren’t sick,” Jack said in a tone Maisy couldn’t understand.
But she nodded anyway. “I was sad,” she said with a deep-seated knowledge.
“Yeah.”
“I’m not anymore,” she told him honestly. “I have you, and I love you.”
“Right. We need to go if we’re going to make our flight.”
“Can I have the window seat?” she asked as Jack steered her out of the bathroom.
“Yes.”
“Goodie!”
The floaty feeling remained as Jack helped her down the stairs. It was a good thing he was there because it was dark and she probably would’ve fallen on her face if she’d been alone. But she had Jack, she wasn’t alone. Her husband would take care of her.
He quietly led them outside instead of to the garage, and Maisy was confused. But then Jack told her that theywere taking a taxi so they didn’t have to disturb anyone in the house, which made sense.
Time had no meaning as they entered the airport. Maisy didn’t even question why they didn’t have any suitcases, she was too tired, and excited to actually get on the plane. Jack met a friend in the airport, which was confusing because she didn’t remember him having any friends here, but she dismissed it when he checked them in using the computer thing and they waited in line for security.
Once through, Jack seemed much more relaxed, and she leaned against him as they sat and waited for their flight to board. She missed the announcement that they could board, but she let Jack help her down the hallway to the plane. He pointed at one of the first rows of chairs for her to sit and Maisy looked up at him.
“First class?” she whispered once they were seated.
He grinned at her, and Maisy felt as if she could lose herself in that smile.
