Memories

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Now Maisie, Mummy looks a little different and she might act oddly, but can you be a good little girl and sit with me without climbing all over her?" I had gone to fetch Maisie before coming to visit Savannah.

"What do you mean Uncle Alex?" the three-year-old asks, curiously.

"Well, Maisie monkey, she probably won't say anything to you, and she might look confused when we go in. Okay?"

"Why?"

"Do you remember the crash?" She nodded. "Well, Mummy doesn't." I didn't want to tell her like this, but I couldn't think of any other way. "Do you want to go see her in your chair or do you want me to carry you?" In response, Maisie lifts her arms and places them around my neck. I slip my arms under her legs and lift her into the air. Dr. Peters leaves the room just as we stand up.

"Hey, Maisie, your Mummy's ready to see you now."

"Why doesn't she remember the crash, Dr. Peters?" The doctor also tends to some paediatric cases including Maisie's, so they know each other well.

"When she moved to protect you, she hit her head and forgot some things. Okay?" Maisie nods like she did when I asked her the same question.

The doctor holds the door open and I carry Maisie into the small room. "Hello Savannah, I've brought Maisie like I said." She held her arms open and plastered on a smile, in an attempt not to scare the girl. I placed Maisie on the bed next to her. "When I told her about seeing you, she nearly jumped out of bed. I think she would've if she didn't have casts on her legs." At this, the smile managed to reach Savanah's eyes, yet a tear falls from the same eyes onto Maisie's blonde plaits.

"What's wrong Mummy?"

Savannah shakes her head slowly and hugs Maisie tighter.

"She's saying that nothing's wrong, darling." I take in the sight in front of me and check the corridor

before taking out my phone and snapping a photo. "I was going to tell you about when we went to the seaside for Maisie's birthday."

"I like this story."

"Shh, or I can't tell it to Mummy."

"Sorry."

"It's fine, Maisie moo. Can you tell Mummy when your birthday is?

"It's the 21st of June and the weather was really sunny and hot."

"Indeed, it was, and we had been together for a couple of months when you suggested we go to the beach for Maisie's birthday. When the day came, I was so excited that I nearly forgot to pack my swimming trunks," Maisie laughed at this, "But I managed to pick them up just in time."

***

"Are we there yet?"

"No Maisie, not yet, but nearly. I mean, we would've been at the hotel by now if you had followed the road signs instead of your own instinct ... and you've just gone the wrong way again!" Savannah gave me a faux disappointed look.

"When are we going to get to the seaside?"

"Do you want to play a game?" I looked into the rear-view mirror to see Maisie's reaction: she nodded avidly. "Okay, the first person to see the sea gets a kiss." I checked on Maisie again and she was looking out the window, checking if the cobalt ocean was in view yet, before glancing over at her mother. I felt sorry for the soon-to-be three-year-old as we were still twenty minutes from the ocean, but a peaceful silence floated over the rammed car; consequently, my guilt disbanded and so did my impatience to get away from the constant onslaught of questions coming from the back seat.