How Lost Souls Love

Break in

Dax POV

After the comedy show last night Maisie and I just walked around town. We held hands and explored shops until they started to close around 10pm. 

Being with Maisie is more than I ever thought I’d deserve. Hell I probably still don’t deserve her. But I know what I want. I want to love her. To protect her. To make her smile every chance I get and never take her trust in me for granted. 

Being with her is more than just feeling like I have someone who gets what I’ve been through. Even if she didn’t have PTSD like me I’d still like her. 

Her mechanic skills amaze me. I love that she’s so excited when a new car comes in. And to top it all off she was also one hell of a woman on a surfboard. All things that I liked doing. She was the perfect person for me. And I was glad to have found her. 

I had work in the morning and Maisie had the day off so we decided on heading back. When I dropped her off I was all too happy to kiss her goodnight. Before letting her out of the car I had to ask her the question I knew was on both of our minds

“Maisie?”

“Yeah?’” she says looking at me before she gets out of the passenger side.

“You had a good time with me tonight right?” I say smiling shyly. She giggles but nods her head.”And you know I like you. Way more than I probably should. And I know you like me way more than I deserve…”

“Where are you going with this silly?” she asks, tilting her head in confusion.

“Are you gonna make me say it?” I say laughing and pleading at her to just get the hint.

“Oh I just might.. This is pretty entertaining.” she smiled mischievously.

I laugh and drop my head before groaning and leaning closer to her. Her eyes go wide a bit at my sudden closeness and I love that she reacts to me this way. 

“Beautiful Maisie Collins, will you do me the honor of accepting this night as our first date. That way we don't have to try and live through that awkward first date fiasco.” I laugh. She giggles with me and watches my eyes as I continue. “ And come out with me again Friday night for date two? But this time go with me knowing that I want you to be mine. I want to officially be your boyfriend. Weather that means i face the wrath of your brother or Lotto or every other guy on this god forsaken Island..'' I laugh nervously. “Will you go on this next date with me?... Will you accept me as I am?”

Maisie reaches up and strokes my cheek. Then pecks my lips softly. “I know that was embarrassing and hard for you to say but i'm so glad you did.” she smiles as tears fill her eyes. “Yes, I will go out with you again friday. But I think we should still wait a little longer to tell Noah. I want to enjoy this a little longer before we bring him into it ok?” 

I beam. “Ok, baby.” Then I lean in and capture her lips with mine.

I held her close for a few more minutes before letting her go inside. It was a good thing the windows on my car were tinted so dark, because if Lotto or Noah were watching it might not go over well for me. But I had Maisie, so in the end I didn’t care all that much. Plus Lotto pretty much knew. Noah on the other hand has been so into Amy that I don’t think he knows just how much time we actually spend together. And He DEFINITELY didn’t know I’ve been sleeping in her room...

When I got to work the next morning I knew I looked like s**t. I was out most of the night with Maisie and when I got home I texted her for the rest, waking up every time my phone dinged. 

As I stepped out of the car I couldn’t help but let out a huge yawn. I tried shaking my head awake and I saw Noah coming beside me doing the same thing. 

As his yawn subsided he slapped me on the shoulder. “You too man?” He says shaking out his whole body trying to wake up. 

“Yeah. I’m definitely making coffee when we get inside.” I say rubbing my eyes. 

“Aye whey…” Noah says stopping short. 

I look up and it’s like my heart stops. I see shattered glass all around the front windows. They were smashed to pieces and the inside of the shop looked like crap. 

“What the hell..” I say stepping through where the window should be and looking around. 

“Who woulda done this?” Noah says. He’s growing angrier as he steps through behind me. Our shoes crunch against the broken glass as we look around us. 

I go over to our stations and look for anything that could have been taken but doesn’t look like anything is. “Everything’s still here…” I say turning to Noah, but he’s not there. “Noah?” I call out. 

“In the office man..” Noah says barely above a whisper. 

I walk to the office and stop. “Jesus…” 

The whole room was covered in black smoke. The papers and things from Lotto's desk burned to a crisp. Nothing had survived. 

“That’s not possible.” I say glancing from the office to the garage. 

“What are you talking about?” Noah says as he looks around. “Clearly it is. Look at this s**t man.. who would do this?!” He yells, throwing a charred something or other at the wall. 

“There’s a separate alarm on the office, remember? Someone would have had to know the code.” I say. The thought doesn’t swirl long in my head before I realize the answer to my question. And it seems to click in Noah’s head too. 

“Drew…” I say looking around at the damage. “Noah. I think it’s time we call Lotto.” I say. 

After filling Lotto in, Noah and I call the cops. They take a few photos and give us a card to give to Lotto to call to assess the damage. We talk and give statements and soon they leave. 

Noah and I started cleaning up as much of the broken glass as we could. We wouldn’t be opening today and the holes would need to be boarded up. 

A truck pulls up to the shop and I recognize it as a rental from the home improvement shop in town. I watch as the passenger door swings open and Maisie jumps out. Her face is worried and I can tell she’s borderline episode just by her eyes. She’s not all there.. 

I look and see Noah go to the bed of the truck to help Lotto pull the big sheets of timber out so we can board up the windows and I take the chance to go to Maisie. Right now I didn’t care about the glass, my girl needed me. 

I set the broom I was using against the wall and go around the long side of the truck to avoid Noah. 

Seeing me her worry doubles. “Dax..” She whispers out as she runs into me. I catch her and stumble back a bit at the impact. She is totally freaking out. Her arms are shaking and she’s digging her nails into my back. 

“Maisie it’s ok. Relax baby it’s ok..” I whisper in her ear as I rub my hands over her back. 

I pull her away from the truck and over to my car. I unlock it and sit her in the passenger seat. Reaching over her I turn on the car letting the AC turn on and hit her full blast. I know how the cold helps her. 

After a few more minutes of me soothingly rubbing her back she takes a shaky breath and looks into my eyes for the first time. She runs her hands across my face and through my hair as if making sure I’m ok. 

“What happened?” She asks. Her fingers stopped moving and wrap around my forearm that was rubbing her knee and I let her cling to it. 

“It’s nothing. Just a break in. Nothing was taken. It looks like some punks just got off on messing around. I completely avoid the fact that Lottos office was set on fire and is no longer recognizable. 

She’s looking around not quite knowing what to do. In the months I’ve spent with Maisie I know her well enough to know that my girl isn’t ok. She doesn’t want to come across weak, she always wants to be able to be strong for her family. But right now I need her to be strong for her. 

“Maisie… can you handle this? Do you want to go home?” I ask seriously. “I’m ok. You don’t have to be here.” I say squeezing her knee. She takes deep breaths and nods her head. 

“I don’t think I can… I’m sorry.  I wanna leave.” She starts to cry. 

“Ok baby. Gimme a second ok?” I say as I close the door to give her space and jog over to Lotto and Noah. 

“Hey Lotto..” I called him. Him and Noah pause while trying to fix the board to the frame and look at me. “She needs to go home. She can’t handle it right now..” I say trying to be more sincere than demanding. But I also want them both to understand I’m not asking. 

“Noah, take her home. Stay with her and just help her relax.” Lotto says. I want to protest but he looks straight at me. He gives me a nod and I understand. He needs me to stay and let Noah take care of his sister. I don’t like it. I want to stay with her and take away her pain. But I also know Noah. 

I look at him and see how worried he is about her. He has always been way overprotective of her. And I couldn’t complain because now I felt the same way. The thought of someone hurting her, or if she had been here when this happened.. I grind my teeth at the thought and shove it away. 

“She’s in my car. Here man. I’ll ride back in your car later to switch back.” I say tossing him my keys. He makes a face when I say Maisie is in my car but doesn’t ask. Just walks toward the car. 

“And Noah! I swear man… if you put one scratch… on my Darla… I’ll skin you!” I say pointing a finger at him. He smirks and winks at me as he gets into the car, I watch as they pull out and drive away. 

“Come on Dax. Let’s get these up.” Lotto says. After three hours we finish securing the boards to the frames and sweeping up the glass. Then we try to put all the tools and equipment back in its place before taking the rental truck back to switch for Lottos Jeep. 

“You know son, I want you to know that I really appreciate the way you have been looking out for Maisie.” Lotto says on the drive there. 

I’m not sure what to say. Maisie and I have only just talked about us being official. And I doubt she’s told her dad yet. I want to reassure him that  she’s the most important thing in the world to me. Hell I would scrap Darla for parts if she asked.  Well… maybe. I mean I really love that car.. 

“I don’t mean to pry… but I have to know. How much has she told you?” He asks, glancing at me from the road. 

“About as much as Noah. Or at least that’s what she said. She said she was attacked, and she almost died.” I said clenching and unclenching my fist at the thought. 

He sighed. “Look. I wouldn’t be telling you this if it wasn’t important. And I need you to leave Noah out of it. Because she doesn’t want him to know anymore than he already does.. but I reckon you’ll need to know this in order to help her through the next few days.” He says relaxing back with one hand on the wheel. 

“And what’s that?” I ask looking only at him. 

“She wasn’t just attacked.. it was a break in. Just like the shop, so this might affect her a lot more than a loud bang or someone dropping a wrench. As for the shop, I think we both know who’s behind it…” He trails off. I look back to the road and he can tell we both suspect the same person. “This is gonna set her back some. And with Drew doing what he’s doing I don’t want my baby to get anymore hurt than she has to.. so she won’t be coming back to the shop.” He says as we pull up to the tool place. 

“But she’s gotta work.. she’ll get worse sitting there doing nothing all day. Working is what helps keep her going right now.” I say a bit worried that he’s planning on just locking her in the house like a princess in a tower. 

“That’s where you come in son. You have a pretty good relationship with Max and Harbor. I know them from the shop and they’re good people. I was thinking maybe you could reach out to them and see if they have the resources to take her on.” 

I realize that it’s a great idea, but I also hate that that means she will be an hour away from me every single day. But Lotto is right, she can’t stay here at the shop. 

“I’ll call Harbor tonight and ask. They have a baby on the way so they might want the extra help.” I say and he lets out a breath. It’s probably one less thing he has to worry about. 

“I want you to know I’m ok with.. whatever it is you and Maisie have.” He says glancing my way. I’m nervous as he speaks. But I listen respectfully. “I wish you would have talked to me formerly, I mean she is my little girl.” He says with just a hint of disapproval at me. “But I have to admit that you have been good for her. Back in New York when I was there I couldn’t even get her out of bed. The first time she stepped out of the new apartment was when she got on a flight to come here. And in the 5 months she’s been here she’s been more herself than she’s been since that night.” He says smiling. 

“I’m glad that I can help.” I say smiling at the thought. I’m happy that Maisie is able to be herself around me. 

“Even you son.  I don’t know if you see it but you're more yourself too. You're no longer brooding around the shop in all black anymore. Now you have flannels.” He says letting out a smile and a laugh. 

I laugh and nod my head. “Yeah..” I say looking out the window. 

“When are you planning on telling Noah?” He asks. 

And suddenly I’m quiet. I look at Lotto and his eyes meet mine. We both know that that’s gonna be the real challenge now. 

“Good luck.” He says as we pull in and park. 

Yeah.. good luck. 

MAISIE POV

As soon as I sat I started crying. I couldn’t help it. I thought I would be safer moving here to the island with my father and brother and now it just feels like my safe bubble was all an illusion. 

Noah had pulled me into his lap and held me tight. He didn’t say a word. Just held me and let me cry. 

When my sobs relaxed into slow hiccups Noah slid me off and tucked me into bed, pulling my comforter up to my shoulders. He stayed and rubbed my head until we heard the front door open. 

My eyes bugged out and I started to hyperventilate. I couldn’t do it.. I wanted to fight against it but I couldn’t… and suddenly I was back there…

The bedroom door opened as a second person walked out behind me and I screamed. I stumbled back and fell on my ass. Before I knew what was happening he had climbed over me pressing me down against the hardwood floor. The spilled wine soaking into the fabric of my clothing. 

“Get off me!” I screamed. Flailing my arms, twisting and writhing to try and get away.  Then a sharp pain to my torso and I screamed bloody murder. 

A swift punch to the side of my face and I almost blacked out.  But I wouldn’t give in.  I kicked and screamed feeling broken shards of glass cutting my arms as I struggled. But I couldn’t give up. I had to find mom. I had to find mom!