InSight

this conversation. The timing was all wrong. Thirty years wrong. Not now, Lucy. Please, not now. But Lucy went on.
    “If you do, I understand. I was a lousy mother. A woman so steeped in her own self-pity she ignored the most important thing in her life. I’ve beaten myself up over that more than words can say, but I’d die happy tomorrow knowing you have someone who loves you. I would.” Lucy sniffed, her way to let Abby know she was upset.
    Abby didn’t know her mother had it in her. Lucy, having a serious conversation in which she was only a byline to the main topic. My God, a rare solar eclipse. Maybe there’s no such thing as bad timing. No, it didn’t erase all those years, but it came damn close. And it touched the hell out of her.
    A wave of guilt hit Abby. She reached for Lucy’s arm and patted it. “I know you would. I’m sorry. Between Daisy and Luke, I’m a little uptight.”
    “Do you think he’s in love with you?”
    “Right now I don’t know if he even wants to see me again. We had words the other night and he was supposed to call yesterday. He didn’t. Maybe it’s better if we cool it for a while. I have enough angst in my life with my patients. Luke is vulnerable, and I don’t want to be his crutch any more than I want him to be my protector.”
    “Protector for what?”
    She couldn’t upset Lucy with what had been going on. “Nothing, nothing. You know how men are. He thinks because I’m blind I need someone to take care of me.”
    “He obviously doesn’t know you as well as you thought, does he?”
    “No, I guess not.” Fortunately, Lucy left it at that.
    As soon as Lucy stopped talking, she accelerated into a sharp curve. Abby clutched her seat to stay upright. “Lucy, slow down. You’re going too fast.”
    “I can’t. There’s a car right on my rear. If I don’t speed up, he’s going to hit me.”
    “Can’t you pull over and let him pass?”
    “He’s jamming me. Cars are coming the other way and there’s no room on the right.”
    The car nudged forward from a rear impact. Tires squealed, the sound of the engine behind surged and decelerated. Abby braced herself. Her right hand grabbed the bar on the door, the left clasped the seat. She had a gut feeling about this, and she didn’t like it.
    “This guy’s crazy,” Lucy said. “He’s trying to push me off the road. Hold on, baby.”
    Abby was sure no sane driver would do this without provocation. He’s trying to kill us both. Abby stifled the dread in her voice. “Can you see who’s in the car?”
    “I…I can’t take my eyes off the road. I have enough trouble managing these curves.”
    “Do you know what kind of car it is?”
    “I told you, I can’t look! Grab on tight, honey. He’s trying to pass, and I’m moving to the right as far as I can to let him.”
    Abby heard the rev of an engine from behind. The car jerked when their pursuer plowed into the rear again. The crunch of metal. Lucy gasped. The seat belt tightened around Abby as she lurched forward. She heard her mother’s rapid breathing and muffled sounds of fear, but she didn’t want to break her concentration. Branches scraped the window as the car pulled to the right. Abby reached for her phone with shaky hands. If she speed dialed Pete, what could he do? By the time he got here, the car would be gone and they’d be lying dead on the side of the road.
    “He’s beside us. There’s an area up ahead with plenty of room to pull over. Hold tight.”
    “Look at the car, Lucy. What color is it? Try to see the license plate.”
    Lucy swerved to the right and slammed on the brakes. The car screeched to a stop, and Abby let out a grunt as she snapped back against the seat. The revved up engine passed and kept going. Her heart pounded. She held the seat in a death grip. They were alive. In one piece. Sweat trickled down her back. She released a long breath.
    Abby leaned toward the driver’s side until she found her mother’s arm. “Are you all right?” Lucy panted. When she didn’t answer, Abby unfastened her seat belt and moved closer. She found Lucy’s hand locked onto the steering wheel. “Lucy?”
    “I’m all right. Got a major case of the shakes, though. Worse than I ever had when I was drinking.” She took a couple of deep breaths. “They shouldn’t let people like that on the road. How are you, honey?”
    “Shaken and shaking, but I’m okay. You did great, Lucy. I don’t know if anyone could have driven any