Page 135 of Again, In Autumn

With the pies finished, I go upstairs to get ready for dinner. As disappointed as Adam was, I’m glad we’re not telling them about us today. I couldn’t handle his handsyness and their scrutiny, the whole thing would be too uncomfortable. Sneaking around like we did for months felt kind of hot. I don’t mind one more day of that.

The back door opens and check my watch. The neighbors will be here any minute. I bounce down the stairs in my brown sweater dress, my mother’s bracelet swinging. “It smells amazing Dave –”

I stop at the bottom of the stairs.

“Dad,” I gawk. “Heddy?”

My dad stands in front of the door in a suit, his long black coat reaching the ground. His hair is grayer, his beard whiter than I last saw him, which was probably last Christmas. His ice-blue eyes stare off down the hallway. He’s probably searching for the kids. He likes them.

“Vee Vee!” Heddy gushes, coming up to hug me.

My hands press into her frayed patchwork quilted coat and mutter, “What are you guys doing here?”

“You and your sister don’t answer your phones,” my dad snaps. He’s still frozen to the spot.

Heddy pulls back with wide, warning eyes. “Your dad called me, and I explained that you girls were at the lake this week and he wanted to come up and surprise you.”

“I’m surprised,” I say.

She turns over her shoulder and says, “Alex, take off your coat and relax a little, you look like you’re here to help with my taxes.”

Little bare feet smack on the floor. “Grandpa!” Alice screams.

My dad’s expression shifts, he’s capable of that, and he bends down to scoop her up in his arms. He’s not overly affectionate, not the grandpa that will take them fishing or plop them on his shoulders, but he’s softer with them than he was ever with me and Francesca.

Grayson soon follows with David, who shakes my dad’s hand with the firmness of a son-in-law and an employee. Francesca fixes the sleeve of her blouse. “Daddy?” she wonders.

“Dad and Heddy have come to surprise us for Thanksgiving,” I tell her. “Isn’t that fun?”

My dad’s eyes meet mine. Then, he looks at my feet. He could never look me too long in the eye, and I hoped it had something to do with my mother’s face, her green eyes and light hair, projected onto me.

He grumbles, “I’m going to get a drink. When’s dinner?”

“Any minute,” David answers.

I gasp, clapping a hand over my mouth. Adam will be here soon. At the dining room table. With my father.

Fourteen years ago, I had called Heddy to tell her Adam and I were going to the courthouse in Starling, since Loxley didn’t have one, and we were going to get married. Francesca and David had gone home that day to get their things out of storage before moving to Boston.

I don’t know why I called Heddy. If I had been dead set on marrying him, I would have gone through with it. I pretended it was an exciting phone call, but I wanted her reassurance and guidance. Which I got, along with my father, later that day.

They sat across from Adam and me.

“Where are your parents?” My dad demanded.

Adam held his head high. “They have appointments in Atlanta.” He adds, “I’m an adult, I don’t need my parents’ permission to make decisions.”

I dropped my head. I didn’t feel like an adult.

“Vienna is barely eighteen,” my dad said. “She’s going to college next week.”

Adam defied, “No. We’re going to get married tomorrow, and she’s coming to Nashville with me.”

“Excuse me?” I’d never heard my dad so angry or shocked.

“We are adults. We know what we’re doing. I love her.”

“Shut your goddamn mouth, you little shit,” my dad began, but Heddy cut him off.

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