Page 111 of Beau & Autumn

I think about what my dad said and how proud he was of us, even though he’d had his reservations. I want the same for Autumn.

We sit in silence for a while and I can tell by the way Autumn’s fidgeting that she has something on her mind. Without warning, she turns and looks at her mom in the backseat. “You owe us an apology,” she blurts out.

My eyes widen at the tremble in her voice.

I peek in the rearview mirror to take in Ruth’s shocked face, her mouth a round ‘o’.

“Whatever for?”

“Embarrassing me in front of Beau’s parents, for one. I thought things would be different this trip, but I can see that they’re not. Until you’re willing to accept that me and Beau are together, I don’t want to see you.” She turns back to the front.

“You can’t speak to me like that!” Ruth snaps. She turns to Chase. “She can’t speak to me like that, say something!”

I glimpse Chase turning to his wife and then he shocks us all. “If you have nothing nice to say about Autumn and Beau or this union, then I stand by Autumn when I say that she’s right. They fell in love. It’s done, Ruth. We should be happy for them, not intent on pushing them away.”

She gapes at her husband. “I’m not listening to this.”

“Oh, but you will listen,” Chase goes on. “Because I’m not going to be shut out of my daughter's life because of you. You can either get on board with us, or don’t. But you’re not going to keep making snide remarks and wishing our daughter was married to that cheating, lying, piece of shit. I’ve had enough!”

I wince at his last words; he’s almost shouting.

Ruth has a hand over her mouth and she’s visibly shaken up. If she wasn’t being so cruel to Autumn, I might even feel sorry for her.

“I never meant to?—”

“Don’t tell me, tell your daughter.” Chase turns to look out the window, ignoring her.

“Autumn. I’m… I didn’t mean any harm. I’m… I’m sorry.” She struggles with the last word. “I just think you rushed in too soon. I was wrong about Michael, I know that now.”

I try not to crash the car hearing that. Sorry? I never thought I’d hear the words tumble out of her mouth, but there they are.

“That’s just it, you say that and then look at what happened tonight. Just admit it; I’m not good enough! Beau’s not good enough?—”

“No, that isn’t true.”

“Mom. I’m sorry that I hid this from you. Believe me, I wish things could be different and I could tell you things, but if you’re not going to support me in this marriage, then we’re done.”

I’m proud of her for sticking up for herself, for us. Ruth can’t go around making Autumn’s life a living hell. The sooner she accepts it, they can start the path of healing and hopefully growing closer.

“Done?”

“Life’s too short to hold grudges, and as much as I love you, if we can’t agree to let me live my life how I want to live it, then I don’t know what else we have to say to one another.”

There’s a long pause. The silence is deafening. I expect her mom to yell or say something horrible like she usually does, but no such words leave her mouth. “I don’t want us to be done, Autumn. It’d break your father’s heart… and mine…”

Autumn turns around again. “Can we agree to try, Mom? I love what I do. I love Stoney Creek and the Bassetts and I love Beau. Most of all, I love you, both of you. None of that is going to change. But I’m not moving back to Memphis. This is my home.”

She nods. “I understand. I’ll work on being better, I promise.”

Autumn reaches her arm out and Ruth takes her hand. If I’m not mistaken, her mom wipes a tear from her eye. So the woman does have feelings after all.

I flick my eyes to her father and his eyes meet mine. He gives me a nod.

It looks like there may be hope for my wife and her mom after all.

??

Autumn climbs into bed and I take my glasses off and put my book down.

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