Page 19 of Beau & Autumn

She’s holding her head in her hands and her shoulders are shaking. Is she… Is she crying?

I stop abruptly, not able to take my eyes off her but unsure if I should keep up my pursuit. She hasn’t spotted me, so if she’s having a private moment that I’m not meant to see — which she clearly is — I don’t want to disturb her. But then again, she’s crying. Maybe I can help.

She was so upbeat this morning in Discord. I wonder what’s happened since then?

As not to scare her, I call out, “Autumn.”

I watch as her back goes rigid and she turns. Sure enough, her tear-streaked face shows her distress, which she quickly tries to hide by turning away and wiping her eyes. I’m striding now, really needing to get to her. “Hi, Beau.” She forces a smile but it’s obvious I can see what’s going on.

“I saw you from the ridge, I wasn’t sure if I should come down. But you’re upset.” I palm the back of my head. “What’s wrong?”

Her head shakes from side to side as she tries to palm it off. “Nothing. I’m fine.” She smiles again but it doesn’t touch her eyes.

I reach my arm out, my fingers touching her shoulder and I give it a squeeze. “If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay, but we’ve always been able to tell each other anything…”

That’s all it takes, the floodgates open. “It’s so stupid!” She balls her fists and then presses them to her eyes. “I’ve nothing to get upset about and here I am, crying like a big old baby.”

I settle my free hand on her other shoulder. “Autumn. A problem shared is a problem halved.”

She laughs, then stops, then laughs again. Then she starts to burst into fits of giggles. I stand there a little stunned, unsure if I should laugh too or if she’s just having a hysterical reaction. I’m not great with hysterical women. “You’re just the sweetest, Beau. I haven’t heard anyone say that since… well, maybe since my Grandpa, God rest his soul.”

I smile gingerly. “Well, he was obviously a smart man. Did someone hurt you?”

She shakes her head. “It’s nothing like that.” She lets out a big sigh, a slight flush appearing over her cheeks. “But that’s sweet of you to ask.”

“Well if they did, I can assure you, my origami skills would be lethal.”

She laughs again, holding her hand to her heart. “When did you get so adorable?”

“I’ve been disguised as a computer nerd this whole time.” I shrug.

She lifts her eyes from the ground, tears still lingering on the surface but her face seems to have perked up a little. “The bank declined my loan, that’s why I’m crying. See, first world problems right here.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I told you I can help if you need?—”

“Even if I did take you up on that offer, I’ve no idea when I could pay you back, Beau, and I really don’t like owing people money.” She’s also infuriatingly stubborn.

“But you’d have owed the bank money.”

“That’s different.”

“I don’t see how.”

“I need thirty grand for my roof and the other repairs, that’s without five-thousand dollars worth of video equipment. Level headed me says just go beg my parents, then stubborn me says I can make it on my own and I shouldn’t be relying on them for cash handouts.”

“It’s not really a handout if they’re rolling in dough,” I say. “They wouldn’t want you to live with a leaking roof, A. They may be set in their ways, but I’m sure they’re not that awful.”

She nods, seeing the truth in my words but I know she has her principles. “You know, I even thought about it…”

My eyebrows pique. “About… it?”

“My Grandmother’s proposition,” she whispers like someone might hear us. “How crazy is that?”

Immediately I tense, letting go of her shoulders, my arms drop back down to my sides. “Pretty crazy. Let’s just not do anything rash, okay? You don’t have to marry some stranger just to get money or please your family. Do we have to recite those affirmations again?”

She bites down on her lip and my eyes shift downward, seeing the indent it makes. All the blood rushes to my dick. “I feel silly crying over this. There are starving people in the world and because I wasn’t smart enough with my finances means I don’t have any savings, but it’s not going to solve anything crying over spilled milk.”

My hand lifts again and I tip her chin ever so lightly so her pretty eyes meet mine. “Your problems still matter. Just because someone, somewhere may be worse off than you, doesn’t diminish your dilemma, so don’t ever say that.” I blow air out of my cheeks. “It’s forecast for rain this weekend. So this leaking roof shit worries me.”

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