Page 93 of Ms Perfectly Fine
He studied the photo. “I don’t know.”
“Either she didn’t send the roses or she’s messing with me.” Autumn’s mind swarmed with questions. She placed her head in her hands to try and focus.
“But she said she left it in your dressing room. How did it get into the house?” Elijah asked.
“Maybe it got caught up in my things when I was taking stuff home from the theatre? But I’m sure I would have noticed a photo, especially this one,” she said, looking at Mollie’s smiling eyes staring up at her. She hadn’t realised how much time had distorted her memory of her best friend.
“Why this photo? Is it special?”
Autumn rested her hand over her aching heart as the memories flooded through her. “It was taken about an hour before the accident. Lena took it with the camera she got for Christmas.”
“You all look so happy,” Elijah said, tracing her smile.
“We were,” she said, looking at her sixteen-year-old self, who knew nothing of pain or grief. All she was worried about was getting a good review in the paper and being selected to go on the national tour.I wish he knew me then; he could have seen me before the scars, physical or not.Despite having the same red hair and dimples, she barely recognised the girl staring up at her. That version of herself had died with Mollie.
“There’s nothing I can say to make this better, but I’m here, and you won’t have to go through anything like this again alone,” Elijah said, sitting on the table across from her.
“Being here with me is more than I could ask for.” Autumn let him take her onto his lap, and she rested her head against his chest, eased by the sound of his steady heartbeat.
Elijah’s embrace and the intense emotions the photo had brought up helped her realise something. Shedidwant to play her solo; she wanted to do it for so many people—for Mollie, for her old self, and the broken-but-healing self of today. For Elijah, to show him what she could do when he supported her. For her parents, even if they still didn’t understand her dreams. But here in Elijah’s arms, still feeling the tension of the last few weeks twinging in her back, she made a decision. She didn’t have to do everything. It was okay to acknowledge her limits. It didn’t mean she was any less of a person or that she wasn’t trying as hard.
She felt a sense of peace as she reached a conclusion in her head. This felt like a good compromise.
“I know what to do about the showcase,” she said.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Elijah
ELIJAH KISSED AUTUMN’S cheek, and she stirred in her sleep. He decided to let her sleep, having heard her up again in the night. He’d wanted to go to her and comfort her, but after her interview with Heather and discovering the photo, he thought she probably needed some time to herself to digest everything she’d learnt. When she’d finally come back to bed, she’d tossed and turned until finally settling in the early hours of the morning.
He wished he could push out the meeting with his father and the board of Randell Investment and stay home with her. However, for the sake of his company and those who were relying on him, he couldn’t put it off.
“Stay with your mum,” he whispered to Brinkley, curled in at the end of Autumn’s bed. She had to go into the theatre in the morning for the final run-through of their showcase, and he hoped to be home before she got back. But if he got held up, Brinkley would be with her at home, so she was in good paws.
With the cheques secured inhis navy suit jacket pocket, Elijah straightened his tie in the elevator on the way up to the executive floor. He’d hoped to arrive early so he could update Tim on what was happening with Autumn, knowing he wouldn’t want to be the last to know. However, he’d got caught up in morning traffic and had to go straight to the boardroom. The board were expecting Francis to attend with him, but he didn’t want to put his friend on the firing line. Being Kyloware’s CEO, he would take responsibility for buying out their investment, and he had been generous with the interest to avoid leaving a sour taste.
He opened the glass door. A dozen sets of eyes fell on him, and he was greeted briefly with handshakes and a quick good morning before he took a seat at the right hand of his father.
“With everyone here, how about we get started?” Tim said, turning to his son. “We are all excited to see the completed demo.”
“Actually, there’s been a change of plans,” Elijah said, straightening in his chair.
Tim’s jaw tightened, and he addressed the board before Elijah could reveal his partnership with Nirosoft. “If you will excuse us?”
The board members seemed hesitant.
“Please?” added Tim. Elijah knew his father wouldn’t want to be humiliated in front of his board.
The board left without protest, but their whispers of what might be happening lingered after them.
“What’s this about?” Tim demanded as Elijah moved his chair out from under the table so they could face each other.
He pulled at his tie, unsure of how to have this conversation. He didn’t want to completely ruin their relationship, but he also needed to sever the chains Tim had on him.
Tim frowned when he produced an envelope from his pocket. “You didn’t need to bring me a report today; we were expecting to see the final demo.”
“Just open it,” Elijah said, placing the envelope in front of his father.
