Page 80 of The Leaves In Autumn
“No. That guy’s gone. He probably doesn’t know I even feel that way.”
“Your old self is gone too, right? Mine is.”
“But it’s worse for him. He hadn’t processed it all yet. He’s pretended all this time. But I see. When your mother died, it broke him a little more.”
“You don’t get over something like that. Probably never.”
“But you can get through it.”
“Sometimes. With help. Some people see you struggling, and they won’t let it take you down. For me it was Parrish. And Aunt Scarlett.”
“I’m not going to let anything take my father down. No way.”
I notice his eyes getting as watery as mine.
“Well don’t fucking cry about it, you big baby!”
We laugh our way out of the truth.
“I’m not crying. You’re crying, asshole.”
Reset.
CHAPTER 25
Aargon
Dr. Franklin taps on her cheek.
“What happened here?”
“We were playing a game and Barbra accidentally got me with her ring.”
Memories of that night make me chuckle.
“You and Barbra were playing?”
“The whole family. We have these game nights. This one was funny. Have you seen that TikTok Tortilla Challenge?”
“I have. It ended in a fight for my niece and nephew.”
“It wasn’t like that for us.”
“I can tell. I haven’t seen you with that kind of smile before.”
“Don’t read too much into it. She’s leaving on the trip. I think I told you about it.”
“But game night will continue, right?”
I take a few beats before answering. She’s good at her chosen profession.
“Yeah. But it won’t be the same because… I don’t know how to finish that sentence.”
“Because she won’t be there?”
“I mean yeah, it’ll make a difference, but Teddy will be back at school too. The dynamics change.”
She lets me sit with it, until I am the one who breaks the silence.
