Page 53 of The Homecoming

27.

Autumn lightly rapped on Jason’s door. It was one a.m., but more than likely, he was still up. She turned the knob and opened the door a crack. “Hey,” she whispered. “You awake?”

“No, I’m sound asleep dreaming about Katy Perry’s tits.”

She opened the door and stepped inside. “Sorry to disrupt such a meaningful dream,” she quipped. “You know she’s more than just a set of tits, right?”

He sat on the foot of the bed, game controller in hand. “Yeah, she is,” he said with a grin.

“God, how do you even make that sound gross?”

“It’s a gift,” he shrugged.

She smiled and shook her head.Where was this guy most of the time?

“Look,” he whispered, “I’m really sorry about what happened.”

“I know. I’ve been doing some research.” Autumn held up printouts.

“Research? You’re turning me being fucked up into some college project?”

She stared at him blankly. “You do realize I graduated last year, right?”

“I thought you flunked out.” He shot her an annoying smile.

“Look, in all seriousness, I want you to read these and talk to a doctor.”

He rolled his eyes. “What about?”

“Traumatic brain injury.”

He paused the game and stared at her. “Brain injury?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I found some recent articles that talk about a theory that researchers are starting to look into saying military personnel subjected to repeated blasts, whether from bombs or large weapons, are getting brain injuries without knowing it. When the waves jolt your body, it rattles the brain against the skull. You look fine on the outside, but the repeated concussions are bad for your brain.”

“I don’t know.” His eyes squinted as he took in the idea.

“Just read these.” She laid the papers down next to him. “I found quite a few stories online about others coming back from war with the same types of symptoms. I think it’s worth getting checked out.”

To Autumn’s surprise, he nodded, but she returned to her room feeling only marginally better about things. What she found was just theory, speculation of what may be wrong with him. She may be way off base.

Under the covers, she turned to her side, and the baby within her began a game of in-utero soccer. She rubbed her belly and pictured Daniel shirtless that day out at the waterfall, his arms around her and his lips on hers. Her thoughts shifted to him behind the wheel of his jeep. His dark hair blew in the wind, the scruffy stubble on his face making his smile so effortlessly sexy. She should have told him about the baby when she had the chance. Now, she didn’t know when or even if she’d get another opportunity. Maybe he’d get back before Danny was due.

Danny…

It did sound right. The baby’s name was Daniel, and he’d be called Danny.

“Alright, Danny,” she whispered “settle down and let Mama go to sleep.”

***

For weeks, Autumn had pretended not to notice the stares, the glances, and the whispers around her at White Oak Baptist. Until then, she’d known that it was rumor and speculation that followed her every move. But now, Danny had grown big enough to let the world know she hadn’t simply gained a little weight.That, nosey busybodies, was a baby bump.Autumn proudly waddled herself squarely into the middle of the small-town church of the self-righteous and sat. Only she’d forgotten one crucial thing: Carmen Madera, mother to Daniel. Unknowingly, she was also grandmother to the child trying to kick his way through her belly button. Mrs. Madera stared at Autumn from the choir loft where she had been distributing songbooks to the gathering members.

After the service, Autumn made a beeline for the doors. She exited without a word to walk to the other side of the courtyard, stand in the cold, and wait. Cars passed by on the main road and she wished she were inside one going anywhere else but here.

“You know, I thought if the rumors were true, you would have told me. Or my son would have had the decency to tell me when he called at Christmas,” said Carmen Madera when she came up to Autumn’s side.

“Well, I didn’t tell him when he called at Christmas, so that’s probably why.”

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