Page 58 of The Homecoming

“What about the Kindness Cult?” Rebecca suggested.

The guys all shot the suggestion down as Justin said, “Jesus, next thing you know we’re all wearing shirts with unicorns and rainbows.”

“You do realize we’re not actually forming a cult, right?” Hannah asked.

Brandon’s suggestion came next. “What about Followers of Shadows?”

Justin leaned forward. “No. Chosen Ones of the World.”

“Too long,” Ben mentioned, and Rebecca piped up in agreement.

“You’re just mad I shot down your ‘love everyone’ cult,” Justin replied with a frown.

“No, I’m not. And I didn’t say love, I said kindness.”

Brandon snapped his fingers. “I got it. Gathering of Truth.”

Hannah turned to look at Autumn. “What the hell is going on?”

“It’s best to let them wear themselves out.” She shrugged, taking a bite of her pizza. It surprised her that Weasel remained silent on the floor in front of the fireplace, chewing his pizza and pretending not to watch every move Rebecca made. This quiet Weasel left her disconcerted as she leaned back into the corner of the couch and smiled at her friends bickering amongst each other about the best name for their fictitious cult. She closed her eyes and the next thing she knew, her friends were cleaning up the kitchen and packing away garbage into a large trash bag.

“You guys don’t have to pick the place up,” she said.

“Go back to sleep, preggo,” Brandon called.

Weasel returned to the living room. “I put a new, heavy-duty lock on the back door.”

“Thanks,” she replied, confused. “A new lock from the lock-picker himself.”

He rolled his eyes, “Why do you think I chose that one, smarty?” He tapped his temple with his fingertip.

“Thanks, but I’ve never seen anyone out back here.”

“If you do, shoot ‘em with an arrow first, ask questions later.”

“Your advice can be suspect at times. I can’t just spot someone in the tree line and shoot them.”

He grinned. “Your shot ain’t making it to the tree line from here. If you’re close enough to hit them, they’re too close.”

“Gee, thanks for the confidence in my shooting.”

After endless hugs from her friends, Autumn was left alone in her new place, and in an almost overwhelming silence. It had to be the quietest a house had ever been, although that would change in a few months. Out the window, the night sky appeared darker than ever. She turned around in her new space and smiled. It wasn’t at all where she thought she would be when she arrived back in White Oak almost a year ago, but she was meant to be here. She flipped the lock on the front door, an unnecessary move while living behind two locked and security monitored gates.

31.

She told Jason to be waiting on her and to come to the car the minute she pulled in, yet, there she waited.Where was he?She would definitely be yelling at him. He was going to be late for his appointment and to top it off, he was making her get out of the car and waddle her ever-widening ass to the door. If she got any bigger, she’d outgrow maternity clothes and have to get her outfits made at the tent store. She sent him a text message, to no avail. She tried calling his number but it went to voicemail. She growled as she slid the phone into the pocket of her muumuu dress, flung the car door open, and stomped up to the front door. She was surprised to find it unlocked, and once inside, she was greeted by silence and an odd sense of dread.

“Jason,” she yelled. “You’re going to be late. Quit primping and come on.” She waddled around the empty rooms and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Are you up there?” With no response, she sighed and shook her head.Son of a…“Making me climb these stairs, when I get a hold of him…” she muttered through gritted teeth. At the top of the staircase, his door stood open a crack. She rapped on the door with her knuckles. “Hey, come on, making a pregnant woman climb those—” She pushed into the room and stopped cold, her breath caught in her throat.

He sat shirtless on the edge of his bed, leaning his elbows on his knees, and stared down at the gun in his hands. He didn’t move. Autumn didn’t dare breathe.

When she could get her voice to work again, she asked, “What are you doing with that?” Stupid question, but maybe it wasn’t what it looked like.

“I can’t do it,” he whispered. He didn’t look up.

“Can’t do what?”

“Live like this.”

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