Page 56 of The Homecoming

jesus give me a minute, Jason wrote.

What did the doctor say?Autumn replied.

ptsd.

That’s it? What about the brain thing????She tapped the phone keys furiously. How could it only be post-traumatic stress?

he said it was theory only. no proof. gave me a bottle of pills and told me to see a shrink. gonna see how that goes.

The doctor had completely dismissed the idea. Sure, he probably did have PTSD on top of it all, but there was no way he’d come out of that bombing completely unscathed. The more Autumn read about it online, the more convinced she became. Maybe the therapist would be on their side and would want to find out more.

We need to find a neurologist in a big city hospital,she typed.

let’s see what happens with the crazy pills.

Autumn laid her head down on her desk, trying not to think about how much the situation royally sucked. She had hoped they would have him do an MRI or something more to diagnose him, but all they’d done was hand him a bottle of pills.

***

That night at dinner, Autumn delivered the bad news to her mother; she announced her impending move to the cabin on Brandon’s property.

“Are you trying to kill me?” Shirley’s dramatics wore on Autumn’s last nerve.

“No, I’m getting my own place ‘cause that’s what twenty-four-year-olds do.”

“You have no business being out there all alone.” She made a show of pushing her plate away and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m not alone. The guys live right next door.” Autumn sighed. “I’m going to have a baby and—”

“That’s precisely why you shouldn’t leave,” Shirley interrupted.

“We’re all full here. More of the baby’s stuff is on the way, and what’s already here isn’t even unboxed yet. Imagine adding another person in here. He’s gonna cry at all hours of the night, and there’ll be feedings and pooping and all kinds of craziness. It’ll turn your life upside down.”

“She makes a lot of sense,” Walter said, causing Shirley to huff. “Oh, come on, she’s grown now. She’s a fine woman, she’s got a job, and she wants her own space. We can be grandparents and hand the kid back when we’re tired of him.”

Autumn smiled at her father, thankful at least one of them was not a complete lunatic. She excused herself from the table and left without waiting for a response.

At the top of the stairs, Jason stood in the doorway of his room. “Are you leaving ‘cause of me?”

“I’m not,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re the only reason I’ve been here this long.”

“Because you’re worried about me?”

“I am.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” She walked over and hugged him. “You didn’t ask to be hurt.”

“I know, you’re going ‘cause there’s not enough room here.”

“That, and I think mom will be a complete nightmare. She’ll try to take over, but it’s been a long time since she’s had to deal with a newborn. I don’t think she remembers what it’s really like.”

He nodded. “I blame Madera.”

“Me too, a little.” She said with a smile.

He remained stoic. “Have you talked to him?”

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