Page 20 of A Second Chance

“Wow. Slow down, party animal.”

“Here you are too. What’s your excuse?”

“I worked all day.”

“Where’s your officer boy toy?”

“Nick’s working... How much of that have you had?”

“Just enough,” Gwen sighed, swirling the wine around in the goblet.

***

Jason took the back steps two at a time into the farmhouse hoping to catch Autumn alone in the office. Like he suspected, she sat at the desk and Brandon stood behind her and they stared at a computer screen. They both jumped when he entered.

“Hey, sorry… you’re busy.”

“What’s wrong?” Autumn asked.

He paced the floor in front of the desk. The office was small and neat, with built-in bookcases lining the far wall. On one shelf sat framed photos of Danny and a family photo of the three of them.

“Jason?” Autumn asked.

“Okay, so… ya know how I’ve had chunks of memory gone from here and there?

“Yeah…”

He sat on the small couch with his head in his hands. “I’ve apparently forgotten a whole lot more than I thought.”

Autumn sat next to him, her hand touching his knee. “What happened?”

He sighed and noted Brandon sitting still behind the desk. “I’m told, I met a woman right before I left for Afghanistan and promised her I’d call her when I got back...”

“And you don’t remember this?”

He shook his head. “And she’s livid with me.”

“That was a long time ago,” Brandon said.

“Yeah, it’s still a sore subject. But,” he turned to Autumn, “this happened before I even left. I had no clue I’d lost any of those memories… What else am I forgetting?”

“Oh honey, don’t let this derail you,” Autumn slid her hand over his back. “So you forgot meeting one person, that’s not a big deal.”

“It was more than that,” he admitted.

“How much more?”

“She says we slept together…”

“Maybe she’s lying. Someone who has heard rumors and is playing a sick joke?”

“I doubt it.”

“It could be someone trying to pull something.”

He didn’t want this to get out, for Gwen’s sake, not his, but he didn’t like the look of cynicism on his sister either. “This stays in this room,” he said looking between Autumn and Brandon. “Would Gwen lie?”

Autumn’s mouth dropped. “Oh my god.”

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