Page 65 of A Second Chance

“Autumn,” Jason said. A look passed between the siblings and Autumn’s eyes widened and she slowly nodded. Jason still held her hand and she had no choice but to follow when he started up the steps and Autumn followed them.

Upstairs, the landing led to a hallway and three doors. She assumed they led to two bedrooms and a bathroom between them. Without a word, he led her to one room. Inside a bedroom filled with boxes that made the place feel even smaller than reality, or maybe that was her. Autumn came in and he shut the door behind her.

“Are you sure?” Autumn asked him.

“Tell her everything,” he said.

“What’s going on?” Gwen asked.

He sat on the edge of the bed. “Most of what you’re asking me, I don’t really remember. My memories from then are disjointed. Autumn will tell you everything, and you can make an informed decision.”

She didn’t understand why he said that until Autumn told the story. They all sat lined up across the edge of the bed and Autumn spoke. Jason stared at the darkened television with a game system hooked up that sat in the corner on a dresser, all of it dusty. He visibly winced and grimaced at the parts where his injuries had left him with double vison, and he struggled with shooting his bow. When he put a hole in the wall with his fist in a rage. Then, the day she discovered him in that room sitting there, holding a gun. The air went out of her lungs and the ache that slowly built in her chest intensified. Autumn paused.

“Finish it,” he whispered and his voice came out a coarse gravel.

“You have to believe me when I tell you that he would have never done any of this if it hadn’t been for that TBI and PTSD.”

Jason stilled next to her, probably wondering how she was reacting to the fact he’d never mentioned the PTSD. Although, she’d suspected someone who’d been through what he had would suffer from PTSD. Gwen found the ability to nod at what Autumn said.

“I’d taken the gun out of his hand,” she continued, “when he jumped up and pinned me against that wall. I was big and pregnant with Danny.” At this, a sound erupted from Jason that might have come from an animal caught in a steel leg trap, but he stayed still.

“Don’t continue,” Gwen said. “I know enough.” She couldn’t bear the torture this story was putting Jason through, dredging up his most shameful moments. The fact he’d drug Autumn up here to tell her the unvarnished truth touched her heart in a way nothing else ever had.

Autumn nodded and shot Gwen a smile that said she was grateful for getting to stop. “I want you to know he’s not dangerous, or crazy or unstable. He’s worked very hard to get well again, and he’s not the same guy that came back from war. This time, he’s himself again, and actually even better—”

“All right,” Jason said, seeming to find his voice again. “Thank you… that’s enough.”

“If I have to tell that horrifying story, I should also be able to sing your praises.” She turned to Gwen. “Now he’s had a lot of therapy and he paid attention. So just know that he’ll pull that shrink shit out at you. I found that out the hard way, but he’s very healthy.”

“I said thank you,” he reiterated.

Gwen found a grin, even though the heavy story still weighed on her. She reached over and patted Autumn’s leg. “I know that must have been hard for you to relive. But thank you.”

“I’ll leave you guys alone,” she said, leaning over for a hug. “Be good to him, please,” she whispered. Autumn left, closing the door behind her and they were alone, the silence in the room heavy.

“If you need to go,” he said, barely above a whisper. “I understand.”

She scooted over close, their legs touching and leaned against his shoulder, running a hand down his thigh coming to rest on his knee. “Shh…” Gwen closed her eyes at the feel of him. It was ridiculous, but after he’d been coming over every day for weeks his absence was painful, something was missing over the last three weeks. His arms came around her and she curled toward him, sinking into his warm, strong embrace. They remained together for a long moment, before he shifted, lowering them both to the mattress. There they lay plastered against each other, a tangle of limbs in silence while Gwen’s thoughts swirled.

Gwen felt the beat of his heart and the hard muscles of his arms, chest, and torso. She loved the comfort of him surrounding her. Also, she needed the time to absorb the story of what happened. Now she knew the truth. He’d been in so much pain, her heart cracked and her cheeks were wet before she could stop it. And just when she thought maybe he wouldn’t notice, a thumb brushed under her eye.

“Do you want to talk yet?” he asked.

She shook her head and his grip tightened. They went still and she soaked in him. And he kept wiping her tears before she eventually broke the silence. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

“God, I’ve missed you too. It was a mistake to walk out on you. I’m sorry.”

“I think I understand why you did.”

They went quiet again while Gwen considered what she wanted to tell him. He’d been violent toward Autumn and that wasn’t something to take lightly. And he took it seriously and the prospect of it happening again scared him—a positive sign. She’d never seen him so much as raise his voice, let alone become violent and it was difficult to imagine. And what happened with Autumn clearly devastated him. He didn’t even remember it. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” he said.

“You had a traumatic brain injury, and the doctor said it was healed?”

“The area of the brain itself, no. According to them, the brain can sometimes build new neuropathways around the damaged area to compensate.”

“That’s why you were gone for so long, the hike was only six months.”

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