I Heard A Rumor

Chapter 8: Filling In

I stare at the ground in utter shock, just trying to focus on something that wasn't my aunt. The three of us have been sitting in silence for quite a bit, Amy sitting across from us in the armchair, in awkward silence. Even Jon and I are situated on opposite sides of the couch, when all I want is to be closer to him.

I look up to make direct eye contact with Amy for the first time today, and immediately shy away before mumbling, "What are you even doing here? You told me you'd be back tomorrow."

"Funny you're asking that. I think the real question is what is he doing here?"

I roll my eyes, "I'm an adult. It's not really any of your business."

Amy raises her voice, "It is when you're bringing a Senator and one of my colleagues into my apartment and doing god knows what with him for god knows how long this has gone on."

"Is it really though? You're not even my mother."

As soon as I say it, I know it's a low blow and I shouldn't have said it. If a politician and journalist romantic relationship can be bad, a politician and journalist family relationship is even more risky. This definitely isn't the first time Amy and I have gone at it, but there's been a lot of tension that has culminated into this moment.

Amy looks down in distress, "You know what? Fine. Have it your way."

Jon jumps up before Amy can leave, "Y'all, can we just sit down and talk this out? Seems like I'm kind of the middle man, so let's just talk this out, because like you said, Autumn, we're all adults. Let's act like it."

Jon's right, but I slouch down on the couch further to avoid further eye contact with Amy. In the 10 years since Mom passed, I've never said anything that hit quite so hard.

Jon takes a deep breath and moves closer to me, putting his hand in mine, which does make me feel more at ease. "Amy, Autumn and I have been together for around a month. Yes, we have been sneaking around, in fact, we went on a trip to Niagara Falls when we first got together and Autumn visited me down in Georgia. I know Autumn wanted to tell you, but both of us wanted to feel our way around our relationship before telling anyone. I just want you to know that I'm very happy to call her my girlfriend and to have her in my life."

Jon squeezes my hand, provoking me to speak, "Well, yeah. I know I had feelings from Jon for a while, he visited me at work a lot so the feeling was mutual. Once we got to know each other more, we got closer and started a relationship. I feel really bad for hiding it from you, but I guess he and I were in a little bubble of our own that I was scared of bursting. But, I think I feel more confident in our relationship now, I was just scared of telling you which is why I kept putting it off, until now. I'm sorry for the mom comment I made, and how you shouldn't care, you've been the only person who's consistently cared for the past ten years, and I love you for that."

I let myself go of Jon's touch and went over to hug Amy, truly feeling like a weight has been lifted after telling her that huge secret I'd put so much effort into keeping.

"How long before your Niagara trip did you two start dating?", Amy asks.

"We didn't put terms on it until during the trip, but we got together the night before."

"So I can assume those marks on your neck were in fact not "coffee burns"?

My eyes pop open in shock, and I can see Jon's face quickly flash pink.

"Okay, now that's definitely not your business.", I say laughing.

~

The rest of the day turns out more than okay. Jon stays over for the afternoon, and I realize that Jon and Amy are actually great friends. We drop Jon off at his place since that was the plan anyways and he has to get ready for work tomorrow. Amy drives, while Jon and I sit with each other in the back. It makes me happy when I see Amy glance back at us and smile through the rearview mirror.