Autumn in Philadelphia Trilogy

The Return: As the World Falls Down

"When trouble strikes, head to the library. You will either be able to solve the problem, or simply have something to read as the world crashes down around you." -Lemony Snicket

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Having an epiphany in the wee hours of the morning tends to change a person's attitude toward life in general and people specifically. When Shawn saw Julia for the first time Saturday morning without hesitation, he pulled her into a big hug, the first he'd ever given her. She looked at him as though he was a few fries short of a Happy Meal, but did not resist. Instead, she held on a moment longer than he did. The two gathered breakfast for themselves in silence as it was still early and no one else was up. Shawn was still in repose with his mind on those early morning revelations. Julia was uncharacteristically quiet. On his way to retrieve the milk from the refrigerator, Shawn noticed his sister was staring strangely at the coffeemaker with a disturbed expression.

"What's wrong?"

"It's cold," she said quietly as though this was a terrible tragedy. She hugged her father's over-sized shirt that she was wearing close to her heart and shivered in spite of the warmth of the kitchen.

"I don't understand."

"It's never cold, no matter how early it is," Julia told him, turning large blue-gray eyes on him. They were so stormy and haunted that it made Shawn uncomfortable. She looked like a lost child who had walked away from her parents in a crowd and couldn't find her way back to them. "Dad's always the first one up and he always has the coffee running. He always has Mom's mug out so he can take her coffee as soon she wakes up." She pointed at the bare counter next to the machine. The disturbed look now took on the form of anxiety. She looked as though she might cry.

Shawn put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder, trying to be comforting but it didn't help.

"I've never gotten up ever in my whole life and that thing hasn't been on with Mom's mug by it." Julia sank into her brother, suddenly feeling very young and very scared. "Dad's here, isn't he, Shawn? He didn't leave without telling us, did he?" There was a plea in her voice that begged him to tell her she was being silly; that there was a reasonable explanation for this anomaly.

"I'm sure he is," he assured her as strongly as he could. Shawn could not imagine that he wasn't. Surely Jon would not have gone to the office on a Saturday or anywhere else for that matter without letting someone know. "Maybe Mom just had a rough night. You know the baby's been keeping her up a lot. They're probably just sleeping in. I'm sure as soon Dad gets up he'll make coffee just like always. Besides we are up kinda early- it's only 6:15 on a Saturday, Jules."

"Yeah, I guess," Julia had trouble taking her eyes off of the machine in front of her.

"So," Shawn said, trying to distract her. "You guys still watch Saturday morning cartoons?"

Julia wrinkled her nose. "Those really haven't been on much since I was a kid."

"No way." Shawn couldn't believe that. Saturday morning cartoons were a rite of passage for every kid. They had to still be on somewhere.

After a frustrating search through the cable channels came up with not much more than a bunch of animal programs, Shawn and Julia ended up watching someone's attempt to recreate a 90s Saturday morning programming block on YouTube. It annoyed him to have to watch the TV shows on a laptop screen. Julia, however, seemed enthralled.

"This is better than anything I can remember watching," she remarked wistfully, fully absorbed in the media in front of her.

"Meh," Shawn replied, already bored. "That's only because you have no idea what you missed."