Keeping Afloat (A Wintumn Story)

After the board meeting.

TW  VERBAL ABUSE.

AUTUMN POV
I am so ready for this board meeting to be over, only got a few minutes left. I hate days where I have to attend these meetings. Getting told Reece and myself are disappointing and how our Father basically resent us isn't exactly how I enjoy spending my day. Anytime we speak at the wrong time or say the wrong thing, mess up on statistics. Our Father jumps to the name calling. I am sitting in the seat I haven't moved from all day staring at the clock waiting for this all to be over. One more minute. My Father is talking about a new way to get more money in I think. I'm not truly listening. I don't care. I'm zoned out thinking about going home. I want to be with Winter. Thirty more seconds. I don't know what Reece is responding to nor do I care. All I can think of is going home. Sitting in Winters arms whilst listening to music. Ten more seconds. I am starting to feel restless, can time go any slower. The clock hits six. It's over, this stupid meeting is over. I grab my bag that's under the table, before I can go my Father starts to question me about what he's just said. The funny thing is I don't know what he's said. I shrugged. "You do what you think is best Father." I said. I just want to go home now, I'm done with all of this.

"Autumn were you even listening?" He looks at me, dead in the eyes, giving me the same look form when I was a child about to be told of by him. I nod. "Okay, what was I saying then?" Shit. I don't know what he was saying. "Something about getting more money." He looks angry now. I began to hold my bag tighter. I have definitely just said the wrong thing. "Autumn, why do you even bother coming to these meetings. You sit here and do jack shit. It is quite obvious you don't want to be here!" He shouts. I just stare blankly at him. "Going on say something then!" I'm taken back to a little girl, not being able to speak whilst her Father screams at her. I continue to just stare at him not knowing what to say.

Reece chimes in. "Dad we've all had a really long day, let's just call it here we can finish discussing plans for a new building next meeting." Father looked annoyed at this response, but let us go anyway.

I walk to the car park and sit in my car by myself for a few minutes. I hate board meetings. I hate how, in my Father's presents I can feel so small and weak. I'm sat thinking when I'm disturbed by a tapping on my passenger sit window. Its Reece. I roll down my window. "What?" I snap at him. "Marjorie dropped me in, can you give me a lift?" I stare at him then turn to look at a black BMW X5 parked a couple spaces down from me. "Isn't that your car there?" I ask turning back to look at him. "Might be I don't know."

I roll my eyes and unlock the passenger seat.  Reece gets in and plugs himself in. I start to drive him home in silence. We get halfway before he starts a conversation. "Are you alright?" He says looking out the window. "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" I say back, obviously very annoyed. "The way you reacted to Dad shouting at you in the meeting, I haven't seen you look like that since well, prom night." He hadn't switched his gazed from the window once. "How'd I look then?" Finally Reece turns to face me. "You looked broken, Aut." He turned back to the window. "Can't of, because I'm fine." We're silent a little long before Reece turns around again and says. "Dad has a funny affect on you. I know we both hate being around him but you almost seem to shut down." Shut down, what does he mean shut down. We continue the rest of the car journey in silence. Until I drop him off at his.

"Aut if you ever need anything--." I cut him off. "Reece I'm fine." He nods and then goes into his house.

WINTER POV

My shift finished at 17:30. I got home and changed out of my jeans and put on jogging bottoms instead, keeping my hoodie on though as it's already comfy as it is. I sat on the sofa and threw on Greys anatomy whilst I waited for Autumn to get home.

Finally around 18:20 I hear the front door open. "How was your day, my darling." There is no response, I just hear her running up the stairs. I didn't follow her, there was no point. She'd come down when she was ready. I continue to watch Grey's anatomy until I hear Autumn coming down the stairs again. She didn't say anything. She just came into the living wearing one of my hoodies, which she only does when she's feeling upset, and came sat under the blanket I had on resting her head on my shoulder and her hand on my chest.

She only ever put her hand on my chest if she was feeling upset or anxious and wanted to be comforted. I held her close to me, not saying a word until she was ready. We sat there, same position,  for about an hour until Autumn sat up properly and started to stare into space. I started to rub her back. "My love, are you alright." She turns to look at me and just nods. Before getting up and making herself a cup of water.

She comes back into the living room and sits next to me learning her head against my shoulder again. "My love." She finally mumbles. "Yes my sweet." I say whilst putting my arm around her. "Do you think I change around my Father?" I start to rub her arm. "What do you mean?" I say looking at hands. She rubbing her finger up and down her nails. "Reece says I shut down, do you think I shut down?" Her left leg starts to bobble up and down. I put my other hand onto of it to calm her down. "I think you seem a bit distant when you're around him, but it's nothing bad, it's a response to all those years of abuse he put you through, I promise you it's nothing bad at all". I say kissing her on the forehead. We sit in silence for a bit longer.

"I love you Winter." Autumn mutters.

I love you too, Autumn." I whisper back.

W/C: 1134

A/N: I don't really know if I like this chapter or not, I'm honestly running out of ideas, can anyone comment some ideas  for the main storyline under this that I could add in before prom night reveal. Thank you so much for reading, I appreciate you all so so so much and I'll see you in the next chapter.