Unraveled Threads

Chapter 2: Endearment

March 20, 1999

"Mia, I didn't know you could cook so well!" Reece glanced over at Mia, a warm smile gracing his face. "Thanks." She responded warmly.
"Thank you Mia." Autumn said, as she walked over to the sink, washing her plate and putting it away. She paused before continuing "Mia do you need help cleaning up?" She made it very clear it needed to be cleaned. Even so, Mia and Reece didn't need a reminder. They both knew how angry Roger would get for this kind of stuff.
"Thanks Autumn, but I'll do it myself, don't worry." Mia thanked. She and Reece both wanted one thing, to keep Autumn as happy as possible, due to recent events getting her to be happy was hard, but they wanted her to be calm at least.
"Okay Mia. I'm going to go do some homework now." She said, as she walked up the stairs, down the empty corridor, and in to her room.

"I'll help you clean up Mia. But we need to make it look like there was never anything here." Reece spoke. "I know your father would rather think you haven't eaten all day, than know you ate something wonderful." Mia said.
Reece went fairly quiet, his expression turning to one of slight sadness. Mia noticed this, and immediately regretted her words. "Reece, I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to" she began to apologize, before being cut off. "It's fine don't worry. You know I can't stay mad at you. Other than Aut, you're my best friend." Hearing that a smile lit up Mia's face. She felt happy someone cared, and she had someone to care for. "You're mine too Reece." She smiled at him warmly.

Mia and Reece sat on the couch, talking. For about an hour they weren't disturbed.
Until Autumn walked down the stairs, to get some water. As she walked past Mia on the couch, Mia could tell something was bothering her, and it wasn't just the past recent events.
"Autumn are you okay?" She asked, genuinely concerned. "I'm fine, it's just the homework is a bit hard." Mia could tell that was the truth, and truthfully Autumn wasn't one to lie. "Which subject? Maybe I can help?" Autumn wasn't one to usually struggle with homework, she was the top of her grade, and had straight A's.
"English. Creative Writing more specifically."
That's weird. Autumn is usually a genius at creative writing. But luckily for her, Mia was as well.
"Why don't you bring it here and I'll help you?" Mia said warmly. "Okay."
Autumn walks up the stairs, down the corridor and in to her room.

"That's weird, I thought she was great at creative writing?" Reece asked, confused. "She is. I mean, she usually is. You know with everything that's went on, she's probably struggling with school as well." Mia reminded. "Probably."

Autumn comes back down, sits at the table and slides the paper to Mia.

"The happiest day I've had this month" 
Mia's eyes widened. It clicked. That's why she couldn't write it. She hadn't had happy days this month. Mia starts blinking profusely, to stop from crying. "Mia?" Reece asked, after he received no response from Mia he walks over. He has the same reaction.

Mia smiles, to avoid making Autumn sadder.
"Okay. So, do you have any days to write about in mind?" Mia asked. Already knowing the answer. Of course she didn't, this is the month where everything happened. Maybe we could make up a story? She thought to herself.
"I don't know." Mia began to think. What has happened this month. Nothing came to her mind. Then suddenly an idea came to her.
"How about you write about today?" Autumn looked at her confused. "Today? Its 11:30 a.m.?" She asked. "Exactly! We can have a fun day! Your dad isn't gonna be home today right?" She asked Reece. "Nope he's not, but wouldn't that mean she would have to do her homework late at night." Reece asked. "Nope. Autumn make a list of some things that you want to do today. And write your assignment, then we'll do them all!" Mia said cheerfully.
A small smile came on Autumns face as she realized Mia cared so much about her and her happiness, that she would waste her whole day trying to make her happy.
Mia's face lit up realizing that Autumn had smiled.

Mia and Reece sat a bit more on the couch waiting for Autumn to finish her assignment, she didn't need help writing it, she needed help finding what to write. "I'm done." She said. Mia rushed over, and read through the paper. She was quite impressed. "Okay let's do this all!" She exclaimed.

They spent the rest of the day doing everything that Autumn had written down, from going shopping, to going in to abandoned houses, everything. And for anything that involved money, they just used Roger's money, he had so much he never even noticed.

Sure Reece and Mia had missed out on their date, but all of them having fun together, was even better.

MIA AND REECE WERENT DATING THEY JUST CALLED HANGING OUT A DATE FOR SOME REASON