Generations: The Long Game

Hardly Impressed

Autumn waited in the waiting room in the same seat she had sat in all those months after the miscarriage. Mia had met them outside the offices and took Lili for a day with Auntie Mia, but even she looked concerned when she saw Winter.

As she waited for him to speak with Veronica, she was finding it hard to keep her mind clear. She knew that many of Winter's issues with depression began when he was still quite young. His father was his first bully, and the children at school tortured him.

Autumn hadn't actually ever met Winter's father, but from what she had heard from he and his mother, he was quite hard on Winter and teetered on abusive. She had however, met his mother and she was sure that woman had not made his life easier.

She was a nice enough woman on the surface, but her compliments were always a little backhanded. She definitely did not help to build her son's self esteem. If he straightened his hair, she loved it curly. If he left the natural curl, he must have been too lazy to work on his appearance. The woman infuriated her at times.

Winter on the other hand cherished his mother. Always had. Veronica called it a trauma bond which hadn't made Winter happy, but certainly made more sense to Autumn. If it were up to her, she would take her bat to the woman's car.

Winter would never agree to that though. His connection to her although detrimental at times did bring him some joy. She didn't know how aware he was of her behavior though until Liliana was born.

She was only a day or two old when he declared his mother would never, under any circumstances, be allowed to be alone with their daughter. He didn't want to risk her effecting Lili's self esteem the way she had his.

Autumn was at once in full agreement. She never would go against his wishes where their daughter was concerned. It wasn't until later that she realized her immediate reaction had bothered him. Her quick reaction made it apparent that not only did she dislike his mother, but she also didn't trust her either.

Veronica said that the trauma bond they shared made him protective over her even when he agreed with Autumn in the first place. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the spiral from happening at the time or the big blowout fight they had following that session. Winter didn't want to believe his feelings of loyalty were a result of trauma rather than his merely being a good son to her.

Autumn was snapped back to the present when she heard the door creak open. Veronica was saying her goodbyes, and Winter was looking a little bit better.

As they settled into the car, he spoke. "Autumn, I am going to do the trauma therapy. I am going to stop all contact with my mother, but I don't want Liliana to see me like this."

"What does that mean, Winter? Do you want me to see if Reece or Mia will take her for a bit? I really wouldn't want her gone for more than a few days."

"Nor I, my sweet, that is why I am going to move out for a while."

Autumn's heart sunk.