Scattered Leaves

Chapter 10: Susan..

Devon and Autumn walked to the door, hand in hand.

"My parents won't be home for a few minutes. My dad may not even come home. He is gone a lot." He said opening the door.

"Oh, well what are we going to do until they get home?"

"Sit and wait."

"Ok." She sighed.

They walked over to the island in the kitchen and sat down. Autumn just kept thinking how they would see her black eye and want her out. She kept thinking that they would laugh at her. She wanted to believe that they would help her but she knew differently from her experiences.

About ten minutes had passed before the front door creaked open and a beautiful, older woman walked into the kitchen. She looked over at them and instantly stopped in her tracks. She scowled at Devon like any mother would. Autumn had the urge to run, she wanted to get out before she caused them more problems. She put her head down trying to hide her scared expression. She felt Devon reach over and rest his hand on her arm. She looked up and he was smiling sweetly at her. She smiled back at him, feeling a little more comforted with him there.

"So you brought her to the house I see."

"I did, since you wouldn't listen to me, I had to make a point. And her name is Autumn."

"Where were you last night?" She asked, ignoring him.

"With the girl that needs me the most." Devon sounded so calm while talking to his angry mother.

"Oh?" She crossed her arms, waiting for a response.

"Yes. She needs me more then you think mother." He looked over at Autumn lovingly.

"You know how i feel about having girls in a house full-"

"I want her to move in with us." Devon cut her off.

"YOU WHAT?!?" Her eyes burned with anger and her voice scorched through their ears.

Autumn looked at Devon worriedly. He was so calm. He reached for Autumns hand and squeezed it. In a way it made her feel so much better.

"I want her to move in with us." Devon looked over at Autumn and whispered in her ear, "Would you mind showing her your wrists? I know it's hard but she might understand betterif you do. After all she did help me through something similar. Maybe explain your story?" He kissed her cheek softly and looked at her terrified face.

'Show her my wrists?' she asked herself.

Autumn was terrified at that moment and it showed. She put her hands over her covered wrists, as if that would make them disappear completely. She stared down at the slab of marble in front of her and sighed, shaking her head over and over again. She felt the familiar tingle in her nose when she starts to cry, her vision blurred and she tried to blink away her tears but they only fell onto her sweater and the grey marble.

Devon got up off his stool and held onto Autumn. "I'm sorry hun."

Autumn rested her head on his shoulder and looked down at her wrists again. She slowly rolled up her sleeves, closing her eyes as she did. She heard the woman gasp but never looked up to see if the woman softened her expression. She kept her eyes closed and let her tears fall onto her lap and on Devon's shirt.

Devon never left her side and kept at least one hand on her at all times. He knew how hard it was. He saw how shocked his mother was, seeing all of her cuts. She finally understood, but only the half of it. She didn't know Autumn's story, she didn't know why she was cutting. She had no idea how close her story was to his. He wanted his mother to help Autumn like he was trying to.