The Silent Fighter

The Papers

Everly hasn't been talking to Autumn very much for the past few weeks. She still talks, but only small talk or if she needs help with homework. It's not that she is mad or upset, she's hurt because she doesn't understand why Autumn is leaving. 

In the meantime, Autumn has been anxiously waiting for Amber to get the papers from the lawyer. She's been afraid to tell her that it's actually happening, she's actually going to live with her dad. She's decided that she will tell her mom after she gets home from school today, she's on the bus right now. Instead of butterflies fluttering in her stomach, it feels like a million butterflies going crazy and running into each other. The bus arrives at her stop, she hesitates to get off, then takes a deep breath and steps off the bus.

Opening the door, Amber is sitting on the floor opening mail, "Hi, Autumn!" Amber cheers, "let me just open this mail and we can talk more," she smiles, Autumn smiles back. Autumn runs to set her back pack upstairs in her room and starts rehearsing what she's going to say. 'Maybe this isn't such a good idea,' Autumn thinks. 'She's so happy and cheerful right now, maybe I'll change my mind. But, this is something I really want to do,' she debates, 'okay, I'll do it.' 

"Mom, I need to talk to you," Autumn yells down, then trots down the stairs. 

"I think I might need to talk to you too....." Amber trails off in thought while looking down at the white paper she's holding in her hands.

"Mom, I really need to-" Amber cuts her off.

"Just a second, I need to finish reading my mail."

"But, Mom-"

"Autumn!" Amber yells making them both jump, she calms down, "just go to your room for now, okay?" Autumn sadly walks up to her room.

In her room, Autumn starts talking to herself, "Gosh, that look on her face, she looked so sad, so helpless. What have I done? I've hurt her. I should've told her sooner, I should've done something, I shouldn't have ever done this at all," she collapses on her bed, her face in her knees. "I'm not going to cry," she tells herself, "don't cry, don't cry, you can't cry, stop making yourself cry," she throws a stuffed animal across the room hitting the blinds. 

"Autumn?" Amber yells up from downstairs, sounding drained. "Autumn, are you okay?" Autumn lifts her head from her lap and looks over at the door, then down at the ground.

"Yeah, Mama, I'm fine," she lies.

"Can you come down?" Autumn gets up without saying a word and opens her door. She peeks her head around the corner and looks down at her mother downstairs who is on the verge of crying. Autumn looks back into her room, not wanting to see her mother cry. She then takes a deep breath and holds her head up strong and walks downstairs. 

"Hi, Mama," says Autumn.

"Hi, Honey," Amber smiles, stroking Autumn's hair, "your hair is beautiful, you get that from me you know," they both laugh. "Autumn, were you crying?" Autumn quickly shakes her head no and stands up straight and holds her head up high. Amber sighs, "So, I got some interesting papers in the mail today."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Autumn blurts out. Amber looks at her in shock.

"Wait, you knew about the papers?" 

"I-um-" 

"Autumn, you knew? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to I just never had the chance."

"Never had the chance? How long have you known about this?" Amber raises her voice.

"Not very long, I was going to tell you today, but you already had them and-"