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I lean back in my chair and sip on my wine as I observe the chatter happening around the dining table. I love the noise, and how everybody seems to be talking to everybody, engaging in every topic, and somehow everything ends with some kind of an anecdote. Thinking back to all those diners I had alone in my apartments, with a bitter wine and a good book wishing I would be a part of something more, and right now I was sitting in the middle of it. Family, one I found in the most unexpected way. My family by blood and my family by choice. All together."What about you, Autumn?" Aunt Eloise asks bringing me out of my thoughts."I'm sorry?" I say as I bring my glass back to the table."Do you plan on returning to work or will you enjoy the riches you now possess?" Work? I always wanted to work. But never have I had a family, a child to raise. And with Domenic back in the office there really isn't any good reason for me to work as well. "Is it wrong that I want to stay at home?" I ask. "No
"I can't believe you are running late. The photographer is waiting to take the pictures." Summer quietly yelled at us as I was finishing putting a little white bow on Prue's head while throwing a glare at Domenic because it was his fault we didn't get up in time."It will only take a few more minutes. Prue is done and she is absolutely perfect, the only thing left is for me to put my shoes on." I say as I give Prue to Domenic and rush to get my shoes from the box."Why don't you go ahead Summer and wait for us downstairs?" Domenic suggests."Not a chance. If I leave you alone you just might hop onto Autumn and Joshua just did her hair. You guys are worse than rabbits." I wouldn't say that, Domenic is just very determined to make up for the lost time. And I can't say no. Why would I say no?""She's got a point, especially after what I heard last night." Alex says as she peeks ahead into our room. "You know, I've read and heard a lot of women calling out for God while doing the deed but
Months before… Alex's POVThere is only one thing I like about my uncle's house more than the one I grew up at and that is the sound of the Hamptons ocean waves and the smell of the salty water in the air. That's why I like getting up early and sitting on the balcony before the everyday buzz of the people disturbs the rhythmic sound of the waves hitting the sandy beach. Well maybe that wasn't the only thing I liked, the fact that Adam lived near and worked closely with Uncle Richard was a good bonus. It meant that I got to see him more.Adam, Sasha, and I grew up together, but as we got older I passed on to be his best friend's sister and he became my brother's best friend. Not that they excluded me or anything, it's just that when you get older life happens but now that I live here I see him practically every day."Here is your coffee, my dear." Mrs.Hendrics says as she opens the balcony door and hands me the cup."Thank you." Mrs.Hendrics has worked for the family for as long as I c
Everyone in the dining room pauses and drops their forks as we stare at my uncle in disbelief. A daughter? Did I hear that right? Did we hear that right? Apparently so because we all have the same surprised look on our faces. "Richard, what are you saying?" Mom asks as she recovers from the shock. "I'm saying I have a twenty-nine-year-old daughter named Autumn living somewhere in New York. And I need to find her." That is more than half of his life, how come he is only finding this out now? "It's Caroline's daughter, isn't it? There couldn't be anyone else." Mom says and Uncle Richard nods his head. "Who is Caroline?" The words roll off my tongue before I can stop myself. But I never knew this family to keep secrets from one another and curiosity is more than natural."Alex, that is a private matter that doesn't concern you," Mom says but Uncle Richard lifts his hand in the air for her to settle down. "It's alright Eloise, our parents are no longer with us. No one can stop us fr
I go back to my room and throw myself onto the bed as I scream into my pillow. If only I had the courage to tell him how I feel about him. If only I knew there was a chance of him feeling the same. But I can't risk losing him as a friend, and I can't put in jeopardy the friendship he has with Sasha or the relationship between the two families for something that might not work out in the end.If only loving him wasn't this easy. But there is not one thing not to love about him. Adam is sweet, kind, smart, generous, responsible, and loyal... he's always ready to step in and help, just like he is doing right now. The fact that I won't be able to see him for days makes me so sad, that he isn't just casually gonna come bring some papers for Uncle Richard to sign, or that he won't play golf with Sasha or tennis with me while my mother asks him questions like "When are you going to bring us a girlfriend?". If only she knew how much I dread his answer. Some days I wonder how much longer I wil
"Why... hmm, why dont we go sit down for a moment?" Adam says as he lets out a long breath of air while Uncle Richard nods his head and turns to walk back into the living room. Adam looks at me with a troubled expression and I know that the news he is bringing isn't the best. "Do you want me to join you?" I ask him as I gently touch his shoulder and he puts his palm over my hand. "Yes, please." Adam takes my hand and walks me with him, it is only as we reach the living room that he lets go of me and lets me go in first to take a seat next to my uncle."Come on Adam, just tell me did you find them?" Uncle Richard says impatiently as Adam sits across from us. "Uncle Richard I dont know how to tell you this... there really isn't an easy way to go about it..." Oh no, I think I know what he is having trouble saying out loud, and I can feel more sorry for the pain my uncle is about to experience. "Just tell me!" Uncle says, his voice cracking. He must know what is to come and all the hop
"You are getting better at this. For a second there you almost won." Adam says as our horses slow down and we ride side by side after the little race. "But you could never beat the master." If only he knew I was actually letting him win because winning wouldn't feel as good as seeing him brag and laugh by my side. "You never know, maybe I will surprise you one day." With more than just winning a simple horse race."Thank you for this... for taking the time to help me take my mind off of things." As if there was any other place I'd rather be than right here with you. "It was really hard for me to bring this news to Uncle Richard. I feel like I failed him." One could see just how personally he was taking this and just how much this was eating at him. "Hey, dont say that. You didn't fail him, finding a person when we have no idea what she looks like or where she went isn't easy, especially not in a town like New York." "It just feels like every road takes me to a dead end. She changed
Adam's POVSometime later...It turns out that Alex had a brilliant idea about tracking Autumn's bank account after I managed to pull it out of the medical records it took me some time to get a warrant in order to track it. But today I have it. And I have a new address. It seems that Autumn opened up her own cafe and I was just on my way there. I had a hard time deciding if I should call Uncle Richard right away but after the disappointment he lived the last time I won't tell him anything until I have his daughter in front of me. I wonder what she is like, and how she will react to the news I have to bring. Most of all I hope that she is a good person, the last thing I want is for someone to hurt the people I consider to be like my second family.As I pull up to the address where the cafe is supposed to be I notice something that immediately feels weird. The cafe was trashed, the windows were broken, the walls spray painted and the entry was practically destroyed. I get out of the c