Dreams Or How I Live My Life in Daydreams

Wild World

"How did your study session go?"

Autumn had barely set her foot inside the doorstep when her mother bombarded her with question after question.

"What's their name? How long have you known them? Are you in the same classes together?"

Guilt gnawing at her for telling a lie earlier, she warred with her conscience. Truth won out. Giving the door a gentle push, it closed behind her with a click.

She drew a breath. "Their name is Maddox. I've known him since middle school. We're in Mr. Axel's Language Arts class."

Untying her ketchup-stained apron, her mother draped it over the retro reclining chair. It's seen better days. The upholstery flattened from Ace trampling on it like a springboard and their puppy-that they couldn't keep because Autumn became allergic to pet dander—used the legs as a chewing toy.

Abby quirked her lips. "He," she said.

Autumn groaned. "It's not like that! He's just a classmate."

Her eyes crinkling, Abby grinned. "I'm just teasing you."

Autumn shucked off her jacket and draped it alongside her mother's apron on the chair.

"Where's dad and Ace?"

"Your dad won money on a scratch-off so he and your brother went to the store to buy some goodies and pick up a movie for our movie night."

Stifling a yawn, she dragged her hand through her untidy hair, from the day's earlier activity, no doubt. "I'm gonna take a shower before they get back."

She took two steps then backtracked. "I left your dinner on the table wrapped in aluminum foil. You'll need to heat it in the microwave."

"Okay," Autumn replied. Holding her breath, she watched her mother ascend the staircase. One time, she missed a step and ended up with a twisted ankle while attempting to break the fall.

When she reached the landing and turned the corner, Autumn exhaled and made her way to the kitchen.

Just as her mother said, the foil-wrapped ceramic plate was on the table. Autumn picked it up and felt underneath it. It was still warm. Though full from having eaten at the restaurant, she didn't want to waste the food.

She removed the foil. Her mother prepared ketchup glazed meatloaf and mashed potatoes drenched in gravy. Grabbing a fork from off the dish stand, she sat down and ate.

A couple of minutes later, the walls vibrated from the rumbling of a screeching muffler. Her dad and brother had returned from their outing. Swallowing the last of the mashed potatoes, she rose from the chair and rinsed her plate off in the sink.

Footsteps padded up the steps. The front door swung open. Her brother's shrill voice infused the quiet space. "I want to watch Endgame first. You can watch Shazam afterward!"

"We're watching Shazam first," Ashton said, laughing, barely able to get out the words. "Oh, yeah," the boy replied. "Yeah," the man said, ribbing the boy. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Boys," Abby said from the top of the steps joining in on the fray.

Listening to the banter, Autumn shook her head. Her brother and father, similar in personalities, drew people to them like magnets. People like them lit up a room with their presence.

Why didn't she have that kind of appeal? She could count on her finger the number of friends she had. Was she unapproachable? What was she lacking? Why did her presence invite ridicule and scorn?