An Autumn to Remember: A Novel (Elmtown Series Book 1) by Joy Galloway Read Free Book Online Page B

it had better be something you really love,” she said.
       “So do you think you love medicine?”
       “I like it. I don’t know.”
       “I guess I’m not the only one in this room a little confused about what to do with their life then.”
       “I guess you’re not.” They laughed then she said, “I think its one of the things that attracted me to John. He is so clear about what he wants to do in the future. He has everything planned out. For him it’s so easy, this thing called adulthood. Amy, as crazy as she is, is like that too.”
       “So how did you guys meet?” He knew he shouldn't have asked.
       “You mean myself and John?” she asked.
    Jamie nodded.
       “We met at a bar in Soho, it’s a really nice part of the West End area in London. Anyway, I was sitting by myself having a glass of wine when suddenly this guy walks up to me and says ‘My friend over there thinks you’re cute, but I think you’re more than that. You’re incredibly beautiful.’ Apparently his friend had seen me first but he was kinda quicker. I noticed girls were staring towards our direction. I didn't know he was the son of someone significant. I didn't care about that anyways. He seemed nice and we started dating. He's not perfect or anything but he is really nice to me. We are still getting to know each other but so far so good. How about you? Who's the lucky girl?”
       “I haven’t met her yet.”
       They filled each other in on things that had been happening while she was away in England, people they had dated, places they had been. She told him about England, the ex-boyfriend who kept stalking her, prom night. Jamie also shared a few things he’d experienced and mentioned his time in South Korea teaching English as a foreign language just before college, but he didn’t go into any details. He had never ever told anyone the details of what happened while he was in South Korea, and even if he could summon the courage to tell her, this wasn’t the right time.
       “So you say your dad is in New Jersey indefinitely?”
       “Um...well you could say that.”
       “Aw, I know you’ll really miss him. I still remember how close you guys were.”
       “Yes we were. To be honest with you, we aren’t that close right now. My dad is presently separated from my mom. They aren’t divorced or anything but they aren’t together right now and I’m not talking to him because he crossed the red line.”
       “Wow, I’m so sorry. I wouldn’t have asked about him if I’d known.” He still remembered Chelsea’s mystic red line, the one you never dared cross. There was no forgiveness beyond the red line.
       “It’s OK. Like I said, he crossed the red line.”
       After all these years, she still had this principle of not forgiving anyone who did anything like cheat on her or someone she loved or did anything bordering on deception. Her father must have cheated on his wife. Jamie saw in her eyes that it was something that really hurt. He didn’t want to keep talking about something so private so he changed the subject.
     
     
    ***
     
       The cool evening breeze from the waters that surrounded Elmtown blew against Jamie’s face as he walked under the shadow of the rustling trees which lined the sidewalk. He checked the time on his phone. It was almost 6:30 p.m. He spent over five hours at Chelsea’s and could have stayed even longer, but he needed to go home and talk things out with his mom.
       Thoughts about the house followed him as he walked away from Chelsea’s house and crept up his back, again taking their place in his head.
       He got home at 6:45 p.m.
       “Mom, I’m home.”
    He was met with an awkward silence. The TV was left on but there was no sound coming from it. A torn envelope lay on the couch, a half-empty cup of water on a stool.
       “Mom?”
       He checked her room, nothing. He looked in the kitchen, his room, the guest room, then checked her