Autumn Leaves by Barbara Winkes Read Free Book Online

know. Can’t you just give me a couple of weeks more?”
    There was a moment of silence, then Asha asked, “Are you okay?”
    “Sure I am,” Callie said, cautious of Asha’s attempt to get information. “The people of the town are all very nice so far.”
    “Anyone in particular?”
    “By very nice I mean they leave me be which is exactly what I need!” Her words had come out a lot more testily than Callie had them intended to, and of course Asha wasn’t stupid.
    “Something’s on your mind, darling.”
    “Something’s always on my mind. I’m a writer, remember?”
    “Yeah, there’s that. I sense trouble though.”
    Callie sighed. “Don’t leave your day job, will you? You suck as a medium.”
    “Is she in the closet?”
    “Asha, leave me alone. I write eight hours a day. I fall into bed at 2:00 a.m., I dream about those characters, I get up at nine and start over again. It’s a wonderful life.”
    “Aw, baby.”
    “Don’t call me names.”
    “I’m coming over this weekend,” Asha decided. “I’ve been told to check on your progress, and that’s exactly what I’m gonna do. Can’t wait to see you!”
    “But—”
    Callie stared at the phone incredulously, shaking her head though there was no one to see it. She hadn’t quite answered Rebecca’s question when they’d met in church. The truth was, she did believe in God, and that He was laughing at people’s plans. He should be fairly amused right now.
    Across the street, a car parked and little Maggie emerged from the passenger’s seat, another mom bringing her home from school. Callie watched her with a misplaced sense of longing. She’d never wanted children though she was writing books for them every now and then. Maybe that was more for an inner child who was still searching. The answers she got as a real child remained sketchy.
    When she came to Autumn Leaves, Callie thought she had finally found a home, a temporary one at least. Asha’s call had rattled her, reminding her that she probably could not hide out here forever. Asha got it all wrong. Callie wasn’t looking for a relationship. She knew that you couldn’t live in a town like this without forming alliances. It was helpful, and convenient to have neighbors who had welcomed her. She valued Rebecca’s friendship because it was the safest she’d felt in some time. There wasn’t anything else. There couldn’t be. If that wasn’t true, she’d lie to her own face in the mirror as long as she had to.
    When the bell rang, she all but ran to answer it. So much for pretending. Callie was reminded of the day she’d opened the door, intent on giving the unreliable small-town plumber a piece of her mind, only to find her neighbor with a housewarming gift. Rebecca, beautiful and clueless, a mother of two. Callie knew she couldn’t allow her mind to go to all the places it longed to, but at least she could be excited about spending an afternoon with her new friend.
    Unexpectedly, Callie found a smiling Maggie on her doorstep, followed by Rebecca who looked apologetic. It wasn’t what Callie had envisioned, but the girl was agreeable as far as eight-year-olds were concerned, so she didn’t mind. Not too much anyway.
    “Callie, I’m so sorry. I’ve got a big favor to ask.”
    “Whatever you need.” The words rolled off her tongue too easily.
    “Dina just called. I need to pick her up, like, an hour ago. She’s with a friend who lives out of town, obviously it’s horrible, and she needs to come home this moment. David left this morning and...I was wondering if Maggie could stay just for a couple of hours?”
    “Oh. Sure.” Callie didn’t know what else to say. She made an effort not to let her disappointment show. The prospect of babysitting scared her quite a bit, but then again, Maggie wasn’t that little. Surely the time could be filled with homework and a movie?
    “Rain check on the girls’ afternoon?”
    “Of course. I’ll see you two later then. You’re the