Luck & Intuition

MUFFLING VOICES WERE echoing in Autumn’s head. Her eyes were refusing to open but she needed to see where and who the voices were coming from. A tight grip didn’t allow her to move easily. Autumn forced her eyes open to see blurry figures in the distance of the door. She blinked rapidly finally making an outline of Storm and Kevin.

“This is cute.” Storm snickered and pointed her finger at the three bodies lying on the bed. Autumn move her head to see Joe on her one side and Ella close to her stomach. She raised her hand with her middle finger in the air towards Storm. “Rude.”

“You’re work called; they said that they need you in for a bit today.” Kevin said.

“Kay.” Autumn’s voice was raspy and completely dry. The door fell closed as Kevin dragged away Storm. Autumn managed to turn in Joe’s grip and pecked his lips lightly. “Joe.” He groaned, burying his face into the pillow. She giggled lightly. “I have to go into work for a bit...”

“Why?” He whined.

“I have an important client coming in today that I forgot about.” She sighed as he released her. Autumn got up and walked into the master bedroom to sort through her clothes for the day. She wasn’t in the mood to be working. Rushes of emotions were overwhelming her with what occurred last night. She didn’t want to leave Ella, but she knew that Ella was in good hands and Miranda was locked away until trial day.

“You have nothing to worry about.” Joe’s words startled her from behind. Autumn jumped slightly, taking her gaze off of Ella Mae that had woken up and started playing with Elvis in the living room. “I’m going to protect her.”

“I know. I suppose I’m just being a mother and worry about my daughter.” Autumn laughed shallowly. “And everything is hitting me now that this is a reality and I have to watch over her every move until she becomes independent.”

“You can’t hound her, A.” Joe walked over and picked up Ella, bringing to back to Autumn. “Mommy has to go to work now.”

“I’ll be back later.” Autumn mustered up the best smile she could and placed a kiss on Ella’s cheek. Ella nodded, reaching out for Nick as soon as he entered the living room. Nick took Ella, smiling lightly at Joe and Autumn before leaving the room. “I’m going to call in whenever I can.”

Joe sighed. “Autumn...”

“Just let me worry, please? I know everything is going to be fine but just let me worry.”

“Okay, fine.” Joe picked up her bag and handed it to her, unlocking the front door. “No matter what, I’m going to protect and her. I love you, both of you.”

-&&-

Autumn tapped her pen down onto the papers in front of her. Her office was quite with only her thoughts clouding her mind. Everything was changing, changing quickly. Everything was happening so fast and Autumn couldn’t seem to catch up with everything and everyone. Kevin and Taylor were having a baby, Nick and Storm were just so perfect for each other that it made Autumn sick to her stomach. And her boyfriend who bluntly admitted he loved her was watching her daughter.

“Autumn.” Lily knocked on her door with her knuckles. “Victoria’s going to be here in a half hour.” Autumn nodded, shuffling the papers on her desk. “Is everything alright? Your mind seems to be somewhere else.”

“Yeah, there’s just been something’s going on right now...”

“Is everything okay between you and Joe?” Lily walked in and sat down in the chair.

“Everything’s fine. Everything’s better than fine, he’s amazing. He really is.” Autumn stood up, pacing around the room. “He’s good with Ella, too.”

“So...?”

“When I was leaving for work today he told me that he loved me, and I was completely caught off guard. I didn’t know what to say to him. I mean, we’ve only been dating for what like three months?”

“Actually it’s five months on Friday.” Lily corrected. Autumn blinked and started laughing. “Sorry, it was just marked on your planner when you two actually got together.”

“It’s okay, Lily.” Autumn walked over to her open planner and traced her finger around the small box located on Friday. “Has it really been that long?” Lily nodded. “Huh... I’d usually break if off within the first month.”

“Perhaps Joe’s different.”

“He is...” The monitor on her computer coincidentally flashed a picture of Joe and Ella, then another of Joe and Kevin. She sighed, slumping down in her chair. “It’s just... I judged him so hard when we first met and pushed him away when little did I know I needed him the most.”

“Then why don’t you just apologize?”

“What am I suppose to say? ‘Hey Joe, remember months ago when I was a complete bitch to you? Yeah, well, I’m sorry now. I didn’t mean it’. He’s going to think of my as an idiot.”

“If he told you that he loves you and has been with you and has accepted Ella into his life, I highly doubt he will think of you as an idiot, Autry.”

Autumn stared at Lily. “Why are you so damn smart? I hate it, but love you.”

Lily snickered, standing up. “So when are you going to tell him that you love him?”

“What?”

“Oh, Autry,” Lily rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “It’s written all over your face and your heart. When he calls here, you’re literally on the phone for an hour. He texts you during an important meeting, you risk everything and text him back. You get an email and your lips are in a permanent smile for days to come.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Everything.”

Autumn shook her head. “I’ve been through this scene before, Lily, its all cliché. I don’t want to fall too hard, too fast just so in the end I’m going to cry my heart out with smash pictures frames on the floor. Just because he’s caring, and loving, and funny, and smart...” Autumn trailed off with a smile.

“Ohhh, you got it bad!” Lily droned out with a wide smile. “Look at that ridiculous smile on your face. So when you to get married, I’m being the wedding planner.”

“Lily!” Autumn started laughing. “We’re not getting married, I’m not in lo—“. She paused, looking down at the new text message on her phone. She picked up her phone and scanned over the message.

From: Joe Jonas
12:31 P.M. 08/17/10
‘How long will I be waiting,
to be with you again?
I wanna tell you that I love you
in the best way that I can.
<3’

Autumn started to giggled slightly, pressing her fingers to the phone to create her own message.

“Maybe aloud you won’t say it, but you definitely are in love with him.” Lily’s voice was hushed from the doorway. Autumn looked up, seeing her smile softly. Lily walked out of the office, shutting the door behind her.

Autumn set her phone down and slumped down into her chair. She stared at the computer monitor watching the pictures flash by with her friends, Ella and even Aiden. She laughed as a few crazed pictures caught her eye then suddenly got pushed away by another. They always say when one door closes, another one opens. Maybe this was Aiden’s way of protecting her since he wasn’t around anymore. Maybe he sent Joe to protect her and Ella Mae. It was all just a big cycle that she didn’t want to break for Aiden’s sake.

Or was this whole situation too good to be true? Was everything just a test to see if she could make it out alive, or face heartbreak again? No, everything happens for a reason, that’s what Autumn always believed in. It wasn’t going to get any better than this; it wasn’t going to get any better than having Joe in her life. It was time to make it or break, and she wanted to make it. There is no room for dancing around the situation when there’s a clear answer right in front of her eyes.

Autumn was in love with Joe but why couldn’t she just admit it?

“Autumn, Victoria Beckham’s here.” Lily spoke through the speaker. Autumn jumped, quickly packing up her things to go down to the conference room. “Autumn?”

“Thank you, Lily.” Autumn held down the button to reply then let go. She sighed, “Make it or break it.”

-&&-

Autumn sat on the swing set, the wind gently swaying the swing. The moon had risen and it hung like a locket in the sky. She clenched her glass of red wine close to her chest taking only small sips every now and then. The pool lights were the only sign of light other than the lights on in the house. But she didn’t want to be in the house while the boys were watching the baseball game. Autumn wanted to hear the crickets purr their annoying, yet soothing sound.

The sound of the back door sliding open didn’t seem to tear Autumn away from her thoughts of the day. She side glanced, seeing Storm taking the empty spot next to Autumn on the swing.

“Lily called me earlier.” Autumn glanced down at her wine. “And I have to agree with her. You may now say it aloud, but the look on your face, Autry, when you’re with him... I’ve never seen it before. You’re not that bitchy anymore.”

“Your pep talks are horrible, Storm.” Both of them started laughing. “But I know, I’ve noticed too.”

“Just don’t bottle anything up, alright?” Autumn nodded. Storm slapped her hand down onto her thighs. “Nick and I are going to head out. Yankees are winning by the way, maybe it’s a sign to tell Joe.”

“You’re the worst!”

“I try.”