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Not Shirleys.
That’s what she said. Autumn hoped the woman wasn’t lying.
She couldn’t take any more lies.
Stella snagged another bottle of Powerade off the end of the counter and with one arm still around Autumn, guided her down the hallway to a partially open door at the end.
She kept her voice low when she asked, “Why are they fighting? Is that who beat Sig up?”
“No. It wasn’t him. They just...” Stella inhaled a loud breath, closing the door behind them. “They need to work a few things out, that’s all.”
“About me.”
“No, Red. About a lot of things.”
Red.
“My name isn’t Red.” Autumn stared at the big bed. It was messy, a thin quilt in a pile on the floor, the sheets tangled. The pillows not lined up neatly.
But it was a bed.
A bed.
And it looked as good as that plate of food, if not better.
She felt her eyes begin to burn.
Again.
“I know. Are you going to tell me what it is?”
That got Autumn’s attention back on the woman, who had been nothing but kind and helpful to her.
“Do you want me to change the sheets? I don’t know if he has another set. But he can be a pig.”
“No... It’s fine... I...” It was a million times better than where she’d been sleeping for the last year. She sat on the edge and ran her hand over the cool sheets. The mattress was so soft.
Her eyes got heavy and the thought of getting some sleep actually made her yawn.
“Get in. Do you want to wear your leggings? They don’t look very comfortable since they don’t fit over your... stomach. Maybe sleep in just the T-shirt.” Stella lifted a finger. “Hang on... Let’s see if Sig has any clean boxers.” Stella went over to the dresser and began to pull open drawers. “Jesus. This man needs a keeper.” She held up a pair of boxer briefs. “I don’t think these will fit much better. I can grab you panties at Walmart later today. I didn’t think you’d want to wear any of mine.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“Yeah, you said that, Red. We can pay for a few essentials. Until we figure out... Until things get settled.”
Autumn worried about telling Stella her real name, so she didn’t know why she did it. Maybe because she really needed to trust someone. Anyone at this point. And the woman, a complete stranger, was being kinder than she needed to be. “Autumn. My name. I’m not a teenager like your ol’ man said.”
“Autumn,” Stella repeated, gripping the underwear in her fist, then moving to the bed and putting them on the nightstand. “Just in case you want to try to wear them. Autumn,” she repeated. “I like that. And I didn’t think you were a teenager. But right now, you’re so thin... You look really young.”
Autumn had no idea what she looked like. She hadn’t looked into a mirror in a long time. And while in the bathroom, she’d avoided it. But she wouldn’t be able to avoid it forever. Especially since the seed had made her use the bucket in the corner a lot in the last few weeks.
“And Sig tends to like...” Stella didn’t finish that sentence. “Doesn’t matter. That’s Sig’s issue, not yours. Right now you just need to get some rest. I’m going to do my best to get one of my doctors over here to take a look at you. Just to make sure you and your... you are all right.”
“I can’t pay for a doctor, either.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just rest for now. We can worry about that later.”
Sig planted his boots wide apart, and faced off with his brother. “You scared the fuck outta her.”
“I don’t even know who the fuck she is. And what’d I say about keepin’ women here in the bunkhouse?”
“First of all, this ain’t the bunkhouse, it’s my goddamn apartment—”
“Above the bunkhouse, which means part of the fuckin’ bunkhouse, Sig.”
Sig kept talking over his brother, “And I only found her this mornin’, brother.”
Trip’s brown eyes went wide. “You found her? What d’you mean you fuckin’ found her?”
Sig opened his mouth, but snapped it shut when Stella came rushing out to where they were standing. Trip’s ol’ lady was not wearing a happy face. Not at fucking all. None of them were. “Get outside, now. Autumn needs rest. You two go do what you need to do, but not in here.”
“Autumn?” Trip spun back to Sig, his jaw tight. “She one of those fuckin’ Amish girls?”
“Her name is Autumn?” Sig asked Stella.
“You didn’t know her goddamn name and you’re fuckin’ her?” Trip’s brows dropped low. “Also, still waitin’ on a good answer why you’re in Sig’s apartment, Stel.”
Stella rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Because she needed help.”
“From what? Escapin’ Sig? ‘Cause it’s certainly too late for her to get rid of that kid.”
