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I joined Autumn and Connor outside. Connor sat on the back porch steps. Autumn stood a little ways away in the grass, her back to us.
“Is Mom freaking out?” Connor asked. His earlier bravado was gone now. His voice was dull and drained out.
“A little,” I said, my eyes on Autumn. “I told her I’d do it with you.”
Autumn whipped around. “You’ll what?”
Connor shook his head. “No. You don’t have to—”
“I put the damn idea in your head. And I need to pay for my last year at Amherst. I was probably going to sign up anyway. Seemed like my best bet. So, we’ll do it together.”
Autumn stared at us both, then turned her back again.
“Jesus, Wes.” Connor sighed again, blowing his cheeks out. But I knew him. It was relief in that heavy exhale.
He needs me.
“It’ll be good, right? It’s a good thing to serve our country.”
“Of course it is.
” A small laugh escaped me. “You are one crazy motherfucker. You realize what this means?”
“We’re going to Boot Camp,” Connor said, and his grin was back.
“Fucking Boot Camp,” I said. “It’s going to suck so hard for you.”
“Me? I’m going to keep track how many times the drill instructor tells you to drop and give him fifty to get that smirk off your face.”
Autumn turned, her arms crossed tightly though I didn’t think it was against the cold. She started for the house.
Connor reached for her hand. “Hey,” he said. “Hey…”
She kept out of his reach. “I’m sorry I wasn’t a better help to you with your parents,” she said, her voice thick.
He stood, cut off her path, and pulled her into his arms. He tilted her chin up. “You were. You did a good thing for me. No girl’s stood up to them like that. It meant a lot to me.”
Tears filled her eyes and I averted my gaze.
“I’m scared,” she whispered. “For both of you.”
He pulled her in close, held her tight and stroked her hair.
“I’d like to go back to Amherst now,” she finally said. “I’ll take a bus if you want to stay.”
“No, we can go. This visit is over with a capital O.”
She nodded. “Good. I’ll just go pack.”
Autumn went back inside, and Connor turned to me.
“I hate that she’s scared, but it’s too late for me. Not too late for you.” His tone was sober now. “What about track?”
I shrugged. “The offers aren’t pouring in.”
“But you’re so fast.”
“I’ll be the fastest one at Boot Camp.”
