Autumn

Chapter 7: Ungrateful

Autumn was humming, rather off tune to Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" in the front seat of my car. It was the first song that played when I turned on the radio after I'd pick her up... what a coincidence. I had kissed a girl and I had liked it very much.

At about 10:30 this morning, she called me, asking me to pick her up from her hotel. Apparently she had been left alone there.

"Have you eaten," I asked glancing at her figure. She was dressed in black jeans and another band t shirt; One Republic this time. Her feet, clad in black high top converse were crossed at the ankles on the dashboard.

"Nope," she replied sweetly. It was obvious that she was in a good mood, her cheeks rosy and emerald eyes twinkling. Her hair was braided at the nape of her neck and hung over her shoulder, leaving her extra piercings visible: aside from the lower lobe piercings on both ears, her left ear had two upper cartilage rings.

"Then you won't mind having breakfast with me?" I hope she didn't hear the anticipation in my voice. I wanted to spend more time with her. She was practically a stranger to me and I'd kissed her; I assume I had broken some rule by doing that.

"I'd love to Jessie," she replies and I grin at her, probably with too much enthusiasm. Her answering grin is just as dazzling.

"So this means I'll finally get to see what your house looks like?"

I laugh, "I guess so."

"And you're gonna make us breakfast?"

"Yes, I am. Gosh, don't sound so shocked. I've been cooking for my mother and I since I was nine." Common misconception. Yes, some men can cook; quite well actually.

"Ooh. Does that mean I'll get to meet her? You're mom I mean?"

"Um, I guess so." If only she knew. Wanting to change the topic, I decided to ask about her parents. "You know you never told me what you and your parents are doing here in New Orleans. I mean almost 3 weeks; that's pretty long for a normal vacation," I ask, keeping my eyes on the road. Most of the inner city was blurring past us now as we crossed over into a more rural area.

"Business trip, as usual," she murmurs. "They're executives; my father merged his family's company with the company my mother inherited from her family and they've been running it together ever since they were married.

"Really? What does their company specialize in?"

"Mostly manufacturing helicopters and aero-plane electronics."

"Wow."

She sighs loudly, "Yeah, its a pretty lucrative business. They're here on a regional conference; you know, meet with competitors and potential customers. They do this at least 4 times a year. And if they're not dragging me to a conference, they're taking to their annual visits to their factories." She was scowling, her forehead wrinkling slightly. I had the feeling she didn't particularly like her parents line of work.

"You don't sound very approving of their work."

"Its not that, its just- there are some things I wish they would change."

"Like what?" I had a feeling I knew exactly where this conversation was going. Unbeknownst to Autumn, we'd pulled in front of my place and I put the car in park. The hush of the bayou at almost midday was unsettling.

    "I just wish they'd spend more time with me," she mumbles, taking her feet down from atop the dashboard. She seems shy all of a sudden; playing with her fingernails with her head hung low.