I wasn't sure if seeing Atticus today was a good idea. I kept getting a bad feeling about it.
I knew I could trust him in the past, but now that he was back with Anya, I didn't think I could trust him anymore. He would do things in her favor, not mine. He would be thinking about her, not me.
"You don't have to go there tonight." My father tells me. "l know you think you have to be by Atticus's side because he's your husband, but I'm tired of seeing you get hurt because of his memory loss. We can finalize a divorce with his family, and you'll never have to see the Fawns again."
I sigh, they were the ones that got me into the marriage in the first place, and now they wanted to get me out of it?
I didn't want to divorce Atticus. I wanted him to remember me. I wanted to make him remember me. And nothing and no one would stop that from
happening.
"Atticus lost his memory while trying to save me. He got into an accident while chasing after the men that kidnapped me. Why would I leave him when he's going through the hardest part of his life?"
"I'm just suggesting it for your own good, Autumn." He tells me. "I know you may think that I'm being unreasonable, but I only care about you right now. His family is looking after him, they're putting his needs first. I'm trying to do the same for my daughter. We don't know if Atticus will ever regain his memories. And if he does, we don't know if he
will ever be the same. There are so much more things to worry about. If the Fawns find out who you really are, if they find out that we lied to them, your relationship with Atticus will have to end. I'm Just trying to protect you from all of that. I can see that you've already grown attached to him. I'm scared to see what will happen to you if you're
forced to let go of him for your own good."
Why does it have to end? Why would his parents separate us because of that lie?
I wasn't the one that lied. I never knew who I was until today. Were they that heartless to separate me from him because of that?
I hoped not. I thought the Fawns were nice, I thought that they were good people. I understood that they didn't like being lied to, but they liked me, at least, I hoped that they did.
Maybe if my parents asked for their forgiveness, perhaps then they would put this all behind us. I was hoping for a miracle at this point.
"I'm sorry we can't protect you from everything." My mother apologizes. "When your father and I decided to adopt you, we promised Aura that we would keep you safe. We promised her that we would keep you happy. I thought we were doing a good job at it until now. I'm so sorry, Autumn. I wish there were more that we could do for you."
It's not the first time that she's said this to me.
I hug her, "It's okay, mom. I know that you're trying your best. I know that these things are out of your control. It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself."
I wish they knew where my mother was. Or my siblings. Being around people that suffered the same faith as me would have made this a lot easier.
Unfortunately, I was separate from them, and it didn't look like I would ever be able to find them again in this life.
Even though I wanted to search for them, I knew I had to let them go, I was already in danger because I'd been found, and I didn't want anyone else to be in trouble because of me.
I would keep them safe in whatever ways I could. And right now, staying away from them was the best way to do that.
"Tell us if anything goes wrong." My mother tells me as they pull up to the Fawn's home.
I nod and promise her before getting out of the vehicle. They would come back for me later tonight. No one wanted me to drive without company. Just like they asked, the guards would be staying by the front entrance in case anything happened.
Apparently, my parents didn’'t even trust the Fawns around me. I've never seen them this terrified of anything before.
If l had any doubt of them loving me in the past, I didn't have it anymore. They were trying to protect me, and I loved them for it.
I understood why they were hesitant around the Fawns. They knew that the second that Atticus's parents saw my power, they would know the truth.
And since my power kept resurfacing recently, there's no telling who would be the next person to see it. I had no control, and as long as I had zero control, my life would be in danger. Not only my life but the lives of everyone around me as well.
I took a deep breath before I walked into the home that was once mine before Atticus lost his memory of us.
Everyone is already on the patio, waiting for me. It turns out that I was the last to arrive.
It doesn't help with my nervousness. I'm not sure what Atticus had planned, but I had to be prepared for the worst.
Anya's eyes narrowed the moment she saw me. From her reaction, I could tell that Atticus never told her that he had invited me over tonight.
Why did he keep it a secret from her?
I know Atticus, he would want to do everything to keep her happy.
Why did he invite me over, knowing how much she disliked me? Why did he invite me after what I almost did to her yesterday?
Nothing he was doing made any sense to me.
It kept pointing to one thing, and that was him exposing who I was to everyone else. At least Clarissa already knew the truth. Damon and Dante did as well.
I wasn't sure how much Clarissa had told them, but they did know more than everyone else present here.
Anya looked at Atticus, but he wasn't looking at her, his eyes were glued to me. My breath got stuck in my throat as his eyes grazed my body from top to bottom.
I can't remember the last time he looked at me like this. Like I was his, like I belonged to him.
"It's nice of you to join us, Autumn." His mother says as she hugs me.
I wish that they always remained this kind towards me. I didn't want their behavior towards me to change after they found out the truth.
"It's always a pleasure to have you visit us." His father says giving me a hug.
"You already know how happy you make me whenever you're around," Clarissa adds as she hugs me.
"Me too, " Griffin says while giving me a hug, while Dante and Damon only smiles and nods at me. Obviously because of Anya.
Atticus hadn't said a word to me while everyone else had taken the time to welcome me. Yet he was the one that had invited me. His actions only made me more worried.
What did Atticus invite me over for? What did he want from me? Was it really as bad as I thought it would be?
I wanted to hope that my Atticus was still in him, and if he were, he wouldn't do anything that could put my life in danger tonight. I knew that I was hoping for too much, but I was trying to stay positive despite every bad thing that had happened in my life recently.
"Is there a reason you wanted us here tonight?" Damon asks now that all of us are present.
"I had plans today," Griffin adds. "Whatever you have planned, I hope it's worth skipping the party I wanted to attend."
"It's worth it," Atticus assures him. "Trust me. Unlike the rest of you, I can be trusted. I keep my word."
We all got quiet after what he'd just said to us.
What did he mean by that? Did he not trust anyone here? Since when did Atticus not trust his family?
He's never made a comment like that in the past.
"Are you trying to say that you don't trust us?" His mother asks hesitantly.
He chuckles, "It's a joke. You guys need to lighten up a little. Look at your faces, some of you look like you've just seen a ghost."
That was his definition of a joke?
Nothing about that was funny, considering the big secret we were all keeping from him.
"So then, why are we here, son?" His father asks, he still hasn't given us a clear answer.
"We will get to that in a bit." He answers. "There is no need to rush. We have plenty of time tonight."
Why was he stalling it? What was he waiting for?
"You're acting a little weird." Clarissa points out.
"I have to agree with Clarissa for once," Anya adds.
"Are you sure you're okay, Atticus?" Dante asks.
I think everyone here can agree with them.
He laughs without any humor, "Am'i the one
Who's acting weird? Me? Yet no one thinks that anyone else present here tonight hasn't been acting suspicious the entire time my memory has been missing?"
"I don't understand what are you talking" His mother says, but l can see the fear in her eyes.
His parents were the ones that wanted to lie to him this entire time. I understood why they were doing it, but it didn't change the fact that it was indeed a lie.
We all realize this wasn't just some simple gathering that Atticus wanted with his family.
His words weren't matching his actions. He was angry even though he tried to mask it from the rest of us.
He was acting like he'd found out the truth about us. But that was impossible. There is no way thatAtticus knows unless he has regained his memories.
"Why is everyone so tensed?" He asks. "I'm trying to do something good tonight for the people that I trust the most in the entire world. There's plenty to eat and drink, don't let me stop you."
"Is there something that you'd like to say to us?" Dante asks.
"Yeah,You've been on edge the entire day with everyone. First, you disappeared last night without letting anyone know where you were, and now you're acting very strange. You already brought us
here, why can't you cut to the chase?" Damon says, frowning looking at Atticus.
Atticus sighs, "My dear brother. Brothers. Mother. Father. Sister. There's so much I want to ask, and so much I have to say, but the time will come. Please, enjoy the food in front of you first."
I noticed that he didn't mention Anya or me.
Were we not included in whatever he had to say? So then, why did he invite the both of us tonight?
"Atticus," Anya whispers. "If you don't want to talk to anyone else, then at least talk to me. Where did you go last night? Why are you not telling anyone?"
His eyes move from her to me, "I want to talk. But the person I want to talk to is her."
My lips part. He was looking directly at me. I held my breath as he took slow steps in my direction.
Was this where he told his entire family about what happened between Anya and me last night?
Since no one asked me any questions, I knew that neither he nor Anya had spoken a word about it. Maybe they were waiting for this exact moment to say what was on their mind.
Atticus doesn't stop until he's inches away from me, I'm still holding my breath when he takes my hand in his.
I gasped when he began rubbing his finger where my wedding ring used to be, the ring that he bought for me.
"Why aren't you wearing your ring?" He growls.