Autum's Lost (A letting go series) (22 page)

“You better get a move on its three thirty.” I hold out my hand for Michael to take and he kisses it before he stands.

“Yes, I better get going,” he says as he stretches. I look over at Jess.

“I will be right back.”

Jess winks.
“Take your time, just keep the moaning to a quiet hum.”

I shake my head and laugh once.
“For you bestie, anything.”

I walk out to the garage with Michael. When we get to his car he turns and holds me close.

“Be careful beautiful, text me when you get there and if there are any problems call me.” I kiss him and place my head against his chest.

“I will, I promise.” I breathe him in and it relaxes me. I look up at him and his lips softly touch mine
. As his kiss goes deeper, he pulls me to him. I wrap my arms around him. Breaking the kiss, I place my head in the crook of his neck.

“I love you Michael, please drive safe.” Hugging me hard before releasing me he softly looks at me.

“I love you so much Addy. Every day with you is a blessing. I will drive safe and I will think of you until I see you later.” I pull away and he grabs my hand to kiss it. I smile and he winks at me as he gets into his car.

I walk back into the house to Jess who is talking to Skyler on the phone, she doesn’t hear me and her back is to my front so I stop and listen to the conversation.

“Yes, yes, I promise not to do that again. I thought you liked it? Well maybe you should have told me that before I bought the gel.” I place my hand over my mouth and try my hardest to do silent laughing “You know it doesn’t taste like ice cream. If it did I would do it all day! So will you do it? Fine, I promise to do it. Yes I am lying, just get your ass over there! Fine. I love you, bye.” As soon as she hangs up I burst out laughing. Jess turns around in the chair smirking.

“You better be worth me swallowing bitch!” I start crying laughing.

“Oh, fuck Jess.” I am still laughing trying to catch my breath. “Maybe you can do a porn star move of cum face. That way you don’t have to swallow.” I start laughing again. Jess gets up out of the chair and is laughing as well.

“No, I like my face, his
jizz gives me a rash.” I stop laughing and wipe the tears out of my eyes.

“Oh Jesus
, did you just say jizz?” Jess smiles and nods her head yes. ”Well I don’t know what to say then, I guess you pretend it’s ice cream or rash face.” I am smiling again and trying to hold back the laughter.

“I will bite the bullet for not getting rash face. You, and only you
, are worth the swallowing.”

I
giggle. “Well that’s good to know. I’m sure Magic appreciates it as well.”

“He better! This is a once a year thing for him.” I look at Jess with a surprised look.

“He only gets head once a year?” Jess starts laughing.

“No, of course not. He gets head at least five times a week. I was referring to swallowing. That’s his once a year deal.” I am smiling ear to ear.

“Well I am glad to be his reward for the year.”

“He told me to tell you thank you, he was getting nervous about it not happening.”

“I wish it was under different circumstances, but tell him he is welcome.” Jess shakes her head and rolls her eyes. Walking over to grab her purse she states.

“Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” I look over at her my eyes widen and we both burst out laughing.

“Okay, but no swallowing, deal?” Jess is still laughing.

“Deal!”

I ride with Jess over to my house and call my mom to let her know that Rissa is coming over after her shift. Pulling into the driveway I look at my house and it feels empty. The happiness I used to have is gone. I have no reason to be here any longer. It feels foreign and cold. Jess looks over at me.

“You ok
ay, sweetie? You look lost.” I look down at my fingers.

“I don’t belong here anymore
, Jess, There is nothing here for me. I have memories of Auty.” A tear slides down my cheek. “That’s all I have now, and this place is empty and makes me feel alone.”

Jess takes
my hand. “I am here and we will do this together. Michael is your future, Addy, and now that you have had time with him, your heart knows that as well. Autum’s memories are yours and nothing can take them away. This is just a house, no longer a home. Your home is with Michael.”

Another tear slides down.
“You’re right. My home is with Michael and I will be damned if Curt fucks that up!” I look over at Jess and hug her. Skyler pulls up just as I get out of the SUV. Running over to me he picks me up and hugs me tightly.

“You are the best friend in the whole world.” I burst out laughing. Jess comes around and punches him in the arm.

“Get off her psycho” Skyler let go of me and plants a huge kiss on Jess.

“That’s just a warm up little lady.” Walking away he is laughing and Jess is shaking her head.

“Like I said only for you!” I wink at her.

“Roger that!” I mock salute her and start to the front door. Skyler is behind me carrying boxes and Jess is behind him. I get to the door and put the key in but the door isn’t locked. The wood around the door handle has been busted and the door is slightly ajar. Skyler comes up behind me and stops, dropping the boxes. I just stand there looking at the lock. I feel arms wrap around me and pull me away from the door. I look over at Jess
, who is looking at Skyler and me.

“What? What is going on?” Looking confused she backs up to the cars and Skyler stands next to me holding on to me. I look at Jess.

“The door, it’s broken.” Jess looks at Skyler and nods once. She whips out her phone and dials 911. I look at my phone contemplating texting Michael. I know he has work to do and this is just another fucking Curt mess.

Walking over to the SUV I look at Skyler.
“I hate him.”

Skyler looks at me and shakes his head yes.
“I do too Addy. He doesn’t want you happy, he’s not, and so you shouldn’t be.” I look away and cross my arms.

“He wrote me a letter.
He said he couldn’t have me with another man, especially if that man is Michael.” Jess walks over to us.

“Cops are on their way. They asked me if you had any enemies and I said no, she has an almost ex-husband that is a coke head psycho.”
I rub my hands down my face.

“Figures he would do this. Michael installs new locks and a new patio door so he can’t get in and I am sure that threw him into a rage.” I look down the street and see flashing lights. They pull into my driveway and two officers get out and walk over to us. Looking at me.

“Are you Addison Baxter?”

“Yes”

“Is this your home?”

“Yes.”

“Does anyone else reside with you in the home, ma’am?”

“No, it’s just me.”

“Okay, I am Officer Austin and this is my partner Officer Darcy. We are going to go in and have a look around to make sure no one is still inside. Is this the only entrance into the home?”

“No, there is a back Patio door, but it’s up on a deck so I don’t think they could get in that way.”

“Officer Darcy will go around the back and check for forced entry. I will assess the front door damage and then we will go in together and sweep the house to make sure no one is here. The detectives should be here in any minute and they will want to ask you some questions.” I shake my head yes and watch Officer Darcy as he walks around the house.

Jess comes over to me and hugs me. “It’s going to be just fine. I know that rat bastard Curt did this.”

I sigh and shake my head. “It’s bad enough that he is walking around in plain sight and I can’t see him, but now this!” I point to the house. Jess nods.

Skyler comes around and stands in front of us. “I just talked to C.J and filled him in on the whole Curt drama
.”

I tilt my head with questioning
eyes. “Who is C.J?”

S
kyler chuckles, “That would be Officer C.J Austin at the front door and Officer Patrick Darcy around the back. They are a couple and play on my baseball team.”

Jess laughs
, “Like a real life cuff ‘em and stuff ‘em team.”

Skyler looks unamused.
“No, not like that. Though I am sure Patrick uses the cuffs now and then. They love each other and plan on having a life commitment ceremony next year.”

I smile.
“Well hopefully they won’t think I am a basket case after they hear the story of my fucked up love life.”

Jess rolls her eyes. “The only fucked up person here is Curt. You have a good man Addy, which reminds me, did you text him?”

I throw back my head and sigh loudly. “NO, I have not, he’s at work, the cops are here, and he doesn’t need another Addy drama going on right now.”

Jess glares at me.
“Call him now or I will.”

Skyler laughs.
“Better do what she says, Addy, or her call to Michael will not be rainbows and lollipops.”

Jess looks at me with her don’t fuck with me stare.

“Fine, fucker, I am calling him now, are you happy?”

Jess smiles and hugs me.
“That’s a good girl, Addy.”

I giggle
“You are still a twat.”

Jess smirks.
“And you are still my twatwaffle.”

I walk over to the garage door away from Jess and Skyler and dial Michael’s number, it goes to voice mail so I leave him a quick message.

“Hey, it’s me I’m at the house with Jess and Skyler,” I pause and clear my throat. “Curt was here, at some point. The door lock was broken when we got here. We have the police here and the detectives are on their way so don’t come over till you are done; we are safe. I love you.”

I hang up just
as a black SUV pulls up on the street curb. I see an older gentleman and a younger one making their way up my driveway. The older gentleman walks up to me, I notice his partner has a briefcase in one hand and a camera in the other.

“Are you Addison Baxter?”

“Yes”

“I am detective Adam Johnston and this is my partner Scott Bradly.” I shake both of their hands.

“I’m sure you have a million questions for us.” I nod vigorously. “Let us get a report from the officers inside and then we can discuss our next step.”

“Ok
ay.” They walk over to the house and Officer Austin comes out. They exchange words and curious looks and look back over at me. Detective Johnston waves me over and I walk towards them, Jess and Skyler follow me.

“Mrs. Baxter
, does anyone else have access to this residence?”

“No, no one. I am divorcing my husband and he has been told in the restraining order not to come
within 500 feet of the house.” They look between each other.

Officer Austin looks at me sympathetically.
“I was here the day he punched you, Mrs. Baxter. I am glad to see you are still here with us; that was a very tense situation for all.” I look away and shake my head yes.

Jess
grabs my hand and looks at the officers. “So where do we go from here?” Officer Darcy comes out of the house and gives the all clear and the detectives go inside.

Officer Austin looks at his partner and then back at me.
“Mrs. Baxter.”

I cut him off
. “Please, Addy, call me Addy. I am no longer Mrs. Baxter, well in my heart I’m not.”

Officer D
arcy nods and clears his throat. “There was forced entry on the front door as you saw when you got here. I saw nothing from the back. We are going to go in the house now, but I need to warn you there is a lot of damage.”

I grab Jess’s hand and squeeze harder, chanting in my head
:
not Autum’s room, not Autum’s
room
. As we enter I hear the clicking of a camera off in the distance. The living room looks like a tornado hit it. The TV smashed with the baseball bat still in it. Spray paint on the walls in red with the words whore and slut. The pictures of Autum are missing and my heart starts to race. I look at Jess.

“He took the pictures of her
, Oh My God! Her room!” I run down the hallway and get to her bedroom and stop at the door. It’s ajar and I feel the bile raise in my throat.

Officer Darcy comes up behind me.
“I just checked in here, the door was closed when I got in here the only thing that looks out of place are the sheets, look like they have been slept in.”

The tears start.
“He trashes my house and sleeps in our daughter’s bed! Can I go in here please?”

“Let me ask the detectives, ok
ay?” I shake my head yes and a minute later Detective Bradly comes in with his camera. He shoots what feels like a million pictures and then gives the okay. I walk in and see everything is still the same as it was the day she died. Jess and Skyler come in behind me and then I see Michael and I start sobbing. He rushes to my side and holds me. I start to settle down and Jess and Skyler give us a moment alone.