December Stained in Autumn

It was a snowy December night when Autumn’s life changed forever. It was the night of her school’s Christmas Banquet. It was a pleasant evening. Christmas carols were playing softly; holiday cheer and spirit were every where to be seen; the sweet aroma of sugar cookies baking and cooling drifted through the house; a fire lit in the fireplace and dancing around the wood logs; decorations hung and sat on shelves. Outside, homes lined up in rows like doll houses with colorful lights fitted to them. Brick chimneys stood tall releasing puffs of smoke into a navy blue starry night sky that was glazed over with a thin sheet of white clouds. Dinners were roasting in warm ovens as children set the table or ran freely around the house with family plans to later hang ornaments on the tall Christmas trees. Trees stood with red and green patched and quilted skirts around their bark, freshly cut and brought inside and out of the cold winter weather. This was December in Newark, Delaware. This was the month, the season, the holidays that Autumn Kenison looked forward to, loved, and lived for.

Autumn was a junior in high school. She attended a private high school and challenged herself with Honors and Advanced Placement classes. She strived to be the best she could be and therefore worked hard for her grades. She was a straight-A student; very assiduous. She was a young lady. She would wake up at five-o-clock sharp, shower, go through her morning beauty routine, and then leave for school at six-forty, arriving perfectly on time for her first hour that started at seven-fifteen, with minutes to spare to socialize since Autumn was quite the social butterfly. At the end of the day, she stayed after to attend clubs, for she was the leader of several, and then drove home afterwards to begin homework followed by piano lessons. She managed her time carefully and made room for friends and neighbors in her busy schedule. On top of all her daily lifestyle, she cooked dinner for her family and managed all household chores such as laundry, dishes, dusting, vacuuming, etcetera. Indeed Miss Kenison lived a busy life, every day well thought out and planned. Some would say she had the ideal life. She was perfect at first glimpse. Only few had the opportunity to see the depth to Autumn. Only few knew that Autumn was missing one of the main things important to life. She made time for almost everyone and almost everything, and yet she didn’t know, didn’t have one thing; love.

But this frosty December night in Newark changed Autumn. She sat in her room on a cushioned bench in a long blue gown, looking back at herself in her mirror with hearts that bordered along it. She applied a bit a blush, a stroke of mascara, and glossed her lips. She heard the doorbell ring from her room. Autumn stood up and walked down the stairs gracefully. It was time.

Aaron stood at the foot of the steps in his black suit and blue tie to match Autumn’s dress. They hugged. It was a simple hug, a friendly hug, but a hug that Autumn wanted to hold on to forever. A strange and new feeling filled her insides. Her heart leaped, her stomach filled with butterflies and back flipped every time she saw Aaron. They had been friends for several years, and they were going to their school Christmas Banquet just as friends. And yet, her heart twisted and knotted and screamed and wanted and felt ready to explode. She could hardly contain herself. A smile stretched across her face and she laughed gently, softly, lighting up the room with her bright spirit. Aaron paid her a compliment. She lowered her eyes, looking to the ground, cheeks pinkened, and then her eyes trailed back to him, sparkling and dancing as she replied sweetly, “Thank you.”

They left for the banquet and had a pleasant time. A delicious dinner and an evening filled with conversation and small talk took place. Friends seeing friends, moving from table to table to visit one another. Music played in the background softly. Laughs were shared and pictures were taken. It was a night like no other. Autumn and Aaron left blissfully and began the drive home. They were laughing and having a great time; a Kodak moment. After a wonderful night, Autumn was filled with courage and hope and optimism. She had to know the truth. She had to know if Aaron had any feelings for her whatsoever. Any stronger feelings. It would drive her mad if she remained silent and unsure.

Aaron sat in the driver’s seat, a smile that stretched from cheek to cheek; he had paused from laughing so hard that his abdominal began to ache. Then he gave a small sigh. His eyes glanced over at Autumn and then he remembered! “Oh Autumn, I almost forgot,” he said reaching in the backseat. “Close your eyes. I want it to be a surprise.” She closed her eyes delicately. Aaron slowed the car down as they came to a red light. “Okay. Open,” he said gently.

There in Aaron’s hand, he held a white rose, petals perfectly folded together gently with their curve and sweet scent. Autumn took the flower, “Oh thank you! Aaron, this is beautiful.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, pulled away, and was slightly blushing.

He smiled, “Merry Christmas Autumn.”

“Merry Christmas Aaron,” she said softly. She felt her heart practically in her throat. She would ask now. It was perfect. They were driving smoothly along the road in a winter wonderland and the stars shined above, twinkling in the night, and everything felt right. It was then that it occurred to Autumn that she loved Aaron. She was in love with him. He was a friend, a best friend who had been there for her in the best of times and in the worst of times. The more she thought about it, the more evident it became. He was everything she could ever want, ever wish for, and more. “Hey Aaron… can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking. And lately, well… Aaron, what do you think about us? I mean… what I mean to say is… Aaron, I like you, a lot, and… er…. Would you like to go on a date?” Autumn said quickly and stiffly. She had been biting her lip, waiting for his response. But all at the same time, before she could complete her thought, before Aaron could answer, the car swerved. Autumn’s heart skipped a beat and she grabbed onto Aaron’s shoulder in panic. A sheet of ice was beginning to form on the roads.

“Whoa! Are you okay?” Aaron asked, his eyes were wide and his heart was racing. He was used to Newark winters. He knew how slippery the roads were but he also know how to drive on them. But the winter blizzard was unexpected.

“I’m…fine,” Autumn said, releasing a long sigh. She took a slow deep breath and then exhaled again slowly. “Let’s keep it slow. The roads are getting worse.”

Aaron gave a quick nod of the head, “Definitely.” Then there was a moment of silence as Aaron slowed down the car and drove even more carefully than usual. The silence was broken when Aaron made a quick glance at Autumn. She was staring out the window, caught in a day dream. He smiled, “So… you said you wanted to ask me a question?”

Autumn looked over to him, “Oh… it was nothing.”

“You sure?” Aaron asked.

The car swerved again to avoid an oncoming car. Trying to regain control over the wheel, Aaron began to panic. The car slid down the road, swerving and sliding, turning and out of control. And then Autumn’s life changed forever as she saw bright headlights, hearing the sound of a horrific crash, her body thrown around, jerking from side to side, her body in agony, her vision now a massive blur, and the sound of her voice, screaming for help. The car had flipped over causing Autumn and Aaron to sit in their seats upside down. Autumn felt the tears on her cheeks and the bleeding wounds covering her body. Her leg felt like a million needles were stabbing into her leg, almost exploding in pain, and she could hardly speak; just scream. When her mind began to clear, she could hear the faint sound of sirens. Her weary eyes drifted over to Aaron to see him with his eyes closed and a piece of the shattered windshield had driven through his chest. Feeling dizzy again, Autumn fainted.

She woke up in a hospital bed with a cast on her right leg. She had several bandages and her body was sore from head to toe. Looking around, Autumn rested her eyes on her mother and father who sat in the room with her. They were suddenly smiling with relief and her mother embraced her. “Oh thank goodness,” her mother said.

Autumn looked wearily at her mother and then to her father. “Where’s Aaron?” she asked slowly. Her throat was sore and felt like it was being scratched with every word. Her parents glanced at each other and then back to Autumn.

“We don’t know how he’s doing honey… I’m sure he’s fine though,” her mother said.

Autumn cleared her throat, “I asked where he is, not how he is.” She flinched at the thought of the windshield piece in Aaron’s chest.

Her father placed a hand on her mother, “We’ll ask the doctor.” They left the room and Autumn watched them walk down the hall in search of the doctor.

Autumn rebelliously stood to her feet, almost falling, and hobbled out of the room. She walked down the hall, looking in the windows of the doors. “Aaron!” she called. She felt her mind drifting. “Aaron!” And then she saw him. She hobbled as fast as she could to the room and threw open the door. She gasped at the sight. She was losing her mind; hallucinating. She imagined Aaron’s body on the floor, drowning in a pool of blood. Autumn fell to her knees in tears. The room was spinning and her imagination took over reality. Falling in and out of sanity, Autumn screamed. Shaking the room with her scream, she tumbled back into reality and looked over faintly at the hospital bed where a body sat. Her heart pounding so hard she could feel the pounding in her head. She struggled to her feet and hobbled over to the bed where Aaron lay.

Autumn froze as she stared at him. He was snow white, pale as a ghost. She shook her head slowly, “No… no… Aaron! Wake up! Aaron! It’s me! Autumn! Wake up, please! Oh no… no… please, no!” Autumn shook his limp body and pressed her forehead to his chest. She mourned Aaron’s death and wrapped her warm lively hands around one of Aaron’s cold deathly hands. It was then she noticed something crumpled sticking out of his pocket. Autumn removed the crumpled piece of paper and flattened it. She read the four words printed on it: I love you Autumn. She suddenly felt the tearing of her heart. The night she had found and fallen in love, was the night fate decided to tear it from her, leaving her broken.

Clenching the note, Autumn cursed the Lord’s name in vain. Soon her mother’s comforting voice was behind her. Doctors were pulling her out of the room and Autumn threshed her body away from them. Kicking and screaming, “No! He’s not dead! He’s not dead! No! No!” Autumn sobbed incoherently, slipping back into madness.

It was that snowy night in December that Autumn’s life changed forever. It was that snowy night that Aaron had passed away from the car accident. It was that snowy night that Aaron and Autumn were hit by a drunk driver. The driver responsible for Aaron’s death was Aaron’s best friend.

As Autumn flung herself back into the motionless arms of Aaron’s corpse, she held on to him. Kissing him goodbye she whispered faintly, “I love you Aaron. If only you could hear me…”

Fin