Autumn in the City of Lights (6 page)

In one motion, he rolled me onto my back, and then he was above me, supporting his weight on his elbows.

He burrowed his hands under my shoulders and wrapped his fingers around them, holding me to him. The pressure of his weight on me was lovely. I felt safe and tucked away, his to hold, his to hide, his to possess.

Our hands clutched at each other. His scruff-covered chin rasped against mine, making it burn. A crinkle of pleasure pain creased his forehead. Then a fleeting thought about the tiny graves washed through my mind, reminding me why continuing down this path was so dangerous.

“We should stop,” I whispered, wishing I didn’t have to restrain us both.

He touched his forehead to mine, his blue eyes filling my field of vision. “I wish we could just stay here like this, all day, and that all of the troubles of this world could melt away.”

“That sounds heavenly. Let’s —”

Footsteps sounded on the other side of my door. There were two sharp knocks, and the door creaked open. “Autumn? You awake yet?”

Startled, we looked up right as Connie’s head poked through the doorway. Grey leaped off the bed, dragging all of the blankets with him.

Thankfully, we hadn’t progressed to removing any clothes yet, as I was now lying in my pajamas on the top of the empty bed. It was hard to tell who was more startled in this situation. Me, at Grey’s abrupt departure from the bed; Grey, at Connie’s sudden appearance; or Connie, at Grey’s presence in my room so early in the morning.

There was no movement for a solid ten seconds, then Connie entered the room and shut the door behind her. She gave both of us the sternest look I’d ever seen her give, and in a tone she usually reserved for Rissi, she began to lecture us.

“You are eighteen years old, Autumn, and I don’t even know how old you are, Grey, but not only does this set a bad example for Rissi, but it’s dangerous right now. Too dangerous.”

I peeled my eyes from Connie’s reddening face and glanced at Grey. Her comment on Grey’s age was turning up the corners of my mouth into a smile. But Grey wasn’t smiling.

“Especially with what’s going on right now with the lack of contraceptives and... and...” Her voice trailed off, and I knew she wanted to mention the problem with newborns not living more than a few days. She turned away toward the window for a moment, a hand covering her mouth, then spun back to face us.

“I’m especially disappointed in you, Grey. Being a doctor and seeing all of this stuff first hand! You know more than anyone what the risks are.”  She paused to give him a pointed look.

“Connie, you’re right. We’re setting a bad example for Rissi,” Grey said. I noticed he intentionally didn’t apologize for the rest. Yes, he was a doctor, and things were dire for couples right now, but he knew, as well as Connie, that this was our decision.

“I just can’t believe you’d deliberately disobey the rules we set in place when we all decided to live here together as a family. We agreed! We agreed on these... agreements!”

Her last comment broke me, and a giggle snuck through. I slapped a hand over my mouth, hoping Connie hadn’t heard. She had. She looked down at me, her eyes wide and accusing. Another giggle split my lips apart, and then it was like a dam had burst inside me. Waves of laughter crashed through me, and I gasped for air, clutching at my sides. I rolled away from her, trying to control myself and failing. It was something that might have happened before The Plague. Something so fantastically normal, and it tickled me so much to be thrust back into the old world after so long.

The redness left Connie’s face, and she folded her arms across her chest. She looked at Grey, who stared at me, perplexed.

“Well, I don’t really see how this is quite
that
funny, Autumn,” Connie said, trying to hide a smile. I lurched off the bed to go hug her, slid on an abandoned pillow, and fell to the floor laughing again.

Both Grey and Connie helped me up. Grey had lost his blankets, and Connie seemed to have lost the will to lecture us further.

“I’m sorry, Connie, I don’t mean to be disrespectful,” I said, my voice quaking with barely controlled giggles. I clutched my sides and pushed on. “Honestly, this is my fault. Grey has never stayed the night here, because he respects your rules, and the only reason he was even up here last night was because I asked him. I was upset about what happened to Ben and didn’t want to be alone, and then we must have fallen asleep.”

The giggles had left me now, and I took Connie’s hand between my own. “I’m sorry we broke your rules. But nothing happened – we just fell asleep. That’s all. And I’m sorry for laughing, it wasn’t at you, I promise. It was just so normal and nothing has been normal for a year and a half.  I’m not sure why it was so funny to me, but–”

“It’s okay,” Connie said, hugging me to her. “I think I understand what you mean. Though, this,” she said, pointing at Grey and me, “cannot happen right now. I know you two are young and in love, and this is all very natural, but it’s
dangerous
. And I love you both too much to see you have to endure that kind of heartache.”  She paused. “And you...” She pointed at Grey, “will leave now, as quietly as possible, because Rissi isn’t awake yet, and I will not have you putting ideas into her head as to what is acceptable behavior.”

I pressed my lips together. It was definitely something my dad would have said. Grey nodded and began rooting through the blankets and pillows on the floor for his shoes and socks. I helped by pulling the sheets back onto the mattress.

“But come right back because breakfast is almost ready. I made oatmeal pancakes.”  She turned to leave and then came back. “Oh for crying out loud. The whole reason I came up here was to tell you a runner from the Mayor’s Office came by early this morning.”

I paused in remaking the bed to look at her. “Did they find the guy who set off the bomb?”

“No, they haven’t found him, but there’s another meeting set for noon back at the Bowl. Daniel’s going, and I think you both should, too. That is, if you’re not needed back at the hospital, Grey.”

“Is it safe to meet there again so soon after?” Grey asked, hurriedly tying his shoes.

“Shad rode off to join the rest of the Guard right after the runner left. They all went down to the Bowl to clean it up as much as they could and to inspect it for any remaining threats. You’ll probably all be searched before being allowed in.”

“I promised Shad I’d take next watch on Ben,” I said.

“Rissi and I are headed there after breakfast.  Everyone can come to look in on him, but Rissi and I can stay and take the next watch. And don’t worry, we’ll send word the second there’s any change.”

After that, Grey politely slipped out past Connie.  I sighed and pulled open my closet door.  Connie appeared at my side.

“Wear this,” she said, pulling out a thick, hooded sweater and handing it to me. “It’s not raining this morning, but it’s colder outside.”  It was the same color as the moss green dress I’d borrowed from her to wear to the dance at Hoover the night she and Rissi didn’t come back from Las Vegas. The night everything had started again — Karl wheedling his way back into our lives by texting me with Sarah’s cell phone, making me think she was still alive, my relationship with Grey being thrust back into the forefront of my mind, Connie and Rissi in danger after the sandstorm and accident at the Egyptian Casino in Vegas. I turned to look at her, but before I could say anything, she did.

“Please be careful with Grey.  I know you’re young, and this is fresh and new, and things seem safe here, but please, please be careful.”

I was surprised to see her eyes glassy with tears.

“Things that happen in a rush usually have the ability to change your life forever.” She patted my arm, then turned and left, shutting the door behind her.

*     *     *

Jen was still sitting next to Ben when we arrived back at the hospital later that morning.  She’d found another chair to prop her feet up, and was reading
Anne of Green Gables
.

“Hey guys,” she said, smiling at us as we approached. She stood up and stretched. “I think he’s looking better, Dr. Grey.”

Grey bent over Ben and examined the monitors. “You’re right. Everything’s stable. That’s really good.” He turned back to Jen. “Did he ever seem like he was coming to?”

“No, not yet.”  She ran a hand over Ben’s hair. “But I have faith that today’s the day.” She smiled at Ben, and for the first time, I didn’t dislike her.

“Thank you for staying with him,” I said to Jen, meaning it. “It was very kind of you.”

“It’s no problem. The girl I’m rooming with right now snores like a pig on steroids, so it’s actually easier sleeping during the day while she’s awake!” Jen laughed, and for a moment, I did, too.

“Okay, those of us going to the meeting should probably head out,” Grey said. Connie took Jen’s seat, and Rissi took the chair where Jen’s feet had been resting.

“Daniel,” Connie said, “Will you stay back with Rissi and me for a bit?” Daniel nodded and went about moving another chair into the room.

“She’s going to tell Daniel about this morning, and then he’s going to get mad at us, too,” I protested to Grey as we exited the hospital.

Grey looked at me out of the corner of his eye, then said, “Better now than later.”

“How can you be so calm about them being mad at us?”

“I’m not, but the truth is we did mess up last night. Your mistake was that you asked me to come up. My mistake was that I did, and then allowed myself to fall asleep. And she was right, we did agree to these rules, and it’s not a very respectable way for me to treat you.”

He led me between Snicket and Gideon and lowered his voice. “And just because I’m able to get back and forth between the guesthouse and your bedroom without attracting attention, doesn’t mean I should.”

I stared at him, eyebrows raised.

“What?” he said flatly.

“You’re being so noble,” I teased. In response, Grey raised one eyebrow, checking to his left then right, then pulled me close and kissed me deeply. When we separated, he grinned.

“What was that for?” I asked.

“Just so you don’t think I’m too noble.”  Then he boosted me up onto Snicket’s back.

We rode side by side to the Hillside Bowl and tied our horses under the tarp-covered corral. As Connie had predicted, one of the guards stopped us on our way up the steep hill to the seating area. He patted us down, then waved us through.

The stage was black with soot, and the remains of the iconic white band shell were burned and crumbling, but the seats were mostly unaffected by the explosion. I spotted Shad across the Bowl, seated high up on one of the retaining walls, binoculars hanging around his neck and a rifle across his knees. A chill crept down my back, and not from the weather.

Grey found us seats near the front, and we saved an additional spot for Daniel, who was coming through the entrance. I tensed as he wove his way through the crowd, heading toward us. Daniel surely would be as mad as Connie. He was the one who stayed up waiting for Grey to leave or for me to come home.

I was surprised when he smiled broadly, his freckled cheeks and the tip of his nose pink with cold.

“Sure feels like winter, eh?” he asked, putting his arm around me to rub warmth into my shoulders. “We should build a fire tonight. And maybe Rissi will let us have some of her stash of marshmallows to toast. We need to do something to celebrate her birthday. What do you think of that?”

I nodded, relieved by his friendliness. “That would be really nice.”

Diego clapped his hands together on the stage, the sound echoing off the back of the Bowl. The chatter died down, and the last few people standing found seats. I noted without surprise that there were fewer people here today.

“This is a last-minute meeting, so we’ll not heckle any latecomers.” Diego paused and smiled at the small patter of laughter from the crowd.

“Anyone seated further back, please come closer. We won’t have microphones or speakers today due to the lack of power.”

I turned to glance behind me. People were dispersed as far back as where the overgrowth of weeds began to cover the seats like a green blanket. No one moved.

“Okay, I guess we’ll get started. By now, you are all aware of what happened here yesterday. The New Burbank Guard and my office have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety of today’s meeting, and we’re improving our efforts on the outside, too.”

A figure moved behind Diego in the darkness of the ruined band shell. My heart leaped, and I grabbed Grey’s hand.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s back there.”

“Where?”

“Behind Diego, in the shadows.”

He nodded. “It’s Karl. Hart, as well. Along with several people from the Mayor’s Office.”

I squinted, but I could only see a faint outline in the darkness.

“Show-off,” I whispered, nudging Grey with my elbow. He could see in the dark almost as well as a cat.

Diego continued gesturing and smiling to the crowd as he spoke, but his words contradicted his friendly manner. They were instituting a sunset curfew starting tonight. Doors and windows should be kept locked and suspicious people and behavior reported immediately. Every resident would be issued an ID, all firearms had to be registered with the New Burbank Guard, and lookouts would be posted twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. And they needed more volunteers.

Hoover had similar laws, and they’d made me feel safe when I lived there. But I’d gotten used to more freedom in New Burbank, and returning to stricter rules made me feel like I was drowning. This should be a good thing, I reminded myself. This would make it more difficult for The Front to attack us again.

When Diego finished, there was hearty applause.

“It appears people want action, even if it doesn’t make sense,” Daniel said quietly, leaning forward so he could see Grey. “None of these measures will stop what’s happening.”

“They couldn’t hurt,” Grey said, shrugging.

The crowd’s applause died suddenly, and we all straightened to see what had happened. Karl stood next to Diego, holding up his hands for quiet.