Chapter 25 #3
Deb lifts her brows. “Really? And she didn’t make a fuss?”
I shake my head. “She handled it like a champ. Autism is a spectrum, and for Daph, what helps most is consistency. Reassurance. From what I’ve witnessed, she thrives when she knows what to expect, whether it’s bringing the things she loves or talking through the plan ahead of time so she can prepare.
Mentally, emotionally. Physically. They’re small gestures, but they can make all the difference. ”
Deborah stays silent for a while, sipping her coffee, her gaze distant. “How do you know all this?” she asks, her focus suddenly sharp and pinned on me. The stare reminds me of someone else’s. The same eyes, with the same intensity.
“I studied it. A long time ago,” I say, and her brows go up again. “It was the most meaningful moment of my life. Neurodivergent people are the best of us. Sometimes I wish we could see the world the way they do.”
She hums, unconvinced. “What do you do now if you don’t work in that field?”
“I work for my dad in hotel management. Although… it’s a bit complicated right now.”
I’m not about to unpack my existential crisis on this poor woman’s lap. I’ve traumatized her enough for one day.
She peers toward the hallway.
“I don’t understand my own kid,” she says, though her voice carries a quiet hope, as if she wishes she knew how. “Matt is angry with me because of it.”
My heart breaks a little. She looks tired and out of her depth.
When Daphne was diagnosed, her parents weren’t handed an instruction booklet or given the tools they need to understand her.
Sometimes, ignorant people close themselves off.
They activate their defense mechanisms when faced with situations they’ve never encountered.
It’s not fair for Daphne at all. Deborah should be doing the work. But maybe she needs that extra push.
“Start by listening to her,” I say softly.
“Not just to what she says, but to how she moves through the world. Her cues, her rhythms. You won’t be perfect the first time, and you will make mistakes.
But Daph will see that you’re trying. And she’ll love you even more for it, for choosing to understand her, even when it’s hard. ”
I place my hand on top of hers, my stomach churning. Am I overdoing it? Maybe, but now that I’ve begun, it’d be silly to stop here.
“She doesn’t need you to change the world for her. People will be mean and unfair. It’s as inevitable as the sunrise. But you can help her navigate it.”
Footsteps come from the hallway, garnering our attention.
As Matt bursts into the kitchen, massaging his pinkie finger, I retrieve my hand. Beside me, Deborah blinks her emotions away.
“Mom, your fucking demon bit me ag—” Matt looks from me to his mom and back again. “You guys good? Did I miss something?”
I get up from my seat. “Nope, everything’s good. I was telling your mom about our trip to Vancouver.”
He sidles up beside me and wraps his arm around my waist, bringing me to him, like it doesn’t bother him one bit that his parents are right there, watching us with every ounce of hope in their eyes. “Are you ready to head out?”
“Whenever you want,” I say.
He grins down at me. “Let’s go, then. I have to stop at the store, and then we can go home.”
Home.
The word sinks into my heart with a softness that makes me dizzy. That single word feels so right. And it has nothing to do with his place.
It’s him.
He’s my home.
Home is his steady heartbeat and his warm hands on my skin.
It’s the slow mornings wrapped in blankets and the cozy nights bundled next to him on the couch.
It’s the scent of his shirt that soothes me after an exhausting day, and the rhythm of his breathing as he sleeps beside me.
It’s his name on my lips as I come undone in his arms.
As he leads me toward the door, his hand on the small of my back, he has no idea how my world just reoriented itself around his.
“Daph, we’re leaving!” Matt shouts.
His sister runs down the stairs and throws herself at him. He sways but cushions the impact with an oof and holds her tight.
“I’ll see you Wednesday for the parent-teacher conference at school, okay? Be good for Mom and Dad. I’m gonna miss you.”
“Can I stay with you a little bit longer?” She buries her face in his neck.
Matt tightens his arms around her for another moment, then gently extricates himself from her hold. “Mom and Dad are back, kiddo. You should spend some time with them.”
“But I want to stay with you ,” she says louder.
Matt glances at his mom, who nods her agreement, then at me. He sighs.
“I can’t bring you back tonight because Zoé and I have plans. But I can pick you up after school tomorrow, and you can stay another week. Then it’s back to Mom and Dad, okay?”
We have plans?
“Okay. See you tomorrow. Bye, Zoey!”
Without a backward look, she darts back up the stairs.
“Be careful with that foot,” Matt tells his dad as he gives him a quick hug.
As we walk to the car, Deb calls his name. “Maybe I can come with you and Daphne on Wednesday. To the school. Meet her teacher and see how it is.”
Matt sucks in a sharp breath. “Uh, y-yeah, sure. Of course. You can come anytime. I’ll text you the details.”
I hide my smile beneath the collar of my jacket.
Looks like the winds of change are sweeping over Pine Falls.