Read Online Autumn Leaves by Barbara Winkes - Free Book Online

own just fine. It wasn’t like what they’d had was anything special. Even if for a while, Rebecca had found comfort in imagining that.
    “Don’t look so scared,” Maria said to Callie, putting an arm around her shoulders. “We don’t bite, at least not the first time you’re here.”
    “I’m relieved then.”
    “I hear you’re a writer.” Betty was making conversation, but, Rebecca guessed, with a purpose.
    “Yes. Children’s books,” she chimed in before Callie could say anything.
    “I bet you’ve charmed Rebecca’s kids already then. Especially Maggie, the little bookworm.”
    Betty was on a mission. Callie seemed very much unaware. “They’re great kids,” she said. “I never knew that an eight-year-old could be this easy to babysit.”
    “Oh, you do that?” Betty asked sweetly.
    “Just once so far, as the original babysitter cancelled on Rebecca.” Maybe she wasn’t so unaware after all.
    “Is that so?”
    “You’re welcome in any case.” Callie’s words were for Rebecca, not Betty. “I’m afraid, though, that The Hunchback is the only Disney movie I own.”
    Everyone laughed. Betty’s smile felt as forced as her own, Rebecca realized . What’s it to you?
    “I don’t have any kids for you to babysit,” Maria said, “but you can come over any time if you like.” She and Callie shared a smile that was a lot more genuine and made Rebecca irrationally unhappy. She should be glad that most of her friends accepted Callie, because it would make a lot of things easier. Maybe. Rebecca emptied her glass quickly. Coming here such a bad idea. She spent the next few minutes working up the courage to tell Callie she needed a moment in private.
    “MILF, really? You called me that to her face?” she asked as they stood by the coatrack in the hallway. First Asha Malik, now Maria became Callie’s new best friend. It wasn’t the best of weeks for Rebecca. She could tell it took Callie a few moments to make the connection.
    “Oh, that.”
    “Yes, that. So?”
    “I told you Asha doesn’t have any manners whatsoever. What’s the big deal?”
    “What the big deal is? You talked about me! Behind my back.”
    “Just like you did before I came into the room?”
    Rebecca had nothing left to argue with. She was brave, and just barely drunk enough to confess her earlier lapse. Meanwhile, her mood was taking an abrupt shift from defensive to guilty.
    “I am so sorry. You’ve got to believe me.”
    “It’s fine. I was overreacting too.” Callie sighed, and to Rebecca, it sounded heart-wrenching. Not everything was fine after all.
    “No, you don’t get it. I didn’t mean to expose you. It just...happened.” What a miserable day.
    “They would have found out at some point, anyway.”
    It was not the reaction Rebecca had expected, and she didn’t think she deserved this rather merciful response. She was making too many mistakes already.
    “I didn’t talk about you to Asha,” Callie said softly.
    “You didn’t say ‘hot’?”
    “Sorry. No.”
    Her face was burning as they were standing too close in the dimly lit hallway, uncomfortable truths coming at her all at once. The way scenes from Callie’s book lingered on her mind, time and again.
    “Okay then.”
    The way Maria had been all over Callie. There was no reason to go all crazy, was there? Maria was touchy-feely with everyone.
    “God, look at me. Drunk on a Saturday morning.”
    Callie reached for her hand, and Rebecca stepped back so quickly she nearly hit her head against the wall behind her.
    “What do you want, Rebecca?”
    Get so drunk I won’t feel the pain of curiosity anymore—or I won’t care...Order more of those books of yours. Go, before I can take a good look at what the answer to your question is.
    “You have to understand!” she said heatedly. “I’ve never been…I’m not normally that way. I’m not as narrow-minded as you think I am. ”
    “Are you done with that private chat of yours?” Maria had