AUTUMN LEAVES

“I know this is not the right time, but we have a game tomorrow. We’ve got to talk about this,” Patric said to the Pens who remained at the hospital in the early hours of the evening, hoping to see Sidney and get more reassurances from his doctors.

Coach Sullivan sighed heavily and exchanged a look with Jim Rutherford. “Sid is irreplaceable. We’ve…um… Geno will move to the first line. We’ve made some calls to Wilkes-Barre Scranton. We’re gonna have a line-up ready for tomorrow’s game,” coach Sullivan added and pursed his lips.

Nodding weakly, Sidney’s teammates snapped their heads up when Sidney’s family came back into the room. “Is Mario still with the investigators?” Troy asked.

Kris sighed heavily, his nostrils flaring. “Hey, calm down,” Catherine whispered. “I cannot believe that no one has told them what has really happened! I get it, Mario is a family friend and should be the one telling them, but where is he, eh? They have the right to know the truth about what happened to their son, Cath!” Kris spoke agitatedly.

Without a warning, Kris took Troy to the side, “Troy, listen, I…” While he strongly believed that the Crosbys had every right to know, he found the truth suddenly so hard to articulate.

“What is it, Kris?” Troy asked, his exhaustion painfully clear.

“The shooter is… in custody. I believe Mario is at the police station,” Kris spoke cautiously. “What?! Where is this station?” Troy asked, more alert.

“Um, you should know that… the shooting, it wasn’t breaking and entering like everyone is saying,” Kris answered.

Troy raised his eyebrows, “what are you saying?”

“As you may have heard, Autumn… she was there when it happened –”

“And?” Troy asked impatiently.

“She would know what happened. I heard she is in her office. Room 1332,” Kris said.

“Are you happy now?” Catherine asked Kris who retook his seat at her side, “Troy is probably calling Mario or maybe Autumn, who knows. And where do you think Trina and Taylor are headed in that elevator?”

“They deserve to know the truth, and like you pointed out, it’s not our place to share it.”

*****

Good news? What good news? Autumn wondered as she hugged the phone to her chest. Nathan and Tiffany had left hours ago at her request. She was alone with her thoughts for the first time after the incident. She called Tiffany a few times to ask about Sidney but always got the same answer, “He’s stable, nothing’s changed.”

Crying all alone in her office on the 13th floor, she did not bother turning on any lights; anything to avoid people knocking at her door.

“It’s so unfair,” she mumbled to herself.

She thought of how Lauren loved the wrong man, how Sidney loved the wrong woman, how Mario divorced the right one, and how she married and loved two different, wrong men. Autumn thought about that night in Sidney’s office a few days before her wedding. Where would she be now had she not married Mario? Had she told Sidney that she loved him back?
Life was unfair, but it carried on like a tornado of destruction taking everything and everyone in its wake, throwing constant reminders of mistakes and regrets along the way.

So, Autumn sat alone with her heartache, self-imprisoned in her own office. She contemplated over and again the turns her life has taken in recent years. She had to admit that Lauren was right. It was all her fault. She committed one mistake after the other leading up to the only man she has ever truly loved lying in a hospital bed. To make matters worse, the Crosby and Lemieux families were both devastated, and she was the common denominator in all of this mess. People can see the situation from whatever angle they wish, but nothing could change that hard fact.

Turning on the small TV, she did not have to search for long as all channels were talking about Sidney. They all shared the same narrative: a potential breaking and entering, and unlike the Pens captain, Autumn Lemieux was lucky to get away unharmed. She almost chuckled at the “unharmed” part. She was nothing but harmed.

One of the channels, however, had a different story. Their reporter spoke in front of the UPMC where a large crowd has gathered in the cold night. People had brought flowers and teddy bears, some lit candles and prayed, while others held signs like “Stay strong Sid” and “Pittsburgh love you.” Some people even showed up at the hospital offering to donate blood if ever Sidney needed.

The scene was heartwarming that Autumn wished Sidney could see it. All of Pittsburgh stood by the Penguins captain, the city that she was willing to drag Sidney away from. She was willing to uproot him from his home, away from the love and admiration of an entire nation.

“Sidney visited my daughter at this very hospital last year. He made her smile in times when we were unsure she will live to see another day. He does so much for this city and for us. We’re staying right here to pray for him. No one is planning on leaving until we get some good news,” a woman holding a toddler said to the reporter.

As Autumn wiped her tears, a loud knock startled her. She remained quiet, hoping that whoever was knocking at her door would take the hint and leave her alone.

“Autumn, are you in there?” Autumn recognized that voice. Her worst fears have come true. Taylor wanted to hear what happened to her brother from the only witness. Or maybe the truth has finally gotten out and his sister wanted to scream at her; Autumn could not blame her either way.

Another knock came, and this time, Taylor attempted to open the locked door. Deciding that there’s no escaping this, that there’s no escaping the truth, Autumn opened her office door. A worried sister and a distressed mother greeted her.

“Everyone thought you left, Kris said you’re still here,” Taylor mumbled as she passed Autumn and entered the office with Trina trailing behind. “Kris said they arrested the shooter,” Taylor said, her eyes red and tired.

Autumn was taken aback by her question. She waited Taylor out as she scanned Trina’s weak form. “I’m confused. What did really happen, Autumn?” Taylor asked innocently.

Trina contemplated Autumn curiously from where she sat, while Taylor stood in front of the doctor expectedly. “I… what do you want to know?” Autumn spoke with a low voice, her eyes glued to her bare feet.

“The shooter…tell us about the shooter. Why did he shoot my son?” Trina asked with a hoarse voice. Autumn’s heart ached for her; she hated herself more now that Sidney’s mother sat completely crushed in front of her, asking why would someone hurt her son, the boy she raised and watched grow into this incredible man that deserved so much better than the situation he was put in.

“Hey, it’s okay. Mom, please, let us give Autumn a moment. It must difficult for her to talk about it,” Taylor said, making Autumn realize that her sobs weren’t very discreet.

“I’m sorry dear, it’s just…I still can’t understand what happened… what did my son do to deserve this?” Trina said between tears.

“Your son did not do anything wrong. His only mistake was loving me,” Autumn hiccupped. Trina’s eyes went wide as Taylor shook her head.

“He loves you, why doesn’t it shock me?” Taylor said.

“What?” Trina asked her daughter horrified.

Ignoring her shocked mother, Taylor asked, “but what does this have to do with the shooting?”

“He protected me,” Autumn managed to say. Taylor joined her mom and sat on a nearby chair. She ran her hand in her hair, something her brother did when thinking too hard.

“I don’t understand,” Trina announced, her voice stronger this time.

“Enough with the mystery, Autumn. Don’t you think we deserve some clear answers here?” Taylor asked, an unusually hard look on her angelic face.

Autumn was drained. In less than 24 hours, she has confessed to her husband what no wife should ever do. She has stood a second away from death. She has held a bleeding Sidney and witnessed what no one should have. And there she was, standing shakily in front of Sidney’s mother and sister, about to announce all that has transpired since the day she let Sidney kiss her. And so, for the next few minutes, Autumn managed to verbalize it all to this family. Confessing of their affair and their plan to two shocked women.

Autumn spoke regrettably, though never attempting to give any excuses for her actions. She did not ask for their understanding either, feeling that she will never deserve it. Trina and Taylor remained utterly still and speechless. They were shocked by Sidney’s actions above anything else.

Finally, she told them about Lauren and about how she wanted her out of the picture.

“Lauren should not take the full blame. She may have been under the influence, and clearly has unresolved mental issues,” Autumn said, looking at the floor while rubbing her arm nervously. She did not dare meeting their eyes.

As Sidney’s mother and sister were digesting everything, voicing their shock and cursing Lauren and her irresponsible parents, Autumn collapsed in her chair and covered her face.

“You seem to regret it. Good. I hope you never find peace after what you and Lauren have done to my son,” Trina said, pain contorting her face. She dragged her daughter away from the woman who ruined her son’s morals and almost took his life away.

“I’m sorry…” Autumn whispered all alone.

Notes