When Autumn Leaves: A Novel Read Online Free

Justy square in the face. “You know? I don’t even remember how I got here. God, that’s weird. Anyhow, I . . . I stopped and got some coffee, and I suddenly felt like . . . like . . .”
    Justy smiled knowingly. “Like you were home?”
    “Yes! It was almost as if I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else in the world at that moment. And I just . . . I just decided to stay.” Ellie half-smiled, but it was more to herself than to Justy. She could not have explained why it had felt so right in Avening. It wasn’t like she was living the life she had always wanted there. It wasn’t as if she had a great circle of friends, or even, God forbid, a boyfriend. But at the end of the day, Avening had more to offer than anywhere else. A good job, great restaurants, beautiful scenery, and nice people.
    Justy saw Ellie struggling, and cocked his head. “That was pretty brave. I don’t imagine you knew anyone else who lived here.”
    “No, but that didn’t really bother me. I don’t really know anyone anyway.” As soon as Ellie said the words she wanted to suck them back inside her mouth. She couldn’t believe she had said something so private to a stranger. “I . . . I meant, you know, I don’t really know anyone really well, I mean, the way that I suppose a lot of other people do.”
    “And why would you suppose other people know each other better?” Justy raised an eyebrow at her.
    Ellie felt herself get flustered. “Well . . . my parents, for example. They each knew what the other was thinking most of the time.”
    “So we’re talking about the idea of true love, then?”
    “No, not entirely. I’ve met good friends, siblings, people who are just able to read another person absolutely. I . . . just never found that I had that connection with anyone else.” Ellie eyed the door, wondering how she could cut the conversation short.
    “Maybe you’re just a very complex person, Ellie, and you haven’t met anyone capable of understanding you.” Justy smiled. He suddenly seemed to decide to back off. “Yes, well. I’m sure you’ll figure it all out. You’re young yet. You have loads of time. Come back around five-thirty and I’ll have your shoes done for you.”
    Ellie breathed a sigh of relief. And yet as she backed away from the counter, she found that there was a huge part of her that wanted to stay. What was it about this odd, wizened man that inspired such intimacy? Why did he see so much of her? Why did he even care? But then again, why shouldn’t he? What have we become, she wondered, that we care so little about those around us, in our community? She was ashamed of her cynicism. But she glanced at her watch, knowing with an inward groan that she was going to have to get a move on it if she didn’t want to be late.
    “Yes, thank you, Justy. I’ll see you then.” Ellie headed for the door, turning its great black iron handle with little effort.
    “Bye, Ellie. Have a good day.”
    “Bye!” Ellie pushed herself outside, where the weather had taken a turn for the worse. A great wind was blowing down Brigid’s Way, creating mini cyclones of old newspaper and loose garbage down the normally clean street. She quickened her pace, trying to climb outside of her own head and the words that Justy had put there. “Nothing is ever easy,” her mother often said when her day had not gone in the direction she thought it should have. No, nothing is easy, Ellie thought. But does it become easier? Ellie couldn’t imagine herself as an old woman, silver and shriveled and still not knowing anymore about how to turn her brain off, how to stop caring about all the questions she knew she’d never find the answers to.
    Before she knew it, she found herself in front of the Avening Circle office. The old building had seen better days, but Ellie couldn’t imagine what it must have looked like new and unworn. The walls sagged a little, not quite dilapidated, but with an easiness of sorts that made everyone feel