Autumn in the City of Lights

by Kirby Howell

  I filled her in on the past two years of my life while we gorged ourselves on her fried potatoes. I skipped over certain parts regarding Grey’s past and his link to Karl. Then I finished with the Summit of New Nations going on in Paris.

  “And how did you get here from France?” Mamó asked, raising an eyebrow at Grey. “Dinna tell me you can turn into a fish, and you swam her over here?”

  Grey smiled. “No, I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

  Mamó laughed.

  “We had some extra time between meeting sessions, so Autumn and I decided to come visit. Autumn’s told me so much about you. It sure was a surprise to find you here.” Grey grimaced, feeling the back of his head where she’d hit him with the skillet.

  Mamó laughed again. “Well, that should teach you to never surprise an Irish woman!”

  We talked nonstop for another two hours before noticing the sun beginning to set.

  “Mamó, I really, really hate to say this, but we’re going to have to get back. We’ll come back for you in a couple days when the Summit is over, and you can fly back to New Burbank with us. There’s plenty of room where we live, and you’d just love Connie, and you have to meet Rissi, and Ben, and—”

  “I love you so much for offerin’ to bring me with you, but I’m perfectly happy here, and here I’ll stay.”

  I shook my head and took one of her hands between mine. “You can’t mean to stay here. Please, you have to come with us. You can’t stay here by yourself.”

  “I’ve been here by meself for two years, and I’ve done just fine. This is the only home I’ve ever known, an’ I’d like not to leave it before I have to.”

  “Then I’ll stay here with you,” I said suddenly, meaning every word of it. I couldn’t stand knowing she was here by herself when she was alive. We should be together, it didn’t matter where. She was my grandmother.

  She patted my hand. “It soonds like you’re needed much more in Paris and in the States. But you can come back anytime you like for more fried potatoes. Believe it or not, I had quite a bumper crop o’ them!”

  “But Mamó... I won’t get to come back as often as I’d like to. The jet we used to get here, well, we don’t have a lot of fuel for it. It was a miracle we could manage enough just to get here and back home.”

  She stood and cleared our plates, shaking her head and smiling.

  “What?”

  “I think ye know.”

  “Know what?”

  “Your young man there will get you back here often enough, dinna you worry.” She plunked the plates into a bowl of water in the sink and began washing them.

  “Please come with us,” I pleaded.

  “Your na listening, my child,” she chided, shaking a soapy finger at me. “He will bring you back; I know this.”

  I shook my head, confused. “We can’t just—”

  “Fòmhair,” Grey whispered, touching my hand.

  “I had an inkling, but you jest confirmed it,” Mamó said, grinning at Grey while she dried the plates and set them back in the cupboard.

  “Confirmed what?” I asked.

  “Nothing, nothing,” she said, fluttering her hands at us. “Go on now, get back to your meetin’.” She hugged me tightly, then pulled away and put her hands on my cheeks. Her eyes were sparkling with tears. “Come back as often as you wish.”

  My own eyes filled with tears at the thought of leaving her. “Okay,” I whispered. “Fortiter.”

  “Fortiter,” she whispered back, then patted my cheeks with her palms and kissed me. She did the same to Grey, smiling and patting him on the back almost as if to encourage him. “I’m sorry about your head,” she said, then shooed us into the growing darkness in her front garden.

  “I’ll come back,” I promised.

  “I’m sure ye will. An’ much sooner than we booth expect, I’m sure!” She waved as Grey and I followed the path around the corner of the house, and sooner than I would have liked, we were striding away from her cottage. We went around a bend, then I stopped and sat down on the low stone wall.

  “Do you think she’s okay there all by herself? I mean, she was thinking we could come back whenever! Do you think being alone for the past year and a half has affected her?”

  Grey chuckled and shook his head. “I think she’s probably just fine. Let me ask you a question. Has your grandma ever talked about any kind of Celtic or pagan religion?”

  I stared at him, confused. “Not that I’m aware of,” I said.

  He shook his head again. “It’s nothing to be worried about. It’s just that the Celtic people, or Neo-Druids, as they’ve been called in the past century or so, have always been better at sniffing me out, if you know what I mean.”

  “Sniffing you out?”

  “Suspecting I was different, not from here, or had some kind of mystical power.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Seriously?”

  He nodded. “But they also respect it and don’t shout the news from the rooftops, so it’s usually not a problem.”

  “So you’re saying my grandma might be a Druid?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know, but it’s possible. Does she celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes?”

  “Yeah, but isn’t that kind of a common thing around here?”

  “More so than Southern California,” he agreed. “Look, she’s expecting me to bring you back, so I will, as often as we can spare it. And I doubt she’ll ask questions.”

  I stood and leaned my forehead against his chest. “This is nuts. I still can’t believe she’s alive. And that I’ll get to see her again.”

  He wrapped his arms around me. “Isn’t that a wonderful thing?” He kissed me and rubbed the back of his head with a grin. “You ready to go back?”

  “I guess so,” I said, turning my face into his shoulder.

  “Hold on tight.”

  When I opened my eyes, Grey and I were back in Versailles, but it wasn’t my room, it was his. I looked around for a moment, examining it. It was almost identical to mine, except the bedding and accents were a burnt orange color.

  “It feels like a week since the meeting this morning.” I let go of Grey and sat on the bed. “My grandmother is alive. I just can’t fathom it.”

  Grey sat next to me and put a hand on my leg. “This is amazing news, but we can’t dwell on it right now. We’ve had our day, but now we have to turn our focus to Karl.”

  He was right, and we both knew it. I had to get votes for tomorrow’s elections. “Do you think Shad and Daniel won any favor with the delegates on my behalf?”

  “One way to find out.” Grey stood and offered me his hand. “Let’s go find them.”

  Dinner service was underway when we found Daniel and Shad, along with the rest of the delegates. The room was less formal than the Hall of Mirrors, but it was still very stately. There were round tables with plush fabric chairs around them, and candelabras and fresh cut flowers in the center of each table.

  Despite the elegance, the air was thick with tension. There were countless debates going on at every table, and as Grey and I walked past, I could feel the conversation quiet and eyes bore into me. Apparently my intention of running for president pro-tem was widely known. I tried to reassure myself this was a good thing, and I held my head high, until I saw two open chairs at a nearby table. I recognized a few of the faces at it, but not all of them.

  Grey and I sat next to Roslyn, from the Virginia settlement, and Cheri and Joe, from Washington. I remembered Ben had flagged Cheri as possibly untrustworthy, and felt a little awkward, but I was careful not to let it show on my face. I was going to win as many delegates tonight as possible.

  “Did we miss the main course?” I asked, cordially.

  “Not yet, dear. Just a little fruit and cheese to start,” Cheri said. “Now what’s this I hear about you throwing your hat into the ring?” That roused the attention of the whole table.

  “It’s true,” I said, reminding myself confidence was the key here. “I
believe we can’t allow Karl to gain control. I believe in what we’re trying to do here. And I think it’s of the utmost importance, for humanity, that we succeed.”

  “So are you running because you want to lead, or because you want Karl not to?” Roslyn asked point blank.

  “Honestly, both.” I figured the truth was the best way to go. “I’m used to being in a spotlight, thanks to my mother, and I want to help. And I also think Karl would be a dangerous leader for us to have. So I hope I can count on your support tomorrow.” I smiled, feeling like a stereotype, an actor pretending to be a politician just like in my mom’s movies. But I’d grown up around the best of the best, so I tried to embody them.

  “Well, you have my vote,” Cheri said. “I’m too old to handle more people than I’ve got in Washington, and I think Karl’s a wretch. I didn’t even need your speech. As soon as I heard you were running, you had me.” She smiled warmly. Maybe Ben was wrong about her, I thought.

  “I appreciate your support,” I said. “And what about the rest of you?” I took a moment to catch the eyes of everyone around the table. “Any other votes out there for the taking?”

  I saw Cheri’s companion, Joe Boo, laugh at my little joke, as Grey squeezed my hand, approvingly. Maybe I could be good at politics after all, I thought.

  “I’m still on the fence,” Roslyn said in earnest. “I’m sorry, Autumn, but you’re just so young to be thrust into this kind of position. I’ve heard the stories about Karl from your friends, but I don’t know who to believe right now. I’m not sure I’ll be voting for him either. Maybe I’ll nominate myself. I don’t know.”

  “With all due respect,” I interjected, “I think it might be too late to run. The vote is in the morning. There’s not much time to gain any backing. I know, because I’m under the same deadline. But at least I’ve had the day to work on it.” Thank God Shad and Daniel had already started rallying the troops while Grey and I took some time together, I thought. “The best you can do now is back the right person. I may be young, but I’m honest, and I’m good at gathering the right people around me for the best advice. Trust me when I tell you, if Karl wins, he’ll never relinquish power. He wants to rule. I want to lead. There’s a big difference.” Roslyn’s gaze broke off, and I saw her take a moment to consider.

  “You’re a very good speaker,” an Australian man said from across the table. “Perhaps Karl will have a run for his money. That Franklin guy from Vegas was talking about him earlier, and he sounds like a monster. Think Franklin might be running for the same reason you are.”

  I gave a sideways glance to Grey. We’d need to address that. I couldn’t have him splitting my vote.

  Two hours later, dinner was over, and every table had at least two healthy debates going on. It was almost as loud as the disastrous meeting this morning. I leaned over and whisper to Grey, “We should go find Franklin.” He nodded.

  Franklin and Eric were at the far end of the room, sitting at a full table with only one other delegate I recognized, Ms. Whitmore, the Prime Minister of Canada. They were openly arguing when I took a seat next to Franklin.

  “So you’re basically calling me and Eric a liar,” he said. “That’s what you’re telling me.”

  “You’re putting words into my mouth. What I’m saying is there are always two sides to every story, and while I appreciate your recounting of the Battle for Hoover, I’ve heard the other side, too, and I’m not sure I see things as you do.” Ms. Whitmore finished by taking a sip of red wine.

  “You wanna deal with the devil, that’s fine by me. But don’t say we didn’t warn you. You can’t trust a damned word out of his mouth. You want the real truth, find an impartial party.” He turned to me. “Like Autumn and the Doc. They were there.” The rest of the table turned to me. I gave a short smile, not showing any teeth. What had I just gotten into?

  “And just how are they impartial? They were Hoover residents!” Ms. Whitmore barked at Franklin.

  “But they’re not Vegas people. They can tell you about the spies we found there and the lives lost,” Franklin retorted.

  “Ridiculous,” she snapped. “First off, Las Vegas is Hoover’s sister city. And on top of that, she was part of the uprising in Los Angeles, so I’ve heard. If anything, they are the least impartial people here. No offense,” she said, catching my eye briefly, then barreling on. “My point is, no one involved in your turf wars can give a truly impartial opinion. Anyone who was there was fighting on one side or the other. Now, we’ve all heard your telling of the wars.” She gestured to the other delegates at the table. “And I think Karl deserves a turn.” The way she said Karl’s first name, the informality of it. I suddenly felt certain he must have gotten to her, either since we’d gotten to Paris, or perhaps sooner. “After we’ve all heard both sides, we can decide for ourselves where our vote lies, be it with you or Karl.”

  “Or me,” I piped up. “I’m running.”

  That caught Ms. Whitmore by surprise. “You?”

  “Yes. I believe in what we’re doing here, and I believe, like Franklin, that Karl shouldn’t be allowed any power.” I began to recite some of the rhetoric I’d said at the other table, hoping to sway a few votes here, as I’d done there.

  By the time I finished, Ms. Whitmore wore a thin, unamused smile. She wasn’t impressed. “I think it’s sweet you want to run for president pro-tem.” Her voice was tender, but very tight, as if she was speaking to a child. “And I think it’s cute that New Burbank let you come this far, but I’m sorry, I’m not buying it.” Her voice hardened. “You’re too young to lead. You have no life experience, and let’s be honest, the only reason you’ve gotten this far is because your mom was famous, and you won a popularity vote.” Her words stung, and I felt a blush on my cheeks, burning my earlobes.

  Grey started to speak up, but I put a hand on his, quieting him. If I was going to lead, I needed to fight my own battles.

  “How long have you been Prime Minister of Canada?” I asked.

  “Two months,” she replied.

  “Two months. That’s sweet,” I said, reciprocating the same demeaning smile she’d given me. “My region went through upheaval and war, and I came out the other side with people who believe in me and want me here. I led a movement that saved countless people from Karl’s grasp when we took on The Front and left LA,” I exaggerated, hoping no one here would split hairs. “I helped plan the battle that saved Hoover and Vegas. And I led some of the Hoover people back to LA to re-settle the region. I’d say I probably have more leadership experience than you, if you actually want to tally up the numbers.” I saw her eyes widen with anger. I knew I was losing her vote, but I hoped I was gaining the other votes at the table instead. “And as for my famous mother, well, if she can reach beyond the grave and help rally my supporters with her ‘popularity,’ then I love her even more.” I finished with a genuine smile, knowing I’d won this.

  “Well, good luck to you then.” Ms. Whitmore stood, pulled the napkin from her lap and slapped it down on her plate.

  “Well done, Autumn,” Eric said, leaning back in his chair as if stretching after a big meal. “That was genuinely impressive.”

  “Yes, it was,” said Franklin, tipping his cowboy hat at me. “You’re going to be a tough opponent to beat!”

  “That’s actually why I came over to speak with you,” I said. I’d come this far. Fortiter, I thought, then pressed on. “I want you to drop out of the race.”

  Franklin’s left eyebrow went up. He didn’t seem angry, more amused than anything. “Oh? Do tell, my dear.”

  “Honestly, I think we’re running for the same reason. We both want to keep Karl off the throne, no matter the cost. And, right now, if we work together, one of us has a chance of beating him, but not both. As it is, we risk the chance of splitting the vote against him and guaranteeing him a path to victory.”

  “So why don’t you throw me your support instead?” Franklin asked, eyeing me.

  “Because I can’
t guarantee all of them will change their vote from me to you. Showing any sign of wavering might be enough for them to vote for Karl. He’s a strong candidate and can charm the pants off almost anyone.”

  “Don’t you think I’d have the same problem? Asking my voters to cast their ballots to you? It goes both ways.” I had expected this.

  “To some degree, yes. But Ms. Whitmore had a point when she called this a popularity contest. Thanks to the radios being abuzz these last few months, my story has gotten out there, and my mother’s fame has only helped it along. I think I could hold at least seventy percent of your voters,” I said confidently, making up a number that sounded good. “If you’ll declare for me.”

  Franklin took a moment to consider, then chuckled. “You’re going to make one hell of a politician, Ms. Winters. Now, I’m not saying I won’t run against you in the future. But for now, you’re by far the lesser of the evils. I’ll pull my name out of the hat and go talk to the folks I can.” I smiled. It was exactly what I’d hoped would happen.

  “Thank you, Franklin. I appreciate your support.”

  An hour later, the number of delegates in the dining room had thinned, and everyone seemed to be drifting toward bed. I was fairly certain I’d gained at least two more votes, but I was worried it wasn’t enough. My talk with Vincent, the New York delegate, had gone the same route as Ms. Whitmore. I mentally checked him off as yet another person Karl had placed here to help him gain favor.

  “You were magnificent, Fòmhair,” Grey whispered in my ear as we left the room. “I have never been so proud of you.”

  “Thank God for all of the days and nights we spent prepping for this. I used every trick I knew,” I whispered back.

  We found Daniel and Shad both waiting in my room when we got there. They both looked stressed.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Any luck getting votes?”

  “A few, but not enough to swing the vote in your favor, I’m afraid,” Daniel said.

  “Everyone was concerned about your age,” Shad said, defeated. “You wouldn’t believe how many people are voting for Karl, or throwing their own name into the ring. Some still want Margery in charge. It’s craziness! Who could willingly vote for Karl?”