Autumn In Kent
Go home to Salem

Mike and Puti walked to Mike's car. Snow shaped like cotton flowers floated down as if welcoming them.

They were by the side of the car and Mike had opened the door when Puti suddenly heard his name called. He looked towards the call and saw Steve running towards him. His steps were light and confident, regardless of the snow that had frozen on the extremely slippery asphalt.

Puti did not get in the car and waited for Steve. Mike who saw Puti's attitude became astonished but immediately understood when following the direction of Puti's view.

‘It's a good thing you haven't left yet,’ Steve said as soon as he arrived near Puti. Smile bright. Although his breathing was still not regular but he looked relieved. ‘Actually I've been leaving home since, but my car skid near the campus entrance. My efforts to return him to the path were in vain. Then rather late I decided to walk.’ Steve explained as he extended the package he was carrying towards Puti.

‘This is a Christmas present for you,’ he said. Puti accepted it while smiling sweetly. The package was held along about one meter wide 20 centimeters with curiosity. Long, light and neatly wrapped with red and green double silk ribbon.

‘Thank you, Steve,’ he said. ‘My gift to you I left Emma.’ Steve nodded while looking at Mike. Puti immediately realized and introduced the two of them.

‘Oh yes, Steve, meet my brother, Mike Gray. Mike, meet my friend, Steve Carroll,’ Puti said. Mike and Steve shake hands, saying that they like to meet and judge each other.

Steve judges Mike critically, trying to find as many of Mike's weaknesses as possible. He didn't find it. Steve understood why Puti loved him so much. Mike is so handsome with his dark hair and his gray eyes. His bearing was calm, mature and serious, very contrary to him.

Steve realizes he is nothing compared to Puti's former fiancee. Mike is a Yale law graduate, the son of a diplomat who also pursued a career in that direction. He was just the son of a broken marriage. No wonder Puti admired this man so much, Steve thought.

Mike judged Steve with envy. Young, handsome, athletic, charming and admiring Puti openly. A young man who is not afraid to express his heart.

‘We have to leave immediately, Steve.’ Puti breaks the psychological battle in the heart between Steve and Mike.

‘Oh yes ... yes, good-bye,’ Steve stuttered. ‘See you in the new year, Puti.’

‘Do you want to ride in our car, Steve?’ Mike offered sympathetically.

‘No thanks,’ Steve declined the offer. ‘I've called AAA, in an hour they can just come pull my car. I'll just wait at Emma's apartment.’

Mike and Puti get in the car. Before the car goes, Puti sticks his head out.

‘Merry Christmas, Steve! ‘shouting.

‘Happy Christmas,’ reply Steve while developing his warm smile.

Mike runs his car carefully. Understandably not all campus streets have been cut down by salt. He did not want the incident that happened to Steve befall them anyway. Near the main gate of the campus they saw a bright red Porche car mired in the snow.

‘I think it's Steve's car,’ Mike said while pointing at the red car.

‘Ya,’ Puti assented lazily. Then they kept quiet.

‘Put, is Steve the son of John Stuart Carroll?’ mike asked as they began to enter the highway leaving Kent. Puti.

‘You know him?’ ask Puti.

‘No, just heard his name. John Caroll is the most successful businessman in Ohio. One of the most influential people in the country I thought.’ Mike explained.

‘He's your college friend?’ Mike asked after a moment of silence.

‘Not,’ Reply Short Puti.

‘Where do you know him?’ ask Mike incessantly.

‘Emma Walden?’ ask Mike again. Puti.

Then they went back to silence. Puti wondered why they could be that I. And a few months ago, if they were both, they had so much material to talk about. Especially those that concern their future.

To get rid of the silence between them, Puti turned the radio. A series of Christmas carols echoed the shahdu. Puti. On Christmas Eve last year she and Mike officiated their engagement. With the accompaniment of Christmas carols, Mike inserts a ring into Puti's ring finger. Puti steals a glance at Mike to see Mike's reaction to hearing the Christmas carols. Does Mike still remember the good times when he proposed to Puti to be his wife. Puti was very disappointed because Mike did not react.

The engagement means nothing to her at all, thought Puti with a heart of sorrow. What about his new engagement? Steve was right, I came home only to hurt my own heart.

Puti was so relieved when they finally arrived at the Gray family mansion in Salem. She was happy to meet and share her story with William and Nancy.

The days in Salem passed very slowly. Although Puti has tried to busy themselves with various activities: arranging Christmas decorations, making dry cakes and sledding in the spacious backyard, but still Puti was bored as well. Especially when the night comes, where there are almost no activities that can be done. Both Mike, Puti, Nancy and William all realized the awkwardness of their home atmosphere but they could do nothing about it. Things have changed.

☘️

That afternoon Puti decided to take a walk in the protected forest bordering the backyard of the Gray family home. The forest, which in other seasons is lush, is now losing leaves. The remaining branches and branches tried to hold back the heavy snow that had fallen the night before.

Usually in winter like this, many forest dwellers are starving and trying to get close to the settlement to find food. Puti also looking for carrots for him to take to the forest. Who knows, meet a rabbit or a deer.

‘Mom, don't have extra carrots huh?’ Ask Puti to Nancy who was watching TV with William in the living room.

‘There's in the basement refrigerator, Honey. For what?’

‘I want to walk to the forest for a while,’ replied Puti.

‘Let me take it. I will accompany you to the forest. My body needs movement.’ William Gray got up from the sofa and walked straight downstairs to pick up the carrots. Moments later he reappeared wearing a thick jacket, boots and hat and a bag of carrots in his hands.

‘Mom, not coming?’ Puth asked his mother. No need to be offered twice, Nancy immediately stood up and picked up the jacket and hat in the closet next to the living room toilet. The three of them immediately left the house.

Mike Gray, who had locked himself in his room on the 2nd floor since breakfast, heard the steps and the noise on the ground floor. He walked to the window and looked out. It looks like his mother and Puti walked away from the house to the forest. The roar of their laughter carried by the wind was clearly heard in his ears. Mike felt lost.

For three days Mike tried and failed to communicate with Puti. The questions he asked Puti were only answered with one or two unemotional words. Whenever gathered at the dining table or living room, Puti always avoids to stare at him. In the eyes of Puti, I no longer exist. He returns to Salem to spend time with Mom and Dad. Not with me

About two hours after William, Nancy and Puti entered the forest, Mike heard the sound of a bell ringing several times.

‘Huh, they forgot to bring the key apparently,’ grumbled Mike while going down the stairs.

When the door opened, it was not her parents and Puti standing in front of her, but Cathy Kates with her big smile.

‘Surprise!!’ Shouted Cathy as she slammed into Mike's arms.

‘Cathy, what are you doing here? Aren't you grieving with your family?’ Mike asked confusedly.

‘You're not happy I came?’ Cathy asked sulked.

‘Of course I'm happy to meet you. But I told you not to come before I straighten out my personal problems with my family,’

‘They will be my family too. So we solve your problems together,’ Cathy said to fools while barging into the house. His steps suddenly came to a halt and he widened in shock. A few meters in front of him stood sculpting Nancy, William and Puti.