in every falling leave there is a whisper of change

 "I still think it's weird that you never met Maddie's Dad," Darry said while he and Junie were walking to the library after school.

"I never thought much about it," Junie shrugged. She didn't know her own dad, either. "I think if my mom and dad split up now, I would really feel bad because I think of my step-dad as my real dad, and honestly, I see him more as it is.  My mom works so many long hours at the hospital."

Darry nodded. Just as he expected, Junie could only relate everything to her own life.

"Well, I'm just glad he came." Darry would leave it at that. Still, he thought Junie had plenty of issues that she hadn't quite dug into either, but maybe that was just as well. It was a new year at school, and Junie had her learner's permit.

Thankfully, they still walked a lot. It was now autumn, only it felt more like summer, and Junie wished the pool were still open. 

"You think Millie will have any more game nights?" Darry changed the subject.

"Doubt it," Junie shrugged. She'd rather go to Crystal's. "But I don't know where she lives."

"Maybe, we could do it at my house," Darry offered. 

"I like that idea." Junie perked up. Yes, he knew she would want to be in charge of the event. No telling what she had in mind. "What I'd really like to do is for all of us to go on a road trip."

"Oh really?" He looked at her out of the corner of his eye as if wondering how she thought that would be possible. 

"Yeah, we should go check out this real haunted house in Iowa." 

Oh, she did love her horror. He could barely sit through a movie with her, as she was prone to jumping all over him with excitement.

"Let's not get too carried away. I said game night. Not anything about a road trip." He looked at her blankly.

"I know, but maybe we can discuss it on game night." She smiled at him as she'd won this round. She looped her arm around his. Oh, he knew who was calling all the shots, but he needed to get to his job at the library.