If He Had Been with Me
by Laura Nowlin
Contents
Chapter 83
Overview
Finny leaves to break up with Sylvie, promising to return that night and cement his future with Autumn. Their mothers catch them kissing, confirming the relationship. The plan sets clear stakes: resolve the past to begin together, while the rain and parting add tension and foreboding.
Summary
Autumn waits in Finny’s room as he showers before leaving to end things with Sylvie. Finny reassures Autumn that it will be okay, insisting he must do this now so it can be “just us.” Autumn asks him to wait, but accepts that he needs to go.
They walk to his car and make a plan: after the mothers return, Autumn will go to bed early and Finny will sneak in later to hold her all night. Their goodbye kiss deepens, as if delaying his departure.
The mothers arrive home and clearly notice them kissing. Embarrassed but buoyed, Finny jokes about his mother having champagne for this moment and promises to come back to help face them.
Pulling away to leave, Finny gives Autumn a final reassurance: “After this, things are going to be the way they were always supposed to be.” Autumn watches him drive off. Rain begins to fall, underscoring the fragile hope and tension of their plan.
Who Appears
- AutumnWaits in Finny’s room, asks him to stay, agrees to their plan, shares a prolonged goodbye kiss.
- FinnyDetermined to break up with Sylvie, promises to return that night, reassures Autumn, and departs.
- The MothersReturn home, see Autumn and Finny kissing, tacitly acknowledge the new relationship.