Page 104 of Mother Parker
“Oh,” everyone around the table said.
“It took going through hell and finding this one to realize, but…I know now,” he added and let go of my hand, hugging me instead.
“Aren’t they adorable?” Autumn asked, all giddy and smiley.
“They are,” Camden said, smiling from ear to ear.
“See? Isn’t it all better when we’re all open with each other?” she said. “I think you should tell him.”
“Tell me what?” Camden asked, and I looked around the table, trying to figure out what they were talking about.
Parker leaned forward and took a deep breath.
“I know they hurt you, and you probably don’t care, but…” he started, and suddenly, I felt unnecessary there. Like I was intruding on a private moment and needed to leave, but I couldn’t do that in the middle of a confession. “Mom and Dad passed away last year. Dad’s lungs finally gave up, and Mom had a heart attack at his funeral.”
Camden’s jaw dropped, and Linc jumped straight to his boyfriend’s comfort.
“Oh. Okay,” Camden said.
Autumn stroked her younger brother’s hand, and I felt the air around us change. Parker’s breathing got harder, and I massaged his back, feeling like a sore thumb that shouldn’t be there.
I wanted to. I wanted to be part of a family. A group of people that cared for each other and were supportive, but…but I didn’t want to invest in this one when it wouldn’t last. It would only add further complications, and I would have enough as it was.
“Thank you for telling me. Why-why did you keep it from me?” he asked both Parker and Autumn with tears in his eyes.
“You know what? I have an idea,” I said, and everyone turned to me. “How about you guys go out for a nice lovely dinner? Check out Carson’s place. He’s got lovely food. And you guys have got so much to talk about,” I said, knowing I sounded weird, but I just…
I couldn’t do this.
“What about here?” Parker asked.
“I can handle it. I’ve got Elliot anyway. And most importantly, you guys haven’t seen each other in forever. You need this time together. Go. I’ll-I’ll be okay.”
Parker hesitated for a moment, and then Autumn stood up, so everyone else did.
“Are you sure?” he mouthed at me before he left.
I smiled and pushed him away. “Go,” I told him. “I’m good.”
I watched them as they walked away from the café and wished things were different. I wished this would last so I could be a part of it. I wished this little bubble I’d been living in for the past two weeks would never end so I could live in bliss for the rest of my life.
But it was time to fall back to reality.
Besides, I didn’t have the time to fall in and out of love again.
“Next,” I said as I took my place behind the counter and served the next stream of customers that walked in just before we closed down.
Once things quietened and I got busy shutting everything down, I heard the bell jiggle, and I turned to announce to whoever had come in that we were closed. I paused when I saw the skinny man with the big circles under his eyes standing at the bar.
“You!” I said, heat rising in my chest, threatening to spill out like lava.
“Hello, how are you today?” he asked, completely oblivious to the ticking time bomb inside me.
“What do you want? What are you doing here?”
“Well, I heard about your recent troubles, and I thought I’d check again if you’d changed your mind about hiring some security. You know we watch out for our people—”
“Get out,” I shouted.
