Page 129 of Mother Parker
“That’s what you get for acting naughty when you’re hurt.”
“You’re a cruel master,” he groaned.
“Come on. Stop the theatrics and let me wrap those stitches so you can clean up.”
He begrudgingly sat on the stool by the kitchen island, and I used lots and lots of Saran wrap and tape to waterproof his wound before sending him to the bathroom with a slap in the butt.
I got dressed in a black crop top with a black mesh T-shirt over it, black jeans, and a pair of pink trainers to match my hair.
Yeah, I was in a mourning mood, and I didn’t care. I didn’t even want to know how much damage the shop had taken.
As I waited for Parker to finish in the shower, I opened the balcony doors and came out for some fresh air and to feed the two Golden Girls who eagerly crowed when they saw me.
“I know, girls. I know. She’s okay though. She’ll be back with you in no time. Don’t worry. I promise,” I told them.
I poured the seeds all over the table, and before they dove right in, Rose gave me a sad, eerie caw that only a scratch soothed down enough for her to eat.
They were so clever. I wouldn’t put it past them to find Sophia at Duke’s sanctuary and keep her company until she was back on her wings.
“Hey, careful,” someone shouted from below, and as I turned away from the girls, I noticed all the noise.
Where is all this coming from?
I leaned on the balcony rail and looked out onto the pier, past the bright-blue sea to the street on the side.
I couldn’t see the front of the shop from the balcony, but I could just about catch some of the terrace. There was a man in a cap that disappeared from view as soon as I spotted him.
“Fuck. Not again. Not in broad daylight,” I shouted and rushed through the apartment.
“What’s up?” Parker asked when I almost collided with him.
“There’s someone downstairs. There’s so much noise. I think they’re stealing everything,” I said and tried to bypass him, but he only pulled me back.
“You’re not going anywhere on your own. Let me get dressed, and we’ll go down together,” he said.
“We don’t have the—” I started to say, but I remembered what happened last time I’d decided to not use my head and jump straight into it. “Fine. But be quick about it.”
He nodded and got dressed—I helped him with the top—and two minutes later, we made our way down.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I scanned the little area for anything I could use to defend myself.
Or, to be honest, whoop some fucking ass.
“Watch it!” someone shouted from the other side of the door inside the shop.
Parker put his hands up and gestured for me to calm down as he unlocked the door and opened it slowly.
I watched him peek his head through the crack before swinging the door open with a goofy smile.
“All clear,” he said.
“Huh?”
I walked past him and into the café and came to a halt.
The place was full.
Carson and Madison, a girl I’d worked with at Carson’s Grill, were arguing over the boba cooker in the storeroom. Halmeoni and Autumn were painting a black patch on the wall. Penelope, another ex-colleague from Carson’s, was on a ladder painting the ceiling. Ash, Maddox, and Wyatt were busy covering the windows with plywood. A couple more people from Carson’s and Nim, the guy who owned the convenience store on Main Street, were sweeping the glass inside and outside.
