Sixty-Five Roses

11

A few days later, Team Lyle was huddled together before Stuart, Parker, Neha and Yo-Yo headed back to college.

"Have a great senior year, guys. We'll keep your desk chairs warm for you," Lyle said. "Team Lyle!"

They put their hands in the middle. "Team Lyle!" They cried as they broke into a giant group hug.

"Yo-Yo! Come now!" an Asian woman ordered from a silver sedan.

"Mom, I need a minute," Yo-Yo told her. She began talking to him in another language and Yo-Yo frowned. "Mom, I'm saying goodbye to my friends. I'm taking a minute, okay?" The woman froze and nodded.

A man, who looked just like Yo-Yo, gave him a wide smile and a thumbs up from the driver's seat. Parker noticed he was also missing his right eyebrow.

"Look who grew an eyebrow, Yo-Yo!" Billy cried as he nudged Yo-Yo's arm.

"Look who's grown a lot," Parker said with a smile as they shared another group hug.

"All right you riff-raff," Billy teased. "Get outta here! See you down the road."

"See you, bud," Stuart told Billy and Nick.

"Bye."

"See you next summer."

"Bye guys."

They all said their farewells. Lyle was the first to walk off with his girlfriend Saffron. Nick and Billy were the next to walk off. Yo-Yo began walking off to his parents' car.

Patrick pulled up and stepped out of his car. "Hey, Park."

Parker grinned. "Dad!"

The two met and he hugged her. "I am so proud of you. And your mom would be too. Are you riding the bus back to school or am I taking you?"

Parker glanced back at the bus, then at her friends and the boy she'd begun to see in a different light. "I think I'll ride the bus."

He nodded. "I'll follow, make sure you're okay. If anything happens, let me know."

"I will, Dad. Love you."

"I love you too, Parker."

Parker hugged her dad and made her way towarda Neha and Stuart to the Google bus which would take them back to their respective colleges. Stuart had his suitcase in one hand and smiled as Parker walked up.

"Don't be strangers you two. Shoot me a text sometime," Neha told them.

Stuart smiled. "Forget that. We're gonna come see you in person."

Parker nodded. "Yeah, assuming I'm not in the hospital or incapacitated. Or worse."

"Hey guys, I grew a pair of balls. Did you see that?" Yo-Yo asked excitedly as he walked up to the trio.

Neha grinned. "We did. It was amazing."

"A big pair of balls," Stuart agreed with a nod.

"They're touching my ankles," Yo-Yo added.

Stuart held up a hand as he cut Yo-Yo off. "Okay. We don't need that."

Stuart, Parker and Neha loaded their suitcases into the lower compartment of the bus. Once their luggage was loaded, Stuart helped Parker into the bus. Though he knew she didn't necessarily need it, he wanted to help as much as he could.

Parker smiled. "Thank you."

He nodded. "You're welcome. I'm glad I met you, Parker."

"I am too. And to think I thought you a dick at first."

He scoffed lightly, a smile on his face. "I hope that's changed."

"Oh it definitely has."

They got on the Google bus and claimed a seat in the middle.

Parker met Stuart's eyes and said, "We did it."

Stuart nodded. "Yeah, we did. And you'll be continuing your mom's legacy. That's pretty damn amazing."

The bus began rolling away, but the two weren't sad. They would be coming back to an amazing job. Parker had hoped she'd be able to continue what her mother had started, and that dream had become a reality. She flicked her eyes to Stuart and smiled. She'd never given in to the possibility of love, but maybe she could start. And a simple crush could lead to an amazing future.

But it was only the beginning. With whatever time she had left, she would continue her mother's legacy, and make her proud for all her days to come.