Parker

Chapter 16

Parker was lying in bed watching television trying to ignore all of the impulses that would get him paddled. He wanted to leave the room, sneak out the window and run off, tell his brother how much of a jerk he was.

No I can't do that. I don't want to get in trouble again.  He grabbed the head board hoping that will stop him from doing something stupid. 

He closed his eyes tightly as he thought don't do anything stupid. Even though you want to with every fiber of your being don't do it.

The door then opened and Spenser walked in. He gave Parker a what in the world look as he saw him grasping the headboard for what appeared to be dear life.

"You okay?"

Parker let go off the headboard and glowered at his brother. "No." He said curtly. "I've been confined to a room all afternoon."

"Well I just heard from dad." Spenser said. "He will be here in twenty minutes to pick you up."

"Great." He said. "I can't wait to get out of here."

"I can't wait either." Spenser then turned to leave.

"Why do you hate me so much?"  Parker asked.

He turned around and said "What?"

"I said." Parker got up and walked over to him. He stood there inches away from him and said "Why do you hate me so much?"

"Don't be an idiot." Spenser said.

"I'm not being an idiot." He said in frustration. "You're being a jerk."

"Watch it Parker." He jabbed his fat finger in his face. "Disrepect like that again and I will throw your butt out and you can wait for dad in the street."

Parker backed off. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that."

"That's better."

"But why do you hate me Spenser." He said on the verge of tears. "Why do you and Amanda and Katherine hate me so much."

"Stop being so dramatic." Spenser said.

"I'm not being dramatic." He said emotional. "You guys have never wanted anything to do with me. Even when I was a little kid you ignored me." He then sniffed back the tears. "That's why you supported me moving in with dad. So you did not have to see me when you visited mom."

"You're being ridiculous."

"I'm not." Parker snapped. "You hate me and I don't know why."

"I don't hate you Parker." Spenser said. "I just could care less about you."

He blinked as if he had been hit in the face. "Why?"

"Becsuse you are seven years younger than me Parker." He said. "I have as much in common with you as you do our younger siblings.  I'm a married man with a family of my own, you are a teenager in high-school. We live in two totally different worlds."

"But that does not mean we can't have a relationship." Parker said. "My friend Zane's brother is ten years younger than him and he adores him. His sister is married with kids but she still has a relationship with them."

"Good for them." Spenser said. "But that is not realistic for us." Parker hung his head down.  "We are just too different to form any kind of bond."

"Now sit down, being quiet, and wait for dad to come and get you."

Parker sat down keeping his head hung.  Spenser then turned and walked out the door.

Rodger soon arrived and was met by Spenser who tried not to look too happy to see him.

"How was Parker?" Rodger asked as he entered the house.

"Fine." He said. "Eager to get out of that room but fine."

"I am sure he is." Rodger said still disliking that he kept him confined to the room for the afternoon. Yes he was grounded and yes he did the same at the dealership. But he had hoped that Spenser would have taken the opportunity to bond with him. Sadly bonding with his brother was not at the top of his list of priorities.

"No offense dad but you are going to have to find someone else to watch him from now on." Spenser told him. "I am way too busy to babysit your kid."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time you ask me to watch your kids." He retorted.

Spenser bristled at the comment. "Fine." He said. "I'll just ask my wife's family to watch them."

"Okay." Rodger said non chantly.

"How about I go get Parker." Spenser said.

"Wait a minute." Rodger said. "There is something I need to tell you."

"And what is that?" He asked.

"I'm..." He then cut himself off with. He felt a nervous flutter in his chest.

"You're what?"

"Im..."  Again he tried to say it but found himself unable to. What is wrong with me? Just tell him he ordered himself. You are seeing someone. You are not doing anything wrong.

"What?" He said with an amused look.

"I'm seeing someone." He managed to get out.

"Really." Spenser said with surprise in his voice.

"Yes." He said. "It's Miranda FitzSimmons."

"Your boss' daughter." Spenser's shock deepened.

"Yes."

"That's a little dangerous." Spenser said jokingly.

Rodger nodded his head. "Yes, it is."

"How long have you been seeing her."

"Three months."

"Three months." His eyes widened. "Is it serious."

"Yes." Rodger said. "I've met her son Cyrus."

"Has she met Parker."

"I haven't told Parker yet."

"You haven't told Parker?" He gave him a look of disbelief. "Dad."

"I know, I know I should have not let it go that without telling him." He said. "Or you or your sisters."

"But you are going to tell him right." Spenser asked.

"Yes." He felt the nervous flutter returned. "I'm going to tell him." Once I work up the nerve. "Let me get him out of your hair."

Rodger walked down the hall and then opened the door where he found Parker laying on his bed. "Ready to go?"

Parker jumped up from the bed. "I've been ready to go since I got here."

No doubt Rodger thought.

"Let's go." Rodger said.

"How did your meeting go?" Parker asked.

"It went fine." Except for the incident with Cyrus. "But it wasn't a meeting." He put his arm around him.

"It wasn't."

Rodger said bye to Spenser. Parker said nothing to him as they walked out.

"It wasn't?" Parker questioned.

"No." He shook his head. "It was a date."

"A date?"

"Yes." They walked to the car. "Let's get ice cream and I will tell you all about."

"Okay." Parker said unsure if he is going to be happy with this bit of news.