Parker

Chapter 19

Rodger approached the door cautiously unsure if he had given Parker enough time to cool down or not. He debated if he should wait just longer to make his anger had fully subsided. He wanted to make sure that he did not say anything they both regretted.

Maybe I should go back downstairs he thought. Yeah its probably not a good time. Just go downstairs and talk to him later.

Rodger then sighed as he cursed himself for his cowardice. He felt like he was a teenage boy again having to face the music with his own father.

I can't wait any longer Rodger thought. I need to do this now.

Rodger's chest tightened as he raised his hand.  He knocked on the door softly. Too softly. He doubted his son even heard it.

Stop being a wuss he thought.

He was about to knock again when he heard Parker say "Dad?"

Rodger lowered his hand and then opened the door. He walked in to find Parker lying on the bed. A book his only source of entertainment laid beside him.

"Hey Parker."

"Hey." Parker said as he sat on the side of the bed.

"I understand you called your grandmother."

The boy's body tensed. "Yes." A worried look crossed his face. "Are you pissed at me for doing that."

Disapproval filled his eyes. "Don't use that word Parker." He said. "Its vulgar and you are better than that.

"Sorry." He said.

"We will discuss that later." Rodger said. "But to answer your question no I am not upset that you called your grandmother." I was at first but got over it he thought. "Did you call anyone else?"

"I tried to call mom but it went straight to voice-mail." Parker then muttered. "Big shock there."

He shot the boy a sympathetic look.

Parker tensed again. "Its okay I called her?"

"Of course its okay." Rodger said more forcefully then he meant. Parker gave him a look which said are you sure about that. Rodger composed himself and said "Its okay. I would never forbid you from calling your mom."

"Did you call anyone else?" Rodger asked.

"No, dad."

Rodger crossed his arm and his eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me, Parker." Rodger said. "You know it will be easier on you if you tell me the truth."

The boy's face twisted in frustration. "I'm not lying dad."

"So you didn't call Christine or Zane or any of your other friends?"

"No, dad."

"You know what is going to happen to you if you are lying to me."

Parker jumped to his feet, his face turned bright red as he shouted. "I'm not lying to you."  His body trembled, he looked as if he was about to hit something.

Or someone.

"Okay I believe you." Rodger said as he uncrossed his arms.

"Whatever." Parker said as he sat down.

Damn it Rodger you came in here to apologize to your son not give him more reasons to hate you he chided himself.

"I'm sorry son." Rodger said as he sat to him.

"Its okay." He shrugged. "I get it you don't trust me so you think every word out of my mouth is a lie."

"Not every word." Rodger said. "I know you weren't lying when you said you were upset about me not telling you about Miranda."

"I wasn't." Parker said with emotion in his voice. "It hurt dad to find out you were having this whole other life. That you took her kid out to eat and left me behind me."

"I know." Rodger said. "That was wrong of me. I should have taken you this afternoon, I should have told you about Miranda sooner." Rodger looked at his son. "But I need you to believe me when I say it wasn't because I was embarrassed by you. You are my son, I could never be embarrassed or ashamed of you." He then put his arm around him and hugged him tightly.  "I love you Parker, I love you so much."

"I love you too dad." Parker then pulled away. "But I'm still mad at you."

"Which is understandable." Rodger said.  The phone then rang and Parker  jumped to his feet. "Sit." Parker sat down and Rodger walked over to the phone.

"Cole residence." Rodger said. "Hey Felicia." Parker's eyes lit up at the sound of his mom's name. "Yes he is here."  Rodger placed the reciever to his chest and then motioned for him to come over. He walked over to him and Rodger said "When you are down I want you to come downstairs."

"Yes, dad."

His father handed him the receiver and walked out closing the door behind him.

"Hey mom." Parker sat on the bed.

"Is everything okay?" Felicia Campbell asked.

"Not really." Parker said and then told her about his father's new girlfriend and him keeping her a secret.

Twenty minutes later Parker walked into the living room where his father sat on the couch. "How did it go?"

"It went okay." Parker said. "She actually listened to me it was cool."

"I'm glad she did."

"Same here." Parker said. "I was surprised that she actually took the time to talk to me." He then smirked. "She probably wanted to know about your new girlfriend."

"Maybe." Rodger said. "Maybe not."

Parker shrugged.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little better." Parker said. "I'm not one hundred percent over it."

"I wouldn't expect you to be." He then stood. "I promise I won't do this to you again."

"Okay."

Once again they hugged and then pulled apart. "Now to the other matter."

Parker stiffened.

"You know I don't want you cussing."

"I know dad." Parker said. "I'm better than that."

"You are." Rodger said. "Come with me."

The two walked into the bathroom and Rodger put the lid down. "Sit."

Parker obediently sat. He watched his father as he opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out a bar of soap.  His stomach began to churn as his father slowly unwrapped the instrument of punishment.

He then held the bar out to him. "Open."  Parker opened and
his father inserted the bar into his mouth. He resisted the urge to spit the foul tasting thing from his mouth. He made that mistake when he was thirteen and recieved ten swats for it.

I'm going to throw up he thought.

Rodger set the timer on his phone. "Three minutes." He showed him the timer that had begun counting down.

Longest three minutes in my life he thought.

"After your punishment is up we will get something to eat."

He nodded in response and watched as the timer slowly counted down.