Five Years and Freed

Chapter 10: The trip ends

Vincent nods as he steps out of room, leaving Parker alone with Ronnie.

Exactly an hour later Ronnie shifted as Parker was sitting beside her. She slowly tried to get down from bed, and stopped when Parker held her hands. She turned her whole body towards Parker, when he asked, "Do you need something, Ronnie?"

It was dimly lit room, Parker could not make out Ronnie's expression, but her voice was strained, "Parker....s-something happened to me....I-I c-can't...I can't tell you....I am unable to tell you...Please...please...I don't want to sleep here....Can we sleep somewhere else..."

The pause she took, made Parker on alert as it reminded him of the memories, which should have been deeply buried. Before she could speak further, Parker held both her hands shifted closer to her, "O-Okay....why don't you try holding my hands, huh? I will sleep beside you!! Is it okay?"

"Okay", she replied with slur in her speech as she nods. Next she laid beside him, clutching his right hand firmly as she fell in deep slumber.

Few hours later Vincent got up, to see Milly sleeping adjacent to his couch. The smile on his face showed, how much calm he was just by looking at her face. The digital clock on his hand showed it was 4.57am. He quickly stood up, walking upstairs.

His eyes roamed in the dimly lit room, to see only Parker's sleeping figure on bed. Worried, he was about to switch on the lights, when he heard water running in bathroom. He relaxed, walking down the stairs again entering the bathroom downstairs.

Parker's eyes suddenly opened wide, when there was no presence beside him. He abruptly sat up, jumping down the bed.

"Are you okay, Park?"

Parker turned his face towards Ronnie, who was walking out of bathroom. Parker's face instantly relaxed, as he replied with a nod followed by an hmm.

"What's got you jumpy, this early morning?" Ronnie questioned further as she sat beside him with a distance.

Parker immediately closed the gap leaning on her shoulder, "Was looking for you."

With a soft voice, "Park, don't worry too much, okay?"

Parker sniffs her freshly bathed smell, as he spoke, "You fainted yesterday, Ronnie. I was scared and worried."

Ronnie slumps her shoulders, "Not again. I missed-no! I mean ruined the evening for the rest."

"No one blames you, trust me. It was that, everyone was worried about you" he replies.

"Still-"

Parker shakes his head, making Ronnie stop, "What happened yesterday?"

Ronnie had to come clean to Parker, she knew or else he would blames himself, "My head was aching the whole day. I thought it might be due to lack of sleep, so I ignored..."

"You're not going to ignore, the smallest things you feel from now on. You would tell me the teeny tiny discomfort you feel anytime. I will try to help you, no matter what and wherever I am. Is that clear, Ronnie" Parker spoke with firmness.

Ronnie nods pecking a small kiss on his head, "Okay. You better wash up, we have to leave."

Parker pulls back facing Ronnie, "Can't we extend this for two more days?"

Ronnie crosses her hands below her chest, "Give me a good reason for it?'

"I loved this place?" Parker replies unsure of his answer.

Ronnie frees her hands grabbing Parker's face in her palm, "I too am in love with this place. But we aren't staying. Let's leave."

Parker huffs standing, walking towards the bathroom, as Vincent steps in, "We have a problem with one of the wheels. It's punctured. I think, you along with Tom and Ron need to head to local village shop."