Loves Second Chance

Chapter Three

Parker cursed loudly as he busted his knuckles on the engine block of the old Ford truck he was working on. He walked over to the toolbox and picked up a grease covered rag to wipe the blood from his finger and grabbed a roll of black tape to wrap around the deep gash.

"Brought you some lunch." Hank said walking into the garage and holding out a greasy paper bag. Parker wiped his hands on his pants and grabbed the bag, sitting down on a toolbox to eat.

He'd been working in the garage for the last two years and every day his uncle Hank bought him a greasy burger and fries from the diner across the street.

"Thanks." Parker said as he bit into the soggy burger.

"The diner just ain't the same since Peggy left and moved to the city." Hank said as he sat down in a folding chair next to Parker.

"Food is food." Parker replied. "This tastes a hell of a lot better than the shit I ate in Iraq." Hank nodded and took a puff of his cigarette.

"Yeah, I'd say it does." he said. "Food might start tasting better from over there soon." Parker raised a brow and looked over at his uncle. Hank was a tall big guy. He had a gut that would rival the biggest of sumo wrestlers and was easily six and a half feet tall. Most people who first met him were intimidated but that never lasted long. Hank was harmless and would much rather spend his time laughing and having fun than fighting.

"Why do you say that?" Parker asked.

"When I was over there eating my lunch I saw them interviewing a young woman for a job." Parker nodded and stuck a few fries in his mouth.

"Let's hope they let her cook and put Paula back to being a waitress." he said matter-of-factly as the fries crunched loudly and he feared maybe he'd chipped a tooth.

"Funny thing about that woman I saw…." Hank said and Parker rolled his eyes. Hank loved being dramatic and trying to keep people in suspense when he had a juicy piece of gossip.

"What's that? She have three legs or something?"

"Yeah that was it." Hank said with a chuckle. "No really though she was real familiar."

"Well it's a small town Hank so I'm sure you've probably just seen her around before and don't remember."

"Yeah, I guess maybe." Hank replied. He didn't want to be the one to tell Parker that he was pretty darn sure that Emily was back in town or that it looked like she'd had the crap beat out of her. He'd just let Parker learn that on his own.

"I gotta get back to work." Parker said stuffing the last of the burger into his mouth. "I promised old man Hawke I'd have this thing finished by this afternoon."

"You know I don't usually say nothing to you because you've always been a whiz under the hood of a car and you're dependable but do you think maybe tomorrow you could try coming into work not smelling like liquor?" Hank asked as Parker stood up and threw his trash in the already overflowing garbage can.

"No." Parker replied simply. Hank shook his head and walked back to his tiny office to go over some order forms.

Parker busted his knuckles a couple hundred more times and had each of them wrapped in black tape when Russell Hawke came in at four to pick up his truck.

Parker told Hank he was leaving for the day once Russell drove away and Hank hadn't even looked up from his paperwork as he'd nodded and waved his hand. Parker pulled on his flannel coat and walked out and climbed in his truck.

He went through the drive thru of the local fast food joint and made the drive out to his dads house the same way he had every day since his mom had died. Parker and his mom had never been close. Parker had never forgiven his mother for the way she had always treated Emily and his mother had never forgiven him for turning to alcohol when his life had fallen apart.