Alone

17

After breakfast, which Austin waited out in the room that morning Parker began to get excited. She went back up to her room and decided to just hang out and get to know each other. Parker taught him what she knew on the guitar and he taught her how to play a couple of old card games that they had played to pass the time.

"Would it be easier to walk with crutches?"

Austin laughed.

"I've never been offered that luxury."

Parker smiled and grabbed her keys.

"Let's go get some."

She helped him up and down the stairs to her car that had just been purchased the day before. Austin went out to the car as Nate stopped Parker.

"What are you doing?"

"We're just going to town. Do you need something?"

"No sweetheart. Have fun."

He smiled, but then grew serious as he voiced a warning.

"Don't get too friendly with the staff Parker, that never does anything good."

Parker looked at him in confusion and walked out to the car. Nate walked back inside and sat down on his office, where he picked up a photo of his wife and daughter. He looked at it for a couple of minutes before the first tear left his eye. he still couldn't make peace with what had happened. Everyday he occupied his thoughts with anything else but he dreaded the moment that the sun disappeared over the horizon for it was then that his demons came out to play, reminding him of the hours he had tried so hard to forget. The hours that had ripped everything away from him. The hours that had put him where he is. He looked out the window as the sun began to disappear again. Headlights began to make their way down the driveway. Parker and the boy who had become hers got out of the car laughing. He knew that her happiness was just a mask. All happiness is when you've lost that much.