Take Me Home {Completed}

Chapter Nineteen

Unedited

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"The only person that deserves a special place in your life is someone that never made you feel like you were an option in theirs."

- Shannon L. Alder

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Chapter Nineteen:

Parker nervously tapped his foot on the ground, earning a few glares from people around him. However, Parker was not concentrated on anyone, or thing, but the steel door a few feet from him. Without even thinking, Parker started to bite his nails, the waiting game was beginning to be too much - he needed a cigarette.

Suddenly the door opened and Douglas Harper, the officer in charge of Nola's case, walked out - closing the door behind him.

"Some woman walked in with you, she's still in there with Nola. What's going on? Is Nola okay? Did she give her statement? Did she identify him?"

"Whoa, slow down there, Cowboy," Douglas stated with a smile, "Nola is doing as good as anyone could be in her situation. As for the woman that walked in with me, she's Jackie Weston, a psychologist that works for our station. It's protocol for us to have one in with us, for cases like this. All I did was get Nola to identify Mitch Frazier, which she did. Jackie is in there with her now getting a full on statement."

Parker furrowed his eyebrows, "Why aren't you in there with them?"

"Jackie thought it would be best if she and Nola did the statement one on one, seeing as she's a woman and Nola might be more open because of that fact."

Parker nodded, knowing that Nola would, probably, be more likely to open up to Jackie than Douglas alone, like advised. "Okay..."

Douglas stayed silent for a minute before speaking, "You love her, don't you?"

Parker raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Mr. Harper smiled, "I've seen the way you treat her, you love her. Now, I am not jumping the gun and saying 'you're in love' but you care for Nola. Even a blind person could see that."

"I can't think of a single person I hate - aside from him," Parker stated, knowing that Mr. Harper knew who 'him' was. "... You see, I have a tendency to trust, care, and love others - no matter who they are. It only falters when someone does something to make me not trust them ... I would've done everything the same if it was someone else and not Nola. No one deserves what she was put through..."

"I agree," Douglas patted Parker's shoulder, "You're a kind man Mr. Sims, there needs to be more people like you around."

Parker chuckled, "There can't be more people like me, Mr. Harper. The world won't be able to handle that much awesomeness."

Douglas laughed at Parker's statement, "And he doesn't lack in self-confidence either."

A grin spread across Parker's face, "Not at all."

"Mr. Harper!" A woman came bustling down the hall waving a paper that was in her hand. "The judge has ordered you the warrant you asked for this morning."

"Great, thank you, Shirley." Mr. Harper took the paper from the woman, who immediately began to scurry back down the hall in the direction she came in. Douglas looked at the sheet before him, scanning over the words to make sure everything was right. "I have to go take care of some business," Douglas stated after he looked up from the paper. "Jackie should be finishing up here soon."

"Okay, thank you, Sir."

"No problem," with that said Mr. Harper walked away to take care of his work.

Time passed every so slowly for Parker as he waited for Nola to be done. He grew impatient and was seconds from knocking on the door when it opened to reveal Nola. With two large steps, he made his way to her, "How did it go? Are you okay?"

Nola meekly nodded.

"You must be Mr. Sims," a woman said as she exited the room behind Nola. She smiled and outreached her arm for a handshake.

Parker shook her hand and locked eyes with the short, green-eyed brunette. "Call me Parker. You must be Jackie Weston, the stations psychologist." He was shocked that someone as young as her could be a psychologist. In his mind, he pictured every psychologist to be old, with wrinkles, gray hair, and prescription glasses. However, Jackie looked to be not much older than him - at least in her late twenties.

"I work with other stations too, but yes that's me," Jackie replied. She soon cleared her throat and looked over at Nola, "It was nice talking with you, Nola. I hope you take me up on the offer and if not, at least let me recommend you to someone."

Parker raised an eyebrow in question as to what was going on.

Jackie looked over at Parker to see confusion written all over his face. Chuckling, lowly, Jackie had a feeling Parker was itching to know what she was talking about to Nola. "I offered for her to come to my office next Monday, around four in the afternoon, and we can have a session."

"A session?" Parker questioned.

"Yes, I'm a psychologist, Mr. Sims. I tend to have sessions in which I talk to people so they can work through whatever might be going on in their lives." Jackie joked with a teasing smile.

"Right, no, I understand ... and, remember it's Parker, Mr. Sims is too formal. As for the session, it's all up to Nola." Parker looked at her to see what she wanted. "Are you up for Monday?"

Nola pressed her lips into a thin line. She didn't want to talk, she'd done enough talking.

Parker noticed that Nola was not going to answer so he gave a smile and assured her that her silence was welcomed if that's what she wanted to do. "Do you have a card, with your number on it?" Parker asked.

Jackie looked taken back at Parker request. "A card?"

"Yes, a card, Ms. Weston. People tend to have business cards, so others can contact their office and make appointments - or get referrals - if Nola so chooses." Parker gave Jackie a wide grin to show that he wasn't being mean, but just playfully mocking her comeback from before.

Jackie blushed, turning her face beet red, "right, a card. Yes, I have one," Jackie moved her large brown leather purse off her shoulder and down to the middle of her arm, in order to gain better access. She fished around for a minute before pulling out a card. "Here you go. Sorry for the confusion ... I thought," Jackie shook her head, she had assumed that he was asking for her number, for a more personal reason. Her answer, to decline, had been at the ready. However, when she noticed that he had not even thought of that, she felt embarrassed knowing it was clear what she thought his intentions were. "I'm sorry," Jackie muttered and then looked over at Nola. "... I hope to see you soon, Nola."

Nola said nothing.

Jackie, knowing that Nola was not going to say anything, sighed, "Well, it was nice meeting you Mr. Sims," Jackie paused when she saw Parker shaking his head, "Oh right, it's Parker. Sorry, I'm used to formalities. As I was saying, though, it was nice meeting you and if you decide that ... you want a session, you have my number." Jackie gave a small smile as sudden courage to hit on Parker bubbled up. She was surprised, even for herself, because she never intentionally flirted with a man - especially one she was meeting through work.

Parker, unsure of what to say in reply to Jackie, simply asked Nola if she was ready to go.

"Yes," Nola spoke up for the first time. She didn't say another word, though, as she turned around a left.

Parker nodded and told Jackie goodbye before chasing after Nola.

**

A/N:

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