Discovering Parker. ✔ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ

Chapter Three| Cool Autumn Nights

CHAPTER THREE| COOL AUTUMN NIGHTS

“Sable is that you?”

 I haven’t even shut the door before I hear her calling me. I clench my jaw and toss my purse onto the couch before making my way towards her office.

 My mother sits in her wooden desk chair, her graying hair tied up into a tight bun. She sits with her back straight, her dainty fingers clicking against the keys of her ancient computer. My father had tried so hard to make her get rid of the damn thing. But she never let him, saying that no matter how old it was, nothing would work as well as hers.

 She smiles at me before quickly looking back at the screen. “I was wondering if you could do me a favor, sweetie.” I shrug a shoulder, crossing my arms across my chest. I wonder if she can tell just how unhappy I am with her, how unhappy Nolan is with her.

 Ever since he saw her leaving the office with Todd, her extremely young, extremely attractive assistant, Nolan tries his best to avoid her, and me.

 Nolan and my dad were inseparable. Whether they were playing catch in the backyard or cursing at the TV every Monday, they were almost always together. Somewhere along the line, he and dad started spending less and less time together. No more hour long games of catch, no more Monday nights spent yelling at the TV, it all just stopped.

 Before dad was diagnosed, they got into a horrible fight over Nolan not being able to go to a party with his teammates. Nolan, in a fit a rage, told our father to go die. A month later, he was.

 It was like he just gave up. He barely passed his exams, gave up his football scholarship and became someone I didn’t know and frankly, I don’t want to know the ‘new’ him.

 “- think you could do that for me?” I blink. “What?”

 She stops typing and turns to look at me. “I asked if you could walk down to that store on the boardwalk that sells labels. I’d do it myself but if I don’t finish this by tomorrow morning, I’ll lose the case.” I continue to blink at her. “Please Sable, I’d really appreciate it.”

 Yeah." I say. "Sure."

 She smiles again, grabbing a small wad of money from her purse before extending her hand out towards me. “You’re a life saver.” I shrug again, taking the wad of money and stuffing it in my back pocket. I grab my bag on my way out the door, thinking to myself how her life isn’t the one I want to save.

*

The boardwalk is thriving with people. The tourist are the easiest to spot, mostly because they seem to stop frequently, looking around like they’re lost or like they can’t decide which shop to go to first and because most of them have fanny packs strapped to their waists.

 I weave through the crowd to get to the door of the supply shop, my hands gripping the strap of my bag.

 I’m stuffing my purchase into my bag when I hear my name. I look up quickly, searching the boardwalk for a familiar face when I see a mop of curly hair and a pair bright, emerald eyes.

 Motley bends over once he reaches me, cupping his knees as he wheezes. I watch him with worried eyes until he holds a finger up telling me to hold on. I do as I’m instructed and after a couple minutes of me painfully watching him regain his breath, he stands up straight, a giant smile painted across his face.