Take Me Home {Completed}

Chapter Fifty

Unedited

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Chapter Fifty:

Parker was waiting for the elevator so he could leave the hospital floor. He silently prayed that his parents would stay behind for a bit so he would not be stuck in the elevator with them. As soon as the doors opened, Parker went to walk in but paused when he almost ran into someone.

"Oh, hey, Hannah," Parker greeted when he noticed that it was Hannah Nicholas, a student at his high school. Glancing down at her hands, Parker saw that Hannah was holding a vase of bright blue Hydrangeas that looked oddly familiar. "You're the one that keeps putting Hydrangeas in Nola's room?"

Hannah looked down at the flowers in her hand, "They are from my mother's garden ... They make me feel better when I'm sick ... I know she is not sick and can't see them ... but," Hannah had no idea how to justify what she had been doing. "Sorry, I don't mean to intrude. I try to sneak in when no one is in the room..."

"Clearly, I haven't seen you place them in there." Parker gave a small smile, "Well, thank you. I think when she wakes she will love them."

Hannah gave a grateful smile, "Anything new?"

Parker shook his head, "Nope."

"Well, hopefully, they will find out what is causing her a coma soon."

Parker nodded, "Yes, agreed."

***

Parker rubbed his sleepy eyes for what felt like the millionth time. Part of him knew that he should have taken his mother's suggestion and allowed her to drive him home. But, he did not want to hear her constant yapping and questioning. On the bright side, he figured, his apartment was only a few blocks from the hospital so he did not have that far to drive.

Glancing down at his car clock, Parker saw that it was seven fifty-eight in the evening. He began to calculate how long it would take him shower, pack a bag, and head back up to the hospital. Within a minute, or so, Parker figured that he would be back at the hospital no later than nine-fifteen. He began to worry if that was too long and something happened and he was needed but not there.

The sound of his phone ringing broke his train of thought. "Hello?" Parker answered, not bothering to look at his caller I.D and see who it was.

"Hey, man," Remus responded. "How's she doing today?"

Parker inhaled, slowly, "Nothing's changed. Is there a reason you called? Was there a problem with what I sent you today? Was it not done right?" Parker inquired, quick to change the subject.

Remus shook his head but then remembered that Parker could not see him, "I was just calling to see how everything was going and reminded you, once more, that you can take off work to stay with Nola."

"I'm nearly always with Nola, hence why I asked to be working for home. I don't do the work at home, I'm with her."

"I figured that much, I just meant if you need to take off work to be more focused-"

"No," Parker interrupted Remus, seeing where he was going with this. "I need something to do up there. If it's not school work, it's work for you, and if I'm not doing that ... I'm just worried about constant thoughts of how I can't help her, this time."

Remus understood what his friend was saying, "I hear you. So, as long as you are still up for the work, you can continue working how you are now."

Parker was relieved that his friend was being flexible when it came to how they worked. And, so far, it was not turning out as a bad routine. During office hours, Parker's work phone was routed so that when someone called it would be forwarded to his cell phone. From there he was able to take messages, schedule someone in for Remus, answer questions, and all his other basic jobs via the phone.

Another duty Parker had was to file contracts in on their online database. To stop Parker from coming in every day, giving him more free time to be with Nola, Remus had agreed that Parker could come into the office and collect the contracts every Friday.

Everything else was simply handled online and it was working flawlessly.

"Great, I will come get the contracts tomorrow afternoon."

"Alright, see you then."

Without saying anything else the two men mutual ended the conversation, just as Parker reached his apartment.

Before Parker got out of his car, he reached in the glove department and pulled out an envelope. It was Mrs. Heldia's rent money that he got out of the bank earlier that afternoon when Nola's aunt, Suzanna, came up to the hospital to visit with Nola for a little bit.

He shoved the envelope into his jacket pocket, deciding that he would turn it in now, saving himself from an argument with Mrs. Heldia later.

Normally he would enjoy, admittedly, the tiff his landlord and he would have every month. But, Parker was drained he did not have it in himself to hold off on rent just to mainly ruffle his landlord's feathers.

As he got out of his car, Parker made sure to grab his pack of cigarettes that were tucked in his visor. Smoking was a nasty habit that he never really did religiously. Mostly, Parker had the habit of smoking in the mornings, before school, and afternoons, when he got home - finding them as a means to relax a little. Yet, before Nola had fallen into a coma he had seemed to stop needing to smoke. Something about her made him not have the urge to smoke.

But now, that she was in a coma, Parker was going through at least a pack a day. Smoking was the only time he left her room and it was for five minutes, maximum. Parker would even time himself, making sure that if he did not smoke his cigarette in that timeframe, he would smother it out and race back to her room. It was meant to calm his nerves, but he knew his priorities.

When Parker passed by Mrs. Heldia's door, he placed her rent money in her mailbox. As soon as he got to his apartment, Parker was a quarter way through his cigarette. He opened the door, kicking it closed behind him after entering, and took a long drag.

The amber at the tip of his cigarette was the only light in the room. Parker, not bothering to strain his eyes and look, was able to expertly toss his keys onto his coffee table. As he walked, Parker took off his jacket before throwing it on the couch. He flicked on the lamp light that was on a stand by the couch. Seeing a half empty glass of water by the lamp, left behind several days ago, Parker ashed his cigarette. He took several more drags as he slowly made his way back to his room.

When he entered, Parker glanced over at his bed. Part of him considered taking a short nap, but he did not want to oversleep. So, instead, he prepared for a shower with as much haste as he could muster.