Take Me Home {Completed}

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Unedited

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Chapter Fifty-Seven

Slow and repeatedly, Parker unconsciously nodded his head when Douglas informed him that he had a few minutes to spare before having to go back to work. However, Parker did not utter a single word in reply, nor did he make any move to go towards the smoking area. Instead, Parker remained in place, bobbing his head up and down as if he was stuck in the motion.

Douglas clamped his hand back onto Parker's shoulder and gave a squeeze. Mr. Harper intended to get Parker's attention and release him from the trance-like state which Parker seemed to have put himself in. "What's gotten into you?" Mr. Harper asked with a raised eyebrow, now unwilling to let Parker not answer his question truthfully.

Jumping back, startled by Douglas, Parker was forced out of his thoughts, which had consumed him a moment back. "Sorry," Parker stated under his breath. "I'm just really stressed today," the second part of what he said came off a tad louder, but it still held an underlying weakness to the tone that reflected how worn out Parker was.

Douglas gave a warm smile, hoping to cheer Parker up. "I understand . . . So, how're classes?" The question was meant to get Parker out of his thoughts and Mr. Harper hoped that it would engage him in some conversation.

Parker shrugged as he began to lead Mr. Douglas to the smoking area exit, "Grade-wise, I'm doing good. It's just that nowadays, I don't physically go to school anymore. I have transferred to online classes."

"Because of Nola?" Douglas presumed but made it sound as if he was asking a question.

Shaking his head, Parker opened the door for Douglas, who immediately walked out. "I did not switch to online classes for Nola, per say. I did it because of a job, which required me during school hours. I do have to say, though, that having my school online has come in handy with this situation. I can always be up here."

"You act like that's a good thing — not saying it isn't but you need to get out sometimes. Get some fresh air and a home cooked meal." Douglas followed Parker into the gazebo, taking a seat a foot or so away from Parker, who had sat down right after entering. Once they were seated, Douglas noticed the bags under Parker's eyes, "Maybe even have a good night's sleep, in your own bed."

Parker allowed Douglas' words to go in one ear and out the other. He had heard Douglas' spiel from Hannah, his parents, Nurse Heather, and even Mrs. Heldia — who had caught wind of what was happening through his loose-lipped mother and managed to corner him in stairwells the day before. "Thank you for your concern," Parker sincerely stated once Mr. Harper was done ranting. "What's it looking like for Nola's case?"

"So far everything is set for Mitch and his court date, which will be held the day after tomorrow." Douglas looked off into the distance as if something was there and capturing his attention. Truth be told though, Douglas was just off in thought, something he had been doing a lot of recently. While some of his thoughts were trained on Camille and his situation regarding her, Douglas also was trying to figure out ways to stall Mitch's court date.

Every time Douglas tried to think of ways to stall Mitch's court day, including the moment he shared with Parker in the gazebo, he came up empty with ideas. "I've been trying to get the date pushed back, with the hopes that Nola will wake up, providing time for her to have another evaluation and get her testimonies back in." Douglas shooked his head, "Nothing has worked." A slow sigh escaped Mr. Harper's lips as he glanced back over at Parker. "How is she doing?" The question slipped off his tongue before Mr. Harper could even think about if it was an appropriate thing to ask about or not. Douglas feared too much conversational focus on Nola, knowing Parker needed his mind off what was going on around him. However, the question escaped Douglas' lips before he could stop himself and, honestly, Douglas really did want to know how Nola was doing.

Parker, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, tried not to let himself get caught up in the worried thoughts that dared to consume him. "Same, of course," somberly replied Parker. " . . . The doctors are still trying to figure out what caused her coma. Some test they recently did hint that her coma is linked to something she might have ingested, like pills."

"Pills?" Douglas asked, finding the new information intriguing. "What kind?"

"They don't know, yet."

Douglas nodded but said nothing.

"So . . . Why are you here?" Parker asked even though he knew the answer because of his conversation with Camille earlier. But, Parker still asked because he wanted to fill the silence between the two of them and turn the topic of conversation away from him and Nola.

"Well, I came up here earlier with my daughter. I suspect that she has been doing drugs."

"Whoa, really?" Parker acted shocked.

"Yeah, we came up here so that I could get her drug tested, and also test the unknown drugs I found in her room." Douglas felt a sense of shame wash over him because he assumed daughter had turned to drugs. Mr. Harper expected so much from his daughter and being a druggie was not one of them.

"Is she being tested now?"

"Oh, no. She was tested earlier this morning, I took her home a little while ago. I'm back up here because her drug test results should come back in a few."

"You didn't want her up here for when you got the results?"

Douglas chuckled dryly before shaking his head, "I told Camille that soon after I get the results I will have have to jet back to the office," Mr. Harper paused for a brief moment. "That is the truth but I mainly don't want her here because when the results come back and she gets tested positive for drugs, I know I'll be livid. I can't have her here and blow up on her, especially after all she has been through. I need space and time to think of how to approach her, again, and reasonably talk to her."

Parker gave a small smile, thinking that Douglas was acting reasonable and caring towards his daughter. "That's smart."

Douglas nodded, "I thought so," he joked, earning a short laugh from Parker.

"Well, maybe it comes back negative and she doesn't have any drugs in her system."

Douglas exhaled, finding a sliver of relief in the idea Parker presented. "I hope that happens but if that is the case it must mean that she's keeping the pills for a friend, which was what she tried telling me last night. If that is what's happening, lord help the person that dared ask my daughter to hold on to their drugs."