Parker gently brought his hand up to tuck some stray hairs behind my ear. “Baby, I’m not going anywhere. You know I’m always going to be here for you.”
With that we curled up simultaneously; our bodies forming together, almost as if we were one entity. I could feel his heart beating fast, pressed up against my back, and his arms wrapped around me, like he would never let me go. I realized in that moment, that this, right here, was where I belonged. This was my home and Parker was my family, and I never wanted to move.
“Forever and always,” I whispered gently, as I drifted off into a dream-like isle.
* * *
I awoke to a blinding light. Not sure exactly what it was, I blinked my eyes open. Annoyed to see the blinds were completely open and it was the sun that was sneaking its way through. “Parker, can you please close those?”
“Oh…yeah, sorry. You should take a look outside though, it’s gorgeous.” Just as Parker had answered me, the light seemed to disappear completely. “Good morning there.”
“Hi,” I forced myself to sit up, even though I could barely keep my eyes open. “Oh God…Oh God!” It finally hit me that I had spent the night, and my parents were probably freaking out. “Shit!” I jumped out of the bed and was scrambling to put my jeans back on and my hoodie.
“Madalynne!” Parker barked at me. When I didn’t respond because I was too preoccupied jumping around and getting all my stuff together, he grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me square in the eyes. “Look at me. Stop freaking out. I called your mom around ten last night and let her know you fell asleep. She was okay with it. I think she was too stressed out about whatever was going on at home.”
Suddenly, I felt extremely guilty. I guess Parker could tell by the way my face fell. “I really should have been there for them. I’ve been a horrible daughter recently. I’ve tried my best to not be home as much and block out the rest of it when I am home. God, I’m supposed to stand behind my parents, and here I am being nothing close to a support system.”
Parker cradled my face in his hands, with the softest caress. “Listen, you can’t be the hero all the time. And you definitely cannot fix what’s already broken. You need to realize none of this is your fault, and you can only do the best you can do.” He kissed me on the forehead then, and lingered there for a long time before backing away and grabbing both my hands in his, squeezing them twice…it was our signature move to say ‘I love you’ discreetly. “I’m sure you’ve been doing all you can, but I also know it’s been taking its toll on you. You need a break babe, from everything, life, school, work. You can’t always control everything.”
I looked up into his beautiful eyes then. “Thank you, I needed that reality check.” I stood on my tip toes to kiss him ever so gently. “What do you want to do today?” I asked, attempting to change the subject.
“Well, your mom said you have to be home by three, which gives us five hours. What about going to Silver Creek Falls? We haven’t been there in a while, and I doubt we’re going to get another day like this.”
“That sounds perfect, actually.” His idea was almost genius. Silver Creek Falls was a place so serene and peaceful; I could get out of my head for a while. I stepped up on my tiptoes so I could kiss his soft cheek. “Let me take a quick shower, and we’re golden.” And with that, I brushed past him into his bathroom, swiftly closing the door behind me.
* * *
It was a beautiful May afternoon. The sun was shining brightly upon the world, and there was just the slightest breeze. “I had forgotten how beautiful this place is,” I murmured to Parker as I nestled my head into his neck.
Silver Creek Falls was a state park located about twenty five miles from our hometown, Salem, Oregon. The Trail of Ten Falls was definitely the main attraction, leading the hikers through stunning trails to even more breathtaking waterfalls.
“I have a surprise for you.” He gently pushed me away so that he could look down into my eyes.
“You do?” I asked, as my eyes lit up with excitement. “What is it?”
“Wait here,” Parker responded as he walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Just as his head emerged from inside it, he bared a huge grin. “Close your eyes.”
I pouted. As much as I loved surprises, I hated the anticipation that led up to them. Parker laughed as a response, and then said, “I promise it will all be worth it in the end.” I complied, knowing that I should trust him. He was, after all, the person I loved most in the world, and we had been through hell and back together.
I shivered as I felt his hands softly sweep my hair off my neck, and then again, as I felt a cold chain being locked around it. “You can open them now,” Parker whispered as I felt his hands leave my neck.
I slowly opened my eyes and a beautiful gold locket came into view. “Parker, you didn’t,” I whispered, amazed by its intricate beauty. I opened the locket, and there was a picture of us in it. “Oh my God, it’s beautiful.” I looked up so I could show him how much I really loved it.
“Turn it around,” Parker instructed, inching towards me, gesturing to the back of the locket.
I turned it over and there it was; an engraving. “Will you read it to me?” I wanted to hear him say it, in a way, and then I could understand why he chose it.
“It reads, ‘love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.’”
I swallowed, deeply touched. “Who wrote that?”
“Aristotle. He was a smart man,” Parker laughed, and then touched my neck where the necklace lay. “I love you babe.”
“Oh, Parker, I love you so much.” I quickly threw my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. “You always know how to make everything better,” I said, peppered in between kisses.
It was a great idea to come to the falls. And it really did take my mind off of everything. Between all the hiking, kissing, swimming, and picture taking, I really allowed myself to enjoy the day, because I knew, as soon as I returned home, reality would set in. And before I knew it, we were driving back, the falls merely an image out the back window of Parker’s truck.
Twenty One – Backed into a Corner
Parker
Our bodies had never been more in sync. It was as if we were engaged in a passionate tango; the bedroom kind.
My parents were out at the Saturday Farmer’s Market and Madalynne and I had the house to ourselves. Our breathing was on point, matching up perfectly.
We were rolling back and forth, back and forth on my bed, our legs entangled in one another’s.
“Why can’t everyday be like this?” Madalynne murmured lovingly into my ear.
“Why can’t it?” I grinned back at her.
“Don’t tempt me mister!” She poked me playfully in the chest and then kissed me passionately. I deepened the kiss by pulling her in closer.
I trailed my finger down her face until she took it into her mouth lightly sucking and biting on it, driving me wild.
Quickly, I pulled her up and removed her tank top. She was left in her nude bra and shorts.
I began kissing her neck from the bottom of her ear lobe to her shoulder blade. It was driving her all sorts of crazy. I knew I had turned her on when she had removed my shirt hastily while my lips were still at the base of her neck.
Her hands came at me softly, delicately. She was running them all over my chest, my back. I was sucking on her earlobe, nibbling every so often; watching her squirm.
“What if your parents come home?” Madalynne asked suddenly, pulling away and looking around wildly.
“They won’t—I promise. I know their routine. Do you trust me?”
She nodded, innocently.
We were now grinding, quite heavily upon each other’s half naked bodies; getting me hotter by the moment.
“Take your shorts off,” I suggested, nodding towards her shorts with my head.
“Okay,” she complied standing up and removing them swiftly.
She was wearing bright teal lacy und
ies.
I smiled back at her, taking in the sight.
“What?”
“You’re not matching…I thought it was a rule for girls to have matching bra and undies?” I asked naively.
“Well I’m a rebel,” Madalynne replied and then pulled me in for a sweet kiss.
I began to reach for her bra clasps when I heard a sound that I could have sworn was the front door shutting.
“What was that?” Madalynne asked, confirming my suspicion.
“It can’t be my parents…” I whispered as I jumped up out of bed and began handing Madalynne her clothes.
Quickly she threw her tank top over her head and buttoned her shorts before I could blink. I followed suit by throwing my t-shirt on.
“Parker?” The familiar voice of my uncle echoed through the house.
I hadn’t seen him since a few weeks after I was released from the hospital. I think he felt too guilty after the accident. I’m sure he blamed himself for coaxing me out there. Jack was more like an older brother to me than an uncle. How could I hold a grudge? I couldn’t. I didn’t want to. Jack didn’t make me get behind the wheel of that race car that fateful day—I made that decision. I paid the price.
I opened my door and peeked my head out. “Jack, we’re up here!”
I was still hot and bothered by my steamy make out session with Madalynne, but we were in no rush, and we liked it that way.
* * *
“Hand me the wrench, will ya?” My father asked me. It was a gorgeous Sunday in spring and my father and I had been spending time all day working on my beast of a car. She wasn’t the prettiest girl in the room per say, but I loved her nonetheless. Francesca was…vintage. What else would you call a 1972 Nova with plenty of rust beauty marks? But she had been good to me all these years—so I had never lost faith in her.
“Only a few more weeks of school then, eh?” he asked from beneath the hood.
I nodded before catching myself. “Yeah.”
“And then what?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know…get a job?”
He sighed loudly in response to my answer.
“What is it, pop?” I asked, irritated.
He poked his head out from beneath the hood, staring me down intently. “I know we’ve been avoiding this subject since…since, well, Mason. But I think you need to really contemplate the option of joining the military. They would pay for your schooling if you ever changed your mind and decided to attend college for a degree. You would get to travel. It would be new experiences.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” I joked to clear a bit of the tension hanging in the air.
Before he had the chance to answer my mother came strolling outside carrying two cups of lemonade. “Thirsty?” she asked as she handed us each our own.
“Thanks mom,” I said, taking a long gulp of the sweet liquid. “Mmmm.”
My mother’s eyes brightened up with my reaction. “I think I finally figured out the right amount of sugar!”
“I think you did honey,” my father said encouragingly.
“Why don’t you two take a break?” she suggested. “You’ve been working at this all day.”
My father glanced at his watch. “You’re right, I hadn’t realized it was past five. That’s enough for today. At least you now have a working air conditioner and we fixed your brakes and put on new windshield wipers. We can get to the rest another day.”
I nodded. “Thanks for the help, Pop.”
He smiled warmly. “Come on, let’s go inside and help your mother get ready for dinner. We have a big discussion ahead of us.”
I sighed. “Yes sir…” Thinking about my future always left me feeling conflicted. It was hard to imagine a life without Maddy…but there were things I wanted to do, places I wanted to see, people I wanted to meet that she wouldn’t agree with. And even if she did forgive me for following my heart—I wasn’t sure she could withstand the necessary time apart now that we had found our way back to one another.
I trudged into my house behind my father, not looking forward to the upcoming conversation.
Twenty Two – Trouble in Paradise
Madalynne
I walked down the hall at school Monday morning alongside my best friend Kendall, when we spotted Parker.
“Hey babe,” Parker greeted me, and then kissed me softly.
“Hey baby,” I replied, throwing my arms around his strong body. I loved the feeling I got being in his arms; like he would protect me from anything. He really was my knight in shining armor and I savored every moment we had together.
“So, what do you guys think? Mongolian grill for lunch?” Parker suggested.
Kendall and I both glanced at each other, ear-to-ear grins. “Why of course, fine sir,” Kendall replied, for the both of us.
“Now that we got lunch situated, what’s the plan for this weekend? Beach? Bonfire?” Kendall glanced our way.
“Actually, my parents asked me to go check into joining the army. They decided to make it a whole weekend thing. I’m sorry guys, I can’t,” Parker chimed in.
I looked up at him suddenly, not being able to hide the disappointment in my eyes. “And you weren’t planning on telling me this?”
“Babe, it just came up, I swear. I wouldn’t hide anything from you. This is just the first time I’ve been able to say anything about it.” Parker looked truly conflicted.
“Is that what you want? To be in the army? To be deployed? To be away from me?” I asked, not being able to hide the crack in my voice, as I fought back tears.
“Can we talk about this later?” he pleaded with me, eyeing our friends. “Please.”
“Fine,” I spat huffily. “You go see what the army has to offer with your parents, and if it is something that you truly want to do, we will talk then.” And with that I turned on my heel and headed toward class. I couldn’t stand being there anymore. I never imagined myself as someone who would date a military man. It just didn’t appeal to me. Being away from Parker, the one person who kept me grounded, my rock, did not appeal to me one bit.
Parker knew why my insecurities were sky high about him even contemplating a future in the army. That huge reason had a name: Mason.
He was four years older than me, but I never noticed the difference. He always made me feel like an equal. I was only fourteen years old when he joined the army fresh out of high school. He always said he wanted to make a difference with his life, and I believed it with every sparkle in his eyes.
I remember the day like it was yesterday…The knock on the front door; the unfamiliar soldier standing outside, asking to come in. I knew then nothing would ever be the same.
We were told it was a roadside bomb, leaving them no time to react. They led me to believe it had been quick, and as painless as possible. But the pictures and visions that took over my mind convinced me otherwise. He was only twenty years old when his life was taken from him; too young to experience the full meaning of life. I always felt like he was robbed.
The past couple of years the only thing that even got me through my grief was Parker. He was there, even when I didn’t want him to be. Even when I thought I knew what was best for me…he never gave up. Parker had also shared a close bond with Mason, growing closer to him after Bo. We really leaned on each other to get us through those dark months.