My Forever (OLD)

Two: An Uncertain Future

 Parker

“Come on, admit it, you like her,” Bo raised his eyebrows suggestively at me.

“Maybe you like her,” I responded sarcastically.

Madalynne was that girl next door; the one who you knew your entire life; the kind of friendship it was inevitable one person would develop feelings. But I never saw her that way.

“No seriously,” I continued, “you’re always bringing her up…why don’t you ask her out?”

Bo looked shocked that I could have even suggested such a thing. “It’s not that way Parker; I see the way she looks at you.”

“Well I wonder if she’s noticed you stalking her,” I joked, attempting to avoid the conversation altogether.

Madalynne was my best friend, she had been my entire life; I never wanted to endanger our friendship. But I couldn’t help feeling intrigued after the comment my brother made. “Do you really think she likes me?” I asked, attempting to sound as disinterested as possible.

“Maddy is one of a kind; girls like her don’t come around every day, and if you haven’t figured that out yet, then I worry about your romantic future,” my brother answered before heading to his room.

I pondered this for a long time after he left me. Was there something could see that I couldn’t? What did he know?

“Honey, can you set the table please?” My mother asked, softly.

“Sure thing Mama,” I replied, hopping up from the couch and heading to the cabinets to get the dinnerware.

My mother had cooked my favorite meal, Pot roast, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob and while I was stoked to be able to enjoy it, something told me this dinner was different. My parents had been acting strange all week. They had been out late one night, later than normal, and brought home a packet of some sort, but when I asked what they had been up to--they swiftly changed the subject. I had a feeling this dinner was going to be the one where they dropped the bomb. Not quite sure what kind of explosive they would be dropping, but I knew something was up.

After setting the table, my mother dished out all of the food. It was only the three of us tonight. My seven year old sister Gwen was spending the night at a friend’s house, so it was unusually quiet as we ate my mother’s delicious meal. After about 15 minutes of eating, without a word, my father finally broke the silence.

“Parker, we need to talk to you about something.”

I looked up at him cautiously, over my plate, “yeah?”

“Your mother and I went to see an army recruit the other day,” he replied, in between chews.

“Don’t you think you’re a little late in the game to be joining the army Pop?” I laughed, but stopped myself midway, realizing he may not think it as funny as I did.

“Son, don’t you think it’s about time you got serious about your future?” My father asked sternly, eyeing me down.

I looked up sheepishly at him, “Pop, it is my senior year, I have less than one month until I graduate. Do you think maybe I could take some time to appreciate the fact that I made it through the last four years before buckling down and getting serious?”

“Parker, I know there is no convincing you to go to college. Your mother and I have given up that dream long ago. And to be quite honest, the military is the last route we would want you to take; you’re our only son left. But I don’t see any harm in trying to prepare you for the real world. Once you graduate you are going to have to move out, and without a degree landing a decent paying job will be difficult. That’s why your mother and I went to check out an alternative for you.” My father pulled his napkin out from his collar and set it on the table next to him.