Take Me Home {Completed}

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Unedited

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"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

- African proverb

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Chapter Seventy-Eight:

Parker woke up to find himself facing Nola's sleeping figure. A smile stretched across his face as she soaked in her peaceful state. It was a sight that he had been waking up to after the night Camille committed suicide. That night, after Parker and Nola had colored and ate their dinner, Parker had said it was getting late and he thought it was time to retire for the night. Nola had been hesitant but she blurted out that she did not want to be alone that night. She was evidently scared to be left to just her mind and darkness. So, Parker stayed.

They always kept their distance, Parker on one side and Nola on the other. They never touched or did anything, it was just the comfort of having someone there that they cherished. Nola especially, she felt an extra sense of security when Parker stayed in the room. She was thankful too that he never tried anything, he always kept to his side, never acting or hinting that he wanted them to do more. It made her a trillion times more comfortable around him.

Nola's eyes flickered open and she came face to face with Parker. "Good morning," She said in a groggy tone.

"Morning," Parker looked away from her and glanced at the alarm clock. They had woke up fifteen minutes before it was supposed to go off. "Are you hungry? I can whip you up something before I take you to school."

Nola gave a grin, breakfast was always one of his first questions of the day. Her mouth opened to say sure when it dawned on her what the day was. "Crap," Nola sat up and rubbed her forehead. She had stalled the inevitable. "Today is Thursday."

Parker knew what that meant. "Are you wanting to go and see him? I can go with you."

Biting her bottom lip, Nola knew that she could not do it without Parker. However, she knew that he had work and it would be silly to take him from that. "You have work."

"Not today," Parker lied. He had work but he would take off if Nola wanted to go and see Mitch.

"Why not?" Nola inquired, finding what he said to be new news to her ears.

Parker shrugged, "Remus gave me the day off. So, we gonna to go or naw?"

***

Nola was right the previous week, Parker was exactly what she needed. As she stood outside the room she was going to talk to Mitch, Nola felt more relaxed than the week before.

Parker stood a foot in front of her, rubbing small circles on the top of one of her hands that he was holding. "You don't have to do this."

Nola nodded, "I know but I need to."

Parker looked at her skeptically before dropping the topic, she was set in place with the 'need' to talk to Mitch.

"I want you to be in there with me but make me a promise," Nola spoke just above a whisper.

Raising an eyebrow, Parker wondered what she was going to ask him to do. "I promise I won't kill him if that's what you're going to ask."

Nola chuckled at Parker's humor, "I'm not gonna stop you from that," she joked. "Just kidding but, no really, I don't want you to respond to him. I have a feeling he will say some things," Nola paused as her mind considered the things Mitch might say to her. "You know what, it might just be best for you to stay out here."

"And leave you to fend for yourself? That would not be very gentleman of me."

Giving an inaudible sigh, Nola feared what Mitch might say. "He's not a good person, Parks."