Reliving Yesterday ✔

Chapter 43.

When I woke up on Monday, my door was ajar and I could hear pots clanging in the distance as my Dad bustled in the kitchen making me breakfast. I inhaled the peaceful and exhaled deeply before convincing myself to get off bed.

After washing up, I took extra care in getting dressed that morning, fetching out a top I had never worn before and pairing them with my favorite dark jeans and matching sandals. I tied a small bandana that belonged to my mother into a bow on my head, wishing she was here with me.

When I walked out of my closet, Parker had placed himself on my window ledge and was grinning broadly at me.

"Hey, birthday girl," he cooed, coming over to me and hugging me tightly.

I couldn't say much or even breath as he crushed me in his hug, but right there, everything was right in the world. I had my best friend and my father was home. Everyone I loved was here and it was peaceful.

"Happy birthday, little one," he told me, using an old nickname his voice muffled by my hair.

Exactly Ten Years Ago

Parker climbed in through my window as I sat on my bed, reading.

"Happy birthday, little one!" he told me, throwing himself on to me and hugging me.

"Little one?" I demanded, after he pulled away.

"Yeah, Alex. You're a lot littler than me," he told me, giving me a smile, which showed me his missing teeth.

I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed as Parker sniggered at me.

"What do you want for your birthday?" he asked.

I uncrossed my arms and thought, tapping my chin with my index finger.

"I don't know, Parker, I just want to keep everyone I love together," I told him, firmly, "And a snow globe."

"Well, I don't know how to do the first one," Parker replied, thoughtfully, "Shall I just put them all in a box, then?"

I laughed at his suggestion. "I don't know. I guess you'll have to figure that out."

Parker got up, in thought. "Oh, I will."

He pulled away and I when I looked at him, there was a look on his face like he was so happy he could cry.

"I got you something," he said, with a tiny sniff and handed me decorative bag with coloured tissue paper stuck inside so that I couldn't see what was inside.

I smiled at him, "Thank you."

I looked at the bag fondly and pulled all the tissue out and reached in. I took out the thing inside and looked at it.

It was a beautiful snow globe, with a gold bottom, on it the words "Je t'aime", my favorite phrase. Inside the snow globe, was my favorite picture of me, my Dad and my Mom. We had been on vacation with Parker's family and Parker's Dad had taken the shot. It was beautiful, and one of the last pictures we had of Mom before she fell sick and I had always loved it.

It was everyone I loved together, even Parker, because he was the only one who knew about the phrase. I wiped a tear.

"Parker, it's beautiful, it's amazing. I love it," I told him, pulling him into a hug.

"I love you, Alex," he told me, "You're my saving grace. You stuck with me through thick and thin and I would have never been here without you, Alex. Everything that happened, especially last week, you helped me go through all of that. When you started showing up and taking care of me despite me being an absolute jerk to you, I knew I needed to fix all of this for you, Alex, but I guess you fixed me."