Shattered Rose (Winsor Series) - By T L Gray Page 0,78

we took from the time he was five years old.” She was shaking her head as if reliving a warm, wonderful memory.

Parker’s dad continued on, “And the worst part was, he always won so we were forced to listen to terrible music the entire trip!”

I looked at Parker confused, and he explained that the price for winning when he was a kid was control over the radio.

“You’re kidding!” I said hitting his arm. “That would have been way easier then all your questions.” The table erupted in laughter again as Parker raised his hands in surrender. The laughter died down and attention was once again on me, as I was to give my high for the day. There were so many, it was hard to pick. But my mind thought back to the morning and how dark it had felt.

“My high was when Parker picked me up this afternoon,” I said confidently.

Parker’s mom got a sappy look on her face, and I watched as his dad squeezed her shoulder. There was nothing especially striking about either one of them. His mom was average height and weight. Her hair and clothes were plain and even a little dated. His dad looked very rugged and wrinkled, like someone who had worked outside all his life. Watching them, however, with their warm smiles and kind spirits, I soon started to feel like they were two of the most beautiful people I’d ever met. I totally understood how Parker was such a man of character; he had been surrounded by it all his life.

We got up and brought our dishes from the table. I offered to help clean up, but Parker’s parents practically kicked us out of the kitchen.

Parker led me into their small den that housed an old leather couch with multiple patches, and an oversized chair and ottoman just big enough for both of us to sit on. The small TV sat in a corner nook of built in shelves, and there was old wood paneling that covered each wall. I imagined Parker in this room when he was a kid and had no doubt it looked exactly the same.

We sat together in the chair and he lifted my legs so they rested on his and leaned in to kiss me. Parker was exactly the same with me in front of his parents as he was when we were alone, which I loved and admired.

I looked at him and smiled. “You’re right, they’re amazing.”

He reached out and stroked my face with his hand, capturing my eyes with his. “You’re amazing.”

It was the first time I actually thought that one day I might be able to believe him.

“Lord, deliver her from those would harm her, whose mouths are full of lies. Show her that your hand will guide her and your right hand will hold her fast…”

15. GOING HOME

I was cuddled up next to Parker on the drive home with my head resting on his shoulder. It had been a glorious two days with his family, and part of me never wanted to leave. Between snowball fights and long walks in the woods, I felt more bonded to Parker than I ever had before. I even went to church with him and his family and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. His world was safe and free, and most of all honest.

I peeked down at my purse and saw the small bible Parker’s mom had given me before we left. Her sweet voice assured me that reading it could solve all of life’s mysteries. She also promised me that if I ever needed direction in my life, it would surely guide me. I smiled at the gesture. No one had ever given me a bible before.

Looking back out the window, I could see the vast darkness as we made our way back to campus; it seemed to match my feelings that something ominous was waiting for me when I got home. I shuddered and tried to push the thought out of my head.

“You cold?” Parker asked, turning up the heat.

“No, I’m fine. Just not looking forward to returning to reality just yet.”

“Well, if you want to escape reality again, I have a proposition for you.” I perked up, eager to do anything that meant we were together. “You know I go each month to Charlotte for training, right?” I nodded. “Well, along with that requirement, they have a ball each year they put on, and it’s mandatory that we attend.