Page 33 of Finding Parker

“Let’s wait until we get into the restaurant,” he said.

I turned and pointed toward the street full of cars, “So, why’d I run across the street?

He grinned, “So I could catch you?”

“Okay, now I’m dating a comedian. Hand it over, please,” I said as I help my hand out and smiled.

He placed the envelope in my hand and smiled.

Carefully, I unsealed the flap with my fingernail. As I pulled the card from the envelope, I couldn’t help but smile. I had hoped it was a card, but as Parker held it I couldn’t tell. As a little girl, probably until I was around seven or so, my mother always gave me birthday cards. After that, as she became more disoriented and sedated, she stopped getting me cards – and telling me happy birthday for that matter. No one else, at least that I can recall, has ever given me a card of any type.

The outside of the card was simple. Three beautiful flowers as if they were painted with water colors. And what appeared to be hand written, but was part of the printed card, the words just wanted to let you know.

Eagerly, I opened the card. Only hand written words were inside. I looked up from the envelope and smiled at Parker, and quickly looked back down to read the card.

Victoria,

I cherish the time we spend together. Sometimes I believe I have such deeply seated feelings I expect those around me understand how I feel. That, of course, is not always the case. For that simple reason alone, I want to take time to tell you…

You mean the world to me.

And I want to do whatever I must to keep you beside me.

So please, and I am begging you…

If I ever do anything wrong, and I hope I never do, please take time to tell me.

Because losing you would surely be the death of me.

Yours,

Parker.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. I reread the card entirely. I attempted unsuccessfully to swallow again. I reread the card. As I attempted to refrain from crying, I looked up.

Parker’s hands were pressed deeply into the pockets of his slacks. His perfectly pressed white shirt had the first button unbuttoned and his Blazer fit his broad shoulders perfectly. How could I not love this man?

“Did you like it?” he asked softly.

I clutched the card in my right hand and raised both my arms above my head. Slowly, Parker’s face filled with wonder.

I closed my eyes, “No. I loved it. Kiss me.”

“Right here? Out in the open?” he asked.

I nodded my head and waited.

As I felt his body press against mine, I lowered my hands around his back, careful not to bend my card. His hands pressed into my lower back, pulling me into him softly. As his lips met mine, and we began to kiss, my entire body turned to goose bumps.

And Parker Bale kissed me for the first time.

VICTORIA. Contributing something meaningful into a conversation hasn’t always been easy for me. Generally speaking, what I offer isn’t received in the manner it was originally intended, so I tend to listen more than I speak. With Parker, I had never felt as if anything was misinterpreted. I generally understood what he had to say, and if not I was never afraid to ask for an explanation. As far as I could recall, he had never taken exception to anything I had said either. For the most part, we communicate well with each other.

As I have never really had the opportunity or necessity to communicate with anyone but my mother, I didn’t have a tremendous amount of experience doing so. It’s highly likely my lack of communication skills made speaking with others, and doing so accurately, quite difficult. Considering how Parker and I seemed to naturally understand each other allowed me to look at this one aspect of our relationship as being very valuable.

“How can you not believe in them? They’re for real,” Paulie hissed.

“There’s no such fucking thing as aliens, dude. Jesus,” Vincent shook his head in disbelief.