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“Even though my sister and I were six years apart, we were really close; all of my family was close. My parents don’t live far from here. As a matter of fact, they are still in the same house my dad bought before my sister was born. They have done a lot of work to upgrade the home, and I go see them every week if they are home since they both retired, and stay on the move. I guess I said your name one too many times because they want to meet you.”
“I would love to meet your parents, Ni Ni. Should I cook?”
“No!” she says quickly. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean it like that. We both know you are a phenomenal cook, but I would want you to sit and enjoy that night.”
I kiss the top of her head, “When do you want this to happen and where?”
“They requested it be at their house, but they are in Corfu until the end of the month.”
“It’s a date.”
“My family is a bit unconventional, it started off with me, Josh, and Joseph and grew to include Atlas, Asher, Aryan, and Anson. Jaabari is a menopause baby.”
“Oh damn.”
“Right, that’s how both my parents felt when they found out they were pregnant, and then it was another boy rounding off eight boys,” I launch into the story of how our family came to be.
“So you learned to cook to get time with your parents?” she asks and I know she wants me to tell her why I cook.
“It was weird but like I said, my parents made sure to give each one of us attention. I still don’t know how they were able to pull that off. I truly enjoyed cooking, to take something basic and turn it into something elevated and unexpected was fascinating to me. So many cultures bond, heal, and share through food. It is truly one of the most universal forms of communication in the world, you know what I mean. How you cook and what you cook for someone can say so much. Did I put a lot of time into it? Did I plan it out? Did I scrape the last bit of food together to feed you so you wouldn’t be hungry? Like, we can speak completely different languages, but if you bring me a bowl of Pho, I know you care about my well-being. I cook because it is a way to care for the people I love and to share with them something I love to do. That would get lost as a chef, slinging out plate after plate for people who could care less about me or even want to know me. I am picky about who I cook for because, with every plate, I share a gift I love, a gift that accepted me, flaws and all.”
She is so quiet I think she might have fallen asleep. “That’s beautiful, Jaa, and I will never take another meal you cook lightly again. I mean, I already didn’t, but knowing how you feel just makes it that much more special for me.” I kiss the top of her head again, laying back to enjoyBilly Joel’s Just the Way You Are,an appropriate song for the occasion, until we both fall asleep.
We wake up about an hour later famished. After I make us a meal of grilled shrimp foil packets on the fake campfire, we’re wrapped in a blanket talking, binge-watching tv shows she’s been excited to see, and making smores.
“Wait, did she just tell this man ‘Sorrows, sorrow, prayers?’” I asked, laughing.
“I swear that is how I am going to convey my sympathy from now on,” Parker states.
“Oh, you trying to get cussed out,” I say, thinking about how someone may respond to that.
“I wish a bitch would,” she says, and all I can do is shake my head at her.
What started off as one night of camping ended up being a weekend event. We stayed wrapped up in each other’s arms, talking, eating, and just enjoying being in each other’s company. I called off from the restaurant, and she went on do not disturb, letting Liam, Luca, and Luke handle any emergencies if any popped up.
“I guess we have to go back to reality.”
“Yeah, I guess we do. But I wonder what you would do if you didn’t have your company anymore?” She stops and slowly turns in my direction. “No, I am not trying to change you. I am just asking a question. If you want to keep running your business for the rest of your life, I am okay with that. I was just asking,” I tell her before she gets wound up or starts thinking I am trying to change her.
“I really don’t know. I originally was supposed to go into marketing, but I don’t think I would want to do that anymore. Maybe a career coach since I have helped so many men find successful careers or become wealthy.”
“As well as your company has been marketed, I think you’d be amazing in marketing and career development.”
“Honestly, I think I would just retire and travel the world.”
“Now that sounds like a plan,” I tell her.
Twelve
“You have been a hard man to track down,” Joseph says when he walks into my suites.
“I really haven’t,” I say, but I know that’s not entirely true. I spend almost every night at Parker’s house.
“Please,” he says, “you can’t seem to tear yourself away from the beautiful businesswoman these days, not that I can blame you.”
“What is that supposed to mean, Solo?” Joyce asks, coming up behind her husband.
“It means I remember how I wanted to spend every moment with you and still do.”
