Tempting (on hold)

Tempting

Parker watched her mother flutter across the kitchen and open the oven door for what seemed like the millionth time that night. Cocking a hip against the kitchen worktop, Parker crossed her arms against her chest and smiled.

“Parker honey, why don’t you go and change into something nice? They’ll be here soon.” Her Mum looked across the kitchen at her and waved her hands around in a shooing motion.

Parker’s grin widened. “Are you sure you don’t want any help? You look…flustered.”

Her mother tucked a strand of blonde hair, identical to her own, behind her ears and smoothed down the sleek silk of her dress. “I do? I guess I’m nervous.” She acknowledged with a tilt of her head “Your father and I haven’t seen Ted or Hilary in years, and now they’re living right here, in Black Falls.”

Parker nodded, “Since College then? How did you lose touch?”

Her mum tugged open the fridge door and took out a handful of vegetables. “It just happened, honey. We had you so soon after we graduated, and they had their two sons, we drifted.” She diced the cucumber and celery and tossed it into the mixing bowl. “They’re coming tonight.”

Parker cocked an eyebrow “Who?”

Her mum gave a low chuckle “The two boys, Justin and Olly.”

Parker narrowed her eyes at her mother, who met her stare and blinked innocently. “I’m going to change.”

She turned from the kitchen, stopping by the living room to say hi to her father who was engrossed in a ball game, and took the stairs two at a time.  This evening was important to her parents, that much was obvious. They had barely talked about anything else for weeks they were so excited that the Ted and Hilary Carson were moving back to the area.

Flinging open the doors of her wardrobe Parker bit her lip thoughtfully. She glanced down at herself and grimaced, there was no way she could go to dinner in her tracksuit bottoms.

*

When the doorbell chimed Parker took one last look at herself in the mirror. Her green eyes stared back at her, lined in black kohl. Her skin looked had a dewy glow to it, thanks to the blusher her best friend Kara had given her for her 16th birthday and the form  fitting black dress she wore was flattering, at least she thought it was.

Readjusting one stray lock of wavy hair back into the messy up do she’d managed, she smacked on some lip gloss and wandered down the stairs. She could already hear the faint conversation drifting through the open doors of the living room and the soft laughter.

Parker slipped on a pair of red heels, teetered on them for only a moment, and then did her best to make it into the living room in one piece.  As soon as she started down the corridor her father emerged and tucked her into his side murmuring “You look so grown up sweetheart!” and guided her toward the sitting area. She only had a moment to notice that he too had opted for something a little smarter, his chinos and a shirt, before she was pulled into the room.

Four faces turned. Her mother’s, a woman whom she supposed was Hilary and the man beside her Ted, and the face of an adorable little boy.

“You must be Parker!” Hilary’s blue eyes crinkled at the corners as she stood up and gathered parker into an affectionate embrace. She loosened her arms slightly and shook her head “You look just like your mother when she was your age.”

Parker liked her immediately and smiled. “Is that a compliment?”

Her father laughed “It sure is, you should have seen your mother in college!”