The Miner's Girl

Chapter 31

(((December 21, 2015)))
Nicole's POV
I woke up the next morning around 11:30, and Parker was nowhere to be found. I had half expected him to come back in the middle of the night. I took Bear outside, and after, I came back in, used the bathroom, and fed him. It was now four days until Christmas. I needed to be helping Mom plan the food, clean, and other little errands. But instead, I was sitting at home. I decided that I would call Mom. She said to come on over to her house.

I got dressed, and Bear and I went. I stood outside for a few minutes with Bear, and I noticed that Parker's truck was still here. I thought he would've gone wherever he was last night. I carried Bear in the house after he had used the bathroom.

"Hey, Mom." I said as I walked in and set Bear down.

"Hey, come in." Mom said from the kitchen.

"Dad working?" I asked.

"Yeah. He has to work a little." Mom said.

"Oh. So what are we doing?"

"I thought we would write out what we were going to make for Christmas dinner and the grocery list. Then I need to wrap the rest of the presents."

"I'll help."

"Okay, but you can't help wrap your presents." Mom smiled.

"Okay, fine." I smiled.

"Parker's in his room. He only came out to eat breakfast. He should be coming out to eat lunch anytime. It's almost done."

"Only comes out to eat." I smirked.

"You should go talk to him." Mom suggested.

"I don't have anything to say. I didn't do anything."

"I didn't say you did."

"I know." I thought about it for a few minutes while I sat in the kitchen and watched Mom finish cooking. "I guess I need to talk to him."

I picked up Bear and walked down the hall to his room. I opened the door and saw Parker laying in his bed with the television on and his phone in his hand, and Dozer asleep at the end of the bed.

"Always got that phone in your hand like a teenage girl." I smirked.

He looked up and smirked while he shook his head. He set his phone down and started watching television. I set Bear down on the bed, and he went up in Parker's lap and started licking him.

"Bear missed you." I laughed as I sat on the end of the bed.

"Yeah." He smirked.

"So when did you come here last night?" I asked him.

"After I left your house."

I nodded. "Mom called me at 1:30 and said that you had just got here."

"I might have went somewhere else before coming here."

"Where?"

"Austin had a bonfire going."

"Oh." I nodded.

We sat there a few minutes in silence.

"You don't believe me, do you?" He said.