The Miner's Girl

Chapter 59

(((March 18, 2016)))

Nicole's POV

I spent most of yesterday and the day before that with Travis. Nothing romantic, just he and I spending time together. Night before last we went bowling, and last night he spent sitting with me, Nana, and Woody. He asked me if I wanted to go see a movie today, and I said yes. Nana is also going with us. So, Nana and I are getting ready to go to the movies with Travis while Papa Woody is at work.

Around 12:00, someone knocked on the door. I called, "yeah!"

"It's me, don't shoot!" Travis called as he came in the door.

I laughed as I came in the living room from the bathroom and gave Travis a hug.

"Y'all ready to go?" Travis smiled as we pulled away from the hug.

"Nana! You ready?" I yelled.

"In a minute!"

"Hopefully it won't take her that long." I smiled as I sat down on the couch.

A few minutes later, my phone rang. A picture of Parker popped up on the screen, causing me to roll my eyes. I silenced the phone and went back to talking to Travis.

My phone rang again, and this time I groaned before answering it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Nick, please come home." Parker said from the other end of the line and I could tell he had been crying.

"Why?"

"Baby, please come. I'll do anything, I'm sorry just please come home."

"Parker, what's wrong?"

"Grandpa. He, um,--" Parker sobbed.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "He's gone?"

"Yeah." Parker sniffled. "Are you coming home?"

"Of course, baby." I said as I wiped my eyes. "I'll be on the first plane back."

"Hurry home. I love you."

"I love you too." I frowned as I hung up the phone. "I gotta go home, Trav. I'm sorry."

"What's wrong?" Travis asked.

I frowned and closed my eyes as a tear fell from my eye. "Parker's Grandpa. He died. I gotta go." I sobbed as I walked to Nana's room to pack my things.

I cried as I told Nana what happened and that I had to go while I was cramming everything in my bags. About thirty minutes later, I went to walk out the door after hugging Nana goodbye.

"Thanks, Travis. For the past three days and the years before that." I smiled even though I had been crying. "But I have to go. He means more to me now."

"Drive safe, baby girl." Travis nodded.

"I will. Bye, y'all." I said as I walked out the door.

Travis said when I shut the door, "She was mine for a while."

***

Late that night I arrived in Haines. I had been crying a lot, so I knew Parker was a wreck. I saw Parker's truck in Mom and Dad's yard, so I pulled in. I unlocked the door quietly with my key and tiptoed into the door so as not to wake everyone up. I shut the door back and locked it before  taking my shoes off and setting them by the door. I quietly walked through the living room and down the hall. I saw that Payson and Hannah were asleep in his bed, and I crept open Parker's door. He was asleep, too. I smiled sympathetically as I started changing into one of his tee shirts.

I crawled into the bed beside him and fixed the hair to reveal his face. I kissed his forehead and smiled. Even though we hadn't made up yet, we kind of had in a way because he told me to come back home. I missed him.

He opened his brown eyes and said, "Hey, beautiful."

"I came back." I smiled. " How you feeling?"

"Not good." Parker groaned as he sat up in the bed.

"Come here, baby." I cooed as I hugged his neck and kissed his cheek. "It'll be alright, huh?"

"I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know what it's going to be like without him. He was my best friend."

"Aw, baby." I cooed as I wiped the tear rolling down his cheek. "I miss him too." I frowned.

"This whole thing made me realize that you need to tell the person you love that you love them and be with them as much as possible. Our fight was over dumb shit, and I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, baby. I should've never done that. I love you so much."

"I forgive you. As long as you never do anything like that again, okay?" Parker said as he pulled me onto his lap.

"I will never." I assured him. "I'm always going to be here for you."

"I don't want to think about Grandpa right now. It's too hard to deal with." Parker said.

"Then let's do something​ else."

"Kiss me, Nicole."

I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips against his. At that moment, everything was forgotten and we just focused on kissing each other.

"I love you so much." Parker moaned as I kissed his neck.

And that wasn't the only moaning we did that night. Thank goodness the walls are soundproof.